Aggregation‐Induced Emission Photosensitizer Boosting Algal Growth and Lipid Accumulation

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2024-11, Vol.20 (47), p.e2402463-n/a
• Main Authors: Rakhi, Sharmin, Reza, AHM Mohsinul, Davies, Brynley, Wang, Jianzhong, Tang, Youhong, Qin, Jianguang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; aggregation‐induced emission; Algae; Biocompatibility; Biofuels; Biosynthesis; Cellular manufacture; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii - drug effects; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii - growth & development; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii - metabolism; Emission; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Humans; Impact analysis; light wavelength; lipid; Lipid Metabolism - drug effects; Lipids; Lipids - chemistry; Mass production; Metabolites; microalgae; Microalgae - drug effects; Microalgae - growth & development; Microalgae - metabolism; photosensitiser; Photosensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Photosynthesis - drug effects; reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202402463

Mass production of microalgae is a research focus owing to their promising aspects for sustainable food, biofunctional compounds, nutraceuticals, and biofuel feedstock. This study uses a novel approach to enhance microalgae‐derived biomass and metabolites by using an aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer (PS), CN‐TPAQ‐PF6 ([C32H23N4]+). The unique AIE features of CN‐TPAQ‐PF6 facilitate nano‐aggregation in aquatic media for an effective light spectral shift for photosynthetic augmentation in a green microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The high reactive oxygen species (ROS) production capacity and redox‐based cellular modulations reveal its potential to upsurge algal growth and lipid biosynthesis and fabricate fatty acid profiles in the metabolic pathways. Algal cells are labeled with other AIE‐based nanoprobes, which are suitable as an in vivo visualization toolkit with superior fluorescence. Furthermore, cytotoxicity analysis of CN‐TPAQ‐PF6 on the HaCat cell line confirms that this AIE PS is biocompatible without adverse impact on living cells. The results demonstrate the property of AIE PS for the first time in enhancing algal growth and lipid accumulation simultaneously. Photosensitizer (PS) mediated growth and lipid production in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer (PS), CN‐TPAQ‐PF6 converts green light to red light and generates ROS. Higher energetic photon stimulates e‐ flow to increase ATP and NADPH production. NADPH provides reducing power for lipid synthesis. ROS induces lipid production through the activation and regulation of different pathways.