High salinity tolerant microalgae strains, products derived therefrom, and methods of producing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to microalgae strains that are tolerant to high salinity, the products derived from the high salinity tolerant microalgae strains, and methods of producing high salinity tolerant microalgae strains and their products.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a high salinity tolerant microalgae strain comprising:
 subjecting a microalgae cell to serially increased concentrations of a salt sufficient to produce the high salinity tolerant microalgae strain.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting an algae and isolating the microalgae cell prior to the subjecting step. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subjecting step comprises growing the microalgae cell at ambient air and/or ambient room temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subjecting step comprises growing the microalgae cell using a natural and/or artificial light source. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subjecting step comprises growing the microalgae cell in a medium having an initial salinity in a range from about 0 ppt to about 45 ppt and increasing the salt concentration to a salinity in a range from about 50 ppt to about 400 ppt. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subjecting step is carried out as a series of salt additions to a medium in which the microalgae cell is grown. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the series of salt additions comprise incrementally increasing the salinity of the medium to two or more salinity levels in a range from about 50 ppt to about 400 ppt. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the series of salt additions comprise incrementally increasing the salinity of the medium to a salinity in a range from about 45 ppt to about 100 ppt and to a salinity in a range from about 100 ppt to about 400 ppt. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the series of salt additions comprise two or more separate salt additions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the high salinity tolerant microalgae strain after the subjecting step. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high salinity tolerant microalgae strain is produced in about 2 to about 14 days. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high salinity tolerant microalgae strain produces a secondary metabolite. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the secondary metabolite is excreted by the high salinity tolerant microalgae strain. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subjecting step comprises growing the microalgae cell in a medium under conditions comprising serially increasing the salinity of the medium. 
     
     
         15 . An isolated microalgae strain produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A method of growing a high salinity tolerant microalgae strain comprising:
 growing the high salinity tolerant microalgae strain in a medium comprising a high salinity.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the medium has a salinity of about 50 ppt to about 400 ppt. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the high salinity tolerant microalgae produces a secondary metabolite. 
     
     
         19 . A method of producing a secondary metabolite comprising:
 growing a microalgae cell in a medium having a salinity in a range from about 25 ppt to about 70 ppt and in an environment having a carbon dioxide concentration at about atmospheric levels, thereby producing the secondary metabolite.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the secondary metabolite has an absorbance maxima at 230 nm and 271 nm.