Microanalysis of Cyanobacteria and Algae Related to Oxidative Stress

Description

Cyanobacteria and microalgae help reduce the environmental impact of human energy consumption by playing a vital role in carbon and nitrogen cycling. They are also used in various applications like biofuel production, food, medicine, and bioremediation. Understanding how these organisms

Cyanobacteria and microalgae help reduce the environmental impact of human energy consumption by playing a vital role in carbon and nitrogen cycling. They are also used in various applications like biofuel production, food, medicine, and bioremediation. Understanding how these organisms respond to stress is important for efficient recovery strategies and sustainable outcomes. This study investigated the effects of low-level bleaching and thermal stress on cyanobacteria and microalgae, specifically Synechocystis, Chlorella, and Scenedesmus. The role of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, in the degradation of cellular components under these stressors was examined. Flow cytometry and spectrophotometry were used to measure changes in cellular health and viability. The results showed that temperature influences the type of cell death mechanism and can impact photosynthetic organisms. When treated with Liproxstatin-1, an inhibitor of ferroptosis, both Synechocystis and Chlorella experienced a decrease in oxidative damage, suggesting a potential protective role for the compound. Further investigation into ferroptosis and other forms of cell death, as well as identifying additional inhibitory molecules, could lead to strategies for mitigating oxidative stress and enhancing the resilience of cyanobacteria and microalgae.

Date Created
2023-05
Agent

Effects of Organic Carbon Source and Light Exposure on Glycogen Mitigation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Mutant Lacking PSII for Microbial Electro-Photosynthesis

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Description
Biofuels are a carbon-neutral energy source proving to be a sustainable alternative to greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels that are accelerating the detrimental effects of anthropogenic climate change. A developing system aimed at more efficiently producing biofuels is called Microbial Electro-Photosynthesis

Biofuels are a carbon-neutral energy source proving to be a sustainable alternative to greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels that are accelerating the detrimental effects of anthropogenic climate change. A developing system aimed at more efficiently producing biofuels is called Microbial Electro-Photosynthesis (MEPS). In MEPS, a Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 mutant lacking photosystem II (PSII) receives electrons by a hydroduroquinone (DQH2) mediator from a more efficient water-splitting electrochemical cell, rather than splitting water itself using PSII. However, growth of the Synechocystis cells prior to use in MEPS requires an organic carbon source, leading to internally-stored electron sources, namely glycogen, that compete with preferred DQH2 mediator-delivered electrons. In this study, the effects of organic carbon source (pyruvate, acetate, glucose, and no carbon source) and light condition (light or dark) on the physiology and P700+ reduction kinetics of photoheterotrophically grown Synechocystis mutants were studied with the hope of identifying a maintenance culturing method that allowed for both cell viability and mitigated glycogen storage. While no significant decreases in internal electron-sources were found with these methods, it was observed that Synechocystis cells fed pyruvate in the light had most successfully reduced competition between internal electron sources and preferred DQH2-delivered electrons. This study suggests that these experiments be re-run after removing exogenous carbon sources and that the nutrients available to the cells and their effects on pyruvate and acetate uptake be further investigated.
Date Created
2020-12
Agent