The recent progress on the bioactive compounds from algal biomass for human health applications

Abstract

The secondary metabolites produced by algae (including macroalgae and microalgae) possess several human health benefits. The bioactive compounds in algae have potential to be used in the medical and pharmaceutical industries for drug discovery. The rapid development of genetic tools and omics approaches has extended the understanding of algal metabolism along with enhanced productivity and improving the properties of bioactive compounds. Thus, the focus of this review is to discuss the molecular progress on algae for bioactive compound production which includes genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The comprehensive discussion on multi-omics approaches provides the potential knowledge for future research. The structural and functional genomics, application of genetic tools, molecular mechanisms of bioactive compound synthesis, protein modification, and the omics performance of algae at various levels under abiotic stress are discussed. Gene annotation and identification of key functions are the basis of genomics which provides the comprehensive overview of genetic modification. The recent development of molecular modifications and their application in algae to produce high-yield bioactive compounds that meet human needs through the optimization of algal target strains are also emphasized. The exploration of the molecular mechanisms of bioactive compounds under abiotic stress is of great practical significance to guide the optimization of culture conditions.