In an attempt to mine cyanobacterial genes of potential biotechnological applications, the hypothetical protein All4894 of Anabaena PCC7120, following cloning, heterologous expression, purification and biochemical analysis, revealed the presence of a thermostable β-glucosidase. The glycosylated protein showed apparent molecular mass of ~18.0 kDa, while the purified enzyme depicted activity over wide

Microalgae are primary producers in aquatic environments, and their growth is often accompanied and affected by bacteria. Although there are some studies about the relationship between microalgae and bacteria, few studies focused on bait-microalgae. Based on 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing, bacterial community structure and composition associated with seven common bait-microalgae, including Isochrysis

Eicosapentaenoic acid is one of the most important ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, playing essential roles in the treatment of cardiovascular, cancer and other physiological diseases. However, fish oil-derived eicosapentaenoic acid cannot meet the growing needs, which makes the microbial production of eicosapentaenoic acid has become the current research hotspot. Some natural microorganisms including

The effect of light quality, using narrow bandwidth light-emitting diode (LED) light sources, irradiance and temperature on the production of green and red cells of Haematococcus pluvialis was studied. The basal optimum conditions selected for astaxanthin accumulation included nitrate starvation, continuous illumination and carbon supply. Monochromatic red light at 20 °C was optimal for green cell

Rapid development and drastic population increase in Qatar have led to increasing awareness about food security. Microalgae are considered one of the most promising feedstocks owing to their ability to produce nutrients, including lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, in addition to antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. In this study, 30 isolates of local freshwater microalgae were screened first based

The advancement of sequencing technologies has resulted in a rapid expansion of genome sequencing. One challenge in processing and analyzing this abundance of genomics data is development and application of tools to accurately assess the quality of novel genomes. The quality of a given genome assembly is commonly assessed using the presence of conserved orthologs. However, the applicability and accuracy

To address challenges in early detection of pond pests, we have extended a spectroradiometric monitoring method, initially demonstrated for measurement of pigment optical activity and biomass, to the detection of algal competitors and grazers. The method relies upon measurement and interpretation of pond reflectance spectra spanning from the visible into the near-infrared. Reflectance spectra are acquired

This study elucidates the effect of colony formation on light absorption by Botryococcus braunii microalgae cells. The spectral average mass absorption cross-section of suspensions of B. braunii cultures with free-floating cells or colonies was measured experimentally across the photosynthetically active radiation region. The average mass absorption cross-section was found to decrease significantly

Nitrogen is a common limiting nutrient for growth and biomass production in algae and plants. Understanding uptake, assimilation, and regulation of nitrogen metabolism to maximize biomass production with minimal nitrogen input is of great interest environmentally, for large-scale algal culturing, and for crop plants. We have characterized a new strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that has a tolerance

Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the most abundant sources of natural astaxanthin when compared with other microorganisms, and has attracted the interest of the market thanks to its health benefits. We investigated the environmental performance of the cultivation of H. pluvialis and the astaxanthin production processes through a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). This study compares the potential

Bioavailability and extraction efficiency of the natural antioxidant astaxanthin from the unicellular green alga Haematococcus pluvialis have been limited by the rigid algal cell walls. A high-throughput fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) pipeline was developed in this study with the aim to screen cell wall-deficient mutants. The fluorescein-conjugated lectin-Ricinus communis Agglutinin I (RCA120)

Radiation continuously varies in the environment, exposing phototrophic organisms to diverse compositions and ratios among photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), UV-A (Ultraviolet A radiation) and UV-B (Ultraviolet B radiation). In this sense, UV radiation can control, either positively or negatively, the physiology and metabolism of marine organisms in intertidal areas. Our study focused on the

Algae are photosynthetic eukaryotes that may range from unicellular to multicellular forms. Algae have been reported from almost all the ecological systems, including terrestrial, marine, and aquatic ecosystems. The manual classification of algae is a time-consuming method and requires great efforts with expertise due to the numerous families and genera. In the present study, an automated system is

Polar microalgae that are highly productive in cold climates can produce large amounts of biomass and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The polar Chlamydomonas malina RCC2488, grows at low temperatures and produces high amounts of lipids, which are mainly composed of PUFA. However, not much is known about its phylogenetic relationship with other strains within the order Chlamydomonadales and the

A colorimetric sulpho-phospho-vanillin method was developed for the quantification of total lipids in small sample volumes. The developed method is easy to perform and can be used for high throughput analysis of lipid contents in 96-well microplates. In contrast to previous studies, solvents had a great influence on the surface of microplates. Different solvents were tested, but methanol was the only

