Algal Biotech

7/30/2019 Algal Biotech

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SANDEEP K PAQC-PA1-01



Introduction

•

The United Nations Convention on BiologicalDiversity defines biotechnology as "Any technological

application that uses biological systems, living

organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify

products or processes for specific use”

• Need of the hour

• Micro and macro algae

• Microalgae are a highly diverse group of

photosynthetic, microscopic organisms that play akey role as a food source, cycling nutrients and

balancing CO2 between the oceans and atmosphere

• Macroalgae include mainly seaweeds



• The nontaxonomic term “algae” groups several

eukaryotic phyla, including the

– Rhodophyta (red algae)

– Chlorophyta (green algae)

– Phaeophyta (brown algae)

– Bacillariophyta (diatoms)

– Dinoflagellates

– prokaryotic phylum Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)

• The size of algae ranges from tiny single-celledspecies (eg Ostreococcus tauri (Prasinophyceae)

<1μm) to gigantic multi-cellular organisms

(Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae), giant kelp,

grows up to 60 m).



Spectrum of phenotypes and sizes of algal species



Microalgal Biotechnology•

The intensive growth and production of microalgae inphotobioreactors and the marketing of biomass,

products or benefits for economic gain



Why do microalgae have a competitive advantage over

conventional higher plants?

•

They have very high growth rates• Due to their high surface to volume ratio

• The are cosmopolitan and strains can tolerate

extremes

• They do not require good agriculture soils or water

• They can be grown in dense photobioreactors

• They produce high valued products

• They require 1/20 the water compared toconventional agriculture to produce the equivalent

useable biomass, or 30 times more oil per area than

rapeseed



Application areas of microalgal biotechnology

•

Algal biomass• Human nutrition

• Animal feed

• Aquaculture

• Biofertilizer• Valuable substances

• Polyunsaturated fatty acids

• Polysaccharides

• Antioxidants

• Pigments

• Stable isotopes

•

Environmental application



Biotechnological applications of the most

exploited microalgae



Spirulina

• Microscopic and filamentous cyanobacterium

• Immunomodulation effects

• Antioxidant effects

•

Anticancer effects• Antibacterial and antiviral effects

• Cholesterol regulatory effects

•

Effects against toxicities from heavy metals andother compounds

• Radiation protection effects



Applications of phycocyanin Reference

Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties:

Anti-inflammatory effect in acetic acid-induced colitis in rats

Prevents oxalic acid-induced kidney stone formation, prevents

lipid peroxidation

Prevents cholesterol-induced artherosclerosis, improved

antioxidant effect in plasma lipoproteins

Potential antioxidant property by fluorescent recombinant α

phycocyanin

Anti-inflammatory and antihyperalgesic activity of C-phycocyanin

Wound healing effects of C-phycocyanin in rats

C-phycocyanin modulates the early radiation response

Gonzalez et al., 1999;

Guan et al., 2009;

Ivanova et al., 2010; Shih et

al., 2009.

Anti-cancerogenic properties:

Phycocyanin protects INS-1E pancreatic beta cells against human

islet amyloid polypeptide-induced apoptosis through attenuating

oxidative stress and modulating JNK and p38 mitogen-activated

protein kinase pathways

α- subunit of C-phycocyanin inhibited the growth of human colon

carcinoma, inhibits proliferation of human myeloid leukemia cells

Li et al., 2009;

Liu et al., 2000.

Antibacterial and antiviral properties:

Showed antibacterial property against Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas

sps and Xanthomonas sps. in bioassay studies of silkworm

Antiviral composite containing phycocyanin extract

Liu et al., 2001;

Sabarinathan and Ganesan,

2008.



Fluorescent probes:

Wide usage in histochemistry, fluorescence microscopy, flow

cytometry, fluorescence-activated cell sorting and fluorescence

immunoassays. In vivo fluorescence from PC has been used for online monitoring

of growth in cyanobacterial cultures, detection of toxic

cyanobacteria in drinking water and remote sensing of

cyanobacteria in natural waters.

Glazer, 1994;

Sekar and Chandramohan,

2008.

Food additives and health foods: C-PC from S. platensis is marketed as a food and cosmetics

colourant in Japan

Stimulate the immune defence system and possess cholesterol-

lowering effects, partly because of their C-PC contents

Phycocyanobilin can diminish the pathogenicity of activated

brain microglia in neurodegenerative disorders

Jensen et al., 2001;McCarty et al., 2010;

Prasanna et al., 2007.

Nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals:

The antioxidant and radical scavenging activities

Enhanced radical scavenging activities have been found in

selenium-enriched C-PC obtained from S. platensis grown in Se-

enriched Medium.

