December 5th-7th, 2019 University of Coimbra (Pólo II) CONGRESS OF MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2019 BOOK OF ABSTRACTS Summary Organizing Committee……………………………………………………………..………………………3 Scientific Committee………………………………………………………………………………….……3 Executive Committee………………………………………………………………………………………4 Technical Secretariat………………………………………………………………………………………4 Plenary Presentations…………………………………………………………………………….……….5 Keynote Presentations………………………………………………………………………..…………..11 Oral Presentations…………………………………………………………………………….……..…….24 Flash & Poster Presentations……………………………………………………………………….……66 2 Organizing Committee Co-chair: Paula V. Morais (CEMMPRE, UC) Co-chair: Jorge Rocha (CIEPQPF, UC) Teresa Gonçalves (CNC, UC) Gabriela Silva (CNC, UC) Scientific Committee Ana Teresa Caldeira (HERCULES, UE) Arsénio Fialho (IST, UL) Ana Azevedo (IST, UL) Ana Cristina Dias Cabral (UBI) Artur Alves (CESAM, UA) Cecília Arraiano (ITQB, UNL) Cecília Roque (UNL) Célia Manaia (ESB, UCP) Cecília Leão (ECS, UM) Constança Pomba (UL) Eugénio Ferreira (CEB, UM) Francisco Gírio (LNEG) Gabriel Monteiro (IST, UL) Hermínia Lencastre (ITQB, UNL) Isabel Gordo (IGC) Isabel Sá Correia (IST, UL) João Queiroz (UBI) Joaquim Cabral (IST, UL) Jorge Pedrosa (ICVS, UM) José Paulo Mota (UNL) José Paulo Sampaio (UCIBIO, UNL) José Teixeira (CEB , UM) Lucília Domingues (CEB, UM) Luísa Peixe (UP) Madalena Alves (CEB, UM) Manuel A. Coimbra (CEB, UA) Manuela Pintado (ESB, UCP) Mara Freire (CICECO, UA) Margarida Casal (CBMA, UM) Maria Ascensão Reis (UNL) Miguel Prazeres (IST, UL) Miguel Teixeira (IST, UNL) Miguel Viveiros (IHMT, UNL) Milton Costa (CNC, UC) Nelson Lima (CEB, UM) Paula V. Morais (CEMMPRE, UC) Pedro Moradas Ferreira (ICBAS, UP) Raquel Aires Barros (IST, UL) Teresa Crespo (ITQB, UNL) Vitor Vasconcelos (CIIMAR, UP) 3 Executive Committee Ana Paula Chung, PhD Carina Coimbra, Msc Catarina Marques, Msc Diogo Neves Proença, PhD Joana Caldeira, Msc Mariana Almeida, PhD Pedro Farias, Msc Rita Branco, PhD Roberta Lordelo, Msc Romeu Francisco, PhD UC Department of Life Sciences undergraduate students PCO Secretariat Organideia – Organização Profissional de Congressos, Lda. Coimbra, PORTUGAL Phone: +351 239 801 007 e-Mail: [email protected] 4 Plenary Presentations 3 Plenary I Microbial diversity – a key to success in industry Michael Sauer BOKU – University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, CD Laboratory for Biotechnology of Glycerol, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria E-mail: [email protected] In our societies pursuit to substitute petroleum as carbon and energy source, industrial microbiology is one jigsaw piece. Microbial conversion of alternative carbon sources, such as plant derived sugars or glycerol into fuels or chemicals of higher value is a promising approach. Many papers are published about a plethora of ideas, which carbon source to convert into what chemical, however very rarely we hear about success stories making it really to the market. The economic constraints for success are harsh and interestingly these constraints are directly translating into constraints for the bioprocess. Ideally, high product titers with very high yield are obtained in a very short time and the final culture broth should be appropriate for easy purification of the desired compound (proper pH value and as few contaminants as possible...) With such constraints we are moving very far from natural habitats of microorganisms, which already gives a hint, why many processes do not work as envisioned. Nevertheless, I advocate that nature already solved most of our problems and that proper understanding of nature and its incredible diversity is a helpful basis for the industrial microbiologist. Understanding includes biochemistry and physiology, but also morphology and here come the challenges: while some pet organisms are well known (but far from understood), the majority of microorganisms is not even culturable as yet. Furthermore, current university curricula and fashion driven science politics are characterized by a lack of basic skills of microbiology. In my talk I want to point out some small examples how we can exploit our knowledge and how we can apply our research to utilize the wealth of solutions which nature provides us with. I hope to convey appreciation that studying microbiology is worthwhile, understanding diversity is valuable and preserving diversity is of utmost importance. 4 Plenary II SABANA project: demonstrating the application of microalgae in agriculture and aquaculture Acién Fernández F. G. