Discerning the Molecular Toolkit of Microalgae and Bacteria through Omic Approaches

Abstract

Bacteria and microalgae present phenotypes of great advantage for a variety of biotechnological applications; however, the molecular tools they use to perform what we observe as beneficial traits are still unknown. This work aims to shed light on three specific processes: the production of waxes, the secretion of sugars and the degradation of plastics. Through the application of bioinformatic and evolutionary principles, we explore the targeted manipulation of the bacterial Wax Ester Synthase Ma1 to better understand its substrate preference, we also examine algal genomes and transcriptomes in the search of the genes behind the secretion of glucose and maltose, and we dig into the plastic degradation capabilities of Minnesotan bacteria. From the isolation of potential plastic degraders to the sequence analysis of algae with a specific phenotype and the targeted manipulation of Ma1, all projects aim to benefit our environment by discovering alternative sources of fuels and chemicals or by searching for better ways to manage our waste.