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The potentially biodeteriogenic, subaerial green alga Trentepohlia umbrina is widely distributed on shaded substrates with northern aspects. This preference for low light was confirmed by a recent survey in Lazio, Italy. However, the same survey revealed an isolated occurrence of extensive growths of T. umbrina-dominated biofilms on surfaces with diverse aspects that ranged from highly exposed to shaded. Prior studies of Trentepohlia photosynthesis have been restricted to single sites, so this multi-aspect site was particularly interesting to understand the photoacclimation potential of Trentepohlia. Photosynthetic pigment concentrations and chlorophyll fluorescence (in situ and ex situ) were used to assess the photosynthetic response to changes in light exposure and humidity. Pigment contents and photoinhibition decreased, while the maximum photosynthetic rate and the level of light that saturated photosynthesis increased with an increasing light exposure duration (ranging from c. 5 to 300 min d–1 of exposure to sunlight). Laboratory tests of relative humidity (RH) on biofilm photosynthesis showed no recorded activity up to 32% RH, only 26% of the maximum activity at 77% RH, and full activity at 92% RH. When T. umbrina was in the desiccated state a lowering of basal of chlorophyll a fluorescence emission and a loss of variable fluorescence occurred. This suppression of fluorescence when cells are desiccated is known to result in photoprotection of reaction centres from continuing high irradiances, as the enhanced thermal dissipation replaces slower and potentially damaging energy transfer to the functional reaction centres. It was concluded that T. umbrina has a much wider environmental range than previously thought, but its growth is very slow and may be overlooked during cultural heritage surveillance, leading to inconspicuous chronic degradation of outdoor stone substrata.

Species of Ulva Linnaeus are nearly impossible to identify using morpho-anatomy due to their simple thallus structure and phenotypic plasticity. The current solution to this problem is to sequence ...

Integration of pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry and conventional methods for estimating carbon assimilation in microalgae is important for physiological, ecological and economic purposes...

Cephaleuros is a subaerial green alga widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. In this study, we investigated the taxonomy of Cephaleuros in southern China. Eight morphospecies (C. v...

Cladophora is one of the most species-rich and taxonomically challenging taxa of green algae. Recently, some samples of freshwater filamentous algae were collected from Hubei, Yunnan and Guizhou Pr...

Routine DNA barcoding with the chloroplast gene tufA identified novel records of an unknown and denuded (i.e. lacking branchlets) Caulerpa species previously reported from the Florida Middle Ground...

Hydrocolloids are a class of food additives with broad applications in the food industry to develop structure in food ingredients. Hydrocolloids can be synthetic, plant-based, or animal-based. Increasing consumer awareness has led to the use of natural food ingredients derived from natural sources, making algae-derived hydrocolloids more appealing nowadays. Algae-derived hydrocolloids such as carrageenan, agar, and alginate are widely used in the food industry as thickening, gelling, and emulsifying agents. Carrageenans are sulfated polysaccharides with diverse structural specificities. The safety of carrageenan use in the food industry has been widely debated recently due to the reported pro-inflammatory activities of carrageenan and the probable digestion of carrageenan by the gut microbiota to generate pro-inflammatory oligosaccharides. In contrast, both agar and alginate are primarily nontoxic, and generally no dispute regarding the use of the same in food ingredients. This review provides an overview of the algae industry, the food additives, the algae-derived hydrocolloids, the applications of algae-derived hydrocolloids in food industries, health-related studies, and other sectors, along with future perspectives. Even though differences of opinion exist in the use of carrageenan, it is continued to be used by the food industry and will be used until suitable alternatives are available. In summary, algal hydrocolloids are ‘label-friendly’ and considered a safe option against synthetic additives., Graphical Abstract

