Analysis of Commitment Point Attainment in Algae Dividing by Multiple Fission.

This work represents a detailed guide for commitment point analysis in microalgae dividing by multiple fission. The method is based on allowing the committed cells to divide in favorable conditions in the dark. This protocol offers a strategy to monitor cell cycle progression, both in control cultures and cultures treated with compounds affecting cell cycle length and/or progression.

Assaying Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Activity in Synchronized Algal Cultures.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are key regulators of the cell cycle in eukaryotes. Assessing their activity is one of the basic methods used to analyze their function. This is particularly true in synchronized cultures of unicellular organisms, where the entire culture is in the same physiological state.

Characterization of an aerated submerged hollow fiber ultrafiltration device for efficient microalgae harvesting.

The present work characterizes a submerged aerated hollow fiber polyvinylidene fluorid (PVDF) membrane (0.03 μm) device () designed for the ultrafiltration (UF) of microalgae suspensions. Commercial baker's yeast served as model suspension to investigate the influence of the aeration rate of the hollow fibers on the critical flux (CF, ) for different cell concentrations.

Tandem gene amplification restores photosystem II accumulation in cytochrome b mutants of cyanobacteria.

Cytochrome (Cyt) b is a key component of the photosystem II complex (PSII) that is essential for its proper functioning and assembly. Site-directed mutants of the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 with mutated heme axial ligands of Cyt b have little PSII and are therefore unable to grow photoautotrophically.

Evidence from the resurrected family Polyrhabdinidae Kamm, 1922 (Apicomplexa: Gregarinomorpha) supports the epimerite, an attachment organelle, as a major eugregarine innovation.

Background: Gregarines are a major group of apicomplexan parasites of invertebrates. The gregarine classification is largely incomplete because it relies primarily on light microscopy, while electron microscopy and molecular data in the group are fragmentary and often do not overlap. A key characteristic in gregarine taxonomy is the structure and function of their attachment organelles (AOs).

Study of microbiocenosis of canine dental biofilms.

Dental biofilm is a complex microbial community influenced by many exogenous and endogenous factors. Despite long-term studies, its bacterial composition is still not clearly understood. While most of the research on dental biofilms was conducted in humans, much less information is available from companion animals.

Production of Fucoxanthin from Using High Performance Countercurrent Chromatography Retaining Its FOXO3 Nuclear Translocation-Inducing Effect.

is a rich source of fucoxanthin, a carotenoid with several health benefits. In the present study, high performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC) was used to isolate fucoxanthin from an extract of . A multiple sequential injection HPCCC method was developed combining two elution modes (reverse phase and extrusion).

Diclofenac Alters the Cell Cycle Progression of the Green Alga .

The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that a potential cause of the phytotoxicity of diclofenac (DCF, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) is an effect of cell cycle progression. This research was conducted using synchronous cultures of a model organism, green alga . The project examined DCF effects on selected parameters that characterize cell cycle progression, such as cell size, attainment of commitment points, DNA replication, number of nuclei formed during cells division and morphology of cells in consecutive stages of the cell cycle, together with the physiological and biochemical parameters of algae cells at different stages.

Gradual Response of Cyanobacterial Thylakoids to Acute High-Light Stress-Importance of Carotenoid Accumulation.

Light plays an essential role in photosynthesis; however, its excess can cause damage to cellular components. Photosynthetic organisms thus developed a set of photoprotective mechanisms (e.g.

Naturally zinc-containing bacteriochlorophyll a ([Zn]-BChl a) protects the photosynthetic apparatus of Acidiphilium rubrum from copper toxicity damage.

In almost all photosynthetic organisms the photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) are Mg containing complexes, but Mg may be exchanged against other metal ions when these are present in toxic concentrations, leading to inactivation of photosynthesis. In this report we studied mechanisms of copper toxicity to the photosynthetic apparatus of Acidiphilium rubrum, an acidophilic purple bacterium that uses Zn instead of Mg as the central metal in the BChl molecules ([Zn]-BChl) of its reaction centres (RCs) and light harvesting proteins (LH1). We used a combination of in vivo measurements of photosynthetic activity (fast fluorescence and absorption kinetics) together with analysis of metal binding to pigments and pigment-protein complexes by HPLC-ICP-sfMS to monitor the effect of Cu on photosynthesis of A.

