Abstract
The algal lipids-based biodiesel, albeit having advantages over plant oils, still remains high in the production cost. Co-production of value-added products with lipids has the potential to add benefits and is thus believed to be a promising strategy to improve the production economics of algal biodiesel. Chromochloris zofingiensis, a unicellular green alga, has been considered as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production because of its robust growth and ability of accumulating high levels of triacylglycerol under multiple trophic conditions. This alga is also able to synthesize high-value keto-carotenoids and has been cited as a candidate producer of astaxanthin, the strongest antioxidant found in nature. The concurrent accumulation of triacylglycerol and astaxanthin enables C. zofingiensis an ideal cell factory for integrated production of the two compounds and has potential to improve algae-based production economics. Furthermore, with the advent of chromosome-level whole genome sequence and genetic tools, C. zofingiensis becomes an emerging model for studying lipid metabolism and carotenogenesis. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the production of triacylglycerol and astaxanthin by C. zofingiensis. We also update our understanding in the distinctive molecular mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism and carotenogenesis, with an emphasis on triacylglycerol and astaxanthin biosynthesis and crosstalk between the two pathways. Furthermore, strategies for trait improvements are discussed regarding triacylglycerol and astaxanthin synthesis in C. zofingiensis.
Highlights
Up to date, the unsustainable fossil fuels have still served as the main global energy sources and their growing consumption leads to increasing emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and severe environmental problems that threaten our ecosystem [1]
The results suggested that cane molasses, after proper pretreatment, could be used as a substitute of glucose to support C. zofingiensis for achieving high biomass and lipid productivities
Proteomics analysis of the lipid body (LD) fraction from C. zofingiensis has identified two lipases (Cz01g06170 and Cz12g10010), which are transcriptionally up-regulated upon nitrogen deprivation (ND) and can enable yeast cells to produce more TAG when heterologously expressed, indicating that the two lipases may act on membrane lipids that they can access and contribute fatty acids to TAG synthesis [40]
Summary
The unsustainable fossil fuels have still served as the main global energy sources and their growing consumption leads to increasing emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and severe environmental problems that threaten our ecosystem [1]. Concerning photoautotrophic lipid production, Mulders et al [19] assessed C. zofingiensis cultures under nitrogen deprivation (ND) conditions, in which TAG content and yield reached 0.34 g mg−1 dry weight and 2.9 g L−1, respectively.
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