New Species of Green Microalga Identified in Brazil

seagriculture.eu
green microalga nephrocytium

The discovery resulted in phylogenetic reclassification of microalgae in the genus Nephrocytium. Credit: CCMA/UFSCar

A group led by researchers affiliated with the Phycology Laboratory at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have discovered a new species of green microalga in a reservoir located in the northwest of the state. As a result of the discovery, microalgae of the genus Nephrocytium have been moved to an order belonging to a different taxonomic class and phylogenetically reclassified.

Green microalgae are found in freshwater and in the sea (where they are known as phytoplankton) and produce more than 80% of the oxygen present in the atmosphere. They are considered primary producers and hence the base of the food chain in aquatic environments. In addition, they have significant potential for commercial applications, such as biodiesel production.

The new species was found in a fishing pond called Muritiba, fed by a spring near the town of Tupã.

The species was isolated in 2014 and is now part of UFSCar’s Freshwater Microalgae Culture Collection (CCMA). Begun in 1977 by Armando Augusto Henriques Vieira early in his career as a professor in the Department of Botany, CCMA is one of the world’s largest and oldest collections of freshwater microalgae, with some 800 strains deposited and conserved for researchers to analyze and potentially commercialize.

The new species was named Nephrocytium vieirae as a tribute to Dr. Vieira, who has retired and is now a senior professor at the university.

All rights reserved. Permission required to reprint articles in their entirety. Must include copyright statement and live hyperlinks. Contact david@algaeplanet.com. Algae Planet accepts unsolicited manuscripts for consideration, and takes no responsibility for the validity of claims made in submitted editorial.

seagricultureusa 2023 Portland ME

Subscribe

Breaking-News

  • June 6, 2023: A bold experiment to use seaweed as part of a solution to climate change is underway in Iceland, where millions of basketball-size buoys made of wood and limestone and seeded with seaweed will be dropped into the ocean in the coming months. READ MORE
  • June 2, 2023: ABO has announced the first plenary sessions to kick off the 2023 Algae Biomass Summit in Madison, Wisconsin, October 9-11. They include deep dives into the importance of algae and seaweed in our everyday lives, the use of algae in sustainable aviation fuel, applications for algae and seaweed in regenerative agriculture, and startup financing. READ MORE
  • June 1, 2023: A research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology, in South Korea, have developed a bioink characterized by enhanced cell viability and printing resolution. READ MORE
Seaweed Industry Job Board

A Beginner’s Guide

EABA AlgaeEurope23