This study evaluated the possibility of using Oocystis borgei to prevent and control harmful algae blooms. Firstly, Microcystis aeruginosa and O. borgei were co-cultured to assess the competition for nutrients between them. Different physiological and biochemical parameters, such as growth, cell membrane permeability and esterase activities were determined in exudate culture experiment to investigate allelopathic effects of O. borgei culture and mixed cultures (O. borgei and M. aeruginosa) at different growth phase on harmful microalgae (M. aeruginosa). Results showed that O. borgei could significantly inhibited M. aeruginosa when volume ratios were 4:1 and 1:1 (M. aeruginosa: O. borgei) in co-culture experiment. Further, it was found that the membrane system of M. aeruginosa was disintegrated by the culture filtrate of O. borgei at exponential phase. In addition, esterase activities and photorespiration were significantly inhibited. In conclusion, O. borgei exhibited different allelopathic effects at different growth phase. Its exponential phase showed a significant inhibitory effect, while no inhibitory effect was observed at the decline phase.

Caulerpin is a bisindolic alkaloid that has been obtained from many species of the genus Caulerpa. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate four extraction methods of caulerpin in the C. rac...

Mycobionts of many lichen genera appear to demonstrate strong selectivity in the choice of algal partner. The biological properties of a photobiont and its availability in an environment significantly determine the habitat requirements of lichens. Flexibility in photobiont choice extends the ecological amplitude of lichens; therefore, it may constitute an important adaptive strategy for colonization of extreme habitats. The photobiont inventory of the three epigeic lichens most resistant to soil pollution, i.e., Cladonia cariosa, C. rei, and the hyperaccumulator Diploschistes muscorum, was examined to verify whether and to what extent algal composition depends on the type of habitat and substrate enrichment with heavy metals. Photobionts Asterochloris and Trebouxia were identified in the studied lichen species; however, the presence of Trebouxia was directly related to anthropogenic sites with technogenic substrates, and the proportion of lichen specimens with these algae clearly depended on the level of heavy-metal soil pollution and the habitat type. The total number of algal haplotypes increased with increasing soil pollution, and the richness was associated more with soil pollution than with a given lichen species. Additionally, a large number of lichen individuals bearing multiple algal genotypes at polluted sites were recorded. Although Cladonia lichens were previously thought to be restricted to Asterochloris, they are able to start the relichenization process with Trebouxia under specific habitat conditions and to establish a stable association with these algae when colonization of disturbed sites takes place. Comparative analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences revealed as many as 13 haplotypes of Trebouxia, and phylogenetic analysis grouped them into two different clades. Such a high level of genetic diversity indicates that Trebouxia is well adapted to metal pollution and could be an alternative photosynthetic partner for certain lichens, especially in polluted sites.

Cladophora spp. constantly or periodically form floating and benthic mats in Crimean hypersaline lakes and lagoons. In 2017–2018, characteristics of the Cladophora mats and the microalgae on Cladop...

The green algal genus Oncosaccus, endemic to China, has previously been classified in Chlamydomondales (Chlorophyceae). In the present study, two green algal specimens from west China were identifi...

Fresh water samples from six perennial rain fed reservoirs were collected for isolation of microalgae by enrichment method. Eighteen isolates belonging to cyanophyta and chlorophyta were obtained a...

A new marine strain of picoplanktonic algae, PMPFPPE4, was isolated from a mixed net-phytoplankton sample taken from the upper euphotic layer of the southeastern Adriatic Sea. Evaluation of the new strain included morphological investigation (by light and electron microscopy), phylogenetic analysis (utilizing plastid 16S rRNA and nuclear 18S rRNA genes), and physiological characterization (screening of pigment/lipid composition and capturing photosynthesis measurements). The new strain was proven to belong to the genusPicochlorumand the lipid composition revealed an unexpected accumulation of triacylglycerols, indicating an evolutionary adaptation for growth under unfavourable conditions. In addition, lipid remodelling in the exponential to stationary growth phase was characterized by an increased share of membrane-forming digalactosyldiacylglycerols and phosphatidylcholines. Maximum photosynthetic activity measured was at 30 degrees C, but the most rapid increase of photosynthetic activity was at lower temperatures (15-20 degrees C). Moreover, the thermotolerant strain did not exhibit photoinhibition below 40 degrees C and survived a one-month cultivation period in complete darkness. The strain's survival in low light and dark conditions suggests a potential shift from autotrophy to mixotrophy under unfavourable growth conditions. Thus, the unique physiological attributes represented by a high growth rate, thermotolerance, phototolerance and high triacylglycerol synthesis may render the strain highly attractive for biofuel production and growth in large outdoor systems.

