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Biochemical modulation of Monodopsis subterranea (Eustigmatophyceae) by auxin and cytokinin enhances eicosapentaenoic acid productivity

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Abstract

Demand for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is growing rapidly due to proven therapeutic potential. Microalgae such as Monodopsis subterranea are considered important and sustainable source of eicosapentaenoic acid and require further enhancement in productivity. The present study investigated the role of auxins and cytokinin for enhanced EPA productivity in M. subterranea. The study evaluated the effect of these phytohormones on biomass, fatty acid composition, EPA productivity, and total fatty acid (TFA) productivity through dose-dependent responses at various growth phases. Treatment hierarchy in terms of stimulatory effect on EPA productivity is indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) > indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) > 6-benzyl amino purine (6BAP) > naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Supplementation of 100 μM (IAA) leads to a maximum increase in EPA productivity (2.5-fold) at late-exponential phase. Results show that 100 μM IBA yields maximum enhancement in EPA (58%) and TFA content (88%) and resulted in increased productivity by 1.8-fold and 2.1-fold, respectively, at mid-exponential phase. IBA at 100 μM also leads to the highest biomass productivity of 2.2-fold at late stationary phase. Although the addition of the cytokinin 6-BAP at 1 μM showed a marginal increase in biomass accumulation, biomass exhibited an inverse relation with increase in 6BAP concentration. Statistical analysis using principal components analysis demonstrated stimulatory action of IAA and IBA on biomass and EPA productivity at late-exponential phase.

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Acknowledgments

SA is thankful for CSIR-SRF by Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Human Resource Development Group (09/045(1562)/2018-EMR-1).

Funding

The authors would like to thank the financial support from the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology (BT/PR6027/AGII/106/859/2012).

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  1. Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India

    Shaweta Arora & Girish Mishra

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  1. Shaweta Arora
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  2. Girish Mishra
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Both SA and GM carried out the conceptual design of the study and approve the final version of the submitted manuscript; data acquisition, analyses, and manuscript writing were completed by SA with GM contributing for experimental design, data interpretation, and editing the manuscript critically.

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Correspondence to Girish Mishra.

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Arora, S., Mishra, G. Biochemical modulation of Monodopsis subterranea (Eustigmatophyceae) by auxin and cytokinin enhances eicosapentaenoic acid productivity. J Appl Phycol 31, 3441–3452 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-019-01844-3

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