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Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Diuron (DUR) is a phenylurea herbicide widely used for the effective control of most annual and perennial weeds in farming areas. The extensive use of DUR has led to its... (Review)
Review
Diuron (DUR) is a phenylurea herbicide widely used for the effective control of most annual and perennial weeds in farming areas. The extensive use of DUR has led to its widespread presence in soil, sediment, and aquatic environments, which poses a threat to non-target crops, animals, humans, and ecosystems. Therefore, the removal of DUR from contaminated environments has been a hot topic for researchers in recent decades. Bioremediation seldom leaves harmful intermediate metabolites and is emerging as the most effective and eco-friendly strategy for removing DUR from the environment. Microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, can use DUR as their sole source of carbon. Some of them have been isolated, including organisms from the bacterial genera , , , , , , and and fungal genera , , , , , , and A number of studies have investigated the toxicity and fate of DUR, its degradation pathways and metabolites, and DUR-degrading hydrolases and related genes. However, few reviews have focused on the microbial degradation and biochemical mechanisms of DUR. The common microbial degradation pathway for DUR is transformation to 3,4-dichloroaniline, which is then metabolized through two different metabolic pathways: dehalogenation and hydroxylation, the products of which are further degraded cooperative metabolism. Microbial degradation hydrolases, including PuhA, PuhB, LibA, HylA, Phh, Mhh, and LahB, provide new knowledge about the underlying pathways governing DUR metabolism. The present review summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge regarding (1) the environmental occurrence and toxicity of DUR, (2) newly isolated and identified DUR-degrading microbes and their enzymes/genes, and (3) the bioremediation of DUR in soil and water environments. This review further updates the recent knowledge on bioremediation strategies with a focus on the metabolic pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in the bioremediation of DUR.
PubMed: 34475856
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.686509 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2019The main phospholipid (MPL) of DSM 1728 was isolated, purified and physico-chemically characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)/differential thermal... (Review)
Review
The main phospholipid (MPL) of DSM 1728 was isolated, purified and physico-chemically characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)/differential thermal analysis (DTA) for its thermotropic behavior, alone and in mixtures with other lipids, cholesterol, hydrophobic peptides and pore-forming ionophores. Model membranes from MPL were investigated; black lipid membrane, Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer, and liposomes. Laboratory results were compared to computer simulation. MPL forms stable and resistant liposomes with highly proton-impermeable membrane and mixes at certain degree with common bilayer-forming lipids. Monomeric bacteriorhodopsin and ATP synthase from were co-reconstituted and light-driven ATP synthesis measured. This review reports about almost four decades of research on membrane and its MPL as well as transfer of this research to species recently isolated from Indonesian volcanoes.
Topics: Archaeal Proteins; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; Computer Simulation; Differential Thermal Analysis; Glycosylation; Liposomes; Phospholipids; Thermoplasma
PubMed: 31640225
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20205217 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023Ruthenium -heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes have unique physico-chemical properties as catalysts and a huge potential in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology,... (Review)
Review
Ruthenium -heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes have unique physico-chemical properties as catalysts and a huge potential in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology, exhibiting a variety of notable biological activities. In this review, the most recent studies on ruthenium NHC complexes are summarized, focusing specifically on antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities. Ruthenium NHC complexes are generally active against Gram-positive bacteria, such as , , and are seldom active against Gram-negative bacteria, including , and and fungal strains of The antiproliferative activity was tested against cancer cell lines of human colon, breast, cervix, epidermis, liver and rat glioblastoma cell lines. Ruthenium NHC complexes generally demonstrated cytotoxicity higher than standard anticancer drugs. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of action of these interesting compounds.
PubMed: 36830276
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020365 -
Marine Drugs Sep 2019Haloarchaea are halophilic microorganisms belonging to the archaea domain that inhabit salty environments (mainly soils and water) all over the world. Most of the genera... (Review)
Review
Haloarchaea are halophilic microorganisms belonging to the archaea domain that inhabit salty environments (mainly soils and water) all over the world. Most of the genera included in this group can produce carotenoids at significant concentrations (even wild-type strains). The major carotenoid produced by the cells is bacterioruberin (and its derivatives), which is only produced by this kind of microbes and few bacteria, like . Nevertheless, the understanding of carotenoid metabolism in haloarchaea, its regulation, and the roles of carotenoid derivatives in this group of extreme microorganisms remains mostly unrevealed. Besides, potential biotechnological uses of haloarchaeal pigments are poorly explored. This work summarises what it has been described so far about carotenoids from haloarchaea and their production at mid- and large-scale, paying special attention to the most recent findings on the potential uses of haloarchaeal pigments in biomedicine.
