Project dates: 01/10/2010 - 30/09/2027
The interest in microalgae as a renewable and sustainable feedstock for biofuels production has inspired a new focus in biorefinery. Nannochloropsis is a promising microalgal species known for its high lipid content and potential as a sustainable source of biofuels and valuable bioactive compounds. Therefore, improving the strain fitness and high accumulated lipid is always demanded to enhance economic and widely applied.
This study explores an innovative approach for lipid enhancement in Nannochloropsis through atmospheric and room temperature plasma mutagenesis (ARTP), a novel and efficient mutagenic technique. In addition, single cell RNA sequencing will be used to understand molecular mechanisms responsible for microalgae under this mutagenesis technique. This powerful tool will provide insights into the transcriptional diversity and heterogeneity within a population of cells responding to ARTP.