Abstract 1250 Understanding Heterotrophic Acetate Metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The objective of our study is to investigate the roles of key enzymes, such as acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) and acetate kinase (ACK), in regulating acetate metabolism in the model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under both heterotrophic and mixotrophic conditions. C. reinhardtii is a unicellular alga with remarkable metabolic flexibility and genetic accessibility, making it a powerful platform for research in energy metabolism and biotechnology. Its ability to utilize acetate as a carbon and energy source highlights its potential for applications in biofuel production and carbon sequestration.