Oocystis-like algae are diverse and found throughout the world. In this study, two new strains of algae with colonies resembling Oocystis were identified and successfully cultured in the laboratory...

Green tides, dominated by Ulva, are on the rise worldwide, and invasive Ulva spp. tend to bloom in new habitats. Over the last decade, green tides have caused serious problems in all marine regions of China, especially the Yellow Sea, but there has been no study emphasizing alien species or new records of Ulva in China. In this study, based on a molecular investigation spanning over 10 years, we found six new records of Ulva in China and analysed their distribution patterns. Three northern temperate species – Ulva simplex, U. splitiana and U. partita – were also distributed in temperate marine areas in China. Meanwhile, three subtropical species – U. meridionalis, U. tepida and U. chaugulii – were found to be dominant in the green tides in the South China Sea, and have also successfully exploited temperate areas, especially U. meridionalis which has a wide distribution in China. U. meridionalis has an unusual morphology distinct from the other three types reported in Ulva: along the middle of the longitudinal axis, both sides of the thallus are connected, forming a thin sheet in the middle with bilateral tubular structures, like a bow-tie in transverse view. We found a rapid Ulva bioinvasion and we provide fundamental new data for the future monitoring and risk assessment of green tides in China.

Aquaculture companies grow the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis (Chlorophyta) to extract the carotenoid astaxanthin to sell, which is used as human and animal dietary supplements. We were requested to identify an unknown pathogen of H. pluvialis from an alga growing facility in the southwestern United States. To identify this zoosporic fungus and determine its phylogenetic placement among other chytrids, we isolated it into pure culture, photographed its morphology and zoospore ultrastructure, and sequenced and analyzed portions of nuc rDNA 18S and 28S genes. The organism belongs in the Chytridiomycota, but a comparison of rDNA with available representatives of the phylum did not convincingly place it in any described order. The unique zoospore ultrastructure supports its indeterminate ordinal position, and the morphology, as determined by light microscopy, did not match any described species. Consequently, we have placed this chytrid in the new genus, Quaeritorhiza, and described it as the new species Q. haematococci in the family Quaeritorhizaceae but otherwise incertae sedis in the Chytridiomycetes. This new taxon is important because it increases the known diversity of Chytridiomycota and the organism has the ability to disrupt agricultural production of an algal monoculture.

We report the complete chloroplast genome of the MED1 strain of Nephroselmis pyriformis from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. At 111,026 bp, this genome is smaller and more compact than those of Neph...

An edible green algal species Caulerpa lentillifera J. Agardh is reported from China for the first time. The species was collected from the southwest of Hainan Island and morphologically identified...

Udotea geppiorum is reported to form meadows in deep-water, soft sediment habitats in the Main Hawaiian Islands. The identification of the species, initially published as U. argentea in the archipe...

Two unidentified foliicolous algal strains were isolated from living Ficus leaves in a tropical rainforest of China. Morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular phylogenetic investigations of the...

Optimization of oil separation from algae biomass via a Soxhlet extraction method was studied. The extracted oil was characterized for its functional groups and chemical composition using Fourier t...

International audience; Tydemania Weber-van Bosse is a genus belonging to the family Udoteaceae (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) and currently thought to be monospecific throughout its distribution range in the Indo-Pacific. We tested the assumption that Tydemania is a single species using species delimitation methods, morphological observations and phylogenetic reconstructions of large datasets. Our molecular and morphological data recovered two distinct groups, which we argue are the type species T. expeditionis Weber-van Bosse and T. gardineri A. Gepp & E. Gepp. The latter is currently considered a synonym of the former and we resurrect this name from synonymy. T. gardineri is distinguished morphologically from T. expeditionis by the complete absence of glomeruli, whereas T. expeditionis can have glomeruli and flabella, glomeruli alone, or flabella alone. The two species can also be distinguished by the shape and length of the stalks at the base of the flabellum, the diameter of the main axis and of the flabella siphons at the apices. In addition, they have different geographic distributions, with T. gardineri restricted to the Western Indian Ocean, and T. expeditionis extending from the Red Sea, throughout the Indian Ocean and into the West Pacific, including the Coral Triangle, the Philippines and Japan. From our dataset and literature search, we hypothesize that its south-western distribution limit is in northern Madagascar. Finally, we confirm the synonymization of T. mabahithae with T. expeditionis based on specimens from the type locality of the former and the lack of flabella in several other specimens of T. expeditionis.

