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Enriching Rotifers with “Premium” Microalgae: Rhodomonas lens

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Abstract

The nutritional value of the marine cryptophyte Rhodomonas lens for the filter feeder Brachionus plicatilis as well as its biotechnological potential as a source of phycoerythrin (PE) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were evaluated in semi-continuous cultures maintained with different daily renewal rates (RR), from 10% (R10) to 50% (R50) of the total volume. Steady-state cell density decreased from 22 to 7 × 106 cells mL−1 with increasing RR, with the maximum cell productivity, nearly 0.4 g L−1 day−1, observed with R40. PE cell content attained the highest values with the highest RR (circa 9 pg cell−1). All treatments of R. lens maintained under nitrate-saturated conditions (R20-R50) showed a similar high content of PUFAs, > 60% of total fatty acids (FA), with linolenic acid (18:3n-3) and 18:4n-3, representing 12 and 29% of total FA respectively. The PUFA level in the nitrogen-limited R10 cultures was significantly lower (37%). R. lens promoted higher weight gain in the rotifer B. plicatilis than Tisochrysis lutea (T-ISO), a species commonly used for rotifer culture and enrichment. Significant differences were found in the protein content and in the ratio n-3/n-6 fatty acids among rotifers fed with R. lens from different RRs, with higher values being found in those fed with R. lens from higher RRs. The enrichment of the rotifers for short periods of 3 h was sufficient to modify the biochemical composition of the rotifers, but it was evidenced as too short for the accumulation of PUFAs, when compared to long-term (24 h) enrichment. The rotifers reflected the higher protein and PUFA content of R. lens cultivated with nutrient sufficient microalgae (R40) after only 3 h of enrichment. These results demonstrate that semi-continuous culture of R. lens under appropriate conditions can strongly enhance the nutritional value of this species, being reflected in the growth and biochemical composition of the filter feeder, even in short exposure periods.

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Funding

This work was supported by the grant “Axudas do Programa de Consolidación e Estructuración de Unidades de Investigación Competitivas (GPC)” from the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia (ED431B2017/53).

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  1. Paula Coutinho

    Present address: CPIRN-IPG - Center of Potential and Innovation of Natural Resources, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, 6300-559, Guarda, Portugal

  2. Martiña Ferreira

    Present address: Department of Aquaculture, ANFACO-CECOPESCA, Ctra. Colegio Universitario 16, 36310, Vigo, Spain

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  1. Instituto de Acuicultura and Dpto. de Microbiología y Parasitología, Fac. Biología/CIBUS, Campus Vida, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain

    Paula Coutinho, Martiña Ferreira, Isabel Freire & Ana Otero

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Coutinho, P., Ferreira, M., Freire, I. et al. Enriching Rotifers with “Premium” Microalgae: Rhodomonas lens. Mar Biotechnol 22, 118–129 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-019-09936-4

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