<i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a producer of lipids for antibacterial, antibiofilm and antifungal properties

The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-biofilm activities of the methanolic extract of marine <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> along with its lipid composition, including carotenoids. The <i>C. vulgaris</i> strain, isolated from the Mediterranean coast of northern Morocco, was identified morphologically and molecularly by partial sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. The methanolic extract of <i>C. vulgaris</i> demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, with MIC values ranging from 3.12 to 12.5 mg mL⁻¹. The antibiofilm activity of the extract was dose-dependent against <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>. The extract demonstrated antifungal activity against four fungal strains. <i>A. brasiliensis</i> was shown to be the most sensitive species, whereas <i>M. hiemalis</i> was the least sensitive one. The identified lipid compounds mainly consisted of polar species e.g. phospholipids and carotenoids including lutein and neoxanthin, whose antimicrobial activity is generally recognised.