Isolation of Lipid High-yielding Chlorella vulgaris Mutants by UV Irradiation

Chlorella vulgaris, a genus of single-cell green algae, is considered to be a very essential resource for the higher value-added business including functional food and biodiesel, due to its high contents of protein, carbohydrate and lipid. In this study, ultraviolet rays were irradiated in order to induce the mutation of C. vulgaris. After inducing the mutation, UV1-20 mutant, high in lipid was selected and its cell growth rate, dry weight, pigment content and lipid content were measured. The growth rate of the UV1-20 mutant was increased almost 1.5 times than the wild type, but pigment contents of chlorophyll and carotinoid were decreased. In addition, the lipid content of UV1-20 was increased 1.8 times than the wild type. Therefore, C. vulgaris mutant, isolated in this study, is considered to have sufficient potential to be used as a material for the higher value-added business.