Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids (MAAs) Profile of cyanobacteria from Different Historical Kunds of Varanasi, India

Copious facts have demonstrated that UV radiation is harmful to cyanobacteria. Sun-screening compounds such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) protect these organisms from deleterious UV radiation. MAAs absorb UV radiation in the range of 310 to 362 nm. These natural sunscreens obtained from cyanobacteria are excellent alternative to present day synthetic UV filters. In the present study, several cyanobacteria were collected from six historical Kunds of Varanasi, India. MAAs profile of these cyanobacteria was recorded with the help of UV-Vis spectroscopy, High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Various MAAs were identified as Porphyra-334 (λmax = 334 nm), Palythine (λmax = 320 nm), Asterina-330 (λmax = 330 nm), Mycosporine-glycine (λmax =310 nm) and Mycosporine-methylamine-serine (λmax =327 nm) having retention times (RT) of 3.62, 1.65, 1.53, 2.55 and 1.51 min, respectively, obtained from different cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa, Anabaenopsis sp., Merismopedia sp., Aulosira fertilissima, Rivularia sp., Phormidium sp., Nostoc sp. and Stigonema sp.). It is concluded that these MAAs from different historical Kunds may provide protection to the cyanobacteria growing thereof from the adverse effect of harmful UV radiation. MAAs are considered to be potential bioactive compounds that are highly intriguing from biotechnological perspective. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 7(3): 317-326

Some Intermediate Bio-Transformants During Biodegradation of High Molecular Weight Phenanthrene and Fluoranthene by Cyanobacterial species – Aulosira Fertilissima Ghose

The PAHs compounds are known to be carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic and toxic to all living organism. Handful of literature is available on biodegradation of these compounds by bacteria and fungi, however, scanty work is done by using microalgae on biodegradation of these two PAHs. In this investigation, the efficiency of Aulosira fertilissima Ghose to remove fluoranthene (0.001gm.ml-1), phenanthrene (0.001gm.ml-1) and a mixture of both (each at concentration of 0.0005gm.ml-1) were evaluated for intermediate bio-transformants during biodegradation by using GCMS. The result showed that the efficiency of Aulosira fertilissima for removal and biodegradation of phenanthrene was higher than fluoranthene, indicate fluoranthene was more stable and recalcitrant. PAHs uptake after 7-days of treatment was 80% and 66% of these phenanthrene and fluoranthene, respectively by the cyanobacteria. The synergetic effect of fluoranthene on phenanthrene was observed, presence of fluoranthene stimulate the degradation of phenanthrene due to which phenanthrene produce more bio-transformants. Some intermediates were observed like Methyl linoleate, 4-(2,2- dimethyl-6-methylenecyclohexylidene)-3-methyl-,(Z)- etc. for phenanthrene biodegradation process while 2,3-dihydrofluoranthene, (1R,5R)-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexanol, for fluoranthene degradation. Moreover, 3-isopropylidene-2,2-dimethyl-6-phenyl-1,4-oxathiane, 7- phenyltridecane, diphenylacetylene, for mixture of two PAHs applied.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v1i3.8232 Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol. 1(3) 2013 : 97-105

Wastewater Utilization for Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate Production by the Cyanobacterium Aulosira fertilissima in a Recirculatory Aquaculture System

ABSTRACTIntensive aquaculture releases large quantities of nutrients into aquatic bodies, which can lead to eutrophication. The objective of this study was the development of a biological recirculatory wastewater treatment system with a diazotrophic cyanobacterium,Aulosira fertilissima, and simultaneous production of valuable product in the form of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). To investigate this possible synergy, batch scale tests were conducted under a recirculatory aquaculture system in fiber-reinforced plastic tanks enhanced by several manageable parameters (e.g., sedimentation, inoculum size, depth, turbulence, and light intensity), an adequate combination of which showed better productivity. The dissolved-oxygen level increased in the range of 3.2 to 6.9 mg liter−1during the culture period. Nutrients such as ammonia, nitrite, and phosphate decreased to as low as zero within 15 days of incubation, indicating the system's bioremediation capability while yielding valuable cyanobacterial biomass for PHB production. Maximum PHB accumulation inA. fertilissimawas found in sedimented fish pond discharge at 20-cm culture depth with stirring and an initial inoculum size of 80 mg dry cell weight (dcw) liter−1. Under optimized conditions, the PHB yield was boosted to 92, 89, and 80 g m−2, respectively for the summer, rainy, and winter seasons. Extrapolation of the result showed that a hectare ofA. fertilissimacultivation in fish pond discharge would give an annual harvest of ∼17 tons dry biomass, consisting of 14 tons of PHB with material properties comparable to those of the bacterial polymer, with simultaneous treatment of 32,640 m3water discharge.

Evaluation of blue-green algal inoculation on specific soil parameters

The impact of nitrogen-fixing blue-green algal (BGA) strains, namely Anabaena variabilis, Aulosira fertilissima, Nostoc muscorum and Tolypothrix tenuis , was studied at different levels of nitrogen fertilizer on specific soil parameters such as microbial populations, pH, EC, redox potential, chlorophyll, dehydrogenase and nitrogenase activity under a rice crop. The inoculation of the soil with BGA strains resulted in higher microbial populations (BGA, bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) and had a significant influence on redox potential. A significant increase in soil chlorophyll, dehydrogenase and nitrogenase activity was observed during crop growth due to BGA application.