title: Growth and antioxidant production of Spirulina in different NaCl concentrations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the quantity of Spirulina cultured in seawater, salt-tolerant strains were screened out and their growth and antioxidant accumulation were studied in different salt concentrations
  
  
  RESULTS
  Salt tolerance of five Spirulina strains were investigated with modified Zarrouk medium (with 200-800 mM NaCl). All strains grew well with 400 mM NaCl; their growth rates were almost same as in the control medium. Spirulina strains FACHB-843 (SP843) and FACHB-972 (SP972) had the highest salt tolerance their growth rates in 600 mM NaCl were nearly same as the control. Both strains produced more carotene, phycocyanin, polysaccharides, proline and betaine in 400-600 mM NaCl than the control. Salt stress also induced them to produce higher activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. Total antioxidant capacities of SP843 and SP972 peaked at 600 and 400 mM NaCl, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spirulina strains cultured with seawater accumulate more bioactive substances and will have a higher nutritive value.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Jia
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
authors.forename: Kang-Ning
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China. lijianhong@njnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jian-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001622:Betaine / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010798:Phycocyanin / Q000378:metabolism; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D053545:Spirulina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010798:Phycocyanin; D001622:Betaine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011392:Proline; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Antioxidant; Bioactive substances; Nutritive value; Salt stress; Seawater culture; Spirulina