Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts最新文献

{"title":"Thermosynechococcus guangdongensis HY-01 sp. nov., a convenient easily transformable thermophilic chassis for photothermobiology","authors":"Xiangjian Liu ,&nbsp;Chen Li ,&nbsp;Ying Jiang ,&nbsp;Lianghuan Wu ,&nbsp;Dawei You ,&nbsp;Maurycy Daroch","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study describes the isolation and characterization of <em>Thermosynechococcus guangdongensis</em> HY-01, a novel thermophilic cyanobacterium developed as a microbial chassis for photothermobiology. The strain was isolated from a top stratum of a microbial mat collected at a geothermal area Tangjiaoqiaotou in Guangdong province of China. Its genome, sequenced using a hybrid approach, is the largest reported in the genus at 2.75 Mbp. The expansion of genome could be attributed to the presence of 180 unique genes, many acquired via horizontal gene transfer. These unique genes are often organised into genomic clusters, four of which are composed exclusively of HY-01-specific genes, including two implicated in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis. This genomic feature may contribute to the strain's ecological niche and physiological robustness. Strain delineation as a new species was performed based on the Botanical Code, encompassing 16S rRNA phylogeny, GTDB, Average Nucleotide and Amino Acid Identities together with morphological and habitat data. The polyphasic approach confirmed its status as a new species within the family. Morphologically and physiologically, HY-01 exhibited typical <em>Thermosynechococcus</em> characteristics. Growth profiling demonstrated robust performance across 37–57 °C, with peak at 52 °C and broad optimum between 47 and 57 °C. Critically, a simplified genetic transformation system based on electroporation was successfully established, achieving fully segregated transgenic lines within a fortnight, as validated by diagnostic PCR and protein immunoblotting of His-tagged photosystem I protein psaJ. We conclude that <em>Thermosynechococcus guangdongensis</em> HY-01 represents a genetically tractable and thermotolerant new species, expanding the portfolio of model organisms for studying thermostable photosynthesis and for developing high-temperature biotechnological applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104597"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coelastrella sp. biofilm integrated on agave-derived carbon for enhanced anodic performance in biophotovoltaic energy harvesting","authors":"Patrick U. Okoye ,&nbsp;Itzel Montes-Roman ,&nbsp;Rosa Angelica Guillen-Garcés ,&nbsp;Francisco Vera-Lopez Portillo ,&nbsp;Diego Lobato-Peralta ,&nbsp;Dulce M. Arias-Lizarraga","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104594","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104594","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of sustainable electrode materials that allows sufficient accumulation of redox species is key to advancing biophotovoltaic (BPV) technologies. In this study, activated carbon derived from agave fiber was evaluated as an anodic electrode material for BPV devices. Activated carbon samples were synthesized at 600, 700, and 800 °C using different agave biomass-to-KOH impregnation ratios from 1:1 to 1:3. The resulting carbons were comprehensively characterized to analyze their morphology and composition, and to establish structure–performance relationships. Electrochemical evaluation using <em>Coelastrella</em> sp. biofilms revealed that the electrode produced at 700 °C with a 1:2 ratio delivered the best performance, achieving a specific capacity of 3.50 mAh/g. Both impregnation ratio and activation temperature influenced biofilm accumulation, while a balanced <em>meso</em>–micropore structure favored electron transfer from the bulk to the anode surface, ensuring sufficient interaction with photosynthetic microorganisms of <em>Coelastrella</em> sp. The maximum power density achieved was 1.3 mW/m², with an open-circuit voltage of ∼140 mV at the lowest current density (∼6 mA/m²), and a short-circuit current density of ∼24 mA/m². These findings demonstrate the potential of <em>Coelastrella</em> sp. biofilms to enhance the functionality of electrochemical materials by improving electron transfer kinetics, thereby contributing to the development of clean technologies that harness solar energy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104594"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geography and seasonality as factors affecting lipid classes and anti-inflammatory activity of Rugulopteryx okamurae, an invasive seaweed in Southwest Europe","authors":"A.M. García Cervantes ,&nbsp;M. Carmona-Fernández ,&nbsp;A. Gomes-Bispo ,&nbsp;C. Cardoso ,&nbsp;C. Afonso ,&nbsp;J.L. Guil-Guerrero ,&nbsp;N.M. Bandarra","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rugulopteryx okamurae</em> is an invasive brown seaweed originating in the Pacific Ocean that has spread to Southwestern European shores in the last decade, reaching high densities and causing large ecological and economic impacts. The lipid classes and anti-inflammatory activity of this seaweed species was investigated, comprising an analysis of different geographical locations in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean as well as winter and summer