Study on lipid accumulation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum strain overexpressing glycerol kinase

Abstract:

In order to obtain high-yield algae strains that meet biodiesel standards, the growth, lipid yield and fatty acid composition of Phaeodactylum tricornutum wild-type(WT), Phaeodactyllum tricornutum with glycerol kinase overexpression (GKOE) and glycerol kinase RNA interfered(GKRNi), which were cultured in a medium supplemented with 20 mmol/L exogenous glycerol, were investigated. The results showed that: (1) the cell concentration of GKOE in the medium with exogenous glycerol could reach 2.23×107 /mL, significantly higher than WT(1.79×107 /mL) and GKRNi(1.78×107 /mL) in the medium with exogenous glycerol; (2) the lipid content of GKOE in the medium with exogenous glycerol was up to 31.73%, which was much higher than WT(27.20%) and GKRNi(26.63%) in the medium with exogenous glycerol; (3) the fluorescence intensity of GKOE in the medium with exogenous glycerol was 16.26% and 17.83% higher than WT and GKRNi in the medium with exogenous glycerol by Nile red staining, respectively; (4) the total fatty acid yield of GKOE reached 0.052 mg/mL, which was 16.26% and 17.83% higher than WT and GKRNi in the medium with exogenous glycerol, and suitable for biodiesel development.