ALGAE FACTORY

The next industrial revolution won’t be about steel or carbon or any other metal. It will be about tiny, single-cell plants...

To scientists, algae are not just foul-smelling, green stains in the ocean. The tiny, green organisms are sustainable biofactories that use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to massproduce rare substances. Now, scientists intend to programme algae to make anything from cancer drugs to ...

Cosmetic creams

Algae naturally produce astaxanthine and beta-carotene, which are used in anti-aging products. Some moisturizers also contain the alginate alga biomaterial, which makes lipstick stick to the lips.

Odour-free trainers

Alga-based foam is to be used in the soles of trainers to provide more elasticity and less shock effect. The foam is also anti-bacterial, restricting foul-smelling bacteria from developing in sweaty shoes.

Water-repellent asphalt

Alga waste can be converted into a black, viscous, water-repellent mass reminiscent of asphalt. Scientists have also genetically modified algae to produce lignin, which is included in bio-asphalt made of rice or corn.

New vaccine types

Algae can mass-produce vaccines, if scientists insert the right genes. Moreover, scientists are developing edible vaccine pills made of algae, which are less anxietyprovoking than injections.

Paper without trees

Normally, paper is made of cellulose from trees in a polluting process. Algae will be able to make cellulose in a much more environmentally friendly way and without paper manufacturers having to use trees.

Endless rows of red tubes in Southern China. From a distance, the pipes look like wines rather than top-notch industrial systems, but at the molecular level, the microscopic biofactory is working at full speed.

Located in the Yunnan province, the world’s largest alga factory is run by the BGG company (Beijing Gingko Group), which has allocated 400,000+ m2 for the growing of the Haematococcus pluvialis red alga. The production takes place in photobioreactors, in which the algae circulate in glass tubes, that make sure that every single alga gets the exact quantity of light and carbon dioxide needed to produce as much astaxanthin as possible. The substance is used as a nutritional supplement and an ingredient of cosmetic creams.

And that is only the beginning. Soon, pharmacists in white lab coats will be replaced by blurred alga soups that use sunlight to make valuable medication.

MANIPULATED ALGAE MAKE DRUGS

Algae are monocellular organisms that mainly live in the ocean and can perform photosynthesis: one of the most important processes of all life on Earth. Photosynthesis is responsible for the conversion of sunlight and CO2 into about any living organism. So, over the past 100 years, scientists have been busy studying the algae and their ability to take advantage of sunlight, and the studies have produced such detailed knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that solarpowered algae can be programmed to massproduce rare and valuable substances.

Scientists use sophisticated biotechnology to insert new genes and manipulate the algae to mass-produce substances that otherwise only exist in limited quantities in nature. The wonder molecules known as terpenoids have particularly caught scientists’ attention, as a long series of natural terpenoids can kill cancer cells.

ALGAE TO FIGHT CANCER

The terpenoid molecules boast highly complex structures and are normally very hard and time-consuming to make in the lab. But by inserting the genetic code for the production of terpenoids in alga cell nuclei, the substances can be mass-produced.

A terpenoid known as ingenol angelate can be used to fight skin cancer. The substance is only found in the resin of the Euphorbia peplus plant. First, the genes of the plant that code for enzymes which are responsible for the substance are identified, and subsequently, the genes are inserted into the algae. Scientists aim to use the method to produce skin cancer drugs faster and in greater quantities.

But before that can happen, scientists must programme the algae correctly. The method is almost the same as with other terpenoids, but scientists still lack the perfect way to make individual algae produce as much ingenol angelate as possible and the optimum extraction method.

ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE

Though scientists primarily focus on cancer drugs, the alga potential knows no limits. The Forskolin weight loss drug, which comes

from the roots of the Coleus forskohlii plant, is a terpenoid that has already been successfully produced by solar-powered alga factories. And the much-coveted Artemisinin malaria drug based on the Chinese Artemisia annual herb is another complex terpenoid that algae will soon be able to mass-produce. It is difficult to grow the plant on a large scale, as apart from being a wonder drug against malaria parasites, Artemisinin is a pesticide that is as harmful to the environment as many banned chemicals. So, the production of Artemisinin in algae will be much more environmentally friendly.

THE SUN IS THE ENERGY SOURCE

The operation of the biochemical alga factory requires energy. Like plants, algae are full of chloroplasts that collect energy from sunlight and trigger photosynthesis. When sunlight hits the chloroplasts, electrons are activated to trigger chemical reactions, which convert the energy of the light into chemical energy in the shape of sugar.

Scientists have found a way to use the light- activated electrons to activate enzymes that make drugs. As the enzymes originally come from plants and do not exist naturally in algae, one of the major challenges has been to get the enzymes into the chloroplasts and engaged in photosynthesis. By adding a signal sequence to the enzymes, that instructs them where to go, scientists have now overcome the challenge.

FROM FLASK TO TANK

The shift from growing algae in small flasks in the lab to industrial mass-production in huge tanks has caused a number of practical challenges. One of the major problems of growing algae in large containers is that the sunlight will not affect algae located at the centre of the "soup". Moreover, algae located far away from the surface have difficulties absorbing carbon dioxide, as they are surrounded by water and other algae, without direct contact to atmospheric air. On the other hand, the algae located at the surface risk being subjected to too much sunlight, which could stress them out and weaken their ability to perform photosynthesis.

The solution is alga ponds shaped like raceways. Large paddle wheels see to it that the alga mass in the pond is constantly in circulation, ensuring the algae equal quantities of sunlight and air. An alternative to open raceway ponds is photobioreactors, in which the algae are grown in closed tubes to avoid contamination and water loss.

ALGAE CAN POWER YOUR CAR

Algae are not only useful allies in drugs, they are also used in industries manufacturing anything from cosmetics to biofuel. In theory, algae are the ultimate green energy source. They get energy directly from sunlight and remove carbon dioxide from the air. Along with water and minerals, that is all the algae need to mass-produce biofuel, but oil prices are currently so low that the alga oil is not competitive. So, algae are more profitable in the food industry

Apart from oil, algae produce another energy source: hydrogen gas. The Toyota and Hyundai carmakers are developing a hightech super alga, which is to produce fuel for hydrogen-powered vehicles. At this point in time, scientists have managed to manipulate algae to produce five times as much hydrogen as ordinary alga species. In the future, the gas from the tiny, environmentally friendly organisms could power hydrogenpowered cars, aeroplanes, and other engines as an alternative to fossil fuels.