Analysis of autofluorescence using full-spectrum cytometry to discriminate and monitor microalgae and bacteria
Meirkhanova A. Marks S. Ussibaliyev D. Bexeitova A. Berger S.A. Melkonian M. Vorobjev I.A. Barteneva N.S.
April 2026Elsevier B.V.
Algal Research
2026#95
The autofluorescence of algal pigments enables non-invasive, high-throughput characterization of microalgae at single-cell resolution. We applied full-spectrum cytometry, imaging flow cytometry, and cell sorting to analyze the spectral and morphological diversity among major microalgal groups and 102 Chlorophyta strains. The distinct spectral signatures from chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phycobiliproteins enabled clear separation of major pigment-defined algal groups, particularly those containing phycobiliproteins. Furthermore, principal component analysis of Volvocales (Chlorophyta) revealed three spectral clusters supported by corresponding differences in cell size and shape. Additionally, in Gonium cultures, we observed that spectral signatures in the yellow-green region were altered in the presence of bacteria, suggesting that interactions between the algal host and bacteria affect pigment-related fluorescence. Spectral heterogeneity observed within monocultures was linked to pigment accumulation, cell size, and morphological variability. These findings establish full-spectrum cytometry as a powerful method for profiling pigment composition, physiology, and structural diversity in microalgae, with broad applications in microbial ecology, environmental monitoring, and biotechnology.
Autofluorescence , Full-spectrum cytometry , Imaging flow cytometry , Microalgae , Phytoplankton , Pigments , Spectral flow cytometry
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Department of Biology, School of Science and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemical Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Campus Essen, Essen, 45141, Germany
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Stechlin, 16775, Germany
Department of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, 50829, Germany
National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
The Environmental Research and Efficiency Cluster, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Stechlin, 16775, Germany
Department of Biology
Department of Chemical Biology
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
Department of Plant-Microbe Interactions
National Laboratory Astana
The Environmental Research and Efficiency Cluster
Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology
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Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026