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 an isolated microalgae strain comprising:
 subjecting a microalgae cell to serially increased concentrations of a salt sufficient to produce the isolated microalgae strain,   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.   
     
     
         2 . 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.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the medium has a salinity of about 50 ppt to about 400 ppt. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the high salinity tolerant microalgae produces a secondary metabolite. 
     
     
         5 . 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.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the secondary metabolite has an absorbance maxima at 230 nm and 271 nm.