As the global population grows, water and food demand also increase. The intensive aquaculture industry has helped to mitigate these problems. In order to make aquaculture sustainable, it is necessary to remove the abundant nutrients produced by fish in the water. In this study, the role of the microalga of Chlorella vulgaris in the Isolated Cultivation of Algal Resources Utilizing Selectivity (ICARUS) membrane photobioreactor was evaluated for nutrient control in the aquaculture system. The production of algal biomass, the removal rate of nutrients, and the impact of microalgae on cultured organisms were monitored during the operation of aquaculture systems. At the end of the experiment, the yield of algae in ICARUS was approximately 344 ± 11.3 mg / L. Compared to the control groups, this production of algae is considered to be low. Likely factors were insufficient indoor light intensity, membrane fouling limiting the mass transfer of nutrients, and improvements still needed for the overall ICARUS prototype design. However, ICARUS can efficiently prevent algae from contamination, and provide pure harvest production for food supplement. It was observed that algae have the ability to help stabilize pH and increase dissolved oxygen for the system. However, in high-density, mixed systems, algae may cause physical damage to fish (e.g., clogging of gills). The high ammonia concentrations produced by fish could be controlled by Chlorella vulgaris since this species of algae prefers ammonia to nitrate. In conjunction with algal growth, aquaculture systems concentration of ammonia was maintained at 0.90±0.16 mg/L. The integration of ICARUS is not only a potentially sustainable option for aquaculture, but also a multipurpose tool for other types of wastewater treatment. An economic analysis for scale-up of the ICARUS system was performed. In summary, this study aimed to develop a new commercial ICARUS photobioreactor which can serve for different types of wastewater systems with a high algal production efficiency and economic benefits.

Biological hydrogen production is a renewable, carbon-neutral and clean route for hydrogen production. Purple non-sulfur (PNS) bacteria have the ability to produce biohydrogen via photofermentation process. The type of the bacterial strain used in photofermentation is known to have an important effect on hydrogen yield. In this study, the effect of different co-cultures of PNS bacteria on photofermentation process was investigated in search of improving the hydrogen yield. For this purpose, growth, hydrogen production and substrate utilization of single and co-cultures of different PNS bacteria (R. capsulatus (DSM 1710), R. capsulatus hup- v (YO3), R. palustris (DSM 127) and R. sphaeroides O.U.001 (DSM 5864)) were compared on artificial H2 production medium in 150 mL photobioreactors under continuous illumination and anaerobic conditions. In general, higher hydrogen yields were obtained via co-cultivation of two different PNS bacteria when compared with single cultures. Further increase in hydrogen yield was observed with co-cultivation of three different PNS bacteria. Co-cultures of two different PNS bacteria have resulted in up to 1.4 and 2.1 fold increase in hydrogen yield and hydrogen productivity. Whereas co-cultures of three different PNS bacteria have resulted in up to 1.6 and 2.0 fold increase in hydrogen yield and hydrogen productivity compared to single cultures. These results indicate that, defined co-cultures of PNS bacteria produce hydrogen at a higher yield and productivity, due most probably to some synergistic relationship. Further studies regarding the physiological and molecular changes need to be carried out for deeper understanding of the mechanism of hydrogen production in co-cultures.

The diploma thesis is focused on the influence of biological stress formed by co-cultivation of heterotrophic (yeasts) and autotrophic (microalgae and cyanobacteria) organisms on the production of enriched biomass. The monitored groups of substances include carotenoids (-carotene, lutein, lycopene, astaxanthin, torularhodin), chlorophylls A and B, ergosterol and ubiquinone. Further, production of lipids was analyzed in the terms of fatty acid profile and lipid content in biomass. In the first part of the work, the yeast biomass production was investigated using different nitrogen sources. Glycerol was used as a carbon source in all parts of the work. Subsequently, the co-cultivation of yeasts with microalgae and cyanobacteria took place in a multicultivator with gradual increase of selected macroelements – nitrogen, magnesium and phosphorus. The last part of the work was focused on the co-cultivation of yeasts and microalgae in a laboratory fermenter. The best effect on the production of total biomass was the increased magnesium content and high nitrogen content in the basic medium. The best concentrations of carotenoids were achieved due to the double nitrogen and phosphorus content together. Chlorophyll production was significantly lower compared to carotenoids.

