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Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024The vaginal tract comprises commensal microorganisms, which play an essential role in the health of the reproductive tract. Any dysbiosis in the vaginal microenvironment...
The vaginal tract comprises commensal microorganisms, which play an essential role in the health of the reproductive tract. Any dysbiosis in the vaginal microenvironment may lead to severe urinary tract infections or even infertility. This study aimed to evaluate the aerobic bacterial flora isolated from vaginal samples from 100 lactating bitches in the antepartum period ( = 3), postpartum period ( = 80), and with ( = 17). Before vaginal swabs, all the bitches went through a gynecology consult, along with milk and blood sampling. Standard microbiological techniques were used for bacterial isolation. Among the 100 vaginal samples analyzed, 82% had a positive microbiological outcome, while 18% were negative. The microbiologic profile listed 17 different genera. The main isolated bacterial families were Micrococcaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Morganellaceae, Bacillaceae, and Rhizobiaceae. At the same time, strains like , , , , , or were isolated for the first time from the vaginal secretion of lactating bitches. The microbiological data demonstrates that lactating bitches' vaginal discharge is heterogeneous and may be affected by coitus, sampling season, age, and reproductive status.
PubMed: 38791718
DOI: 10.3390/ani14101501 -
PeerJ 2024Nanotechnology and nanoparticles have gained massive attention in the scientific community in recent years due to their valuable properties. Among various AgNPs...
Nanotechnology and nanoparticles have gained massive attention in the scientific community in recent years due to their valuable properties. Among various AgNPs synthesis methods, microbial approaches offer distinct advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness, biocompatibility, and eco-friendliness. In the present research work, investigators have synthesized three different types of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), namely AgNPs-K, AgNPs-M, and AgNPs-E, by using (MBC34), (MBC23), and (MBX6), respectively. The morphological, chemical, and elemental features of the synthesized AgNPs were analyzed by using UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). UV-Vis absorbance peaks were obtained at 475, 428, and 503 nm for AgNPs-K, AgNPs-M, and AgNPs-E, respectively. The XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of the synthesized AgNPs, having peaks at 26.2°, 32.1°, and 47.2°. At the same time, the FTIR showed bands at 599, 963, 1,693, 2,299, 2,891, and 3,780 cm for all the types of AgNPs indicating the presence of bacterial biomolecules with the developed AgNPs. The size and morphology of the AgNPs varied from 10 nm to several microns and exhibited spherical to porous sheets-like structures. The percentage of Ag varied from 37.8% (wt.%) to 61.6%, ., highest in AgNPs-K and lowest in AgNPs-M. Furthermore, the synthesized AgNPs exhibited potential for environmental remediation, with AgNPs-M exhibiting the highest removal efficiency (19.24% at 120 min) for methyl orange dye in simulated wastewater. Further, all three types of AgNPs were evaluated for the removal of methyl orange dye from the simulated wastewater, where the highest dye removal percentage was 19.24% at 120 min by AgNPs-M. Antibacterial potential of the synthesized AgNPs assessment against both Gram-positive (GPB) (MBC23), (MBC24), and Gram-negative bacteria (MBP13) revealed promising results, with AgNPs-M, exhibiting the largest zone of inhibition (12 mm) against GPB . Such investigation exhibits the potential of the bacteria for the synthesis of AgNPs with diverse morphology and potential applications in environmental remediation and antibacterial therapy-based synthesis of AgNPs.
Topics: Silver; Metal Nanoparticles; Azo Compounds; Micrococcus luteus; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Anti-Infective Agents; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Enterobacter aerogenes; X-Ray Diffraction; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Coloring Agents
PubMed: 38770094
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17328 -
Microbial Cell Factories May 2024Quantum Dots (QDs) are fluorescent nanoparticles with exceptional optical and optoelectronic properties, finding widespread utility in diverse industrial applications....
BACKGROUND
Quantum Dots (QDs) are fluorescent nanoparticles with exceptional optical and optoelectronic properties, finding widespread utility in diverse industrial applications. Presently, chemically synthesized QDs are employed in solar cells, bioimaging, and various technological domains. However, many applications demand QDs with prolonged lifespans under conditions of high-energy radiation. Over the past decade, microbial biosynthesis of nanomaterials has emerged as a sustainable and cost-effective process. In this context, the utilization of extremophile microorganisms for synthesizing QDs with unique properties has recently been reported.
