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Lipid production and composition of fatty acids in Chlorella vulgaris cultured using different methods: photoautotrophic, heterotrophic, and pure and mixed conditions

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Abstract

This study investigated the biomass, lipid production, fatty acid content, and other nutrients present in microorganisms by using four culture methods: (1) photoautotrophic pure Chlorella vulgaris cultures (PP); (2) heterotrophic pure C. vulgaris cultures (PH); (3) mixed cultures of Rhodotorula glutinis and C. vulgaris under photoautotrophic conditions (MP); and (4) heterotrophic mixed cultures (MH). The microorganisms in MP culture showed the optimum growth condition and lipid production. Among the cultures, MP yielded the highest number of cells and biomass (5.9 × 105 cells/mL and 0.523 g/L, respectively). Furthermore, lipid production in MP culture was 114.22 mg/L, which is 136 % higher than that in MH culture (48.22 mg/L). Considering the higher contents of palmitic acid (C16:0) at 24.65 %, oleic acid (C18:1) at 56.34 %, and protein at 42.39 g/100 g in the MP culture than in other cultures, we proposed that MP could be used effectively to support the growth of microorganisms. This method could also be used as a potential approach for biodiesel production.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the New Century Excellent Talents Program in University (Grant No. NCET-11-0587) of the Ministry of Education, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31201339), the Special Scientific Research Fund of Forestry Public Welfare Profession of China (Grant No. 201304805), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, Grant No. 2013AA102205), the Twelfth Five-Year National Science and Technology Support Program of China (Grant No. 2012BAD33B04), the Cultivation Program of Hundred Talents in the Science and Technology Field in Beijing (Grant No. Z131110000513026), and International Science and Technology Cooperation Programme (Grant No. 2010DFB63750) of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Forestry Food Processing and Safety, College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Hai-Dian District, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Kun Zhang, Bingjie Sun, Xingxing She & Difeng Ren

  2. Beijing Engineering Research Center of Functional Peptides, China National Research Institute of Food & Fermentation Industries, Chao-Yang District, Beijing, 100027, People’s Republic of China

    Kun Zhang & Jun Lu

  3. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Fengmin Zhao & Youfu Cao

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  1. Kun Zhang
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  2. Bingjie Sun
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  6. Difeng Ren
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  7. Jun Lu
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Correspondence to Difeng Ren or Jun Lu.

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Zhang, K., Sun, B., She, X. et al. Lipid production and composition of fatty acids in Chlorella vulgaris cultured using different methods: photoautotrophic, heterotrophic, and pure and mixed conditions. Ann Microbiol 64, 1239–1246 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-013-0766-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-013-0766-y

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