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Biology
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The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae
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The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 32747

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Inna Khozin-Goldberg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
Interests: microalgal biotechnology; lipids; metabolic engineering; microalgae
Prof. Dr. Dina Zilberg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Sede-Boqer 84990, Israel
Interests: fish health; natural therapeutants in aquaculture; fish immunology; parasitology; bacteriology; pathology
Prof. Dr. Alexei Solovchenko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Bioengineering Department, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/12 Leninskie Gori, Moscow GSP-1 119234, Russia
Interests: stress physiology of photosynthetic organisms; microalgal biology and biotechnology; sustainable using of nutrients; non-invasive monitoring of microalgae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last several decades, cultivation of microalgae has evolved into a globally established, economically important branch of biotechnology. Microalgal biotechnology and its derived technologies are now considered among the most promising responses to global challenges. Currently most mature and commercially successful are the microalgae-based processes for the production of nutraceuticals (carotenoids and fatty acids), fine chemicals (including potential therapeutants), cosmetic ingredients, feed and food ingredients. Microalgae can be cultured by sustainable methods thus providing a wide range of health beneficial metabolites from natural sources with lesser environmental impact. Significant increase in biomass productivity is needed to reach economic viability of algal production. Algal cultivation shows a great potential for efficient recovery of nutrients and carbon from waste and side streams, thereby contributing to the circular bio-economy for improved resource management, particularly in arid environments. Economic viability of algal biotechnology can be improved by increasing productivity and by selecting species that produce high-value compounds that are beneficial for human and animal health.

This Special Issue is intended to integrate the progress in overcoming the current barriers for improving the efficiency of microalgal biotechnologies and their practical implementation. We welcome contributions deepening on the mechanistic insights into the key determinants of microalgal productivity and stress resilience, as well as on application in aquaculture. In addition to full-length research articles we would be happy to consider your minireviews summarizing the recent progress in the field after prior negotiation of the topic with the editors of the Special Issue.

This issue is planned to be associated with a session at Drylands, Deserts and Desertification 2020, The 7th International Conference, 15–19 November 2020 https://dddconf.org/. This issue is also open for submissions by scholars besides participants of this meeting.

Prof. Dr. Inna Khozin-Goldberg
Prof. Dr. Dina Zilberg
Prof. Dr. Alexei Solovchenko
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aquaculture
  • applications
  • biotechnology
  • carotenoids
  • microalgae
  • immunomodulation
  • health benefits
  • productivity
  • PUFA
  • stress tolerance

