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Effects of sulfur limitation on nitrogen and sulfur uptake and lipid accumulation in Scenedesmus acuminatus

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Abstract

Sulfur limitation is a frequently exploited method for inducing lipid accumulation in microalgae. However, there is little understanding of the underlying mechanism of this process. Hence, a study was conducted to determine the effects of sulfur limitation on nitrogen and sulfur uptake, lipid production strategies, and photosynthetic physiological characteristics of Scenedesmus acuminatus. A low sulfur concentration (0.076 mM; 0.25S group) decreased nitrate reductase activity and inhibited nitrogen absorption. The highest lipid productivity was obtained in the 0.75S (0.229 mM) group (221.93 mg L−1 day−1), significantly higher than that of the 0.5S (0.153 mM) and 0.25S groups (p < 0.05). Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) activity was upregulated in the 0.25S group to promote the accumulation of lipid and fatty acids, and generated the maximum lipid and fatty acid content (47.27% and 43.98% of dry weight, respectively). An important supplementation of energy for lipid accumulation under low-sulfur conditions is to drive a higher proportion of cyclic electron flow. Superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities and malondialdehyde content increased at lower sulfur concentrations, indicating the elevated antioxidant activity of S. acuminatus.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41176105).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, People’s Republic of China

    Qianya Wang, Ying Zhang, Huijuan Wu, Ning Xu & Aifen Li

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  1. Qianya Wang
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  2. Ying Zhang
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  3. Huijuan Wu
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  4. Ning Xu
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Correspondence to Ning Xu or Aifen Li.

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Wang, Q., Zhang, Y., Wu, H. et al. Effects of sulfur limitation on nitrogen and sulfur uptake and lipid accumulation in Scenedesmus acuminatus. J Appl Phycol 33, 301–311 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-020-02319-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-020-02319-6

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