Hydrurus foetidus (Chrysophyceae)—an inland macroalga with potential

Abstract

Hydrurus foetidus (Villars) Trevisan is a benthic freshwater alga in the class Chrysophyceae. Under seasonal climate regimes, it may be found in rivers during the cold seasons. It is widely distributed in cold-temperate, polar, and periglacial regions. Its heavy extracellular polysaccharide coating and its importance as food for grazers under cold conditions may indicate a potential for applied purposes. The strain G 070301 has been kept in culture since 2007. In this presentation, we have fine-tuned our laboratory culturing, detected the presence and positions of lipids in the cells by fluorescence imaging, and performed a preliminary analysis of the unsaturated fatty acids in Hydrurus grown on minimal medium. Little is known about the physiological adaptability of chrysophytes for applied purposes. Following optimization of media and a simple harvesting technology, the psychro- and rheophilic species H. foetidus may have a future as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for inland aquaculture and for polysaccharides.