Characterization of a Chlorophyta microalga isolated from a microbial mat in Salar de Atacama (northern Chile) as a potential source of compounds for biotechnological applications

Abstract

SUMMARY Microalgae are an important source of unsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, glycolipids, and carotenes, which are useful compounds for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The Atacama Desert of northern Chile is one of the driest deserts on Earth and, as such, it is a great natural laboratory in which to study new microorganisms adapted to extreme environments. A microalgal strain, referred to here as CH03, was isolated from a microbial mat in salt flat water in Salar de Atacama. Genetic analysis of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene showed that the strain had homology with other known sequences of the species Chlorella sorokiniana. Our results revealed the adaptability of this microalga to freshwater medium under laboratory conditions, despite coming from an extremely high‐salinity environment. The fatty acid profile of CH03(A) newly isolated in Bold's basal medium differed from that of CH03(B) cultured in vitro in modified F/2 medium and from another five strains of C. sorokiniana and three strains of Chlorella vulgaris in that it had a high stearic acid content and had no polyunsaturated fatty acids. The major biochemical components observed in this strain were proteins (64.3–73.6%) and lipids (26.6–32.6%). This study suggests that the strain CH03 could be a protein source and that this oleaginous microalga is easy to grow in vitro as a biological model for future studies.

Polyphasic approach to a characteristic Ulva population from a limno-rheocrenic, mineral (chloride, sodium, sulphate) spring in the Siwa Oasis (Western Desert of Egypt)

“…paradoxa does not present peculiar features. It meets expectations for an alga belonging to the Ulvophyceae, with lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and α/β-carotene as the most abundant carotenoids, besides, among essential photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll-b Some environmental characteristics, such as temperature and nutrient (specifically P) availability, are important abiotic drivers affecting lipid-class composition of algal cell membranes, and thus their fluidity and permeability, and P content (Saber et al 2016;Gonzalez-Silvera et al 2017;Hayashida et al 2017). In this study, the inter-classes distribution of the membrane lipids was in line with our expectations revealing the presence of several lipid species in all the relevant classes MGDG, DGDG, SQDG, and DGTS.…”

The Upcoming 6Li Isotope Requirements Might Be Supplied by a Microalgal Enrichment Process

“…Another way to obtain microalgae with such properties could be through bioprospection in environments with high Li concentrations, such as in the Lithium Triangle. In this hypersaline region between Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, some microalgae species have been detected [ 75 , 76 ]. Recently, a microalga isolated from the Atacama Desert (Chile), part of the Lithium Triangle, has been proposed as a tool for mining waste bioremediation [ 77 ].…”

Novel green algal isolates from the Egyptian hyper‐arid desert oases: a polyphasic approach with a description of Pharao desertorum gen. et sp. nov. (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta)

“…Membrane lipid species and classes of highly saline environment dwelling green algae in the desert habitat have also been recently shown to have adaptive relevance (Hayashida et al. ).…”

“…The survival of the desert taxa under these harsh conditions requires special ecophysiological adaptations not normally seen in aquatic green algae, which offers an excellent opportunity to explore the unique biology of these new species (e.g., Treves et al 2013). Membrane lipid species and classes of highly saline environment dwelling green algae in the desert habitat have also been recently shown to have adaptive relevance (Hayashida et al 2017).…”