The assimilation of glycerol into lipid acyl chains and associated carbon backbones ofNannochloropsis salinavaries under nitrogen replete and deplete conditions

Abstract

Mixotrophic cultivation can increase microalgae productivity, yet the associated lipid metabolism remains mostly unknown. Stable isotope labeling was used to track assimilation of glycerol into the triacylglyceride (TAG) and membrane lipids of Nannochloropsis salina. In N‐replete media, glycerol uptake and 13C incorporation into acyl chains were, respectively, 6‐fold and 12‐fold higher than in N‐deplete conditions. In N‐replete cultures, 42% of the carbon in the consumed glycerol was assimilated into lipid acyl chains, mostly in membrane lipids rather than TAG. In N‐deplete cultures, only 11% of the limited amount of consumed glycerol was fixed into lipid acyl chains. Labeled lipid‐associate..