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Selective degradation of the recalcitrant cell wall of Scenedesmus quadricauda CASA CC202

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Abstract

Main conclusion

An eco-friendly cell wall digestion strategy was developed to enhance the availability of nutritionally important bio molecules of edible microalgae and exploit them for cloning, transformation, and expression of therapeutic proteins.

Microalgae are the source for many nutritionally important bioactive compounds and potential drugs. Even though edible microalgae are rich in nutraceutical, bioavailability of all these molecules is very less due to their rigid recalcitrant cell wall. For example, the cell wall of Scenedesmus quadricauda CASA CC202 is made up of three layers comprising of rigid outer pectin and inner cellulosic layer separated by a thin middle layer. In the present investigation, a comprehensive method has been developed for the selective degradation of S. quadricauda CASA CC202 cell wall, by employing both mechanical and enzymatic treatments. The efficiency of cell wall removal was evaluated by measuring total reducing sugar (TRS), tannic acid–ferric chloride staining, calcoflour white staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. It was confirmed that the yield of TRS increased from 129.82 mg/g in 14 h from pectinase treatment alone to 352.44 mg/g by combined sonication and enzymatic treatment within 12 h. As a result, the combination method was found to be effective for the selective degradation of S. quadricauda CASA CC202 cell wall. This study will form a base for our future works, where this will help to enhance the digestibility and availability of nutraceutically important proteins.

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Abbreviations

TRS:

Total reducing sugar

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

BBM:

Bold Basal Medium

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Acknowledgements

The work was supported by the grant from Department of Science and Technology—SERB, Government of India through the project entitled “SERB/F/8404/2025-16: Bioprospecting of microalgal resources for nutritionally important high value lipid production” to Arumugam. We are also grateful to Dr. K.G. Raghu and Mr. Salin Raj for fluorescence imaging at Agro-processing and Technology division, Dr. Prabhakar Rao P and Mrs. Soumya for SEM imaging at Material science and technology division, Dr. Karunakaran and Dr. Kaustabh kumar Maiti at Chemical Sciences and Technology Division and Dr. Leena P Devendra, Mrs. Meena at Microbial Processes and Technology Division, CSIR—National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Division (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India for FTIR analysis. Authors also thank Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi for giving financial support for doctoral programme of Reshma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Processes and Technology Division (NIIST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Trivandrum, Kerala, India

    Ragini Reshma & Muthu Arumugam

  2. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi, 110001, India

    Ragini Reshma & Muthu Arumugam

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  1. Ragini Reshma
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  2. Muthu Arumugam
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Correspondence to Muthu Arumugam.

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Reshma, R., Arumugam, M. Selective degradation of the recalcitrant cell wall of Scenedesmus quadricauda CASA CC202 . Planta 246, 779–790 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-017-2732-6

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