褐藻生物乙醇的研究进展

利用大型褐藻转化生产的第三代燃料乙醇已受到研究者的广泛关注。我国拥有丰富的褐藻资源,具备了褐藻生物乙醇转化的有利条件。为了实现工业化生产,还需要通过筛选分离和基因工程手段获得高效发酵褐藻的优良菌株及优化预处理、发酵条件等。主要介绍了我国褐藻资源概况、预处理方法和微生物发酵褐藻不同组分生产乙醇的研究进展,提出了当前褐藻乙醇转化中存在的问题,展望了褐藻乙醇的发展方向。     

Temperature affects the response of heterotrophic bacteria and mixotrophic algae to enhanced concentrations of soil extract

To investigate the consequences of increased temperature and enhanced input of dissolved organic matter (DOM) into lakes for heterotrophicic bacteria and for mixotrophic algae which use DOM in addition to photosynthesis, the hypotheses were tested whether (1) both bacteria and mixotrophic algae benefit from increased input of DOM, or (2) increased DOM input enhances bacterial biomass and thereby decreases algal biomass. Growth experiments in batch cultures, exudation measurements, and competition experiments in chemostats were performed at two temperature levels. Increased temperature stimulated the autotrophic growth rate of Chlorella protothecoides. Bacteria and Chlorella increased their heterotrophic growth rates at higher DOM concentration at lower temperature whereas enhanced DOM concentration hardly stimulated their growth at higher temperature. In chemostats, enhanced input of soil extract increased both bacterial and algal biomass at lower temperature whereas bacterial biomass increased only slightly and algal biomass decreased at higher temperature. Thus, the temperature determines the response of microorganisms to enhanced DOM concentration.     

絮凝微生物采收微藻的作用机制研究进展

微藻广泛分布于自然界,其易培养,生长快且应用价值高,普遍用于生物燃料、医学原料、优质食品源及畜牧养殖业等。近年来,通过对光生物反应器改造设计、高产藻株筛选、代谢通路基因改造等方法实现微藻产量的提高,而在微藻处理的下游过程的研究与创新不足,特别是微藻采收已经成为其产业发展的瓶颈。本文综述了絮凝法在微藻采收中的作用,重点讨论了絮凝微生物在微藻采收中的作用,并对絮凝微生物对微藻的絮凝机制进行广泛探讨,为絮凝微生物采收微藻提供理论依据。     

The potential of quantitative models to improve microalgae photosynthetic efficiency

The massive increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere driven by human activities is causing huge negative consequences and new sustainable sources of energy, food and materials are highly needed. Algae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms that can provide a highly strategic contribution to this challenge as alternative source of biomass to complement crops cultivation. Algae industrial cultures are commonly limited by light availability, and biomass accumulation is strongly dependent on their photon‐to‐biomass conversion efficiency. Investigation of algae photosynthetic metabolism is thus strategic for the generation of more efficient strains with higher productivity. Algae are cultivated at industrial scale in conditions highly different from the natural niches they adapted to and strains development efforts must fully consider the seminal influence on productivity of regulatory mechanism of photosynthesis as well as of cultivation parameters like cells concentration, light distribution in the culture, mixing, nutrients and carbon dioxide availability. In this review we will focus in particular on how mathematical models can account for the complex influence of all environmental parameters and can be exploited for development of improved algae strains.     

制约蓝藻种群的生态因子

藻类和微生物作为水体生态系统中的成员,它们之间的相互影响是关系生态平衡不容忽视的重要因素之一。本文报道了不同类型的11株抑制或溶解蓝藻的微生物,描述了它们的溶藻特点及其它生物学特性。它们在分类上分别属于粘球菌、溶解杆菌、屈挠杆菌、鞘丝菌、芽孢杆菌及链霉菌等6个属,其中包括直孢鞘丝菌、中华屈挠杆菌两个本文作者发表的新种。鞘丝菌能溶藻是第一次记载。研究结果进一步揭示了对蓝藻起制约作用的微生物类群的多样性;为了解此类生态系统中微生物类群提供了新的信息。     

