Real-time reverse quantitative transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) is a commonly used method for gene expression analysis. However, the accuracy of RT-qPCR analysis greatly depends on the stability of the reference genes selected for data normalization. Unfortunately, there have been no systematic evaluation studies on reference genes in the unicellular green alga Auxenochlorella protothecoides. Ten genes

Seaweeds have been identified as promising sources of bioactive substances for the cosmeceutical industry, especially by their photoprotection capacity. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the photoprotective properties of extracts from macroalgae and one marine lichen. Samples of 22 species of macroalgae and one marine lichen, were collected along the southern Iberian Peninsula. Hydroethanolic

Microalgae-based systems have been increasingly considered to remediate wastewater, while producing valued biomass. While microalgal monocultures are difficult to maintain in wastewater, mixed cultures have the potential to offer improved system stability and robustness. This research aims to provide a detailed comparison of microalgal monoculture and mixed culture photobioreactors (PBRs) in terms

The green alga Dunaliella has long been a model organism for studying abiotic stress responses, and its commercial use for β-carotene production is still being expanded. In the context of the special issue on “The Alga Dunaliella”, we present an overview of the research status of Dunaliella. We highlight some of the existing challenges and provide an outlook for future research. Importantly, the issue

Microalgae have potential for eco-friendly chemicals, however, only a few of them have been exploited. This study investigated four new microalgae on their growth and production of fatty acids and carotenoids grown photoautotrophically, heterotrophically, or mixotrophically using improved techniques to monitor glucose metabolism, carotenoid and lipid formation. Depending on trophic modes, the microalgae

Human skin is one of the most complex body organs that functions as a physical barrier against water loss and environmental stressors that include UV radiation, reactive oxygen species, pathogens, chemicals and physical agents. Skin texture may undergo ageing, fragility of the dermal layer, thinning, laxity, enlarged pores, dryness, fine lines, and wrinkles as a result of chronic exposure to intrinsic

Cas9-guide RNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes were used to efficiently generate insertions in both alleles of two targeted genes (nitrate reductase and carotenoid isomerase) in the biotechnologically relevant alga Picochlorum celeri. Diploid loss-of-function mutants were present in ~6% of transformants targeting nitrate reductase and in ~50% of transformants targeting carotenoid isomerase. The protocol

The single-celled green alga Dunaliella salina is a model system for studies on stress biology, in particular regarding secondary carotenoid accumulation. Under non-stress conditions the cells are green, but under abiotic stress the cells turn orange, because they switch their metabolism and accumulate β-Carotene in globules in the chloroplast. For the first time, Quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy

A key therapeutic strategy to prevent metabolic syndrome is the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Derivatives isolated from naturally-sourced seaweeds may act as inhibitors of these enzymes. The aims of this study are to evaluate in vitro the α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition of 45 crude extracts from 31 species of Ochrophyta, Rhodophyta, and Chlorophyta present in Mexican seashores,

Two polysaccharides (SCP1 and SCP2) were isolated from Sargassum carpophyllum obtained in the South China Sea. SCP1 consisted of mannose, glucuronic acid, glucose and xylose in a molar ratio of 89.9:1.6:7.6:0.8, while SCP2 consisted of mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid and glucose in a molar ratio of 70.8:14:5.4:6.2:3.5. SCP1 contained the glycosidic linkages of →3)-α-D-Man(1→ and

Tetradesmus obliquus is an oleaginous microalga with high potential for triacylglycerol production. We characterized the biochemical composition and the transcriptional landscape of T. obliquus wild-type and the starchless mutant (slm1), adapted to 16:8 h light dark (LD) cycles under nitrogen limitation. In comparison to the nitrogen replete conditions, the diurnal RNA samples from both strains also

Microalgae cultivation processes are becoming increasingly used for food and feed production and for wastewaters treatment. Large part of laboratory experiments and industrial processes are carried out with microalgae cultivated in non-aseptic environments containing biological contaminants as bacteria, fungi, viruses and grazers. Such contaminants can significantly influence microalgae growth through

Since temperature is an important factor affecting microalgal growth, photosynthetic rate and biomass composition, this study has accordingly focused on its effects on biomass yield and nighttime biomass loss, as well as photochemical changes, using Nannochloropsis oceanica as model species, grown in two outdoor 50-L tubular photobioreactors (PBR). In two independent trials, cultures were subjected

Increasing CO2 levels in the surface water of oceans are expected to decrease oceanic pH and lead to seawater acidification. The responses of macroalgaea to this acidification of coastal waters have been studied in detail; however, most reports have focused on the adult stage only, while ignoring other life cycle stages. In this study, the economically important seaweed species Pyropia yezoensis was

Green microalgae are able to sustain hydrogen evolution in the light under nutrient deprivation conditions. In the current study, the role of hydrogen photoproduction in the acclimation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells to nutrient deficiency was investigated. In this regard, such physiological characteristics of algal cells as starch and adenosine triphosphate content, fatty acid composition, fermentation

