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Symmetry
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Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application
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Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Life Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 11793

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Eleftherios Touloupakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy
Interests: microalgae; photosynthesis; photobioreactor; fluorescence; immobilisation; photofermentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photosynthetic microorganisms such as microalgae, cyanobacteria, and purple non-sulfur bacteria have attracted a great amount of interest as promising platforms for the sustainable production of high-value products and bioenergy. They are fast-growing organisms, capable of achieving high biomass productivities, and mainly use sunlight as their energy source. They are promising candidates in a strategy to replace fossil fuels as feedstock for the production of bioplastic and biohydrogen, and they offer a versatile solution for the construction of novel biosensing elements. The new possibility of marketing such photosynthetic microorganisms requires the use of efficient culture systems. Photobioreactors are closed systems working either outdoors or indoors and offer good process control. They must be designed to have symmetrical light distribution and efficient mixing to ensure homogeneous illumination of the culture. Unsuitable culture conditions can lead to asymmetries in cell growth and division.

This Special Issue will focus on the application of photosynthetic microorganisms in environmental biotechnology. You are invited to send contributions (original articles as well as critical reviews) concerning the use of photosynthetic microorganisms for the production of biomaterials, biofuels, and biosensors. Studies in the field of photosynthetic microorganism culturing systems are also welcome.

Dr. Eleftherios Touloupakis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Bioenergy
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Biohydrogen production
  • Renewable energy
  • Bioplastic production
  • Cell culture
  • Photofermentation
  • Photosynthetic biosensors
  • Immobilization
  • Biotechnology
  • Environment
  • Microalgae
  • Purple non sulfur bacteria
  • Photobioreactors
  • Culture system
  • Biofuels
  • Cyanobacteria

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 173 KiB  
Editorial
Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application
by Eleftherios Touloupakis
Symmetry 2023, 15(3), 742; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/sym15030742 - 17 Mar 2023
Viewed by 864
Abstract
Photosynthetic microorganisms such as microalgae, cyanobacteria, and purple bacteria have attracted much interest as promising platforms for the sustainable production of high-value products and bioenergy [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

