African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12487

Full Length Research Paper

Generation and characterization of pigment mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC-124

Zaydan, B. K.
  • Zaydan, B. K.
  • Department of Biotechnology, Al-Farabi ­­Kazakh National University, 71, Al-Farabi ave, 050040, Almaty, Kazakhstan
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Sadvakasova, A. K.
  • Sadvakasova, A. K.
  • Department of Biotechnology, Al-Farabi ­­Kazakh National University, 71, Al-Farabi ave, 050040, Almaty, Kazakhstan
  • Google Scholar
Saleh, M. M.
  • Saleh, M. M.
  • Department of Biotechnology, Al-Farabi ­­Kazakh National University, 71, Al-Farabi ave, 050040, Almaty, Kazakhstan. Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismaillia, Egypt
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Gaballah, M. M.
  • Gaballah, M. M.
  • Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismaillia, Egypt
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  •  Accepted: 28 October 2013
  •  Published: 08 January 2014

Abstract

The induced mutagenesis method for deriving pigment mutants of a green microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC-124 and their pigment composition as well as ability to assess mutability of contaminated aquatic ecosystems were studied. In the present study, 14086 mutants (colonies) were obtained by exposure of the wild strain, C. reinhardtii CC-124, to 1, 2, 3, 5 min of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. After screening, these mutants (colonies) revealed four pigmented mutants (124y-1, 124p-1, 124y-2 and 124p-2). Compared to the wild CC-124, these mutants are characterized by a decrease in chlorophyll a & b content and an increase in carotenoids. The lowest decrease in chlorophyll a was 3 to 4 folds, while the highest increase in carotenoids was 2 to 4 folds. The result of bio-test, using the resulting pigment mutant of C. reinhardtii 124y-1 showed that mutagenic activity was observed significantly in both Tekeli River and Pavlodar Oil Refinery in Kazakhstan; the waste water of the Pavlodar Oil Refinery had high-toxicity while the water of the Tekeli River had medium-toxicity.

 

Key words: Ultraviolet (UV) mutagenesis, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, biotesting.