A CHOP-regulated microRNA controls rhodopsin expression

ER stress induces expression of miR-708, which suppresses the production of rhodopsin to prevent ER overloading in retinal epithelial cells

Evaluation of the Potential of Chlorella vulgaris for Bioethanol Production

For bioethanol to be a sustainable transportation fuel, appropriate feedstock needs to be established. The focus of the current work is to evaluate if the microalga Chlorella vulgaris could be the feedstock of choice. Exclusive formation of glucose was observed upon the acid (HCl) hydrolysis of C. vulgaris. Microwave irradiation as well as hydrothermal reaction were employed as heating methods. Under optimal hydrolysis conditions using microwave irradiation (100 °C, 1 M HCl, and 10 min), the glucose yield was 20 ± 3.5 wt % compared to 23 ± 4 wt % under the optimal hydrothermal reaction conditions (120 °C, 1 M HCl, and 60 min). The hydrothermal-based hydrolysis process was further scaled up from a 0.2 g batch to a 2.0 g batch, and the glucose obtained was converted to bioethanol in a fermentation process at 30 °C for 28 h using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. An ethanol yield as high as 13.2 ± 0.5 wt % was obtained from C. vulgaris

<i>In-Situ</i> Transesterification of <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> Using Carbon-Dot Functionalized Strontium Oxide as a Heterogeneous Catalyst under Microwave Irradiation

The main goal of this study is to functionalize SrO with carbon dots (C-dots) and to explore the composite as a catalyst for fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) production using <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as feedstock. C-dots are synthesized by sonicating polyethylene glycol followed by sonochemical modification of Sr­(NO₃)₂ (precursor for SrO) with C-dots. Sonication facilitates the adhesion of C-dots to the surface of Sr­(NO₃)₂. The resulting material is calcined in an inert environment to form a SrO–C-dot composite. The effect of functionalizing SrO with C-dots on the transesterification of the lipids in the alga with methanol is studied. The optimization of a one-stage process of conversion of the lipid fraction of microalga <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> into FAME using direct transesterification under microwave irradiation is illustrated. A lipid conversion value of 45.5 wt % is achieved using the SrO–C-dot catalyst after 2.5 min of microwave (MW) irradiation. The catalyst displayed better activity than commercial SrO. Microwave irradiation accelerates the disruption of the microalgal cells and facilitates the release of lipid content into the reaction medium. The catalyst is characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques. The FAME product obtained from the alga is quantified using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The new catalyst, namely, SrO–C-dot nanoparticles (NPs), yielded 97 wt % FAME from <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> in 2.5 min of MW irradiation