Integrating phytoremediation and mycoremediation with biosurfactant-producing fungi for hydrocarbon removal and the potential production of secondary resources.

Treatment of petroleum-contaminated soil to a less toxic medium via physical and chemical treatment is too costly and requires posttreatment. This review focuses on the employment of phytoremediation and mycoremediation technologies in cleaning hydrocarbon-contaminated soil which is currently rare. It is considered environmentally beneficial and possibly cost-effective as it implements the synergistic interaction between plants and biosurfactant producing mycorrhiza to degrade hydrocarbon contaminants.

Performance of a modified and intermittently operated slow sand filter with two different mediums in removing turbidity, ammonia, and phosphate with varying acclimatization periods.

The present study investigated the utilization of blood clam shells as a potential substitute for conventional media, as well as the influence of the acclimation time on the efficacy of an intermittent slow sand filter (ISSF) in the treatment of real domestic wastewater. ISSF was operated with 16 h on and 8 h off, focusing on the parameters of turbidity, ammonia, and phosphate. Two media combinations (only blood clam shells [CC] and sand + blood clam shells [SC]) were operated under two different acclimatization periods (14 and 28 d).

Maximizing diesel removal from contaminated sand using and assessment of rhizobacteria addition effect.

Phytoremediation is one of the green technologies that is friendly to nature, utilizes fewer chemicals, and exhibits good performance. In this study, phytoremediation was used to treat diesel-contaminated sand using a local aquatic plant species, Scirpus mucronatus, by analyzing the amount of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). Optimization of diesel removal was performed according to Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using Box-Behnken Design (BBD) under pilot-scale conditions.

A thylakoid biogenesis BtpA protein is required for the initial step of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis in cyanobacteria.

Biogenesis of the photosynthetic apparatus requires complicated molecular machinery, individual components of which are either poorly characterized or unknown. The BtpA protein has been described as a factor required for the stability of photosystem I (PSI) in cyanobacteria; however, how the BtpA stabilized PSI remains unexplained. To clarify the role of BtpA, we constructed and characterized the btpA-null mutant (ΔbtpA) in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.

Chlorophyll biosynthesis under the control of arginine metabolism.

In natural environments, photosynthetic organisms adjust their metabolism to cope with the fluctuating availability of combined nitrogen sources, a growth-limiting factor. For acclimation, the dynamic degradation/synthesis of tetrapyrrolic pigments, as well as of the amino acid arginine, is pivotal; however, there has been no evidence that these processes could be functionally coupled. Using co-immunopurification and spectral shift assays, we found that in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.

The cyanobacterial FtsH4 protease controls accumulation of protein factors involved in the biogenesis of photosystem I.

Membrane-bound FtsH proteases are universally present in prokaryotes and in mitochondria and chloroplasts of eukaryotic cells. These metalloproteases are often critical for viability and play both protease and chaperone roles to maintain cellular homeostasis. In contrast to most bacteria bearing a single ftsH gene, cyanobacteria typically possess four FtsH proteases (FtsH1-4) forming heteromeric (FtsH1/3 and FtsH2/3) and homomeric (FtsH4) complexes.

More than just an eagle killer: The freshwater cyanobacterium produces highly toxic dolastatin derivatives.

Cyanobacteria are infamous producers of toxins. While the toxic potential of planktonic cyanobacterial blooms is well documented, the ecosystem level effects of toxigenic benthic and epiphytic cyanobacteria are an understudied threat. The freshwater epiphytic cyanobacterium has recently been shown to produce the "eagle killer" neurotoxin aetokthonotoxin (AETX) causing the fatal neurological disease vacuolar myelinopathy.

Solar bioreactors used for the industrial production of microalgae.

