Unveiling the Biological Potential of Indigenous Oscillatoria spp. From Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Through Advanced Characterization

<i>Oscillatoria</i> species are considered versatile, eco-friendly bio-factories with significant potential for diverse sustainable innovations and applications. Characterizing <i>Oscillatoria</i> sp. is crucial for realizing their full potential as they exhibit differential growth patterns and produce various secondary metabolites. This study aims to systematically characterize and compare two freshwater and two marine <i>Oscillatoria</i> species. Thus, growth phases, nutritional composition, biochemical profiles (fatty acid and amino acid) and pigment contents of <i>Oscillatoria</i> species were analyzed. <i>Oscillatoria</i> species were cultured for growth curve determination and eventually mass cultured, harvested, and oven-dried for the analyses. The growth curve of <i>Oscillatoria</i> spp. was assessed through chlorophyll-a and optical density. Crude protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents varied from 21.56% ± 0.09% to 56.97% ± 0.03%, 9.07% ± 0.07% to 17.13% ± 0.13%, and 7.49% ± 0.15% to 17.04% ± 0.08%, respectively. Mono-unsaturated fatty acids were found higher in <i>Oscillatoria</i> spp. than saturated fatty acids. Non-essential amino acids (61.12% ± 0.05% to 64.62% ± 0.03%) were found higher than essential amino acids (35.38% ± 0.02% to 38.84% ± 0.04%). Higher pigment contents were found in highly filamentous <i>Oscillatoria</i> spp. than in planktonic species. This comprehensive approach facilitates the targeted characterization and selection of <i>Oscillatoria</i> spp. with desirable traits, ensuring their effective and specific utilization. Optimizing large-scale cultivation and efficient extraction of valuable metabolites from <i>Oscillatoria</i> sp. can significantly advance their potential benefits and integration into diverse commercial applications.