Seaweed biomass cultivation predicates the quantity and quality of this biorefinery feedstock. Unfortunately, the seaweed growth rate and chemical content are hardly predictable and are affected by environmental factors, including epiphytic bacteria. We hypothesize that microbiome engineering can control the chemical composition of Ulva biomass. We show that the engineered Maribacter sp. and Roseovarius

Seaweeds can generate changes in metabolism of lipids and consequently diminish cholesterol and other serum lipids in mammals. However, the consumption of marine algae may also alter function of other organs. Therefore, the aim of this research was to study the metabolism of lipids as well as the liver steatosis of Wistar male rats fed for two months with hyperlipidic diets composed of 20% of fat supplemented

Microalgae as photosynthetic microorganisms are the source of valuable compounds such as proteins, carotenoids, lipids and carbohydrate polymers. Among the different phyla, Porphyridium as part of the red microalgae (Rhodophyta) are of high importance as producers of sulfated polysaccharides. As the name suggests these microalgae are typically red; however, Porphyridium sordidum has an olive-green

This study is a first outcome of a series of works on immobilized cultures of Chlorella vulgaris. Colonies were grown independently on solid media under heterotrophic conditions and their growth was followed by continuous three-dimensional microscopy and image analysis. The growth was assessed by 3D imaging using a structured light microscope and subsequent image processing. Based on the expressions

Algal cells are highly complex optical systems that can dynamically change their structure. Consequently, absorption and scattering properties of algae change, while the cells are acclimating to different light conditions or during growth and division in a cell cycle. This may be particularly important in algal species that can grow rapidly under very high-light such as Chlorella vulgaris IPPAS C-1

When microalgae are integrated into food and feedstuffs, they can affect their flavor and fragrance characteristics, besides increasing their nutritional value. Solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-olfactometry (GCO) and sensory analysis were applied to analyze the volatile compounds of microalgae Crypthecodinium cohnii harvested in different growth phases

The traditional leather tanning is one of the oldest technologies which produces effluents containing different pollutants, including Cr(VI) oxyanions. In this lab-scale study, batch experiments were conducted to measure Cr(VI) removal capacity of Sargassum tenerrimum. The efficacy of biosorption was optimized considering variables including pH, temperature, initial chromium concentration, as well

We present a model-based assessment of alternative cultivation strategies for open pond algal biomass production within the conterminous United States (CONUS). Our assessment focuses on two basic cultivation strategies: (1) seasonal rotation of three representative freshwater algal strains that are well suited for warm weather, cold weather, and all-season diverse weather conditions, respectively;

The microalga Nannochloropsis oculata is used as a diet for rotifers and can enrich the highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) proportion of rotifer polar lipids (PL-HUFA). For efficient enrichment of PL-HUFAs in rotifers, we evaluated nutrient–sufficient or –deficient cell populations to clarify when the alga should be harvested and fed to rotifers. The nutrient conditions for N. oculata were spectrophotometrically

The Magellan ecoregion, located in the sub-Antarctic portion of Chile, is marked as a continental portion of high latitude that presents low periods of photoperiod and luminosity in the winter and high in the summer. Seasonal variations in the chemical composition of seaweeds may influence their reproductive state and biomass, and thus their prospection into food, cosmetological or pharmacological

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP, C20) is a key metabolic intermediate shared by several vital metabolic pathways, including the biosynthesis of carotenoids, the phytol side chains of chlorophylls and tocopherols, and diterpenoids such as gibberellins. In plants, the biosynthesis of GGPP is catalyzed by GGPP synthases (GGPPSs), some of which also produce geranyl diphosphate (C10) as their side-products

Wastewater contains various macro and micronutrients essential for growth. Microalgae-based wastewater treatment offers an alternative process that couples nutrient uptake and the value-added production of a biofuels feedstock or other algal-derived products. In this review, we summarize previous efforts to cultivate the microalgae Scenedesmus sp. in different wastewater sources, and report on the

The valorisation of Anaerobic digestion waste streams into algal biomass to produce a protein alternative to soybeans could have significant commercial and environmental value. It has the benefit of alleviating the pressure of disposal of nutrient-rich digestate that is rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and trace metals, while potentially reducing the cost of microalgae production. Currently, the use of

Carotenoid cleavage products (CCPs) can serve critical functions including hormones, volatiles, signals, and growth inhibitors. However, little is known about the regulation of carotenoid degradation and function of CCPs in high carotenoid-accumulating Dunaliella species. In this study, high salt stress resulted in high accumulation of CCPs including α-ionone, β-ionone and β-cyclocitral in Dunaliella

Marine algae biomass has gained widespread interest in the world of science and many industries. The growing number of publications proves that these algae are an interesting and essential natural resource. This interest is due to the presence of a variety of biologically active compounds that give algae extracts a broad spectrum of biological and functional properties. However, there is little data

For identification of different Pediastrum species in a sample, the determination of microscopic feature and colony morphology are the preliminary steps before sending them to the higher genomic and proteomic level. Great efforts with high expertise are required for the time-consuming manual process. In the present study, the first time an effort has been done to address the problem for identification

