The alga Bracteacoccus bullatus (Chlorophyceae) isolated from snow, as a source of oil comprising essential unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids

Abstract

A unicellular alga isolated from snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Spain) was characterised using a polyphasic approach. Comparative analysis of ITS2 rDNA secondary structures identi ed the new culture (CCALA 1120 Cepák and Lukavský 2011/13) as being conspeci c with Bracteacoccus bullatus (Chlorophyceae). For the rst time this study documented sexual reproduction as the pairing of zoospores and also an-isogamy. Authentic strain SAG 2032. CCALA 1120 had a temperature optimum of about 21°C and an irradiance optimum above 160 µmol m − 2 s − 1 . It was cultivated in pilot-plant scale over three winter-to-spring periods from 2016 to 2019, using an open thin-layer photobioreactor in a greenhouse with only partial temperature control. After harvest, a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was found (53% of dry mass) with linoleic (18:2ω-6) 18.3% and α-linolenic acids (18:3ω-3) 17.4% being the most abundant. Monounsaturated fatty acids accounted for about 30% with oleic (18:1ω-9) and vaccenic acids (18:1 ω-7) as the most prominent. The ratio of PUFA ω-6/ω-3 was 1:1.16, i.e. near to the ideal ratio of 1:1, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Biomass production was 2.67 g m -2 d − 1 of dry weight, i.e. 0.2 g L − 1 d − 1 . At the end of growth phase, total carotenoids made up 10.1 mg L − 1 . These results indicate that B. bullatus is suitable for production of a vegetable oil at lower temperatures (12-18°C) and comprising a high content of unsaturated fatty acids.

Influence of pH on the Morphology and Cell Volume of Microscopic Algae, Widely Distributed in Terrestrial Ecosystems

“…According to previous data, under stress conditions, the representatives of the genus Bracteacoccus increase their oil production. For example, Bracteacoccus bullatus is suitable for the synthesis of oil with a high unsaturated fatty acid content at temperatures of 12-18 • C [125].…”

Diversity and Distribution of Carotenogenic Algae in Europe: A Review

“…Three strains of Bracteacoccus have been reported producing carotenoids: Bracteacoccus minor (Schmidle ex Chodat) Petrová [ 133 , 179 , 180 ], Bracteacoccus giganteus Bischoff and Bold [ 180 ], Bracteacoccus aggregatus Tereg (former synonym Bracteacoccus cohaerens Bischoff and Bold) ( Figure 4 i) with the maximal carotenoid content of 3.0% of cell dry mass [ 181 ], and Bracteacoccus bullatus Fuciková Flechtner and Lewis [ 182 ]. In Bracteacoccus minor and Bracteacoccus giganteus , astaxanthin is a predominant carotenoid with an admixture of canthaxanthin [ 133 , 179 , 180 ] ( Table 1 ).…”

“…Bracteacuccus aggregatus accumulates a mixture of astaxanthin, adonirubin and β-carotene [ 181 ]. Bracteacoccus bullatus contains echinenone and astaxanthin [ 182 ] ( Table 1 ). As a rule, Bracteacoccus spp.…”

“…Carotenogenic strain of Bracteacoccus aggregatus was isolated from the water of the Yershovskoye Lake (the flow through) with the salinity of 6‰ in the coastal zone of the Kandalaksha bay of the White Sea, Karelia (European part of Russia) [ 87 ] ( Table 2 ). The strain of Bracteacoccus minor was obtained from a snow sample in Sierra Nevada Mountains (Spain) [ 182 ]. The microalga was also found in the Wyżyna Krakowsko Wieluńska upland, it was found in Cave Łabajowa, Cave Żarska, Cave Głęboka, Cave Zbójecka, Cave Ciemna, and Cave Pustelnia (Poland) [ 183 ] and in caves Grott de Remouchamps and Grotte gauche de Fonds de Forêt (Belgia) [ 184 ].…”

“…The strain of Bracteacoccus giganteus was isolated from the acidified brown soil in spruce forest, experimental site Waroneu, High Ardennes (Belgium) by Kostikov in 1996 and deposited to ACKU [ 117 ] ( Table 2 ). Carotenogenic strain of Bracteacoccus bullatus was isolated from a snow sample, Sierra Nevada (Spain) by Cepák in 2010 and deposited to CCALA [ 154 , 182 ], from the locust plantation of the Staro-Berdyansky forestland, Zaporozhye region (Ukraine) [ 187 ], and from the Robinia forest, Dnipropetrovsk region (Ukraine) [ 188 ] ( Table 2 ).…”