Figure 2: Improved growth phenotype of C. reinhardtii cell cultures after addition of cellulosic material.

Error bars represent s.d. derived from three biological replicates, each including at least two technical replicates. (a–c) Growth analyses of (a) wild-type cc124, (b) the non-phototrophic mutant cc4148 (FUD16) and (c) the non-phototrophic mutant cc4147 (FUD7), grown in MM without or with the addition of CMC (MM+CMC) or FP (MM+FP). For cultivation in b and c, MM were supplemented with 0.1 g l⁻¹ acetate. Acetate concentration (dotted lines) in the medium was monitored and plotted on the right y axis. (d) Mean cell densities of the non-phototrophic mutant FUD16 cultivated in MM or in MM supplemented with FP (MM+FP). (e) Increases in final cell density (left y axis, black bars) and specific growth rate (right y axis, white bars) caused by cellulose addition (CMC; +) to C. reinhardtii or Chlorella kessleri cultures. The growth-enhancing effect was determined in the presence of acetate or various carbon dioxide concentrations (high: 5% (v/v)/enriched air; low: ~0.04% (v/v)/air bubbling; very low: no bubbling) in MM. Final cell densities are given as relative changes (CMC-free cultivation set to 100%). (f) Final cell density (left y axis, black bars) and specific growth rate differences (right y axis, white bars) of air-bubbled cultures caused by addition of CB (MM+CB), Avicel (MM+Avi), FP (MM+FP) or CMC in the presence of antibiotic and fungicide (MM+CMC*). MM cultivation was set to 100%.