October 12, 2021

Fungi Research - Laccase Production by T. hirsuta

Trametes hirsuta is a valuable species for human studies on wastewater treatments. It belongs to the genus Trametes, which is a fungi genus that produces laccase - a lignin-degrading enzyme. It has broad substrate specificity with respect to electron donors and is a eco-friendly biocatalyst. Most reactive textile dyes used in textile finishing processes can pass through wastewater treatment systems and flow straight into rivers. The presence of these dyes and pigments can cause a significant alteration in the ecological conditions of the aquatic fauna and flora, because of the lack of their biodegradability. Recent studies showed that laccase can efficiently degrade a variety of synthetic dyes, making T. hirsuta a promising candidate to solve wastewater problems. Moreover, laccase production by T. hirsuta can be easily supported by food waste such as orange and potato peels.

  • Yuhao
Posted on October 12, 2021 12:51 AM by yuhao_chen yuhao_chen | 1 observation | 0 comments | Leave a comment

September 18, 2021

iNaturalist Journal Entry - Local Plants in Mount Royal

During the bioblitz activity, I found a species of moss - Fissidens cristatus, which doesn't have a common name. With OneZoom, I found its phylogenetic placement under division (a taxonomic rank equivalent to phylum in botany) Bryophyta, which includes 16860 species of mosses. This specific species belongs to the family Fissidentaceae that only has one genus, Fissidens.

One common adaptation for my observed species, except Fissidens cristatus, is the flower. Fissidens cristatus is excluded because it is a bryophyte while all the rest are angiosperms, these two types of plants exhibit very distinct differences in structures. The bright petals on flowers and nectar produced help with reproduction. These features attract insects that will spread pollen to other flowers so seeds can grow.

Fissidens cristatus have a very unique adaptation, which is the peristome. The peristome is a structure within the sporangium that regulates spore dispersal. Gradually releasing spores can increase the chances of survival, without it, there is a risk of releasing them all at once under certain unfavourable conditions, which limits survival.

  • Yuhao
Posted on September 18, 2021 02:16 AM by yuhao_chen yuhao_chen | 1 observation | 0 comments | Leave a comment

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