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Photosynthetic accumulation of carbon storage compounds under CO2 enrichment by the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus

  • Bioenergy/Biofuels/Biochemicals
  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

The growth characteristics of Thermosynechococcus elongatus on elevated CO2 were studied in a photobioreactor. Cultures were able to grow on up to 20% CO2. The maximum productivity and CO2 fixation rates were 0.09 ± 0.01 and 0.17 ± 0.01 mg ml−1 day−1, respectively, for cultures grown on 20% CO2. Three major carbon pools—lipids, polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs), and glycogen—were measured. These carbon stores accounted for 50% of the total biomass carbon in cultures grown on atmospheric CO2 (no supplemental CO2), but only accounted for 30% of the total biomass carbon in cultures grown on 5–20% CO2. Lipid content was approximately 20% (w/w) under all experimental conditions, while PHB content reached 14.5% (w/w) in cultures grown on atmospheric CO2 and decreased to approximately 2.0% (w/w) at 5–20% CO2. Glycogen levels did not vary significantly and remained about 1.4% (w/w) under all test conditions. The maximum amount of CO2 sequestered over the course of the nine-day chemostat experiment was 1.15 g l−1 in cultures grown on 20% CO2.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Elizabeth Burrows for her technical assistance in setting up and troubleshooting the bioreactors. This work was supported in part by the DOD/ASEE SMART scholarship program. Special thanks to Markael Luterra for editorial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, 116 Gilmore Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Jed O. Eberly & Roger L. Ely

  2. Environmental Laboratory, CEERDC-EP-P, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS, 39180, USA

    Jed O. Eberly

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  1. Jed O. Eberly
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Correspondence to Jed O. Eberly.

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Eberly, J.O., Ely, R.L. Photosynthetic accumulation of carbon storage compounds under CO2 enrichment by the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus . J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 39, 843–850 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-012-1092-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-012-1092-2

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