Hypes, hopes, and the way forward for microalgal biotechnology

Maria J. Barbosa; Marcel Janssen; Christian Südfeld; Sarah D’Adamo; Rene H. Wijffels

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.017

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Hypes, hopes, and the way forward for microalgal biotechnology

Journal article

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Hypes, hopes, and the way forward for microalgal biotechnology

Maria J. Barbosa, Marcel Janssen, Christian Südfeld, Sarah D’Adamo and Rene H. Wijffels

Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.), Vol.41(3), pp.452-471

03/01/2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.017

PMID: 36707271

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Abstract

Microalgae can contribute to food security through the sustainable production of proteins and lipids, which are required to meet population growth and address environmental challenges.Cellular agriculture is developing with emerging bioprocesses based on solar energy, photovoltaics, H2, C1 carbon sources, and sugar as feedstocks.Different trophic modes – autotrophy, heterotrophy, and mixotrophy – have been successfully explored for microalgae.The production of microalgae has tripled in the last 5 years.The genetic toolbox for industrially relevant phototrophic strains expanded tremendously in the last 5 years. The urge for food security and sustainability has advanced the field of microalgal biotechnology. Microalgae are microorganisms able to grow using (sun)light, fertilizers, sugars, CO2, and seawater. They have high potential as a feedstock for food, feed, energy, and chemicals. Microalgae grow faster and have higher areal productivity than plant crops, without competing for agricultural land and with 100% efficiency uptake of fertilizers. In comparison with bacterial, fungal, and yeast single-cell protein production, based on hydrogen or sugar, microalgae show higher land-use efficiency. New insights are provided regarding the potential of microalgae replacing soy protein, fish oil, and palm oil and being used as cell factories in modern industrial biotechnology to produce designer feed, recombinant proteins, biopharmaceuticals, and vaccines.

biofactories

lipids

microalgae

mixotrophy

photosynthesis

single-cell protein

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hypes, hopes, and the way forward for microalgal biotechnology
Creators: Maria J. Barbosa - Bioprocess Engineering & AlgaePARC, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, Wageningen, 6700, AA, The Netherlands
Marcel Janssen - Bioprocess Engineering & AlgaePARC, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, Wageningen, 6700, AA, The Netherlands
Christian Südfeld - Bioprocess Engineering & AlgaePARC, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, Wageningen, 6700, AA, The Netherlands
Sarah D’Adamo - Bioprocess Engineering & AlgaePARC, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, Wageningen, 6700, AA, The Netherlands
Rene H. Wijffels - Bioprocess Engineering & AlgaePARC, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, Wageningen, 6700, AA, The Netherlands
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.), Vol.41(3), pp.452-471
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.017
PMID: 36707271
NLM abbreviation: Trends Biotechnol
ISSN: 0167-7799
eISSN: 1879-3096
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Language: English
Date published: 03/01/2023
Academic Unit: International Programs; Spanish and Portuguese
Record Identifier: 9984397917402771

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