Different effects of the combined stress of nitrogen depletion and high temperature than an individual stress on the synthesis of biochemical compounds in Arthrospira platensis C1 (PCC 9438)

In nature, several abiotic stresses occur simultaneously, leading to retarded growth and biochemical changes in microalgae, including the commercial cyanobacterium, Arthrospira platensis . To gain more understanding of stress response, we investigated the integrative effects of nitrogen depletion and high temperature stress on physiological changes of A. platensis C1. The results revealed that photosynthetic activities of the stressed cells were markedly reduced by more than a half in comparison to the non-stressed cells. Moreover, a reduction of biomass was observed within 24 h after prolonged exposure to combined stress of nitrogen depletion and high temperature. The total protein contents, including phycocyanin (PC), in the stressed cells, decreased rapidly within 8 h of incubation. This finding was concomitant with the increase in carbohydrate content. However, the accumulation of carbohydrates in the nitrogen depletion-treated cells was greater than that in the cells under the combined stress. Furthermore, the levels of polysaccharides increased only under long-term incubation under nitrogen depletion but not under the combined stress. In addition, the combination of nitrogen depletion and high temperature stress resulted in an increase in the proportion of linoleic acid but a decrease in γ-linolenic acid within 24 h. These results suggest that the response of A. platensis to the combined stress was different from the responses of cells to individual stress. The PC degradation, the increased carbohydrates, and the alteration in fatty acids profiles were required for physiological response to combined nitrogen depletion and high temperature stress of A. platensis C1.