RESULTS
In this study, UV-resistant bacteria were isolated from one of the most extreme environments in Antarctica, Union Glacier at the Ellsworth Mountains. Bacterial isolates, identified through 16 S sequencing, belong to the genera Rhodococcus, Pseudarthrobacter, and Arthrobacter. Notably, Rhodococcus sp. (EXRC-4 A-4), Pseudarthrobacter sp. (RC-2-3), and Arthrobacter sp. (EH-1B-1) tolerate UV-C radiation doses ≥ 120 J/m². Isolated UV-resistant bacteria biosynthesized CdS QDs with fluorescence intensities 4 to 8 times higher than those biosynthesized by E. coli, a mesophilic organism tolerating low doses of UV radiation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis determined QD sizes ranging from 6 to 23 nm, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis demonstrated the presence of biomolecules. QDs produced by UV-resistant Antarctic bacteria exhibit high photostability after exposure to UV-B radiation, particularly in comparison to those biosynthesized by E. coli. Interestingly, red fluorescence-emitting QDs biosynthesized by Rhodococcus sp. (EXRC-4 A-4) and Arthrobacter sp. (EH-1B-1) increased their fluorescence emission after irradiation. Analysis of methylene blue degradation after exposure to irradiated QDs biosynthesized by UV-resistant bacteria, indicates that the QDs transfer their electrons to O for the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at different levels.
CONCLUSIONS
UV-resistant Antarctic bacteria represent a novel alternative for the sustainable generation of nanostructures with increased radiation tolerance-two characteristics favoring their potential application in technologies requiring continuous exposure to high-energy radiation.
Topics: Quantum Dots; Antarctic Regions; Ultraviolet Rays; Cadmium Compounds; Rhodococcus; Arthrobacter; Sulfides
PubMed: 38760827
DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02417-x -
Chemosphere Jul 2024This work comprehensively demonstrates the ability of heterotrophic bacteria, isolated from a chloraminated system, to decay chloramine. This study non-selectively...
This work comprehensively demonstrates the ability of heterotrophic bacteria, isolated from a chloraminated system, to decay chloramine. This study non-selectively isolated 62 cultures of heterotrophic bacteria from a water sample (0.002 mg-N/L nitrite and 1.42 mg/L total chlorine) collected from a laboratory-scale reactor system; most of the isolates (93.3%) were Mycobacterium sp. Three species of Mycobacterium and one species of Micrococcus were inoculated to a basal inorganic medium with initial concentrations of acetate (from 0 to 24 mg-C/L) and 1.5 mg/L chloramine. Bacterial growth coincided with declines in the concentrations of chloramine, acetate, and ammonium. Detailed experiments with one of the Mycobacterium sp. isolates suggest that the common mechanism of chloramine loss is auto-decomposition likely mediated by chloramine-decaying proteins. The ability of the isolates to grow and decay chloramine underscores the important role of heterotrophic bacteria in the stability of chloramine in water-distribution systems. Existing strategies based on controlling nitrification should be augmented to include minimizing heterotrophic bacteria.
Topics: Chloramines; Heterotrophic Processes; Bacteria; Mycobacterium; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Micrococcus; Nitrification; Water Microbiology
PubMed: 38754485
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142341 -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology May 2024Actinomycetota have been widely described as valuable sources for the acquisition of secondary metabolites. Most microbial metabolites are produced via metabolic...
Actinomycetota have been widely described as valuable sources for the acquisition of secondary metabolites. Most microbial metabolites are produced via metabolic pathways encoded by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Although many secondary metabolites are not essential for the survival of bacteria, they play an important role in their adaptation and interactions within microbial communities. This is how bacteria isolated from extreme environments such as Antarctica could facilitate the discovery of new BGCs with biotechnological potential. This study aimed to isolate rare Actinomycetota strains from Antarctic soil and sediment samples and identify their metabolic potential based on genome mining and exploration of biosynthetic gene clusters. To this end, the strains were sequenced using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies platforms. The assemblies were annotated and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Finally, the BGCs present in each genome were identified using the antiSMASH tool, and the biosynthetic diversity of the Micrococcaceae family was evaluated. Taxonomic annotation revealed that seven strains were new and two were previously reported in the NCBI database. Additionally, BGCs encoding type III polyketide synthases (T3PKS), beta-lactones, siderophores, and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) have been identified, among others. In addition, the sequence similarity network showed a predominant type of BGCs in the family Micrococcaceae, and some genera were distinctly grouped. The BGCs identified in the isolated strains could be associated with applications such as antimicrobials, anticancer agents, and plant growth promoters, among others, positioning them as excellent candidates for future biotechnological applications and innovations. KEY POINTS: • Novel Antarctic rare Actinomycetota strains were isolated from soil and sediments • Genome-based taxonomic affiliation revealed seven potentially novel species • Genome mining showed metabolic potential for novel natural products.
