Low-cost and efficient strategy for brown algal hydrolysis: Combination of alginate lyase and cellulase.

[Display omitted] • A newly isolated bacterium, B1Z05, is capable of efficient alginate degradation. • B1Z05 contains an extended pathway for alginate metabolism. • The low-cost but efficient strategy has great potential to prepare AOSs. • The seaweed hydrolysis rates of B1Z05 are higher than the commercial product CE201. • The obtained seaweed extracts are rich in phytohormones. Brown algae are rich in biostimulants that not only stimulate the overall development and growth of plants but also have great beneficial effects on the whole soil–plant system. However, alginate, the major component of brown algae, is comparatively difficult to degrade. The cost of preparing alginate oligosaccharides (AOSs) is still too high to produce seaweed fertilizer. In this work, the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. B1Z05 is found to be capable of efficient alginate depolymerization and harbors an extended pathway for alginate metabolism. The B1Z05 extracellular cell-free supernatant exhibited great potential for AOS production at low cost, which, together with cellulase, can efficiently hydrolyze seaweed. The brown algal hydrolysis rates were significantly greater than those of the commercial alginate lyase product CE201, and the obtained seaweed extracts were rich in phytohormones. This work provides a low-cost but efficient strategy for the sustainable production of desirable AOSs and seaweed fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]