Contribution of cyanobacteria and microalgae as extremophiles in the field of biotechnology
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Madhulika Gupta
Abstract
Cyanobacteria and microalgae that can withstand extremes of pH, temperature, pressure, and salinity are considered as extremophiles. The application of extremophiles in the fields of marine culture, food, feed, fuel, fertilizer, colorant, production of various secondary metabolites, including vitamins, toxins, enzymes, pharmaceuticals, and the bioremediation of pollutants have been exploited. It has been reported that often severe and extreme conditions result in extreme metabolic activities that give rise to substances with excellent biotechnological applications. This chapter focuses on the extremophiles, cyanobacteria and microalgae, their importance, characteristics, diversity, and distribution, together with their contribution in the field of biotechnology with respect to bioactive compounds, pigments, and toxic and nontoxic secondary metabolites. The prospect of extremophilic cyanobacteria and microalgae involves the alteration to green technology from the conventional one and to industrial actuality from theoretical concepts and pedagogy so that untapped extremophiles may become a valuable resource in course of time.
Abstract
Cyanobacteria and microalgae that can withstand extremes of pH, temperature, pressure, and salinity are considered as extremophiles. The application of extremophiles in the fields of marine culture, food, feed, fuel, fertilizer, colorant, production of various secondary metabolites, including vitamins, toxins, enzymes, pharmaceuticals, and the bioremediation of pollutants have been exploited. It has been reported that often severe and extreme conditions result in extreme metabolic activities that give rise to substances with excellent biotechnological applications. This chapter focuses on the extremophiles, cyanobacteria and microalgae, their importance, characteristics, diversity, and distribution, together with their contribution in the field of biotechnology with respect to bioactive compounds, pigments, and toxic and nontoxic secondary metabolites. The prospect of extremophilic cyanobacteria and microalgae involves the alteration to green technology from the conventional one and to industrial actuality from theoretical concepts and pedagogy so that untapped extremophiles may become a valuable resource in course of time.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- List of contributing authors V
- Contents XIII
- Acidophilic microbial communities: remediating acid mine drainage waters 1
- The extremophiles indigenous to acid mines 23
- Halophiles: properties, adaptations, diversity, and applications 43
- Deep-sea extremophiles and their diversity in the Indian Ocean 65
- Extremozymes: exclusive outlook toward the white biotechnology 95
- Extremophiles: a potential source of extremozymes 113
- Prospects of biofuels, biofertilizers, and therapeutics from extremophiles 131
- Extremophilic pigments in eukaryotic microbes: a tool for survivability 149
- Bioactive compounds from extremophilic bacteria 171
- Psychrophiles survival strategies: insights into the comprehensive adaptive behavioral approaches in cold-habituated bacteria 197
- Extremophiles to polyextremophiles: survival of the fittest 221
- An overview of extremophiles as microbial armament for bioremediation 245
- Biotechnological applications extremophiles: the golden epoch ahead 269
- Potential of extremophiles: a review of current research in nanoparticle synthesis 289
- Cyanobacteria in nanotechnology 315
- Use of extremophiles in nanotechnology 339
- Contribution of cyanobacteria and microalgae as extremophiles in the field of biotechnology 365
- Exploring the potential extremophilic microbes for bioremediation 383
- Index 407
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- List of contributing authors V
- Contents XIII
- Acidophilic microbial communities: remediating acid mine drainage waters 1
- The extremophiles indigenous to acid mines 23
- Halophiles: properties, adaptations, diversity, and applications 43
- Deep-sea extremophiles and their diversity in the Indian Ocean 65
- Extremozymes: exclusive outlook toward the white biotechnology 95
- Extremophiles: a potential source of extremozymes 113
- Prospects of biofuels, biofertilizers, and therapeutics from extremophiles 131
- Extremophilic pigments in eukaryotic microbes: a tool for survivability 149
- Bioactive compounds from extremophilic bacteria 171
- Psychrophiles survival strategies: insights into the comprehensive adaptive behavioral approaches in cold-habituated bacteria 197
- Extremophiles to polyextremophiles: survival of the fittest 221
- An overview of extremophiles as microbial armament for bioremediation 245
- Biotechnological applications extremophiles: the golden epoch ahead 269
- Potential of extremophiles: a review of current research in nanoparticle synthesis 289
- Cyanobacteria in nanotechnology 315
- Use of extremophiles in nanotechnology 339
- Contribution of cyanobacteria and microalgae as extremophiles in the field of biotechnology 365
- Exploring the potential extremophilic microbes for bioremediation 383
- Index 407
