No abstract

Microalgae are currently emerging as one of the most promising alternative sources for the next generation of food, feed, cosmetics and renewable energy in the form of biofuel. Microalgae constitute a diverse group of microorganisms with advantages like fast and efficient growth. In addition, they do not compete for arable land and offer very high lipid yield potential. Major challenges for the development of this resource are to select lipid-rich strains using high-throughput staining for neutral lipid content in microalgae species. For this purpose, the fluorescent dyes most commonly used to quantify lipids are Nile red and BODIPY 505/515. Their fluorescent staining for lipids offers a rapid and inexpensive analysis tool to measure neutral lipid content, avoiding time-consuming and costly gravimetric analysis. This review collates and presents recent advances in algal lipid staining and focuses on Nile red and BODIPY 505/515 staining characteristics. The available literature addresses the limitations of fluorescent dyes under certain conditions, such as spectral properties, dye concentrations, cell concentrations, temperature and incubation duration. Moreover, the overall conclusion of the present review study gives limitations on the use of fluorochrome for screening of lipid-rich microalgae species and suggests improved protocols for staining recalcitrant microalgae and recommendations for the staining quantification.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13068-015-0220-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The performance of microwaves irradiation (MAE and VMAE) to extract pigments from two marine microalgae was compared to conventional processes (cold and hot soaking and ultrasound-assisted extraction). Pigments were quantified by RP-HPLC and extraction performance was assessed regarding rapidity, reproducibility and extraction yields. Scanning electron microscopy was used at all extraction steps to assess the impact of the process on microalgal cell integrity. Freeze-drying and pigments extraction preserved microalgae cell integrity (except sonication) and evoked agglutination in superposed cells layers. All processes performed on Dunaliella tertiolecta (chlorophyte) lead to rapid pigments extraction, and equivalent pigments extraction yields, the absence of frustule allowing immediate solvent penetration in microalgae cells. In contrast, presence of the frustule in the diatom Cylindrotheca closterium (bacillariophyte) constituted a mechanical barrier to pigment extraction. MAE was identified as the best extraction process for CC pigments as it combined rapidity, reproducibility, homogeneous heating and high extraction yields.

Through the photosynthetic activity, microalgae process more than 25% of annual inorganic carbon dissolved in oceans into carbohydrates that ultimately, serve to feed the other levels of the trophic networks. Besides, microalgae synthesize bioactive molecules such as pigments and lipids that exhibit health properties. In addition, abiotic stresses, such as high irradiance, nutrient starvation, UV irradiation, trigger metabolic reorientations ending with the production of other bioactive compounds such as ω-3 fatty acids or carotenoids. Traditionally, these compounds are acquired through the dietary alimentation. The increasing, and often unsatisfied, demand for compounds from natural sources, combined with the decrease of the halieutic resources, forces the search for alternative resources for these bioactive components. Microalgae possess this strong potential. For instance, the diatom Odontella aurita is already commercialized as dietary complement and compete with fish oil for human nutrition. In this contribution, the microalga world is briefly presented. Then, the different types of biologically active molecules identified in microalgae are presented together with their potential use. Due to space limitation, only the biological activities of lipids and pigments are described in details. The contribution ends with a description of the possibilities to play with the environmental constrains to increase the productivity of biologically active molecules by microalgae and by a description of the progresses made in the field of alga culturing.

No abstract