as growing seasons. The fatty acid (FA) composition of the biomass, main lipid classes, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition were analysed. There is evidence supporting a possible class-level lipid distribution pattern specific to <em>R. okamurae</em>, differentiating it from other brown seaweeds. The FA profile revealed prevalence of palmitic acid and saturated FA (SFA) in all lipid classes. Lipid class distribution in <em>R. okamurae</em> was characterized by a majority of polar lipids, with non-polar lipids making up to 40% of the total lipid content. Within polar lipids, glycolipids were the main class and monogalactosyldiacylglycerols (MGDG) had a share ranging from 45 to 58% of the total lipids. The SFA content ranged between 30.8 ± 1.3% (of total FA) in Atlantic (Algarve) <em>R. okamurae</em> MGDG and 82.5 ± 2.6% in Atlantic <em>R. okamurae</em> phospholipids. The FA profiles of <em>R. okamurae</em> from the two studied locations were quite similar, differing in palmitic acid content in triacylglycerols (TAG), oleic acid in MGDG, PUFA in digalactosyl diacylglycerols (DGDG), and n-3/n-6 ratio in MGDG. Regarding this latter parameter, the highest n-3/n-6 ratio was in Algarve MGDG samples, 1.8 ± 0.1. The preliminary screening of anti-inflammatory activity by the COX-2 assay showed higher levels of this parameter in summer <em>R. okamurae</em> (76.3 and 78.5% COX-2 inhibition). Therefore, <em>R. okamurae</em> exhibits distinctive traits and there is a potential valorization by component isolation (e.g. MGDG) and further refining of biologically active fractions (e.g. anti-inflammatory ethanol extracts).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104618"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracking lipid droplet dynamics using BODIPY C12 in Phaeodactylum tricornutum","authors":"Ayushi Dalmia,&nbsp;Inna Khozin-Goldberg","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oleaginous microalgae are central to fundamental research on microalgae and biotechnology for single-cell oil production. Although many tools to manipulate physiological and molecular mechanisms have been developed for microalgae, cellular biology tools that enable visualization of lipid droplet (LD) dynamics in vivo are lacking. In this study, we demonstrate the use of the fluorescent fatty acid conjugate BODIPY C12 (BP C12) to study LD dynamics in two ecotypes of the model diatom <em>Phaeodactylum tricornutum</em> Pt1 and Pt4, as well as fatty acid trafficking in vivo, through real-time visualization of LD formation and breakdown by epifluorescence microscopy and FACS. Cells supplied with BP C12 under nutrient-replete conditions exhibited incorporation of BP C12 signal inside the cells in tiny vesicles. Under nitrogen starvation, the BP C12 signal was localized to the preformed LDs. During recovery from nitrogen starvation, we observed the breakdown of the LDs harbouring the BP C12 signal. Thin-layer chromatography showed that most BP C12 remained unesterified, but the signal was found in both polar and neutral lipids, suggesting its suitability for lipid-metabolic studies in <em>P. tricornutum</em>. Use of BP C12 also elucidated substrate utilization in the two ecotypes. These findings pave the way for the use of BP C12 in various assays with <em>P. tricornutum</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104622"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated biorefinery of Limnospira (Arthrospira) platensis: Recycling cultivation medium and biosorption of endocrine disruptors from water","authors":"Alenne Prince Junqueira de Moraes ,&nbsp;Camylle Guimarães Scheliga ,&nbsp;Yollanda Carolina da Silva Ferreira Vançato ,&nbsp;Cláudia Maria Luz Lapa Teixeira ,&nbsp;André Luís de Sá Salomão","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104616","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104616","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae-based systems are increasingly recognized as scalable platforms for producing high-value bioproducts while addressing water pollution, including emerging contaminants. However, large-scale production is often constrained by high operational costs. This study evaluated biomass production of the cyanobacterium <em>Limnospira (Arthrospira) platensis</em> over two consecutive cultivation cycles, with the culture medium from the first cycle recycled in the second. Mediumrecycling reduced freshwater and nutrient inputs without compromising biomass productivity. Biomass from both cycles exhibited high protein (59.8 ± 1.9% in cycle 1; 52.6 ± 2.0% in cycle 2) and carbohydrate contents (29.3 ± 1.8% and 39.0 ± 2.4%, respectively), supporting diverse valorization pathways. First-cycle biomass is suitable for high-value applications such as nutraceuticals, while second-cycle biomass was evaluated as a low-cost biosorbent for removing 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a pseudo-persistent endocrinedisruptorfrequently found in aquatic ecosystems. Biosorption assays achieved ∼70% EE2 removal at 30 μg·L⁻¹ within 7 h using 0.6 g·L⁻¹ of biomass (biosorbent). Kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model (R² = 0.98), and equilibrium data fitted the Freundlich isotherm, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 251.28 μg·g⁻¹. These results demonstrate that cultivation