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In nature, photosynthetic organisms are exposed to highly dynamic environmental conditions where the excitation energy and electron flow in the photosynthetic apparatus need to be continuously modulated. Fluctuations in incident light are particularly challenging because they drive oversaturation of photosynthesis with consequent oxidative stress and photoinhibition. Plants and algae have evolved several mechanisms to modulate their photosynthetic machinery to cope with light dynamics, such as thermal dissipation of excited chlorophyll states (non-photochemical quenching, NPQ) and regulation of electron transport. The regulatory mechanisms involved in the response to light dynamics have adapted during evolution, and exploring biodiversity is a valuable strategy for expanding our understanding of their biological roles. In this work, we investigated the response to fluctuating light in Nannochloropsis gaditana , a eukaryotic microalga of the phylum Heterokonta originating from a secondary endosymbiotic event. Nannochloropsis gaditana is negatively affected by light fluctuations, leading to large reductions in growth and photosynthetic electron transport. Exposure to light fluctuations specifically damages photosystem I, likely because of the ineffective regulation of electron transport in this species. The role of NPQ, also assessed using a mutant strain specifically depleted of this response, was instead found to be minor, especially in responding to the fastest light fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere driven by human activities is causing huge negative consequences and new sustainable sources of energy, food and materials are highly needed. Algae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms that can provide a highly strategic contribution to this challenge as alternative source of biomass to complement crops cultivation. Algae industrial cultures are commonly limited by light availability, and biomass accumulation is strongly dependent on their photon‐to‐biomass conversion efficiency. Investigation of algae photosynthetic metabolism is thus strategic for the generation of more efficient strains with higher productivity. Algae are cultivated at industrial scale in conditions highly different from the natural niches they adapted to and strains development efforts must fully consider the seminal influence on productivity of regulatory mechanism of photosynthesis as well as of cultivation parameters like cells concentration, light distribution in the culture, mixing, nutrients and carbon dioxide availability. In this review we will focus in particular on how mathematical models can account for the complex influence of all environmental parameters and can be exploited for development of improved algae strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The productivity of an algal culture depends on how efficiently it converts sunlight into biomass and lipids. Wild-type algae in their natural environment evolved to compete for light energy and maximize individual cell growth; however, in a photobioreactor, global productivity should be maximized. Improving light use efficiency is one of the primary aims of algae biotechnological research, and genetic engineering can play a major role in attaining this goal. Results: In this work, we generated a collection of Nannochloropsis gaditana mutant strains and screened them for alterations in the photosynthetic apparatus. The selected mutant strains exhibited diverse phenotypes, some of which are potentially beneficial under the specific artificial conditions of a photobioreactor. Particular attention was given to strains showing reduced cellular pigment contents, and further characterization revealed that some of the selected strains exhibited improved photosynthetic activity; in at least one case, this trait corresponded to improved biomass productivity in lab-scale cultures. Conclusions: This work demonstrates that genetic modification of N. gaditana has the potential to generate strains with improved biomass productivity when cultivated under the artificial conditions of a photobioreactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels from algae are highly interesting as renewable energy sources to replace, at least partially, fossil fuels, but great research efforts are still needed to optimize growth parameters to develop competitive large-scale cultivation systems. One factor with a seminal influence on productivity is light availability. Light energy fully supports algal growth, but it leads to oxidative stress if illumination is in excess. In this work, the influence of light intensity on the growth and lipid productivity of Nannochloropsis salina was investigated in a flat-bed photobioreactor designed to minimize cells self-shading. The influence of various light intensities was studied with both continuous illumination and alternation of light and dark cycles at various frequencies, which mimic illumination variations in a photobioreactor due to mixing. Results show that Nannochloropsis can efficiently exploit even very intense light, provided that dark cycles occur to allow for re-oxidation of the electron transporters of the photosynthetic apparatus. If alternation of light and dark is not optimal, algae undergo radiation damage and photosynthetic productivity is greatly reduced. Our results demonstrate that, in a photobioreactor for the cultivation of algae, optimizing mixing is essential in order to ensure that the algae exploit light energy efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleaginous microalgae represent potential feedstocks for the sustainable production of lipids thanks to their ability to accumulate triacylglycerols (TAGs). TAG accumulation in several algal species is strongly induced under specific conditions such as nutrient deprivation and high light which, however, also negatively impact growth. Genetic modification of lipogenic pathways can potentially enhance TAG accumulation without negatively affecting growth, avoiding the trade-off between biomass and lipid productivity. In this study, the phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT), an enzyme involved in membrane lipid recycling, was overexpressed in the seawater alga Nannochloropsis gaditana. PDAT overexpression induced increased TAG content in actively growing algae cultures while no effects were observed in conditions naturally stimulating strong lipid accumulation such as high light and nitrogen starvation. The increase of TAG content was confirmed also in a strain cultivated in industrially relevant conditions even though PDAT overexpression, if too strong, the gene overexpression becomes detrimental for growth in the longer term. Results overall suggest that genetic modulation of the PDAT gene represents a promising strategy to increase microalgae lipid content by minimizing negative effects on biomass productivity. • PDAT was overexpressed in Nannochloropsis gaditana. • Overexpression induced accumulating of triacylglycerols. • Increased lipids accumulation was confirmed in long term photobioreactors cultures. • Strong overexpression showed negative impact on growth, only visible on