Exploiting green tides thanks to a marine bacterium

Ulvan is the principal component of Ulva or “sea lettuce” which causes algal blooms (green tides). Scientists at the Station Biologique de Roscoff (CNRS/Sorbonne Université) and their German and Austrian colleagues have identified a marine bacterium whose enzymatic system can break down ulvan into an energy source or molecules of interest for use by the agrifood or cosmetics industries. Twelve enzymes have thus been discovered and they constitute as many tools that could transform this under-exploited polysaccharide into a renewable resource. This work is published on July 8 in Nature Chemical Biology.