Microalgae are excellent sources of biomass containing several important compounds for human and animal nutrition-proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, pigments and antioxidants as well as bioactive secondary metabolites. In addition, they have a great biotechnological potential for nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals as well as for CO sequestration, wastewater treatment, and potentially also biofuel and biopolymer production. In this review, the industrial production of the most frequently used microalgae genera-Arthrospira, Chlorella, Dunaliella, Haematococcus, Nannochloropsis, Phaeodactylum, Porphyridium and several other species is discussed as concerns the applicability of the most widely used large-scale systems, solar bioreactors (SBRs)-open ponds, raceways, cascades, sleeves, columns, flat panels, tubular systems and others.

Astaxanthin Extract from and Its Fractions of Astaxanthin Mono- and Diesters Obtained by CCC Show Differential Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Effects on Naïve-Mouse Spleen Cells.

Carotenoids are the most abundant lipid-soluble phytochemicals and are used as dietary supplements to protect against diseases caused by oxidative stress. Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid, is a very potent antioxidant with numerous beneficial effects on cellular functions and signaling pathways. In this study, using spleen cells from healthy Balb/c mice, we report the bio-functional effects of an astaxanthin-rich extract (EXT) prepared from the microalga and its astaxanthin monoesters-rich fraction (ME) and astaxanthin diesters-rich fraction (DE) obtained by fractionation of EXT using countercurrent chromatography (CCC).

Isolation of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids from Red Macroalgae and a Marine Lichen by High-Performance Countercurrent Chromatography: A Strategy to Obtain Biological UV-Filters.

Marine organisms have gained considerable biotechnological interest in recent years due to their wide variety of bioactive compounds with potential applications. Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are UV-absorbing secondary metabolites with antioxidant and photoprotective capacity, mainly found in organisms living under stress conditions (e.g.

Photosynthesis and biochemical characterization of the green alga Chlamydopodium fusiforme (Chlorophyta) grown in a thin-layer cascade.

Photosynthesis, growth and biochemical composition of the biomass of the freshwater microalga Chlamydopodium fusiforme cultures outdoors in a thin-layer cascade were investigated. Gross oxygen production measured off-line in samples taken from the outdoor cultures was correlated with the electron transport rate estimated from chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. According to photosynthesis measurements, a mean of 38.

Leaf volatile and nonvolatile metabolites show different levels of specificity in response to herbivory.

Plants produce diverse chemical defenses with contrasting effects on different insect herbivores. Deploying herbivore-specific responses can help plants increase their defensive efficiency. Here, we explore how variation in induced plant responses correlates with herbivore species, order, feeding guild, and level of specialization.

Better together? Lessons on sociality from Trichodesmium.

The N-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is an important player in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycles. Trichodesmium occurs both as single trichomes and as colonies containing hundreds of trichomes. In this review, we explore the benefits and disadvantages of colony formation, considering physical, chemical, and biological effects from nanometer to kilometer scale.

Occurrence of aetokthonotoxin producer in natural samples - A PCR protocol for easy detection.

Cyanobacteria are well known producers of bioactive metabolites, including harmful substances. The recently discovered "eagle killer" neurotoxin aetokthonotoxin (AETX) is produced by the epiphytic cyanobacterium Aetokthonos hydrillicola growing on invasive water thyme (Hydrilla verticillata). The biosynthetic gene cluster of AETX was previously identified from an Aetokthonos strain isolated from the J.

A review of the treatment technologies for hexavalent chromium contaminated water.

The toxicity of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) present in the environment has exceeded the current limits or standards and thus may lead to biotic and abiotic catastrophes. Accordingly, several treatments, including chemical, biological, and physical approaches, are being used to reduce Cr(VI) waste in the surrounding environment. This study compares the Cr(VI) treatment approaches from several areas of science and their competence in Cr(VI) removal.

Green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can effectively remove diclofenac from the water environment - A new perspective on biotransformation.

The use of unicellular algae to remove xenobiotics (including drugs) from wastewaters is one of the rapidly developing areas of environmental protection. Numerous data indicate that for efficient phycoremediation three processes are important, i.e.

