Algae-UK: exploiting the algal treasure trove

“藻类”是光合生物，该术语包括宏观形式（海藻）和微观形式（真核微藻和蓝藻）。藻类的共同特点是它们利用阳光将二氧化碳转化为生物质，并且它们在水生环境中生长。在10万种藻类中存在着巨大的生物多样性，其中许多适合作为食物、牲畜和水产养殖饲料、天然纤维和生物燃料的来源。此外，从藻类中提取的化合物在新药、保健品、生物聚合物和天然色素等方面具有广泛的潜在应用。因此，藻类代表了可持续的、以生物为基础的未来的重要组成部分，在这种未来中，有价值的产品是通过光合作用从二氧化碳和基本营养物质中产生的，但与作物不同，藻类的种植不需要耕地。此外，基因工程和合成生物学的进步提供了设计蓝藻或微藻的可能性，以生产一系列新的高价值重组，如治疗蛋白和特殊生物分子。英国在蓝藻、微藻和大藻的生物学和生物技术方面拥有优秀的科学基础。然而，与美国、中国和欧洲大陆在应用藻类研究上投入的数百万美元相比，它的规模仍然很小，资源也相对不足。尽管如此，目前的PHYCONET NIBB已经建立了一个由学术界、工业界和其他利益相关者组成的热情社区，并帮助催化了“微藻高价值产品”领域的重大研发和参与。新的网络，英国藻类，将建立在这一势头，扩大网络的职权范围，以涵盖大型藻类，并给予更多的关注蓝藻合成生物学的新兴领域。此外，algate - uk将把重点扩展到高价值产品之外：这与大型藻类特别相关，在过去几年中，人们对海藻作为健康食品和膳食补充剂，以及动物饲料，肥料和用作天然增稠剂和胶的水胶体聚合物来源的兴趣急剧增加。Algae-UK的目标将是支持在关键领域的转化研究，这些领域可能会推动藻类生物技术部门的发展。即：1)关键藻类的遗传改良和驯化；Ii)通过合成生物学的应用开发先进的平台菌株；Iii)利用藻类代谢多样性；Iv)推进高效种植和下游加工的工程解决方案；V)了解商业成功的机会和障碍，包括法规、环境限制；公众接受;市场竞争。algal -UK将成为英国藻类生物科学研究界、IB部门经营企业和其他利益相关者的中心，为实现跨步变革创造关键的专业知识、努力和重点，使英国成为藻类生物技术领域的领先企业。我们还将与欧洲、美国、中国和其他主要国家的其他藻类生物技术网络和组织建立联系，以进一步提高英国社区的形象，并分享资金和培训机会。

'Algae' are photosynthetic organisms with the term encompasses both macroscopic forms (seaweeds) and microscopic forms (eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria). The unifying features of algae is that they use sunlight to convert CO2 into biomass and they grow in an aquatic environment. There is huge biological diversity amongst the 100,000's species of algae with many suitable as sources of food, livestock and aquaculture feed, natural fibres and biofuels. In addition, compounds derived from algae have a wide range of potential applications such as novel drugs, health supplements, bio-polymers and natural pigments. Algae therefore represent an important component of a sustainable, bio-based future in which valuable products are generated from CO2 and basic nutrients by photosynthesis, but cultivation does not require arable land, unlike crop plants. Furthermore, advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology offer the possibility of designer cyanobacteria or microalgae tailored to produce a range of novel high-value recombinants such as therapeutic proteins and speciality biomolecules.The UK has an excellent science base in the biology and biotechnology of cyanobacteria, microalgae and macroalgae. However, it remains small and relatively under-resourced compared to the millions of dollars being invested in applied algal research in the US, China, and in mainland Europe. Despite this, the current PHYCONET NIBB has built an enthusiastic community of academics, industry and other stakeholders and helped catalyse significant R&D and engagement in the area of 'high value products from microalgae'. The new network, Algae-UK, will build on this momentum by broadening the remit of the network to encompass macroalgae, and to give more focus to the emerging area of cyanobacterial synthetic biology. Furthermore, Algae-UK will extend its focus beyond high-value products: this is particularly relevant for macroalgae where the last few years has seen a dramatic increase in interest in seaweeds as health foods and dietary supplements, as well as animal feeds, fertilisers and sources of hydocolloid polymers used as natural thickeners and gums.The objectives of Algae-UK will be to support translational research into key areas that are likely to advance the algal biotechnology sector. Namely: i) genetic improvement and domestication of key algal species; ii) development of advanced platform strains through applications of synthetic biology; iii) exploitation of algal metabolic diversity; iv) advancing engineering solutions to efficient cultivation and downstream processing; v) understanding the opportunities and barriers to commercial success, including regulation, environmental constraints; public acceptance; market competition.Algal-UK will serve as the hub for the UK algal biosciences research community, businesses operating in the IB sector, and other stakeholders - creating the critical mass of expertise, effort and focus needed to achieve the step-change and make the UK a leading player in algal biotechnology. We will also forge links with other algal biotech networks and organizations in Europe, the US, China and other leading countries to further raise the profile of the UK community and share funding and training opportunities.