Microalgae autoflocculation: an alternative to high-energy consuming harvesting methods

With increasing concerns regarding energy and environment, algae biofuel is generating considerable interest around the world. Nevertheless, the harvesting step required before downstream biomass processing is a major bottleneck. Commonly employed methods include addition of chemicals or use of mechanical equipment that increase dramatically the biofuel production cost. This review deals with naturally occurring processes that can help offset those costs by causing microalgae flocculation. Interaction theories are briefly reviewed. In addition, operational parameters such as pH, irradiance, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and temperature effect on microalgae flocculation are evaluated. Finally, microalgae flocculation is also considered from an ecological point of view by taking advantage of their interaction with other microorganisms.     

Nitrifying bacterial growth inhibition in the presence of algae and cyanobacteria

Nitrifying bacteria, cyanobacteria, and algae are important microorganisms in open pond wastewater treatment systems. Nitrification involving the sequential oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate, mainly due to autotrophic nitrifying bacteria, is essential to biological nitrogen removal in wastewater and global nitrogen cycling. A continuous flow autotrophic bioreactor was initially designed for nitrifying bacterial growth only. In the presence of cyanobacteria and algae, we monitored both the microbial activity by measuring specific oxygen production rate (SOPR) for microalgae and cyanobacteria and specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) for nitrifying bacteria. The growth of cyanobacteria and algae inhibited the maximum nitrification rate by a factor of 4 although the ammonium nitrogen fed to the reactor was almost completely removed. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T‐RFLP) analysis indicated that the community structures of nitrifying bacteria remained unchanged, containing the dominant Nitrosospira, Nitrospira, and Nitrobacter species. PCR amplification coupled with cloning and sequencing analysis resulted in identifying Chlorella emersonii and an uncultured cyanobacterium as the dominant species in the autotrophic bioreactor. Notwithstanding their fast growth rate and their toxicity to nitrifiers, microalgae and cyanobacteria were more easily lost in effluent than nitrifying bacteria because of their poor settling characteristics. The microorganisms were able to grow together in the bioreactor with constant individual biomass fractions because of the uncoupled solids retention times for algae/cyanobacteria and nitrifiers. The results indicate that compared to conventional wastewater treatment systems, longer solids retention times (e.g., by a factor of 4) should be considered in phototrophic bioreactors for complete nitrification and nitrogen removal. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107: 1004–1011. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Recent trends in ionic liquid (IL) tolerant enzymes and microorganisms for biomass conversion

Second generation biofuel production depends on lignocellulosic (LC) biomass transformation into simple sugars and their subsequent fermentation into alcohols. However, the main obstacle in this process is the efficient breakdown of the recalcitrant cellulose to sugar monomers. Hence, efficient feedstock pretreatment and hydrolysis are necessary to produce a cost effective biofuel. Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) have been recognized as a promising solvent able to dissolve different biomass feedstocks, providing higher sugar yields. However, most of the hydrolytic enzymes and microorganisms are inactivated, completely or partially, in the presence of even low concentrations of IL, making necessary the discovery of novel hydrolytic enzymes and fermentative microorganisms that are tolerant to ILs. In this review, the current state and the challenges of using ILs as a pretreatment of LC biomass was evaluated, underlining the advances in the discovery and identification of new IL-tolerant enzymes and microorganisms that could improve the bioprocessing of biomass to fuels and chemicals.     

Microbiological profile in water-supply conduits from a clogged well

This article presents the results of an investigation involving bacterioflora in a water well clogged for the presence of biomass. The water well, placed in a zone near Rome, showed some problems about the water quality and about the extraction of water. The examination of the interior of the pipes showed the presence of biomass. The biomass was examined microscopically and bacteriological analyses were carried out on it. Heterotrophic bacteria were enumerated with three different media by direct count, Pseudomonas sp., yeasts and fungi also by spread plate method. The anaerobic Sulphate Reducing Bacteria were investigated by "Most Probable Number" technique. The results of the analyses showed the presence of protozoa and algae. Moreover high quantity of bacterial flora as heterotrophic bacteria and Pseudomonas sp. were revealed. Sulphate Reducing Bacteria were enumerated in low quantities. Sphaerotilus natans, Actinomyces and Rhodotorula were identified. The clogging problems arose from the presence of filamentous microorganisms as Sphaeroilus natans and Actinomyces sp. When microorganisms of this kind are present in aquifers they can multiply massively if the conditions are favorable.     

