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The alga Bracteacoccus bullatus (Chlorophyceae) isolated from snow, as a source of oil comprising essential unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids

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Abstract

A unicellular alga isolated from snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Spain) was characterised using a polyphasic approach. Comparative analysis of ITS2 rDNA secondary structures identified the new culture (CCALA 1120 Cepák and Lukavský Nova Hedwigia 94:163–173, 2012) as being conspecific with Bracteacoccus bullatus (Chlorophyceae). For the first time this study documented sexual reproduction as the pairing of gametes and also an-isogamy. Strain CCALA 1120 had a temperature optimum of growth about 21 °C and an irradiance optimum above 160 µmol photons m−2 s−1. It was cultivated in pilot-plant scale, using an open thin-layer photobioreactor in a greenhouse with only partial temperature control. After harvest, a high proportion of fatty acids was found (15.3% of dry mass) with linoleic (18:2ω-6) 18.3% and α-linolenic acids (18:3ω-3) 17.4% being the most abundant. Monounsaturated fatty acids accounted for about 30% with oleic (18:1ω-9) and vaccenic acids (18:1 ω-7) as the most prominent. The ratio of PUFA ω-6/ω-3 was 1:1.16, i.e. near to the ideal ratio of 1:1, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Biomass production was 2.67 g m–2 day−1 of dry weight, i.e. 0.2 g L−1 day−1. At the end of growth phase, total carotenoids made up 10.1 mg L−1. These results indicate that B. bullatus is suitable for production of a vegetable oil at lower temperatures (12–18 °C) and comprising a high content of unsaturated fatty acids.

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Acknowledgements

We thank doc. V. Cepák for collecting samples, H. Brabcová, ing. S. Pumpr and J. Hinterholzinger for technical support, last, but not least Prof. J.D.Brooker for language dressing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, National Centre of Competence, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dukelská 135, 379 82, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    J. Lukavský, J. Kvíderová & L. Procházková

  2. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Novohradská 237, Opatovický Mlýn, 379 01, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    J. Kopecký & D. Kubáč

  3. Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté Stoce 3, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    J. Kvíderová

  4. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic

    L. Procházková

  5. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-142 PSČ je 142 00, Prague 4, Czech Republic

    T. Řezanka

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  1. J. Lukavský
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Contributions

J. Lukavský designed this study, isolated the strain, carried out the light microscopy, carried out the three large-scale cultivations and lyophylization processing. J. Kvíderová was responsible for statistical analysis and cultivation in crossed gradients, J. Kopecký performed the pigment analysis, D. Kubáč harvested the pilot-plant cultivation, L. Procházková sequenced the strain and performed the phylogenetic analysis and ITS2 rRNA secondary structure prediction, T. Řezanka carried out fatty acid methyl ester analysis. J. Lukavský, J. Kvíderová, L. Procházková and T. Řezanka wrote the manuscript, J. Kopecký, D. Kubáč, T. Řezanka contributed with their relevant parts. All authors discussed the results.

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Lukavský, J., Kopecký, J., Kubáč, D. et al. The alga Bracteacoccus bullatus (Chlorophyceae) isolated from snow, as a source of oil comprising essential unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids. J Appl Phycol 35, 649–660 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-023-02916-1

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