Isolation and characterization of hydrocarbon producing green alga Botryococcus braunii from Indian freshwater bodies
Samples of green colonial unicellular microalga Botryococcus braunii were collected from Bear Shola Falls at Kodaikanal (latitude 10.31 N and longitude 77.32 E), Tamil Nadu, India . Specimens were isolated, cultured and examined for its hydrocarbon content, morphological features and DNA structural...
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Published in | Electronic Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 10; no. 1 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Chile
Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
15.01.2007
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Samples of green colonial unicellular microalga Botryococcus braunii
were collected from Bear Shola Falls at Kodaikanal (latitude 10.31 N
and longitude 77.32 E), Tamil Nadu, India . Specimens were isolated,
cultured and examined for its hydrocarbon content, morphological
features and DNA structural resemblance with the known strain to
confirm its identity. Inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) finger
printing revealed strong genetic similarity among the authentic strain
(B. braunii N-836) and the Indian isolated strain (B. braunii CFTRI-
Bb1) from Kodaikanal. The type of hydrocarbons produced by the
Kodaikanal isolates were analyzed and identified as saturated
hydrocarbons in the range of C21 to C33 by GCMS. Tetracosane and
octacosane were found as the major components among the saturated
hydrocarbons produced by this alga, constituting 17.6% and 14.8%
respectively. Hydrocarbon content of the organism was in the range of
13-18% of its dry biomass. The fat content of the organism was found to
be 22% (w/w). Palmitic and oleic acids were found to be major fatty
acids produced by the alga. Lutein and β-carotene were found to be
the major carotenoids and constituted about 64.1% and 25.1%
respectively of the total carotenoids. Based on ISSR finger printing
and hydrocarbon analyses the new algal strain from Kodaikanal was
identified as Botryococcus braunii. |
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ISSN: | 0717-3458 0717-3458 |
DOI: | 10.2225/vol10-issue1-fulltext-11 |