INFORM October 2025

30 • inform October 2025, Vol. 36 (9)

Sustainable lipids production in algal bacterial consortia under low light intensity: Regulation of light–dark on fatty acid composition Jiang, H., et al. , Chemical Engineering Journal , 505, 158987, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.158987 The algal-bacterial wastewater treatment process shows sig nificant potential for biofuel recovery. This study investigated the lipid productivity and regulation of fatty acid composition in algal-bacterial consortia under low light intensity and 12 h light 12 h dark cycles. Lipid content of algal-bacterial reactors was maintained at 21.7 %−31.1 % by colorimetry, and microalgae were the main contributors. The primary fatty acids—palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2)—are suitable for biodiesel production. A total of 110 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that hold fatty acid metabolism were recovered, 91 % of which possessed unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis genes. The lipid content, the proportions of long-chain and unsaturated fatty acids in algal-bacterial consortia under light were 36 %, 12 %, and 24 % higher than those under dark conditions, while the proportions of medium-chain and saturated fatty acids under dark were 52 % and 20 % higher than those under light. The accumulation of long-chain and unsaturated fatty acids in the light phase was attributed to the upregulation of fabD , fabH , fabB , fabF , tesB and yciA genes, whereas the upregulated fadD , cbr4 and htd 2 genes in the dark phase promoted the production of medium-chain and saturated fatty acids. This work provides novel insights into the dynamic regulation of fatty acid unsaturation and chain length under light–dark cycles, facilitating the recovery of fatty acids with different compositions from algal-bacterial biomass.

low-cost SGs using Wickerhamomyces anomalus and provided a theoretical basis for metabolic regulation in microbial oil production and industrial fermentation, highlighting significant economic and environmental benefits. Optimizing Cupriavidus necator H16 as a host for aerobic C1 conversion Donati, S. and Johnson, C. W., Current Opinion in Biotechnology , 93, 103306, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2025.103306 Biological systems capable of converting CO 2 or CO 2 derived, single-carbon (C1) compounds can be used to reduce or reverse carbon emissions while establishing a circular bioeconomy to provide sustainable sources of the fuels, foods, and materials humanity relies on. A robust bioeconomy will rely upon a variety of microorganisms capable of assimilating C1 compounds and converting them to valuable products at industrial scale. While anaerobic microbes are ideal hosts for production of short-chain acids and alcohols, microbes capable of aerobic respiration are well suited for biosynthesis of higher molecular weight products. One such organism is the gram-negative soil bacterium Cupriavidus necator, which has been utilized in com mercial production of biopolymers for decades. More recently, its capability of robust, aerobic growth on CO 2 has inspired research efforts that have advanced it toward becoming one of the leading bacterial hosts for C1-based biomanufacturing. This review high lights those efforts in the context of the characteristics that have historically made C. necator an excellent host for industrial biocon version processes: its metabolic versatility, ability to grow rapidly to high cell densities, and genetic amenability.