Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026
06:20
Author Spotlight: Optimizing Growth Factors for Production of Biotechnologically Relevant Secondary Metabolites
Published on: October 25, 2024
2.9K
Rapid screening test to estimate temperature optima for microalgae growth using photosynthesis activity measurements
Karolína Ranglová1,2, Gergely Ernö Lakatos3, João Artur Câmara Manoel3,4
1Centre Algatech, Laboratory of Algal Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Třeboň, Czech Republic. ranglova@alga.cz.
Folia Microbiologica
|August 1, 2019
Summary
A new 1-day photosynthesis test accurately estimates optimal growth temperatures for microalgae. This rapid screening method helps select suitable microalgae strains for pilot-scale cultivation, with 30°C often being ideal.
Area of Science:
- * Biotechnology and Algal Cultivation
- * Photosynthesis and Photophysiology
Background:
- * Determining optimal growth temperatures for microalgae is crucial for efficient cultivation.
- * Traditional growth rate assessments are time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To develop and validate a rapid 1-day test for estimating microalgae growth temperature optima.
- * To correlate photosynthetic activity optima with actual growth rates.
Main Methods:
- * Measured photosynthetic activity (oxygen evolution, fluorescence quenching, fast fluorescence induction) across a temperature range (15–35°C) in microalgae species.
- * Assessed key photosynthetic parameters: oxygen evolution, Fv/Fm, rETRmax, Vj, and Vi.
- * Verified temperature optima through subsequent microalgae growth tests.
Main Results:
- * A strong correlation was observed between temperature optima for photosynthetic activity and growth rates.
- * The rapid test effectively estimated suitable growth temperatures for various microalgae strains.
- * Optimal growth temperatures around 30°C were identified for most tested strains under the experimental conditions.
Conclusions:
- * The developed 1-day photosynthesis-based test is a reliable method for rapid pre-screening of microalgae strains.
- * This method can significantly reduce the time and resources needed to identify optimal growth temperatures before pilot-scale cultivation.
Related Concept Videos
00:39What is Photosynthesis?
111.0K
Photosynthesis is a multipart, biochemical process that occurs in plants as well as in some bacteria. It captures carbon dioxide and solar energy to produce glucose. Glucose stores chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates. The overall biochemical formula of photosynthesis is 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere and is largely responsible for maintaining the Earth’s atmospheric oxygen content.
111.0K
01:00What is Photosynthesis?
19.7K
All living organisms on Earth are directly or indirectly dependent on photosynthesis. It is the only biological process that can capture energy from sunlight and convert it into chemical energy that every organism can use to power its metabolism. Photosynthesis is also the source of oxygen required by many living organisms.
Types of Organisms Based on their Modes of Nutrition
Broadly, there are two main categories of organisms based on their modes of nutrition — autotrophs and...
Types of Organisms Based on their Modes of Nutrition
Broadly, there are two main categories of organisms based on their modes of nutrition — autotrophs and...
19.7K
01:27Factors Influencing Microbial Growth: Temperature
1.2K
Microorganisms display remarkable adaptations, enabling them to thrive in diverse ecological niches across a wide range of temperatures. Temperature profoundly influences microbial growth by affecting enzymatic activity, membrane fluidity, and other cellular processes.Each microorganism operates within a specific temperature range defined by three cardinal points: minimum, optimum, and maximum. Below the minimum temperature, membranes lose fluidity, halting transport processes. Above the...
1.2K
01:14Temperature Measurement Sites
3.2K
A thermometer measures body temperature. The common sites for measuring body temperature are the oral cavity, axillary region, temporal artery, and skin surface, such as the forehead, abdomen, and axilla. True core body temperature is assessed in the rectum, tympanic membrane, pulmonary artery, esophagus, and urinary bladder.
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
3.2K
01:26Oxygenic Photosynthesis
722
Oxygenic photosynthesis is a fundamental process in which light energy is harnessed to drive the oxidation of water, leading to the production of molecular oxygen (O₂), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). This process is essential for sustaining aerobic life on Earth and is primarily carried out by cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. The core of oxygenic photosynthesis lies in the thylakoid membranes, where chlorophyll pigments facilitate...
722
01:23Physical Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth: Temperature
967
Heat is a widely used method to control microbial growth by targeting and denaturing cellular proteins, thereby killing or inactivating microbes. This method's effectiveness is quantified using parameters such as the thermal death point (TDP), thermal death time (TDT), and decimal reduction time (D value). TDP represents the lowest temperature at which all microorganisms in a liquid suspension are eliminated within 10 minutes, whereas TDT is the time necessary to achieve sterilization at a...
967