Disruption of Botryococcus braunii colonies by glycoside hydrolases

Microalgae are a promising alternative resource to fossil-based products. Botryococcus braunii is a colonial green microalga having the ability to convert CO2 by photosynthesis into long chain hydrocarbons. These are excreted and trapped in an extracellular matrix (ECM). A panel of glycosidases ranging from arabinanase, galactananase to endoglucanase was tested for their ability to lyse the polysaccharides maintaining the B. braunii colony integrity in order to release the hydrocarbons present in the extracellular matrix without harming the cells. The BpGH9 endoglucanase from Bacillus pumilus was fused with CtCBM3a from Clostridium thermocellum and yellow fluorescent protein to probe the presence of microcrystalline cellulose in the cell wall of B. braunii and to increase the efficacy of the endoglucanase. All the tested enzymes were able to some extent to dissociate the cells from the extracellular matrix while keeping them alive, suggesting the feasibility of a semi-continuous in situ recovery of hydrocarbons.