Microalgae and Their Biotechnological Potential

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 546

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: microalgae; lipids metabolism; synthetic biology; metabolic engineering; genome editing; transgene overexpression; RNAi silencing
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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

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Guest Editor
School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
Interests: microalgae; plant lipids metabolism; synthetic biology; metabolic engineering; genome editing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent developments in the field of microalgae and its use as a sustainable source for biofuels and bioproducts. As global energy demands rise and the need for renewable resources intensifies, microalgae have emerged as a promising alternative due to their high growth rates, ability to thrive in various environments (including wastewater), and potential to yield significant quantities of biomass without competing with food crops.

The scope for this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  1. Genetic Engineering and Omics Technologies

   Advances in genetic editing and omics technologies have significantly benefited the genetic engineering and biotechnology of microalgae. The application of these technologies enables the better strain selection and optimization of cultivation conditions, enhancing overall yield and efficiency.

  1. Innovative Cultivation Techniques

The use of photobioreactors (PBRs) has become a mainstream method for cultivating microalgae, enabling the development of controlled environments that maximize growth and lipid production while minimizing the risk of contamination. This method is particularly beneficial for scaling up production to meet industrial demands.

  1. Microalgae-based bioresource treatment and utilization technologies

Microalgae-based wastewater treatment and utilization are innovative approaches that utilize the natural abilities of microalgae to remove pollutants from wastewater while simultaneously producing biomass that can be converted into biofuels or other valuable products.  The studies in this Special Issue aim to develop sustainable and efficient methods for treating wastewater while addressing the environmental challenges related to pollution and resource recovery. We particularly welcome submissions that address this area of study.

Dr. Fantao Kong
Prof. Dr. Yi Xin
Prof. Dr. Yuanxue Liang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • microalgae
  • biofuels
  • bioproducts
  • lipid metabolism
  • synthetic biology
  • system engineering

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 3274 KiB  
Article
Cometabolic Biodegradation of Hydrazine by Chlorella vulgaris–Bacillus Extremophilic Consortia: Synergistic Potential for Space and Industry
by Yael Kinel-Tahan, Reut Sorek-Abramovich, Rivka Alexander-Shani, Irit Shoval, Hagit Hauschner, Chen Corsia, Ariel Z. Kedar, Igor Derzy, Itsik Sapir, Yitzhak Mastai, Ashraf Al Ashhab and Yaron Yehoshua
Life 2025, 15(8), 1197; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081197 - 28 Jul 2025
Abstract
Hydrazine, a highly toxic and reactive compound widely used as rocket fuel, poses significant environmental and health risks, particularly in long-term space missions. This study investigates the cometabolic capacity of Chlorella vulgaris and seven extremophilic Bacillus spp. strains—isolated from the arid Dead Sea [...] Read more.
Hydrazine, a highly toxic and reactive compound widely used as rocket fuel, poses significant environmental and health risks, particularly in long-term space missions. This study investigates the cometabolic capacity of Chlorella vulgaris and seven extremophilic Bacillus spp. strains—isolated from the arid Dead Sea region—to tolerate and degrade hydrazine at concentrations up to 25 ppm. The microalga C. vulgaris reduced hydrazine levels by 81% within 24 h at 20 ppm, while the Bacillus isolates achieved an average reduction of 45% over 120 h. Identified strains included B. licheniformis, B. cereus, and B. atrophaeus. Co-culture experiments demonstrated that C. vulgaris and B. cereus (isolate ISO-36) stably coexisted without antagonistic effects, suggesting a synergistic detoxification interaction. Flow cytometry revealed that most bacteria transitioned into spores under stress, highlighting a survival adaptation. Titanium, representing a biocompatible material common in aerospace hardware, did not inhibit microbial growth or hydrazine degradation. These findings underscore the potential of Dead Sea-derived microbial consortia for cometabolic hydrazine detoxification and support the feasibility of converting spacecraft components into functional photobioreactors. This approach offers dual-use benefits for space missions and industrial wastewater treatment. Future studies should investigate degradation pathways, stress resilience, and bioreactor scale-up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgae and Their Biotechnological Potential)
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