Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime

Jiří Masojídek; Karolína Ranglová; Tomás Agustín Rearte; Paula S.M. Celis Plá; Giuseppe Torzillo; Ana Margarita Silva Benavides; Amir Neori; Cintia Gómez; Félix Álvarez-Gómez; Martin Lukeš; Martín P. Caporgno; Roberto Abdala; Krystian Miazek; Thaís Fávero Massocato; Jaqueline Carmo da Silva; Richard Atzmüller; Hafidh Al Mahrouqui; Francisca Suárez Estrella; Felix L. Figueroa

doi:10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303

Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime

Jiří Masojídek, Karolína Ranglová, Tomás Agustín Rearte, Paula S.M. Celis Plá, Giuseppe Torzillo, Ana Margarita Silva Benavides, Amir Neori, Cintia Gómez, Félix Álvarez-Gómez, Martin Lukeš, Martín P. Caporgno, Roberto Abdala, Krystian Miazek, Thaís Fávero Massocato, Jaqueline Carmo da Silva, Richard Atzmüller, Hafidh Al Mahrouqui, Francisca Suárez Estrella, Felix L. Figueroa

Department of Marine Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Up to now, scarce information has been available regarding major photobiochemical changes that accompany the metabolic shift from heterotrophy to phototrophy in microalgae cells. In the present trials the trophic conversion from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime was studied in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris g120 grown in outdoor thin-layer cascades. The crucial question was whether Chlorella g120 can undergo the photoacclimation of its photosynthetic apparatus under natural irradiance. As for comparison the phototrophic strain Chlorella vulgaris R-117 was cultured in parallel. Various in-situ and ex-situ monitoring techniques namely oxygen production and chlorophyll fluorescence were tested to characterize physiological response of the Chlorella g120 culture during photoacclimation and correlate it with growth. We show that Chlorella g120 can undergo the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime, but its conversion is. A rather high respiration rate was interpreted as a strategy to dissipate the unused light energy. Chlorella g120 was found as the strain characterized by a small-antenna size strain (low chlorophyll/cell ratio < 1%) which should be favorable for light utilization in dense cultures. The high carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio (= 0.63) may be of interest from biotechnological point of view for carotenoid (namely lutein) production. The build-up of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and high electron transport rate measured in-situ indicated high photosynthetic activity of outdoor microalgae cultures. These variables are usable on-line as reliable markers as they reflect the physiological status of microalgae culture. Highly productive cultures, like Chlorella R-117 have high photosynthesis which is inevitably accompanied by the build-up on high DO gradients. To maintain high biomass production in such strains we have to find an interplay among photosynthetic activity, gradients of DO concentration, biomass density and culture layer thickness that can secure high growth rate (and productivity).

Original language	English
Article number	102303
Journal	Algal Research
Volume	56
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303
State	Published - Jun 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the EU Program Horizon 2020 (project SABANA, grant no. 727874 ) and in part by National Sustainability Program of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (project Algatech Plus LO1416 ) and cross-border InterReg Program between Czech Republic and Austria (Algenetics No. ATCZ15 ). Amir Neori was supported by BARD Research Grant Award No. US-4599-13R (The United States–Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund) and by the Israeli Ministry for Science and Technology and the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center (DSASC).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Chlorophyll fluorescence
Microalgae
Photosynthesis
Physiology
Thin-layer cascade
Trophic conversion

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Agronomy and Crop Science

Access to Document

10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303

Cite this

Masojídek, J., Ranglová, K., Rearte, T. A., Celis Plá, P. S. M., Torzillo, G., Benavides, A. M. S., Neori, A., Gómez, C., Álvarez-Gómez, F., Lukeš, M., Caporgno, M. P., Abdala, R., Miazek, K., Massocato, T. F., da Silva, J. C., Atzmüller, R., Al Mahrouqui, H., Estrella, F. S., & Figueroa, F. L. (2021). Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime. Algal Research, 56, Article 102303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303

