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Updated: May 17, 2026
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Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids
Published on: January 7, 2019
Neutral lipid accumulation at elevated temperature in conditional mutants of two microalgae species
Shuo Yao1, Anders Brandt, Helge Egsgaard
1Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Risoe Campus, Building 330, P.O.B. 49, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. shya@kt.dtu.dk
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry : PPB
|October 23, 2012
Summary
Microalgae mutants accumulate more triacylglycerols, a key component for biodiesel. Cell-cycle inhibition in these mutants offers a promising strategy for enhanced lipid production in microalgal cultures.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Microalgae are vital for biodiesel production due to rapid growth and high oil content.
- Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are energy storage lipids in microalgae, accumulating under nitrogen starvation.
- Understanding lipid accumulation mechanisms is crucial for optimizing biofuel production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize microalgal mutants with enhanced neutral lipid accumulation.
- To investigate the relationship between cell-cycle arrest and lipid accumulation in microalgae.
- To explore the potential of these mutants for improved biodiesel production.
Main Methods:
- Screening temperature-sensitive mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris.
- Quantifying neutral lipid content, primarily triacylglycerols, in mutant strains.
- Analyzing cell cycle progression and lipid composition changes in response to temperature shifts.
Main Results:
- Nine C. reinhardtii and eleven C. vulgaris mutants showed increased triacylglycerol accumulation.
- Mutants exhibited enlarged cellular volume and altered lipid profiles upon temperature-induced cell-cycle arrest.
- Three C. reinhardtii mutants were identified to arrest post-DNA synthesis, prior to cell division.
Conclusions:
- Specific microalgal mutants can be induced to accumulate higher levels of neutral lipids.
- Cell-cycle inhibition is a viable strategy to enhance lipid accumulation for biodiesel applications.
- These mutants provide valuable tools for studying neutral lipid biosynthesis in microalgae.
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