藻类对多环芳香烃(PAHs)的富集和代谢

概述了藻类对PAHs的富集和代谢的研究进展。环境中多环芳香烃(PAHs)的污染能导致严重的健康问题,利用生物特别是微生物去除污染环境中的PAHs是一项新的技术。藻类对PAHs的富集与有机污染物的类型、藻类的种类及藻类的生物量有关,活细胞和死细胞对PAHs均有富集能力。还阐述了PAHs在真菌、细菌和藻类体内代谢的途径以及代谢过程中起关键作用的酶,PAHs在藻类中的代谢途径和细菌及真菌都不同,谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)在藻类代谢PAH过程中起重要作用,但细胞色素P450酶所起的作用则不详。     

Opportunities for renewable bioenergy using microorganisms

Global warming can be slowed, and perhaps reversed, only when society replaces fossil fuels with renewable, carbon-neutral alternatives. The best option is bioenergy: the sun's energy is captured in biomass and converted to energy forms useful to modern society. To make a dent in global warming, bioenergy must be generated at a very high rate, since the world today uses approximately 10 TW of fossil-fuel energy. And, it must do so without inflicting serious damage on the environment or disrupting our food supply. While most bioenergy options fail on both counts, several microorganism-based options have the potential to produce large amounts of renewable energy without disruptions. In one approach, microbial communities convert the energy value of various biomass residuals to socially useful energy. Biomass residuals come from agricultural, animal, and a variety of industrial operations, as well as from human wastes. Microorganisms can convert almost all of the energy in these wastes to methane, hydrogen, and electricity. In a second approach, photosynthetic microorganisms convert sunlight into biodiesel. Certain algae (eukaryotes) or cyanobacteria (prokaryotes) have high lipid contents. Under proper conditions, these photosynthetic microorganisms can produce lipids for biodiesel with yields per unit area 100 times or more than possible with any plant system. In addition, the non-lipid biomass can be converted to methane, hydrogen, or electricity. Photosynthetic microorganisms do not require arable land, an advantage because our arable land must be used to produce food. Algae or cyanobacteria may be the best option to produce bioenergy at rates high enough to replace a substantial fraction of our society's use of fossil fuels.     

Experimental role of the unicellular algae Prototheca and Chlorella (Chlorellaceae) in anti-cancer immunogenesis (murine BP8 sarcoma)]

Bacteria and Yeasts are able to induce, when inoculated into laboratory rodents, a general stimulation of defences by an immune process. We could estimate that unicellular algae would induce the same phenomenon because the chemical compounds of their walls are related to those of the precedings microorganisms specially to bacteria. Indeed, two Chlorellaceae, Prototheca segbwema and Chlorella pyrenoidosa are respectively protecting 78% and 82% CH3 mice against the sarcoma BP8 grafting.     

Monitoring Herbivorous Fishes as Indicators of Coral Reef Resilience in American Samoa

Resilience-based management aims to promote or protect processes and species that underpin an ecosystem''s capacity to withstand and recover from disturbance. The management of ecological processes is a developing field that requires reliable indicators that can be monitored over time. Herbivory is a key ecological process on coral reefs, and pooling herbivorous fishes into functional groups based on their feeding mode is increasingly used as it may quantify herbivory in ways that indicate resilience. Here we evaluate whether the biomass estimates of these herbivore functional groups are good predictors of reef benthic assemblages, using data from 240 sites from five island groups in American Samoa. Using an information theoretic approach, we assembled a candidate set of linear and nonlinear models to identify the relations between benthic cover and total herbivore and non-herbivore biomass and the biomass of the aforementioned functional groups. For each benthic substrate type considered (encrusting algae, fleshy macroalgae, hard coral and turf algae), the biomass of herbivorous fishes were important explanatory variables in predicting benthic cover, whereas biomass of all fishes combined generally was not. Also, in all four cases, variation in cover was best explained by the biomass of specific functional groups rather than by all herbivores combined. Specifically: 1) macroalgal and turf algal cover decreased with increasing biomass of ‘grazers/detritivores’; and 2) cover of encrusting algae increased with increasing biomass of ‘grazers/detritivores’ and browsers. Furthermore, hard coral cover increased with the biomass of large excavators/bio-eroders (made up of large-bodied parrotfishes). Collectively, these findings emphasize the link between herbivorous fishes and the benthic community and demonstrate support for the use of functional groups of herbivores as indicators for resilience-based monitoring.     

