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- From lignocellulosic residues to protein sources: insights into biomass pre-treatments and conversionPublication . Vera dos Anjos, Isabela; Coelho, Natacha; Duarte, Hugo; Proença, Diogo Neves; Duarte, Maria F.; Jorge de Barros, Raúl José; Raposo, Sara; Gonçalves, Sandra; Romano, Anabela; Medronho, BrunoWith the global population steadily rising, the demand for sustainable protein sources has become increasingly urgent. Traditional animal- and plant-based proteins face challenges related to scalability, resource efficiency, and environmental impact. In this context, single-cell protein has emerged as a promising alternative. Derived from microorganisms such as algae, bacteria, fungi, and yeast, single-cell protein offers a high nutritional profileincluding all essential amino acids and vitamins—while enabling rapid production, minimal land and water requirements, and no generation of greenhouse gas emissions. A particularly compelling advantage of single-cell protein is its ability to be produced from agro-industrial waste, converting low-cost residues into valuable nutritional resources and contributing to environmental sustainability. Among these waste streams, lignocellulosic biomass from agricultural and forestry residues stands out as a renewable, biodegradable, and abundant feedstock. This review explores the potential of lignocellulosic waste as a substrate for single-cell protein production, emphasizing both its environmental advantages and nutritional value. It highlights the single-cell protein role as a sustainable and scalable alternative to conventional protein sources. The review also identifies key scientific, economic, and regulatory challenges, and recognizes the importance of targeted investments, particularly in policy development, public awareness, and technological innovation, to enable the broader adoption and acceptance of single-cell protein -based products.
- Potential protective role of amphibian skin bacteria against water mold saprolegnia spp.Publication . Costa, Sara; Proença, Diogo Neves; Alves, Artur; Morais, Paula V.; Lopes, IsabelAmphibian populations have experienced a severe decline over the past 40 years, driven primarily by environmental pollution, habitat destruction, climate change, and disease. This work reports, for the first time, saprolegniosis in Pelophylax perezi egg masses and saprolegniosis in amphibians in Portugal. After isolation and phylogenetic analysis, the pathogen was identified as Saprolegnia australis. Following this, the present work intended to screen a collection of P. perezi skin bacteria for the existence of bacterial strains with inhibitory action against the newly identified S. australis SC1 and two other species, Saprolegnia diclina SAP 1010 UE and Saprolegnia australis SAP 1581 UE. The results showed that various bacterial species could inhibit the growth of these three species of oomycetes. Bacteria with the most significant antagonistic action against Saprolegnia spp. predominantly belonged to the genus Bacillus, followed by Serratia, Pseudomonas, and Aeromonas. Despite variations in bacterial diversity among frog populations, the present study also demonstrated the presence of bacteria on frogs’ skin that were capable of inhibiting Saprolegnia spp., as evidenced by in vitro challenge assays. These findings highlight the protective function of bacteria present in amphibian skin. The observed bacterial diversity may contribute to the metabolic redundancy of the frog skin microbiome, helping to maintain its functional capacity despite shifts in the community composition. Additionally, the study found that, when providing a more advantageous environment for pathogen growth—in this case a peptone–glucose (PG) medium instead of R2A—the percentage of bacteria with moderate-to-strong antagonistic activity dropped by 13% to 4%. In conclusion, the presence of bacteria capable of inhibiting Saprolegnia spp. in adult individuals and across different environmental conditions may contribute to lowering the susceptibility of frog adults towards Saprolegnia spp., compared with that in the early stages of development, like the tadpole or egg stages.