Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Engineering

Ecology

Biotechnology

Bacteria

Biology

Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Computer science

Botany

Diatom

Bioproduction

Business

Biochemical engineering

Genetics

Biofuel

Factory (object-oriented programming)

Biorefinery

Chemistry

Programming language

Trends in biotechnology

A switch from a petroleum-based to a biobased economy requires the capacity to produce both high-value low-volume and low-value high-volume products. Recent evidence supports the development of microalgae-based microbial cell factories with the objective of establishing environmentally sustainable manufacturing solutions. Diatoms display rich diversity and potential in this regard. We focus on <i>Phaeodactylum tricornutum</i>, a pennate diatom that is commonly found in marine ecosystems, and discuss recent trends in developing the diatom chassis for the production of a suite of natural and genetically engineered products. Both upstream and downstream developments are reviewed for the commercial development of <i>P. tricornutum</i> as a cell factory for a spectrum of marketable products.

Phaeodactylum tricornutum: A Diatom Cell Factory