Intracellular glycerol accumulation in light-limited Dunaliella tertiolecta culture is determined by partitioning of glycerol across the cell membrane

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 357; no. 2; pp. 217 - 221
• Main Authors: Ng, Daphne H.P., Low, Chin Seng, Chow, Yvonne Y.S., Lee, Yuan Kun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-08-2014; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Biological Transport - radiation effects; bioremediation; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Culture Media - chemistry; Glycerol - metabolism; Light; microalgae; Microbiology; Nitrogen - metabolism; osmoregulation; Osmotic Pressure; photosynthesis; Salinity; Stress, Physiological; Volvocida - metabolism; Volvocida - physiology; Volvocida - radiation effects; microalgae; osmoregulation; bioremediation; photosynthesis
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/1574-6968.12514

Abstract
Dunaliella accumulates intracellular glycerol to counterbalance the extracellular salinity. In N-limited chemostat cultures of D. tertiolecta, total glycerol production (sum of intracellular and extracellular) and intracellular glycerol content were proportional to the salinity of the culture medium. In the light-limited D. tertiolecta culture, total glycerol output (sum of intracellular and extracellular) was relatively constant at different salinities (0.5 and 2.0 M), while the intracellular glycerol content was proportional to the culture medium salinity, that is, the cells released less glycerol into the culture medium, rather than de novo synthesis of glycerol at high culture medium salinity. The study implies different regulatory mechanisms in the accumulation of intracellular glycerol in N-limited and light-limited D. tertiolecta in response to salinity.
The study implies different regulatory mechanisms in the accumulation of intracellular glycerol in N-limited and light-limited D. tertiolecta in response to salinity.
The study implies different regulatory mechanisms in the accumulation of intracellular glycerol in N-limited and light-limited D. tertiolecta in response to salinity.