Abstract

Microalgae as Nanofactory for Production of Antimicrobial Molecules

Luis G Ramirez-Merida, Leila Queiroz Zepka, Cristiano Ragagnin de Menezes and Eduardo Jacob-Lopes

In recent decades, due to increasing bacterial resistance, have been developed researches to find molecules with antimicrobial activity. The searches for new compounds, especially unexplored sources such as microalgae are a potential alternative. Microalgae are microorganisms extremely diverse and ubiquitous; they have advantages to become a powerful nanofactory due to the variety of metabolic compounds as the ability to form metallic nanoparticles with antimicrobial effect. This mini-review shows the importance of integrating nanotechnology with microalgae and/ or their products for the preservation and formation of molecules to be applied in prophylactic therapy and infectious.