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Life
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Lipid Metabolism, Regulation and Biosynthesis of Microalgae
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Lipid Metabolism, Regulation and Biosynthesis of Microalgae

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 April 2025 | Viewed by 3542

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yi Xin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China
Interests: microalgae; lipid metabolism; synthetic biology; metabolic engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fantao Kong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: microalgae; lipids metabolism; synthetic biology; metabolic engineering; genome editing; transgene overexpression; RNAI silencing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microalgae are attracting renewed interest from both the scientific and public communities owing to their potential applications as sustainable feed stocks for the production of biofuels and high-value compounds, and environmental remediation. Compared with traditional oil crops, microalgae have the advantages of rapid growth, high lipid content, non-occupation of arable land, etc. Microalgal lipids, especially triacylglycerol, and practical applications of these compounds have received increasing attention in recent years. For the commercial use of microalgal lipids to be feasible, many fundamental biological questions must be addressed based on detailed studies of algal biology, including how lipid biosynthesis occurs and is regulated. 

In order to better understand and manipulate microalgal lipid metabolism for improvements in lipid production, we set up this Special Issue, which is edited by Dr. Yi Xin and Dr. Fantao Kong, and will focus on the current knowledge on biosynthetic pathways, signaling regulation, and metabolic engineering of microalgal lipids. Moreover, this Special Issue will concern advanced technologies which have been applied in the enhanced lipid production of microalgae. These endeavors will point to new possible avenues of genetic engineering of lipid metabolism in this organism group, and may also inform studies of lipid metabolism in plants.

Dr. Yi Xin
Dr. Fantao Kong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microalgae
  • lipid biosynthesis
  • lipid metabolism
  • carbon and nitrogen metabolism
  • energy metabolism
  • genetic engineering
  • genome editing
  • environmental stress
  • signaling regulation
  • tag biosynthesis
  • biochemical regulation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 3230 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Effect of Urea on Metabolism of Nannochloropsis oceanica
by Han Zhu, Zhenli Ye, Zhengru Xu and Li Wei
Life 2024, 14(7), 797; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14070797 - 24 Jun 2024
Viewed by 597
Abstract
The eukaryotic microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica represents a promising bioresource for the production of biofuels and pharmaceuticals. Urea, a crucial nutrient for the photosynthetic N. oceanica, stimulates the accumulation of substances such as lipids, which influence growth and physiology. However, the specific mechanisms [...] Read more.
The eukaryotic microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica represents a promising bioresource for the production of biofuels and pharmaceuticals. Urea, a crucial nutrient for the photosynthetic N. oceanica, stimulates the accumulation of substances such as lipids, which influence growth and physiology. However, the specific mechanisms by which N. oceanica responds and adapts to urea addition remain unknown. High-throughput mRNA sequencing and differential gene expression analysis under control and urea-added conditions revealed significant metabolic changes. This involved the differential expression of 2104 genes, with 1354 being upregulated and 750 downregulated, resulting in the reprogramming of crucial pathways such as carbon and nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, and lipid metabolism. The results specifically showed that genes associated with photosynthesis in N. oceanica were significantly downregulated, particularly those related to light-harvesting proteins. Interestingly, urea absorption and transport may depend not only on specialized transport channels such as urease but also on alternative transport channels such as the ABC transporter family and the CLC protein family. In addition, urea caused specific changes in carbon and lipid metabolism. Genes associated with the Calvin cycle and carbon concentration mechanisms were significantly upregulated. In lipid metabolism, the expression of genes associated with lipases and polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis was highly activated. Furthermore, the expression of several genes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and folate metabolism was enhanced, making important contributions to energy supply and the synthesis and modification of genes and macromolecules. Our observations indicate that N. oceanica actively and dynamically regulates the redistribution of carbon and nitrogen after urea addition, providing references for further research on the effects of urea on N. oceanica. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid Metabolism, Regulation and Biosynthesis of Microalgae)
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Review

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22 pages, 1333 KiB  
Review
Applications of the Microalgae Chlamydomonas and Its Bacterial Consortia in Detoxification and Bioproduction
by María J. Torres, Carmen M. Bellido-Pedraza and Angel Llamas
Life 2024, 14(8), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14080940 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 745
Abstract
The wide metabolic diversity of microalgae, their fast growth rates, and low-cost production make these organisms highly promising resources for a variety of biotechnological applications, addressing critical needs in industry, agriculture, and medicine. The use of microalgae in consortia with bacteria is proving [...] Read more.
The wide metabolic diversity of microalgae, their fast growth rates, and low-cost production make these organisms highly promising resources for a variety of biotechnological applications, addressing critical needs in industry, agriculture, and medicine. The use of microalgae in consortia with bacteria is proving valuable in several areas of biotechnology, including the treatment of various types of wastewater, the production of biofertilizers, and the extraction of various products from their biomass. The monoculture of the microalga Chlamydomonas has been a prominent research model for many years and has been extensively used in the study of photosynthesis, sulphur and phosphorus metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, respiration, and flagellar synthesis, among others. Recent research has increasingly recognised the potential of Chlamydomonas–bacteria consortia as a biotechnological tool for various applications. The detoxification of wastewater using Chlamydomonas and its bacterial consortia offers significant potential for sustainable reduction of contaminants, while facilitating resource recovery and the valorisation of microalgal biomass. The use of Chlamydomonas and its bacterial consortia as biofertilizers can offer several benefits, such as increasing crop yields, protecting crops, maintaining soil fertility and stability, contributing to CO2 mitigation, and contributing to sustainable agricultural practises. Chlamydomonas–bacterial consortia play an important role in the production of high-value products, particularly in the production of biofuels and the enhancement of H2 production. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential of Chlamydomonas monoculture and its bacterial consortia to identify current applications and to propose new research and development directions to maximise their potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid Metabolism, Regulation and Biosynthesis of Microalgae)
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18 pages, 1123 KiB  
Review
Towards Lipid from Microalgae: Products, Biosynthesis, and Genetic Engineering
by Yi Xin, Shan Wu, Congcong Miao, Tao Xu and Yandu Lu
Life 2024, 14(4), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14040447 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1849
Abstract
Microalgae can convert carbon dioxide into organic matter through photosynthesis. Thus, they are considered as an environment-friendly and efficient cell chassis for biologically active metabolites. Microalgal lipids are a class of organic compounds that can be used as raw materials for food, feed, [...] Read more.
Microalgae can convert carbon dioxide into organic matter through photosynthesis. Thus, they are considered as an environment-friendly and efficient cell chassis for biologically active metabolites. Microalgal lipids are a class of organic compounds that can be used as raw materials for food, feed, cosmetics, healthcare products, bioenergy, etc., with tremendous potential for commercialization. In this review, we summarized the commercial lipid products from eukaryotic microalgae, and updated the mechanisms of lipid synthesis in microalgae. Moreover, we reviewed the enhancement of lipids, triglycerides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, pigments, and terpenes in microalgae via environmental induction and/or metabolic engineering in the past five years. Collectively, we provided a comprehensive overview of the products, biosynthesis, induced strategies and genetic engineering in microalgal lipids. Meanwhile, the outlook has been presented for the development of microalgal lipids industries, emphasizing the significance of the accurate analysis of lipid bioactivity, as well as the high-throughput screening of microalgae with specific lipids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid Metabolism, Regulation and Biosynthesis of Microalgae)
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