Auxenochlorella (Chlorella) protothecoides (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) is a genus of single-celled green algae. It contains multiple mitochondria, a single cup-shaped chloroplast, rigid cell wall and no flagella. Unlike most autotrophic green algae, A. protothecoides can not only lice autotrophically, but can also grow heterotrophically on organic components directly from the environment. Unlike strict phototrophs, the intracellular structure and composition in A. protothecoides can undergo dramatic changes, the most interesting of which is the degradation of the chloroplast and concomitant accumulation of oil bodies. Oil content can reach 55%, thus A. protothecoides can serve as a model to study the mechanism of high oil accumulation.

Publication:
Gao, C. et al. Oil accumulation mechanisms of the oleageinous microalga Chlorella protothecoides revealed through its genome, transcriptomes and proteomes. BMC Genomics 15, 582 (2014).