A large variety of algae are used as inactive ingredients and are beneficial for both human beings and animals. Cryptophytes form a large group of microalgae, including 20 genera and more with 200 species. They always gain the attention of scientists and research scholars due to their biological features and potential applications in the field of biotechnology. They are used in the field of food, cosmetics, medicine and pharmaceuticals. This article provides remarkable information about cryptophytes. So, let us learn more about it. 

Overview 

Cryptophytes come under the category of algae. They have varied forms of lengths from 3 μm (Hemiselmis species) to 50 μm (Cryptomonas curvata). 

Cryptophyte algae are unicellular with eukaryotic algae that constitute a major group of phytoplanktons. They are developed from the secondary endosymbiosis between a single cell eukaryotes host and a red algal predecessor. The plastid of cryptophyte was received from the red algal ancestor, and that plastid consists of a nucleomorph. They are reddish, bluish, green or brownish due to accessory pigments. It should be noted that cryptophytes do not have any cell wall; however, they contain an extra pair of membranes around the plastids, like other chromophyte algae. 

• Producers: They are very important primary producers in marine and freshwater environments and are also considered essential secondary producers because they have sterol, good fatty acids, and amino acids. 

In the case of aquatic environments around the rocky mountains, they play an important role in the lake ecosystems. They are present in abundance in the phytoplankton, and they are also found under ice cover, which has less amount of solar energy for the process of photosynthesis. Zooplanktons are the essential food for fish and other aquatic animals that are part of aquatic ecosystems. 

• Reproduction: In most of the cryptophytes, there are two flagella along with flattened and elliptical shapes. In the water, they performed the process of reproduction in which they split into two unequal flagella. 

Longer flagellums have two flagella in opposite directions. The flagella have the property of rigidity that tends to stimulate the locomotor behaviour of flagella and cause them into the water. Moreover, flagellums are covered with rosulate scales. They consist of asymmetrical body structures. 

Nutrition behaviour 

Cryptophytes are both heterotrophic and autotrophic. They have the ability to catch and eat the prey or also utilise photosynthesis to acquire energy for the cell. They have diversified cells due to their feature on the periplast known as furrow, which consists of ejectosomes. These cells have the ability to engulf bacteria and kill the prey by using poison-like substances. Cells use photosynthesis by utilising chlorophyll and other accessory pigments. 

They also have other pigments such as alpha-carotene, cryptoxanthin and alloxanthin. According to many scientists, cryptophytes acquired the characteristics of heterotrophs because of these pigments. 

Categories

There are a variety of cryptophytes based on their morphological features and other functions. They are explained below: 

• Ejectosomes: When two ribbons of different sizes are connected under the stimulation of friction, they are referred to as ejectosomes.  
• Periplast: It has a double layer framework which is surrounded by the cells that have an inner layer made up of protein and an external layer of components of periplast. Between the external and internal layers, the plasma membrane is present. They have starch grains, ribosomes (the 80S) and a highly reduced nucleus known as a nucleomorph. It is different from cryptophytes that have plastic in the body with proper cell shape and in flagellum structure. 

Bioactive Compounds 

• Fatty Acids: They are long aliphatic chains with carboxylic acids. In the case of cryptophytes, the carbon skeleton structure of fatty acid varies from C12 to C24 consists of one or more double bonds. A varied range of fatty acids and their oxidising products of nutritional and chemo-taxonomic importance are present in algae; however, fatty acid range depends upon the species. Mainly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are found in this species and these compounds are vital for human growth.  

Conclusion

Cryptophytes have a varied number of features that make them important for the ecosystem and different habitats. A large variety of algae are used as inactive ingredients that are beneficial for both human beings and animals in terms of improving health. They have potential applications in the field of biotechnology and are used in the field of food, cosmetics, medicine and pharmaceuticals.