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Enhanced production of fatty acids in three strains of microalgae using a combination of nitrogen starvation and chemical inhibitors of carbohydrate synthesis

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Abstract

Microalgae are attracting much attention as superior biodiesel producers. In particular, under stressful conditions, they accumulate organic compounds consisting entirely of carbon and hydrogen. The aim of this work was to increase intracellular fatty acid content in Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyceae), Nannochloropsis oculata (Eustigmatophyceae), and Porphyridium cruentum (Rhodophyceae) using a combination of nitrogen starvation and chemical inhibitors of carbohydrate biosynthesis. These microalgae were subjected to nitrogen starvation and their physiological changes were then observed over time. In D. tertiolecta, no significant change in total fatty acid content was detected on day 3.5 relative to the initial total fatty acid content (day 0), while total carbohydrate content dramatically increased as the nitrogen starvation period was extended. In N. oculata, total fatty acid content rapidly increased, reaching up to nearly 40% of the DCW at day 3.5. However, total carbohydrate content exhibited a gradual reduction throughout the experiment. In P. cruentum, total carbohydrate content increased up to 43% of DCW on day 3.5 and total fatty acid content increased slightly under nitrogen depletion. These data suggest that different eukaryotic microalgae use different storage products under stressful conditions. Among the three strains, D. tertiolecta showed decreased total carbohydrate content and enhanced total fatty acid content following inhibition of carbohydrate synthesis by dichlorophenyl dimethylurea and cyclohexane diamine tetra acetic acid. The results demonstrate the possibility of furthering our understanding of the fatty acid and carbohydrate biosynthesis metabolic network that responds to environmental changes in microalgae.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Marine Bioenergy Research Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Korea

    Seong-Joo Hong, Yong Sung Park, Mi-Ae Han, Z.-Hun Kim & Choul-Gyun Lee

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea

    Byung-Kwan Cho

  3. Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon, 21936, Korea

    Hookeun Lee

  4. Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, 21565, Korea

    Hookeun Lee

  5. College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Korea

    Hyung-Kyoon Choi

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  1. Seong-Joo Hong
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  2. Yong Sung Park
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  4. Z.-Hun Kim
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Correspondence to Choul-Gyun Lee.

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These two author’s contributed equally to this work.

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Hong, SJ., Park, Y.S., Han, MA. et al. Enhanced production of fatty acids in three strains of microalgae using a combination of nitrogen starvation and chemical inhibitors of carbohydrate synthesis. Biotechnol Bioproc E 22, 60–67 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-016-0575-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-016-0575-9

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