title: New challenges in microalgae biotechnology.
abstract: Photosynthetic protists, also called microalgae, have been systematically studied for more than a century. However, only recently broad biotechnological applications have fostered a novel wave of research on their potentialities as sustainable resources of renewable energy as well as valuable industrial and agro-food products. At the recent VII European Congress of Protistology held in Seville, three outstanding examples of different research strategies on microalgae with biotechnological implications were presented, which suggested that integrative approaches will produce very significant advances in this field in the next future. In any case, intense research and the application of systems biology and genetic engineering techniques are absolutely essential to reach the full potential of microalgae as cell-factories of bio-based products and, therefore, could contribute significantly to solve the problems of biosustainability and energy shortage.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla y CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain. Electronic address: federico.valverde@ibvf.csic.es.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valverde
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla y CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, ETSII, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes s/n, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Romero-Campero
authors.affiliation: Área de Bioquímica - Departamento de Química y Ciencia de los Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, Av. de las Fuerzas Armadas, 21071 Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: León
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla y CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla y CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain. Electronic address: aurelio@ibvf.csic.es.
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000639:trends*; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D058086:Microalgae / Q000502:physiology*; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D049490:Systems Biology
keywords: Algae biotechnology; Biofuels; Genetic engineering; Microalgae; Photosynthetic protists; Systems biology