The Discovery of 'Chonkus'
An international research team, comprising scientists from the United States and Italy, uncovered this unique strain of cyanobacteria in volcanic ocean vents off the coast of Vulcano, an island in Sicily, Italy. The environment, rich in marine CO2 due to shallow volcanic vents, provided ideal conditions for this CO2-hungry algae to thrive.
The researchers nicknamed the strain 'Chonkus' due to its distinctive characteristics. After isolation from enrichment cultures, two fast-growing cyanobacteria strains were identified: UTEX 3221 and UTEX 3222. The team focused on UTEX 3222 (Chonkus) because of its single-celled growth, which facilitated comparison with existing cyanobacteria strains.
Unique Characteristics of Chonkus
Chonkus exhibits several traits that set it apart from known fast-growing cyanobacteria strains:
- Larger colonies and cells
- Higher growth density
- Presence of carbon-containing storage granules in its cells
- Higher overall carbon content
Perhaps most intriguingly, Chonkus demonstrates a rapid settling behaviour, forming a dense pellet resembling "green peanut butter" at the bottom of sample tubes. This characteristic is particularly valuable for industrial processing, as it could significantly reduce the costs associated with concentrating and drying biomass.
Potential Applications
The discovery of Chonkus unveils exciting possibilities across various applications, particularly in carbon sequestration and efficient bioproduction. Many organisations exploring fast-growing organisms for carbon capture may find Chonkus, with its rapid growth and high carbon content, to be a promising candidate. Additionally, the microbe could potentially enhance the production efficiency of algae-based products such as omega-3 fatty acids, the antioxidant astaxanthin, and spirulina. Perhaps most intriguingly, Chonkus's ability to directly harvest carbon from its environment for growth suggests a potential dual benefit: coupling carbon sequestration with biomanufacturing in a single organism, thereby addressing environmental concerns while simultaneously producing valuable commodities.
Future Research and Availability
Samples of UTEX 3222 (Chonkus) and UTEX 3221 have been cryopreserved and are publicly available for other researchers to use from the Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas, Austin. This accessibility will facilitate further research and exploration of the potential applications of these newly discovered strains.
The discovery of Chonkus represents a significant step forward in the field of environmental science and biotechnology. Its unique properties make it a promising candidate for addressing some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, particularly in the areas of carbon sequestration and sustainable bioproduction.
