Editorial: Symbiotic interactions of algae and microorganisms: physiology and industrial applications

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Symbiotic interactions of algae and microorganisms: physiology and industrial applicationsAlgae (micro-and macro) are one of the most diverse groups of species, representing a considerable part of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.The diversity of algae enables tailoring of the biomass for a spectrum of bioproducts, including pigments, biofertilizers, ink, nutraceuticals, fish feed, lubricating oils, food supplements, and cosmetics (Arora and Philippidis, 2023).Macroalgae, or seaweeds, are a vital part of aquaculture in addition to being a sustainable source of several marketed bioactive compounds.Interactions of seaweeds with microorganisms in natural ecosystems significantly impact their composition, metabolic activities, response to climate change, pollution, and anthropogenic activities, ultimately determining the suitability of their usage.The surface of seaweeds is a highly active interface, perfect for harboring a consortium of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and diatoms.Elucidation and understanding of interactions between algae and microorganisms are crucial from both an ecological and industrial standpoint (Ren et al., 2022).Moreover, a fundamental understanding of the changes in the microbial community in response to biotic and abiotic stress is necessary for optimizing the yield of the target bioactive compounds and controlling detrimental invaders.Another important aspect of algae-microbial symbiosis is harnessing algae-based technologies for developing sustainable and cost-effective strategies for waste water remediation, biofuels, and bioproducts.One of the critical barriers to the successful translation of technology from research to market is the high cost of cultivating and harvesting algal biomass.Symbiotic interactions of algae with other microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and fungi could potentially enhance biomass productivity and quality, in addition to easing harvesting and reducing culture crashes by outcompeting invaders (Arora et al., 2019).Moreover, co-cultures of algae with other beneficial Frontiers in Marine Science frontiersin.