Rhodomonas sp., is an important microalga for aquaculture feed applications and gained increased research interest over the past few years. While efforts to optimise cultivation of the strain have been studied in detail under laboratory conditions, Rhodomonas sp. has never been grown in photobioreactors at large scale under outdoor light conditions. To study the industrial potential of this strain

In the present study, light was found to significantly increase the total fatty acid and carotenoid content in Crypthecodinium sp. SUN, and the levels of increase were significantly higher than those in Crypthecodinium cohnii. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, comparative transcriptome analysis was firstly conducted in C. sp. SUN, a total of 62,393 genes were obtained, and three functional gene

Although intertidal macroalgae are highly tolerant to hyposaline stress, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated the effects of a short-term immersion in hyposaline conditions [5‰ (LSS_5) and 0‰ (LSS_0)] on the physiological characteristics and the transcriptome of Pyropia haitanensis. The hyposaline stress treatment caused more severe damages to the thalli

The performance and survival of macroalgae is largely determined by their ability to adjust to varying environmental conditions. In this study, we investigated the short-term response of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera to varying temperatures (6, 17 and 24 °C) and low and high nitrate conditions (5 μM and 80 μM nitrate) on lipid and fatty acid levels. Results revealed that M. pyrifera was able

The bio-industrial application of microalgae has gained much attention in recent years. One of the challenges in this field is to lower the cultivation and harvest costs and to achieve the steady productivity. To address this, new systems have been proposed, in which the products are extracted without killing the algal cells. These non-destructive extraction systems are called “milking.” Some of the

Although negative responses of tropical calcifying organisms to ocean acidification have been widely reported, the modulating potential of irradiance combined with elevated pCO2 has not been well studied. In this study, the interactive effects of elevated pCO2 and irradiance availability on the physiology of calcifying macroalgae Halimeda cylindracea and Halimeda lacunalis were investigated using a

Previous research revealed that green microalga Neochloris oleoabundans was able to excrete extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) in the media containing certain sugar, but detail researches on the production conditions and chemical and bioactive properties of the EPS are still limited. In this research, cultivation conditions, including 5 sugars (glucose, galactose, maltose, lactose and sucrose), 10–80 g/L

Pyropia yezoensis (P. yezoensis) is an intertidal alga that periodically experiences environmental stress with turning tides. Both the antioxidases and the antioxidants are involved in the acclimation to the extremely variable intertidal environments. Here, mild (50‰), moderate (90‰), and severe (120‰) high-salinity stress treatments were designed to investigate protective mechanisms against reactive

Unicellular green algae, Coccomyxa spp. strains Obi and KJ are capable of growing at broad pH ranges, and accumulate lipids at levels higher than 50% of the dry cell weight under nitrogen-depleted conditions. An efficient genetic transformation method applicable to the two strains is required for their genetic improvement to facilitate their application in commercial production of biofuels. After an

The ratio between living and dead cells is an important parameter in microalgae culture and environmental monitoring. Fast, robust and automated analytical methods for monitoring microalgae growth for biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications and for optimizing production strains are needed. We developed a pipeline for the automatic binary classification of living and dead microalgae. We compared

Microalgal and/or cyanobacterial biomass could be more advantageous than current plant feedstocks for the production of ethanol and/or other fermentation products. Enzymatic saccharification of microalgal biomass currently requires harsh pretreatments and significant amounts of expensive hydrolytic enzymes. The purpose of this study was: i) to analyze the quality of biomass of a cell-wall deficient

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs that play a crucial role in post-transcriptional gene regulation not only in animals and land plants, but also in microalgae. Among all the microalga, Dunaliella salina (D. salina) has the highest content of beta-carotene, and a draft genome of this species was recently published. Thus far, few D. salina miRNAs have been identified. In this

Here we report the development of a high-throughput selection protocol using random mutagenesis and live single-cell sorting to isolate cell lines from the algae Dunaliella tertiolecta with reduced chlorophyll content, with the aim to optimise the antenna size for increased photosynthetic efficiency. Two promising cell lines (lca1 and lca2) have been isolated that display a truncated light-harvesting

Diatoms produce a wide diversity of sterols among different species, the biosynthesis and conservation of which is not yet fully understood. To investigate the conservation and divergence of sterol biosynthesis pathways among diatoms, we performed comparative metabolic profiling and transcriptomics for a centric diatom (Thalassiosira pseudonana), a pennate diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) and a chaetocerid

The red alga Pyropia yezoensis is an economically important marine crop whose life cycle includes two distinct stages: conchocelis and blades. These two types of thalli live in significantly different environments and have distinct shapes and physiological features. The photosynthetic apparatus of red algae, especially the light harvesting antenna, is unique. However, little is known about the photosynthetic

The energetic compounds 1-methoxy-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNAN), nitroguanidine (NQ), 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO) and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (Research Department Explosive, RDX) are widely used for explosive formulations production. Wastewater streams from industrial munition facilities are rich in nitrogen and contain considerable amounts of residual energetic compounds and metals such