Influence on phytoplankton biomass in lakes of different trophy by phosphorus in lake water and its regeneration by zooplankton

In 49 unpolluted lakes of north-eastern Poland the biomass of algae in summer is significantly related to the concentration of total phosphorus and to the rate of phosphorus regeneration by zooplankton. Using a model with equations describing these relationships, the biomass of blue-green algae and other phytoplankton groups was predicted for 14 polluted lakes. A good approximation of actual values was obtained only for the biomass of blue-green algae calculated from the estimated rate of P regeneration by zooplankton in these lakes. It is hypothesized that more-or-less edible algae of other classes did not show dependence on the rate of input of regenerated P because their biomass was heavily reduced by grazing of zooplankton.     

Microalgal-Bacterial Consortia as Future Prospect in Wastewater Bioremediation,Environmental Management and Bioenergy Production

In the recent years, microalgae have captured researchers’ attention as the alternative feedstock for various bioenergy production such as biodiesel, biohydrogen, and bioethanol. Cultivating microalgae in wastewaters to simultaneously bioremediate the nutrient-rich wastewater and maintain a high biomass yield is a more economical and environmentally friendly approach. The incorporation of algal–bacterial interaction reveals the mutual relationship of microorganisms where algae are primary producers of organic compounds from CO₂, and heterotrophic bacteria are secondary consumers decomposing the organic compounds produced from algae. This review would provide an insight on the challenges and future development of algal–bacterial consortium and its contribution in promoting a sustainable route to greener industry. It is believed that microalgal-bacterial consortia will be implemented in the near-future for sub-sequential treatment of wastewater bioremediation, bioenergy production and CO₂ fixation, promoting sustainability and making extraordinary advancement in life sciences sectors.     

Improved method using muramic acid to estimate biomass of bacteria in sediments

Summary A method, which depends on the measurement of muramic acid content to estimate bacterial biomass, has been improved in sensitivity by two orders of magnitude. It is now applicable to any aquatic sediment, whereas previously it was mainly useful in the analysis of gut contents of deposit-feeding animals. Reduced NAD, a product of the oxidation of d-lactate derived from muramic acid, is assayed using bacterial luciferase. The amount of muramic acid in a number of terrestrial and marine bacteria was measured, and found to be lower than that obtained with the previous, less specific, assay procedure. The muramic acid content of a blue-green alga has been measured, thus allowing blue-green algae to be taken into account when estimating bacterial biomass. Experimental evidence is presented which shows that muramic acid in cell wall fragments of bacteria is rapidly degraded by microorganisms in a marine sediment.     

刚毛藻腐烂过程中溶解性有机物的释放和细菌群落的变化

通过室内培养模拟了高密度刚毛藻聚积腐烂过程,研究了刚毛藻在不同腐烂时间段下的溶解性有机物(DOM)的释放和附着微生物的群落变化。结果表明:在40d的分解实验中,刚毛藻生物量(干重)减少,且表现为前期损失快,后期损失减缓的趋势。在实验结束时(40d),干物质残留率为43.15%,质量损失了56.85%。在刚毛藻分解过程中, DOM在7—10d内快速释放达到最大值,而后降低。DOM的组分也变得复杂,荧光峰从区域Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅳ逐渐转移到区域Ⅲ和Ⅴ。大量的简单芳香蛋白,如酪氨酸类物质被微生物转化为各种代谢物,并产生了腐殖质类物质。刚毛藻附着微生物优势菌为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes),相对丰度分别为6.54%—71.62%、16.83%—55.50%和0.95%—20.91%。在腐烂过程的不同阶段中,微生物的组成差异显著,表现为前期主要是Proteobacteria占主导优势,实验后期是Bacteroidetes占主导优势,细菌群落的演替与DOM组成的变化相关。     

