Desmodesmus sp. pigment and FAME profiles under different illuminations and nitrogen status

• Published in: Bioresource technology reports 2020-06, Vol.10, p.100409, Article 100409
• Main Authors: Pozzobon, Victor, Levasseur, Wendie, Guerin, Cédric, Gaveau-Vaillant, Nathalie, Pointcheval, Marion, Perré, Patrick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Covalorisation; Desmodesmus sp; FAME; Life Sciences; Pigment; Profiling
• ISSN: 2589-014X; 2589-014X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biteb.2020.100409

Acknowledging the limited knowledge available on microalgae Desmodesmus sp., a specimen isolated from nearby freshwater lake was studied. Photobioreactor runs were led at two different illuminations (moderate - 150 μmolPhotonPAR/m2/s - and high - 300 μmolPhotonPAR/m2/s) and under three nitrogen status: sufficient, deficient and starved. Pigment and FAME profilings were carried out. Desmodesmus sp. has a Chlorophyceae common pigment profile with natural occurrence of lutein. Nitrogen deficiency induced both chlorophyll a and b contents decrease while not modifying the overall profile. Long term starvation induced pigment profile modification: disappearance of violaxanthin and stronger expression of carotenoids such as canthaxantin. FAME profiling showed that the three major fatty acids produced by this strain are oleic (7.0%g/gDW), linoleic (5.0%g/gDW) and γ-linolenic (6.9%g/gDW) acids. The first two being the storage lipids of this strain. Those two fatty acids have valuable health properties and may pave the way towards nutraceutics covalorization. [Display omitted] •Desmodesmus sp. was cultured under varying nitrogen and illumination status.•Pigment profiles are common among Chlorophyta phylum with natural lutein occurrence.•Oleic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids are the main fatty acids produced by the strain.•Nitrogen deficiency induces oleic and linoleic acids accumulation.•Potential biofuel/nutraceutic covalorization may arise from fatty acid coproduction.