title: Phenotypic spectrum of Parachlorella kessleri (Chlorophyta) mutants produced by heavy-ion irradiation.
abstract: Heavy-ion mutagenesis is a technology used for effective production of genetic mutants. This study demonstrates that algal breeding using a unicellular alga, Parachlorella kessleri, by heavy-ion mutagenesis can improve lipid yield in laboratory experiments. The primary screening yielded 23 mutants among which a secondary screening yielded 7 strains, which were subjected to phenotypic assays. P. kessleri strains produced by heavy-ion radiation spanned a broad spectrum of phenotypes that differed in lipid content and fatty acid profiles. Starch grain morphology was distinctively altered in one of the mutants. The growth of strain PK4 was comparable to that of the wild type under stress-free culture conditions, and the mutant also produced large quantities of lipids, a combination of traits that may be of commercial interest. Thus, heavy-ion irradiation is an effective mutagenic agent for microalgae and may have potential in the production of strains with gain-of-function phenotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kazama
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawano
mesh_terms: D001128:Argon / Q000737:chemistry; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005820:Genetic Testing; D020450:Heavy Ions; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D001128:Argon; D002244:Carbon; D013213:Starch
keywords: Algae; Breeding; Heavy-ion irradiation; Mutation; Parachlorella