Nearly two decades ago a scaly quadriflagellate culture was established from a sample collected in Golden Horn Bay, eastern Russia. Here we present a comparative analysis of pheno- and genotypic ch...

Molecular characterisation (using tufA and rbcL DNA sequences) of newly collected specimens of the genus Caulerpa in southern Australia identified 24 species and one variety, which, with th...

Desmodesmus maximus (West & G.S.West) Hegewald, D. perforatus (Lemmermann) E.Hegewald and D. tropicus (W.B.Crow) E.Hegewald form the series Maximi within the genus Desmodesmus. Desmodesmus tropicus...

The 25,137-bp mitogenome of the green alga Pedinomonas minor (Pedinomonadales, Pedinophyceae), which belongs to a basal class of the core Chlorophyta, is unusual in displaying a reduced gene conten...

To resolve historical misinterpretations of species descriptions and to comprehend the morphological diversity together with the distribution of Ulva compressa Linnaeus in northern Germany, a morphological and molecular study was undertaken of recently collected specimens and herbarium vouchers. Phylogenetic analyses from sequences of the plastid encoded tufA gene confirmed that U. compressa is abundant along the German Baltic Sea and North Sea coasts. We were able to genetically confirm the presence of U. compressa in the Baltic Sea below salinities of 15 PSU. However, we detected morphologies agreeing with the attached and branched tubular type material only in the North Sea, while U. compressa on Baltic Sea coasts indiscriminately exhibited a very distinct morphology of sheet-like thalli that were always unattached, with the exception of one collection site. Drifting forms were also frequently detected in the Wadden Sea, but not on the island of Helgoland. The tufA sequences of attached and tubular forms of U. compressa from the German Wadden Sea were identical to the drifting sheets found in the Wadden and Baltic Seas and the sequence divergence was extremely small at ≤0.9%. The proliferating, blade-like thalli of U. compressa appear as a nuisance ecotype that is able to form massive accumulations associated with oxygen depletion. Mass accumulations were observed to cause severe damage and increased mortality of habitat forming Zostera and Ruppia populations.

Biofilms commonly colonise cooling water systems, causing equipment damage and interference with the operational requirements of the systems. In this study, next-generation sequencing (NGS), catalysed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridisation (CARD-FISH), lectin staining and microscopy were used to evaluate temporal dynamics in the diversity and structure of biofilms collected seasonally over one year from an open full-scale cooling tower. Water samples were analysed to evaluate the contribution of the suspended microorganisms to the biofilm composition and structure. Alphaproteobacteria dominated the biofilm communities along with Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria. The phototrophic components were mainly cyanobacteria, diatoms and green algae. Bacterial biodiversity decreased from winter to autumn, concurrently with an increase in cyanobacterial and microalgal richness. Differences in structure, spatial organisation and glycoconjugates were observed among assemblages during the year. Overall, microbial variation appeared to be mostly affected by irradiance and water temperature rather than the source of the communities. Variations in biofilms over seasons should be evaluated to develop specific control strategies.

Many species belonging to the coccoid green algae genus Coelastrella are considered potential candidates for the large-scale production of natural pigments and biofuels. However, little is known ab...

