Chemical and molecular characterization of metabolites from Flavobacterium sp.

In this study, a Flavobacterium sp. is isolated from natural spring, and identified using molecular techniques. Extracellular and intracellular secondary metabolites are identified using solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra performance liquid chromatography. Cytotoxic activity of the extracellular compounds produced by the Flavobacterium sp. and quercetin as the standard are measured using ECV304 human endothelial cells in vitro. Our results show that Flavobacterim sp. isolate has the highest percentage of similarity with Flavobacterium cheonhonense strain ARSA-15 (99%). Quercetin is detected as the major extracellular compound produced by the Flavobacterium sp. Methanol extract of Flavobacterium sp. resulted in a higher cell viability results when compared to DMSO extracts. Computational chemistry approach was used and it has been found that polar solvent (methanol) contributed to higher antioxidant activity. In conclusion, Flavobacterium sp. can be used to produce quercetin for industrial purposes.

Hydrogen production profiles using furans in microbial electrolysis cells.

Microbial electrochemical cells including microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are novel biotechnological tools that can convert organic substances in wastewater or biomass into electricity or hydrogen. Electroactive microbial biofilms used in this technology have ability to transfer electrons from organic compounds to anodes. Evaluation of biofilm formation on anode is crucial for enhancing our understanding of hydrogen generation in terms of substrate utilization by microorganisms. In this study, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) were analyzed for hydrogen generation using single chamber membrane-free MECs (17 mL), and anode biofilms were also examined. MECs were inoculated with mixed bacterial culture enriched using chloroethane sulphonate. Hydrogen was succesfully produced in the presence of HMF, but not furfural. MECs generated similar current densities (5.9 and 6 mA/cm2 furfural and HMF, respectively). Biofilm samples obtained on the 24th and 40th day of cultivation using aromatic compounds were evaluated by using epi-fluorescent microscope. Our results show a correlation between biofilm density and hydrogen generation in single chamber MECs.