Topics: Animals; Archaea; Bacteria; Biotechnology; Carotenoids; Extreme Environments; Humans; Pigmentation
PubMed: 31500208
DOI: 10.3390/md17090524 -
Polymers Jan 2022Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) represent a green alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents in food preservation. Due to their volatility and instability,...
Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) represent a green alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents in food preservation. Due to their volatility and instability, their application is dependent on the development of efficient encapsulation strategies allowing their protection and release control. Encapsulation in Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based nanoparticles (NPs) addresses this challenge, providing a biodegradable and biobased material whose delivery properties can be tuned by varying polymer composition. In this work, EO from Mexican oregano was efficiently encapsulated in Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate (PHB-HHx)-based NPs by solvent evaporation technique achieving high encapsulation efficiency, (>60%) and loading capacity, (about 50%). The obtained NPs displayed a regular distribution with a size range of 150-210 nm. In vitro release studies in food simulant media were fitted with the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, indicating diffusion as the main factor controlling the release. The cumulative release was affected by the polymer composition, possibly related to the more amorphous nature of the copolymer, as confirmed by WAXS and DSC analyses. Both the EO-loaded nanosystems displayed antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus luteus, with PHB-HHx-based NPs being even more effective than the pure EO. The results open the way to the effective exploitation of the developed nanosystems in active packaging.
PubMed: 35012189
DOI: 10.3390/polym14010166 -
Clinical and Translational Medicine Dec 2022The precise pathogenesis of psoriasis remains incompletely explored. We aimed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of psoriasis, using a systems biology...
OBJECTIVES
The precise pathogenesis of psoriasis remains incompletely explored. We aimed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of psoriasis, using a systems biology approach based on transcriptomics and microbiome profiling.
METHODS
We collected the skin tissue biopsies and swabs in both lesional and non-lesional skin of 13 patients with psoriasis, 15 patients with psoriatic arthritis and healthy skin from 12 patients with ankylosing spondylitis. To study the similarities and differences in the molecular profiles between these three conditions, and the associations between the host defence and microbiota composition, we performed high-throughput RNA-sequencing to quantify the gene expression profile in tissues. The metagenomic composition of 16S on local skin sites was quantified by clustering amplicon sequences and counted into operational taxonomic units. We further analysed associations between the transcriptome and microbiome profiling.
RESULTS
We found that lesional and non-lesional samples were remarkably different in terms of their transcriptome profiles. The functional annotation of differentially expressed genes showed a major enrichment in neutrophil activation. By using co-expression gene networks, we identified a gene module that was associated with local psoriasis severity at the site of biopsy. From this module, we found a 'core' set of genes that was functionally involved in neutrophil activation, epidermal cell differentiation and response to bacteria. Skin microbiome analysis revealed that the abundances of Enhydrobacter, Micrococcus and Leptotrichia were significantly correlated with the genes in core network.
CONCLUSIONS
We identified a core gene network that associated with local disease severity and microbiome composition, involved in the inflammation and hyperkeratinization in psoriatic skin.
Topics: Humans; Multiomics; Psoriasis; Skin; Gene Expression Profiling; Transcriptome
PubMed: 36536476
DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.976 -
Cureus Dec 2021Introduction Control of infections in the operation theater (OT) is of utmost importance. Microbiological surveillance is an effective tool for identifying and...
Introduction Control of infections in the operation theater (OT) is of utmost importance. Microbiological surveillance is an effective tool for identifying and controlling infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate of microorganisms in OTs, to identify the type of microorganisms, and to detect contamination of various surfaces and air of OT. Methods OTs were properly cleaned with soap and water. All surfaces were disinfected, followed by fumigation with quaternary ammonium compounds. OTs were kept closed overnight. In the morning, they were opened, and samples were collected, taking all aseptic precautions. The settle plate method was used for air sampling, and the swab method was used for surface sampling. Samples were collected from four surfaces of OTs, i.e., floor, wall, table, and light, and samples of the OT air were also collected and immediately transported to the microbiology laboratory of the institution in sterile conditions. Result A total of 1640 swab samples were taken from eight OTs, out of which 487 (29.7%) were found positive for bacterial growth. Most of them were non-pathological microorganisms such as aerobic spore-forming Bacilli and Micrococcus. Among various OTs, septic OT showed the highest bacterial growth (82 positive cultures out of 200). In the surface sampling of various OTs, aerobic spore-forming Bacilli (221/487) was the most common isolate, followed by coagulase-negative Staphylococci (74/487), and Micrococcus (67/487). General surgery, septic, and emergency OTs had maximum air bioload (97, 93, and 91 colony-forming unit (CFU)/M, respectively). Conclusion In surface sampling of OTs, it was found that septic OT and general surgery OT were most contaminated where the patient load was high. Among all the surfaces, OT walls and tables were most contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. The average air bioload of all OTs was ranged between 79 and 97 CFU/M.
PubMed: 35070559
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20525 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Commercial table salt is a condiment with food preservative properties by decreasing water activity and increasing osmotic pressure. Salt is also a source of halophilic...
Commercial table salt is a condiment with food preservative properties by decreasing water activity and increasing osmotic pressure. Salt is also a source of halophilic bacteria and archaea. In the present research, the diversity of halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms was studied in six commercial table salts by culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. Three table salts were obtained from marine origins: Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean (Ibiza Island), and Odiel marshes (supermarket marine salt). Other salts supplemented with mineral and nutritional ingredients were also used: Himalayan pink, Hawaiian black, and one with dried vegetables known as Viking salt. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing reveal that the salts from marine origins display a similar archaeal taxonomy, but with significant variations among genera. Archaeal taxa , , , , , , , and were prevalent in those three marine salts. Furthermore, the most abundant archaeal genera present in all salts were , , , , , , and uncultured . sp. was the most frequent bacteria, represented almost in all salts. Other genera such as , , and were the most frequent taxa in the Viking, Himalayan pink, and black salts, respectively. Interestingly, the genus was detected only in marine-originated salts. A collection of 76 halotolerant and halophilic bacterial and haloarchaeal species was set by culturing on different media with a broad range of salinity and nutrient composition. Comparing the results of 16S rRNA gene metataxonomic and culturomics revealed that culturable bacteria , , , , , , , , , , , , , and also Archaea , , and were identified at least in one sample by both methods. Our results show that salts from marine origins are dominated by Archaea, whereas salts from other sources or salt supplemented with ingredients are dominated by bacteria.
PubMed: 34777272
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.714110 -
Environmental Microbiology Dec 2021Exposure to a diverse microbial environment during pregnancy and early postnatal period is important in determining predisposition towards allergy. However, the effect...
Exposure to a diverse microbial environment during pregnancy and early postnatal period is important in determining predisposition towards allergy. However, the effect of environmental microbiota exposure during preconception, pregnancy and postnatal life on development of allergy in the child has not been investigated so far. In the S-PRESTO (Singapore PREconception Study of long Term maternal and child Outcomes) cohort, we collected house dust during all three critical window periods and analysed microbial composition using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. At 6 and 18 months, the child was assessed for eczema by clinicians. In the eczema group, household environmental microbiota was characterized by presence of human-associated bacteria Actinomyces, Anaerococcus, Finegoldia, Micrococcus, Prevotella and Propionibacterium at all time points, suggesting their possible contributions to regulating host immunity and increasing the susceptibility to eczema. In the home environment of the control group, putative protective effect of an environmental microbe Planomicrobium (Planococcaceae family) was observed to be significantly higher than that in the eczema group. Network correlation analysis demonstrated inverse relationships between beneficial Planomicrobium and human-associated bacteria (Actinomyces, Anaerococcus, Finegoldia, Micrococcus, Prevotella and Propionibacterium). Exposure to natural environmental microbiota may be beneficial to modulate shed human-associated microbiota in an indoor environment.
Topics: Bacteria; Child; Cohort Studies; Eczema; Female; Humans; Microbiota; Pregnancy; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 34309161
DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15684 -
3 Biotech Jul 2021In this study, hydrolytic and oxidative activities of enzymes isolated from halophilic microbes were characterized and applied for biomass utilization. First, lipase...
In this study, hydrolytic and oxidative activities of enzymes isolated from halophilic microbes were characterized and applied for biomass utilization. First, lipase from , and peroxidase and laccase from and were selected and their catalytic activities were determined, respectively. The lipase encoding gene was synthesized after codon-optimization and could be successfully expressed in with the assist of the Tif chaperone protein. The purified enzyme showed 119.13 ± 7.18 and 34.42 ± 5.91 U/mL of lipase and esterase activities, respectively. Moreover, the lipase was applied for hydrolysis of the triglycerides mixture, which resulted in 182.9 ± 11.1 mg/L/h of glycerol productivity. Next, peroxidase and laccase activities of and were determined, and extracellular enzymes of was applied for lignocellulosic biomass degradation, which resulted in 91.9 μg glucose/mg lignocellulose of production yields. Finally, the hydrolytic and oxidative activities of the enzymes from halophilic microbes could be further utilized for biomass treatment and biochemical production.
PubMed: 34295605
DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02902-9