Light and excessive CO2 uptake inhibit growth of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 under very high CO2 levels

Algal Research 2026 Open access

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Authors: Elena Carrasquer-Alvarez, Adrian Sven Geissler, Joshua Papa Abraham, Jan Gorodkin, Brian Frederick Pfleger, Stefan E. Seemann, Niels‐Ulrik Frigaard
DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2026.104705
Cited by: 1
References: 51

Abstract

Cultivation of photosynthetic microbes under elevated CO 2 is widely used in biotechnology to enhance growth. However, very high CO 2 levels inhibit growth for reasons that are not always clear. We established a method that allowed cultivation under different CO 2 concentrations and controlled pH to study the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. Growth rates, cell composition, and transcriptomic profiles were investigated under limiting (0.04%), optimal (1–4%), and inhibitory high (15–30%) gas phase CO 2 contents, while maintaining pH ∼7.5. At intermediate light (200 μmol m −2 s −1 ), the growth rate at 30% CO 2 was ∼45% of that under optimal conditions. Under low light (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms Algal biology and biofuel production Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology

Publication details

Journal / source
Algal Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
96
Pages
104705–104705
Publication date
13 April 2026
Language
EN