Enhancing microalgae growth and product accumulation with carbon source regulation: New perspective for the coordination between photosynthesis and aerobic respiration

Abstract

The coordination between photosynthesis and aerobic respiration under mixotrophic cultivation can make a difference to the growth and biochemical composition of microalgae. However, the response of carbon metabolism to carbon source composition under mixotrophic microalgae cultivation has not been well studied. In this study, the synergistic effects of inorganic carbon (IC) and organic carbon (OC) supply on the growth and carbon metabolism of Chlorella vulgaris under mixotrophic cultivation were investigated. The increase of the proportion of HCO3− had a positive effect on the expression of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), which promoted the biomass production and carbon fixing. The activity of citrate synthase was attenuated with the increase of IC/OC ratio, indicating that the energy needed for the biomass production in groups with high IC/OC ratio was contributed by photoreaction. Biochemical analysis showed that CO32− was more efficient than HCO3− for carbohydrate and lipid accumulation of Chlorella vulgaris, and the highest amount of carbohydrate (30.2%) and lipid (35.8%) was recorded with the combined use of CO32− and glucose. The results could provide a new perspective on carbon metabolism and enzyme regulation in mixotrophic microalgae cultivation.