Characterization of fatty acid and carotenoid production in an Acutodesmus microalga isolated from the Algerian Sahara

Abstract

An Acutodesmus microalga of the Scenedesmaceae family isolated from the Algerian Sahara was characterized for its ability to produce lipids, fatty acids (FA) and carotenoids under nitrate starvation, osmotic stress and a varying level of oxidative stress. The FA produced by this strain isolated from an environment typified by extreme heat showed a lower degree of unsaturation than those of other Scenedesmus which have been isolated from cold or temperate water environments, with no unsaturated C16 FA and more than 92% of the FA profile being comprised of FA with less than three unsaturated bonds. According to the degree of unsaturation and the cetane number, the FA profile from this strain is highly favorable for biofuel production. Lipogenesis and carotenogenesis were easily reversible upon removal of the stress. These results constitute an advance in developing strains suitable for industrial-scale production of biofuels.