FIRST INSIGHTS INTO IMPROVEMENT OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID CONTENT IN PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) BY INDUCED MUTAGENESIS1 |
| |
Authors: | Diego Lpez Alonso Clara I Segura del Castillo Emilia Molina Grima Zvi Cohen |
| |
Institution: | Diego López Alonso,Clara I. Segura del Castillo,Emilia Molina Grima,Zvi Cohen |
| |
Abstract: | A strain improvement program was initiated based on mutagenesis with the goal of commercial production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)from EPA-overproducing microalgal strains. Two rounds of mutation and selection were conducted using Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin UTEX #640 as the parent strain. After the first round of mutagenesis, a putative mutant (provisionally labeled 114) was obtained. The EPA content (% of dry weight) of this mutant strain was 37% higher than that of the wild type. 114 was further mutated and another putative mutant (provisionally called II242) was isolated, the EPA content of which was 44% higher than that of the wild type. When cultured with aeration in 1-L flasks, EPA content of the wild type and putative mutants 114 and II242 was, 17.3 mg · g?1, 31.5mg · g?1, and 38.6 mg · g?1 dry biomass, respectively. EPA productivity was 3.48 mg · L?1· d?1 4.01 mg · L?1· d?1, and 4.98 mg · L?1· d?1 respectively. These figures compare favorably with many other promising EPA-producing microorganisms and suggest that the use of a single methodology such as mutation and selection is a way to improve the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of microalgae and other microorganisms. |
| |
Keywords: | Bacillariophyceae eicosapentaenoic acid EPA microalgae mutation Phaeodactylum tricornutum selection strain development strain improvement |
|
|