A pipeline for the isolation and cultivation of microalgae and cyanobacteria from hypersaline environments

Tavčar Verdev, Petra (author), Dolinar, Marko (author)

Microorganisms in high-salinity environments play a critical role in biogeochemical cycles, primary production, and the biotechnological exploitation of extremozymes and bioactive compounds. The main challenges in current research include isolating and cultivating these microorganisms under laboratory conditions and understanding their complex adaptive mechanisms to high salinity. Currently, universally recognized protocols for isolating microalgae and cyanobacteria from salt pans, salterns, and similar natural habitats are lacking. Establishing axenic laboratory cultures is essential for identifying new species thriving in high-salinity environments and for exploring the synthesis of high-value metabolites by these microorganisms ex situ. Our ongoing research primarily focuses on photosynthetic microorganisms with significant biotechnological potential, particularly for skincare applications. By integrating data from the existing literature with our empirical findings, we propose a standardized pipeline for the isolation and laboratory cultivation of microalgae and cyanobacteria originating from aqueous environments characterized by elevated salt concentrations, such as solar salterns. This approach will be particularly useful for researchers working with microorganisms adapted to hypersaline waters.

• Language: English
• Keywords: salterns, salt pans, halophilic microorganisms, culture systems, axenic culture, biotechnology, Chlorophyta, Cyanoprokaryota
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 21 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 3, art. 603
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-170834
• UDC: 582.232
• ISSN on article: 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13030603
• COBISS.SI-ID: 229089027
• Publication date in RUL: 17.07.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Microorganisms
• Shortened title: Microorganisms
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2607
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523277081

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: soline, slanišča, halofilni mikroorganizmi, sistemi gojenja, biotehnologija, Chlorophyta, Cyanoprokaryota

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P1-0048-2018
• Name: Strukturna biologija

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: L4-4564-2022
• Name: Biotehnološki potencial izbranih mikroorganizmov iz Sečoveljskih solin za uporabo v kozmetičnih izdelkih