Evaluation of a novel oleaginous filamentous green alga, Barranca yajiagengensis (Chlorophyta, Chaetophorales) for biomass, lipids and pigments production.

The microalgal strain JNU39 was isolated from the stream rock of Yajiageng Red Rock Beach located north of the eastern slope of Gongga Mountain in Sichuan Province, China. It was then identified and named as Barranca yajiagengensis, a novel filamentous green alga based on its morphological characteristics and phylogeny analysis. The peculiar environment of its original habitat confers this microalga with several unique biological characteristics. We investigated the effects of different light intensities (unilateral light illumination of 100 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1 (LL), unilateral light illumination of 300 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1 (ML) and bilateral light illumination of 300 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1 (HL)) and initial nitrogen levels (1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 mmol L^-1) on the growth and biochemical compositions of B. yajiagengensis. Under HL condition, the highest biomass was observed at 9 mmol L^-1...