Distribution of Complex and Core Lipids within New Hyperthermophilic Members of the Archaea Domain

Core and complex lipids of several new hyperthermophilic archaeal isolates were analyzed. The organisms belong to the Sulfolobales,Archaeoglobus, Pyrobaculum, and Methanococcus. A detailed structural investigation of complex lipids of Pyrobaculum species is reported. The different lipid structures are of help for a rapid and simple phylogenetic classification of the new isolates. They are in agreement with the classification based on other features

Sequential Extraction and Characterization of Nitrogen Compounds after Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Sewage Sludge

Organic solid wastes such as sewage sludge are potential feedstocks for the production of drop-in biofuels. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a process that converts the wet sewage sludge into an organic biocrude. To fulfill industrial fuel standards, the considerable heteroatom content of the biocrude needs to be lowered by downstream processes. Nitrogen (N) contained in several compounds poses a challenge and yet, the complex chemical composition of HTL-biocrude samples has hindered detailed analysis and understanding. In particular, N-containing aromatic substances appear very persistent in biocrude. In the present work, two alkaline (NaHCO$_{3}$ and NaOH) and one acidic (HCL) aqueous solutions were subsequently applied to extract and recover polar N-containing compounds from the biocrude matrix with an N-content of 3.8 wt %. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in positive mode, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry were applied for their characterization and results show that a large share of N-compounds with an aromatic, pyridinic structure was found in the acidic extracted fraction with an N-content of 9.5 wt %. Aliphatic N-compounds were less affected by the separation and ended in the residual fraction. N-compounds with multiple oxygen functionalizations are enriched in the alkaline extracted fractions. This showed that N-compounds with an aromatic structure are strongly affected by polar groups and can potentially be extracted by downstream processes with appropriate solvents

Biomass valorization: Sustainable methods for the production of hemicellulolytic catalysts from thermoanaerobacterium thermostercoris strain buff

Processing and selection of fruits and vegetables generate high quantities of wastes that represent an economic and environmental issue for the agroindustry sector. According to the so-called “biorefinery” approach, this biomass can be exploited for the recovery of value-added molecules. In this study, the residues of industrial processing of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum variety “Hybrid Rome”), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and carrot (Daucus carota) were used as sole carbon sources to support cheap and sustainable microbial growth as well as the production of secondary metabolites (hydrogen and ethanol) by Thermoanaerobacterium thermostercoris strain BUFF, a thermophilic anaerobic microorganism isolated from buffalo-dung compost. Moreover, the use of hemicellulolytic enzymes of T. thermostercoris was assayed in the bioconversion reaction of the polymer fraction extracted from the rhizome of giant reed (Arundo donax) and of the leaves and stems of cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), dedicated non-food crops employed in energy supply

Photosynthetic production in the central Arctic Ocean during the record sea-ice minimum in 2012

The ice-covered central Arctic Ocean is characterized by low primary productivity due to light and nutrient limitations. The recent reduction in ice cover has the potential to substantially increase phytoplankton primary production, but little is yet known about the fate of the ice-associated primary production and of the nutrient supply with increasing warming. This study presents results from the central Arctic Ocean collected during summer 2012, when sea-ice extent reached its lowest ever recorded since the onset of satellite observations. Net primary productivity (NPP) was measured in the water column, sea ice and melt ponds by 14CO2 uptake at different irradiances. Photosynthesis vs. irradiance (PI) curves were established in laboratory experiments and used to upscale measured NPP to the deep Eurasian Basin (north of 78° N) using the irradiance-based Central Arctic Ocean Primary Productivity (CAOPP) model. In addition, new annual production has been calculated from the seasonal nutrient drawdown in the mixed layer since last winter. Results show that ice algae can contribute up to 60% to primary production in the central Arctic Ocean at the end of the productive season (August–September). The ice-covered water column has lower NPP rates than open water due to light limitation in late summer. As indicated by the nutrient ratios in the euphotic zone, nitrate was limiting primary production in the deep Eurasian Basin close to the Laptev Sea area, while silicate was the main limiting nutrient at the ice margin near the Atlantic inflow. Although sea-ice cover was substantially reduced in 2012, total annual new production in the Eurasian Basin was 17 ± 7 Tg C yr-1, which is within the range of estimates of previous years. However, when adding the contribution by sub-ice algae, the annual production for the deep Eurasian Basin (north of 78° N) could double previous estimates for that area with a surplus of 16 Tg C yr-1. Our data suggest that sub-ice algae are an important component of the productivity in the ice-covered Eurasian Basin of the central Arctic Ocean. It remains an important question whether their contribution t

Correspondence on rajyaguru et al

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Potential of genomic approaches in conservation of plant and animal biodiversity in Africa: A review

