Photobiological Effects on Biochemical Composition in Porphyridium cruentum (Rhodophyta) with a Biotechnological Application

This study describes the relation of photosynthetic capacity, growth, and biochemical compounds in the microalgae Porphyridium cruentum under saturated irradiance (200 μmol m-2 s-1 ) by white light (WL) and low-pressure sodium vapor (SOX lamps-Control) and supplemented by fluorescent lamps (FL) with different light qualities (blue; λmax = 440 nm, green; λmax = 560 nm and red; λmax = 660 nm). The maximum photosynthetic efficiency (Fv /Fm ) showed a positive correlation to the light quality by saturating light SOX in mixture with stimulating blue light than the white light (WL) at the harvest day (10 day). The production i.e., maximal electron transport rate (ETRmax ) and energy dissipation, i.e., maximal non-photochemical quenching (NPQmax ) had the same pattern throughout the time (3 to 6 days) being the values higher under white light (WL) compared SOX and SOX plus the different light qualities. Total protein levels increased significantly in the presence of SOX light, while phycoerythrin (B-PE) showed significant differences under SOX+ Blue light. Arachidonic acid (ARA) was higher under SOX and SOX plus supplemented different light qualities than that under WL whereas Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was the reverse. The high photomorphogenic potential by SOX light shows promising application for microalgal biotechnology.