Recently, a research team led by Professor Chen Gen at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, carried out a systematic study on plasma-induced mutagenesis for microalgae breeding and carbon dioxide fixation.
The findings were published in Bioresource Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and Cell Biochemistry and Function.
With the growing emphasis on carbon neutrality goals, microalgae-based carbon sequestration has become an important direction in carbon capture, utilization, and storage research because of its environmental benefits and resource potential. Low-temperature plasma mutagenesis is considered a promising approach for improving algal strains, but its biological mechanisms are still not fully understood.
Focusing on improving carbon fixation efficiency in Chlorella, the team used low-temperature plasma to generate mutant strains and selected those with enhanced carbon capture ability. Through analyses of photosynthetic performance and transcriptome data, they found that plasma-generated reactive species influence key genes involved in central carbon metabolism. This increases the activity of photosynthesis-related enzymes and improves both carbon fixation and nitrogen assimilation efficiency.
The team also studied how plasma causes oxidative stress in microalgae. They found that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species produced in plasma-treated water can enter cells and damage membranes, DNA, and the photosynthetic system. At the same time, microalgae activate antioxidant defense systems that help reduce oxidative damage.
In addition, the researchers reviewed recent progress in plasma mutagenesis technology, including its physical and chemical mechanisms, applications in microorganisms such as microalgae, bacteria, and fungi, as well as current technical challenges and future development directions.
The work provides new insights into the mechanisms behind plasma mutagenesis and oxidative damage in microalgae, helping advance the development of microalgae-based carbon fixation technologies.
Schematic diagram of carbon fixation by plasma mutagenesis in microalgae（Image by DUAN Wenxue）