Abstract
The growth, biochemical composition and fatty acid profiles of six Antarctic microalgae cultured at different temperatures, ranging from 4, 6, 9, 14, 20 to 30 ∘C, were compared. The algae were isolated from seawater, freshwater, soil and snow samples collected during our recent expeditions to Casey, Antarctica, and are currently deposited in the University of Malaya Algae Culture Collection (UMACC). The algae chosen for the study were Chlamydomonas UMACC 229, Chlorella UMACC 234, Chlorella UMACC 237, Klebsormidium UMACC 227, Navicula UMACC 231 and Stichococcus UMACC 238. All the isolates could grow at temperatures up to 20 ∘C; three isolates, namely Navicula UMACC 231 and the two Chlorella isolates (UMACC 234 and UMACC 237) grew even at 30 ∘C. Both Chlorella UMACC 234 and Stichococcus UMACC 238 had broad optimal temperatures for growth, ranging from 6 to 20 ∘C (μ = 0.19 – 0.22 day–1) and 4 to 14 ∘C (μ = 0.13 – 0.16 day–1), respectively. In contrast, optimal growth temperatures for NaviculaUMACC 231 and Chlamydomonas UMACC 229 were 4 ∘C (μ = 0.34 day–1) and 6–9 ∘C (μ = 0.39 – 0.40 day–1), respectively. The protein content of the Antarctic algae was markedly affected by culture temperature. All except Navicula UMACC 231 and Stichococcus UMACC 238 contained higher amount of proteins when grown at low temperatures (6–9 ∘C). The percentage of PUFA, especially 20:5 in Navicula UMACC 231 decreased with increasing culture temperature. However, the percentages of unsaturated fatty acids did not show consistent trend with culture temperature for the other algae studied.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahn IY, Chung H, Kang JS, Kang SH (1997) Diatom composition and biomass variability in nearshore waters of Maxwell Bay, Antarctica, during the 1992/1993 austral summer. Polar Biol. 17: 123–130.
Anning T, Harris G, Geider RJ (2001) Thermal acclimation in the marine diatom Chaetoceros calcitrans (Bacillariophyceae). Eur. J. Phycol. 36: 233–241.
Bidigare RR, Ondrusek ME, Kennicutt II MC, Ituurriaga R, Harvey HR, Hoham RW, Macko SA (1993) Evidence for a photoprotective function for secondary carotenoids of snow algae. J. Phycol. 29: 427–434.
Bligh EG, Dyer WJ (1959) A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can. J. Biochem. Physiol. 37: 911–917.
Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of dye-binding. Analyt. Biochem. 72: 248–254.
Chu WL, Phang SM, Goh SH (1994) Studies on the production of useful chemicals, especially fatty acids in the marine diatom Nitzschia conspicua Grunow. Hydrobiologia 285: 33–40.
Chu WL, Yuen YY, Wong CY, Teoh ML, Phang SM (2002). Isolation and culture of microalgae from the Windmill Islands Region, Antarctica. In: Proceedings of the Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica: Opportunities for Research, 5–6 August 2002. Kuala Lumpur, pp. 53–59.
Cota GF, Sullivan CW (1990) Photoadaptation, growth and production of bottom ice algae in the Antarctic. J. Phycol. 26: 399–411.
DeNicola DM (1996) Periphyton responses to temperature at different ecological levels. In: Stevenson RJ, Bothwell ML, Lowe RL (eds), {Algal Ecology: Freshwater Benthic Ecosystems}. Academic Press, New York, pp. 149–179.
Gillie ST (2002) Warming of the Southern Ocean since the 1950s. Science 295: 1275–1277.
Hawes I (1990) Effects of freezing and thawing on a species of Zygnema (Chlorophyta) from Antarctica. Phycologia 29: 326–331.
Hoham RW (1975) Optimum temperatures and temperature ranges for growth of snow algae. Arctic Alpine Res. 7: 13–24.
Kochert AG (1978). Carbohydrate determination by the phenol–sulfuric acid method. In: Hellebust JA, Craigie JS (eds), Handbook of Phycological Methods: Physiological and Biochemical Methods. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 95–97.
Levasseur ME, Morissette JC, Popovic R, Harrison P (1990) Effects of long term exposure to low temperature on the photosynthetic apparatus of Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyceae). J. Phycol. 26: 479–484.
Los DA, Murata N (1999) Responses to cold shock in cyanobacteria. J. mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 1: 221–230.
Phang SM, Chu WL (1999) Catalogue of Strains, University of Malaya Algae Culture Collection (UMACC). Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 77 pp.
Priddle J, Hawes I, Ellis-Evans JC (1986) Antarctic aquatic ecosystems as habitats for phytoplankton. Biol. Rev. 61: 199–238.
Reay DS, Priddle J, Nedwell DB, Whitehouse MJ, Ellis-Evans JC, Deubert C, Connelly DP (2001) Regulation by low temperature of phytoplankton growth and nutrient uptake in the Southern Ocean. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 219: 51–64.
Renaud SM, Luong-Van T, Lambrinidis G, Parry DL (2002) Effect of temperature on growth, chemical composition and fatty acid composition of tropical Australian microalgae grown in batch cultures. Aquaculture 211: 195–214.
Renaud SM, Zhou HC, Parry DL, Luong-Van T, Woo KC (1995) Effect of temperature on growth, total lipid content and fatty acid composition of recently isolated tropical microalgae Isochrysis sp., Nitzschia closterium, Nitzschia palea, and commercial species Isochrysis sp. (clone T.ISO). J. appl. Phycol. 7: 595–602.
Seaburg KG, Parker BC, Wharton RA, Simmons GM (1981) Temperature–growth responses of algal isolates from Antarctic oases. J. Phycol. 17: 353–360.
Smith REH, Stapleford LC, Ridings RS (1994) The acclimated response of growth, photosynthesis, composition, and carbon balance to temperature in the psychrophilic ice diatom Nitzschia seriata. J. Phycol. 30: 8–16.
Strickland JDH, Parsons TR (1968) A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 167: 311.
Tang EPY, Tremblay R, Vincent W (1997a) Cyanobacterial dominance of polar freshwater ecosystems: Are high-latitude mat-formers adapted to low temperature? J. Phycol. 33: 171–181.
Tang EPY, Vincent WF, Proulx D, Lessard P, De la Noue J (1997b) Polar cyanobacteria versus green algae for tertiary waste-water treatment in cool climates. J. appl. Phycol. 9: 371–381.
Tatsuzawa H, Takizawa E, Wada M, Yamamoto Y (1996) Fatty acid composition of the acidophilic green alga Chlamydomonas sp. J. Phycol. 32: 598–601.
Wiencke C, Dieck I (1990) Temperature requirements for growth and survival of macroalgae from Antarctica and southern Chile. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 59: 157–170.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Teoh, ML., Chu, WL., Marchant, H. et al. Influence of culture temperature on the growth, biochemical composition and fatty acid profiles of six Antarctic microalgae. J Appl Phycol 16, 421–430 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-004-5502-3
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-004-5502-3