Membrane photobioreactors (MPBR) have the opportunity to remove various forms of nitrogen, such as ammonium and nitrate, found in high quantities in secondary effluent. This study provides a holistic comparison of the performance of two membrane photobioreactors treating secondary effluents containing ammonium (NH4+-N) or nitrate (NO3−-N) as the sole nitrogen source. Sophisticated analyses, such as

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22: 6), which can be synthesized by the heterotrophic microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii, has received significant interest recently, due to its important roles in human health. However, the high production cost caused by low productivity and yield is still a major hurdle for industrial production of DHA using C. cohnii. The reduction of starch content has been found to be

Sub-sampling large-scale, land-based macroalgal cultures to estimate stocking densities is time-consuming, labour-intensive, and inaccurate. Therefore, the development of innovative methods to monitor stocking densities are required to maximise macroalgal productivity. In this study the spectral reflectance of a range of biomass densities (0.5–12.0 g L−1) of Ulva ohnoi was measured using a spectroradiometer

Microalgae have been widely used as a source of functional ingredients such as pigments, antioxidants, vitamins, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They also represent a promising alternative source of protein. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the addition of two green microalgae species (Nannochloropsis gaditana L2 and Chlamydomonas sp. EL5) on the techno-functional

Control of temperature is a major challenge for industrial microalgae production in photobioreactors outdoors. Strains with tolerance for high temperatures can reduce the cost of production as active temperature control is not required. In this study, marine photoautotrophic microorganisms were isolated to reduce the need for control of high temperature. Twenty-two samples were taken from different

Valorisation of the efficacy of 9-cis beta-carotene in treating atherosclerosis, psoriasis, and inhibiting atherogenesis and retinitis pigmentosa is becoming increasingly urgent, but supplies of 9-cis beta-carotene are scarce and this compound is difficult to synthesise chemically, unlike the much more common all-trans form. Innovative products, processes and services in an algal biorefinery that rely

The haptophyte Isochrysis galbana is an algal species of commercial interest due to its ability to accumulate high levels of fucoxanthin. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of I. galbana was sequenced using a combination of Illumina and third-generation sequencing platforms. This circular cp genome was 105,872 bp in length, consisting of a large single-copy (LSC) region of 54,838 bp

During outdoor large-scale cultivation, Haematococcus pluvialis cells, especially at the green motile stage, are frequently exposed to chilling stress in winter. However, the physiological responses and adaptation mechanisms to chilling in H. pluvialis have not been characterized. In order to better understand the chilling tolerance mechanisms of H. pluvialis in the green motile stage, the responses

The objective of this study is to characterize effects of autophagy inhibition by 3-methyladenine on astaxanthin and fatty acid accumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis cultivated under high light condition. The present data show that 0.02 mM 3-methyladenine treatment effectively inhibited autophagosome formation but no impact on the cell growth and biomass of H. pluvialis, leading to a large increase

The rapidly growing use of petroleum-based plastics is contributing to severe environmental pollution, thereby putting the environment to a hard test. Research for alternative plastics is essential to substitute conventional plastics with a certain grade of biodegradability. One such potential material to replace petrochemical-based plastics is microbially originated polyhydroxyalkanoates. Among them

Microalgae are increasingly being considered for recombinant protein production because of low cultivation costs, absence of endotoxins and insusceptibility to human infectious agents. Despite these advantages, the yield of recombinant protein produced in microalgae is still low compared to more established expression systems and optimization at the genetic and cultivation levels is required for this

The capture and storage of CO2 has been a critical strategy towards coping with global warming in recent years. Mineral carbonation is gaining much attention as a novel method of CO2 storage owing to its stability and safety. In this study, the mechanism and effect of carbonation of heat-activated serpentine [Mg3Si2O5(OH)4] driven by cyanobacteria were explored, taking Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806

Terrestrial cyanobacteria are phototrophic microorganisms, which grow embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as biofilms. To perform photosynthesis, cyanobacteria have developed, additionally to chlorophyll-a and carotenoids, the so-called phycobilisomes, which consist of differently pigmented phycobiliproteins (PBPs). The production of natural dyes, pharmaceutical substances

Coelastrella astaxanthina Ki-4, a eukaryotic microalga belonging to the family Scenedesmaceae, survives for long periods under severe photo-oxidative stress conditions associated with the accumulation of water-soluble astaxanthin-binding glycoprotein, named AstaP. It is a novel carotenoprotein in photosynthetic organisms and is involved in photo-oxidative stress protection, but its expression profile

Aerial microalga Trentepohlia jolithus is frequently exposed to drying and rewetting cycles. To characterize the adaptive mechanisms allowing survivability of this aerial microalga, the responses of photosynthetic characteristics and photoprotective mechanisms to moderate desiccation (80% and 60% relative air humidity) and severe desiccation (40% relative air humidity) were investigated in T. jolithus

