Effects of the Diurnal Light and Temperature Fluctuations on the Growth, Photosynthesis and Biochemical Composition of Terrestrial Oleaginous Microalga <i>Vischeria</i> sp. WL1 (Eustigmatophyceae)

Dynamic changes in diurnal light and temperature are a natural phenomenon, particularly pronounced in arid environments. However, it remains unclear whether the coupling of diurnal light and temperature fluctuations contributes to the capability and evolution of lipid accumulation in arid terrestria...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xinhong Guo, Zhengke Li, Daxi Wang, Xiaolong Yuan, Xiaojiao Wang, Huidan Xue, Qiao Zeng, Xiang Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Diversity
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/2/135
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Dynamic changes in diurnal light and temperature are a natural phenomenon, particularly pronounced in arid environments. However, it remains unclear whether the coupling of diurnal light and temperature fluctuations contributes to the capability and evolution of lipid accumulation in arid terrestrial microalgae. Here, we characterized the effects of diurnal light and temperature fluctuations on the growth, photosynthesis, lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids in <i>Vischeria</i> sp. WL1, an oil-producing Eustigmatophyceae microalga sourced from an arid steppe. The photosynthetic activity parameters (F<sub>v</sub>/F<sub>m</sub>, PI<sub>abs</sub>, ψ<sub>0</sub> and φ<sub>E0</sub>) were the highest, while parameters of damage and energy dissipation (W<sub>k</sub> and DI<sub>O</sub>/RC) were the lowest, under the diurnal light cycle (DLC) among all conditions and then followed by the diurnal light–temperature cycle (DLTC). DLTC led to reduced growth and biomass but enhanced lipid accumulation, with lipid content reaching a maximum of 54.7% on day 4. This observation may suggest a carbon reallocation from carbohydrates toward lipid synthesis. DLTC resulted in an increase in the saturated fatty acids (SFA) content on day 12 and only in C18:2 among polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on day 4 while lowering eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration and content on day 12. Together, our findings will contribute to the understanding of the adaptive strategies of terrestrial microalgae to the arid environment, as well as the beneficial clues for exploring terrestrial microalgae for oil production.
ISSN:1424-2818