Since 2008, the green seaweed Ulva prolifera has caused the world's largest green tide in the Yellow Sea, China. It has subsequently attracted considerable research interest. However, species identification is an essential step for advancing this research. Based on phylogenetic analyses using molecular sequences such as internal transcribed spacer (ITS) or ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large chain (rbcL), specimens of U. prolifera collected worldwide were separated into a European clade and the Ulva linza–procera–prolifera (LPP) complex clade that included the Chinese bloom-forming strains and Japanese brackish strains. This has resulted in considerable controversy as to the identity of U. prolifera and the bloom-forming species in the Yellow Sea. To resolve this issue, we examined populations of U. prolifera from the type locality at Lolland Island, Denmark, and globally significant sites including sites from Japan and China using morphological, developmental, molecular and crossing studies....

This study evaluated whether exposing samples of granite colonized by a natural biofilm to artificial daylight or UV-A/B/C irradiation for 48 h enhanced removal of the biofilm with a chemical product previously approved for conservation of monuments by the European Biocide Directive. Rodas granite, which is commonly found in stone-built heritage monuments in Galicia (NW Spain), was naturally colonized by a sub-aerial biofilm. The efficacy of the cleaning method was evaluated relative to uncolonized surfaces and colonized control samples without previous irradiation, treated by dry-brushing or with benzalkonium chloride. The effect of UV irradiation in the combined treatment was evident, as comparable cleaning levels were not reached in the controls. Although the biofilm was not totally removed by any of the treatments, UV-B irradiation followed by benzalkonium chloride was potentially useful for cleaning stone, with results comparable to those achieved by UV-C irradiation, which is known to have germicidal effects.

The order Trentepohliales represents one of the most prominent algal groups in terrestrial habitats but its taxonomy and phylogeny are still poorly understood. During a survey of Trentepohliales in different Brazilian biomes, some trentepohlialean populations were found in mixed forest localities growing on the bark of the gymnosperm Araucaria angustifolia. These populations formed orange patches with the typical habit of the genus Trentepohlia. The filaments consisted of cylindrical or swollen cells 4.0–10.2 μm wide and produced single apical globular gametangia and zoosporangia, with apical cells having a well-developed pectic cap. Molecular analysis based on the rbcL gene revealed that these populations represent a distinct clade, and based on the results, a new species, Trentepohlia araucariana, is described.

The Chlorellaceae is a family in the order Chlorellales that includes mostly coccoid algae of minute sizes, and a portion of this family was separated into two sister groups (the Chlorella clade an...

The study of microalgal culture has been growing in recent decades, because the cellular structure of microalgae has diverse highly valuable metabolites that have attract attention of numerous companies and research groups. The pigment astaxanthin is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants in nature. The microalga Haematococcus pluvialis was proposed as one of the best natural astaxanthin sources, because it can accumulate high amount of the pigment. In this work, we studied different stress treatments on H. pluvialis growth cultures as well as astaxanthin production under autotrophic growth conditions. The results showed that extending nitrogen starvation before increasing radiation intensity up to 110 μmol photons m−2 s−1 during late the palmella cell phase incremented the astaxanthin concentration up to 2.7% of dry biomass with an efficient light energy utilization during the stress stage. Fil: Niizawa, Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Espinaco, Brenda Yanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Leonardi, Rodrigo Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Heinrich, Josué Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Sihufe, Guillermo Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina

The Chaetophorales (Chlorophyceae) consist of filamentous green algae that were mostly described directly from natural samples by light microscopy. However, the descriptions were often based on mor...

The adaptive strategy of Tetraselmis indica to survive darkness was evaluated over a period of 182 days. Resting cells formation and reduction in catabolic activity facilitated dark survival and th...

We describe a novel green algal species that has been recorded for a decade but not specified during phytoplankton monitoring of acidic pit lakes in Saxony, Germany. Based on sequences of 18S rDNA, the ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region and 16S rDNA, the novel alga is described as Autumnella lusatica gen. nov. & sp. nov. within the class Trebouxiophyceae. A close phylogenetic relationship led to the assignment of the morphologically similar Koliella corcontica Hindak to the new genus. Autumnella lusatica grows well in a neutral culture medium for green algae. In the type locality, the new species is characterized by (1) tolerance against acidity down to pH 3.0; (2) ability to propagate and establish enormous biovolumes at conditions of acidic pH, low total phosphorus (TP) and total inorganic carbon (TIC) concentrations; and (3) unusual seasonal growth dynamics with maximum and minimum biovolumes in October and June, respectively. As in other lakes, A. lusatica was abundant in the oligotrophic lake, Haber...