Topics: Antarctic Regions; Multigene Family; Phylogeny; Soil Microbiology; Geologic Sediments; Secondary Metabolism; Actinobacteria; Genome, Bacterial; Biotechnology; Biosynthetic Pathways; Peptide Synthases; Polyketide Synthases
PubMed: 38717668
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13154-x -
Fish & Shellfish Immunology Jun 2024Copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) can effectively eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS),avoid damage from O to the body, and maintain O balance. In this...
Copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) can effectively eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS),avoid damage from O to the body, and maintain O balance. In this study, multi-step high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), combined with Mass Spectrometry (MS), was used to isolate and identify Cu/Zn-SOD from the serum of Pinctada fucata martensii (P. f. martensii) and was designated as PmECSOD. With a length of 1864 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 1422 bp, the cDNA encodes a 473 amino acid protein. The PmECSOD transcript was detected in multiple tissues by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), with its highest expression level being in the gills. Additionally, the temporal expression of PmECSOD mRNA in the hemolymph was highest at 48 h after in vivo stimulation with Escherichia coli and Micrococcus luteus. The results from this study provide a valuable base for further exploration of molluscan innate immunity and immune response.
Topics: Animals; Pinctada; Superoxide Dismutase; Amino Acid Sequence; Immunity, Innate; Phylogeny; Gene Expression Profiling; Base Sequence; Sequence Alignment; Escherichia coli; DNA, Complementary; Micrococcus luteus; Gene Expression Regulation; RNA, Messenger
PubMed: 38701990
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109599 -
The Journal of Antibiotics Jul 2024Benastatin K (1), a new chlorinated benastatin derivative, was isolated from the culture broth of the actinomycete Streptomyces sp. HGTA384. The structure of 1 was...
Benastatin K (1), a new chlorinated benastatin derivative, was isolated from the culture broth of the actinomycete Streptomyces sp. HGTA384. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, as well as HRESI-MS, UV and IR, and comparison with data reported in the literature. Compound 1 and benastatins A and B exhibited inhibitory activity against Micrococcus luteus (MIC 7.8, 31.3, and 3.9 μM, respectively), and IgE-mediated β-hexosaminidase release in RBL-2H3 cells with IC values of 42, 79, and 19 μM, respectively.
Topics: Streptomyces; Micrococcus luteus; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Animals; Rats; beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Cell Line, Tumor; Molecular Structure
PubMed: 38664572
DOI: 10.1038/s41429-024-00727-1 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2024Cystic fibrosis (CF), an inherited genetic disorder caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, results in sticky and thick...
Cystic fibrosis (CF), an inherited genetic disorder caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, results in sticky and thick mucosal fluids. This environment facilitates the colonization of various microorganisms, some of which can cause acute and chronic lung infections, while others may positively impact the disease. , an oral commensal, is relatively abundant in the lungs of CF patients. Recent studies have unveiled its anti-inflammatory properties using three-dimensional lung epithelial cell cultures and mouse models relevant to chronic lung diseases. Apart from this, has been associated with severe infections. However, its metabolic capabilities and genotype-phenotype relationships remain largely unknown. To gain insights into its cellular metabolism and genetic content, we developed the first manually curated genome-scale metabolic model, RM23NL. Through growth kinetics and high-throughput phenotypic microarray testings, we defined its complete catabolic phenome. Subsequently, we assessed the model's effectiveness in accurately predicting growth behaviors and utilizing multiple substrates. We used constraint-based modeling techniques to formulate novel hypotheses that could expedite the development of antimicrobial strategies. More specifically, we detected putative essential genes and assessed their effect on metabolism under varying nutritional conditions. These predictions could offer novel potential antimicrobial targets without laborious large-scale screening of knockouts and mutant transposon libraries. Overall, RM23NL demonstrates a solid capability to predict cellular phenotypes and holds immense potential as a valuable resource for accurate predictions in advancing antimicrobial therapies. Moreover, it can guide metabolic engineering to tailor 's metabolism for desired performance.IMPORTANCECystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder characterized by thick mucosal secretions, leading to chronic lung infections. is a common bacterium found in various parts of the human body, acting as a normal part of the flora. In people with weakened immune systems, it can become an opportunistic pathogen, while it is prevalent and active in CF airways. Recent studies have highlighted its anti-inflammatory properties in the lower pulmonary system, indicating the intricate relationship between microbes and human health. Herein, we have developed the first manually curated metabolic model of . Our study examined the previously unknown relationships between the bacterium's genotype and phenotype and identified essential genes that impact the metabolism under various conditions. With this, we opt for paving the way for developing new strategies in antimicrobial therapy and metabolic engineering, leading to enhanced therapeutic outcomes in cystic fibrosis and related conditions.
