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Biochemical and physiological responses of Selenastrum gracile (Chlorophyceae) acclimated to different phosphorus concentrations

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Abstract

Algae are able to adjust their metabolism according to their environment, maximizing growth rate and production of biomolecules under adverse conditions such as pulses of excess of a contaminant or limitation of a nutrient. In order to evaluate the effects of phosphorus (P) availability on the biochemical composition of the freshwater microalga Selenastrum gracile, we acclimated the microalgae to different phosphorus concentrations. After acclimation, exponentially growing cells were inoculated and after 120 h, samples were processed for the determination of carbohydrate, lipid, fatty acid, chlorophyll, cell density, growth rate, and dry weight. Cell density, growth rate, and dry weight decreased with less P, while chlorophyll a, carbohydrates, lipids, and fatty acids per cell increased under P limitation. According to our lipid class and fatty acid results, algae alter their metabolism and membrane configuration to avoid more structural or metabolic damage under limitation, especially at 23 μmol P L−1. The most sensitive parameters under P limitation were chlorophyll a, lipids, and poly- and monounsaturated fatty acids. The changes in fatty acids contributed to the fluorescence and photosynthesis changes under P limitation, and they occurred before changes were detected in other parameters, such as growth rate. Furthermore, we suggest that prior acclimation to different P affected microalgal physiology and metabolism.

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Acknowledgements

C.C.P. is grateful to Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Funding

The authors are grateful for financial support through the grants 2008/02078-9 and 2009/15511-5 São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

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  1. Giseli Swerts Rocha

    Present address: WasserCluster - Biologische Station Lunz, Dr. Carl Kupelwieser Promenade 5, 3293, Lunz am See, Austria

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS), Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP, CEP 13565-905, Brazil

    Giseli Swerts Rocha & Maria da Graça Gama Melão

  2. Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada

    Christopher Charles Parrish

  3. Departamento de Botânica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS), Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP, CEP 13565-905, Brazil

    Ana Teresa Lombardi

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Rocha, G.S., Parrish, C.C., Lombardi, A.T. et al. Biochemical and physiological responses of Selenastrum gracile (Chlorophyceae) acclimated to different phosphorus concentrations. J Appl Phycol 30, 2167–2177 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1418-1

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