β-cyclodextrin and succinic acid–driven metabolic enhancement of lipid, phycobiliprotein, and exopolysaccharide production in Porphyridium purpureum

Authors:

Abstract
Enhancing the production of high-value metabolites in microalgae is essential for sustainable bioproducts and biofuels. In this study, Porphyridium purpureum cultures were supplemented with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and succinic acid (SA) to evaluate their effects on biomass, lipid accumulation, fatty acid profiles, phycobiliproteins, and exopolysaccharides. Moderate β-CD concentrations (0.25–0.50 g L − 1 ) significantly increased biomass (2.98 ± 0.12 g L − 1 ), lipid content (277.00 ± 5.56 mg g − 1 ), total fatty acids, and arachidonic acid yield (70.60 ± 5.70 mg L − 1 ) compared to the control. SA supplementation (0.30–0.60 g L − 1 ) selectively enhanced long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids accumulation compared with the control treatment, with arachidonic acid reaching 45.89 ± 5.70 mg L − 1 . Both supplements also elevated phycobiliproteins and exopolysaccharides, with phycoerythrin being the dominant phycobiliprotein, reaching 146.88 ± 12.40 mg L − 1 under 0.50 g L − 1 β-CD and 147.00 ± 7.50 mg L − 1 under 0.60 g L − 1 SA. Excessive levels of either supplement, however, negatively affected growth and metabolite productivity. These findings demonstrate that controlled β-CD and SA supplementation can efficiently improve biomass and the accumulation of lipids, long-chain PUFAs, PBPs, and EPS in P. purpureum , offering a practical strategy for industrial-scale production of high-value algal compounds.
Funding Information
  • National Institute of Food and Agriculture (7010194, project number: SD00H870-25)
  • National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch Multistate, accession number: 7010236, project number: SD00R800-25)

This publication has 52 references indexed in Scilit: