Adapting the algal microbiome for growth on domestic landfill leachate

We aimed to improve algal growth rate on leachate by optimising the microbiome. An algal-bacterial consortium was enriched from landfill and subjected 24 months of adaptive laboratory evolution, increasing dominant strain, Chlorella vulgaris, almost three-fold 0.2 d?1. A dramatic reduction in nitrate production suggested a shift biological utilisation ammoniacal-N, supported molecular 16S rRNA taxonomic analyses, where Nitrosomonas numbers were not detected adapted consortium. PICRUSt approach predicted metagenomic functional content revealed high number sequences belonging bioremediation pathways, including degradation aromatic compounds, benzoate naphthalene, as well pathways known be involved symbiosis. This study enhances our understanding beneficial mechanisms associations complex effluents, ultimately enables bottom-up design optimised microbiomes for exploitation within industry.