Topics: Cystic Fibrosis; Humans; Micrococcaceae; Genome, Bacterial; Genes, Essential; Animals; Mice; Phenotype
PubMed: 38652457
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04006-23 -
Journal of Oral Biosciences Jun 2024Rothia spp. are emerging as significant bacteria associated with oral health, with Rothia dentocariosa being one of the most prevalent species. However, there is a lack...
OBJECTIVES
Rothia spp. are emerging as significant bacteria associated with oral health, with Rothia dentocariosa being one of the most prevalent species. However, there is a lack of studies examining these properties at the genetic level. This study aimed to establish a genetic modification platform for R. dentocariosa.
METHODS
Rothia spp. were isolated from saliva samples collected from healthy volunteers. Subsequently, R. dentocariosa strains were identified through colony morphology, species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The identified strains were then transformed with plasmid pJRD215, and the most efficient strain was selected. Transposon insertion mutagenesis was performed to investigate the possibility of genetic modifications.
RESULTS
A strain demonstrating high transforming ability, designated as R. dentocariosa LX16, was identified. This strain underwent transposon insertion mutagenesis and was screened for 5-fluoroorotic acid-resistant transposants. The insertion sites were confirmed using arbitrary primed PCR, gene-specific PCR, and Sanger sequencing.
CONCLUSION
This study marks the first successful genetic modification of R. dentocariosa. Investigating R. dentocariosa at the genetic level can provide insights into its role within the oral microbiome.
Topics: DNA Transposable Elements; Humans; Micrococcaceae; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Mutagenesis, Insertional; Saliva; Plasmids
PubMed: 38641252
DOI: 10.1016/j.job.2024.04.006 -
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry : PPB May 2024Plant microbial biostimulants application has become a promising and eco-friendly agricultural strategy to improve crop yields, reducing chemical inputs for more...
Plant microbial biostimulants application has become a promising and eco-friendly agricultural strategy to improve crop yields, reducing chemical inputs for more sustainable cropping systems. The soil dwelling bacterium Kocuria rhizophila was previously characterized as Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) for its multiple PGP traits, such as indole-3-acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization capability and salt and drought stress tolerance. Here, we evaluated by a multi-omics approach, the PGP activity of K. rhizophila on tomato, revealing the molecular pathways by which it promotes plant growth. Transcriptomic analysis showed several up-regulated genes mainly related to amino acid metabolism, cell wall organization, lipid and secondary metabolism, together with a modulation in the DNA methylation profile, after PGPB inoculation. In agreement, proteins involved in photosynthesis, cell division, and plant growth were highly accumulated by K. rhizophila. Furthermore, "amino acid and peptides", "monosaccharides", and "TCA" classes of metabolites resulted the most affected by PGPB treatment, as well as dopamine, a catecholamine neurotransmitter mediating plant growth through S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), a gene enhancing the vegetative growth, up-regulated in tomato by K. rhizophila treatment. Interestingly, eight gene modules well correlated with differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) and metabolites (DAMs), among which two modules showed the highest correlation with nine proteins, including a nucleoside diphosphate kinase, and cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase, as well as with several amino acids and metabolites involved in TCA cycle. Overall, our findings highlighted that sugars and amino acids, energy regulators, involved in tomato plant growth, were strongly modulated by the K. rhizophila-plant interaction.
Topics: Solanum lycopersicum; Micrococcaceae; Soil Microbiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 38615442
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108609