Fu Han-yi, an assistant professor of biological sciences at National Sun Yat-sen University, collaborated with Taiwanese and Korean scholars to sequence the genome of a newly discovered species of red algae found in Yangmingshan National Park, naming it “Yangmingshan hot spring red algae.” Together with colleagues, including Liu Shao-lun, assistant professor of life sciences at Tunghai University, Chiang Yin-ru, a biodiversity researcher at Academia Sinica, and Hwan Su Yoon, associate professor of biological sciences at Sungkyunkwan University, they used gene sequencing techniques to classify and differentiate the algae from a previously misclassified genus and species.
They discovered that the algae has thermophilic and acidophilic properties, a unique mechanism for regulating photosynthesis, and can absorb heavy metals. These characteristics make it an excellent candidate for applications in environmental biotechnologies such as carbon sequestration and wastewater treatment. Their research, published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Phycology, aims to further investigate the algae’s photosynthetic regulation mechanism and electrochromic reaction characteristics.
News Source from RTI (Radio Taiwan International)
This groundbreaking discovery, highlights immense potential for future net-zero sustainability. The unique characteristics of the hot spring red algae, including its ability to absorb heavy metals and its special photosynthetic properties, open up new possibilities for environmental conservation and sustainable development.
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