Benedetti et al., 2004;

Bermejo et al., 2008;

Huang et al., 2007.



Jatropha curcas



Algal biofuel pipeline, showing the major stages in

the process



Biotechnological importance of algae

• Algae as renewable energy source; produce fuels like

diesel, gasoline, methane, butanol, ethanol and

aviation fuel.

• They can grow on land or water (arid/saline/

alkaline/marshy) unsuitable for crop cultivation.

• They scavenge green house gases and can be usedfor carbon dioxide mitigation.

• Genetically engineered algae are used to enhance

biofuel production and as source of protein and

vitamin rich food and fodder.

• Algae are used as biofertilizer for crops as rich

source of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, iodine,

iron, calcium, silica and vitamins.



Biotechnological importance of algae

•

Algae have been recommended for pesticide andheavy metal bioremediation.

• Algae are used in formation of biosolar cells.

• Algae as food; popular as food in Japan and

Europe.

• Algal storage materials like starch, gelatin and

lipids are used as gelling agents in jellies, ice-

creams, confectioneries and bacteriological media.

• Algae have therapeutic importance; Chlorellin from

Chlorella is broad spectrum antibiotic.

• Algal pigments have antioxidant properties



Macro-algal exploitation:

Historical perspective

Seaweed being harvested in 19th century for use as a fertiliser



Kelp Burning: a biotechnology process from the 18th &

19th centuries to produce soda, potash & iodine.



Algal products and application



1. Bioenergy

• Bioenergy or biofuel is a term used to

describe renewable energy generated from

biological materials

• Considerable research effort and investment

from both academic and industrial sectors

• High lipid and fermentable sugar content-

biodiesel & bioethanol production

• Methane and sustainable emission free

hydrogen production• Biobutanol and biogasoline

• Technological challenges



2. Nutrition

– Fresh or dried microalgae are being increasingly used for animal and human nutrition

– High protein, ω-3 and 6 fatty acids

– Partial replacement of fish meal in fish feed

– substantial market for live and dried algae to

supplement the diets of juvenile fish and shellfish

– enrichment of infant formulas with micro algal

EPA and DFA



3. High vale products

– Microalgae naturally contain large quantities of photosynthetic pigment and antioxidant

molecules

– phycobiliproteins have diagnostic applicationsand as highly sensitive fluorescent reagents anddyes

– The major phycocolloids are alginates, agar andcarrageenans (used in a wide range of industriesin particular the food industry, for their gelling,and emulsifying properties)

–

Many algal polysaccharides have considerablepharmacological importance due to theirintrinsic antioxidant, antiviral and immune-activating activities

– Stable Isotopes



Kappaphycus sp

Turbinaria sp Sargassum sp



Application of seaweed in biotechnology

• There are more than 10,000 seaweed speciesdistributed all over the world

• In India: > 680 marine algal species (60 species are

commercially important)

• Agar-agar

– Gelatinous colloidal carbohydrate present in the cell wall of

red algal species

– Gelidiella acerosa , Gracilaria edulis , Gracilaria verrucosa

– Application in the food industry (gelling agent)

– Use in bioengineering, microbiology, chromatography etc



• Alginates

– Main polysaccharide in the cell wall of brown algae

consists of D-manuronic and D-guluronic acid in various

proportions

– Laminaria , Ascophyllum , Sargassum , Turbinaria etc

– Application in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries

–

Paper and textile industries, jelling agents in jams etc

• Carrageenan

– Phycocolloid extracted from kappaphycus alvarezi,

Eucheuma , Chondrus , Hypnea etc

– Highly sulfated galactans and are strongly anionicpolymers

– Used in food industries, mainly in dairy industries



Medicinal importance of seaweeds

• Since as early as 3000 BC, seaweeds are consideredto be of medicinal importance

• Used by Japanese and Chinese in the treatment of

goiter and other glandular diseases

• Chondrus crispus , Gracilaria , Gelidium etc have been

used to treat intestinal and stomach disorders

• Carrageenan is useful in ulcer therapy

• Various bioactive compounds- Caulerpa spp,Acathospora spicifera , Sargassam spp and Hypnea

muciformis



4. Other applications

–

Carbon sequestration – Many algae are able to remove nitrogen oxide

and sulphur dioxide from gas streams, which are

common causes of acid rain

– Remediation of wastewater

– Utilization of waste water



Conclusion

•Huge potential for further research and development

• Fulfilling protein demand

• Green technologies

•

Environmental management

Algal Biotech

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