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title = "Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime",

abstract = "Up to now, scarce information has been available regarding major photobiochemical changes that accompany the metabolic shift from heterotrophy to phototrophy in microalgae cells. In the present trials the trophic conversion from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime was studied in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris g120 grown in outdoor thin-layer cascades. The crucial question was whether Chlorella g120 can undergo the photoacclimation of its photosynthetic apparatus under natural irradiance. As for comparison the phototrophic strain Chlorella vulgaris R-117 was cultured in parallel. Various in-situ and ex-situ monitoring techniques namely oxygen production and chlorophyll fluorescence were tested to characterize physiological response of the Chlorella g120 culture during photoacclimation and correlate it with growth. We show that Chlorella g120 can undergo the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime, but its conversion is. A rather high respiration rate was interpreted as a strategy to dissipate the unused light energy. Chlorella g120 was found as the strain characterized by a small-antenna size strain (low chlorophyll/cell ratio < 1%) which should be favorable for light utilization in dense cultures. The high carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio (= 0.63) may be of interest from biotechnological point of view for carotenoid (namely lutein) production. The build-up of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and high electron transport rate measured in-situ indicated high photosynthetic activity of outdoor microalgae cultures. These variables are usable on-line as reliable markers as they reflect the physiological status of microalgae culture. Highly productive cultures, like Chlorella R-117 have high photosynthesis which is inevitably accompanied by the build-up on high DO gradients. To maintain high biomass production in such strains we have to find an interplay among photosynthetic activity, gradients of DO concentration, biomass density and culture layer thickness that can secure high growth rate (and productivity).",

keywords = "Chlorophyll fluorescence, Microalgae, Photosynthesis, Physiology, Thin-layer cascade, Trophic conversion",

author = "Ji{\v r}{\'i} Masoj{\'i}dek and Karol{\'i}na Ranglov{\'a} and Rearte, {Tom{\'a}s Agust{\'i}n} and {Celis Pl{\'a}}, {Paula S.M.} and Giuseppe Torzillo and Benavides, {Ana Margarita Silva} and Amir Neori and Cintia G{\'o}mez and F{\'e}lix {\'A}lvarez-G{\'o}mez and Martin Luke{\v s} and Caporgno, {Mart{\'i}n P.} and Roberto Abdala and Krystian Miazek and Massocato, {Tha{\'i}s F{\'a}vero} and {da Silva}, {Jaqueline Carmo} and Richard Atzm{\"u}ller and {Al Mahrouqui}, Hafidh and Estrella, {Francisca Su{\'a}rez} and Figueroa, {Felix L.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by the EU Program Horizon 2020 (project SABANA, grant no. 727874 ) and in part by National Sustainability Program of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (project Algatech Plus LO1416 ) and cross-border InterReg Program between Czech Republic and Austria (Algenetics No. ATCZ15 ). Amir Neori was supported by BARD Research Grant Award No. US-4599-13R (The United States–Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund) and by the Israeli Ministry for Science and Technology and the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center (DSASC). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2021",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303",

language = "English",

volume = "56",

journal = "Algal Research",

issn = "2211-9264",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

Masojídek, J, Ranglová, K, Rearte, TA, Celis Plá, PSM, Torzillo, G, Benavides, AMS, Neori, A, Gómez, C, Álvarez-Gómez, F, Lukeš, M, Caporgno, MP, Abdala, R, Miazek, K, Massocato, TF, da Silva, JC, Atzmüller, R, Al Mahrouqui, H, Estrella, FS & Figueroa, FL 2021, 'Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime', Algal Research, vol. 56, 102303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303

TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime

AU - Masojídek, Jiří

AU - Ranglová, Karolína

AU - Rearte, Tomás Agustín

AU - Celis Plá, Paula S.M.

AU - Torzillo, Giuseppe

AU - Benavides, Ana Margarita Silva

AU - Neori, Amir

AU - Gómez, Cintia

AU - Álvarez-Gómez, Félix

AU - Lukeš, Martin

AU - Caporgno, Martín P.

