Abstract
The use of microalgae for biofuel production will be beneficial to society if we can produce biofuels at large scales with minimal mechanical energy input in the production process. Understanding micro-algal physiological responses under variable environmental conditions in bioreactors is essential for the optimization of biofuel production. We demonstrate that measuring micro-algal swimming speed provides information on culture health and total fatty acid accumulation. Three strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were grown heterotrophically on acetate and subjected to various levels of nitrogen starvation. Other nutrient levels were explored to determine their effect on micro-algal kinetics. Swimming velocities were measured with two-dimensional micro-particle tracking velocimetry. The results show an inverse linear relationship between normalized total fatty acid mass versus swimming speed of micro-algal cells. Analysis of RNA sequencing data confirms these results by demonstrating that the biological processes of cell motion and the generation of energy precursors are significantly down-regulated. Experiments demonstrate that changes in nutrient concentration in the surrounding media also affect swimming speed. The findings have the potential for the in situ and indirect assessment of lipid content by measuring micro-algal swimming kinetics.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 143-152 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Biotechnology and Bioengineering |
| Volume | 110 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Algal biofuels
- Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
- Fatty acid accumulation
- Nitrogen starvation
- Particle tracking velocimetry
Cite this
Algal swimming velocities signal fatty acid accumulation. / Hansen, Travis J.; Hondzo, Miki; Mashek, Mara T; Mashek, Douglas; Lefebvre, Paul A.
In: Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. 110, No. 1, 01.01.2013, p. 143-152.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Algal swimming velocities signal fatty acid accumulation
AU - Hansen, Travis J.
AU - Hondzo, Miki
AU - Mashek, Mara T
AU - Mashek, Douglas
AU - Lefebvre, Paul A
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - The use of microalgae for biofuel production will be beneficial to society if we can produce biofuels at large scales with minimal mechanical energy input in the production process. Understanding micro-algal physiological responses under variable environmental conditions in bioreactors is essential for the optimization of biofuel production. We demonstrate that measuring micro-algal swimming speed provides information on culture health and total fatty acid accumulation. Three strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were grown heterotrophically on acetate and subjected to various levels of nitrogen starvation. Other nutrient levels were explored to determine their effect on micro-algal kinetics. Swimming velocities were measured with two-dimensional micro-particle tracking velocimetry. The results show an inverse linear relationship between normalized total fatty acid mass versus swimming speed of micro-algal cells. Analysis of RNA sequencing data confirms these results by demonstrating that the biological processes of cell motion and the generation of energy precursors are significantly down-regulated. Experiments demonstrate that changes in nutrient concentration in the surrounding media also affect swimming speed. The findings have the potential for the in situ and indirect assessment of lipid content by measuring micro-algal swimming kinetics.
AB - The use of microalgae for biofuel production will be beneficial to society if we can produce biofuels at large scales with minimal mechanical energy input in the production process. Understanding micro-algal physiological responses under variable environmental conditions in bioreactors is essential for the optimization of biofuel production. We demonstrate that measuring micro-algal swimming speed provides information on culture health and total fatty acid accumulation. Three strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were grown heterotrophically on acetate and subjected to various levels of nitrogen starvation. Other nutrient levels were explored to determine their effect on micro-algal kinetics. Swimming velocities were measured with two-dimensional micro-particle tracking velocimetry. The results show an inverse linear relationship between normalized total fatty acid mass versus swimming speed of micro-algal cells. Analysis of RNA sequencing data confirms these results by demonstrating that the biological processes of cell motion and the generation of energy precursors are significantly down-regulated. Experiments demonstrate that changes in nutrient concentration in the surrounding media also affect swimming speed. The findings have the potential for the in situ and indirect assessment of lipid content by measuring micro-algal swimming kinetics.
KW - Algal biofuels
KW - Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
KW - Fatty acid accumulation
KW - Nitrogen starvation
KW - Particle tracking velocimetry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84869880162&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84869880162&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/bit.24619
DO - 10.1002/bit.24619
M3 - Article
C2 - 22833390
AN - SCOPUS:84869880162
VL - 110
SP - 143
EP - 152
JO - Biotechnology and Bioengineering
JF - Biotechnology and Bioengineering
SN - 0006-3592
IS - 1
ER -