Phosphate-limited growth and uptake kinetics of the marine prasinophyte Tetraselmis suecica (Kylin) Butcher

Abstract

The marine prasinophyte Tetraselmis suecica was grown in a chemostat culture system over a series of phosphate-limited growth rates ranging from 0.164 to 0.755 d − 1 . The relationship between phosphate concentration and growth rate was well described by the Monod equation with a half-saturation constant of 3.45 nM. The kinetics of short-term uptake of phosphate spikes were well described by the Michaelis–Menten equation, maximum uptake rates being 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than associated growth rates. The relationship between cellular carbon-to-phosphorus ratios and growth rates was consistent with the Droop formulation of nutrient-limited growth, and chlorophyll a/carbon ratios were linearly related to growth rate. The protein content of the cells inferred from calculated nitrogen-to-carbon ratios ranged from a minimum of ~ 7% at zero growth rate to a maximum of ~ 59% at a relative growth rate of 1.0. Control of the relative growth rate of T. suecica via selection of the phosphate concentration in the growth medium and dilution rate of the culture appears to be an effective and practical way to manipulate the biochemical composition of this species in order to maximize its nutritional value to invertebrate consumers in aquaculture systems.