Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity
Abstract The high production costs and unappealing sensory properties still limit the widespread commercialization of microalgae feedstocks. Therefore, this work focused on fine-tuning the heterotrophic medium composition to cultivate novel green, yellow, and white Chlorella vulgaris mutant strains....
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05913-1 |
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| author | Mafalda Trovão Miguel Cunha Gonçalo Espírito Santo Humberto Pedroso Ana Reis Ana Barros Nádia Correia Lisa Schüler Monya Costa Sara Ferreira Helena Cardoso Márcia Ventura João Varela Joana Silva Filomena Freitas Hugo Pereira |
| author_facet | Mafalda Trovão Miguel Cunha Gonçalo Espírito Santo Humberto Pedroso Ana Reis Ana Barros Nádia Correia Lisa Schüler Monya Costa Sara Ferreira Helena Cardoso Márcia Ventura João Varela Joana Silva Filomena Freitas Hugo Pereira |
| author_sort | Mafalda Trovão |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The high production costs and unappealing sensory properties still limit the widespread commercialization of microalgae feedstocks. Therefore, this work focused on fine-tuning the heterotrophic medium composition to cultivate novel green, yellow, and white Chlorella vulgaris mutant strains. Screening assays were carried out to select the most significant factors, and different nutrient concentrations were optimized by modelling biomass and protein productivity, specific growth rate, and color, via response surface methodology. The biomass and protein productivities achieved by these strains were improved by up to 70% and 94%, respectively. Additionally, biomass color was correlated with medium composition for the first time, allowing the improvement of the yellow and white mutant colorations by 20%. Overall, the findings of this study are vital to overcoming the challenges of the biobased industry, allowing the enhancement of the cost-effectiveness, attractiveness, and nutritional profiles of microalgae-based products in different markets and applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cf3ee0bdd379491eb2a88967472ed553 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-cf3ee0bdd379491eb2a88967472ed5532025-08-20T04:01:34ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-05913-1Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivityMafalda Trovão0Miguel Cunha1Gonçalo Espírito Santo2Humberto Pedroso3Ana Reis4Ana Barros5Nádia Correia6Lisa Schüler7Monya Costa8Sara Ferreira9Helena Cardoso10Márcia Ventura11João Varela12Joana Silva13Filomena Freitas14Hugo Pereira15R&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.ADepartment of Chemistry, NOVA School of Science and Technology, LAQV-REQUIMTE, NOVA University LisbonR&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.AR&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.AR&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.AR&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.AR&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.AGreenCoLab - Associação Oceano Verde, University of AlgarveGreenCoLab - Associação Oceano Verde, University of AlgarveGreenCoLab - Associação Oceano Verde, University of AlgarveR&D Department, Allmicroalgae Natural Products S.ADepartment of Chemistry, NOVA School of Science and Technology, LAQV-REQUIMTE, NOVA University LisbonGreenCoLab - Associação Oceano Verde, University of AlgarveGreenCoLab - Associação Oceano Verde, University of AlgarveAssociate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, School of Science and Technology, NOVA University LisbonGreenCoLab - Associação Oceano Verde, University of AlgarveAbstract The high production costs and unappealing sensory properties still limit the widespread commercialization of microalgae feedstocks. Therefore, this work focused on fine-tuning the heterotrophic medium composition to cultivate novel green, yellow, and white Chlorella vulgaris mutant strains. Screening assays were carried out to select the most significant factors, and different nutrient concentrations were optimized by modelling biomass and protein productivity, specific growth rate, and color, via response surface methodology. The biomass and protein productivities achieved by these strains were improved by up to 70% and 94%, respectively. Additionally, biomass color was correlated with medium composition for the first time, allowing the improvement of the yellow and white mutant colorations by 20%. Overall, the findings of this study are vital to overcoming the challenges of the biobased industry, allowing the enhancement of the cost-effectiveness, attractiveness, and nutritional profiles of microalgae-based products in different markets and applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05913-1Biomass colorBiomass and protein productivityCulture medium optimizationMicroalgaeRandom mutagenesisSurface response methodology |
| spellingShingle | Mafalda Trovão Miguel Cunha Gonçalo Espírito Santo Humberto Pedroso Ana Reis Ana Barros Nádia Correia Lisa Schüler Monya Costa Sara Ferreira Helena Cardoso Márcia Ventura João Varela Joana Silva Filomena Freitas Hugo Pereira Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity Scientific Reports Biomass color Biomass and protein productivity Culture medium optimization Microalgae Random mutagenesis Surface response methodology |
| title | Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity |
| title_full | Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity |
| title_fullStr | Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity |
| title_short | Improving the heterotrophic media of three Chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color, biomass and protein productivity |
| title_sort | improving the heterotrophic media of three chlorella vulgaris mutants toward optimal color biomass and protein productivity |
| topic | Biomass color Biomass and protein productivity Culture medium optimization Microalgae Random mutagenesis Surface response methodology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05913-1 |
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