Question

What effect does phosphorous deprivation have on lipid production of algae?

Answer 1

Do you mean phosphorus deprivation?

Answer 2

growing them in a phosphorous-deficient medium

Answer 3

Phosphorus deprivation can reduce the amount of lipids algae can create because lipids need phosphorus to form. Lipids, or at least the example I am familiar with, make up membrane. The lipids that form this membrane are made up of a polar phosphate head and three tails of fatty acids which are non-polar.

Answer 4

thanks for the reply, dude. See, i thought the same thing. But when i looked into the same idea for nitrogen (N deprived) the lipid production actually increased.

And the same with the data i have for a lab i just did, the actual extraction of lipids from P deprived algae increased from that grown in normal conditions.

Answer 5

I was thinking of an answer more guided towards metabolic pathways that cause this deviation.

Answer 6

anyways, thanks.