"Solar Salt Works and the Economics of Biodiversity" 3-4 June, Marsala Solar Salt Works, Trapani (Sicily) A perspective on the biotechnological potential of solar salt works Angela Corcelli Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs University of Bari Aldo Moro Bari, Italy Corcelli’s lab Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy … • • • • • Simona Lobasso Francesca Patrizia Lopalco Maristella Baronio Rita Vitale Roberto Angelini Christian Maristella Baronio Patrizia Lopalco Rita Vitale Simona Lobasso 11 giugno 2010 Roberto Angelini 1760 Margherita di Savoia, south Italy the largest salina in Europe Salinibacter ruber Dunaliella Halobacterium salinarum & Haloquadratum walsbyi Dunaliella Salinibacter ruber Halobacterium salinarum Lyophilized purple membranes isolated from Halobacterium salinarum bacteriorhodopsin the purple membrane lattice molecular structure of bacteriorhodopsin the photocycle of a bacteriorhodopsin (BR) mutant BR is a photoactivated proton pump Angela Corcelli, Human Physiology BEMC 2014 Special lipids from the salterns archaeal glycolipids, archaeal cardiolipins & halocapnine Novel lipids from the purple membranes and not only Biomaterials of interesting chemical physical properties Haloquadratum walsbyi (square cells can be easily recognized by phase contrast microscopy) AFM NAO staining SUBLIMI SAPONETTI M, BOBBA F, SALERNO G, SCARFATO A, CORCELLI A., CUCOLO A . Morphological an structural aspects of the extremely halophilic archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi. PLOS ONE, 2011 Lobasso S, Saponetti MS, Polidoro F, Lopalco P, Urbanija J, Kralj-Iglic V, Corcelli A. Archaebacterial lipid membranes as models to study the interaction of 10-N-nonyl acridine orange with phospholipids. Chem Phys Lipids. 2009, 157(1):12-20. A bacteriorhodopsin variant is among the pigments of square cells square cells photovoltaic panels Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from square cells 1) Isolation of red-purple membrane domains - biochemical and functional analyses 2) BR isolation by phenylsepharose chromatograhy - from Haloquadratum walsbyi - from biomass of salterns ISOLATION OF BACTERIORHODOPSIN from square cells It is possible to isolate bacteriorhodopsin from the biomass of salterns? Bioreactor/hollow fibers        starting volume 40 liters operating volume 3 liters hollow fibers 0.2 µm2 mesh, 0.047 m2 surface area flux rate 1.7 liter/day operating pressure never exceeding 800 mbar 22 days Concentration factor 25 Hollow fibers In collaboration with CNR-IRSA Bari ….a recent paper Chem Commun (Camb). 2013 Hybrid Supramolecular Complexes based on Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes Wrapped by an Archaeal Glycolipid C. Ingrosso, G. V. Bianco, M. Corricelli, A. Corcelli, S. Lobasso, G. Bruno, A. Agostiano, M. Striccoli, M. L. Curri S-TGD-1 TEM micrographs of a (A) SWNT and of a (B) SWNT modified by the S-TGD-1 glycolipid. Longitudinal view of the suggested hybrid supramolecular complexes formed of S-TGD-1 wrapped around higher (A) and lower (B) diameter nanotubes. collaborations • Morris Kates, Ottawa, Ca • Nick Russell, England • Aharon Oren, Israel • Antonio Ventosa, Spain • Dennis Bamford and Elina Roine, Finland • Angela Agostiano, Bari, Italy • Francesco Babudri, Bari Funds & Acknowledgments • • • • University of Bari Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche Regione Puglia Italian Minister of Defense • Saline di Margherita di Savoia Electron cryomicroscopy of C23 (left) and HBSQ001 (right). 500 nm Square cells in culture PM SQmem SQgrad SQcells 1.5 1.0 hν on 0.5 1 nmol H+ 0 -0.5 hν off 1 min -1.0 -1.5 4.5 Prot=0.1mg/ml, vol=1.3ml 5.5 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10.5 Bacteriorhodopsin from square cells 1) Isolation of red-purple membrane domains - biochemical and functional analyses 2) BR isolation by phenylsepharose chromatograhy - from Haloquadratum walsbyi - from biomass of salterns