Growing Phototrophic Cells without Light

Many phototrophic microorganisms contain large quantities of high-value products such as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids but phototrophic growth is often slow due to light limitation. Some phototrophic microorganisms can also grow on cheap organic substrate heterotrophically. Heterotrophic cultivation can be well controlled and provides the possibility to achieve fast growth and high yield of valuable products on a large scale. Several strategies have been investigated for cultivation of phototrophic microorganisms without light. These include trophic conversion of obligate photoautotrophic microorganisms by genetic engineering, development of efficient cultivation systems and optimization of culture conditions. This paper reviews recent advances in heterotrophic cultivation of phototrophic cells with an emphasis on microalgae.     

微藻生物炼制技术

积极发展以生物质原料为基础的生物炼制产业,对于解决能源危机、改善能源结构具有重大意义。微藻作为一种重要的生物质资源,具有分布广、生物量大、光合效率高、环境适应性强、生长周期短和产量高等突出特点,是进行生物炼制的优良材料,它在生产微藻燃料、开发微藻生物制剂和提取生物活性物质等方面具有广阔的开发前景。综述了微藻的培养特点和功能,介绍了微藻生物炼制技术的内容和领域,并对其发展前景作出展望。     

Screening of marine microalgae for bioremediation of cadmium-polluted seawater

Twenty four strains out of 191 marine microalgal strains exhibited cadmium (Cd) resistance. They were tested for their Cd removal ability in growth media containing 50 μM Cd. Six strains out of 19 green algae and one out of five cyanobacteria removed more than 10% of total Cd from the medium. The marine green alga Chlorella sp. NKG16014 showed the highest removal of Cd 48.7% of total. Cd removal by NKG16014 was further quantitatively evaluated by measuring the amount of cell adsorption and intracellular accumulation. After 12 days incubation, 67% of the removed Cd was accumulated intracellularly and 25% of the Cd removed was adsorbed on the algal cell surface. The maximum Cd adsorption (q_max) was estimated to be 37.0 mg Cd (g dry cells)⁻¹ using the Langmuir sorption model. The Cd removal by freeze-dried NKG16014 cells was also determined. Cd was more quickly adsorbed by dried cells than that by living cells, with a q_max of 91.0 mg Cd (g dry cells)⁻¹.     

Generalist Life Cycle Aids Persistence of Alexandrium ostenfeldii (Dinophyceae) in Seasonal Coastal Habitats of the Baltic Sea

In seasonal environments, strong gradients of environmental parameters can shape life cycles of phytoplankton. Depending on the rate of environmental fluctuation, specialist or generalist strategies may be favored, potentially affecting life cycle transitions. The present study examined life cycle transitions of the toxin producing Baltic dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii and their regulation by environmental factors (temperature and nutrients). This investigation aimed to determine whether genetic recombination of different strains is required for resting cyst formation and whether newly formed cysts are dormant. Field data (temperature and salinity) and sediment surface samples were collected from a site with recurrent blooms and germination and encystment experiments were conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. Results indicate a lack of seasonal germination pattern, set by an endogenous rhythm, as commonly found with other dinoflagellates from the Baltic Sea. Germination of quiescent cysts was triggered by temperatures exceeding 10°C and combined nutrient limitation of nitrogen and phosphorus or a drop in temperature from 16 to 10°C triggered encystment most efficiently. Genetic recombination was not mandatory for the formation of resting cysts, but supported higher numbers of resistant cysts and enhanced germination capacity after a resting period. Findings from this study confirm that A. ostenfeldii follows a generalist germination and cyst formation strategy, driven by strong seasonality, which may support its persistence and possibly expansion in marginal environments in the future, if higher temperatures facilitate a longer growth season.     

光合自养缺陷型小球藻的筛选及生物能源应用

小球藻Chlorella protothecoides(C.protothecoides)是潜在的、可用于工业生产生物柴油的高产油微藻.本研究通过体外诱变的手段,获得了一株完全不能进行光合自养生长的突变体Al64.利用尼罗红染色和叶绿素自发荧光分析和电子显微镜分析细胞的亚显微结构,结果显示该突变体中叶绿体严重退化,其中类囊体膜结构缺失,导致该突变体缺乏叶绿素,无法进行光合自养生长.在富糖富氮的培养条件下,该光合自养缺陷型突变体的细胞密度和油脂含量比野生型细胞分别高5.54%和6.76%,分析还发现,该突变体产油能力为0.158 g L?1 h?1,比野生型提高12.8%.本文通过缺失光合作用突变体的构建,在异养高氮条件下实现了生物量及细胞内油脂含量的同步提高,为进一步提高微藻生产生物柴油的产量提供了新的研究平台.     

