The Green Microalga Coelastrella thermophila var. globulina (Scenedesmaceae, Chlorophyta) Isolated from an Algerian Hot Spring as a Potential Source of Fatty Acids

Abstract

Screening microalgae from extreme environments, including hot springs, is an important research topic that has lately emerged. A thermophilic green alga was isolated from a north-eastern Algerian hot spring at a temperature of 63 °C, and its fatty acid (FA) profile was explored. The strain was cultivated in BBM medium at 35 °C in a 16:8 h light/dark cycle and 75 μM photons m−2 s−1. The morphological studies combined with phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate was Coelastrella thermophila var. globulina Q. Wang, H. Song, X. Liu, G. Liu and Z. Hu. The monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content was 51.12%. The saturated fatty acid (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content, respectively, accounted for 27.01% and 21.87%. The main FA was oleic acid (18:1n–9), whose value was 35.95%, followed in decreasing order by palmitic acid (16:0) with 21.45%, linoleic acid (18:2n–6) with 14.38% and α-linolenic acid (18:3n–3) with 04.22%. The FA profile exhibited high total n–6 and n–3 PUFA values (15.80% and 5.76%, respectively). Coelastrella thermophila var. globulina is particularly interesting for producing n-6 and n-3 PUFA and is likely suitable for other biotechnological purposes. This is the first time that this taxon has been reported in hot springs. Other species can be expected to be reported, which emphasises the importance of the biodiversity of extreme habitats.