This study investigates the capability of the oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus curvatus O3 to synthesize microbial lipids using glucose as its sole carbon source. Both glucose concentration and varying nitrogen sources have a significant effect on cell growth and microbial lipid accumulation in batch and fed-batch cultures. When cultivated in a shaking flask at 30 degrees C with glucose as sole carbon source, the cellular biomass and lipid content reached 51.8 kg m(-3) and 651 g kg(-1), respectively. The fed-batch culture in a 30 x 10(-3) m(3) stirred-tank fermentor run for 185 h produced a cellular biomass, lipid content, and lipid productivity rate of up to 104.1 kg m(-3), 827 g kg(-1), and 0.47 kg m(-3) h(-1), respectively. These data indicate that C. curvatus O3 can be used as an ideal oleaginous yeast for microbial lipid production. Gas chromatography analysis of the synthesized microbial lipids revealed that the major constituents are long-chain fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. The results suggest that the microbial lipids produced by C. curvatus O3 can be used to produce biodiesel. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.