Increased microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana lipid yield induced by low-dose ionizing radiation

We demonstrate that low-dose ionizing radiation from X-rays drives metabolic activation in microalgae. We exploited this phenomenon to develop a method for increased lipid yield in stationary phase Chlorella sorokiniana cultures by 25% in just 24 hours, caused by a reproducible metabolic response that includes up-regulation of >30 lipid metabolism genes. This approach avoids the need to modify the strain or cultivation conditions, and does not affect cell viability or biomass.