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, Almería, Spain E-mail: [email protected] Although microalgae have been proposed for multiple applications, today only direct human related applications are commercial, mainly due to the high production cost and low scale of microalgae production facilities. Market analysis demonstrates that to apply microalgae in other fields such as agriculture and aquaculture large facilities capable to produce low cost biomass are required, for that the coupling with wastewater treatment is mandatory. Thus, SABANA project aims to develop a complete biorefinery obtaining microalgae related products for agriculture and aquaculture reusing nutrients from effluents at scale up to 5 ha. After two years two complete R&D (0.5 ha) and PRODUCTION (1.5 ha) facilities have been completed. The reliability of large scale low-cost raceway reactors has been validated, the reactors being operated in full recirculation mode to save water and nutrients. Harvesting of the biomass has been optimized by combining a pre-concentration and dewatering step using ultrafiltration membrane and nozzle separator. Concerning cell disruption, it has been confirmed that the utilization of high pressure homogenizers allows to obtain enough cell disruption for further extraction processes, minimizing energy consumption. Extracts obtained from the biomass sludge demonstrate relevant effects both as biostimulant and biopesticide. Concerning biostimulant effect both Auxin-like and Cytokinin-like activities were found, in some cases increases in the plant growth performance larger than 200% being measured. Concerning biopesticides, results demonstrate the inhibition of growth of five of the most relevant fungal pathogens, up to 60%. These effects have been demonstrated at small scale, in experiments performed at laboratory, but they have been also confirmed at real field conditions. Concerning aquaculture, although the biochemical composition of the microalgae biomass is highly valuable, the digestibility of the biomass is largely dependent of the strain. To improve the digestibility of the biomass it is recommendable to perform a previous cell disruption, also by high pressure homogenization. Fish trials performed demonstrate that the major advantage of incorporating microalgae biomass is not related with the improvement of growth but with the enhancement of health of fishes as probiotic. First end products are being evaluated, prior to market evaluation by companies. Thus, SABANA is expected to conclude with real commercial processes demonstrated at commercial level. 5 Plenary III Exploration of Microbial Diversity: from the microbiome to the global Virome Nikos Kyripides DOE Joint Genome Institute, California, USA E-mail: [email protected] 6 Plenary IV Fungal-based biorefinery Mohammad J Taherzadeh University of Borås, Borås, Sweden E-mail: [email protected] Filamentous fungi have an inevitable role in nature, and without them the world look different. The fungi can assimilate a variety of materials including carbohydrates, lignin, fat etc. and produce a variety of enzymes and metabolites such as carboxylic acids and alcohols, while the fungal biomass can also be used as feed or food. Therefore, these fungi can be used to develop biorefineries, in order to consume residuals and wastes (food wastes, industrial organic wastes, forestry wastes or agricultural residuals) and develop food, feed, metabolites, enzymes and/or biopolymers. Our research group is working with filamentous fungi since 1999 and are developing fungal-based biorefineries. In this presentation, the role of fungi in assimilating a variety of wastes and residuals and producing ethanol, enzymes, bioplastics, fish feed, and even human food will be explained. The fungal used were mainly from Ascomycetes and Zygomycetes classes. 7 Plenary V Science and Society: From Flint Michigan to Washington DC Michele Swanson ASM President, University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA E-mail: [email protected] Once a booming industrial city, in 2014, a bankrupt Flint, Michigan reduced expenses by switching its water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Omission of anti-corrosive chemicals by the local water utility was soon followed by reports of red, foul water, lead contamination, and outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. In 2016, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services recruited an interdisciplinary research team to investigate whether changes in the municipal water system increased risk of this water-associated infection. Our research findings on the 2014- 15 Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks will be discussed in the context of the social, political, and legal upheaval of the Flint Water Crisis. Responses by the media, the Michigan electorate, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will also be highlighted. The Flint public health crisis also draws attention to the role of scientists