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Phytoplant4

Microalgae for Acquaculture

Algae are considered the best food source for aquaculture. Unfortunately, the trend is to avoid using live algae due to their high cost and production difficulties. As a result, diets replacements for live algae have been developed which do not have the same positive effect. Microalgae are required for larval nutrition during a brief period, either for direct consumption in the case of molluscs and peneid shrimp or indirectly as food for the live prey fed to small fish larvae. Specific algae mixtures can result in enhanced growth, immune response and survival rate.

Phytolutions can provide different microalgae mixtures (PhytoMix) for acquaculture. We thereby do not provide one specific constituent, but rather arrange a healthy combination of microalgae to achieve optimal benefits for the customers.

Our specific PhytoMix is delivered with live-algae for best results or as freeze-dried powder and pellets.

Exceptional CharacteristicsOur PhytoMix contains high concentrations of lipids, including Omega fatty acids (EPA; DHA; ARA; linolic Acid and furanic acid) which play a protective role against many diseases.

The feed also contains essential aminoacids (valine, leucine, lysine, histidine, tryptophan, isoleucine, threonine, methionine and phyenylalanine) and present an unconventional source of protein. The polysaccharides provide antiviral substances and boost the immune system. The PhytoMix represents also a valuable source of nearly all essential vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, nicotinate, biotin folic acid and pantothenic acid) and a balanced mineral content (e.g. Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and trace minerals). They are also an excellent source of natural colorants like chlorophyll-a and carotinoids.

Oyster larvae development: microalgae are important for hatcheries. With cell numbers as low as 10 000 to 25 000 cells / oyster-larvae/ day  it is possible to successfully grow oysters. Our PhytoMix is antiviral, antibacterial and will increase survivalrate of oysterlarvae.

Oyster fattening: The fattening index (the weight of the meat) for Oysters in Pousee en Claires increased by 10–15% when specific algae mixtures are added. This algal supplement is clearly responsible for fattening improvement. 1 l of Phytomix concentrate can theoretically fatten 250 000 oysters per day This fattening process allows the oysters to acquire the taste and often a green colour specific for this rearing area. The stocking process called “passé” is processed with 40 oystersr/m2  (≈ 1 kg/m2)  and only lasts for a few weeks. The aim is to modify the taste of the oyster and possibly its colour since fattened oysters undergo fluctuations in greening.

EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid 29
DHA: docosahexaenoic acid 6
AA: arachidonic acid 17
GLA: y-linolenic acid 5

Table of fatty acid variations of PhytoMix (mg/g biomass dryweight)

 

Lysine 14
Methionine 4.5
Glutamate 26

Table of important amino acid variations of PhytoMix (mg/g biomass dryweight)

Moreover, microalgae also play a key role in high grade animal nutrition food for farm animals. Comprehensive nutritional and toxicological evaluations have demonstrated suitability of algae biomass as a valuable feed supplement or substitute for conventional animal feed sources for pigglets, poultry, cattle.

Phytolutions offers Live-Algae at concentrations of 108 cells per ml. We can provide customer-specific algae mixtures in form of pellets, powder or wet biomass.

We offer to install algae production facilities in the vicinity of your oyster-farm to ensure high quality live-algae on demand and short notice.

B-Phycoerythrin
from Porphyridium cruentum

B-Phycoerythrin (B-PE) is a red-fluorescent accessory pigment from the red alga Porphyridium cruentum. The multi-subunit phycobiliprotein can be conjugated to other molecules to generate fluorescent molecular probes, which are used for detection purposes in a variety of life science applications in research and industry, such as

  • Immunological assays (conjugation with antibodies)
  • Live cell staining
  • Advanced microscopic techniques (FRET)
  • Cell sorting (FACS)
  • DNA microarrays(conjugation with Streptavidin)

Exceptional Characteristics

In the red alga Porphyridium cruentum B-Phycoerythrin serves together withR-Phycoerythrin and Allophycocyanin as light collector in photosynthesis. It is located in light harvesting complexes (Phycobilisomes) and absorbs light-quantums with wavelengths between 480 and 565nm (green, yellow), which are transmitted to chlorophyll. This function requires maximum absorbance and fluorescence in order to avoid energy loss. This is the base for the exceptional characteristics of B-Phycoerythrin:

  • High quantum yield (very bright, stable molecules)
  • Very high sensitivity due to high extinction coefficient and quantum yield
  • No fluorescence quenching by external reagents, due to protection of the fluorophore by the protein backbone
  • Emission in the red-orange spectral region where background emission is less than at a shorter wavelength
  • Broad range of excitation wavelength, allowing for versatility in the excitation source (e.g.two-color flow cytofluometric analysis employing a single excitation line)

Specifications

Molecular weight (kDa) 240
Excitation wavelength (nm) 546,565
Emission wavelength (nm) 575
Extinction coefficient (cm-1 M-1) 2,410,000
Quantum yield 0.98
Purity (A545/A280) ≥ 4≥ 98% single peak by HPLC
Protein concentration ≥ 10 (mg/ml) solution in 100mM NaPO4, 150mM NaCl, 5mM EDTA, pH 7.2**
Storage 2-6°C, DO NOT FREEZE, PROTECT FROM LIGHT
Stability When stored as directed the product is stable for at least 1 year

*Can be adjusted to the customer’s requirements

Its outstanding properties make B-Phycoerythrin one of the most commonly-used fluorescent dyes for e.g. FACS analysis. By virtue of its huge absorption coefficient and almost perfect quantum efficiency it is one of the brightest dyes used today.