Algae biomass, a biofuel feedstock with potential to reduce global CO2 emissions, is currently too expensive Nitrogen, a significant input and life cycle cost, requires research on recycling and additional sources to reduce costs. Integral to nitrogen recycling is the knowledge of actual nitrogen requirements in outdoor ponds, thus data from the Unified Field Studies of the Algae Testbed Public-Private

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has been used as a model organism in different research fields for the last 70 years. A variety of methods have been developed for its genetic modification, ranging from classical mutagenesis to the introduction, integration, and expression of foreign genes as well as cutting-edge genome editing technology. Nevertheless, the unique biology of this

This work studies microalgae production using urban primary wastewater as the only nutrient source in a pilot-scale thin-layer cascade photobioreactor (TLPBR). The experiments were carried out by operating the photobioreactor in semi-continuous mode at a constant dilution rate (D = 0.3 days−1) uninterrupted over ten months. The TLPBR was effective at removing the main nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus

Microalgal biomass is a promising candidate for biogas production, however; cell characteristics may prevent accessibility of anaerobic microorganisms to organic matter and limits methane production from microalgae. Pretreatments provide enhancement in methane yields via cell wall disruption and cell membrane solubilization. In this study, improvement of methane production from Porphyridium cruentum

Leptin, a well-known appetite hormone, plays a role in fat metabolism in peripheral tissues including the adipose, liver, and muscle tissues. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity and fat accumulation regulatory effects of Ishophloroglucin A, derived from the brown seaweed Ishige okamurae, which acts via the leptin signaling pathway in the peripheral tissues of a high-fat-diet-induced obese

Compared to terrestrial biofuels, algal biofuels have the advantages of high areal productivity, high oil content and the ability to be cultivated using non-potable water on non-arable land. However, just like terrestrial agricultural crops, algae can be grazed by a wide variety of organisms, particularly in open pond systems. Algal grazers can be controlled using pesticides to make a more sustainable

Among cyanobacteria isolated from Northern Adriatic five strains were able to grow on oil refinery wastewater. Based on the sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS region) and morphological features strains were identified as Synechococcus sp. MK568070, Phormidium lucidum MK568072, Neolyngbia sp. MK568073, Pseudanabaena sp. MK568071 and Spirulina subsalsa MK573248. Selected marine cyanobacteria

Harvested microalgae Chlorella spp. and primary sludge were co-digested in a laboratory-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) under thermophilic conditions (55 °C). The system was run for 700 days divided into four experimental phases to determine the influence of the organic loading rate on the process performance and the microbial community. The rise in organic loading rate from 0.17 to 0.5

Ulva australis Areschoug (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) is traditionally used as a foodstuff in Korea and to treat several diseases, such as hyperlipidemia and urinary ailments. It is now considered an invasive species of the Venice Lagoon (Italy). This work explored U. australis as a potential source of bioactive molecules with biotechnological applications. For that purpose, organic and water extracts were

The genomic era of biology has created unprecedented opportunity to study how life works, including understanding evolutionary principles, bioprospecting for novel antibiotics, and genetic manipulation of bioeconomically-relevant species. While genome sequencing and genomic analysis was previously restricted to large-scale projects and consortia, sequencing has become democratized. However, as genomics

Algae have great potential to serve as platform strains for engineering efforts, but tools for these species lag behind traditional model systems like E. coli and yeast. Metabolic models are one such tool that would enhance our ability to rationally engineer algae, but current automated algorithms to build models do not perform well for algal genomes. We present a novel software pipeline, Rapid Annotation

Starch-accumulating microalgae are a potential source of glucose, a valuable industrial feedstock. However, the recalcitrance of their cell wall hinders the enzymatic hydrolysis of the intracellular starch. This work studied starch accumulation, cell wall disruption, and enzymatic hydrolysis of the green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana. Starch accumulation reached 26% of the microalgal biomass in response

Previous studies have focused on the accumulation of lipid and palmitoleic acid in Tribonema spp., while chrysolaminarin produced by these filamentous oleaginous microalgae has rarely been reported. In this study, the effects of different initial nitrogen concentrations on the growth, lipid and chrysolaminarin accumulation of T. utriculosum were investigated, and the extraction route of lipid was also

This work investigates the feasibility of growing marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata in a mix of seawater and saline produced water obtained during oil & gas extraction, supplemented with liquid digestate from anaerobic digestion process as source of nutrients. In particular, three-stage cultures were conducted by varying the produced water loading in the culture media (from 0 up to 50% v/v)