title: Wavelength specificity of growth, photosynthesis, and hydrocarbon production in the oil-producing green alga Botryococcus braunii.
abstract: The effect of monochromatic light on growth, photosynthesis, and hydrocarbon production was tested in Botryococcus braunii Bot-144 (race B), which produces triterpenoid hydrocarbons. The growth was higher in order of red, blue, and green light. The color of red light-grown cells became more orange-yellow and their shape dominantly changed to grape-like with long branches. Photosynthetic carbon fixation activity was higher in order of blue, red, and green light-grown cells, but photosystem activities showed no difference. In the pulse-chase experiments with (14)CO(2), no major difference was observed in the production of lipids, hydrocarbons, polysaccharides, or proteins among the three kinds of cells, although hydrocarbon production was slightly lower in green light-grown cells. These results indicate that blue and red light were more effective for growth, photosynthetic CO(2) fixation, and hydrocarbon production than green light, and that red light is the most efficient light source when calculated based on photoenergy supplied.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Fumie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kikuta
authors.forename: Iwane
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Makoto M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiraiwa
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002452:Cell Count; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D008027:Light; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D045331:Photosystem I Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D008055:Lipids; D045331:Photosystem I Protein Complex; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010938:Plant Oils; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon