Characterization of NaCl-tolerant Mutant Strain of the Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis Overproducing Phycocyanin

Abstract

Background: Spirulina spp., a promising source of phycocyanin, is commercially grown in open ponds and raceways photoautotrophically. However, the economic exploitation in an open system seems to have been limited because of lack of multiple stress-tolerant strains. Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes, C-phycocyanin, mutagenesis, NaCl stress, NaCl-tolerant mutant, nitrogen metabolism, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, Spirulina platensis, strain improvement.