Fish assemblage structure in relation to macrophytes and filamentous epiphytes in shallow non-tidal rocky- and soft-bottom habitats

Synopsis The fish assemblage in nineteen shallow water (0–3 m) areas on the Swedish west coast, including an estuarine zone, was assessed during spring and autumn 1989 and autumn 1990, using semi-quantitative survey nets. Samples of macrovegetation were collected concurrently for estimates of species composition and biomass. Nine stations had rocky-bottom substrata and ten had soft-bottom substrata all characterized by high coverage of macrovegetation and variously overgrown with epiphytic filamentous algae. Fish assemblage structures were compared and related to vegetation biomass, substrata and estuarine influences. At rocky-bottom stations total fish biomass was positively correlated with total vegetation biomass and negatively correlated with the proportion of filamentous algae during autumn samplings. In soft-bottom habitats variation in vegetation was small between stations, and no correlation existed between vegetation biomass and fish biomass. However, the number of fish species in soft-bottom habitats decreased significantly with increasing dominance of filamentous algae. The component species of the fish assemblage varied in their relation to the vegetation biomass and structure suggesting differences in degree of association with vegetation at the species level. Multivariate analysis based on fish species composition and on vegetation assemblages at the individual stations, yielded two major groups in accordance with division of the substrate into rocky- and soft-bottom habitats. Vegetation biomass superimposed on the fish assemblage ordination indicated a relationship between vegetation biomass and fish assemblage structure. Location of stations, in relation to the estuary was reflected in subgroups formed in the fish assemblage based cluster and ordination, suggesting a substantial estuarine influence on the fish assemblages. Thus, substrate type, vegetation biomass and structure, and estuarine influence are all potential structuring factors for the fish assemblages. In our study, vegetation structure seems to be of major importance and changes such as increased dominance of filamentous algae, like that observed in coastal areas in Sweden, might cause significant changes in fish assemblage structure.     

Micro and macroalgal biomass: A renewable source for bioethanol

Population outburst together with increased motorization has led to an overwhelming increase in the demand for fuel. In the milieu of economical and environmental concern, algae capable of accumulating high starch/cellulose can serve as an excellent alternative to food crops for bioethanol production, a green fuel for sustainable future. Certain species of algae can produce ethanol during dark-anaerobic fermentation and thus serve as a direct source for ethanol production. Of late, oleaginous microalgae generate high starch/cellulose biomass waste after oil extraction, which can be hydrolyzed to generate sugary syrup to be used as substrate for ethanol production. Macroalgae are also harnessed as renewable source of biomass intended for ethanol production. Currently there are very few studies on this issue, and intense research is required in future in this area for efficient utilization of algal biomass and their industrial wastes to produce environmentally friendly fuel bioethanol.     

Microorganism lipid droplets and biofuel development

Lipid droplet (LD) is a cellular organelle that stores neutral lipids as a source of energy and carbon. However, recent research has emerged that the organelle is involved in lipid synthesis, transportation, and metabolism, as well as mediating cellular protein storage and degradation. With the exception of multi-cellular organisms, some unicellular microorganisms have been observed to contain LDs. The organelle has been isolated and characterized from numerous organisms. Triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation in LDs can be in excess of 50% of the dry weight in some microorganisms, and a maximum of 87% in some instances. These microorganisms include eukaryotes such as yeast and green algae as well as prokaryotes such as bacteria. Some organisms obtain carbon from CO2 via photosynthesis, while the majority utilizes carbon from various types of biomass. Therefore, high TAG content generated by utilizing waste or cheap biomass, coupled with an efficient conversion rate, present these organisms as bio-tech ‘factories’ to produce biodiesel. This review summarizes LD research in these organisms and provides useful information for further LD biological research and microorganism biodiesel development. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(12): 575-581]