Isolation and Selection of Protein-Rich Mutants of Chlorella vulgaris by Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting with Enhanced Biostimulant Activity to Germinate Garden Cress Seeds
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Microalgae are a promising feedstock with proven biostimulant activity that is enhanced by their biochemical components (e.g., amino acids and phytohormones), which turns them into an appealing feedstock to reduce the use of fertilisers in agriculture and improve crop productivity and resilience. Thus, this work aimed to isolate protein-rich microalgal mutants with increased biostimulant activity. Random mutagenesis was performed with Chlorella vulgaris, and a selection of protein-rich mutants were sorted through fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), resulting in the isolation of 17 protein-rich mutant strains with protein contents 19–34% higher than that of the wildtype (WT). Furthermore, mutant F4 displayed a 38%, 22% and 62% higher biomass productivity, growth rate and chlorophyll content, respectively. This mutant was then scaled up to a 7 L benchtop reactor to produce biomass and evaluate the biostimulant potential of this novel strain towards garden cress seeds. Compared to water (control), the germination index and the relative total growth increased by 7% and 19%, respectively, after the application of 0.1 g L−1 of this bioproduct, which highlights its biostimulant potential.
Source: Plants
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,069
Awards: G1348429418, G1380459458, G1948874405, Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, G3838636553, Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, G4500275458, G4880124076, Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve, G5506743709, Development of novel microalgal mutants with improved pigmentation and protein contents for industrial waste-based fermentation, Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve, G5996692824, G6547834732, G6912052472, Industrial cultivation of microalgae as a sustainable alternative for brewery wastewater treatment for feed and biostimulant applications., Instituto para a Saúde e a Bioeconomia, G7063316358, G7286073887, G8457836613, G949874453
OpenAlex ID: W4402131762