Enzymes From Soil Algae and Their Applications

Abstract

Microalgae have a great potential for enzyme synthesis for several applications in the industry; hence, they are referred to as biofactories. In comparison with other microbial cells, microalgae have the advantage of having a photoautotrophic attribute with minimal nutritional requirements. Enzymes are widely investigated in aquatic microalgae while some of them are studied to explore their abundance in soil and their role in the environment like laccases in green algae. The group of taxa that demonstrate Laccase enzyme activity includes taxa Tetracystis sp., Trebouxia sp., Scenedesmus sp., Chlamydomonas sp., Chlorococcum sp., Nostoc muscorum, and Chlorella vulgaris. Nostoc ellipsosporum are significantly responsible for phenolic/pesticide degradation. For example, enzymes for biodiesel production and for the production high-value-added lipids (acyl-CoA diacylglycerol acyltransferase in Chlorella ellipsoidea) and enzymes utilized in healthcare applications (polytone synthase, l-asparaginase, Lycopene -cyclase, -Carotene Oxygenase, found in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella vulgaris). Enzymes like glutathione reductase, dismutase, and laccases play significant role to removing toxic metals, pesticides, and phenolic pollutants. This environmental breakdown of phenolic pollutants contributes as a fundamental process of biodegradation. The source of these enzymes is the group of algal taxa includes Scenedesmus sp., Chlorella sp., Trebouxia sp. This chapter is an attempt to achieve the objective of “state-of-the-art” enzymes by illustrating the methods and enzymatic regulations and focusing on the microalgal enzymes in industrial, health, or environmental applications. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.