Physiological characterization of a chlamydomonas reinhardtii vacuolar transporter chaperon1 mutant under phosphorus deprivation condition

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism for nutrient limitation studies and many other physiological studies. Phosphorus (P) limitation triggers the expression of many genes involved in P uptake and manipulation and implicates in photosynthesis activity alteration. Here, we physiologically characterize a knockout mutant of vacuolar transporter chaperon1 (Delta vtc1) under P replete and deplete conditions comparing to its rescue strain. The growth rate of Delta vtc1 strain was faster than that of VTC1 rescued strain under P repletion but much slower under P depletion. P starved Delta vtc1 cells showed higher death ratio. VTC1 deletion may affect P uptake. Lastly, in Delta vtc1 strain grown under P deplete condition, the lower cell density, the lower self-shading, the lower chlorophyll (chl) b content, the higher chl a/b ratio.