EU-IBISBA - European Industrial Biotechnology Innovation and Synthetic Biology Accelerator

EU-IBISBA is a pan-European research infrastructure dedicated to Industrial Biotechnology that provides a single access point to researchers from academia and industry across the globe to integrated services for end-to-end bioprocess development. By federating European expertise and state-of-the-art research and development facilities, we promote standardization and best data practices as core elements of service reproducibility and interoperability. In doing so, EU-IBISBA accelerates the production and translation of cutting-edge knowledge into innovation for biomanufacturing.

IBISBA-IT serves as the Italian Node of EU-IBISBA, playing a distinct role across four key domains: Synthetic Biology, Green Chemistry, Sustainable Bioenergy, and Functional Food. IBISBA-IT contributes to the overarching goals of EU-IBISBA by bolstering the Italian scientific research in Industrial Biotechnology, supporting national and local authorities, and fostering training and educational initiatives.

Enhancing Photosynthesis

La fotosintesi è il processo mediante il quale la luce solare è convertita in potenziale chimico, utilizzabile dagli organismi, e rappresenta pertantp il sito primario si produzione energetica nella biosfera. In condizioni ottimali le relazioni di foto-conversione procedono con una resa quantica estremamente elevata (80-99%). Lo studio di questi sistemi biologici può quindi rappresentate un paradigma utile per l’implementazione di materiali e strategie che li imitino per applicazioni fotovoltaiche e fotocatalitiche. D’altro canto, in condizioni naturali, a causa di variabilità e fluttuazioni ambientali, la resa fotosintetica è generalmente più bassa di quella ottimale e questo può portare a una riduzione della produttività, soprattutto per quanto riguarda le colture agricole. Pertanto, lo studio dei processi, come la raccolta della luce e il controllo dell’efficienza di raccolta, potrebbe portare ad un miglioramento della produttività delle colture ed essere quindi vantaggioso dal punto di vista sociale.

Il progetto “Enhancing Photosintesi” si propone di affrontare alcuni di questi aspetti, studiando sia i fattori che influenzano la produttività delle colture/piante, sia i loro meccanismi molecolari, sia i meccanismi fondamentali di conversione dei fotoni nei fotosistemi con l’obiettivo di trasferire alcune delle loro caratteristiche in sistemi biomimetici artificiali.

Il progetto prevede inoltre lo sviluppo di una piattaforma spettroscopica (ottica) per lo studio dei processi fotosintetici sia in(super)complessi clorofilla-proteina isolati, sia in sistemi fotosintetici intatti così come in sistemi sintetici artificiali (anche allo stato solido). La strumentazione coprirà oltre ad un ampio intervallo temporale (dai femto ai millisecondi) anche una ambia banda spettrale (dal vicino UV al vicino IR). Questa piattaforma sarà basata sia su strumentazioni già esistenti presso il CNR Milano e al PoliMI,  le cui caratteristiche saranno sostanzialmente estese/implementate per renderle adatte allo studio di campioni molto diversificati e complicati da studiare a causa dell’elevata dispersione della luce che presentano. E’ fine del progetto rendere questo “hub” spettroscopico aperto che rappresenti una struttura di duratura che possa aggregare e promuovere la ricerca in fotosintesi, e su argomenti strettamente correlati, a livello regionale e possibilmente nazionale.

PRIN 2022 REDDEST - Extending the red limit of oxygenic photosynthesis: basic principles and implications for future applications

Photosynthetic organisms developed highly diversified strategies to optimise light harvesting and conversion in response to environmental spectral characteristics. Challenging conditions are posed by the combination of low photon fluxes and enrichment in Far Red/Near-Infrared (FR/NIR) radiation. An increasing number of cyanobacteria were found to possess the far-red light photoacclimation (FaRLiP) response, which involves a large reshaping of the photosynthetic apparatus accompanied by the replacement of ~15% of the otherwise ubiquitous Chlorophyll (Chl)a with the red-shifted Chlf and Chld, thereby extending the FR/NIR absorption cross-section.

The project aims at gaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the far-red light photoacclimation (FaRLiP) response in cyanobacteria by: i) addressing the occurrence of the FaRLiP response in desert-rock cyanobacteria and FaRLiP genes variability; ii) identifying strains showing the best biomass accumulation and fitness under FR/NIR mimicking conditions; iii) investigating the relation between the increase in FR/NIR absorption and photochemical conversion, iv) defining the nature of photochemical cofactors and the energetics of FaRLiP reaction centers, v) explore the structural properties and the catalytic mechanism of the ChlF-synthase.

CYAO-CYAnobacteria platform Optimised for bioproduction

The development of economically and environmentally sustainable strategies for the production of renewable fuels and chemical supplies is perceived as one of the most burning issues in modern society. In particular, the generation of bioproducts from renewable sources having high associated quality value is a core task of bioeconomy. The principal aims of the CYAO project are:

– the development of cyanobacterial strains having improved growth yield and biomass accumulation by the engineering of their light-harvesting capacity;

– the development of cyanobacterial strains producing and accumulating high levels of the antioxidant carotenoid astaxanthin (Asx);

– the evaluation of the feasibility of rainbow trout aquaculture in which the bioproduct Asx, extracted from the engineered cyanobacterial strains, is used as feed supplement.

