Article
Microbiology
Zhao Peng, Gai Liu, Kaiyao Huang
Summary: Research shows that compared to a model organism from the same genus, snow algae exhibit higher growth rates and photosynthetic efficiency in cold environments, indicating better cold tolerance. Snow algae adapt to rapid temperature decrease by efficiently regulating transcription of specific genes to optimize resource assimilation and metabolic pathways. Additionally, horizontally transferred genes critical for cold adaptation in other psychrophiles are also identified in snow algae.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Avery E. Tucker, Shawn P. Brown
Summary: Snow algae blooms and their associated microbial communities play important roles in snow ecosystem processes. This study explores the relationships between microbial communities and environmental factors within and between snow algae blooms. The results show that snow samples from the central area of the blooms have higher pollen levels, lower oxidation-reduction potential, lower algal diversity, and higher bacterial diversity compared to samples from the adjacent and peripheral areas. Fungal communities differ between the Cascade and Rocky Mountains, while bacterial and algal communities show little differentiation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura Halbach, Lou-Anne Chevrollier, Eva L. Doting, Joseph M. Cook, Marie B. Jensen, Liane G. Benning, James A. Bradley, Martin Hansen, Lars C. Lund-Hansen, Stiig Markager, Brian K. Sorrell, Martyn Tranter, Christopher B. Trivedi, Matthias Winkel, Alexandre M. Anesio
Summary: This study investigates the effects of pigmented algae on the surface of glaciers and ice sheets, finding that they enhance solar energy absorption and amplify ice melt. The main pigments were purpurogallin and astaxanthin esters, which affected dissolved organic matter concentrations. The energy absorption of snow algae was much lower than expected due to pigment packaging, while glacier ice algae had significantly higher energy absorption. Snow algae may contribute up to 13% of total biological radiative forcing on bare ice.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrew Gray, Monika Krolikowski, Peter Fretwell, Peter Convey, Lloyd S. Peck, Monika Mendelova, Alison G. Smith, Matthew P. Davey
Summary: Snow algae in Antarctica are important terrestrial photosynthetic organisms that mostly grow in low lying coastal snow fields. The study successfully used high-resolution satellite imagery to track the growth of red and green blooms throughout the summer, revealing that green algae dry biomass was over three times that of red algae and the calculated snow algal area was 17.5 times greater than estimated with coarse resolution imagery, suggesting a greater contribution to net primary productivity on Antarctica.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Agustina Terenzi, Maria A. Pagani, Diego F. Gomez-Casati, Maria Busi
Summary: This study aimed to explore the role and properties of frataxin in photosynthetic organisms. By cloning, expressing and characterizing CreFH1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, it was found that CreFH1 is a functional protein with some distinctive features compared to its counterparts. It plays an important role in response to oxidative stress in C. reinhardtii.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sandip A. Ghuge, Ulhas Sopanrao Kadam, Jong Chan Hong
Summary: Selenium is an essential microelement for many organisms, including Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. It is obtained from the amino acid selenocysteine and encoded by the UGA codon. Selenoproteins, proteins containing selenium, are present in animals and algae but not in fungi and higher plants. The human genome contains 25 selenoproteins, most of which play a role in antioxidant defense and redox regulation. In Chlamydomonas, 10 selenoprotein genes have been identified, and based on the conserved domains and catalytically active sites, it is suggested that Chlamydomonas selenoproteins may be involved in redox regulation and defense as antioxidants.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Albane Thery, Yuxuan Wang, Mariia Dvoriashyna, Christophe Eloy, Florence Elias, Eric Lauga
Summary: Motivated by experiments showing motile algae getting trapped in draining foams, this study investigates the trajectories of microorganisms confined in model foam channels. Using empirical scattering laws and a two-dimensional geometric model, researchers demonstrate that motility leads to trapping in complex geometries, with cell trajectories predominantly ending up in corners. Incorporating scattering angle distributions and hydrodynamic interactions into the model enables the reproduction of experimental probability density functions of micro-swimmers in microfluidic chambers.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
E. Hounslow, C. A. Evans, J. Pandhal, T. Sydney, N. Couto, T. K. Pham, D. James Gilmour, P. C. Wright