A new species in the genus Prasionema (Prasiolales, Trebouxiophyceae) is described from Campbell Island, in the New Zealand subantarctic region, the first record of this genus in the southern hemisphere. Prasionema heeschiae sp. nov. is filamentous, uni- to predominantly biseriate, with disc-shaped cells, and an axial plastid with a central pyrenoid. It is anchored by an enlarged pigmented basal cell. There is evidence of reproduction by both spores and fragmentation. This species was found growing on a timber wharf above the high tide level. The only other species in the genus, P. payeri Heesch, M.Pazoutova & Rindi, was described from Spitzbergen growing on soil in a high nutrient environment. The bipolar distribution of Prasionema is discussed. Based on phylogenetic analyses that included sequence data from holotype material of southern filamentous Prasiolales, we reduce Rosenvingiella australis to synonymy with R. tasmanica.

Based on analyses of multiple molecular markers (18S rDNA, ITS1, ITS2 rDNA, rbcL), an alga that causes red snow on the melting ice cover of a high-alpine lake in the High Tatras (Slovakia) was shown to be identical with Chlainomonas sp. growing in a similar habitat in the Tyrolean Alps (Austria). Both populations consisted mostly of smooth-walled quadriflagellates. They occurred in slush, and shared similar photosynthetic performances (photoinhibition above 1300 µmol photons m-2 s-1), very high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 64% and 74% respectively) and abundant astaxanthin accumulation, comparable to the red spores of Chlamydomonas nivalis (Bauer) Wille. Physiological differences between the Slovak and Austrian populations included higher levels of α-tocopherol and a 13Z-isomer of astaxanthin in the former. High accumulation of secondary pigments in the Slovak population probably reflected harsher environmental conditions, since the collection was made later in the growing season when cells were exposed to higher irradiance at the surface. Using a polyphasic approach, we compared Chlainomonas sp. with Chlamydomonas nivalis. The latter causes 'conventional' red snow, and shows high photophysiological plasticity, with high efficiency under low irradiance and no photoinhibition up to 2000 µmol photons m-2 s-1. Its PUFA content was significantly lower (50%). An annual cycle of lake-to-snow colonization by Chlainomonas sp. from slush layers deeper in the ice cover is proposed. Our results point to an ecologically highly specialized cryoflora species, whose global distribution is likely to be more widespread than previously assumed.

The unicellular motile green alga Haematococcus lacustris (Chlorophyceae) is an economically important species capable of producing the high value pigment astaxanthin, used widely in aquaculture, p...

Photoautotrophic cultivation of Chlorococcum humicola was performed in batch and continuous modes in different cultivating system arrangements to compare biomass and carotenoids' concentration and their productivities. Batch result from stirred tank and airlift photobioreactors indicated the positive effect of increasing light intensity on growth and carotenoid production, whereas the finding from continuous cultivation indicated that carotenoid enhancement preferred high light intensity and nitrogen-deficient environment. The highest biomass (1.31 ± 0.04 g L-1) and carotenoid (4.59 ± 0.06 mg L-1) concentration as well as the highest productivities, 0.46 g L-1 d-1 for biomass and 1.61 mg L-1 d-1 for carotenoids, were obtained when maintaining high light intensity of 10 klx, BG-11 medium and 2% (v/v) CO2 simultaneously, while the highest carotenoid content (4.84 mg g-1) was associated with high light intensity and nitrogen-deficient environment, which was induced by feed-modified BG-11 growth medium containing nitrate 20 folds lower than the original medium. Finally, the cultivating system arranged into smaller stirred tank photobioreactors in series yielded approximately 2.5 folds increase in both biomass and carotenoid productivities relative to using single airlift photobioreactor with equivalent working volume and similar operating condition.

