Exogenous Abscisic Acid Confers Salinity Tolerance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii During Its Life Cycle.

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) coordinates responses to environmental signals with developmental changes and is important for stress resilience and crop yield. However, fundamental questions remain about how this phytohormone affects microalgal growth and stress regulation throughout the different stages of their life cycle. In this study, the effects of ABA on the physiology of the freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii at its different life cycle stages were investigated.

Unconventional high-value products from microalgae: A review.

Microalgae have gained significant importance in biotechnology development, providing valuable goods and services in multiple applications. Although there is a rising market for most of these applications, the incorporation and introduction of microalgae into new venues will extend in the near future. These advances are due to the vast biodiversity of microalgal species, recent genetic engineering tools, and culture techniques.

Acclimation of thermotolerant algae to light and temperature interaction.

Here, we explore the responses of photosynthesis and related cellular processes in the thermotolerant microalga Micractinium sp. acclimated to limiting and saturating irradiances combined with elevated temperatures, using a novel computer-controlled multi-sensor system. This system allows for the monitoring of online values of oxygen exchange during photosynthesis and respiration with high accuracy.

Optimizing photon dose and frequency to enhance lipid productivity of thermophilic algae for biofuel production.

The aim of this work was to examine the potential of the thermophilic green microalga Micractinium sp. to accumulate triacylglycerols (TAGs) and to develop a light strategy to increase TAG productivity in this alga. To this end, dense cultures of Micractinium sp.

Flashing light in microalgae biotechnology.

Flashing light can enhance photosynthesis and improve the quality and quantity of microalgal biomass, as it can increase the products of interest by magnitudes. Therefore, the integration of flashing light effect into microalgal cultivation systems should be considered. However, microalgae require a balanced mix of the light/dark cycle for higher growth rates, and respond to light intensity differently according to the pigments acquired or lost during the growth.

Expression and functioning of retinal-based proton pumps in a saltern crystallizer brine.

We examined the presence of bacteriorhodopsin and other retinal protein pigments in the microbial community of the saltern crystallizer ponds in Eilat, Israel, and assessed the effect of the retinal-based proton pumps on the metabolic activity. The biota of the hypersaline (~309 g salts l(-1)) brine consisted of ~2200 β-carotene-rich Dunaliella cells and ~3.5 × 10(7) prokaryotes ml(-1), most of which were flat, square or rectangular Haloquadratum-like archaea.

Continuous background light significantly increases flashing-light enhancement of photosynthesis and growth of microalgae.

Under specific conditions, flashing light enhances the photosynthesis rate in comparison to continuous illumination. Here we show that a combination of flashing light and continuous background light with the same integrated photon dose as continuous or flashing light alone can be used to significantly enhance photosynthesis and increase microalgae growth. To test this hypothesis, the green microalga Dunaliella salina was exposed to three different light regimes: continuous light, flashing light, and concomitant application of both.

Seasonal and plant-dependent variations in diversity, abundance and stress tolerance of epiphytic yeasts in desert habitats.

We studied the epiphytic yeast species of the plants of the Negev Desert and the Dead Sea region, Israel, which are considered one of the most extreme hyper-arid lands in the world. For this purpose, we developed isolation protocols; we performed morphological, cultural and molecular identification tests and compared yeast diversity between the locations and the plants. The composition of the yeast populations present in the study's plants underwent seasonal fluctuations, whereas differences in community compositions were significant within sites.