Major and Classification
Majoring in Pharmacology & Drug Development
Faculty Mentor
Dr, Feixue Fu – Department of Biological Sciences
Department
USC Mann, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research Gateway Project
B. Braunii, the Effects of Using Phosphate Repletion to Produce a Squalene Producing Machine
Project Abstract
Sharks are critical keystone species which maintain healthy populations in marine ecosystems. Regardless, sharks are subjected to unsustainable fishing practices caused by human demand, and thereby endangered, for their fins and livers. A significant reason for shark demand derives from squalene, a fatty compound found in the shark liver involved in everyday cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. While current plant sources like amaranth and olives produce squalene, their long growth cycles and needed land use for growing outweighs the benefits of their use. Because of this, researchers have turned towards microbial organisms, such as Botryococcus braunii, a slow growing, abundant lipid containing green algae commonly used for biofuel and other biotechnological research, for sustainable squalene production. The current study aims to test the effects of phosphate limitation on squalene production through its impact on the mevalonate squalene producing pathway. Using a 10 AU fluorometer, B. braunii was cultivated with Bold 3N and BG-11 media incubated at 25±1°C with a 12:12 light:dark cycle at 80 μmol photons m^2 s^1 white light illumination. Preliminary findings suggest that both Bold 3N and BG-11 are reliable growth media. Future work involves the employment of phosphate limited media under 25°C and 28°C to investigate the impact on growth rate and mass of squalene per dry cell weight potentially demonstrating involvement in the mevalonate squalene producing pathway through transcriptome analysis. Through this and further studies, more steps can be taken to optimize cultivation for further squalene yield and identifying a great vegan alternative for societal demands, ultimately replacing the mass culling of sharks.