Energy is the utmost requirement for driving the organization and maintenance of entire ecosystem. Our continued dependency on fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas as the prime source ...of energy has led to serious concerns about the future energy supply and security. Furthermore, over-consumption of carbon-based fossil energy sources raises serious environmental issues of global warming and climate change. To overcome the global energy demand and to enable economic as well as ecological development in a sustainable manner, technological progress for the utilization of renewable natural energy are essential to protect the environment and save energy in today's increasingly competitive world. To this end, algal biofuels are being claimed as an apt alternative energy source and in recent past, several taxonomic groups of algae have been studied and reported as an alternative to fossil fuels. It is envisaged that algal biomass could be readily processed into the raw material to make cost-effective biofuels and is being explored as an emergent and renewable green energy crops for the production of biofuels, especially biodiesel. Development of astonishing technological innovations in the field of algal genetic engineering has triggered remarkable output across the global energy sector for better biofuels. Several new techniques are being adopted for large-scale farming of microalgae intended for biofuel production. However, there are certain constraints for commercial-scale energy production from algae. The present review discusses the technological development and current information on the cultivation and process of biodiesel production form algae. Also, discussed are the technological development and genomic insights into the algal biomass and triacylglycerol accumulation for enhanced biodiesel production.
Cyanobacteria are ecologically one of the most prolific groups of phototrophic prokaryotes in both marine and freshwater habitats. Both the beneficial and detrimental aspects of cyanobacteria are of ...considerable significance. They are important primary producers as well as an immense source of several secondary products, including an array of toxic compounds known as cyanotoxins. Abundant growth of cyanobacteria in freshwater, estuarine, and coastal ecosystems due to increased anthropogenic eutrophication and global climate change has created serious concern toward harmful bloom formation and surface water contamination all over the world. Cyanobacterial blooms and the accumulation of several cyanotoxins in water bodies pose severe ecological consequences with high risk to aquatic organisms and global public health. The proper management for mitigating the worldwide incidence of toxic cyanobacterial blooms is crucial for maintenance and sustainable development of functional ecosystems. Here, we emphasize the emerging information on the cyanobacterial bloom dynamics, toxicology of major groups of cyanotoxins, as well as a perspective and integrative approach to their management.
•Critically reviews the bio-hydrogen production from microalgae.•Recent technological progress towards microalgae based H2 production.•Development of photobioreactors for large-scale biomass and H2 ...production.•Genetic and metabolic engineering approaches towards H2 production from microalgae.
Bio-hydrogen from microalgae including cyanobacteria has attracted commercial awareness due to its potential as an alternative, reliable and renewable energy source. Photosynthetic hydrogen production from microalgae can be interesting and promising options for clean energy. Advances in hydrogen-fuel-cell technology may attest an eco-friendly way of biofuel production, since, the use of H2 to generate electricity releases only water as a by-product. Progress in genetic/metabolic engineering may significantly enhance the photobiological hydrogen production from microalgae. Manipulation of competing metabolic pathways by modulating the certain key enzymes such as hydrogenase and nitrogenase may enhance the evolution of H2 from photoautotrophic cells. Moreover, biological H2 production at low operating costs is requisite for economic viability. Several photobioreactors have been developed for large-scale biomass and hydrogen production. This review highlights the recent technological progress, enzymes involved and genetic as well as metabolic engineering approaches towards sustainable hydrogen production from microalgae.
Abstract
Ultraviolet-screening compounds from the cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp. CU2555 were partially characterized and investigated for their induction by UV radiation, stability under different ...abiotic factors, and free radical scavenging activity. Based on the high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector and ion trap liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis, the compounds were identified as palythine (UVλmax: 319 nm; m/z: 245), asterina (UVλmax: 330 nm; m/z: 289), scytonemin (UVλmax: 384 nm; mw: 544), and reduced scytonemin (UVλmax: 384 nm; m/z: 547). This is the first report for the occurrence of palythine, asterina, and an unknown mycosporine-like amino acids (MAA), M-312 (UVλmax: 312 ± 1 nm), in addition to scytonemin and reduced scytonemin in Lyngbya strains studied so far. Induction of MAAs and scytonemin was significantly more prominent upon exposure to UV-A + UV-B radiation. Both MAAs and scytonemin were highly resistant to some physicochemical factors such as UV-B, heat, and a strong oxidizing agent and exhibited strong antioxidant activity. These results indicate that the studied cyanobacterium may protect itself from deleterious short-wavelength radiation by synthesizing photoprotective compounds in response to harmful UV radiation.
