Strategies for enhanced lipid production of Desmodesmus sp. mutated by atmospheric and room temperature plasma with a new efficient screening method

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 250; p. 119509
• Main Authors: Sun, Xin, Li, Pengfei, Liu, Xingshe, Wang, Xu, Liu, Yongjun, Turaib, Ali, Cheng, Zhiwen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 20.03.2020
• Subjects: Atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP); Desmodesmus sp; Lipid production; Quantum yield; Real-time quantitative PCR; Real-time quantitative PCR; Lipid production; Quantum yield; Desmodesmus sp; Atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP)
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119509

This research provides a promising method to rapidly select optimal mutants for high-lipid production. The green microalgae Desmodesmus sp. was mutated using atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) to develop high lipid-producing mutants via radiation breeding for cost effective production of biodiesel. A new screening method was developed and was applied to obtain an optimal mutant strain that was designated as AT60-15. Genetic stability of the optimal strains was measured using three-generation reproduction testing. The highest triglyceride (TAG) production was 325.83 ± 3.02 mg L−1, which was 2.34-fold higher than that of the control group. Furthermore, compared with the original strain, the mutant strains showed rapid lipid accumulation but low levels of protein and carbohydrate production. In addition, AT60-15 displayed a lower actual quantum yield Y(II) and suffered more stress from ARTP than the original strain as evaluated by maximum quantum yield Fv/Fm. Analysis of the real-time quantitative PCR showed that mutant strains had a higher expression of lipid genes, including accD, me6562, pepc6833, and dgat7566. The ITS gene fragments showed that AT60-15 mutagen belonged to Desmodesmus. [Display omitted] •An efficient method for screening high-lipid strains was developed.•Genetic stability of the mutant strains was tested.•The highest lipid content of predominant strain increased to >61%.•The highest lipid production of predominant strain increased by > 117%.•Predominant strains showed higher expression of relevant lipid genes.