In Africa, status of biodiversity conservation of many plants and animals is questionable as this is considered to be caused by limited and lack of authentic information concerning genetic diversity. This has led to a considerable compromise of conservation decisions in Africa. As a result, lack of reliable information continues to cause a great effect on the long-term security of species of plants and animals. Current advancement in genomics has proved to play a vital role in conservation of plant and animal biodiversity. It produces genetic data that helps researchers to understand the interaction between ecosystem and organisms, also among organisms themselves. The information extracted from plants and animals via genomics techniques can be used to develop good approaches for biodiversity conservation. Despite its usefulness, there is a limited awareness on the application of potential genomics in plants and animals conservation in many developing countries, especially in Africa. The aim of this review is to raise awareness and catalyse the application of genomics techniques in rejuvenation and conservation of plants and animals in Africa. Precisely, the paper addresses the efficacy of potential genomics in plants and animals conservation; and seeks to show how Africa can benefit from genomics technology. About 62 peer-reviewed articles were reviewed. This current review has shown that genomics helps to identify good genes for fitness, and develops tools to monitor and conserve plants and animals biodiversity. The review recommends that regardless of the limitation of genomics application in biodiversity conservation in Africa, African researchers must consider using this technology for better conservation of plants and animals biodiversity

Parageobacillus thermantarcticus, an Antarctic Cell Factory: From Crop Residue Valorization by Green Chemistry to Astrobiology Studies

Knowledge of Antarctic habitat biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, has increased considerably in recent years, causing considerable development in the studies of life science related to Antarctica. In the Austral summer 1986–1987, a new thermophilic bacterium, Parageobacillus thermantarcticus strain M1 was isolated from geothermal soil of the crater of Mount Melbourne (74°22′ S, 164°40′ E) during the Italian Antarctic Expedition. In addition to the biotechnological potential due to the production of exopolysaccharides and thermostable enzymes, successful studies have demonstrated its use in the green chemistry for the transformation and valorization of residual biomass and its employment as a suitable microbial model for astrobiology studies. The recent acquisition of its genome sequence opens up new opportunities for the use of this versatile bacterium in still unexplored biotechnology sectors

Novel psychrophiles and exopolymers from permafrost thaw lake sediments

Thermokarst lakes are one of the most abundant types of microbial ecosystems in the circumpolar North. These shallow basins are formed by the thawing and collapse of ice-rich permafrost, with subsequent filling by snow and ice melt. Until now, permafrost thaw lakes have received little attention for isolation of microorganisms by culture-based analysis. The discovery of novel psychrophiles and their biomolecules makes these extreme environments suitable sources for the isolation of new strains, including for potential biotechnological applications. In this study, samples of bottom sediments were collected from three permafrost thaw lakes in subarctic Québec, Canada. Their diverse microbial communities were characterized by 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis, and subsamples were cultured for the isolation of bacterial strains. Phenotypic and genetic characterization of the isolates revealed affinities to the genera Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus and Sphingomonas. The isolates were then evaluated for their production of extracellular enzymes and exopolymers. Enzymes of potential biotechnological interest included α and β-glucosidase, α and β-maltosidase, β-xylosidase and cellobiohydrolase. One isolate, Pseudomonas extremaustralis strain 2ASCA, also showed the capability to produce, in the loosely bound cell fraction, a levan-type polysaccharide with a yield of 613 mg/L of culture, suggesting its suitability as a candidate for eco-sustainable alternatives to commercial polymers

Prokaryotic Diversity of the Composting Thermophilic Phase: The Case of Ground Coffee Compost

Waste biomass coming from a local coffee company, which supplied burnt ground coffee after an incorrect roasting process, was employed as a starting material in the composting plant of the Experimental Station of the University of Naples Federico II at Castel Volturno (CE). The direct molecular characterization of compost using 13C-NMR spectra, which was acquired through cross-polarization magic-angle spinning, showed a hydrophobicity index of 2.7% and an alkyl/hydroxyalkyl index of 0.7%. Compost samples that were collected during the early “active thermophilic phase” (when the composting temperature was 63 C) were analyzed for the prokaryotic community composition and activities. Two complementary approaches, i.e., genomic and predictive metabolic analysis of the 16S rRNA V3–V4 amplicon and culture-dependent analysis, were combined to identify the main microbial factors that characterized the composting process. The whole microbial community was dominated by Firmicutes. The predictive analysis of the metabolic functionality of the community highlighted the potential degradation of peptidoglycan and the ability of metal chelation, with both functions being extremely useful for the revitalization and fertilization of agricultural soils. Finally, three biotechnologically relevant Firmicutes members, i.e., Geobacillus thermodenitrificans subsp. calidus, Aeribacillus pallidus, and Ureibacillus terrenus (strains CAF1, CAF2, and CAF5, respectively) were isolated from the “active thermophilic phase” of the coffee composting. All strains were thermophiles growing at the optimal temperature of 60 C. Our findings contribute to the current knowledge on thermophilic composting microbiology and valorize burnt ground coffee as waste material with biotechnological potentialities