초록
<P><B>ABSTRACT</B></P><P>Omega‐3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), provide substantial health benefits. As global fish stocks are declining and in some cases are contaminated with heavy metals, there is a need to find more sustainable land‐based sources of these essential fatty acids. The oleaginous microalga <I>Nannochloropsis</I> sp. has been identified as a highly efficient producer of omega‐3 fatty acids. In this study, we present a new process to rapidly induce biosynthesis of essential fatty acids, including EPA in <I>Nannochloropsis</I> sp. BR2. Short exposure to UV‐C at a dose of 100 or 250 mJ/cm<SUP>2</SUP> led to a significant increase in total cellular lipid contents when compared to mock‐treated controls. A low dosage of 100 mJ/cm<SUP>2</SUP> also led to a twofold increase in total EPA content within 24 h that constituted 30% of total fatty acids and up to 12% of total dry weight at higher dosages. UV‐C radiation may find uses as an easily applicable external inducer for large‐scale production of omega‐3 production from microalgae. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1243–1249. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</P>