Increased lipid productivity and TAG content in Nannochloropsis by heavy-ion irradiation mutagenesis

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 136; pp. 360 - 367
• Main Authors: Ma, Yubin, Wang, Zhiyao, Zhu, Ming, Yu, Changjiang, Cao, Yingping, Zhang, Dongyuan, Zhou, Gongke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biodiesel; Biofuel production; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Carotenoids - metabolism; Chlorophyll - metabolism; Energy; Fatty Acids; Fluorescence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy Ions; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Microalgae; Mutagenesis - genetics; Mutation - genetics; Mutation breeding; Nannochloropsis; Oxygen - metabolism; Photosynthesis; Strain selection; Stramenopiles - genetics; Stramenopiles - growth & development; Stramenopiles - metabolism; Stramenopiles - radiation effects; Triglycerides - metabolism; Strain selection; Microalgae; Biodiesel; Mutation breeding; Productivity; Algae; Ions; Lipids; Heterokontophyta; Mutagenesis; Eustigmatophyceae; Genetic improvement; Irradiation; Alga; Microorganism; Mutation
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.03.020

•Heavy ion irradiation mutagenesis was firstly applied in microalgae breeding.•The mutant HP-1 showed higher biomass production than the wild type Nannochloropsis.•Its lipid productivity was increased by 28% compared to the wild type.•The reason caused its higher biomass accumulation and lipid productivity was studied.•Further, its TAG content was higher and polar lipid was lower than the wild type. One mutant (HP-1) with higher growth rate was obtained from Nannochloropsis oceanica IMET1 by heavy-ion irradiation mutagenesis. Compared to the wild type, the biomass accumulation and maximum growth rate of HP-1 were individually increased by 19% and 6%, and its lipid productivity was increased by 28% from 211 to 271mgL−1d−1. Subsequently analysis indicated photosynthetic efficiency of HP-1 was higher than that of wild type during cultivation. Further, lipid composition analysis indicated TAG content of HP-1 was 14% higher, while polar lipid content was 15% lower than that of wild type. Moreover, fatty acid profiles analysis revealed no significant variation was found between the two strains. The mutant is discussed in terms of its comparative advantage over the wild type with respect to its potential utilization for biodiesel production. Owing to its higher lipid productivity and TAG content, HP-1 could be considered as a valuable candidate for microalgal biodiesel production.