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rom France to the world: How Dunaliella salina changed our understanding of antioxidants
Dunaliella salina is a single-celled green algae that lives in high-salt environments. The organism is known for its production of large amounts of carotenoids, which are believed to have antioxidant activity. This algae is responsible for the majority of primary production in many hypersaline environments around the world and is also widely used in cosmetics and dietary supplements.
Historical Background"Dunaliella salina is a fascinating organism with great commercial potential. From its discovery to today, it has changed our understanding of antioxidants."
Dunaliella salina was named by Emanoil C. Teodoresco of Romania, and dates back to 1838, when Michel Felix Dunal of France first observed the organism in salt evaporation ponds. Initially, he named it Haematococcus salinus, but later changed it to Dunaliella. Teodoresco and Clara Hamburger simultaneously described the new taxon in 1905, with Teodoresco receiving the naming rights for the species.
Habitat
Few organisms can survive in such extreme salinity as D. salina. In these environments, it protects itself from intense light damage through high concentrations of beta-carotene and counteracts the effects of osmotic pressure through high concentrations of glycerol. This provides an opportunity for commercial production of these substances. In the past, people have long believed that the pink color of the lakes was caused by this algae, but studies have found that in addition to Dunaliella, there are many other halotrophic bacteria and archaea living in these lakes.
Morphology and characteristics
Species of the genus Dunaliella are morphologically similar to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, but the biggest difference is that Dunaliella lacks a cell wall and a contractile vacuole. Dunaliella possess two flagella of equal length and a cup-shaped chloroplast that usually contains a central granule. Chloroplast is able to store large amounts of beta-carotene, which gives it its orange-red color.
"D. salina copes with high salt concentrations by synthesizing large amounts of glycerol, which is why it thrives in these extreme environments."
Reproduction and life cycle
D. salina can reproduce asexually by the division of motile vegetative cells, and sexually by the fusion of two equal gametes to form a zygote. The study found that the sexual reproduction activity of D. salina was significantly reduced under high salt concentrations, but became active under lower salt concentrations. Sexual reproduction begins with the contact of two flagella, followed by the formation of a zygote, which has a good ability to survive in various adverse environments.
Exploration of commercial uses
D. salina is not only a major source of primary production in hypersaline environments worldwide, but is also considered a potential resource for many commercial uses.
β-carotene
Since the first pilot plant for β-carotene production cultivated by D. salina was established in the Soviet Union in 1966, commercial cultivation of D. salina has become one of the success stories of halobiotechnology. Various techniques are used, ranging from low-tech swamp expansion to high cell density culture under strictly controlled conditions.
Antioxidants and nutritional supplements
Due to the rich presence of beta-carotene, D. salina has become a popular Pro-Vitamin A food supplement and cosmetic additive. Additionally, this algae may be a source of vitamin B12.
Glycerin
While attempts have been made to drive the commercial potential of D. salina to high glycerol concentrations, the economic feasibility of actual operations remains low, and thus no biotechnological operations targeting glycerol production have been conducted.
"The multiple uses of Dunaliella salina represent an incredible potential for the interaction between humans and the natural world."
As research on D. salina continues, the prospects for future applications of this algae in the fields of environmental protection and health are exciting. This makes us wonder: In the future, how will we use these amazing creatures to improve our quality of life and the health of our environment?
