Microalgal Production of Omega Fatty Acids: Present and Future

The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the -3 and -6 families have been widely recognized because of their benefits to human health. In particular, certain types of PUFAs, such as arachidonic (ARA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids have been shown to act in the prevention and treatment of diverse inflammatory, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders as well as some types of cancer. These fatty acids cannot be synthesized in the human body, and as such, must be acquired through diet and supplementation. Microalgae are a major source of ARA, EPA and DHA and enter the human food chain through consumption of algae consuming fish and shellfish or via fish oil supplementation. The proposed research topic addresses the direct production of PUFAs from microalgae.

Omega fatty acids extracted from fisheries are often contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants that may have adverse effects on human health. In addition, due to overexploitation of marine resources, the extraction of PUFAs from fisheries is not environmentally sustainable. Therefore, the biotechnological production of ARA, EPA and DHA by microalgae has attracted attention in the last decades. Despite progress in the production of microalgal strains suitable for commercial production of Omega fatty acids, challenges remain in terms of achieving environmentally sustainable and economically viable production processes. In this regard, several efforts have been developed to overcome the limitations of microalgal cultivations as the main source of Omega fatty acids for human consumption. These attempts have included the screening of overproducer microalgal strains, modelling and designing of overproducer strains by metabolic engineering and genome editing tools, the development of cultivation strategies for the improvement of yields and productivities, as well as the implementation of innovative extraction and purification processes. Moreover, direct bioengineering of edible algae to increase their PUFAs is a developing area.

The aim of this Research Topic is to present recent advances and novel research trends in the microalgal production of Omega fatty acids. This Research Topic welcomes submission related (but not limited) to:

- Bioprospecting of microalgal species to produce Omega fatty acids

- Recent advances in the cultivation strategies of microalgae for Omega fatty acid production

- Metabolic engineering of microalgae to improve Omega fatty acid production

- Downstream processing including cell harvest and extraction strategies

- Green chemical and novel strategies for extraction and purification of Omega fatty acids

- Omega fatty acids production within biorefineries