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Induced change in Arthrospira sp. (Spirulina) intracellular and extracellular metabolites using multifactor stress combination approach

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Abstract

The interactive effects of light intensity, NaCl, nitrogen, and phosphorus on intracellular biomass content and extracellular polymeric substance production were assessed for Arthrospira sp. (Spirulina) in a two-phase culture process using principal component analysis and central composite face design. Under high light intensity (120 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and low NaCl (1 gL−1), NaNO3, and K2HPO4 (0.5 g L−1), the carbohydrate content was maximized to 26.61%. Interaction of both K2HPO4 (1.6 gL−1) and NaCl (1.19 gL−1) with low NaNO3 (0.5 gL−1) achieved the maximum content of lipids (15.62%), while high NaCl (40 gL−1), K2HPO4, and NaNO3 (4.5 gL−1) enhanced mainly total carotenoids (0.85%). Conversely, under low light intensity of 10 μmol photons m−2 s−1 combined with 11.76 gL−1 of NaCl, 0.5 gL−1 of NaNO3, and 2.68 gL−1 of K2HPO4, the phycobiliprotein content reached its highest level (16.09%). The maximum extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production (0.902 gg−1 DW) was triggered under moderate light of 57.25 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and interaction of high NaCl (40 gL−1) and K2HPO4 (4.5 gL−1) with low NaNO3 (0.5 gL−1). The maximization ratios of intracellular biomass content in terms of carbohydrate, lipid, total carotenoid, phycobiliprotein, and EPS production were 3.55-, 1.73-, 9.55-, 2.92-, and 1.46-fold, respectively, greater than those obtained at optimal growth conditions. This study demonstrated that the multiple stress factors applied to the adopted two-phase culture process could be a promising strategy to produce biomass enriched in various high-value compound.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Hiri A. for his help in sampling procedure. We are also especially thankful to Dr. Marwa Hamdi and Issam Boukhibar for the constructive comments in improving this work and the proofreading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Plants Production Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Nature and Life Sciences Faculty, Blida 1 University, BP 270, Soumaa Road, 09000, Blida, Algeria

    Imene Chentir & Amel Doumandji

  2. Laboratory of Biotechnology Blue and Aquatic Bioproducts, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (INSTM), Khniss Road, Monastir, Tunisia

    Jihene Ammar, Fatma Zili & Hatem Ben Ouada

  3. Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Sfax Center of Biotechnology (CBS), BP 1177, Sfax, Tunisia

    Fatma Zili & Hatem Ben Ouada

  4. Enzyme Engineering and Microbiology Laboratory, Sfax-University, National School of Engineering of Sfax (ENIS), BP 1173, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia

    Mourad Jridi

  5. Department of Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Athens, Greece

    Giorgos Markou

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Chentir, I., Doumandji, A., Ammar, J. et al. Induced change in Arthrospira sp. (Spirulina) intracellular and extracellular metabolites using multifactor stress combination approach. J Appl Phycol 30, 1563–1574 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-017-1348-3

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