固定化海洋微藻对污水中Ni2+的吸附

采用海藻酸钠包埋小球藻和叉鞭金藻,制得含藻细胞的固定化胶球,用其对Ni^2 进行生物吸附,研究了固定化小球藻和固定化叉鞭金藻对污水中Ni^2 的吸附率。结果表明：对于同一种固定化微藻,处于对数生长中期时对Ni^2 吸附效果较好,且吸附过程主要在前4h完成;Ni^2 浓度越大,吸附率越高;固定化微藻比悬浮态微藻吸附率高;在相同的实验条件下,固定化小球藻比固定化叉鞭金藻吸附率高。     

不同萃取体系对小球藻藻渣成分的影响

考察5种萃取体系（A：正己烷,B：正己烷/乙醇,C：正己烷/异丙醇,D：氯仿/甲醇,E：氯仿/乙醇）对小球藻（Chlorella phyrenoidosa）油脂的提取效果及藻渣成分的影响。实验结果表明：不同的萃取体系下,油脂得率为D（12.27%）、E（8.87%）、C（7.71%）、B（6.80%）、A（3.91%）,藻渣蛋白含量为A（52.60%）、E（46.23%）、B（40.19%）、C（39.52%）、D（32.52%）,藻渣碳水化合物含量为A（23.28%）、E（16.15%）、B（13.24%）、D（13.50%）、C（9.06%）;藻渣色素含量为A（1.75%）、E（1.29%）、B（1.14%）、C（0.96%）、D（0.58%）;藻渣灰分含量为D（3.63%）、E（2.94%）、C（2.23%）、B（2.25%）、A（1.48%）。综合考虑微藻生物柴油的生产及藻渣的可利用性,V（氯仿）/V（乙醇）=1是一种油脂萃取效果较好,藻渣营养成分损失较小的小球藻油脂萃取体系。     

两种海洋赤潮微藻赤潮异弯藻和米氏凯伦藻之间的相互作用

在实验生态条件下研究了不同起始生物量比的两种海洋赤潮微藻赤潮异弯藻(Heterosigma akashiwo)和米氏凯伦藻(Karenia mikimotoi)的种群增长特征。结果发现: 1)在单培养体系中, H. akashiwo和K. mikimotoi的种群增长均可用逻辑斯谛增长模型(Logistic equation)拟合, 但不同的起始密度比对两种微藻的生长可产生显著影响: 随着起始密度的增加, 种群的瞬时增长率(r)随之增加, 但环境负载能力(K)逐渐降低, 进入指数增长期和静止期的时间也相应缩短。2)在共培养体系中, 两种微藻的K值都受到明显的抑制, 与对照组(单培养体系)相比差异显著(p＜0.05); 不同起始生物量比对共培养体系中两种微藻的生长和竞争影响显著: 当H. akashiwo和K. mikimotoi的起始生物量比(H:K)为1:4和1:16时, K. mikimotoi在竞争中占据优势地位; 当H:K=1:1时, H. akashiwo在竞争中占绝对优势。他感作用是导致本实验结果的可能原因。     

固定化微藻对虾池弧菌数量动态的影响

引入固定化波吉卵囊藻(Oocystis borgei)和微绿球藻(Nannochloris oculata)于凡纳对虾(Litop Penaeus vannamei)养殖环境中,检测水体、对虾胃和后肠中弧菌的数量变化,研究固定化微藻对虾池弧数量动态影响。结果表明:波吉卵囊藻培养液中9d后不能检测出弧菌,微绿球藻培养液中15d后不能检测出弧菌。引入固定化波吉卵囊藻和微绿球藻的褐藻胶藻珠能抑制弧菌的生长,实验组养殖水体、对虾胃和后肠中弧菌的数量都比对照组低;抑制效果是固定化波吉卵囊藻和微绿球藻混合固定化波吉卵囊藻固定化微绿球藻;试验后期实验组弧菌的数量明显低于试验前期。试验期间固定化波吉卵囊藻和微绿球藻的生物量分别增加了约10倍和17倍,证明它们的生理活性不会因固定化而受干扰。因此,固定化微藻可应用于虾池微生态调控防病。       

富油脂微藻育种技术研究进展

微藻因生长迅速、光合作用效率高、分布范围广和油脂积累能力强等优势,已被认为是生产生物柴油的理想原料。诱变育种可改善野生型微藻生长缓慢、油脂含量低和环境适应能力弱等缺陷,提高了以微藻生产生物柴油的可行性。概述了物理、化学和基因工程三类诱变育种方法的研究现状,介绍了低场核磁共振和荧光激活细胞分选两种富油脂微藻筛选技术以及一种测定诱变藻株致死率的方法,讨论了三种诱变方法的应用前景,供相关研究人员参考。