Oleaginous microalgae are promising candidates as an alternative feedstock for lipid-based biofuels. To advance microalgae as a competitive feedstock, it is important to understand lipid accumulation and monitor intracellular lipids to select the optimal strain, growth conditions, and harvest date. Utilizing small aliquots from large cultures throughout cultivation, we have performed analysis of intracellular microalgal lipids with laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), imaging software, and lipophilic fluorescent dyes, such as BODIPY and Nile Red. We demonstrate how fluorescence analysis in microplates can be used to compare different microalgae strains and growth conditions to determine the optimal day to harvest microalgae for maximum lipid yields. In parallel, LSCM can be utilized to quantify the maximum lipid production per cell. The combination of fluorescence and LSCM techniques provides an efficient method to monitor and characterize lipid production.

Tracking lipid content in microalgae throughout growth phase utilizing fluorescence and laser scanning confocal microscopy

245th National Meeting (2013)

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