Cyanobacteria are considered to be a rich source of novel metabolites of a great importance from a biotechnological and industrial point of view. Some cyanobacterial secondary metabolites (CSMs), ...exhibit toxic effects on living organisms. A diverse range of these cyanotoxins may have ecological roles as allelochemicals, and could be employed for the commercial development of compounds with applications such as algaecides, herbicides and insecticides. Recently, cyanobacteria have become an attractive source of innovative classes of pharmacologically active compounds showing interesting and exciting biological activities ranging from antibiotics, immunosuppressant, and anticancer, antiviral, antiinflammatory to proteinase-inhibiting agents. A different but not less interesting property of these microorganisms is their capacity of overcoming the toxicity of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) by means of UV-absorbing/screening compounds, such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and scytonemin. These last two compounds are true ‘multipurpose’ secondary metabolites and considered to be natural photoprotectants. In this sense, they may be biotechnologically exploited by the cosmetic industry. Overall CSMs are striking targets in biotechnology and biomedical research, because of their potential applications in agriculture, industry, and especially in pharmaceuticals.
cyanotoxin-microcystins: current overview Rastogi, Rajesh P; Sinha, Rajeshwar P; Incharoensakdi, Aran
Reviews in environmental science and biotechnology,
06/2014, Letnik:
13, Številka:
2
Journal Article
The monocyclic heptapeptides microcystins (MCs), are a group of hepatotoxins, produced worldwide by some bloom-forming cyanobacterial species/strains both in marine and freshwater ecosystems. MCs are ...synthesized non-ribosomally by large multi-enzyme complexes consisting of different modules including polyketide synthases and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases, as well as several tailoring enzymes. More than 85 different variants of MCs have been reported to exist in nature. These are chemically stable, but undergo bio-degradation in natural water reservoirs. Direct or indirect intake of MCs through the food web is assumed to be a highly exposed route in risk assessment of cyanotoxins. MCs are the most commonly found cyanobacterial toxins that cause a major challenge for the production of safe drinking water and pose a serious threat to global public health as well as fundamental ecological processes due to their potential carcinogenicity. Here, we emphasize recent updates on different modes of action of their possible carcinogenicity. Besides the harmful effects on human and animals, MC producing cyanobacteria can also present a harmful effect on growth and development of agriculturally important plants. Overall, this review emphasizes the current understanding of MCs with their occurrence, geographical distribution, accumulation in the aquatic as well as terrestrial ecosystems, biosynthesis, climate-driven changes in their synthesis, stability and current aspects on its degradation, analysis, mode of action and their ecotoxicological effects.
The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under simulated solar radiation (UV-B: 0.30
Wm
−2, UV-A: 25.70
Wm
−2 and PAR: 118.06
Wm
−2) was studied in the cyanobacterium
Anabaena variabilis PCC ...7937 using the oxidant-sensing fluorescent probe 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). DCFH-DA is a nonpolar dye, converted into the polar derivative DCFH by cellular esterases that are nonfluorescent but switched to highly fluorescent DCF when oxidized by intracellular ROS and other peroxides. The images obtained from the fluorescence microscope after 12
h of irradiation showed green fluorescence from cells covered with 295, 320 or 395
nm cut-off filters, indicating the generation of ROS in all treatments. However, the green/red fluorescence ratio obtained from fluorescence microscopic analysis showed the highest generation of ROS after UV-B radiation in comparison to PAR or UV-A radiation. Production of ROS was also measured by a spectrofluorophotometer and results obtained supported the results of fluorescence microscopy. Low levels of ROS were detected at the start (0
h) of the experiment showing that they are generated even during normal metabolism. This study also showed that UV-B radiation causes the fragmentation of the cyanobacterial filaments which could be due to the observed oxidative stress. This is the first report for the detection of intracellular ROS in a cyanobacterium by fluorescence microscopy using DCFH-DA and thereby suggesting the applicability of this method in the study of in vivo generation of ROS.
