Project description:Microbial blooms have been reported in the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond at the Sellafield Nuclear Facility. The pond is kept alkaline with NaOH to minimise fuel rod corrosion, however alkali-tolerant microbial blooms dominated by the cyanobacterium Pseudanabaena catenata are able to thrive in this hostile environment.This study assessed the impact of alternative alkali-dosing regimens (KOH versus NaOH treatment) on biomass accumulation, using a P. catenata dominated mixed culture, which is representative of the pond environment. Optical density was reduced by 40-67% with KOH treatment over the 3-month chemostat experiment. Proteomics analysis were used to uncover the impact of KOH on P. catenata cells at protein expression level.
Project description:A. niger and A. oryzae are two filamentous fungi widely used in industry to produce various enzymes (e.g. pectinases, amylases) and metabolites (e.g. citric acid). Using proteomics, the co-cultivation of these two fungi in wheat bran showed an equal distribution of the two strains forming mixed colonies with a broad range of carbohydrate active enzymes produced. This stable mixed microbial system seems suitable for subsequent commercial processes such as enzyme production. XlnR knock-out strains for both aspergilli were used to study the influence of plant cell wall degrading enzyme production on the fitness of the mixed culture.
Project description:The response of L. lactis to the presence of S. cerevisiae was analyzed during the exponential growth phase in fermentors in defined growth conditions. Although no growth kinetic difference was observed between the pure and mixed culture of L. lactis, the mRNA level of genes was significantly modified. More particularly, a strong reorientation of pyrimidine metabolism was observed when L. lactis was grown in the mixed culture. Keywords: microbial interaction, time course
Project description:Lysinibacillus varians GY32 is a filamentous bacteria that can generate electricity in microbial fuel cells. To find potential genes participating in the electron transfer to electrode of Lysinibacillus varians GY32, we compared the gene expression profiles of this bacteria with yeast extract as electron donor and two electron acceptors, i.e. oxygen and electrode in microbial fuel cells. The results showed that several cytochrome c genes might play specific roles in the extracellular electron transfer to electrode in this strain.
Project description:Lysinibacillus varians GY32 is a filamentous bacteria that can generate electricity in microbial fuel cells. To find potential genes participating in the electron transfer to electrode of Lysinibacillus varians GY32, we compared the gene expression profiles of this bacteria with acetate as electron donor and two electron acceptors, i.e. oxygen and electrode in microbial fuel cells. The results showed that several cytochrome c genes might play specific roles in the extracellular electron transfer to electrode in this strain.
Project description:Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are bio-based, biodegradable polyesters that can be produced from organic-rich waste streams using mixed microbial cultures. To maximize PHA production, mixed microbial cultures may be enriched for PHA-producing bacteria with a high storage capacity through the imposition of cyclic, aerobic feast-famine conditions in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Though enrichment SBRs have been extensively investigated a bulk solutions-level, little evidence at the proteome level is available to describe the observed SBR behavior to guide future SBR optimization strategies. As such, the purpose of this investigation was to characterize proteome dynamics of a mixed microbial culture in an SBR operated under aerobic feast-famine conditions using fermented dairy manure as the feedstock for PHA production. At the beginning of the SBR cycle, excess PHA precursors were provided to the mixed microbial culture (i.e., feast), after which followed a long duration devoid of exogenous substrate (i.e., famine). Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to separate protein mixtures during a complete SBR cycle, and proteins of interest were identified.