Conference Alerts posted: " Microorganisms have loops. Cultivating microbial communities in a way that keeps them stable for a long time Complex microbial communities' skills are utilized in a variety of biotechnological procedures. This necessitates unique microbial community c" European Conferences
Microorganisms have loops. Cultivating microbial communities in a way that keeps them stable for a long time
Complex microbial communities' skills are utilized in a variety of biotechnological procedures. This necessitates unique microbial community compositions. These, on the other hand, are frequently unstable and subject to interruption. Researchers have created amass transfer mechanism with a loop' that can help microbial communities stay stable in the long run.
Microorganisms are found practically everywhere on the earth, in water, on land, and in the air, and they are necessary for all biogeochemical cycles. In water, soil, and even our intestines, they are masters of deterioration and transformation. We harness the productivity of complex microbial communities in waste water treatment plants and industrial biotechnological processes (e.g., for the production of food, biogas, or bio-based polymers).
The correct conditions allow microorganisms to perform their jobs. Steady processes, on the other hand, necessitate a stable microbial community makeup. "And that is precisely the difficulty," explains Prof. Susann Müller, head of the UFZ Department of Environmental Microbiology's Flow Cytometry working group. "The issue with microbial communities is that they might develop in radically diverse directions — even under identical conditions."
They started by making five bioreactors with identical microbial communities in each. They then looked into whether and how these communities' makeup changed over time, and if so, how much. To accomplish so, they used high-throughput flow cytometry to study and characterize single cells quickly. Bacterial factors such as cell size, density, and DNA content can all be determined. In just a few minutes, a sample with 200,000 bacterial cells can be presented as precisely as a fingerprint — similar to a QR code. The research team analyzed the massive volumes of data gathered using specific computer algorithms and was able to spot changes in the microbial composition.
11th Global Medical Microbiology Summit & Expo
Theme: Recent advancements in Medical Microbiology
"Despite the similar conditions, the microbial communities in the five bioreactors grew remarkably differently," Müller adds. After that, the researchers added a loop to the system. Each of the five reactors had inflow and outflow connections to this sixth bioreactor. As a result, there was a continual interchange of mass between the bioreactors. "Our research revealed that the loop synchronized the microbial populations in the bioreactors, and that their composition and functions were permanently stabilized," explains Müller. "Furthermore, the chances of microorganisms with a slow growth rate surviving were greatly improved. For many biotechnological processes, this rescue effect can be critical."
The impacts of mass transfers are well-known, for example, in sewage treatment plants where a portion of the settling sludge from the third treatment stage is returned to the second treatment stage. Müller explains, "The premise was actually very obvious." "However, no one has looked into this in depth until now."
In our research, we created a brand-new reactor system by combining a variety of fields such as microbiology, ecology, biotechnology, single-cell analytics, data science, and modelling. For the first time, we were able to demonstrate that the idea of mass transfer with a loop may stabilize microbial populations over time. We think that by conducting this research, we will be able to provide stimuli for practical application."
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