PNRR ITINERIS - Development of a structural biology platform as part of the IBISBA European research infrastructure network

Protein function can be understood through protein structure. The structure of a protein can inform the design of modifications resulting in increase or reduction of activity, depending on the desired goal. The service we are developing is a structure determination pipeline (from gene to protein structure). The design of synthetic proteins needs both validation by structure determination and it need to be inspired by structures of the proteins – either the ones to be modified or the products of the initial stages of design.  The user will provide either the gene encoding the protein of interest, or vector/expression system and purification protocol for producing it recombinantly, or purified protein.  The service will provide either of the following deliverables:

• Crystal structure.
• Cryo-EM structure (for targets with Molecular Weight MW greater than 200 kDa).

PRIN 2022 PNRR DYE ART- In vivo incorporation of organic DYE to ARTificially enhance photosynthetic efficiency in green algae and cyanobacteria

Grazie a una maggiore efficienza di fissazione dell’anidride carbonica rispetto alle piante terrestri, le microalghe possono svolgere un ruolo fondamentale nella futura economia a basse emissioni di carbonio e il loro potenziale ha suscitato un crescente interesse da parte del mondo accademico e dell’industria per lo sviluppo di tecnologie di cattura e utilizzo della CO₂.

DYE ART mira alla sperimentazione di una nuova e promettente tecnologia basata su coloranti sintetici che agiscono come sistemi antenna artificiali per migliorare l’efficienza fotosintetica di alghe verdi e cianobatteri. L’obiettivo è quello di superare le attuali limitazioni della crescita autotrofa delle microalghe nei fotobioreattori, per rendere sostenibili i processi biotecnologici basati sulle microalghe, riducendo l’impronta di carbonio e aumentando la produttività complessiva.

DYE ART integra competenze multidisciplinari all’avanguardia nel campo della biologia, della biotecnologia e della fotonica. Il progetto si propone di caratterizzare, verificare e convalidare l’approccio delle antenne artificiali in due gruppi di microalghe – alghe verdi e cianobatteri – entrambi di importanza fondamentale per lo sviluppo di un’ampia gamma di processi biotecnologici e caratterizzati da una diversa configurazione dei complessi pigmento-proteina che raccolgono la luce.

PNRR AGRITECH (SPOKE 8) - CIRCULAR ECONOMY in AGRICULTURE THROUGH WASTE VALORIZATION and RECYCLING

The research activity carried out at IBBA is part of Task 8.1.2 ‘Valorisation of waste through biotechnological processes to obtain high-value molecules or new products’ and focuses on the exploitation of photosynthetic organisms, such as microalgae (Chlorella sorokiniana and Chlorella vulgaris) and duckweeds (Lemna minor, Lemna gibba) for the treatment of dairy wastewaters coupled with the production of biomasses that can be valorised for their protein content and high added-value compounds.

The project also envisages the metagenomic characterisation of microbial consortia associated with the photosynthetic organisms during wastewater treatment and the isolation and characterisation of local microalgal strains from the dairy plant washing waters.

PNRR ITINERIS - Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System

The most critical challenges currently faced by our society include pollution, land use and climate change, and their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, which urgently require quantitative knowledge to be translated into actionable strategies. Given the complexity of these challenges, a multidisciplinary Earth System approach is essential, combining field and laboratory measurements, experimental analyses, data management and modeling tools across interconnected environmental domains. In this framework, ITINERIS was established as a thematic network bringing together 22 environmental Research Infrastructures to build an integrated national system for the observation and study of atmospheric, marine, terrestrial biosphere and geosphere processes.

Within WP6 – Terrestrial Biosphere, CNR-IBBA contributes to the development of harmonized and distributed platforms for metagenomic analyses, biomolecule production, and structural and functional characterization.

By promoting interoperability and data standardization in line with the IBISBA-EU roadmap, ITINERIS supports a long-term, innovative vision of Italian and European environmental research.

sPATIALS3 - Improvement of agrifood productions and innovative technologies for a safer and more secure and sustainable nutrition

sPATIALS3 is a technological and research hub involving 12 CNR Institutes belonging to 4 different Departments and 4 companies. Main objectives will be: obtainment of innovative food products improved for their nutritional and functional properties; provision and implementation of precision technologies to guarantee products quality, safety and traceability; development of innovative and eco-sustainable smart– and active-packaging to minimize and reuse wastes, where possible, and to increase food preservability; provision to consumers and producers of tools for results exploitation.

PNRR ONFOODS (SPOKE 2) - SMART and CIRCULAR FOOD SYSTEM and DISTRIBUTION

As part of the ONFOODS Partnership, CNR-IBBA is deeply involved in SPOKE 2, where it conducts research related to the development of innovative technologies for the recovery and valorisation of agri-food waste and the use of biomass obtained for the formulation of new solutions for sustainable, bio-based food packaging.

In particular, in WP2.1 ‘WP2.2: New technologies for food waste recovery’ IBBA coordinates for the CNR in Task 2.1.1 the BIOCOIM-BIOCOnversion of agro-industrial food and waste by Insects and Microalgae project and participates within Task 2.1.3 at the projects NEWPRO-NEW food and non-food PROducts from agrifood wastes and VALUE_PRODUCT-EVALUation of prototypEs from by PRODUCTs/waste. In WP2, IBBA participates in Task 2.2.1 in the projects BIOPACK-New solution for sustainable BIO-based food PACKaging; FUNPACK-Assessment of bio-FUNctional properties of new smart and sustainable PACKaging solutions and PILOT_PACK-PILOT-scale PACKaging solutions; and within Task 2.2.2 in the BIOSAN-BIOchemical technologies for SANitization of fresh food products project.