long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthetic eukaryotes have a complex evolutionary history shaped by multiple endosymbiosis events that required a tight coordination between the organelles and the rest of the cell. Plant ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGLRs) form a large superfamily of proteins with a predicted or proven non-selective cation channel activity regulated by a broad range of amino acids. They are involved in different physiological processes such as C/N sensing, resistance against fungal infection, root and pollen tube growth and response to wounding and pathogens. Most of the present knowledge is limited to iGLRs located in plasma membranes. However, recent studies localized different iGLR isoforms to mitochondria and/or chloroplasts, suggesting the possibility that they play a specific role in bioenergetic processes. In this work, we performed a comparative analysis of GLR sequences from bacteria and various photosynthetic eukaryotes. In particular, novel types of selectivity filters of bacteria are reported adding new examples of the great diversity of the GLR superfamily. The highest variability in GLR sequences was found among the algal sequences (cryptophytes, diatoms, brown and green algae). GLRs of land plants are not closely related to the GLRs of green algae analyzed in this work. The GLR family underwent a great expansion in vascular plants. Among plant GLRs, Clade III includes sequences from Physcomitrella patens , Marchantia polymorpha and gymnosperms and can be considered the most ancient, while other clades likely emerged later. In silico analysis allowed the identification of sequences with a putative target to organelles. Sequences with a predicted localization to mitochondria and chloroplasts are randomly distributed among different type of GLRs, suggesting that no compartment-related specific function has been maintained across the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a mathematical model capable of quantitative prediction of the state of the photosynthetic apparatus of microalgae in terms of their open, closed and damaged reaction centers under variable light conditions. This model combines the processes of photoproduction and photoinhibition in the Han model with a novel mathematical representation of photoprotective mechanisms, including qE-quenching and qI-quenching. For calibration and validation purposes, the model can be used to simulate fluorescence fluxes, such as those measured in PAM fluorometry, as well as classical fluorescence indexes. A calibration is carried out for the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana , whereby 9 out of the 13 model parameters are estimated with good statistical significance using the realized, minimal and maximal fluorescence fluxes measured from a typical PAM protocol. The model is further validated by considering a more challenging PAM protocol alternating periods of intense light and dark, showing a good ability to provide quantitative predictions of the fluorescence fluxes even though it was calibrated for a different and somewhat simpler PAM protocol. A promising application of the model is for the prediction of PI-response curves based on PAM fluorometry, together with the long-term prospect of combining it with hydrodynamic and light attenuation models for high-fidelity simulation and optimization of full-scale microalgae production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nannochloropsis gaditana belongs to Eustigmatophyceae, a class of eukaryotic algae resulting from a secondary endosymbiotic event. Species of this class have been poorly characterized thus far but are now raising increasing interest in the scientific community because of their possible application in biofuel production. Nannochloropsis species have a peculiar photosynthetic apparatus characterized by the presence of only chlorophyll a, with violaxanthin and vaucheriaxanthin esters as the most abundant carotenoids. In this study, the photosynthetic apparatus of this species was analyzed by purifying the thylakoids and isolating the different pigment-binding complexes upon mild solubilization. The results from the biochemical and spectroscopic characterization showed that the photosystem II antenna is loosely bound to the reaction center, whereas the association is stronger in photosystem I, with the antenna-reaction center super-complexes surviving purification. Such a supramolecular organization was found to be conserved in photosystem I from several other photosynthetic eukaryotes, even though these taxa are evolutionarily distant. A hypothesis on the possible selective advantage of different associations of the antenna complexes of photosystems I and II is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A major challenge for next decades is development of competitive renewable energy sources, highly needed to compensate fossil fuels reserves and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among different possibilities, which are currently under investigation, there is the exploitation of unicellular algae for production of biofuels and biodiesel in particular. Some algae species have the ability of accumulating large amount of lipids within their cells which can be exploited as feedstock for the production of biodiesel. Strong research efforts are however still needed to fulfill this potential and optimize cultivation systems and biomass harvesting. Light provides the energy supporting algae growth and available radiation must be exploited with the highest possible efficiency to optimize productivity and make microalgae large scale cultivation energetically and economically sustainable. Investigation of the molecular bases influencing light use efficiency is thus seminal for the success of this biotechnology. In this work factors influencing light use efficiency in algal biomass production are reviewed, focusing on how algae genetic engineering and control of light environment within photobioreactors can improve the productivity of large scale cultivation systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Algae are interesting potential sources of biodiesel, although research is still needed to develop efficient large scale productions. One major factor affecting productivity is light use efficiency. The effect of different light regimes on the seawater alga Nannochloropsis gaditana was accessed monitoring growth rate and photosynthetic performances. N. gaditana showed the capacity of acclimating to different light intensities, optimizing its photosynthetic apparatus to illumination. Thanks to this response, N. gaditana maintained similar growth rates under a wide range of irradiances, suggesting that this organism is a valuable candidate for outdoor productions in variable conditions. In the conditions tested here, without external CO2 supply, light intensity alone was not found to be a major signal affecting lipids accumulation showing the absence of a direct regulatory link between the light stress and lipids accumulation. Strong illumination can nevertheless indirectly influences lipid accumulation if combined with other stresses or in the presence of excess CO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]