Yield Enhancement in Algal Production and Genetic Engineering Tools for Microalgal Biorefinery

Addressing the ecological constraints that the globe is currently facing necessitates the development of food, feed, and bioproducts that are environmentally conscientious. Algae, which include cyanobacteria, eukaryotic microalgae, and seaweeds, provide a workable foundation for achieving this. Algae are safe for both humans and animals to eat, require limited space and resources, and may be modified to generate a wide range of beneficial bio-based products. In the past, compared with different microbial systems like bacteria and yeast, the genetic toolkit available for tackling the primary barriers of getting microalgal cultivation techniques to an economically feasible scale was rather minimal. The invention of innovative microalgal bioproducts for industrial purposes will be accelerated by broadening the molecular techniques available for modifying the genome of microalgae, which will raise product yields and promote the shift toward sustainable and environmentally benign products. With the goal to enable microalgae to serve as a more effective biomanufacturing system, we highlight important recent developments in this chapter, including the creation of microalgal expression vectors, the identification of genetic regulatory elements (promoters and transcription factors), the optimization of transformation techniques, and the creation of novel strain improvement methods.