Growth and Nutritional Composition of Eustigmatophyceae Monodus subterraneus and Nannochloropsis oceanica in Autotrophic and Mixotrophic Culture

• Published in: Ocean and polar research Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 61 - 71
• Main Authors: Jo, Min Jin, Hur, Sung Bum
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 한국해양과학기술원 30.03.2015
• Subjects: 해양학
• ISSN: 1598-141X; 2234-7313
• DOI: 10.4217/OPR.2015.37.1.061

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) produced from marine organisms is widely used in nutraceuticals. Monodus subterraneus and Nannochloropsis oceanica, which are representative freshwater and marine Eustigmatophyceae, respectively, are known to have a high content of protein and lipid, particularly, EPA. In this study, to compare the growth and nutritional composition of M. subterraneus and N. oceanica, they were cultured in autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions with JM and f/2 medium, respectively, at 25oC. In addition, 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1 with 24-hour and 12-hour light was provided, with the addition of 2% glucose to the medium for the mixotrophic culture. With regard to growth, M. subterraneus showed 10 times higher biomass in a mixotrophic culture than in an autotrophic one. However, no significant difference was observed for N. oceanica between the two culture methods. With respect to nutritional composition, M. subterraneus cultured autotrophically had a higher protein and lipid content, particularly EPA, than that cultured mixotrophically, but no significant difference was found in the two cultures of N. oceanica. Furthermore, M. subterraneus cultured autotrophically with continuous light showed higher nutritional composition, particularly EPA, than N. oceanica. In conclusion, the mass culture of freshwater M. subterraneus is much easier and more economical than marine N. oceanica. In addition, production of EPA will be economically improved if mixotrophic culturing of M. subterraneus is first conducted to maximize the biomass, and then secondary autotrophic culturing is performed. KCI Citation Count: 0