Editing Chlorella (section)

{{short description|Genus of green algae}}
{{about|the genus of algae|the bacterial infection|Cholera|and|Vibrio cholerae}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Chlorella vulgaris NIES2170.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Chlorella vulgaris]]''
| taxon = Chlorella
| authority = M.Beijerinck, 1890
| type_species = '''''Chlorella vulgaris'''''
| type_species_authority = Beijerinck<ref name=AlgaeBase/>
| subdivision_ranks = Other species<ref>Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2025. ''[[AlgaeBase]]''. World-wide electronic publication, University of Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 25 May 2025.</ref>
| subdivision = *''[[Chlorella acuminata]]''
*''[[Chlorella autotrophica]]''
*''[[Chlorella botryoides]]''
*''[[Chlorella colonialis]]''
*''[[Chlorella conglomerata]]''
*''[[Chlorella elongata]]''
*''[[Chlorella faginea]]''
*†''[[Chlorella godinezii]]''
*''[[Chlorella heliozoae]]''
*''[[Chlorella infusionum]]''
*''[[Chlorella lewinii]]''
*''[[Chlorella miniata]]''
*''[[Chlorella nocturna]]''
*''[[Chlorella oocystoides]]''
*''[[Chlorella pachyderma]]''
*''[[Chlorella peruviana]]''
*''[[Chlorella photophila]]''
*''[[Chlorella pituita]]''
*''[[Chlorella pulchelloides]]''
*''[[Chlorella rotunda]]''
*''[[Chlorella rugosa]]''
*''[[Chlorella salina]]''
*''[[Chlorella singularis]]''
*''[[Chlorella sorokiniana]]''
*''[[Chlorella stigmatophora]]''
*''[[Chlorella terrestris]]''
*''[[Chlorella vannielii]]''
*''[[Chlorella variabilis]]''
*''[[Chlorella volutis]]''
*''[[Chlorella vulgaris]]''
}}

'''''Chlorella''''' is a [[genus]] of about thirteen [[species]] of single-[[Cell (biology)|cell]]ed or [[Colony (biology)|colonial]] [[green algae]] of the division [[Chlorophyta]]. The cells are spherical in shape, about 2 to 10 [[Micrometre|μm]] in diameter, and are without [[flagella]]. Their [[chloroplasts]] contain the green photosynthetic pigments [[chlorophyll-a]] and [[chlorophyll b|-b]]. In ideal conditions cells of ''Chlorella'' multiply rapidly, requiring only [[carbon dioxide]], [[water]], [[sunlight]], and a small amount of [[mineral]]s to reproduce.<ref>{{cite journal |first=John |last=Scheffler |date=3 September 2007 |title=Underwater Habitats |journal=Illumin |volume=9 |issue=4 |url=http://illumin.usc.edu/163/underwater-habitats/}}</ref>

The name ''Chlorella'' is taken from the [[Greek language|Greek]] χλώρος, ''chlōros/ khlōros'', meaning green, and the [[Latin]] diminutive suffix -''ella'', meaning small. German [[biochemist]] and cell physiologist [[Otto Heinrich Warburg]], awarded with the [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] in 1931 for his research on [[cell respiration]], also studied photosynthesis in ''Chlorella''. In 1961, [[Melvin Calvin]] of the [[University of California]] received the [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] for his research on the pathways of [[Calvin cycle|carbon dioxide assimilation in plants]] using ''Chlorella''.

''Chlorella'' has been considered as a source of food and energy because its [[photosynthetic efficiency]] can reach 8%,<ref>{{cite book |first=I. |last=Zelitch |title=Photosynthesis, Photorespiration and Plant Productivity |publisher=[[Academic Press]] |year=1971 |page=275}}</ref> which exceeds that of other highly efficient crops such as [[sugar cane]].