Applications of Algae as a Potential Biofuel

How would you extract G3P from algae? Some form of fractionation or distillation?

Also have scientists made mutant strains of algae that will mass produce biofuel material (similar to e. coli strains that mass produce Green Flourescent Protien)?

G3P is from photosynthesis and is the resultant molecule from the Calvin Cycle. G3P can be used to produce sugars such as glucose and lipid compounds using fatty acids. The main point is to not extract G3P, but the resultant molecules. Studies have shown that under stressed environments (lack of nitrogen) algae has a tendency to store G3P as a lipids which can be use as a potential biofuel.

Also I believe that scientists are working on increasing the production of pigments in order to lead to greater capture during the light phase of photosynthesis through genetic manipulation.

The ketocarotenoid astaxanthin is produced by a number of marine bacteria and microalgae. It is synthesized from β-carotene by the addition of two keto groups to carbons C4 and C4′ and two hydroxyl groups to C3 and C3′. The gene, crtO, encoding β-C-4-oxygenase which converts β-carotene to canthaxanthin was cloned from the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis. We transferred crtO to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC7942, which contains a β-carotene hydroxylase gene and normally accumulates β-carotene and zeaxanthin. The genetically engineered cyanobacterium produced astaxanthin as well as other ketocarotenoids. The results confirm that crtO can function in cyanobacteria in conjunction with the intrinsic carotenoid enzymes to produce astaxanthin. Specifically, this finding indicates that β-carotene hydroxylase, which normally converts β-carotene to zeaxanthin, can also function in the biosynthesis of astaxanthin. These results provide the first evidence of genetic manipulation of a plant-type carotenoid biosynthesis pathway toward the production of novel carotenoids.

Alginate is also used for making a food source for bacteria to grow in petri dishes (ive taken microbiology)

Of course you're not mentioning this in reference to it being a gelling agent.

Of course you're not mentioning this in reference to it being a gelling agent.

Alginate is mainly used for a gelling agent yo. O.o




It is used mainly for its gelling agent, adding a food substance to it makes growing cultures in petri dishes cake.
You can even add blood to it to grow other cultures that feed on blood mostly (S. Aureus, etc etc)

 Spoiler

I had this disjunction between the gelling agent being a substance that couldn't be eaten by microorganisms and also a substance that supported / denied the growth of certain microorganisms. I used so many different gels that I ended up confusing myself. Sorry.