Co-Producing Phycocyanin and Bioplastic in Using Carbon-Rich Wastewater.

Microalgae can treat waste streams containing elevated levels of organic carbon and nitrogen. This process can be economically attractive if high value products are created simultaneously from the relatively low-cost waste stream. Co-production of two high value microalgal products, phycocyanin and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), was investigated using non-axenic MUR126 and supplemental organic carbon (acetate, oxalate, glycerol and combinations).

The Genome of the Acid Soil-Adapted Strain OR191 Encodes Determinants for Effective Symbiotic Interaction With Both an Inverted Repeat Lacking Clade and a Phaseoloid Legume Host.

Although forms highly effective symbioses with the comparatively acid-sensitive genus , its introduction into acid soils appears to have selected for symbiotic interactions with acid-tolerant strains. has the unusual ability of being able to nodulate and fix nitrogen, albeit sub-optimally, not only with but also with the promiscuous host . Here we describe the genome of OR191 and genomic features important for the symbiotic interaction with both of these hosts.

Outdoor phycocyanin production in a standalone thermally-insulated photobioreactor.

The operation of solar microalgal photobioreactors requires sufficient cooling and heating to maintain reliable high productivity year-round. These operations are energy-intensive and expensive. Growth characteristics and phycocyanin production of Arthrospira platensis were investigated during the austral winter using a thermally-insulated photobioreactor with photovoltaic panel integration for electricity generation.

Halogenated cyclic peptides isolated from the sponge Corticium sp.

Fractionation of two Fijian specimens of the sponge Corticium sp. led to the isolation of the known active alkaloid steroid plakinamine A and two new halogenated cyclic peptides, corticiamide A (1) and cyclocinamide B (2). Structural elucidation of 1 and 2 was achieved by an extensive combination of high-field NMR and HRFT MS/MS experiments, and the absolute stereochemistry of 2 was determined by acid hydrolysis and Marfey's analysis.

Pycnanthuquinone C, an unusual 6,6,5-tricyclic Geranyltoluquinone from the Western Australian brown alga Cystophora harveyi.

Chemical investigation of the Western Australian marine brown alga Cystophora harveyi resulted in the isolation of the new linearly fused 6,6,5-tricyclic compound pycnanthuquinone C (1), in addition to four previously reported geranyltoluquinol derivatives. Structures were elucidated by interpretation of spectrometric data. Compounds with the same cyclic skeleton as 1 have been reported to be useful drug leads for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, while compounds 4 and 7 are known constituents of Chinese medicinal herbs.

Tetraprenyltoluquinols from the brown alga Cystophora fibrosa.

Six cyclised tetraprenyltoluquinols and five stereoisomers with the previously reported amentol skeleton have been isolated from the lipophilic extract of the South African brown alga Cystophora fibrosa. Structures and relative stereochemistry were determined using spectrometric techniques, particularly 1D and 2D NMR, and molecular modelling experiments. The compounds isolated appear to be enantiomeric to compounds with the same skeleton isolated from brown algae of the genus Cystoseira collected in northern Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.