title: Photosynthetic light reactions increase total lipid accumulation in carbon-supplemented batch cultures of Chlorella vulgaris.
abstract: Microalgae are an attractive biofuel feedstock because of their high lipid to biomass ratios, lipid compositions that are suitable for biodiesel production, and the ability to grow on varied carbon sources. While algae can grow autotrophically, supplying an exogenous carbon source can increase growth rates and allow heterotrophic growth in the absence of light. Time course analyses of dextrose-supplemented Chlorella vulgaris batch cultures demonstrate that light availability directly influences growth rate, chlorophyll production, and total lipid accumulation. Parallel photomixotrophic and heterotrophic cultures grown to stationary phase reached the same amount of biomass, but total lipid content was higher for algae grown in the presence of light (an average of 1.90 mg/mL vs. 0.77 mg/mL over 5 days of stationary phase growth).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, United States.
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Woodworth
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, United States.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, United States.
authors.forename: Courtney N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, United States. Electronic address: kolling@marshall.edu.
authors.forename: Derrick R J
authors.initials: DRJ
authors.lastname: Kolling
mesh_terms: D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D052836:Heterotrophic Processes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll; D002244:Carbon; D005947:Glucose; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
keywords: Algal biodiesel; Chlorella vulgaris; Chlorophyll a; Lipid accumulation; Photosynthesis