AU - Abdala, Roberto

AU - Miazek, Krystian

AU - Massocato, Thaís Fávero

AU - da Silva, Jaqueline Carmo

AU - Atzmüller, Richard

AU - Al Mahrouqui, Hafidh

AU - Estrella, Francisca Suárez

AU - Figueroa, Felix L.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was funded by the EU Program Horizon 2020 (project SABANA, grant no. 727874 ) and in part by National Sustainability Program of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (project Algatech Plus LO1416 ) and cross-border InterReg Program between Czech Republic and Austria (Algenetics No. ATCZ15 ). Amir Neori was supported by BARD Research Grant Award No. US-4599-13R (The United States–Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund) and by the Israeli Ministry for Science and Technology and the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center (DSASC). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2021/6

Y1 - 2021/6

N2 - Up to now, scarce information has been available regarding major photobiochemical changes that accompany the metabolic shift from heterotrophy to phototrophy in microalgae cells. In the present trials the trophic conversion from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime was studied in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris g120 grown in outdoor thin-layer cascades. The crucial question was whether Chlorella g120 can undergo the photoacclimation of its photosynthetic apparatus under natural irradiance. As for comparison the phototrophic strain Chlorella vulgaris R-117 was cultured in parallel. Various in-situ and ex-situ monitoring techniques namely oxygen production and chlorophyll fluorescence were tested to characterize physiological response of the Chlorella g120 culture during photoacclimation and correlate it with growth. We show that Chlorella g120 can undergo the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime, but its conversion is. A rather high respiration rate was interpreted as a strategy to dissipate the unused light energy. Chlorella g120 was found as the strain characterized by a small-antenna size strain (low chlorophyll/cell ratio < 1%) which should be favorable for light utilization in dense cultures. The high carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio (= 0.63) may be of interest from biotechnological point of view for carotenoid (namely lutein) production. The build-up of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and high electron transport rate measured in-situ indicated high photosynthetic activity of outdoor microalgae cultures. These variables are usable on-line as reliable markers as they reflect the physiological status of microalgae culture. Highly productive cultures, like Chlorella R-117 have high photosynthesis which is inevitably accompanied by the build-up on high DO gradients. To maintain high biomass production in such strains we have to find an interplay among photosynthetic activity, gradients of DO concentration, biomass density and culture layer thickness that can secure high growth rate (and productivity).

AB - Up to now, scarce information has been available regarding major photobiochemical changes that accompany the metabolic shift from heterotrophy to phototrophy in microalgae cells. In the present trials the trophic conversion from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime was studied in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris g120 grown in outdoor thin-layer cascades. The crucial question was whether Chlorella g120 can undergo the photoacclimation of its photosynthetic apparatus under natural irradiance. As for comparison the phototrophic strain Chlorella vulgaris R-117 was cultured in parallel. Various in-situ and ex-situ monitoring techniques namely oxygen production and chlorophyll fluorescence were tested to characterize physiological response of the Chlorella g120 culture during photoacclimation and correlate it with growth. We show that Chlorella g120 can undergo the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic growth regime, but its conversion is. A rather high respiration rate was interpreted as a strategy to dissipate the unused light energy. Chlorella g120 was found as the strain characterized by a small-antenna size strain (low chlorophyll/cell ratio < 1%) which should be favorable for light utilization in dense cultures. The high carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio (= 0.63) may be of interest from biotechnological point of view for carotenoid (namely lutein) production. The build-up of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and high electron transport rate measured in-situ indicated high photosynthetic activity of outdoor microalgae cultures. These variables are usable on-line as reliable markers as they reflect the physiological status of microalgae culture. Highly productive cultures, like Chlorella R-117 have high photosynthesis which is inevitably accompanied by the build-up on high DO gradients. To maintain high biomass production in such strains we have to find an interplay among photosynthetic activity, gradients of DO concentration, biomass density and culture layer thickness that can secure high growth rate (and productivity).

KW - Chlorophyll fluorescence

KW - Microalgae

KW - Photosynthesis

KW - Physiology

KW - Thin-layer cascade

KW - Trophic conversion

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U2 - 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303

DO - 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102303

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85104606089

SN - 2211-9264

VL - 56

JO - Algal Research

JF - Algal Research

M1 - 102303

ER -

Changes in photosynthesis, growth and biomass composition in outdoor Chlorella g120 culture during the metabolic shift from heterotrophic to phototrophic cultivation regime

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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