Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET) Research topics and expertise Head : Prof. Dr. ir. Willy Verstraete
Mission Microbial Ecology Strategic research Applied research Technology
General overview Strategic research Applied research Tools and instruments Focus on SHIME-Tec
Strategic Research Microbial communities Quorum sensing Electron shuttling Horizontal gene transfer Metabolomics
Applied Research Environmental Microbiology Wastewater Microbial fuel cells Biodegradation Anaerobic treatment Nitrogen removal strategies Minimizing wast sludge
Applied Research Environmental Microbiology Soil / Sediments Bioprecipitation of catalytic particles Anaerobic removal of organochlorine contaminants Soil and river sludge clean-up Pesticide degradation and ecotoxicology
Applied Research Environmental Microbiology Solid Wastes Solid waste treatment De-icing Buildings and structures Biologically mediated CaCO3 formation Microbial induced corrosion Air Indoor air pollution Biotrickling filtration
Applied Research Gastro-intestinal Microbiology Functional foods Pro- / pre- / synbiotics Bioactivation of food components Rumen microbiology Risk assessment Environmental contaminants Toxic food processing metabolites Phage therapy
Applied Research Foodchain Microbiology Drinking water Hygienisation Water recycling Pathogen abatement Aquaculture systems Habitat research Epiphytes on grain Space station life cycles Deep sea methane oxidation
Tools and instruments Reactor Technology Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) Activated sludge systems Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed reactors Microbial Fuel cells Membrane reactors Rotating disc reactors Dialysis reactors
Tools and instruments Molecular Analysis PCR DGGE FISH Realtime PCR Cloning Flow Cytometry
Tools and instruments Microbial analysis Epifluorescence and light microscopy Growth kinetics Microbial isolations and enrichments Metabolic activity Bioassays Biodegradation assays
Tools and instruments Physico – chemical analysis Gas chromatography HPLC Ion chromatography Spectrophotometry Atom absorption BOD, COD, TSS, VSS, NOX, TOC,…
Contact information LabMET – Ghent University Coupure Links 653 B-9000 Gent +32/9/
The LabMET group
SHIME-Tec
Microbial conversion of phytoestrogens Soy phytoestrogens: Daidzine daidzein equol (microbial action) Equol has beneficial health effects Microbial consortium applicable as probiotic Hop phytoestrogens: Isoxanthohumol hoppein (8- prenylnaringenin or 8-PN) Carried out by colon microbiota Importance for hop supplements, beer industry…
Equol production
8-PN production
Colon microbiota activate PAHs PAHs are not estrogenic: colon microbiota biotransform them to estrogenic metabolites
Chemopreventive effect from inulin Gut microbiota Beneficial conversion Short chain fatty acids Phytoestrogen Bactericidal compounds Detrimental conversion Putrefactive compounds Toxins Promutagen mutagen (PAH estrogenic metabolite) Inulin exerts prebiotic effects Promotes beneficial conversion New finding: inulin inhibits conversion of promutagen to mutagen Chemopreventive effects: added-value property of prebiotics
Decrease of cholesterol levels in blood Lactobacillus reuteri Bile salt hydrolase activity Reduction of cholesterol levels In vitro: experiments with SHIME indicate survival of probiotic strain under in vitro conditions (stomach, small intestine, colon In vivo: Pigs fed with L. reuteri for 4 weeks showed significantly lower cholesterol levels De Smet et al British Journal of Nutrition, 79:
Bioactive peptides Aim: are bioactive peptides transported ? Blood pressure lowering / ACE-inhibitory peptides ala-leu-pro-met-his-ile-arg (837 g/mol) Bradykinin inactive fragments ACE Ang IAng II Blood pressure rises Blood pressure drops
Bioactive peptides
PHB accumulating bacteria Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Microbial consortium which stores PHB Add consortium as prebiotic to artemia PHB hydroxybutyrate butyrate Protection of artemia against pathogens Increased survival Alternative to antibiotics in aquaculture
PHB accumulating bacteria
SHIME-Tec LabMET – Ghent University Coupure Links 653 B-9000 Gent or.be +32/9/