High fat diet (HFD) exposure is associated with various pathological dysfunctions, including haematological disorders and oxidative stress. The in vitro analysis of AECG revealed the presence of important levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, and denoted antioxidant capacities confirmed by nitric oxide radical (NO•), reducing the power and HPLC chemical components' determinations. The animals exposed to HFD revealed a severe damage in the blood cells structure and haematological parameters accompanied with a significant decrease in serum Mg2+ and Ca2+ ATPase activities. Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the advanced oxidation of protein products (AOPP) levels were significantly increased, while vitamin C level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were markedly reduced in the erythrocytes and platelets of HFD-treated mice. However, the co-administration of AECG with HFD-treated animals restored the parameters cited above to near-normal values. Therefore, our investigation revealed that Chaetomorpha gracilis extract was a useful element preventing HFD-induced blood cells damage.

Marine picoalgae from the Prasinococcales order occupy the deepest branch of the Chlorophyta (Palmophyllophyceae). Here, we describe the mitogenomes of Prasinoderma sp. MBIC 10622 and Prasinococcus capsulatus CCMP 1194. At 37,590 and 41,006 bp, respectively, they are smaller than their Prasinoderma coloniale homolog and unlike the latter, lack an inverted repeat. The intronless Prasinoderma sp. mitogenome possesses the largest gene repertoire (68) among all chlorophytes examined to date. At the gene order level, it displays more ancestral traits than its prasinococcalean homologs, closely resembling the mitogenomes of Mamiellophyceae. Remarkably, the P. capsulatus mitogenome features a trans-spliced group II intron.

This study investigated the impact of dissolved organic matters (DOM) on the ecological toxicity of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3NPs) at a relatively low exposure concentration (1 mg L−1). Th...

Microalgae are rich source of various bioactive molecules such as carotenoids, lipids, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, etc. and in recent Years carotenoids from algae gained commercial recognition in the global market for food and cosmeceutical applications. However, the production of carotenoids from algae is not yet fully cost effective to compete with synthetic ones. In this context the present review examines the technologies/methods in relation to mass production of algae, cell harvesting for extraction of carotenoids, optimizing extraction methods etc. Research studies from different microalgal species such as Spirulina platensis, Haematococcus pluvialis, Dunaliella salina, Chlorella sps., Nannochloropsis sps., Scenedesmus sps., Chlorococcum sps., Botryococcus braunii and Diatoms in relation to carotenoid content, chemical structure, extraction and processing of carotenoids are discussed. Further these carotenoid pigments, are useful in various health applications and their use in food, feed, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries was briefly touched upon. The commercial value of algal carotenoids has also been discussed in this review. Possible recommendations for future research studies are proposed.

Codium pulvinatum sp. nov. (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) is described from the southern shores of Oman and from the Mediterranean shore of Israel. The new species has a pulvinate to mamillate–globose habit and long narrow utricles. Molecular data from the rbcL gene show that the species is distinct from closely related species, and concatenated rbcL and rps3–rpl16 sequence data show that it is not closely related to other species with similar external morphologies. The recent discovery of well-established populations of C. pulvinatum along the central Mediterranean coast of Israel suggests that it is a new Lessepsian migrant into the Mediterranean Sea. The ecology and invasion success of the genus Codium, now with four alien species reported for the Levantine Sea, and some ecological aspects are also discussed in light of the discovery of the new species.

Unicellular coccoid green algae are characterised by a high cryptic diversity, but such diversity is still poorly known, especially in terrestrial environments. The genus Jenufa, first described in 2011 from terrestrial habitats, currently includes three species: J. perforata, J. minuta and J. aeroterrestrica. We describe a new species, Jenufa lobulosa sp. nov. The type strain FACHB-2128 was isolated from sandstone surfaces in Nanning, Guangxi Province, a subtropical area in southwestern China, and the cultured material was examined using light and electron microscopy. It shared representative features of the genus: a parietal perforated chloroplast with several lobes, no pyrenoids, and asexual reproduction via autospores. However, J. lobulosa differed from congeners in the mean size of its vegetative cells and autosporangia, the number of autospores and cell wall thickness. Phylogenetic analyses of 18S rDNA and rbcL sequences showed that strain FACHB-2128 belonged to the Jenufa clade of the Chlo...