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Morphological and ultrastructural characterization of the acidophilic and lipid-producer strain Chlamydomonas acidophila LAFIC-004 (Chlorophyta) under different culture conditions

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Abstract

Chlamydomonas acidophila LAFIC-004 is an acidophilic strain of green microalgae isolated from coal mining drainage. In the present work, this strain was cultivated in acidic medium (pH 3.6) under phototrophic, mixotrophic, and heterotrophic regimes to determine the best condition for growth and lipid production, simultaneously assessing possible morphological and ultrastructural alterations in the cells. For heterotrophic and mixotrophic treatments, two organic carbon sources were tested: 1 % glucose and 1 % sodium acetate. Lipid content and fatty acid profiles were only determined in phototrophic condition. The higher growth rates were achieved in phototrophic conditions, varying from 0.18 to 0.82 day−1. Glucose did not result in significant growth increase in either mixotrophic or heterotrophic conditions, and acetate proved to be toxic to the strain in both conditions. Oil content under phototrophic condition was 15.9 % at exponential growth phase and increased to 54.63 % at stationary phase. Based on cell morphology (flow cytometry and light microscopy) and ultrastructure (transmission electron microscopy), similar characteristics were observed between phototrophic and mixotrophic conditions with glucose evidencing many lipid bodies, starch granules, and intense fluorescence. Under the tested conditions, mixotrophic and heterotrophic modes did not result in increased neutral lipid fluorescence. It can be concluded that the strain is a promising lipid producer when grown until stationary phase in acidic medium and under a phototrophic regime, presenting a fatty acid profile suitable for biodiesel production. The ability to grow this strain in acidic mining residues suggests a potential for bioremediation with production of useful biomass.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ). Luana dos S. Souza has been benefited by a scholarship from CAPES, and this work is part of her PhD thesis. The authors would also like to thank technicians of the Central Laboratory of Electronic Microscopy (LCME) and Multiuser Laboratory of Biology Studies (LAMEB), both from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil (UFSC).

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All the authors contributed equally to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Post Graduate Program in Biotechnology and Biosciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88049-900, CP 476, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Luana dos S. Souza, Pablo Gressler & Maria Cecília Miotto

  2. Postdoctoral Research of Post-Graduate Program in Cell Biology and Development, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88049-900, CP 476, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Carmen Simioni

  3. Central Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88049-900, CP 476, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Zenilda L. Bouzon

  4. Department of Chemistry and Physics, Graduate Program in Environmental Technology, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil

    Rosana de Cassia da S. Schneider

  5. Bioprocess Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88049-900, CP 476, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Marcio J. Rossi

  6. Phycology Laboratory, Botany Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88049-900, CP 476, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Leonardo R. Rörig

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  1. Luana dos S. Souza
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Souza, L.d.S., Simioni, C., Bouzon, Z.L. et al. Morphological and ultrastructural characterization of the acidophilic and lipid-producer strain Chlamydomonas acidophila LAFIC-004 (Chlorophyta) under different culture conditions. Protoplasma 254, 1385–1398 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-016-1030-7

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