Microalgae can serve as a better feedstock for biodiesel leading to an alternate renewable energy resource, while algal strains which serve as a feedstock for biodiesel and bioactive pigments are ...scarce. Herein, we report the draft genome sequence and gene predictions of one such novel microalgal isolate Coelastrella sp. M-60 for the first time. The genome assembly is of ~80.2Mb size having 8163 predicted genes which revealed the presence of putative genes concerned with efficient nutrient uptake, bioremediation, in addition to lipid and carotenoid accumulation. Diverse unicellular algae of Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta have been reported for lipid and pigment biosynthesis and the predicted proteins of Coelastrella sp. M-60 showed substantial similarity with the aforementioned phyla. Differential expression analysis by real-time PCR regarding genes involved in the lipid and pigment biosynthetic pathways of Coelastrella sp. M-60 under osmotic stress conditions showed considerable upregulation in their transcript levels. The genome sequence availability of this potent microalga would enhance its utility through genetic manipulation strategies and help in deducing the mechanism of high value products accumulation in future.
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•Coelastrella sp. M-60, a new microalgal isolate accumulates hyper lipids and carotenoids in stress at hot outdoor conditions.•Genome sequence assembly and transcript profiling of lipid & carotenoid biosynthesis of Coelastrella sp. M-60 were reported.•This investigation uncovers its genome for the potential genes for various application for the first time.•TAG and carotenoid pigment biosynthetic pathways were proposed for Coelastrella sp. M-60 through genome annotation.
Talaromyces albobiverticillius, a prominent pathogen responsible for pomegranate pulp rot disease, inflicts significant damage on Punica granatum L. Besides its pathogenicity, this fungus possesses ...the potential to produce substantial amounts of red pigments, making it promising for industrial applications. This study presents the genome annotation of T. albobiverticillius field strain Tp-2, isolated from pomegranates. The genome assembly, generated through a combination of Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing reads, yielded a high-quality assembly with 14 contigs, featuring an N50 length of 4,594,200 bp. The complete genome of strain Tp-2 spans 38,354,882 bp, with a GC content of 45.78%. Importantly, the assembly exhibits remarkable integrity, with 98.3% of complete Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs validating genome completeness. Genome prediction analysis reveals the presence of 10,380 protein-coding genes. To our knowledge, this study is the first report on the genome sequence of T. albobiverticillius, offering valuable insights into its genetic variation and molecular mechanisms of pigment production.
Purpose
Monascus pigment was widely applied in food processing industry as functional additive, so more attention was paid to the fermentation optimization of pigment production. Therefore, this ...paper aims to evaluate the best possible fermentative conditions for maximum production of biopigment using submerged fermentation (SFM) and solid state fermentation (SSF) by Monascus purpureus HBSD 08.
Design/methodology/approach
The biopigment was produced by using an SMF and an SSF with optimized substrate to achieve higher yield. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging ability, superoxide anion radical scavenging ability and hydroxyl radical scavenging ability. The pigment composition was analyzed by thin layer chromatography.
Findings
Maximum Monascus pigment production (79.6 U/ml and 1,102 U/g) were obtained under an SFM and an SFF. The antioxidant activity of the pigment in an SFM was significantly higher than that in an SFM. The composition of pigment was not different in an SFM and an SFF.
Originality/value
The study developed new conditions, and Monascus strain was a candidate for producing pigment in an SFM and an SFF. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is a first attempt toward comparative evaluation on antioxidant capacity and composition between pigment in an SSF and an SFM. This result will serve for Monascus pigment production.
Each phytoplankton species has intrinsic pigments, which result in different photophysiological characteristics in response to natural light conditions. Therefore, phytoplankton pigments provide ...important information on the photosynthetic activity that produces the basic food source for marine ecosystems. This study addresses the challenge of accurately measuring pigment production rates in phytoplankton communities. Two strategies are proposed for improving measurement sensitivity. Firstly, increasing the injection of 13C substrate into incubation bottles up to 15% of the total dissolved inorganic carbon is recommended, with minimal impact on pigment production rate determinations. Secondly, optimizing sample injection volume for high-performance liquid chromatography balances analysis time and dilution effects. The in situ field experiments conducted in this study for pigment production measurements revealed diminished activity of photoprotective mechanisms involving zeaxanthin and diatoxanthin during the study period. Furthermore, the results showed that the notable production rates of chl-b (0.069–0.105 ng C L–1 h–1, 74–89% of total accessary pigment production rates), an accessory pigment mainly attributed to prasinophytes, potentially due to restricted light availability. Prioritization of chl-b production over primary production (negative correlation between primary and chl-b production; R2 = 0.6662) highlights the potential impact of compensatory pigment-related activities on overall phytoplankton productivity. In conclusion, this study underscores the significance of directly quantifying pigment production rates to enhance our comprehension of phytoplankton photophysiology and the production mechanisms specific to various pigments.