Ce travail porte sur l'étude chimique d'une souche endophyte de Botryosphaeria mamane, un micromycète relativement peu étudié, isolée des feuilles de Bixa orellana. Des travaux préliminaires portant sur le screening de 409 souches de champignons isolés à partir de plantes médicinales d'Amérique du Sud a révélé que parmi celles-ci, B. mamane E224 était l'une des souches les plus actives in vitro sur un modèle de Leishmania infantum. L'objectif de ce travail a consisté en l'induction de la production de nouveaux métabolites secondaires produits par B. mamane via l'optimisation des conditions de culture de cette souche, la mise en place de méthodes de co-cultures et l'ajout de modificateurs épigénétiques. Une analyse des métabolomes dans les différentes conditions a été réalisée à travers une approche métabolomique, utilisant un couplage UHPLC-HRMS, ainsi que grâce à différents outils statistiques. Deux grandes classes de composés ont ainsi été détectées dans les cultures axéniques de B. mamane. Premièrement, la famille des cyclopeptides, incluant les cyclodipeptides soufrés avec en particulier trois nouveaux composés, les botryosulfuranols A-C. Puis la famille des isocoumarines, avec des dérivés de la melleine (trans-4-hydroxymelleine, 4-hydroxymelleine et 5-hydroxymellein). A travers l'ajout de modificateurs épigénétiques à la culture de B. mamane, nous avons pu étudier les effets de deux inhibiteurs d'histone désacétylases (HDACis), l'acide suberoylanilidehydroxamique (SAHA) et le valproate sodique, ajoutés à deux stades différents de la culture fongique. L'ajout de HDACi dans la culture de B. mamane a entraîné des changements importants dans la production de métabolites secondaires. En effet, une induction de certains métabolites mais également une réduction et l'inactivation de la production d'autres métabolites, ont été observés, et ceci selon la nature du modificateur épigénétique ajouté. Cette étude illustre l'importance du choix des HDACis pour l'induction de la production de métabolites spécifiques. Concernant l'optimisation de la co-culture de B.[...] / This study focused on the strain of a poorly studied fungal endophyte Botryosphaeria mamane E224, isolated from Bixa orellana leaves. Our previous screening involving 409 fungal strains isolated from medicinal plants from South America revealed that among all these strains, B. mamane was shown to be the most bioactive on in vitro model against Leishmania infantum. The objectives of this work consisted in the introduction of new metabolite production by B. mamane by optimizing the fungal culture conditions, and by using co-cultivation methods and addition of epigenetic modifiers. This work was followed by an analysis of the different metabolomes via a metabolomics approach using UHPLC-HRMS and integration of informatics and statistical tools for metabolomics. Two major compound classes were detected in B. mamane. First, the cyclopeptide family including the thiodiketopiperazines (TDKPs) alkaloids with three new compounds proposed as botryosulfuranols A-C; and the isocoumarin family, with the mellein derivatives, trans-4-hydroxymellein, 4-hydroxymellein, and 5-hydroxymellein. Regarding the exploration of B. mamane metabolome cultured in the presence of epigenetic modifier, the effects of two different histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis), suberoylanilidehydroxamic acid (SAHA) and valproate sodium added in two different stages of fungal growth, were investigated. As expected, HDACis addition in the culture of B. mamane led to significant changes in the secondary metabolite production. Addition of modifier not only induced metabolites production but also reduced and may inactivate metabolite production in fungi, depending on the nature of the epigenetic modifier added. This study illustrates the importance in the choice of HDACis to fungal culture in order to induce specific metabolite productions. In the study of B. mamane and C. albicans co-cultivation in different culture conditions, we showed the influence of the conditions (static versus agitation) on the metabolome of the fungi. However, the co-culture with yeast did not induce any modification in the fungal metabolome. The investigation of fungal interactions between B. mamane, Fusarium solani, and Colletotrichum linicola in 6-multi well plates in time-series based analysis has been carried out. [...]

