The Effect of Colored and White Light on Growth and Phycobiliproteins, Chlorophyll and Carotenoids Content of the Marine Cyanobacteria Phormidium sp. and Cyanothece sp. in Batch Cultures

Abstract

Two local marine cyanobacteria, Phormidium sp. and Cyanothece sp., were batch-cultured under 18–19.5 °C, at 40 ppt salinity, using white LED light of low (40 μmol photons/m2/s) and high (160 μmol/m2/s) intensity and, additionally, blue, green and red LED light. Yield was highest in high white light in both species (2.15 g dw/L in Phormidium, 1.47 g/L in Cyanothece), followed by green light (1.25 g/L) in Cyanothece and low white and green (1.26–1.33 g/L) in Phormidium. Green light maximized phycocyanin in Phormidium (0.45 mg/mL), while phycoerythrin was enhanced (0.17 mg/mL) by blue light and allophycocyanin by all colors (~0.80 mg/mL). All colors maximized phycocyanin in Cyanothece (~0.32 mg/mL), while phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin peaked under green light (~0.138 and 0.38 mg/mL, respectively). In Phormidium, maximization of chlorophyll-a (9.3 μg/mL) was induced by green light, while total carotenoids and b-carotene (3.05 and 0.89 μg/mL, respectively) by high white light. In Cyanothece, both white light intensities along with green maximized chlorophyll-a (~9 μg/mL) while high white light and green maximized total carotenoids (2.6–3.0 μg/mL). This study strongly indicates that these cyanobacteria can be cultured at the first stage under white light to accumulate sufficient biomass and, subsequently, under colored light for enhancing phycobiliproteins.

Physiological and Biochemical Responses in Microalgae Dunaliella salina, Cylindrotheca closterium and Phormidium versicolor NCC466 Exposed to High Salinity and Irradiation

“…Our results show that high irradiance and high salinity stimulated carotenoids synthesis, especially in D. salina (14.82 ± 1.46 µg 10 −6 cells) and in P. versicolor only in the presence of NaCl 80 g L −1 ( Table 2 ). These results are consistent with those of other authors [ 7 , 50 , 60 ]. An enhanced carotenoid production in Nostoc muscorum and Phormidium faveolarum when light and salinity increased, whereas Chl a and phycocyanin content are significantly affected [ 61 ].…”

Shedding light on blue-green photosynthesis: A wavelength-dependent mathematical model of photosynthesis in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

“…Many experimental studies have investigated optimal light colors for the production of biomass or a target compound, with most studies agreeing that white or red light is optimal for cell growth but varying results for target compounds [87, 88, 29]. Especially the synthesis of light harvesting or protection pigments is regulated and strongly dependent on the light color [89, 90, 91, 92]. These works point out that biotechnological production can be strongly improved using “correct” lighting.…”

The Effect of LEDs on Biomass and Phycobiliproteins Production in Thermotolerant Oscillatoria sp.

“…Another example of this is the results achieved by Klepacz-Smółka et al [25] by using Synechococcus PCC 6715 (red LEDs, 100 µmol m −2 s −1 , and 16 h of light and 8 h of dark), which achieved the highest concentration reported for research of this type (8.6 g/L) and is even more interesting since no inorganic carbon sources were used in the BG11 medium. According to different articles published internationally in recent years, the effect of the parameters mentioned above on the synthesis of phycobiliproteins does not follow a fixed pattern [73][74][75]. Therefore, strains of the same species may have different light requirements.…”