medium recycling can simultaneously reduce resource consumption and enable cascade biomass valorization, providing a scalable approach aligned with circular bioeconomy principles and sustainable tertiary wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104616"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphology-dependent biotoxic effects and cellular damage mechanisms of silver nanoparticles on Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus","authors":"Wei Yu ,&nbsp;Yongchang Shang ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Wang ,&nbsp;Yue Yang ,&nbsp;Chenxi Zhang ,&nbsp;Ningcan Deng ,&nbsp;Kaixuan Wang ,&nbsp;Ting Ma ,&nbsp;Xiuzhen Yang ,&nbsp;Miao Xu ,&nbsp;Fan Mo ,&nbsp;Haibo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) leads to their inevitable release into freshwater ecosystems, raising ecological concerns. The present study involved the synthesis of silver nanospheres (AgNSs), nanocubes (AgNCs), and nanoplates (AgPLs) through chemical synthesis methods. It also investigates the morphological-dependent biotoxicity of AgNPs at two distinct concentrations (0–5 mg L⁻¹ and 0–5000 ng L⁻¹) on two species of algae, <em>C. vulgaris</em> and <em>S. obliquus</em>. The results demonstrated that AgPLs exhibited the strongest inhibitory growth, with 0.5 mg L⁻¹ AgPLs inhibiting <em>C. vulgaris</em> growth by 58% (2.5–2.7-fold higher than AgNSs/AgNCs) and 5 mg L⁻¹ AgPLs inhibiting <em>S. obliquus</em> by 76%. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed AgPLs caused cell content leakage, AgNCs induced starch granule accumulation, and AgNSs only damaged cell walls. Low-concentration (ng L⁻¹) AgNPs triggered a “low-dose stimulation, high-dose inhibition” hormesis on <em>S. obliquus</em> chlorophyll <em>a</em>. AgPLs had the highest colloidal stability (zeta potential: −23.07 mV), and cell-associated Ag accumulation was morphology- and species-dependent, with <em>S. obliquus</em> more sensitive than <em>C. vulgaris</em>. These findings provide toxicity data for AgNPs, supporting ecological risk assessments by incorporating morphology and species specificity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104612"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biofilm organization and ECM remodeling in Trebouxia lynniae during colony growth and lichen symbiosis","authors":"César Daniel Bordenave ,&nbsp;Ayelén Gazquez ,&nbsp;Lucia Muggia ,&nbsp;Francisco García-Breijo ,&nbsp;Ángeles Calatayud ,&nbsp;Eva Barreno ,&nbsp;Pedro Carrasco","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lichen-forming microalgae are traditionally studied within their symbiotic context, yet growing evidence shows they also persist as free-living organisms, revealing ecological flexibility, physiological autonomy, and potential contributions to ecosystem resilience. <em>De novo</em> lichen formation — the establishment of a new thallus from free-living fungal and algal partners — depends on traits of these free-living photobionts, yet the mechanisms that enable partner recognition, spatial organization, and functional integration remain poorly characterized. Understanding how microalgae organize themselves outside the symbiosis is therefore crucial to uncover how these traits contribute to thallus development and symbiotic reassembly. This study explores whether biofilm traits in the model microalga <em>Trebouxia lynniae</em>, including abundant extracellular matrix production and morphological and physiological stratification, are developmentally coordinated and retained or modified within the lichen thallus formed with the mycobiont <em>Ramalina farinacea</em>. Using confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and ultrastructural analyses, we show that <em>T. lynniae</em> forms structured, biofilm-like colonies with spatially stratified photosynthetic activity. Within the lichen thallus, vegetative algal cells maintain layered organization in repeating undulating patterns, yet extracellular matrix is markedly reduced or absent, suggesting a functional repurposing of extracellular polymeric substances from structural cohesion to fungal nutrition. Flow cytometry further indicates that most lichenized algal cells remain in a vegetative, non-reproductive state, consistent with suppression of photobiont sexual reproduction within the thallus. Our findings reveal that extracellular matrix remodeling and biofilm architecture are central to coordinating symbiotic integration in lichens, highlighting biofilm-like growth as an evolutionary step toward stable mutualism.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104637"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to produce recombinant human serum albumin","authors":"Pratheesh Prakasam Thanka ,&nbsp;Vineetha Mohan ,&nbsp;Muraleedhara Kurup ,&nbsp;Menatalla M. Ismail ,&nbsp;Mallik Sudhanshu ,&nbsp;Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human serum albumin (HSA) constitutes the most significant fraction of proteins in human blood plasma. It remains one of the most widely used therapeutic biomolecules in modern medicine, with global demand exceeding 500 t annually. Limitations in plasma-derived HSA (pHSA), including supply shortages and the risk of pathogen transmission, have accelerated the pursuit of recombinant production strategies. This study demonstrates the first successful expression