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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21 pages, 4193 KiB  
Article
Dietary Supplementation with Omega-6 LC-PUFA-Rich Microalgae Regulates Mucosal Immune Response and Promotes Microbial Diversity in the Zebrafish Gut
by Sagar Nayak, Ashraf Al Ashhab, Dina Zilberg and Inna Khozin-Goldberg
Biology 2020, 9(6), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9060119 - 5 Jun 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4236
Abstract
The effect of dietary omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) on host microbiome and gut associated immune function in fish is unexplored. The effect of dietary supplementation with the omega-6 LC-PUFA-rich microalga Lobosphaera incisa wild type (WT) and its delta-5 desaturase mutant (MUT), [...] Read more.
The effect of dietary omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) on host microbiome and gut associated immune function in fish is unexplored. The effect of dietary supplementation with the omega-6 LC-PUFA-rich microalga Lobosphaera incisa wild type (WT) and its delta-5 desaturase mutant (MUT), rich in arachidonic-acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), respectively, on intestinal gene expression and microbial diversity was analyzed in zebrafish. For 1 month, fish were fed diets supplemented with broken biomass at 7.5% and 15% (w/w) of the two L. incisa strains and a control nonsupplemented commercial diet. Dietary supplementation resulted in elevated expression of genes related to arachidonic acid metabolism-cyclooxygenase 2 (cox-2), lipoxygenase 1(lox-1), anti-inflammatory cytokine-interleukin 10 (il-10), immune defense-lysozyme (lys), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (iap), complement (c3b), and antioxidants-catalase (cat), glutathione peroxidase (gpx). Microbiome analysis of the gut showed higher diversity indices for microbial communities in fish that were fed the supplemented diets compared to controls. Different treatment groups shared 237 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that corresponded to the core microbiome, and unique OTUs were evident in different dietary groups. Overall, the zebrafish gut microbiome was dominated by the phylum Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria (averaging 38.4% and 34.6%, respectively), followed by Bacteroidetes (12.9%), Tenericutes, Planctomycetes, and Actinobacteria (at 3.1–1.3%). Significant interaction between some of the immune-related genes and microbial community was demonstrated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae)
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12 pages, 1004 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Photoautotrophic Growth Regimens of Chlorella sorokiniana in a Photobioreactor for Enhanced Biomass Productivity
by Elvira E. Ziganshina, Svetlana S. Bulynina and Ayrat M. Ziganshin
Biology 2020, 9(7), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9070169 - 16 Jul 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3841
Abstract
Microalgae have a wide industrial potential because of their high metabolic diversity and plasticity. Selection of optimal cultivation methods is important to optimize multi-purpose microalgal biotechnologies. In this research, Chlorella sorokiniana AM-02 that was isolated from a freshwater lake was cultured under various [...] Read more.
Microalgae have a wide industrial potential because of their high metabolic diversity and plasticity. Selection of optimal cultivation methods is important to optimize multi-purpose microalgal biotechnologies. In this research, Chlorella sorokiniana AM-02 that was isolated from a freshwater lake was cultured under various high photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) conditions and CO2 gas levels in standard Bold’s basal medium (BBM). Furthermore, a wide range of nitrate levels (180–1440 mg L−1) was tested on the growth of C. sorokiniana. Microalgae growth, pigment concentration, medium pH, exit gas composition, as well as nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate levels were measured during an experimental period. The preferred high PPFD and optimal CO2 levels were found to be 1000–1400 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and 0.5–2.0% (v/v), respectively. The addition of nitrate ions (up to 1440 mg L−1) to the standard growth medium increased final optical density (OD750), cell count, pigment concentration, and total biomass yield but decreased the initial growth rate at high nitrate levels. Our findings can serve as the basis for a robust photoautotrophic cultivation system to maximize the productivity of large-scale microalgal cultures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae)
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21 pages, 330 KiB  
Review
Enhancing Sustainability by Improving Plant Salt Tolerance through Macro- and Micro-Algal Biostimulants
by Petronia Carillo, Loredana F. Ciarmiello, Pasqualina Woodrow, Giandomenico Corrado, Pasquale Chiaiese and Youssef Rouphael
Biology 2020, 9(9), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9090253 - 28 Aug 2020
Cited by 82 | Viewed by 7324
Abstract
Algal biomass, extracts, or derivatives have long been considered a valuable material to bring benefits to humans and cultivated plants. In the last decades, it became evident that algal formulations can induce multiple effects on crops (including an increase in biomass, yield, and [...] Read more.
Algal biomass, extracts, or derivatives have long been considered a valuable material to bring benefits to humans and cultivated plants. In the last decades, it became evident that algal formulations can induce multiple effects on crops (including an increase in biomass, yield, and quality), and that algal extracts contain a series of bioactive compounds and signaling molecules, in addition to mineral and organic nutrients. The need to reduce the non-renewable chemical input in agriculture has recently prompted an increase in the use of algal extracts as a plant biostimulant, also because of their ability to promote plant growth in suboptimal conditions such as saline environments is beneficial. In this article, we discuss some research areas that are critical for the implementation in agriculture of macro- and microalgae extracts as plant biostimulants. Specifically, we provide an overview of current knowledge and achievements about extraction methods, compositions, and action mechanisms of algal extracts, focusing on salt-stress tolerance. We also outline current limitations and possible research avenues. We conclude that the comparison and the integration of knowledge on the molecular and physiological response of plants to salt and to algal extracts should also guide the extraction procedures and application methods. The effects of algal biostimulants have been mainly investigated from an applied perspective, and the exploitation of different scientific disciplines is still much needed for the development of new sustainable strategies to increase crop tolerance to salt stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae)
