Characterization of <i>Euglena gracilis</i> Mutants Generated by Long-Term Serial Treatment with a Low Concentration of Ethyl Methanesulfonate
<i>Euglena gracilis</i> is a microalga that has great promise for the production of biofuels, functional foods, and bioactive compounds, and mutagenesis and effective screening methods are required to develop <i>Euglena</i> strains that have industrial use. Ethyl methanesulfo...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/370 |
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| Summary: | <i>Euglena gracilis</i> is a microalga that has great promise for the production of biofuels, functional foods, and bioactive compounds, and mutagenesis and effective screening methods are required to develop <i>Euglena</i> strains that have industrial use. Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is a widely used mutagen, but is highly lethal to <i>Euglena</i> at typical concentrations. In the present study, low-concentration, long-time EMS exposure combined with serial treatment was introduced for generating <i>Euglena</i> mutants. We then used screening protocols to select cells with altered motility or pigmentation, and isolated two distinct strains of <i>Euglena</i>: Mutant 333 and Mutant 335. Mutant 333 showed increased motility but exhibited a decreased differentiation rate and reduced paramylon content (13.5%), making it unsuitable for industrial applications. However, Mutant 335, which had a deficiency of chlorophyll, had a high paramylon content (31.62%) and a mild and pleasant odor profile due to decreased concentrations of certain volatile compounds, with confirmation by GC-MS analysis. The Mutant 335 strain is suitable for the production of functional food products and renewable jet fuel. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2607 |