Options
Traits of Fast-Growing Cyanobacteria
Journal
Cyanobacteria Biotechnology
Date Issued
2021-01-01
Author(s)
Srivastava, Meghna
Hudson, Elton P.
Wangikar, Pramod P.
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic organisms that can convert carbon dioxide into useful chemicals via endergonic reactions that are driven by light energy. These photoautotrophs, therefore, hold significant potential as hosts for biotechnological applications and may have a role in a sustainable bio-based economy. However, the growth rates of the widely used model cyanobacteria tend to be an order of magnitude lower than heterotrophic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and yeast. In most cases, a slow growth rate is indicative of a low potential for producing a product of interest. Several new isolates of cyanobacteria have been reported recently, which are phylogenetically close to the model strains but have significantly higher growth rates. These strains are also more tolerant to various environmental stresses such as high light, CO2, temperature, and salinity. These strains may serve as future cell factories for the production of value-added chemicals on a large scale. This chapter will discuss the factors that influence the growth rates of cyanobacteria and some of the recent literature on strategies for the development of fast-growing hosts. Further, recent reports show that the growth rates of slow-growing cyanobacteria may be significantly improved by making only a few mutations or overexpressing some genes, thus paving the way for designer strains.
Subjects