Successful translation of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based therapies into clinical reality relies on adequate cell production procedures. These should be available not only for human MSC, but also for MSC from animal species relevant to preclinical research and veterinary medicine. The cell culture medium supplementation is one of the critical aspects in MSC production. Therefore, we previously established a scalable protocol for the production of buffy-coat based equine platelet lysate (ePL). This ePL proved to be a suitable alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for equine adipose-derived (AD-) MSC culture so far, as it supported AD-MSC proliferation and basic characteristics. The aim of the current study was to further analyze the functional properties of equine AD-MSC cultured with the same ePL, focusing on cell fitness, genetic stability and pro-angiogenic potency. All experiments were performed with AD-MSC from n = 5 horses, which were cultured either in medium supplemented with 10% FBS, 10% ePL or 2.5% ePL. AD-MSC cultured with 2.5% ePL, which previously showed decreased proliferation potential, displayed higher apoptosis but lower senescence levels as compared to 10% ePL medium (p < 0.05). Non-clonal chromosomal aberrations occurred in 8% of equine AD-MSC cultivated with FBS and only in 4.8% of equine AD-MSC cultivated with 10% ePL. Clonal aberrations in the AD-MSC were neither observed in FBS nor in 10% ePL medium. Analysis of AD-MSC and endothelial cells in an indirect co-culture revealed that the ePL supported the pro-angiogenic effects of AD-MSC. In the 10% ePL group, more vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) was released and highest VEGF-A concentrations were reached in the presence of ePL and co-cultured cells (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, AD-MSC expressed the VEGF receptor-2 at higher levels in the presence of ePL (p < 0.05). Finally, AD-MSC and 10% ePL together promoted the growth of endothelial cells and induced the formation of vessel-like structures in two of the samples. These data further substantiate that buffy-coat-based ePL is a valuable supplement for equine AD-MSC culture media. The ePL does not only support stable equine AD-MSC characteristics as demonstrated before, but it also enhances their functional properties.

Karotenoidy jsou přírodní pigmenty vyskytující se v mikroorganismech jako jsou řasy, kvasinky a sinice. Představují nejrozšířenější skupinu antioxidantů s významným biologickým účinkem. V současnosti vzrůstá zájem o karotenoidy vzhledem k jejich příznivým vlivům na lidské zdraví. Chlorofyly jsou zelená fotosyntetická barviva, která nacházejí uplatnění v potravinářství jako intenzivní zelená barviva. Koenzym Q je znám svým pozitivním vlivem pro správnou funkci řady orgánů v lidském těle. Ergosterol je nedílnou součástí membrán kvasinek a hub. Je to provitamin D2, který je důležitou součástí imunitního systému. Mikrobiální lipidy, nebo také ‚‚Single cell oils‘‘ jsou charakteristické vysokým obsahem zdraví prospěšných nenasycených mastných kyselin, které lze využít ve farmacii či kosmetice. Mikrobiální lipidy jsou dále studovány jako alternativa pro výrobu biopaliv. Dizertační práce byla zaměřena na studium a možnosti optimalizace produkce lipidů a lipidických látek vybranými kmeny karotenogenních kvasinek, mikrořas a sinic. V rámci práce byly testované kvasinky rodu Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Cystofilobasidium a Sporidiobolus podrobené kultivacím na sérií médií s různými C/N poměry v rozsahu 13 až 100, obsahujících upravené odpadní substráty z potravinářského průmyslu. Vybrané kmeny byly poté kultivovány v bioreaktorech v médiu obsahujícím kombinaci odpadních substrátů. Kultivace mikrořas rodu Desmodesmus, Scenedesmus, Chlorella, Coccomyxa, Chlamydomonas, Botryococcus se zabývaly optimalizací jednotlivých komponent média a aplikací různých stresů s cílem navýšení produkce studovaných metabolitů. V rámci experimentů s extrémofilní mikrořasou Coccomyxa byly provedeny pilotní velkoobjemové kultivace v otevřených nádržích. V závěrečné části byl provedeny pilotní screeningové a velkoobjemové bioreaktorové experimenty zaměřené na možnosti kokultivace karotenogenních kvasinek a mikrořas. Testované kmeny kvasinek byly s rozdílnou úspěšností schopny utilizovat média obsahující hydrolyzované odpadní substráty. Nejlepším kmenem byl Sporidiobolus pararoseus, který na médiích dosahoval nejvyšších produkcí biomasy i sledovaných metabolitů. Z testovaných odpadních substrátů byla nejlepší kombinace odpadního fritovacího oleje a hydrolyzátu kávové sedliny. Úspěšná optimalizace složení hlavních komponent minerálního média vedla k zvýšené produkci studovaných metabolitů. Největší vliv měl optimální poměr P/N a aplikace oxidačního stresu. Nejlepších výsledků dosáhly mikrořasy rodu Desmodesmus a Scenedesmus. Velkoobjemové kultivace Coccomyxy onubensis potvrdily rezistenci kultury proti kontaminaci vnějšími vlivy a schopnost růstu za vysoké teploty a intenzity světelného záření. Kokultivační experimenty potvrdily schopnost symbiotického růstu kvasinek a mikrořas. Nejlepších výsledků dosahovaly všechny testované kvasinky s mikrořasami rodu Demsodesmus a Scenedesmus a v menší míře i rodu Coccomyxa.