The effect of the algal microbiome on industrial production of microalgae

Abstract

SummaryMicrobes are ubiquitously distributed, and they are also present in algae production systems. The algal microbiome is a pivotal part of the alga holobiont and has a key role in modulating algal populations in nature. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the role of bacteria in artificial systems ranging from laboratory flasks to industrial ponds. Coexisting microorganisms, and predominantly bacteria, are often regarded as contaminants in algal research, but recent studies manifested that many algal symbionts not only promote algal growth but also offer advantages in downstream processing. Because of the high expectations for microalgae in a bio‐based economy, better understanding of benefits and risks of algal–microbial associations is important for the algae industry. Reducing production cost may be through applying specific bacteria to enhance algae growth at large scale as well as through preventing the growth of a broad spectrum of algal pathogens. In this review, we highlight the latest studies of algae–microbial interactions and their underlying mechanisms, discuss advantages of large‐scale algal–bacterial cocultivation and extend such knowledge to a broad range of biotechnological applications.

Chlorella vulgaris and Its Phycosphere in Wastewater: Microalgae-Bacteria Interactions During Nutrient Removal

“…This investigation mainly focused on the interacting bacterial members in specific liquid wastes. The ubiquitous relationship between eukaryotic microalgae and bacteria should be taken into account when designing innovations in microalgal biotechnology (Cooper and Smith, 2015;Gonçalves et al, 2017;Quijano et al, 2017;Lian et al, 2018).…”

d‐Lactic acid secreted by Chlorella fusca primes pattern‐triggered immunity against Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis

“…Among these isolates , M. trichotecenolyticum, B. diminuta, and Rhodococcus spp. have been previously reported as phycospheric bacterial symbionts of microalgae (Watanabe et al , ; Lian et al , ; Pastore and Sforza, ). To investigate the antibacterial capacity of C. fusca ‐associated bacteria, each of the nine bacterial isolates was co‐cultivated with Pto DC3000 (Figure c, right panel).…”

A Phosphite Dehydrogenase Variant with Promiscuous Access to Nicotinamide Cofactor Pools Sustains Fast Phosphite-Dependent Growth of Transplastomic Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

“…This issue concerns open-air cultivation systems, such as raceway ponds, as well as closed systems (photobioreactors). Microbiological pollutants encompass different taxa including zooplankton, microscopic protozoa, rotifers and microscopic crustaceans [10,11], but closed cultivation systems are typically affected by bacteria, including natural symbiont species [12], fungi and viruses. Allelopathic and out-performing microalgae can also limit the growth of species of interest by secreting toxic metabolites and competing for nutrients [13].…”