This work dealt with the study of growth parameters, pigments production, and bioenergetic aspects of the microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta in different culture media. For this purpose, cultures were carried out in Erlenmeyer flasks containing F/2 medium, Bold’s Basal medium, or an alternative medium made up of the same constituents of the Bold’s Basal medium dissolved in natural seawater instead of distilled water. D. tertiolecta reached the highest dry cell concentration (X_max = 1223 mgDM·L⁻¹), specific growth rate (µ_max = 0.535 d⁻¹), cell productivity (P_X = 102 mgDM·L⁻¹·d⁻¹), and photosynthetic efficiency (PE = 14.54%) in the alternative medium, while the highest contents of carotenoids (52.0 mg·g⁻¹) and chlorophyll (108.0 mg·g⁻¹) in the biomass were obtained in Bold’s Basal medium. As for the bioenergetic parameters, the biomass yield on Gibbs energy dissipation was higher and comparable in both seawater-based media. However, the F/2 medium led to the highest values of moles of photons absorbed to produce 1 C-mol of biomass (n_Ph), total Gibbs energy absorbed by the photosynthesis (ΔG_a) and released heat (Q), as well as the lowest cell concentration, thus proving to be the least suitable medium for D. tertiolecta growth. On the other hand, the highest values of molar development of O₂ and consumption of H⁺ and H₂O were obtained in the alternative medium, which also ensured the best kinetic parameters, thereby allowing for the best energy exploitation for cell growth. These results demonstrate that composition of culture medium for microalgae cultivation has different effects on pigments production, growth kinetics, and bioenergetics parameters, which should be taken into consideration for any use of biomass, including as raw material for biofuels production.

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) are a widely available agro-industrial residue rich in carbon and phenolic compounds, presenting significant potential for biotechnological valorization. This study evaluated the use of SCG as a suitable substrate for fungal laccase production and the application of the resulting fermented biomass (RFB), a mixture of fermented SCG and fungal biomass as a biosorbent for textile dye removal. Two fungal strains, namely Lentinus crinitus UCP 1206 and Trametes sp. UCP 1244, were evaluated in both submerged (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) using SCG. L. crinitus showed superior performance in SSF, reaching 14.62 U/g of laccase activity. Factorial design revealed that a lower SCG amount (5 g) and higher moisture (80%) and temperature (30 °C ± 0.2) favored enzyme production. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses confirmed significant structural degradation of SCG after fermentation, especially in SSF. Furthermore, SCG and RFB were chemically activated and evaluated as biosorbents. The activated carbon from SCG (ACSCG) and RFB (ACRFB) exhibited high removal efficiencies for Remazol dyes, comparable to commercial activated carbon. These findings highlight the potential of SCG as a low-cost, sustainable resource for enzyme production and wastewater treatment, contributing to circular bioeconomy strategies.

(1) Background: Polysaccharide films are promising vehicles for the delivery of bioactive agents such as collagenases, as they provide controlled release at the wound site, facilitating tissue regeneration. This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of Cassia grandis polysaccharide films with immobilized collagenase from Streptomyces parvulus (DPUA/1573). (2) Methods: Galactomannan was extracted from Cassia grandis seeds for film production with 0.8% (w/v) galactomannan and 0.2% (v/v) glycerol with or without collagenases. The films underwent physical-chemical analyses: Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), color and opacity (luminosity-L*, green to red-a*, yellow to blue-b*, opacity-Y%), moisture content, water vapor permeability (WVP), thickness, contact angle, and mechanical properties. (3) Results: The results showed similar FTIR spectra to the literature, indicating carbonyl functional groups. Immobilizing bioactive compounds increased surface roughness observed in SEM. TGA indicated a better viability for films with immobilized S. parvulus enzymes. Both collagenase-containing and control films exhibited a bright-yellowish color with slight opacity (Y%). Mechanical tests revealed decreased rigidity in PCF (−25%) and SCF (−41%) and increased deformability in films with the immobilized bioactive compounds, PCF (234%) and SCF (295%). (4) Conclusions: Polysaccharide-based films are promising biomaterials for controlled composition, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and wound healing, with a potential in pharmacological applications.

