The improvement of productivity of a photosynthetic purple bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides by manipulating the photosynthetic apparatus

광합성 기구 조작을 통한 비유황 자색 광합성 세균, Rhodobacter sphaeroides의 생산성 증대

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of high content of light-absorbing pigments on overall photosynthetic efficiency in high density microalgal cultures. The light harvesting complex II (LHC II) regulating gene of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, photosynthetic purple bacterium, was removed to construct a mutant strain that had less pigment content. The mutant and wild type strains were cultured under various light intensity by adjusting the distance from the light source. The productivity of the mutant strain was higher at high light intensity (over 118 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$) compared with one of the wild type , and was lower at low light intensity (34 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$). Especially, the concentration of LHC II mutant strain was 56% higher at 118 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$. The reduction of per cell pigment contents in the mutant strain lessened the degree of the mutual shading and thus enhanced the overall photosynthetic efficiency.

광합성 홍색세균의 light harvesting complex II (LHC II)발현 유전자가 제거된 돌연변이종을 halogen 램프 하에서 거리에 따라 광도를 달리하며 배양하여 wild type과 생산성을 비교한 결과 낮은 광도(34 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$)에서는 wild type가 높은 광도 (376, 118 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$)에서는 mutant가 높은 세포농도를 나타내었다. 특히 118 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$에서 LHC $II^-$ mutant가 56% 높은 세포생산량을 보였다. 이는 세포내 pigment양의 감소로 mutual shading effect가 감소하였기 때문으로 판단되었다.