The effect of UV radiation on the accumulation of novel mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) along with their photoprotective function was investigated in the green alga Tetraspora sp. CU2551. No ...UV-absorbing compound was detected in this organism growing under normal light condition while two MAAs with absorption maxima at 324 nm and 322 nm were found to be accumulated after UV irradiation. The effects of UV exposure time with different cut-off filter foils namely 295 (PAR + UV-A + UV-B), 320 (PAR + UV-A) and 395 nm (PAR only) were studied on induction of the synthesis of these MAAs. Concentration of MAAs was found to increase with increase in exposure time under UV radiation. Furthermore, the antioxidant and photoprotective action of these MAAs was also investigated. The role of MAAs in diminishing the UV-induced production of ROS in vivo was also demonstrated using the oxidant-sensing probe 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and results obtained supported the results of DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The MAAs also exhibited efficient photoprotective ability on Escherichia coli cells against UV-B stress. Thus, the MAAs in Tetraspora sp. CU2551 may act as efficient antioxidants as well as UV-sunscreen. This is the first report for the UV-induced synthesis and co-accumulation of these MAAs and their photoprotective actions in Tetraspora sp. which is a member of the class Chlorophyceae. Moreover, UV-induced accumulation as well as photoprotective function of these compounds may facilitate this chlorophyte to perform important ecological functions in harsh environmental conditions with high UV-B fluxes in their brightly lit habitats.
•Tetraspora shows UV-induced accumulation of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs).•Induction of MAA is dependent on dose and wavelength of UV.•Accumulation of MAA greatly increases under long term UV radiation.•MAA shows efficient antioxidant as well as photoprotective function.
•HPLC analysis revealed the presence of two MAAs, shinorine and M-307 in Gloeocapsa sp.•UV-B radiation can induce the biosynthesis of MAAs.•The MAAs, shinorine and M-307 are highly stable against ...some abiotic stressors.•The MAAs (shinorine+M-307) shows strong antioxidant activity.
The biosynthesis of natural sunscreening compounds as influenced by ultraviolet radiation, their stability and antioxidant activity were studied in the cyanobacterium Gloeocapsa sp. CU-2556. An analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode-array (PDA) detection revealed the biosynthesis of two MAAs, shinorine (UVλmax 333nm) and an unknown MAA designated as M-307 (UVλmax 307nm) with retention times of 5.9 and 6.4min, respectively. Induction of the synthesis of MAAs was studied under 395 (PAR), 320 (PAR+UV-A) and 295 (PAR+UV-A+UV-B) nm cut-off filters. MAAs induction was significantly increased with an increase in exposure time up to 72h in the samples covered with 295nm cut-off filters. Contrary to shinorine, the biosynthesis of M-307 was more dominant in this unicellular cyanobacterium. Both MAAs were highly stable to some physico-chemical stressors such as UV radiation, heat and a strong oxidizing agent. The MAA M-307 was more stable under strong oxidative stress than shinorine. Moreover, UV-C radiation drastically decreased the stability of both MAAs. The MAAs (shinorine+M-307) also exhibited efficient antioxidant activity which was dose-dependent. The results indicate that MAAs may perform a vital role in survival and sustainability of Gloeocapsa sp. CU-2556 in harsh environmental conditions by its ability to absorb/screen short wavelength UV radiation and antioxidant function.
DNA is one of the prime molecules, and its stability is of utmost importance for proper functioning and existence of all living systems. Genotoxic chemicals and radiations exert adverse effects on ...genome stability. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) (mainly UV-B: 280–315 nm) is one of the powerful agents that can alter the normal state of life by inducing a variety of mutagenic and cytotoxic DNA lesions such as cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), 6-4 photoproducts (6-4PPs), and their Dewar valence isomers as well as DNA strand breaks by interfering the genome integrity. To counteract these lesions, organisms have developed a number of highly conserved repair mechanisms such as photoreactivation, base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), and mismatch repair (MMR). Additionally, double-strand break repair (by homologous recombination and nonhomologous end joining), SOS response, cell-cycle checkpoints, and programmed cell death (apoptosis) are also operative in various organisms with the expense of specific gene products. This review deals with UV-induced alterations in DNA and its maintenance by various repair mechanisms.
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