Probiotics have been suggested as a treatment for canine atopic dermatitis, a form of dermatopathy common in dogs. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotics as an adjuvant in treating canine atopic dermatitis in vivo studies with dogs. The study was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Only clinical studies in dogs with atopic dermatitis that received intervention with probiotics were selected, being just original articles in English from the last 5 years (2019–2023). A total of 293 articles were obtained, and after the inclusion criteria, only 5 articles were eligible and included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The 5 studies used different probiotics at concentrations of 108 to 1010CFU/mL/g, 3 studies with oral administration for 12 weeks, and 2 studies with topical use for 4 weeks. The meta-analysis results show that probiotics did not present significant effects against atopic dermatitis by evaluating the CADESI-4 scale (P=0.08) and the PVAS scale (P=0.85). Furthermore, regarding the method of administration of probiotics (oral or topical), the meta-analysis showed that there were also no significant results when the disease index was evaluated using CADESI-4 (P=0.07) or PVAS (P=0.92). We concluded that, even without significant effects, all trials showed a reduction in CADESI-4 and PVAS scores, reflecting a reduction in the severity of atopic dermatitis in dogs that used probiotics as treatment adjuvants.

Collagenases are enzymes with broad biotechnological applications in medicine. This study describes the production and characterization of a collagenase from Aspergillus serratalhadensis URM 7866, isolated from the Caatinga biome. Solid-state fermentations were conducted using wheat bran under varying conditions of pH (6, 7, 8), moisture content (50%, 60%, 70%), and substrate concentration (2.5 g, 5 g, 10 g). The optimal condition—10 g of wheat bran at pH 8 and 70% moisture—yielded the highest collagenolytic activity (177.96 U/mL) and a specific activity of 50.55 U/mg. The enzyme was purified via multiple chromatography, with pre-purification and final purification factors of 18.09 and 20.21, respectively, reaching a specific activity of 1021.86 U/mg. The enzyme showed optimal activity at 50 °C and pH 8, with stability from 20 to 40 °C and pH 7–9. PMSF caused >80% inhibition; EDTA caused ~34% inhibition. Activity increased with Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ and was inhibited by Zn²⁺. The enzyme retained full activity in anionic and non-ionic surfactants (1–10%). FTIR confirmed characteristic amide bands, and kinetic analysis revealed a Km of 1.72 mg/mL and Vmax of 6.89 mg/mL/min. These findings support its potential for alkaline and surfactant-rich industrial processes.

O gênero Trichoderma é amplamente reconhecido por seu potencial biotecnológico, des-tacando-se na produção de enzimas e na promoção do controle biológico, o que o torna um recurso valioso para processos industriais sustentáveis. Este estudo investigou a pro-dução de proteases colagenolíticas pelo Trichoderma koningiopsis (UFPIT03) cultivado em fermentação em estado sólido (FES) utilizando farelo de frutos de Pritchardia paci-fica como substrato. O principal objetivo foi explorar o potencial desses resíduos agroin-dustriais para a obtenção de enzimas com aplicação industrial. As proteases foram extra-ídas e submetidas a um esquema de purificação que incluiu precipitação com acetona, fracionamento com sulfato de amônio e cromatografia de troca iônica. Os resultados obtidos apresentaram uma eficiência na purificação de uma enzima com atividade prote-olítica exibindo atividade ótima em pH 8,0 e estabilidade térmica, mantendo mais de 70% da atividade após 6 horas de incubação em temperaturas entre 20°C e 50°C. Adici-onalmente, a caracterização físico-química indicou que a enzima na presença de íons AlCl3 e ZnSO4 teve sua atividade reduzida em mais de 50% e estabilidade na presença de surfactantes. A cromatografia em Gel filtração em Superdex-G75 revelou a massa molecular da enzimas em torno de 65kDa. Os resultados demonstram a viabilidade do T. koningiopsis como recurso biotecnológico para a obtenção de enzimas de alto valor agregado, promovendo processos sustentáveis que aproveitam resíduos agroindustriais.