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A brief period of darkness induces changes in fatty acid biosynthesis towards accumulation of saturated fatty acids in Chlorella vulgaris UMT-M1 at stationary growth phase

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Abstract

Objective

The effects of a brief (3 days) and prolonged (6 days) period of incubation in darkness and light on the biomass content, lipid content and fatty acid profile in Chlorella vulgaris UMT-M1 were determined.

Results

Three days of incubation in darkness increased saturated fatty acid (SFA) content from 34.0 to 41.4% but decreased monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content from 36.7 to 29.8%. Palmitic acid (C16:0) content was increased from 23.2 to 28.9%, whereas oleic acid (C18:1) content was reduced from 35.4 to 28.8%. Total oil content was slightly decreased from 20.4 to 18.7% after 3 days of darkness, without a significant reduction in biomass compared to 3 days of incubation in light. Biomass and oil content was highest in cultures incubated for 6 days in light, however the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of darkness (or light) on SFA and MUFA content was no longer present at 6 days of incubation.

Conclusions

Findings from this study suggests that fatty acid composition in C. vulgaris could be modulated to favor either C16:0 or C18:1 by a brief period of either darkness or light incubation, prior to harvesting.

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Acknowledgements

This research project was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS FASA 1-2010: VOT 59175). The authors would like to thank Miss Teng Fei Chien for her kind help during the project period.

Supporting information

Supplementary Table 1—Biomass dry weight and total oil content of C. vulgaris cultures under a brief (3 day) and prolonged (6 day) period of light and dark treatments.

Supplementary Table 2—Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids of C. vulgaris cultures under a brief (3 day) and prolonged (6 day) period of light and dark treatments.

Supplementary Table 3—Composition of fatty acids produced by C. vulgaris under a brief (3 day) and prolonged (6 day) period of light and dark treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

    Thye San Cha, Willy Yee, Saw Hong Loh & Ahmad Aziz

  2. Department of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia

    Pamela Szu Phin Phua

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  1. Thye San Cha
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  2. Willy Yee
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Correspondence to Thye San Cha.

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Cha, T.S., Yee, W., Phua, P.S.P. et al. A brief period of darkness induces changes in fatty acid biosynthesis towards accumulation of saturated fatty acids in Chlorella vulgaris UMT-M1 at stationary growth phase. Biotechnol Lett 43, 803–812 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-021-03077-2

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