The article below is based on a podcast interview with Dr. Kyle Lauersen.
Unlocking the potential of algae biotechnology holds promise for a sustainable future, revolutionizing industries and transforming waste into valuable resources. Dr. Kyle Lauersen, a researcher in the field, has been at the forefront of exploring the vast possibilities that algae offer. His work with microalgae has shed light on their diverse characteristics, ecological roles, and potential to drive sustainability and create a circular economy.
In this article, inspired by my podcast interview with Dr. Lauersen, we delve into the world of algae, exploring the differences between microalgae and macroalgae, the essential role of microscopic algae in ecosystems, and the groundbreaking advancements in metabolic engineering. Keep reading to uncover algae’s remarkable contributions and role in shaping a greener, more sustainable future.
What are algae? Differentiating between microalgae and macroalgae
Microalgae are single-celled or multicellular organisms that perform photosynthesis and live in water or soil. On the other hand, macroalgae, such as seaweeds, are larger structures composed of photosynthetic cells, lacking vascular tissues for water and nutrient transport like land plants. While microalgae and macroalgae differ in size and structure, they share similar cell biology.
Algae exhibit a wide range of lifestyles, including parasitic forms and heterotrophic growth without photosynthesis. Overall, microalgae and macroalgae encompass thousands of different types, showcasing their immense diversity in shape, structure, and ecological roles.
Dispelling the blue-green algae misconception
It’s important to note that blue-green algae are not true algae but bacteria, specifically Cyanobacteria. The confusion in their classification arose from the visual similarity between various green, photosynthetic, and microbial organisms when observed by the naked eye. It was a natural assumption to consider them all the same due to their similar appearances.
The name “blue-green algae” was derived from the characteristic blue-green color observed in cyanobacterial mats or algal blooms. While brown or purple cyanobacterial or algal blooms are rare, they do exist.
However, through detailed studies of algae under the microscope and identifying their cellular structures, researchers began to differentiate them based on size, complexity, and lifestyle. This led to the evolution of more precise and professionally delineated naming conventions. With advancements in genome sequencing, there is a growing understanding of phylogeny, which involves redefining relationships between organisms based on their evolving genomes over time.
What do microscopic algae do? Exploring the Role of Microscopic Algae
First of all, photosynthetic microbes, particularly algae, play a crucial role in producing oxygen. They harness energy from light and utilize carbon dioxide to grow, which generates oxygen as a byproduct. This oxygen production is beneficial for all living organisms that rely on oxygen for respiration.
This process is significant for other another reason. Excessive carbon dioxide production is currently a global concern. Algae efficiently convert carbon dioxide into their biomass, with roughly 50% of their biomass composed of carbon. So, algae play a role in reducing carbon in the environment.
Algae are also considered primary producers, forming the basis of many food chains. They convert inorganic inputs such as nitrogen and phosphorus into biomolecules like proteins, oils, and carbohydrates, which fuel various food webs.
Therefore, their contributions extend beyond oxygen production and encompass nutrient cycling and supporting diverse ecosystems.
Dr. Lauersen’s algae research
Dr. Kyle Lauersen’s research group primarily focuses on two species of algae. The first species is Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a green alga that has been used as a model organism since the 1940s. It has a simple cell structure and is commonly studied for its ability to move toward light and its structures involved in photosynthesis.
Dr. Lauersen’s group conducts metabolic engineering on C. reinhardtii, using synthetic biology tools to modify its genes and pathways, adding useful ones. The result is this alga can produce valuable compounds, such as anti-cancer medicines or specialty pigments, using light and carbon dioxide.
The second species they work with is Cyanidioschyzon merolae, a red alga that produces a blue pigment but is green in appearance. It belongs to a group of organisms often found in acidic hot springs, thriving in extreme conditions of high temperatures (42ºC or 107ºF) and low pH (pH 2, like lemon juice or vinegar). Due to the harsh conditions they favor, contamination by other organisms is less of a concern when cultivating this alga. Therefore, Dr. Lauersen’s says, scaling up their metabolic engineering work outdoors is simpler with this species.
Bioprospecting: Exploring Nature’s Bounty
Dr. Lauersen’s group also employs bioprospecting to explore natural environments and discover new algal species. They collect samples from soil, water, and various other materials, isolate algae cultures, and study them to expand our understanding of the immense algal diversity present in nature and their potential usefulness.
Metabolic engineering: Empowering algae for valuable compound production
Metabolic engineering, a concept at the core of algae biotechnology, involves transferring pathways from one organism to another, enabling algae to produce useful compounds without the need for many resources beyond light and carbon dioxide.