of structurally and functionally validated rHSA in <em>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</em> through <em>Agrobacterium</em>-mediated nuclear transformation, highlighting the platform's novelty. Molecular analyses validated stable integration and transcriptional activity of the transgene, while expression levels reached up to 0.5% of total soluble protein. Structural and functional assessments confirmed that algal-derived rHSA closely resembles native pHSA, and cytotoxicity assays (MTT) verified its safety in human cell cultures. Taken together, the results highlight <em>C. reinhardtii</em> as an economically viable and scalable platform for sustainable biomanufacturing of high-value therapeutic proteins, making it an attractive alternative to traditional production sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104619"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The energy costs of dewatering feedstock microalgae species using conventional implementations of ultrasonic and crossflow filtration technologies","authors":"J.E. Coons ,&nbsp;B. Yap ,&nbsp;C. Gasway ,&nbsp;B. Bischoff ,&nbsp;N. Sweeney ,&nbsp;T. Dong ,&nbsp;P.T. Pienkos ,&nbsp;C.K. Sanders ,&nbsp;T. Dale","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of microalgae as a feedstock for biofuels and other products continues to be explored, but large-scale biomass production faces persistent high costs. One major cost contributor is the energy required for harvesting and dewatering, a challenge resulting from the dilute nature of microalgae cultures as well as the properties of microalgae cells. This study investigated the energy demands of concentrating three diverse microalgae species (<em>Nannochloropsis salina, Scenedesmus obliquus,</em> and <em>Chlorella luteoviridis</em>) exhibiting different settling velocities, a key harvesting property, using conventional ultrasonic and crossflow membrane filtration. Membrane-free ultrasonic filtration removed 60–80% of the microalgae largely in steady-state operations, increasing concentrations 20–100 times, while consuming 1–6 kWh/m³ - similar to centrifugation. In contrast, crossflow membrane filtration retained nearly 100% of the microalgae, increasing concentrations over 20-fold, but consumed 158 kWh/m³ - over 10 times the energy of centrifugation. Both approaches exceeded the 10% energy target suggested in the 2010 National Algal Biofuel Technology Roadmap. This study also highlights potential sources of energy savings. For ultrasonic filtration, attention to an innovative, dynamic property of the ultrasonic chamber called the Energy Efficiency Factor, could lead to energy reductions by no more than 10-fold and improve the favorability of two of the microalgae species studied. For membrane filtration, a dead-end configuration could reduce energy consumption by no more than 1000-fold, making it favorable for all three species. This study not only highlights the need to further increase the energy content of microalgae cultures, but also the critical importance of continued development of ultrasonic filtration and other harvesting technologies to achieve low-cost, energy-sustainable algal biofuels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104673"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147599816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bioactive from Ulva lactuca and Ulva fasciata: Structural insights and mechanistic roles in colon cancer therapy","authors":"Divya Vijayakumar","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Colon cancer is one of the causes of the cancer-related morbidity and mortality on the global scale, and it is crucial to develop safe and effective therapy solutions. Marine green macroalgae, especially species of Ulva have emerged as important sources of structurally diverse bioactive macromolecules with anticancer potential. This review summarizes the existing available information regarding the structure, functionality, and translational use of green algal macromolecules in colon cancer management. Ulvans are sulfated heteropolysaccharides enriched with rhamnose and uronic acids that induce apoptosis, arrest cell cycle, and block oncogenic signaling pathways such as Wnt/b-catenin, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, or NF-kB. The peptides, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids derived in Ulva have complementary effects, as they increase antioxidant defense, inhibit chronic inflammation, and manipulate immune responses. The structure-function relationships reveal the importance of sulfate replacement, molecular weight, and monosaccharide composition to define bioactivity. Although in vitro and in vivo experiments prove that selective, low-toxicity, cytotoxicity is restricted to colon cancer cells and not to normal tissue, there is limited clinical validation. Some of the major challenges involve low solubility, absence of standardized procedures of extraction, and inadequate pharmacokinetic characterization. This review highlights the therapeutic potential of green algal macromolecules, highlights translational challenges, and suggests future efforts on developing functional foods, nutraceuticals, and adjuvant therapies against colon cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 104568"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}