Accumulation of Cyanobacterial Photosystem II Containing the 'Rogue' D1 Subunit Is Controlled by FtsH Protease and Synthesis of the Standard D1 Protein.

Unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacteria contribute significantly to the photosynthetic productivity of the ocean and the fixation of molecular nitrogen, with photosynthesis occurring during the day and nitrogen fixation during the night. In species like Crocosphaera watsonii WH8501, the decline in photosynthetic activity in the night is accompanied by the disassembly of oxygen-evolving photosystem II (PSII) complexes. Moreover, in the second half of the night phase, a small amount of rogue D1 (rD1), which is related to the standard form of the D1 subunit found in oxygen-evolving PSII, but of unknown function, accumulates but is quickly degraded at the start of the light phase.

Urea derivative MTU improves stress tolerance and yield in wheat by promoting cyclic electron flow around PSI.

Increasing crop productivity under optimal conditions and mitigating yield losses under stressful conditions is a major challenge in contemporary agriculture. We have recently identified an effective anti-senescence compound (MTU, [1-(2-methoxyethyl)-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5yl)urea]) in studies. Here, we show that MTU delayed both age- and stress-induced senescence of wheat plants ( L.

Protection of nitrogenase from photosynthetic O evolution in : methodological pitfalls and advances over 30 years of research.

The genus comprises some of the most abundant N-fixing organisms in oligotrophic marine ecosystems. Since nitrogenase, the key enzyme for N fixation, is irreversibly inhibited upon O exposure, these organisms have to coordinate their N-fixing ability with simultaneous photosynthetic O production. Although being the principal object of many laboratory and field studies, the overall process of how reconciles these two mutually exclusive processes remains unresolved.

Photosynthetic performance of Chlamydopodium (Chlorophyta) cultures grown in outdoor bioreactors.

The microalga Chlamydopodium fusiforme MACC-430 was cultured in two types of outdoor pilot cultivation units-a thin-layer cascade (TLC) and a raceway pond (RWP) placed in a greenhouse. This case study aimed to test their potential suitability for cultivation scale-up to produce biomass for agriculture purposes (e.g.

Bio-removal of rare earth elements from hazardous industrial waste of CFL bulbs by the extremophile red alga .

In recent decades, a shift has been seen in the use of light-emitting diodes over incandescent lights and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), which eventually led to an increase in wastes of electrical equipment (WEE), especially fluorescent lamps (FLs) and CFL light bulbs. These widely used CFL lights, and their wastes are good sources of rare earth elements (REEs), which are desirable in almost every modern technology. Increased demand for REEs and their irregular supply have exerted pressure on us to seek alternative sources that may fulfill this demand in an eco-friendly manner.

Impact of photobioreactor design on microalgae-bacteria communities grown on wastewater: Differences between thin-layer cascade and thin-layer raceway ponds.

Thin-layer (TL) photobioreactors (PBRs) are characterised by high productivity. However, their use is limited to lab/pilot-scale, and a deeper level of characterisation is needed to reach industrial scale and test the resistance of multiple microalgae. Here, the performance and composition of eight microalgal communities cultivated in the two main TLs design (thin-layer cascade (TLC) and thin-layer raceway pond (RW)) were investigated through Illumina sequencing.

FtsH4 protease controls biogenesis of the PSII complex by dual regulation of high light-inducible proteins.

FtsH proteases are membrane-embedded proteolytic complexes important for protein quality control and regulation of various physiological processes in bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. Like most cyanobacteria, the model species Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 contains four FtsH homologs, FtsH1-FtsH4.

Shared properties of gene transfer agent and core genes revealed by comparative genomics of Alphaproteobacteria.

Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are phage-like particles that transfer pieces of cellular genomic DNA to other cells. Homologues of the GTA (RcGTA) structural genes are widely distributed in the Alphaproteobacteria and particularly well conserved in the order Rhodobacterales. Possible reasons for their widespread conservation are still being discussed.