To Divide or Not to Divide? How Deuterium Affects Growth and Division of .

Extensive in vivo replacement of hydrogen by deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, induces a distinct stress response, reduces cell growth and impairs cell division in various organisms. Microalgae, including , a well-established model organism in cell cycle studies, are no exception. , a green unicellular alga of the class, divides by multiple fission, grows autotrophically and can be synchronized by alternating light/dark regimes; this makes it a model of first choice to discriminate the effect of deuterium on growth and/or division.

Characterization of Growth and Cell Cycle Events Affected by Light Intensity in the Green Alga : A New Model for Cell Cycle Research.

Multiple fission is a cell cycle variation leading to the production of more than two daughter cells. Here, we used synchronized cultures of the chlorococcal green alga to study its growth and pattern of cell division under varying light intensities. The time courses of DNA replication, nuclear and cellular division, cell size, total RNA, protein content, dry matter and accumulation of starch were observed at incident light intensities of 110, 250 and 500 µmol photons ms.

Comparison of various approaches to detect algal culture contamination: a case study of Chlorella sp. contamination in a Phaeodactylum tricornutum culture.

Microalgal contamination in algal culture is a serious problem hampering the cultivation process, which can result in considerable economic and time losses. With the field of microalgal biotechnology on the rise, development of new tools for monitoring the cultures is of high importance. Here we present a case study of the detection of fast-growing green algae Chlorella vulgaris (as contaminant) in a diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum culture using various approaches.

Chemical diversity and cellular effects of antifungal cyclic lipopeptides from cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria produce a variety of chemically diverse cyclic lipopeptides with potent antifungal activities. These cyclic lipopeptides have an amphipathic structure comprised of a polar peptide cycle and hydrophobic fatty acid side chain. Many have antibiotic activity against a range of human and plant fungal pathogens.

Cyanochelins, an Overlooked Class of Widely Distributed Cyanobacterial Siderophores, Discovered by Silent Gene Cluster Awakening.

Cyanobacteria require iron for growth and often inhabit iron-limited habitats, yet only a few siderophores are known to be produced by them. We report that cyanobacterial genomes frequently encode polyketide synthase (PKS)/nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) biosynthetic pathways for synthesis of lipopeptides featuring -hydroxyaspartate (-OH-Asp), a residue known to be involved in iron chelation. Iron starvation triggered the synthesis of -OH-Asp lipopeptides in the cyanobacteria sp.

Starch Production in through Supraoptimal Temperature in a Pilot-Scale Photobioreactor.

An increase in temperature can have a profound effect on the cell cycle and cell division in green algae, whereas growth and the synthesis of energy storage compounds are less influenced. In laboratory experiments have shown that exposure to a supraoptimal temperature (39 °C) causes a complete block of nuclear and cellular division accompanied by an increased accumulation of starch. In this work we explore the potential of supraoptimal temperature as a method to promote starch production in in a pilot-scale photobioreactor.

Artificial neural network analysis of microbial diversity in the central and southern Adriatic Sea.

Bacteria are an active and diverse component of pelagic communities. The identification of main factors governing microbial diversity and spatial distribution requires advanced mathematical analyses. Here, the bacterial community composition was analysed, along with a depth profile, in the open Adriatic Sea using amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA and the Neural gas algorithm.

The biosynthesis of phospholipids is linked to the cell cycle in a model eukaryote.

The structural challenges faced by eukaryotic cells through the cell cycle are key for understanding cell viability and proliferation. We tested the hypothesis that the biosynthesis of structural lipids is linked to the cell cycle. If true, this would suggest that the cell's structure is important for progress through and perhaps even control of the cell cycle.

Exploring Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids (MAAs) as Safe and Natural Protective Agents against UV-Induced Skin Damage.

Prolonged exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can induce many chronic or acute skin disorders in humans. To protect themselves, many people have started to apply cosmetic products containing UV-screening chemicals alone or together with physical sunblocks, mainly based on titanium-dioxide (TiO) or zinc-oxide (ZnO). However, it has now been shown that the use of chemical and physical sunblocks is not safe for long-term application, so searches for the novel, natural UV-screening compounds derived from plants or bacteria are gaining attention.