An engineered community approach for industrial cultivation of microalgae

Abstract

In Nature, no species live in isolation. Traditionally, efforts to grow organisms for use in biotechnology have focused on a single-species approach, particularly where a high-value product is required in pure form. In such scenarios, preventing the establishment of contaminants requires considerable effort that is justified economically. However, for algal biotechnology, in particular where the focus is on fuel production, axenic culture is not necessary, provided yields of the desired strain are not hampered by unwanted contaminants. In the following article we review what is known about inter-specific interactions of natural algal communities, the dynamics of which are likely to parallel contamination in industrial systems. Furthermore, we discuss the opportunities to improve both yields and the stability of cultures by growing algae in multi-species consortia.