Summary: Physiological and proteomic changes between two green alga strains, C. reinhardtii and C. nivalis, under salinity stress were characterized. Results showed that C. nivalis accumulated more carbohydrates and fatty acids under salt stress compared to C. reinhardtii. The differences in protein abundance provided insights into the mechanism by which salt stress promotes fatty acid accumulation in C. nivalis.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charmaine Lloyd, Kai Heng Tan, Kar Leong Lim, Vimala Gana Valu, Sarah Mei Ying Fun, Teng Rong Chye, Hui Min Mak, Wei Xiong Sim, Joscelyn Jun Quan Ng, Nazurah Syazana Bte Nordin, Nurhazlyn Bte Md Aidzil, Zephyr Yu Wen Eng, Punithavathy Manickavasagam, Jen Yan New
Summary: This study investigated the microalgal heterogeneity in fresh water samples collected from inland water bodies in Singapore. A total of 17 different algal genera were identified, with Scenedesmus and Chlorella spp. being the most predominant. The discovery of 16 new microalgal strains in this region is significant for ecological and biotechnological purposes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Manuel J. Mallen-Ponce, Maria Esther Perez-Perez, Jose L. Crespo
Summary: Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms widely distributed on Earth and they play an important role in oxygen production and food chains. Recent studies have identified a protein called TOR, which regulates cell growth and nutrient sensing in microalgae. Conservation of TOR signaling pathway has been found in diverse microalgae.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Komal Sharma, Irina Sizova, Sibaji K. Sanyal, Girdhar K. Pandey, Peter Hegemann, Suneel Kateriya
Summary: In this study, two important motifs, VXPX and LKNE, were identified at the C-terminus of ChR1. VXPX is a ciliary targeting sequence in animals, while LKNE is a well-known SUMOylation motif. The study showed that VMPS of ChR1 is essential for interaction with GTPase CrARL11 and revealed the presence of SUMO motifs in the C-terminus of putative ChR1s from green algae. Additionally, the study demonstrated the potential role of SUMOylation in modulating ChR1 protein in Chlamydomonas.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Margaret Mukami Gitau, Attila Farkas, Vince Ordog, Gergely Maroti
Summary: This study evaluated the biostimulant effects of two microalgae strains on tomato plants and found that they could promote plant growth and fruit development. The study also revealed strain-specific actions of the two algae strains on tomato.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniela F. Soto, Andrea Franzetti, Ivan Gomez, Pirjo Huovinen
Summary: Studies have found significant variations in the composition of snow algae blooms among different sites, while differences in snow colors and types also lead to composition variations. However, the functional potential mainly differs among sampling sites, with a higher abundance of genes involved in tolerance to environmental stress at O'Higgins.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Scott Hotaling, Stefanie Lutz, Roman J. Dial, Alexandre M. Anesio, Liane G. Benning, Andrew G. Fountain, Joanna L. Kelley, Jenine McCutcheon, S. McKenzie Skiles, Nozomu Takeuchi, Trinity L. Hamilton
Summary: The global cryosphere, Earth's frozen water, is experiencing rapid decline, impacting ecosystems and water resources. Biological albedo reduction plays a crucial role in this decline, with overlooked factors and interactions having significant potential to alter albedo. There are knowledge gaps and understudied areas in understanding the drivers of BAR in terrestrial snow and ice ecosystems.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mukan Ji, Weidong Kong, Hongzeng Jia, Chen Ding, Alexandre M. Anesio, Yanfen Wang, Yong-Guan Zhu
Summary: This study used high-throughput sequencing to examine the characteristics of algal, bacterial, and fungal communities in red and green snow in the Antarctic Peninsula, revealing distinct features. The microbiome in red snow exhibited a more stable network and higher complexity compared to green snow, indicating a higher resistance to external disturbances.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lenka Prochazkova, Daniel Remias, Andreas Holzinger, Tomas Rezanka, Linda Nedbalova
Summary: Red snow caused by spherical cysts can be found worldwide, while an orange snow phenomenon caused by spherical cells is restricted to (Sub-)Arctic climates. Comparing ecophysiologically, significant differences in fatty acid and pigment profiles were found in the two species occurring in the same localities at Svalbard, which play an important role in adaptation to extreme conditions. The reasons why S. aurantia has not been found outside (Sub-)Arctic climate types remain unknown.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Swati Rani, Raja Chowdhury, Wendong Tao, Linda Nedbalova
Summary: The study found that the microalgal reactor had the best nutrient (N and P) removal efficiency in treating wastewater, while the addition of sludge improved chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Nitrifiers were predominant in the microalga + sludge reactor, and an increase in light regime enhanced biomass productivity in the algal reactor.