Marine ecosystems cover about 70% of the planet surface and are still an underexploited source of useful metabolites. Among microbes, filamentous fungi are captivating organisms used for the ...production of many chemical classes of secondary metabolites bound to be used in various fields of industrial application. The present study was focused on the collection, isolation, screening and genotyping of pigmented filamentous fungi isolated from tropical marine environments around La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean. About 150 micromycetes were revived and isolated from 14 marine samples (sediments, living corals, coral rubble, sea water and hard substrates) collected in four different locations. Forty-two colored fungal isolates belonging to 16 families, 25 genera and 31 species were further studied depending on their ability to produce pigments and thus subjected to molecular identification. From gene sequence analysis, the most frequently identified colored fungi belong to the widespread
and
genera in the family Trichocomaceae (11 species), then followed by the family Hypocreaceae (three species). This study demonstrates that marine biotopes in La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean, from coral reefs to underwater slopes of this volcanic island, shelter numerous species of micromycetes, from common or uncommon genera. This unstudied biodiversity comes along with the ability for some fungal marine inhabitants, to produce a range of pigments and hues.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a bacterium producing industrially utile metabolites, such as rhamnolipids, biopolymers, and pigments. Pyocyanin, the most studied example of pigments, is a virulence factor ...that also shows the potential for application in, e.g., agriculture, anticancer therapy, and energy production. Therefore, potential inhibitors and stimulants of pyocyanin production by
P. aeruginosa
should be studied, and nanomaterials may cause both effects. The study aimed to examine the influence of zinc oxide and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (pristine or dispersed with alginic acid) on pyocyanin production by
P. aeruginosa
. First, the influence of different concentrations of nanomaterials (500.00–0.06 µg/mL) on culture optical density and biofilm formation was studied. These results helped select concentrations for further tests, i.e., growth curves and fluorescence measurements. Pyocyanin production was assessed by the chloroform–hydrochloric acid method. SEM analysis was conducted to assess the influence of nanomaterials on the cell's integrity and biofilm structure. Pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes exhibited a stimulative effect on pigment production when applied in high concentrations (500.00 µg/mL), while dispersed material enhanced the production in lowered dosages (125.00 µg/mL). On the other hand, high concentrations of zinc oxide inhibited pyocyanin production, while minor increased bioproduct production. The research indicates the potential to use nanomaterials as the modulators of pyocyanin production and other metabolites.
(
) causes opportunistic pulmonary infections with tuberculosis-like features. The bacterium is well known for its photochromogenicity, i.e., the production of carotenoid pigments in response to ...light. The genetics defining the photochromogenic phenotype of
has not been investigated and defined pigmentation mutants to facilitate studies on the role of carotenes in the bacterium's biology are not available thus far. In this study, we set out to identify genetic determinants involved in
photochromogenicity. We screened a library of ~150,000 transposon mutants for colonies with pigmentation abnormalities. The screen rendered a collection of ~200 mutants. Each of these mutants could be assigned to one of four distinct phenotypic groups. The insertion sites in the mutant collection clustered in three chromosomal regions. A combination of phenotypic analysis, sequence bioinformatics, and gene expression studies linked these regions to carotene biosynthesis, carotene degradation, and monounsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, introduction of the identified carotenoid biosynthetic gene cluster into non-pigmented
endowed the bacterium with photochromogenicity. The studies also led to identification of MarR-type and TetR/AcrR-type regulators controlling photochromogenicity and carotenoid breakdown, respectively. Lastly, the work presented also provides a first insight into the
transcriptome changes in response to light.
A variety of mutants having different colony characteristics, morphology and soluble pigmentation were generated from
Fusarium fujikuroi
by exposure to UV radiation. Mutants were selected that formed ...dry, compact, small colonies with reddish-violet pigment on regeneration agar plates. The production of bikaverin by Mut-4 was examined in shake flasks in media with different nitrogen and carbon sources. The optimal C: N ratio for the maximal bikaverin production by Mut-4 was 150:1. It produced still higher bikaverin (6.3 g l
−1
) in a medium containing defatted cottonseed meal as nitrogen source, in combination with glucose. Bikaverin produced was extracted, purified and characterized by UV-visible and NMR spectroscopy. Bikaverin production in the present investigation was substantially higher than that reported by earlier investigators in submerged and solid-state fermentations.
Microbial competition for territory and resources is inevitable in habitats with overlap between niches of different species or strains. In fungi, competition is brought about by antagonistic ...mycelial interactions which alter mycelial morphology, metabolic processes, secondary metabolite release, and extracellular enzyme patterns. Until now, we were not able study in vivo chemical interactions of different colonies growing on the same plate. In this report, we developed a fast and least invasive approach to identify, quantify, and visualize co culture-induced metabolites and their location of release within
Schizophyllum commune
. The pigments indigo, indirubin, and isatin were used as examples to show secondary metabolite production in the interaction zone with
Hypholoma fasciculare
. Using a combinatory approach of Raman spectroscopy imaging, liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA), and high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identified, quantified, and visualized the presence of indigo and indirubin in the interaction zone. This approach allows the investigation of metabolite patterns between wood degrading species in competition to gain insight in community interactions, but could also be applied to other microorganisms. This method advances analysis of living, still developing colonies and are in part not destructive as Raman spectroscopy imaging is implemented.
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