Rubisco mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii display divergent photosynthetic parameters and lipid allocation.

Photosynthesis and lipid allocation were investigated in Rubisco small subunit mutants of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Comparative analyses were undertaken with cells grown photoheterotrophically under sulphur-replete or sulphur-depleted conditions. The Y67A Rubisco mutant, which has previously demonstrated a pronounced reduction in Rubisco levels and higher hydrogen production rates than the wild type, also shows the following divergences in photosynthetic phenotype and lipid allocation: (i) low Fv/Fm (maximum photochemical efficiency), (ii) low effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII), (iii) low effectiveness at protection against high light intensities, (iv) a higher level of total lipids per pigment and (v) changes in the relative proportions of different fatty acids, with a marked decrease in unsaturated fatty acids (FAs). The most abundant thylakoid membrane lipid, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, decreased in amount, while the neutral lipid/polar lipid ratio increased in the mutant. The low amount and activity of the mutated Rubisco Y67A enzyme seems to have an adverse effect on photosynthesis and causes changes in carbon allocation in terms of membrane fatty acid composition and storage lipid accumulation. Our results suggest that Rubisco mutants of Chlamydomonas might be useful in biodiesel production.