%0 Journal Article
%A Formighieri, C.
%A Franck, F.
%A Bassi, R.
%T Regulation of the pigment optical density of an algal culture: filling the gap between photosynthetic productivity in the laboratory and in mass culture
%J Journal of biotechnology
%V 162
%@ 0168-1656
%C Amsterdam [u.a.]
%I Elsevier Science
%M PreJuSER-20338
%P 115 - 123
%D 2012
%Z Record converted from VDB: 12.11.2012
%X An increasing number of investors is looking at algae as a viable source of biofuels, beside cultivation for human/animal feeding or to extract high-value chemicals and pharmaceuticals. However, present biomass productivities are far below theoretical estimations implying that a large part of the available photosynthetically active radiation is not used in photosynthesis. Light utilisation inefficiency and rapid light attenuation within a mass culture due to high pigment optical density of wild type strains have been proposed as major limiting factors reducing solar-to-biomass conversion efficiency. Analysis of growth yields of mutants with reduced light-harvesting antennae and/or reduced overall pigment concentration per cell, generated by either mutagenesis or genetic engineering, could help understanding limiting factors for biomass accumulation in photobioreactor. Meanwhile, studies on photo-acclimation can provide additional information on the average status of algal cells in a photobioreactor to be used in modelling-based predictions. Identifying limiting factors in solar-to-biomass conversion efficiency is the first step for planning strategies of genetic improvement and domestication of algae to finally fill the gap between theoretical and industrial photosynthetic productivity.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%$ pmid:22426090
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000311019700015
%R 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2012.02.021
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/20338