Arctic Sea Ice Microalga Chlamydomonas latifrons KNF0041: Identification and Statistical Optimization of Medium for Enhanced Biomass and Omega-3/Omega-6

• Published in: Marine Drugs
• Main Authors: Hyunsik Chae, Sanghee Kim, Han-Gu Choi, Ji Hee Kim, Se Jong Han, Eun Jae Kim
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2023
• Subjects: Chlamydomonas latifrons; identification; medium optimization; biomass enhancement; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/md21080454; https://doaj.org/article/26131e39cc9043999aef7b67ec91f5f2

Polar microorganisms produce biologically active compounds that enable them to survive in harsh environments. These compounds have potential biomedical applications. The green microalga Chlamydomonas latifrons KNF0041, isolated from Arctic sea ice, has been found to produce polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including omega-3 and omega-6, which have antioxidant properties. To improve the biomass production of strain KNF0041, statistical methods such as the Plackett–Burman design, Box–Behnken design, and response surface methodology (RSM) were utilized for medium optimization. The optimized medium was designed with increased potassium phosphate content and reduced acetic acid (AcOH) content. The use of the optimized medium resulted in an increase in the cell number as biomass of strain KNF0041 by 34.18% and the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid (FA) content by 10.04% and 58.29%, respectively, compared to that in normal TAP medium, which is known as the growth medium for Chlamydomonas culture. In this study, Chlamydomonas latifrons was discovered for the first time in the polar region and identified using morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses, the secondary structures of the internal transcribed spacers, and optimized culture conditions. The results of this study provide an efficient method for the application of polar microalgae for the production of bioactive compounds.