Intrapopulation Diversity of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Response to Copper Ions: Growth and Photosynthetic Performance Under Stress

Abstract Despite being an essential micronutrient, copper is also a potentially toxic heavy metal. Using selection experiments, we produced Chlamydomonas reinhardtii populations with increased tolerance of ions and then derived pure cell lines from these populations. Strains the same population (both adapted nonadapted) significantly differed in terms growth parameters. Cultivation strains range ion concentrations revealed differences photosynthetic performance, which could be attributed to microevolutionary processes occurring each division. Our results demonstrate effects environmental factors on rapidly multiplying microorganisms.