Regulation of inorganic carbon acquisition by nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the Nannochloropsis sp.

Nannochloropsis sp. was grown to the exponential phase and transferred to the high CO2 (2,800 μl l−1) and irradiance (100 μmol photons m−2 s−1) condition with different levels of nitrate and phosphate for 72 h, then the photosynthetic activity and inorganic carbon acquisition of the alga were measured. The apparent photosynthetic efficiency (α) of Nannochloropsis sp. decreased with increasing NO3− concentration from 150 to 3,000 μM, and the high nitrate-grown cells showed the lowest levels of light-saturated photosynthetic rate (Pm), while the low nitrate-grown cells showed the highest levels of dark respiration rate (Rd). The maximal light-saturated photosynthetic rate and the minimal dark respiration rate were seen under the middle nitrate condition. When the nitrate concentration ranged from 150 to 3,000 μM, the affinity for inorganic carbons of Nannochloropsis sp. increased sharply with the increasing NO3− concentration to 300 μM and then decreased significantly. The middle phosphate-grown cells exhibited the highest light-saturated photosynthetic rate and apparent photosynthetic efficiency, however, the affinity for inorganic carbons of Nannochloropsis sp. was the maximum under the low phosphate condition. It was shown that the appropriate nitrogen and phosphorus levels were of vital importance to the photosynthesis of cells.