Algae’s shared metabolic characteristics with other organisms allow for the modular transfer of pathways involving a few genes and enzymes that facilitate the production of specific compounds. By transferring the necessary pathways, like Lego bricks, into algae, they can synthesize valuable substances.
For example, the anti-cancer drug Paclitaxel originally came from a plant. This drug’s precursor is derived from a 20-carbon compound present in the pigments of photosynthetic cells, which are also involved in capturing light for photosynthesis. So, one enzyme can be added into the mix with the precursor, and the algae can produce the anti-cancer molecule, all while doing their natural photosynthetic processes.
This remarkable capability has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture.
The versatility of algae in biotechnology
Biotechnology involves using organisms to create value for humans, often through metabolic engineering of organisms, as described above. These engineered organisms can be thought of as cell factories that can be controlled and programmed to produce something of value, like the Paclitaxel. Metabolic engineering has been practiced in bacteria and yeast for a long time due to their ease of use. Using algae as cell factories, however, is a relatively new development because researchers have only recently advanced in their ability to engineer algal cells.
Algae are particularly useful in biotechnology, though. Unlike bacteria and yeast, which usually require sugar to make valuable products, algae can convert waste into valuable products. This approach aligns with the concept of circular resource biotechnology, where algae utilize nitrogen and phosphorus found in wastewater to grow.
Algae are great at thriving on waste nutrients. They sometimes enter water bodies and cause harmful algal blooms due to this ability. But by harnessing waste inputs, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from wastewater and waste gases like carbon dioxide, algae can be cultivated as controlled “blooms” to produce valuable products.
While cultivating algae requires significant technology and investment, the idea is to leverage algae, which are fueled by light, as cell factories to convert waste inputs into useful products. This approach can potentially transform waste that would otherwise be released into the environment into economically viable products.
Harnessing industrial wastewater: A promising pathway
Many industries create large amounts of various types of wastewater, which is expensive to treat and clean up. But remember, algae can thrive on wastewater.
So, partnerships between companies generating wastewater and those producing useful compounds is a clever way to create a circular economy. Utilizing algae to clean wastewater, eliminates the need to supply costly fertilizers to produce valuable compounds and the need for costly wastewater treatment. Both parties benefit.
For example, olive oil processing involves mixing oil with water to remove bitter flavors, resulting in large volumes of phenolic-rich wastewater. So, extreme algae engineered to produce a valuable compound could be used to clean up this wastewater.
This approach of growing algae using wastewater is gaining attention. In the past, there was a focus on using algae for biofuels and other applications, but the economics didn’t work out due to the need for fertilizers. However, the new approach involves using existing entities or industries that produce waste streams and converting those waste streams into valuable products, thereby using algae in a sustainable manner.
Dr. Lauersen’s group has engineered a strain of algae to produce a red pigment and a volatile chemical called isoprene, which is used to produce rubber tires. By utilizing wastewater, the algae can grow, extract nutrients, and emit clean water while also producing two valuable products: the red pigment and isoprene.
It’s about capturing wasted value and moving towards a circular economy, Dr. Lauersen emphasizes, where the end product of one process becomes an input for another process, and algae play a crucial role in this sustainable circular economy.
Algae’s applications in sustainability
Beyond the production of isoprene for tire manufacturing, algae offer numerous other applications in sustainability. Perfume production is another example, where a strain of algae can produce patchouli. So, following the idea of a circular economy, this algae strain can grow in post-treatment wastewater without the need for sterilization and produces the perfume product and algal biomass for further use.
“It’s a really funny story because we literally took toilet water and turned it into perfume. So, we always joke that it was a different “eau de toilette,” says Dr. Lauersen.
The future of algae biotechnology: Challenges and potential
The world of algae biotechnology is evolving rapidly, with exciting possibilities for creating circular economies. While it’s relatively easy to grow algae, the real challenge lies in optimizing the growth process and efficiently converting it into useful products.
Currently, it’s possible to produce algae in mass quantities, but we need to bridge the gap between the lab and industrial-scale production. The challenge is getting these systems to the companies that want to participate. However, the market awareness and demand are still in the early stages.
Algae biotechnology can also improve by allowing for the production of multiple valuable compounds together, which requires more research and innovation to develop new types of algae with this ability. Many labs, including Dr. Lauersen’s, are actively working on this to make algae cultivation more efficient and economically viable.
In summary, ongoing advancements in algae biotechnology offer hope for a more sustainable future. With further research and collaboration, the algae-based industry can benefit the environment and society.
Algae in Nature and Biotechnology: Dr. Kyle Lauersen
