The Diatom Nanofrustulum shiloi As a Promising Species in Modern Biotechnology

Abstract

The results of studies of an intensive culture of a new species of bentoplanktonic diatom N. shiloi (Lee, Reimer et McEnery) Round, Hallsteinsen et Paasche 1999 isolated from the Black Sea are presented. Detailed descriptions are provided of the methods used to isolate the species into an algologically pure culture and its morphological and taxonomic features under light and electron scanning microscopy. The biochemical and production characteristics were also studied including the ability of the strain to accumulate fucoxanthin (Fx) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in laboratory conditions. During the exponential growth phase, the specific culture growth rate was µ = 0.8 1/day, and the maximum productivity P = 0.46 g dry weight/(L day). The accumulation of PUFAs in the biomass of N. shiloi reached 67.39 mg/g dry weight of algae. The Fx concentration in the biomass at the beginning of the stationary growth phase was 10 mg/g dry weight. The fairly high rate of Fx biosynthesis in microalgae cells, as well as the composition of fatty acids of the Black Sea strain, makes it possible to classify N. shiloi as a promising object in biotechnology.