Bicarbonate was evaluated as an alternative carbon source for a green microalga, Tetradesmus wisconsinensis, isolated from Lake Norsjø in Norway. Photosynthesis, growth, and lipid production were studied using four inorganic carbon regimes: (1) aeration only, (2) 20 mM NaHCO3, (3) 5% (v/v) CO2 gas, and (4) combination of 20 mM NaHCO3 and 5% CO2. Variable chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis revealed that the bicarbonate treatment supported effective photosynthesis, while the CO2 treatment led to inefficient photosynthetic activity with a PSII maximum quantum yield as low as 0.31. Conversely, bicarbonate and CO2 treatments gave similar biomass and fatty acid production. The maximum growth rate, the final cell dry weight, and total fatty acids under the bicarbonate-only treatment were 0.33 (± 0.06) day−1, 673 (± 124) mg L−1 and 75 (± 5) mg g−1 dry biomass, respectively. The most abundant fatty acid components were α-linolenic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids constituting 69% of the total fatty acids. The fatty acid profile eventuated in unsuitable biodiesel fuel properties such as high degree of unsaturation and low cetane number; however, it would be relevant for food and feed applications. We concluded that bicarbonate could give healthy growth and comparative product yields as CO2.

Diverse light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) have been found in photosynthetic microalgae that originated from secondary endosymbiosis involving primary red algae. However, the associations between LHCs and photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) in these microalgae are not fully understood. Eustigmatophyta is a red algal lineage that appears to have a unique organization in its photosynthetic machinery, consisting of only chlorophyll a and carotenoids that are atypical compared with other closely related groups. In this study, the supramolecular organization of pigment-protein complexes in the eustigmatophyte alga, Nannochloropsis granulata was investigated using Clear Native (CN) PAGE coupled with two-dimensional (2D) SDS-PAGE. Our results showed two slowly migrating green bands that corresponded to PSII supercomplexes, which consisted of reaction centers and LHCs. These green bands were also characterized as PSII complexes by their low temperature fluorescence emission spectra. The protein subunits of the PSII-LHC resolved by 2D CN/SDS-PAGE were analyzed by mass spectrometry, and four different LHC proteins were identified. Phylogenetic analysis of the identified LHC protein sequences revealed that they belonged to four different Lhc groups; (1) stress-related Lhcx proteins, (2) fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding Lhcf proteins, (3) red-shifted Chromera light-harvesting proteins (Red-CLH), and (4) Lhcr proteins, which are commonly found in organisms possessing red algal plastids. This is the first report showing evidence of a pigment-protein supercomplex consisting of PSII and LHCs, and to identify PSII-associated LHC proteins in Nannochloropsis.

Microalgae biotechnology can strengthen circular economy concepts in the wastewater treatment sector. This study investigated the Norwegian microalgae strains of Tetradesmus wisconsinensis, Lobochlamys segnis, and Klebsormidium flaccidum for their efficiency in nutrient removal. Their biomass productivity and compositions were evaluated for bioenergy and bi-products development. In the laboratory batch experiment with synthetic municipal wastewater, all strains accomplished total removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. L. segnis removed all NH4+ and PO43− (initial concentration of 28 and 15 mg/L, respectively) earliest among others. T. wisconsinensis biomass was superior in total carbohydrates content (40%) and fatty acid profile that imply biorefinery potential. The fatty acid (TFA) content was the highest in L. segnis (193 ± 12 mg/g dry cells), while K. flaccidum accumulated fatty acids that consisted largely of polyunsaturated fatty acids (82% of TFA). The highest protein level was measured in K. flaccidum (53%). Observed variations in biomass components can be used for a strategic production of targeted compound in resource recovery scenarios for biofuel generation. Graphical Abstract