Proteomics analysis for enhanced lipid accumulation in oleaginous Chlorella vulgaris under a heterotrophic-Na⁺...

A heterotrophic-Na(+) induction (HNI) two-step regime was developed to enhance lipid accumulation in oleaginous Chlorella vulgaris. C. vulgaris was cultivated heterotrophically to a biomass of 7.8 g l(-1) in 120 h. The cells were re-suspended in fresh media supplemented with 0.5 M NaCl followed by 12 h growth to accumulate lipid to 53.4 % (w/w). The lipid productivity (625 mg l(-1) day(-1)) achieved with HNI was better than that using heterotrophy alone (405 mg l(-1) day(-1)). To promote possible applications of HNI strategy in other microalgal species, the lipid triggers and potential molecular pathways associated with lipid biosynthesis were investigated. Malic enzyme and acyl-CoA-binding protein were key metabolic checkpoints found to modulate lipid biosynthesis in cells. These results provide the foundation to develop high-lipid engineering miroalgae for industrialization of biodiesel.