Strategies for enhancing terpenoids accumulation in microalgae.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology and metabolic engineering
• Microalgal cultivation and bioprocessing
• Natural product chemistry

Background:

• Terpenoids are a large class of natural compounds with significant pharmaceutical and food applications.
• Microorganisms, particularly microalgae, offer a sustainable platform for terpenoid biosynthesis due to photosynthesis and established metabolic pathways (MEP and MVA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements and novel strategies for terpenoid production from microalgae.
• To discuss the potential of genetic engineering, fermentation, and downstream processing for industrial-scale terpenoid manufacturing.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of genetic engineering techniques, including enzyme overexpression and pathway inhibition.
• Evaluation of fermentation strategies, such as optimizing culture conditions and chemical additives.
• Review of downstream processing methods, focusing on solvent extraction and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE).

Main Results:

• The methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway demonstrates higher stoichiometric efficiency compared to the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway.
• Genetic engineering and fermentation strategies have proven effective in increasing terpene yields.
• Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) offers higher recovery rates for carotenoids than traditional solvent extraction.

Conclusions:

• Microalgae are a viable and sustainable source for terpenoid production.
• Integrating advanced genetic engineering, optimized fermentation, and efficient downstream processing is crucial for industrial terpenoid manufacturing.
• Further research and development in these areas can unlock the full potential of microalgae for producing high-value terpenoids.