Pigment-targeted light wavelength and intensity promotes efficient photoautotrophic growth of Cyanobacteria.
A consensus is lacking whether monochromatic rather than broad-spectrum illumination is more efficient for photosynthetic microbe production platforms. Light wavelength and intensity were tuned to pigment composition for growth of the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803. Phycocyanin (PC)-targeting LEDs (620nm) provided more than 6times the peak efficiency of white LEDs, with peak efficiency growth rates of 0.063h(-1) at 81μEm(-2)s(-1) and 0.039h(-1) at 126μEm(-2)s(-1) for red and white LEDs, respectively. Chlorophyll a (Chl a)-targeting LEDs (680- and 440-nm) performed poorly. Indeed, 10 times greater mass abundance was observed for PC than Chl a. PC levels did not change while Chl a levels decreased when Synechocystis transitioned from white light at 50μEm(-2)s(-1) to 250μEm(-2)s(-1) with 620nm, 680nm, or white LEDs. This work demonstrates that light wavelengths and intensity need to be optimized for each strain.
Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, 226 Riley-Robb Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Erik
E
Bland
Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, 226 Riley-Robb Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Faculty fellow, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, 200 Rice Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Electronic address: la249@cornell.edu.
Largus T
LT
Angenent
D052818:Autotrophic Processes; D019149:Bioreactors; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D008027:Light; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010798:Phycocyanin / Q000378:metabolism; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
D010798:Phycocyanin; D002734:Chlorophyll; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
Cyanobacteria; Light-emitting diode; Photo-inhibition; Photosynthetic efficiency