The Plackett–Burman Design for Evaluating the Production of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by Physcomitrella patens

Abstract

AbstractIdentification of the parameters that had significant effects on polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and biomass production by the moss Physcomitrella patens was performed using nine culture variables (temperature, agitation speed, pH, sucrose, di‐ammonium tartrate, CaCl2·2H2O, MgSO4·7H2O, KH2PO4 and KNO3) with the statistical design technique of Plackett–Burman. Statistical analysis revealed that two physical variables (pH and temperature) had significant effects on the production of both biomass and PUFAs (linoleic acid, LA; γ‐linolenic acid, GLA; α‐linolenic acid, ALA; eicosadienoic acid, EDA; di‐homo‐γ‐linolenic acid, DHGLA; arachidonic acid, ARA; eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA). Three nutritional variables (sucrose, CaCl2 and MgSO4) had an influence only on the production of some of the PUFAs. Of the two levels used in this study, higher concentrations of sucrose had a positive effect on LA, ARA and EPA production, whereas higher concentrations of metal ions (CaCl2 and MgSO4) had a negative effect only on ARA and EPA production. After adjustment by multiple linear regression, it can be concluded that pH, temperature, sucrose, CaCl2 and MgSO4 were the most statistically significant parameters for the growth of P. patens and for PUFA production by this moss.