15 pages, 930 KiB  
Article
Impact of Light Stress on the Synthesis of Both Antioxidants Polyphenols and Carotenoids, as Fast Photoprotective Response in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: New Prospective for Biotechnological Potential of This Microalga
by Cecilia Faraloni, Tiziana Di Lorenzo and Alessandra Bonetti
Symmetry 2021, 13(11), 2220; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/sym13112220 - 20 Nov 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2094
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an antioxidant source of enriched biomass. This microalga is a model organism deeply investigated for physiological studies, particularly considering carotenoid synthesis in response to stress, to [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an antioxidant source of enriched biomass. This microalga is a model organism deeply investigated for physiological studies, particularly considering carotenoid synthesis in response to stress, to counteract the effects of the formation of free radicals. Less attention has been paid to the profile characterization of other antioxidant compounds, such as polyphenols, which can be synthesized, concomitantly with carotenoids, under photooxidative stress, especially high light. The cultures of C. reinhardtii were exposed to three different light intensities, 70, 800 and 1500 µmoles photons m−2 s−1. The increasing light intensity symmetrically induced the increasing accumulation of both carotenoids and phenolic compounds. The results showed that exposure to high light intensities caused the accumulation of electrons in the electron transport chain, with a reduction in photosynthetic activity. In the same cultures, high light intensity induced the strong increment of polyphenols such as gallic, chlorogenic and coumaric acids, which resulted 6.2-fold, 4-fold and 3.7-fold higher, respectively, than in cells exposed to the lowest intensities. As expected, at the highest light intensity, the strong induction of the xanthophyll cycle and the largest increment of loroxanthin, lutein, α-carotene and ß-carotene could be detected. Antioxidant properties doubled with respect to the initial time, both in acetone and methanol cellular extracts of these cultures, revealing a new potential role for biotechnological application of this microalga. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application)
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9 pages, 1485 KiB  
Article
Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate Production by Rhodopseudomonas sp. Grown in Semi-Continuous Mode in a 4 L Photobioreactor
by Eleftherios Touloupakis, Eleni G. Poloniataki, Martina Casciana, Demetrios F. Ghanotakis and Pietro Carlozzi
Symmetry 2021, 13(9), 1609; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/sym13091609 - 02 Sep 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3022
Abstract
The synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) by photosynthetic non-sulfur bacteria is a potential approach for producing biodegradable plastics. In this work, acetate was used as a single carbon source to study the effect on PHB formation in Rhodopseudomonas sp. cultured in a cylindrical four-liter [...] Read more.
The synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) by photosynthetic non-sulfur bacteria is a potential approach for producing biodegradable plastics. In this work, acetate was used as a single carbon source to study the effect on PHB formation in Rhodopseudomonas sp. cultured in a cylindrical four-liter photobioreactor under semi-continuous mode. The cultivation process is divided into a symmetrical growth phase and a PHB accumulation phase separated temporally. The symmetrical growth phase (nutrient sufficient conditions) was followed by a sulfur-limited phase to promote PHB accumulation. The main novelty is the progressive lowering of the sulfur concentration into Rhodopseudomonas culture, which was obtained by two concomitant conditions: (1) sulfur consumption during the bacterial growth and (2) semi-continuous growth strategy. This caused a progressive lowering of the sulfur concentration into Rhodopseudomonas culturedue to the sulfur-free medium used to replace 2 L of culture (50% of the total) that was withdrawn from the photobioreactor at each dilution. The PHB content ranged from 9.26% to 15.24% of cell dry weight. At the steady state phase, the average cumulative PHB was >210 mg/L. Sulfur deficiency proved to be one of the most suitable conditions to obtain high cumulative PHB in Rhodopseudomonas culture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application)
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16 pages, 3456 KiB  
Article
The Microalga Chlorella vulgaris as a Natural Bioenergetic System for Effective CO2 Mitigation—New Perspectives against Global Warming
by Fanourios Mountourakis, Aikaterini Papazi and Kiriakos Kotzabasis
Symmetry 2021, 13(6), 997; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/sym13060997 - 02 Jun 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3902
Abstract
In the present contribution, the differentiation in the molecular structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus of the unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris was studied at several light intensities (0–400 μmol m−2 s−1) and various CO2 concentrations (0.04–60% CO [...] Read more.
In the present contribution, the differentiation in the molecular structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus of the unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris was studied at several light intensities (0–400 μmol m−2 s−1) and various CO2 concentrations (0.04–60% CO2), in completely autotrophic conditions. Asymmetries that occur by different light intensities and CO2 concentrations induce metabolic and functional changes. Using chlorophyll fluorescence induction techniques (OJIP test), we showed that Chlorella vulgaris tolerates extremely high CO2 levels and converts them photosynthetically into valuable products, including O2 and biomass rich in carbohydrates and lipids. Interestingly, the microalga Chlorella vulgaris under extremely high CO2 concentrations induces a new metabolic state intensifying its photosynthetic activity. This leads to a new functional symmetry. The results highlight a potent CO2 bio-fixation mechanism of Chlorella vulgaris that captures up to 288 L CO2 L PCV−1 day−1 under optimal conditions, therefore, this microalga can be used for direct biological CO2-reducing strategies and other green biotechnological applications. All of the above suggest that Chlorella vulgaris is one of the most prominent competitors for a closed algae-powered bioreactor that is able to consume huge amounts of CO2. Thus, it is a sustainable and natural bioenergetic system with perspectives in dealing with major environmental issues such as global warming. In addition, Chlorella vulgaris cultures could also be used as bioregeneration systems in extraterrestrial missions for continuous atmospheric recycling of the human settlements, paving the way for astrobiological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application)
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Review

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24 pages, 5183 KiB  
Review
Wastewater Treatment Using Photosynthetic Microorganisms
by Cristian A. Sepúlveda-Muñoz, Ignacio de Godos and Raúl Muñoz
Symmetry 2023, 15(2), 525; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/sym15020525 - 16 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4336
Abstract
Wastewaters are mainly classified as domestic, industrial and agro-industrial based on their production source. Piggery wastewater (PWW) is a livestock wastewater characterized by its high concentrations of organic matter and ammonium, and by its odour nuisance. Traditionally, PWW has been treated in open [...] Read more.
Wastewaters are mainly classified as domestic, industrial and agro-industrial based on their production source. Piggery wastewater (PWW) is a livestock wastewater characterized by its high concentrations of organic matter and ammonium, and by its odour nuisance. Traditionally, PWW has been treated in open anaerobic lagoons, anaerobic digesters and activated sludge systems, which exhibit high greenhouse gas emissions, a limited nutrients removal and a high energy consumption, respectively. Photosynthetic microorganisms can support a sustainable wastewater treatment in engineered photobioreactors at low operating costs and with an efficient recovery of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. These microorganisms are capable of absorbing solar irradiation through the photosynthesis process to obtain energy, which is used for their growth and associated carbon and nutrients assimilation. Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) represent the photosynthetic microorganisms with the most versatile metabolism in nature, whereas microalgae are the most-studied photosynthetic microorganisms in recent years. This review describes the fundamentals, symmetry and asymmetry of wastewater treatment using photosynthetic microorganisms such as PPB and microalgae. The main photobioreactor configurations along with the potential of PPB and microalgae biomass valorisation strategies are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthetic Microorganisms: Cultivation and Application)
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