Different DHA or EPA production responses to nutrient stress in the marine microalga Tisochrysis lutea and the freshwater microalga Monodus subterraneus

Hao Hu; Jia-Yun Li; Xin-Rong Pan; Fang Zhang; Lin-Lin Ma; Hua-Jie Wang; Raymond Jianxiong Zeng

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.346

Different DHA or EPA production responses to nutrient stress in the marine microalga Tisochrysis lutea and the freshwater microalga Monodus subterraneus

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Mar 15:656:140-149. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.346. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Authors

Hao Hu¹, Jia-Yun Li², Xin-Rong Pan³, Fang Zhang⁴, Lin-Lin Ma³, Hua-Jie Wang⁵, Raymond Jianxiong Zeng⁶

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Anhui Water Conservancy College, Hefei 231603, PR China.
² The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, PR China.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China.
⁴ Centre of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resource and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, PR China.
⁵ CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Vocational and Technical College, Hefei 230011, PR China.
⁶ CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Centre of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resource and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 30504016
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.346

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) stress on the production of DHA or EPA and total fatty acids (TFAs) in the marine microalga Tisochrysis lutea and the freshwater microalga Monodus subterraneus. Five N or P starvation/limitation conditions (N sufficient and P limited, N sufficient and P starved, N starved and P sufficient, N starved and P limited, and N and P starved) and one N and P sufficient condition (control) were studied. The results demonstrated that the proportion of DHA or EPA among TFAs and production in the microalgae suspensions decreased (57%, 73% for N stress and 18%, 51% for P stress, respectively) under N or P stress in both microalgae compared with the N and P sufficient group. Differently, DHA dry weight content of T. lutea decreased significantly, and EPA dry weight content of M. subterraneus decreased slightly under N starved conditions. Clear differences in TFA content/production and the relationship between TFA and DHA or EPA production/content and CO₂ fixation were observed between the two microalgae. These results give a new sight on the difference between marine microalgae and freshwater microalgae. Meanwhile, it gave a potential application to produce DHA or EPA and TFA combining with CO₂ fixation by these microalgae.

Keywords: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); Monodus subterraneus; Nitrogen or phosphorous stress; Tisochrysis lutea.

MeSH terms

Docosahexaenoic Acids / metabolism*
Eicosapentaenoic Acid / metabolism*
Haptophyta / metabolism
Microalgae / metabolism*
Nitrogen / deficiency
Nitrogen / metabolism*
Nutrients / deficiency
Nutrients / metabolism
Phosphorus / deficiency
Phosphorus / metabolism*
Stramenopiles / metabolism
Stress, Physiological

Substances

Docosahexaenoic Acids
Phosphorus
Eicosapentaenoic Acid
Nitrogen