"Dissolved carbon is relatively dilute compared to all the other molecules in the ocean, and that limits the growth of photosynthetic organisms that live there. We decided to investigate what happens when you alleviate that limiting factor by going to a place with plenty of carbon, where some organisms could have evolved the ability to use it to galvanize their growth," said Dr. Max Schubert, former Wyss Institute staff scientist and now Lead Project Scientist at Align to Innovate. "This naturally occurring strain of cyanobacteria has several traits that could be useful to humans, including highly dense growth and a natural tendency to sink in water, making Chonkus a particularly interesting organism for future work on decarbonization and biomanufacturing."
From the Field to Laboratory Discoveries
Schubert began this research with Dr. Braden Tierney, his former lab colleague at Harvard. Together, they secured funding and initiated a collection expedition to Vulcano Island's CO2-rich waters, where they collected seawater samples containing various microbes. After the samples were brought to Boston, Schubert's team isolated two cyanobacteria strains: UTEX 3221 and UTEX 3222. Focusing on UTEX 3222, they noted its rapid growth, large cell size, and increased density, earning it the moniker "Chonkus." The strain's tendency to settle into a dense layer at the bottom of sample tubes makes it ideal for biomanufacturing, as current drying processes contribute significantly to production costs.
"Many of the traits that we observed in Chonkus aren't inherently useful in their natural environment, but are very useful to humans," said Tierney. "Aquatic organisms naturally grow at very low density, but being able to grow to a high density at higher temperatures is very helpful in the industrial environments that we use to manufacture many goods and products, and can help sequester more carbon."
Potential for Sustainable Biomanufacturing and Climate Impact
The researchers see numerous applications for Chonkus, from carbon sequestration to biomanufacturing. Other cyanobacteria are currently used to produce substances like omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant astaxanthin. The fast-growing and dense nature of Chonkus could improve the efficiency of these production processes, coupling carbon capture with biomanufacturing.
Chonkus samples are now available for public research through the Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas, Austin. Tierney's subsequent research expeditions, through The Two Frontiers Project, aim to discover microbes in extreme environments with traits beneficial to industries focused on carbon capture, sustainable production, and coral ecosystem restoration.
Dr. George Church, a prominent geneticist and study co-author, emphasized the potential of Chonkus for industrial applications, noting, "The traits inherent in the naturally evolved cyanobacteria strains described in this research have the potential to be used both in industry and the environment, including biomanufacturing of useful carbon-based products or sinking large volumes of carbon to the ocean floor. While further modifications could be made to enhance these microbes' abilities, harnessing billions of years of evolution is a significant leg up in humanity's urgent need to mitigate and reverse climate change."
Wyss Founding Director Dr. Don Ingber lauded the team's efforts, adding, "The Wyss Institute was founded on the belief that Nature is the best source of innovation on the planet, and that emulating its principles is the key to driving positive impact. I'm proud of this team for getting out of the lab and seeking Nature's best ideas where they've already developed. This is a wonderful example of how our new Sustainable Futures Initiative is pursuing out-of-the-box approaches to confront climate change - the biggest challenge of our generation."
Key contributors to the research also include Tzu-Chieh Tang, Isabella Goodchild-Michelman, Krista Ryon, James Henriksen, Theodore Chavkin, Yanqi Wu, Teemu Miettinen, Stefanie Van Wychen, Lukas Dahlin, Davide Spatafora, Gabriele Turco, Michael Guarnieri, Scott Manalis, John Kowitz, Raja Dhir, Paola Quatrini, Christopher Mason, and Marco Milazzo.
Research Report:Cyanobacteria newly isolated from marine volcanic seeps display rapid sinking and robust, high density growth
Related Links
The Two Frontiers Project
Carbon Worlds - where graphite, diamond, amorphous, fullerenes meet
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