15 pages, 3283 KiB  
Article
The Dynamics of the Bacterial Community of the Photobioreactor-Cultivated Green Microalga Haematococcus lacustris during Stress-Induced Astaxanthin Accumulation
by Konstantin Chekanov, Anna Zaytseva, Ilgar Mamedov, Alexei Solovchenko and Elena Lobakova
Biology 2021, 10(2), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10020115 - 4 Feb 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3499
Abstract
Haematococcus lacustris is a natural source of a valuable ketocarotenoid astaxanthin. Under autotrophic growth conditions, it exists in the form of a community with bacteria. The close coexistence of these microorganisms raises two questions: how broad their diversity is and how they interact [...] Read more.
Haematococcus lacustris is a natural source of a valuable ketocarotenoid astaxanthin. Under autotrophic growth conditions, it exists in the form of a community with bacteria. The close coexistence of these microorganisms raises two questions: how broad their diversity is and how they interact with the microalga. Despite the importance these issues, little is known about microorganisms existing in Haematococcus cultures. For the first time, we characterize the dynamic of the H. lacustris microbiome of the microbiome of Haematococcus (a changeover of the bacterial associated species as function of the time) cultivated autotrophically in a photobioreactor based on 16S rRNA metabarcoding data. We found that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes are predominant phyla in the community. The Caulobacter bacterium became abundant during astaxanthin accumulation. These data were supported by microscopy. We discuss possible roles and interactions of the community members. These findings are of potential significance for biotechnology. They provide an insight into possible bacterial contamination in algal biomass and reveal the presence of bacteria essential for the algal growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae)
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16 pages, 2782 KiB  
Article
Chromochloris zofingiensis (Chlorophyceae) Divides by Consecutive Multiple Fission Cell-Cycle under Batch and Continuous Cultivation
by Idan Koren, Sammy Boussiba, Inna Khozin-Goldberg and Aliza Zarka
Biology 2021, 10(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10020157 - 16 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4116
Abstract
Several green algae can divide by multiple fission and spontaneously synchronize their cell cycle with the available light regime. The yields that can be obtained from a microalgal culture are directly affected by cell cycle events. Chromochloris zofingiensis is considered as one of [...] Read more.
Several green algae can divide by multiple fission and spontaneously synchronize their cell cycle with the available light regime. The yields that can be obtained from a microalgal culture are directly affected by cell cycle events. Chromochloris zofingiensis is considered as one of the most promising microalgae for biotechnological applications due to its fast growth and the flexible trophic capabilities. It is intensively investigated in the context of bio-commodities production (carotenoids, storage lipids); however, the pattern of cell-cycle events under common cultivation strategies was not yet characterized for C. zofingiensis. In this study, we have employed fluorescence microscopy to characterize the basic cell-cycle dynamics under batch and continuous modes of phototrophic C. zofingiensis cultivation. Staining with SYBR green—applied in DMSO solution—enabled, for the first time, the clear and simple visualization of polynuclear stages in this microalga. Accordingly, we concluded that C. zofingiensis divides by a consecutive pattern of multiple fission, whereby it spontaneously synchronizes growth and cell division according to the available illumination regime. In high-light continuous culture or low-light batch culture, C. zofingiensis cell-cycle was completed within several light-dark (L/D) cycles (14 h/10 h); however, cell divisions were synchronized with the dark periods only in the high-light continuous culture. In both modes of cultivation, daughter cell release was mainly facilitated by division of 8 and 16-polynuclear cells. The results of this study are of both fundamental and applied science significance and are also important for the development of an efficient nuclear transformation system for C. zofingiensis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae)
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20 pages, 1284 KiB  
Review
Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia
by Lina Maria González-González and Luz E. de-Bashan
Biology 2021, 10(4), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10040282 - 1 Apr 2021
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 8212
Abstract
Engineered mutualistic consortia of microalgae and bacteria may be a means of assembling a novel combination of metabolic capabilities with potential biotechnological advantages. Microalgae are promising organisms for the sustainable production of metabolites of commercial interest, such as lipids, carbohydrates, pigments, and proteins. [...] Read more.
Engineered mutualistic consortia of microalgae and bacteria may be a means of assembling a novel combination of metabolic capabilities with potential biotechnological advantages. Microalgae are promising organisms for the sustainable production of metabolites of commercial interest, such as lipids, carbohydrates, pigments, and proteins. Several studies reveal that microalgae growth and cellular storage of these metabolites can be enhanced significantly by co-cultivation with growth-promoting bacteria. This review summarizes the state of the art of microalgae–bacteria consortia for the production of microalgal metabolites. We discuss the current knowledge on microalgae–bacteria mutualism and the mechanisms of bacteria to enhance microalgae metabolism. Furthermore, the potential routes for a microalgae–bacteria biorefinery are outlined in an attempt to overcome the economic failures and negative energy balances of the existing production processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Sustainable Production and Application of Algae)
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