title: Isolation of thermo-tolerant and high lipid content green microalgae: oil accumulation is predominantly controlled by photosystem efficiency during stress treatments in Desmodesmus.
abstract: Discoveries of new microalgae with thermo-tolerance, high growth rate, and high lipid content are crucial to algal biodiesel production in tropical and subtropical zones. Four new green microalgae were isolated in southern Taiwan. All four species are members of the genus Desmodesmus under the family Scenedesmaceae based on molecular and morphological analyses. Two of the four species survived at 45 °C for 24 h, with 5-13% of mortality rates caused by the heat. Total lipid contents of the two species reached over 50% in dry biomass under nitrogen starvation, and their triacylglycerols constituted around 75% of the total lipids. Thus the two species are good potential feedstocks for biodiesel production. Oil accumulation in the four species positively correlates with their photosystem II efficiencies during stress treatments (R2=0.90). This finding further supports that photosynthesis is essential for oil body formation under nitrogen starvation in green microalgae.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Suz-Ting
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lu-Te
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Yen-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ching-Nen Nathan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008027:Light; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology; D009821:Oils / Q000378:metabolism*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D013624:Taiwan; D013696:Temperature; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D009821:Oils; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D014280:Triglycerides; D009584:Nitrogen