The genome and transcriptome sequences of Desmodesmus armatus UTEX B 2533 were not determined by the Joint Genome Institute (JGI). The genome was sequenced with PacBio and Illumina by Genewiz, and then assembled with Canu by Krissy Mahan at Sandia National Laboratories. The transcriptome was sequenced with Illumina by Genewiz, and then assembled with Trinity by JGI. Subsequently, the JGI Annotation Pipeline was used to generate structural and functional annotations.
The green alga Desmodesmus armatus strain UTEX B 2533, previously described by Swale (1967) and Trainor (1971), belongs to the family of the Scenedesmaceae. As this species has phenotypic plasticity, multiple synonyms and varieties exist with one of the commonly known older synonyms being Scenedesmus armatus.
D. armatus has wide distribution in freshwater environments including a variety of wastewaters. Asexual reproduction leads to the formation of readily observable non-motile coenobia containing two to eight cells that originate from one cell. In addition, sexual reproduction with motile iso-gametes was reported previously.
Strains of this species have high productivity and grow in wastewater. Cultures are reported to be resistant to culture biocontaminants and are relatively easy to harvest. The strains are tolerant to high light and cold temperatures. As the species is oleaginous, several different strains are being investigated as platforms for biofuels applications. Pilot-scale outdoor cultivation was demonstrated for strain UTEX 2533. Cells are also rich in vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates resulting in potential use for generation of various bioproducts.
References:
- E.M.F. Swale (1967). A clone of Scenedesmus with Chodatella-stages. British Phycological Bulletin, 3:2, 281-293.
- F.R. Trainor (1971). Unicells in soil extract in Scenedesmus strain 170. British Phycological Journal, 6:2, 171-174.
