Effects of light irradiance and nitrogen starvation on the accumulation of arachidonic acid by the microalga Parietochloris incisa
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: Parietochloris incisa is a unicellular, fresh water green alga, capable of accumulating high amounts of the valuable very long chain polyunsaturated arachidonic acid (AA) in triacylglycerols (TAG) of cytoplasmic oil-bodies. To find out the cultivation conditions providing maximum AA yield, the effects of light irradiance and N- availability on the dry weight (DW), chlorophyll, carotenoid and AA content have been studied. Under nitrogen starvation, TAG accounted for over 30% of dry weight (DW) and AA content became as high as ~ 55% of total fatty acids. From the standpoint of biomass accumulation, light intensity of ca. 400 uE m–2 · s–1 was found to be optimal for growing P. incisa on complete medium. Lower light intensities (or higher cell density of inoculum) resulted in higher AA yield when the alga was cultivated on nitrogen-free media. In the absence of nitrogen, algal cells were unable to cope with high light and suffered from photooxidative damage, whereas the nitrogen-sufficient culture survived under such illumination conditions probably due to accumulation of carotenoids. Nitrogen-deprived P. incisa cells displayed elevated sensitivity to light.
Authors: А. Е. Соловченко, М. Н. Мерзляк, О. Б. Ч., И. В. Решетникова, И. Хозина-Голдберг, Ш. Диди-Коэн, Ц. Коэн
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7009311701