Research progress on unsaturated fatty acid synthesis in microalgae

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have attracted significant attention for their roles in human health, particularly in cardiovascular protection. As a promising source of PUFAs, microalgae have become a research hotspot due to their rapid growth and ability to accumulate large amounts of PUFAs under stress conditions. This paper reviewed the recent progress in microalgal PUFAs research, focusing on analyzing PUFA content in different microalgal species, the effects of environmental factors on PUFAs synthesis, as well as related biochemical pathways. Additionally, this paper explored strategies for enhancing PUFA production in microalgae using metabolic engineering and gene editing, and outlined current research challenges.