Multi-Omics-Driven Systems Biology of Microalgal Bioremediation: Mechanisms and Environmental Applications

The escalating burden of environmental contamination from industry, agriculture, and domestic activities has increased the quest for effective and suitable remediation technologies. Microalgae, with their metabolic versatility and ecological adaptability, have become recognized as one of the promising tools for bioremediation of a broad range of contaminants, including heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Recent omics technological advancements, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have provided pivotal insights into molecular processes. Economic weaponry has identified key genes, regulatory circuits, and transporters involved in pollutant uptake, detoxification, and degradation in microalgae. Transcriptomic studies further support this information by showing how these genes are differentially expressed under various environmental stresses, providing a dynamic understanding of cell responses. Proteomic profiling relates these transcriptional signals to real protein production, post-translational changes, and enzyme activities that transmit adaptive and detoxification processes. Metabolomics complements these dimensions by charting the end-point biochemical pathways, metabolic intermediates, and secondary metabolites engaged in pollutant assimilation. By combining these omics dimensions, scientists can build a systems biology platform that bridges genes to function and metabolites, thereby exposing the coordinated regulation and metabolic fluxes that govern algal bioremediation. This multidimensional strategy not only enriches mechanistic knowledge but also informs directed strain engineering and process optimization of bioremediation. These multi-omics strategies provide an integrated system biology platform to enhance algal bioremediation through targeted strain development, metabolic engineering, and optimized cultivation protocols. This chapter examines the current state of omics studies in algal bioremediation, presents several key case studies, and outlines future directions for integrating omics data into scalable and ecologically efficient remediation technologies.