Microbial diversity, functionality and metabolic activity of thermal biofilms in Croatia

doctoral thesis

• Title (croatian): Mikrobna raznolikost, funkcionalnost i metabolička aktivnost termalnih biofilmova u Hrvatskoj
• Author: Ema Kostešić
• Mentor: Sandi Orlić (mentor)
• Mentor: Janko Diminić (mentor)
• Committee member: Jurica Žučko (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Blaženka Kos (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Jelena Godrijan (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology; (Department of Biochemical Engineering); (Section for Bioinformatics); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES; Biotechnology
• Universal decimal classification (UDC): 55 - Geology. Meteorology. Hydrology

Abstract

Hot spring biofilms are stable, highly complex microbial structures that thrive under extreme conditions and exhibit metabolic flexibility, making them valuable sources of bioactive molecules with potential industrial and biotechnological applications. This study represents the first investigation of the taxonomic and genetic diversity of biofilms from thermal ecosystems in Croatia. It determines the microbial composition of biofilms and the influence of environmental parameters on these microenvironments. Through different sequencing methods and analyzes, as well as microbial labeling techniques and microscopy, functionality, metabolic activities, and contributions to biogeochemical cycles of selected geothermal biofilms are investigated. The research provides a comprehensive description of thermal biofilm communities and completes the knowledge of geothermal ecosystems in general.

Abstract (croatian)

Biofilmovi termalnih izvora su stabilne, vrlo složene mikrobne strukture čija prilagodba na ekstremne uvjete zahtijeva metaboličku plastičnost, čineći ih vrijednim izvorima pri traženju bioaktivnih molekula od potencijalnog industrijskog i biotehnološkog značaja. Ovaj rad predstavlja prvo istraživanje taksonomske i genetičke raznolikosti biofilmova iz termalnih ekosustava u Hrvatskoj. Određen je mikrobni sastav biofilmova i utjecaj okolišnih parametara na te mikrookoliše. Različitim metodama sekvenciranja i analizama sekvenci, kao i tehnikama mikrobnog označavanja i mikroskopije, istražena je funkcionalnost, metabolička aktivnost i uloga u biogeokemijskim ciklusima odabranih geotermalnih biofilmova. Istraživanje daje sveobuhvatan opis zajednica termalnih biofilmova i upotpunjuje saznanja o geotermalnim ekosustavima općenito.

• Keywords: geothermal biofilms; 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing; BONCAT; CARD-FISH; metagenomes
• Keywords (croatian): geotermalni biofilmovi; 16S rRNA amplikoni sekvenci; BONCAT; CARD-FISH; metagenomi
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:159:752184
• Promotion: 2023
• Study programme: Title: Postgraduate PhD Study in Nutrition; Study programme type: university; Study level: postgraduate; Academic / professional title: doktor/ doktorica znanosti, područje biotehničkih znanosti, odgovarajuće polje (određeno matičnom strukom) (doktor/ doktorica znanosti, područje biotehničkih znanosti, odgovarajuće polje (određeno matičnom strukom))
• Type of resource: Text
• Extent: 107 str. ; 30 cm
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Repository: Repository of the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology
• Created on: 2023-10-24 09:02:40