ABSTRACT
In recent times, the world population has seen an enormous boom, which has inevitably increased both consumption and demand for energy and resources, therefore, taking a toll on nature. To offset the challenges of a fossil-fuel based economy, microbially mediated technologies are emerging alternatives for the production of biofuels and value-added products. Extremophilic microalgae include a broad range of photosynthetic microorganisms that have evolved to acclimatize to harsh ecological niches. Recently, they have garnered interest due to the wide range of products they can synthesize owing to their unique metabolic adaptations.
In this context, the present chapter discusses the various metabolic adaptations that enable the survival of extremophilic microalgae under harsh environmental conditions and further elucidates their phylogenetic evolution based on the16S rDNA sequences. Subsequently, the salient features of large-scale cultivation of extremophilic microalgae are described. Lastly, the chapter examines the different products that can be derived from extremophilic microalgae and the possibility of engineering them for enhanced product recovery.
