Desert Algae From Negev Shows Remarkable Adaptation to Extreme Conditions

Scientists from the Hebrew University, in collaboration with colleagues, have studied a unique single-celled alga, Chlorella ohadii, discovered in the soil crust of the Negev Desert. This green alga exhibits an extraordinary ability to survive extreme desert conditions, including intense sun, drastic temperature fluctuations, and water scarcity. Previously, it was believed that organisms could not simultaneously possess high stress resistance and rapid growth rates. However, Chlorella ohadii defies this notion, continuing to grow under light intensity double that of bright sunlight and demonstrating a record-breaking photosynthetic speed.

The study, published in the journal New Phytologist, attributes the alga's productivity to its adaptation to the harsh climate. Chlorella ohadii has a limited window of about an hour in the morning, before dew evaporates, to carry out its essential life processes. Genomic and metabolic analyses reveal that its light-dependent redox reactions occur at lightning speed.

Leveraging these discovered mechanisms, researchers are transferring the alga's promising genes and traits to cultivated plants. "We are currently in the process of patenting a metabolically modified plant that possesses properties similar to the desert alga, and its seed yield has increased by 30%," the scientists stated. "We are utilizing the potential of this tiny alga to ensure human food security." The transfer of the alga's mechanisms to traditional crops is expected to yield plants resistant to drought and heat, which is particularly crucial in the era of global climate change.