Transgenicism in algae: Challenges in compatibility, global scenario and future prospects for next generation biofuel production

Abstract Considering algal potential in addressing fuel and food demands by exponentiation population, Engineering the wild gene to construct intensify productivity and customize final product are the critical way out for algal biotechnologists. With powerful genetic engineering strategies algal strains are screened, engineered and genetically redesigned for quicker growth, tolerance towards environmental change and accelerated biomass accumulation. The prime characteristics of current bio-fuels have the prospects of improvement in engine performance with engineering options available in lipid metabolism of algae promising the quality manipulations of final fuel product. Biofuels produced from algae have more compatible with diesel engine due to lower impact on the environment when compared to biofuels from lignocelluloses and crops. Transgenic green algae development has just begun in the last decade with the development of non-invasive strains powered by robust biology and the concerns of forming no hybrids wild type strains by natural genetic recombination. Higher instability of transgene caused by natural amenability to horizontal gene transfer from other strains makes Cyanobacteria uncertain candidate despite its good receptiveness of desired foreign genes. However, the current scenario will promise primitive explorations in algal transgenomics with lots more to come in near future.