Biocommodities from photosynthetic microorganisms

Work, Victoria H.; Bentley, Fiona K.; Scholz, Matt; D’Adamo, Sarah; Gu, Huiya; Vogler, Brian W.; Franks, Dylan; Stanish, Lee F.; Jinkerson, Robert E.; Posewitz, Matthew C.

doi:10.1002/ep.11849

Cited by 20 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 191 publications

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“…The use of algae in next generation biofuel approaches has received substantial attention in recent years; however, significant advances in culturing inputs and product yields are still required to improve the overall economics and sustainability of these feedstocks (Chisti, 2007;Hu et al, 2008;Work et al, 2013). A key parameter in enabling economic viability is inorganic nutrient recycling (Clarens et al, 2010;Pienkos and Darzins, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen recycling from fuel-extracted algal biomass: Residuals as the sole nitrogen source for culturing Scenedesmus acutus

Nagle

Pienkos

et al. 2015

Bioresource Technology

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In this study, the reuse of nitrogen from fuel-extracted algal residues was investigated. The alga Scenedesmus acutus was found to be able to assimilate nitrogen contained in amino acids, yeast extracts, and proteinaceous alga residuals. Moreover, these alternative nitrogen resources could replace nitrate in culturing media. The ability of S. acutus to utilize the nitrogen remaining in processed algal biomass was unique among the promising biofuel strains tested. This alga was leveraged in a recycling approach where nitrogen is recovered from algal biomass residuals that remain after lipids are extracted and carbohydrates are fermented to ethanol. The protein-rich residuals not only provided an effective nitrogen resource, but also contributed to a carbon "heterotrophic boost" in subsequent culturing, improving overall biomass and lipid yields relative to the control medium with only nitrate. Prior treatment of the algal residues with Diaion HP20 resin was required to remove compounds inhibitory to algal growth.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen recycling from fuel-extracted algal biomass: Residuals as the sole nitrogen source for culturing Scenedesmus acutus

Nagle

Pienkos

et al. 2015

Bioresource Technology

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“…Although the most popular heterologous hosts for terpenoid production are bacteria and yeasts (Asadollahi et al ., ; Kirby et al ., ; Leavell et al ., ; Moses et al ., ; Zhou et al ., ), there has been increasing interest in photosynthetic microbial platforms, as they can utilize sunlight and CO 2 to obtain energy and carbon for growth, thereby minimizing the environmental impact of production (Davies et al ., ; Gimpel et al ., ; Lauersen et al ., ; Ruiz et al ., ; Wijffels et al ., ; Work et al ., , ). Moreover, algal biomass can be a useful source of a variety of value‐added molecules such as pigments, oils and omega 3 fatty acids, which can find application in the food, cosmetics, aquaculture and animal feeds industries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering the unicellular alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum for high‐value plant triterpenoid production

D’Adamo

Visconte

Lowe

et al. 2018

Plant Biotechnology Journal

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Plant triterpenoids constitute a diverse class of organic compounds that play a major role in development, plant defence and environmental interaction. Several triterpenes have demonstrated potential as pharmaceuticals. One example is betulin, which has shown promise as a pharmaceutical precursor for the treatment of certain cancers and HIV. Major challenges for triterpenoid commercialization include their low production levels and their cost-effective purification from the complex mixtures present in their natural hosts. Therefore, attempts to produce these compounds in industrially relevant microbial systems such as bacteria and yeasts have attracted great interest. Here, we report the production of the triterpenes betulin and its precursor lupeol in the photosynthetic diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a unicellular eukaryotic alga. This was achieved by introducing three plant enzymes in the microalga: a Lotus japonicus oxidosqualene cyclase and a Medicago truncatula cytochrome P450 along with its native reductase. The introduction of the L. japonicus oxidosqualene cyclase perturbed the mRNA expression levels of the native mevalonate and sterol biosynthesis pathway. The best performing strains were selected and grown in a 550-L pilot-scale photobioreactor facility. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive pathway engineering undertaken in a diatom and the first time that a sapogenin has been artificially produced in a microalga, demonstrating the feasibility of the photo-bio-production of more complex high-value, metabolites in microalgae.

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“…The Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cell wall is the most extensively characterized and appears to be constructed entirely from a suite of hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins arranged in six distinct layers (18)(19)(20). However, algal cell walls display great diversity, varying in molecular components, intra-and intermolecular linkages, and overall structure (21). Wall constituents may include carbohydrates (22), proteins (23,24), lipids (25,26), carotenoids (27), tannins (28), and even lignin (29,30).…”

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confidence: 99%

Ultrastructure and Composition of the Nannochloropsis gaditana Cell Wall

et al. 2014

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e Marine algae of the genus Nannochloropsis are promising producers of biofuel precursors and nutraceuticals and are also harvested commercially for aquaculture feed. We have used quick-freeze, deep-etch electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and carbohydrate analyses to characterize the architecture of the Nannochloropsis gaditana (strain CCMP 526) cell wall, whose recalcitrance presents a significant barrier to biocommodity extraction. The data indicate a bilayer structure consisting of a cellulosic inner wall (ϳ75% of the mass balance) protected by an outer hydrophobic algaenan layer. Cellulase treatment of walls purified after cell lysis generates highly enriched algaenan preparations without using the harsh chemical treatments typically used in algaenan isolation and characterization. Nannochloropsis algaenan was determined to comprise long, straight-chain, saturated aliphatics with ether cross-links, which closely resembles the cutan of vascular plants. Chemical identification of >85% of the isolated cell wall mass is detailed, and genome analysis is used to identify candidate biosynthetic enzymes.

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Biocommodities from photosynthetic microorganisms

Cited by 20 publications

References 191 publications

Nitrogen recycling from fuel-extracted algal biomass: Residuals as the sole nitrogen source for culturing Scenedesmus acutus

Nitrogen recycling from fuel-extracted algal biomass: Residuals as the sole nitrogen source for culturing Scenedesmus acutus

Engineering the unicellular alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum for high‐value plant triterpenoid production

Ultrastructure and Composition of the Nannochloropsis gaditana Cell Wall

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