Nitrogen starvation leads to TOR kinase-mediated downregulation of fatty acid synthesis in the algae Chlorella sorokiniana and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

When subject to stress conditions such as nutrient limitation microalgae accumulate triacylglycerol (TAG). Fatty acid, a substrate for TAG synthesis is derived from de novo synthesis or by membrane remodeling. The model industrial alga Chlorellasorokiniana accumulates TAG and other storage compounds under nitrogen (N)-limited growth. Molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are still to be elucidated.