Article
Microbiology
Lenka Prochazkova, Tomas Rezanka, Linda Nedbalova, Daniel Remias
Summary: Dark pigmented algae on melting polar and alpine ice surfaces significantly reduce surface albedo of glaciers, accelerating melt rates. Physiological comparison of the filamentous Ancylonema nordenskioeldii and unicellular Mesotaenium berggrenii var. alaskanum revealed high tolerance to solar irradiation and similar lipid profiles, indicating physiological similarity but genetic distinctness.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Eric Marechal, Linda Nedbalova
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pavel Pribyl, Lenka Prochazkova
Summary: A new freshwater microalgal isolate, CCALA 1135, was characterized using a polyphasic approach (morphology, ultrastructure, fatty acid composition, 18S rRNA gene and rbcL analyses). The strain represents a new member of the Eustigmatophyceae, with unique mode of reproduction and high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is proposed as a new species and new genus. This study contributes to the taxonomy of the Eustigmatophyceae.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Jan Fott, Linda Nedbalova, Marek Brabec, Radka Kozakova, Klara Rehakova, Josef Hejzlar, Michal Sorf, Jaroslav Vrba
Summary: This study investigates the seasonal succession of plankton communities in freshwater temperate lakes during the winter season. The results show that in warm monomictic lakes, there is a significant increase in phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations after the winter solstice and it continues throughout the total circulation and/or unstable inverse stratification period. Solar radiation and water temperature have positive effects on chlorophyll a concentrations, while water age has a negative effect. On the other hand, zooplankton density and ice cover effects are not significant.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Tomas Rezanka, Jaromir Lukavsky, Martin Rozmos, Linda Nedbalova, Jan Jansa
Summary: The positional isomers of TAGs containing hypogeic, palmitoleic, and palmitvaccenic acids from three microorganisms were analyzed. Various regioisomers and enantiomers of TAGs containing different combinations of hexadecenoic acids were identified. The dominant TAGs in the AM fungus and containing palmitvaccenic acid were found to bind at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone. The covalent adduct chemical ionization method was used to identify TAGs containing different hexadecenoic acids.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY B-ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BIOMEDICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lenka Prochazkova, Ryo Matsuzaki, Tomas Rezanka, Linda Nedbalova, Daniel Remias
Summary: In this study, a new species of green snow algae called Chloromonas kaweckae was discovered on the surface of snow in the High Tatra Mountains in Slovakia. This species is able to perform photosynthesis at low temperatures and accumulate polyunsaturated fatty acids. These findings indicate that C. kaweckae has adapted to high light intensities, which is unusual for snow algae.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Gergely Erno Lakatos, Karolina Ranglova, Daniela Barcenas-Perez, Tomas Grivalsky, Joao Camara Manoel, Mykola Mylenko, Jose Cheel, Jozsef Nyari, Roland Wirth, Kornel L. Kovacs, Jiri Kopecky, Linda Nedbalova, Jiri Masojidek
Summary: Three cultivation regimes were tested for cold-adapted cultures of Monoraphidium in an outdoor pond: sunlight cultivation, combination of sunlight and supplementary illumination, and nitrogen depletion using both light sources. The highest productivity was achieved when sunlight was combined with supplementary illumination, with a specific growth rate of 0.191 d-1. Nitrogen depletion stress resulted in the highest total fatty acid content of 20.29% DW, with oleic acid accounting for 54% of the total fatty acid content. The cultivation under sunlight in the first trial yielded a significant amount of lutein, 26.39 mg lutein g-1 DW. In the second trial, 236 mLN g-1oTS of methane was generated from the harvested and fermented biomass.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
J. Lukavsky, J. Kopecky, D. Kubac, J. Kviderova, L. Prochazkova, T. Rezanka
Summary: A unicellular alga isolated from snow in Spain was identified as Bracteacoccus bullatus through comparative analysis and it was found that it exhibits sexual reproduction. The alga thrives at a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius and at a light intensity of 160 μmol photons/m²s. It has the potential to be used in the production of vegetable oil with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Daniel Remias, Lenka Prochazkova
Summary: Melting glacier surfaces are unique ecosystems for specialized microbes, frequently hosting blooms of microalgae that contribute to the darkening of ice surfaces and accelerating melting rates. The main cause of this phenomenon is a type of algae called Ancylonema. Previous research relied on field-collected samples because these algae were difficult to cultivate. To enhance the understanding of their dominance in melting ice, a strain of Ancylonema alaskanum was established in a laboratory setting, mimicking freezing temperatures and low levels of sunlight. The strain exhibited changes in morphology and pigmentation, indicating the importance of dark phenols for survival in the cryosphere. Comparative studies between the strain and glacial material revealed adaptations of the photosynthetic apparatus to the prevailing conditions. This laboratory strain opens up possibilities for comprehensive omics research.
JOURNAL OF GLACIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Katerina Nemeckova, Jan Mares, Lenka Prochazkova, Adam Culka, Filip Kosek, Jacek Wierzchos, Linda Nedbalova, Jan Dudak, Veronika Tymlova, Jan Zemlicka, Andreja Kust, Jan Zima, Eva Novakova, Jan Jehlicka
Summary: This study used microscopic, spectroscopic, and molecular analysis to characterize endolithic colonization in gypsum from various sites in Sicily. Cyanobacteria were found to be the dominant microorganisms in these environments, forming differently pigmented zones within the gypsum. The study also revealed differences in the taxonomic composition of endoliths in different gypsum varieties and identified carotenoids as the most common pigments present. These findings provide new insights into the diversity and distribution of phototrophic microorganisms and their pigments in gypsum, highlighting the complex nature of endolithic ecosystems and the effects of gypsum varieties on these communities.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hirono Suzuki, Alexandre Detain, Youngjin Park, Kiron Viswanath, Rene H. Wijffels, Nathalie Leborgne-Castel, Lenka Prochazkova, Chris J. Hulatt
Summary: Snow algae blooms in melting snowfields are poorly understood in terms of their biology, biogeography, and species diversity. This study investigated eight isolates from red snow in northern Norway using morphology and genetic markers. Six isolates were assigned to known species, while two isolates were potentially new species. Further experiments revealed differences in growth rate and fatty acid profiles among strains, as well as the accumulation of lipids under physiological stress. This study provides new insights into the biodiversity and biogeography of snow algae, as well as their physiological traits and ecological properties.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Plant Sciences
Thomas Leya, Lenka Prochazkova, Linda Nedbalova