The Effect of Salt Stress on the Production of Canthaxanthin and Astaxanthin by Chlorella zofingiensis Grown Under Limited Light Intensity

The fresh water green microalga Chlorella zofingiensisis known to accumulate ketocarotenoids – primarily astaxanthin but also canthaxanthin – when grown under stress conditions of high light irradiance and low nitrogen. We found that salt stress can replace light stress with respect to inducing carotenoid production: cells of C. zofingiensis grown under low light irradiance and subjected to salt and low nitrogen stress accumulated higher amounts of total secondary carotenoids than those growing under high light and low nitrogen stress. Furthermore, C. zofingiensis growing under conditions of salt stress and low light accumulated higher amounts of canthaxanthin than astaxanthin. It is suggested that for canthaxanthin accumulation under salt stress, light is not a limiting factor, but for astaxanthin accumulation high light irradiance is mandatory. These results may be applied in the future for the commercial production of canthaxanthin by C. zofingiensis in systems in which light availability is poor.     

盐胁迫对鸡爪槭幼苗生长及其叶绿素荧光参数的影响

以鸡爪槭幼苗为材料,采用盆栽方法,研究了不同盐浓度[0.042%(对照)、0.2%、0.4%和0.6%]对鸡爪槭幼苗生长的伤害和叶绿素荧光参数的影响。结果显示:当土壤NaCl含量为0.2%、0.4%和0.6%时,鸡爪槭幼苗分别表现为轻度、中度和重度盐害;叶片含水量、叶绿素a和b及叶绿素总含量均随盐浓度的增加而显著下降,花色素苷含量则表现为随盐浓度的增大而显著上升,分别比对照高出48.7%、280.3%和382.7%;叶片叶绿素荧光参数PSⅡ潜在活性(Fv/Fo)、潜在量子效率(Fv/Fm)、光化学量子产量(Yield)、光合电子传递速率(ETR)、实际光化学效率(ΦPSⅡ)和光化学猝灭系数(qP)均随着盐浓度的增大呈显著下降趋势,但非光化学猝灭系数(NPQ)在低盐胁迫时则较对照显著提高,0.2%NaCl处理时比对照显著增加33.3%,而高盐胁迫下则显著下降。研究表明,盐胁迫显著抑制了鸡爪槭幼苗叶片叶绿素合成和光合作用进行,而幼苗叶片在低盐胁迫下则可能通过增加PSⅡ反应中心非辐射热能量耗散来保护光合机构不受损害,从而表现出一定的耐盐胁迫能力。