Aim: This study aims to determine how photosynthetic and antioxidant activities vary in vegetative and dormant cells of Haematococcus pluvialis subjected to stresses in conditions representative of industrial productions of microalgae under solar light.
Methods and results: The effects of short-term oxidative treatments were examined on photosynthetic and antioxidant activities of Haematococcus pluvialis vegetative and resting cells. The vegetative cells have 1.6 times higher levels of phenolic compounds, but 1.7 times less catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities than the astaxanthin-enriched resting cells. Mainly, a UVA dose of 4 J cm-2 induced increases in photosystem II electron transport rates (ETRmax) (+15%), phenolic compounds (+15%), astaxanthin (+48%), catalase (+45%) and superoxide dismutase (+30%) activities in vegetative cells.
Conclusion: The UVA dose strongly stimulates the photosynthetic and antioxidant activities of vegetative cells, but only the accumulation of astaxanthin in resting cells.
Significance and impact of the study: These preliminary results show that oxidative stresses at sub-lethal levels can stimulate the activities of microalgae. Further investigations are needed to estimate the real influence on metabolite productivities in industrial production conditions.
Keywords: Haematococcus pluvialis; UVA; UVB; antioxidant activities; astaxanthin; hydrogen peroxide; oxidative stress; phenolic compounds; photosynthetic activities.
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