Blue light enhances the accumulation of eicosapentaenoic acid in a liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L

Abstract

Liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L. synthesizes various polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), neither of which is produced by higher plants. Here, we report the effects of light quality and intensity on the accumulation of AA and EPA in liverwort. In the range of the light examined, the relative content of EPA to total fatty acid was highest under blue light although that of AA did not vary. Illumination with blue light for a short period efficiently improved the accumulation of EPA without great deficit of growth. At a higher intensity of white light, the relative content of EPA increased. The optimum light intensity for AA and EPA accumulation was found to be 80 photon flux density μ molm -2 s -1. © 2011 The Japanese Society for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology.