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International Microbiology : the... Jun 2024Chlorobenzene (CB), extensively used in industrial processes, has emerged as a significant contaminant in soil and groundwater. The eco-friendly and cost-effective...
Chlorobenzene (CB), extensively used in industrial processes, has emerged as a significant contaminant in soil and groundwater. The eco-friendly and cost-effective microbial remediation has been increasingly favored to address this environmental challenge. In this study, a degrading bacterium was isolated from CB-contaminated soil at a pesticide plant, identified as Pandoraea sp. XJJ-1 (CCTCC M 2021057). This strain completely degraded 100 mg·L CB and showed extensive degradability across a range of pH (5.0-9.0), temperature (10-37 °C), and CB concentrations (100-600 mg·L). Notably, the degradation efficiency was 85.2% at 15 °C, and the strain could also degrade six other aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (o-, m-, p-). The metabolic pathway of CB was inferred using ultraperformance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and genomic analysis. In strain XJJ-1, CB was metabolized to o-chlorophenol and 3-chloroxychol by CB monooxygenase, followed by ortho-cleavage by the action of 3-chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase. Moreover, the presence of the chlorobenzene monooxygenation pathway metabolism in strain XJJ-1 is reported for the first time in Pandoraea. As a bacterium with low-temperature resistance and composite pollutant degradation capacity, strain XJJ-1 has the potential application prospects in the in-situ bioremediation of CB-contaminated sites.
PubMed: 38900217
DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00544-4 -
Microbiology Spectrum May 2024Lovebugs appeared in large numbers across a wide area in Seoul, South Korea, in June 2023. The sudden appearance of exotic insects not only discomforts people but also...
Lovebugs appeared in large numbers across a wide area in Seoul, South Korea, in June 2023. The sudden appearance of exotic insects not only discomforts people but also fosters anxiety, as their potential for pathogen transmission would be unknown. In this study, targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S rRNA gene V4 region was performed using iSeq 100 to screen for bacteria in lovebugs. Forty-one lovebugs (20 females and 21 males) collected in Seoul, Korea, were identified as based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 sequencing data using PCR. We analyzed the microbiome of the lovebugs and detected 453 species of bacteria. Among all bacteria screened based on NGS, was detected in all samples with an average relative abundance of 80.40%, followed by and . Diversity (alpha and beta) between females and males did not differ; however, only showed a higher relative abundance in females. Sequencing analysis of using a gene-specific primer by PCR showed that it had higher sequence similarity to the symbiont of arthropods than to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. Eleven samples in which was detected by iSeq 100 were confirmed by PCR and exhibited 100% sequence identity to strain DSM 23570. Consequently, the likelihood of pathogen transmission to humans is low. The applied method may play a crucial role in swiftly identifying bacterial species in the event of future outbreaks of exotic insects that may be harmful to humans.IMPORTANCELovebugs have recently emerged in large numbers in Seoul, causing major concern regarding potential health risks. By performing the next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V4 region, we comprehensively examined the microbiome of these insects. We identified the presence of numerous bacteria, including and . Reassuringly, subsequent tests confirmed that these detected bacteria were not pathogenic. The present study addresses health concerns related to lovebugs and shows the accuracy and efficiency of our detection technique. Such methods prove invaluable for rapidly identifying bacterial species during potential outbreaks of unfamiliar insects, thereby ensuring public safety.
PubMed: 38809007
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03809-23 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024The fungus (=) is commonly saprotrophic, exhibiting a nature of decomposing organic matter. Additionally, it serves as a crucial starter in food fermentation and can...
The fungus (=) is commonly saprotrophic, exhibiting a nature of decomposing organic matter. Additionally, it serves as a crucial starter in food fermentation and can act as a pathogen causing mucormycosis in humans and animals. In this study, two distinct endofungal bacteria (EFBs), associated with individual strains of , were identified using live/dead staining, fluorescence hybridization, transmission electron microscopy, and 16S rDNA sequencing. The roles of these bacteria were elucidated through antibiotic treatment, pure cultivation, and comparative genomics. The bacterial endosymbionts, EFB03792 and EFB03829, were purified from the host fungal strains XY03792 and XY03829, respectively. Notably, this study marks the first report of as an EFB genus. Compared to its free-living counterparts, EFB03792 exhibited 28 specific virulence factor-related genes, six specific CE10 family genes, and 74 genes associated with type III secretion system (T3SS), emphasizing its pivotal role in invasion and colonization. Furthermore, this study introduces as a new host for EFB , with EFB contributing to host sporulation. Despite a visibly reduced genome, EFB03829 displayed a substantial number of virulence factor-related genes, CE10 family genes, T3SS genes, mobile elements, and significant gene rearrangement. While EFBs have been previously identified in , their toxin-producing potential in food fermentation has not been explored until this study. The discovery of these two new EFBs highlights their potential for toxin production within , laying the groundwork for identifying suitable strains for fermentation processes.
PubMed: 38486702
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1346252 -
Huan Jing Ke Xue= Huanjing Kexue Mar 2024The removal mechanisms of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have attracted much attention because of their endocrine-disrupting properties and persistence in environmental...
The removal mechanisms of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have attracted much attention because of their endocrine-disrupting properties and persistence in environmental media. In order to reveal the removal mechanism of PAEs and involved keystone taxa and functional genes, purple soils were polluted by di--butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), respectively, along a gradient of 0, 5, 10, and 20 mg·kg and cultured for 90 days in the dark. The results showed that the degradation dynamics of DBP and DEHP were well-fitted by the first-order kinetic model, and the half-life of DBP and DEHP ranged from 17.0 to 38.2 days. The degradation rate of DBP (5 mg·kg) was the fastest, and that of DEHP (20 mg·kg) was the slowest. The soil samples of the seventh day and the fifteenth day were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing. NMDS and cluster analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the bacterial community structure of soil samples from the seventh day and the fifteenth day. The relative abundance of increased from the seventh day to the fifteenth day. The smaller the half-life of DBP or DEHP, the higher the relative abundance of in the different treatments. In addition, was the dominant genus in all polluted soils. Co-occurrence network analysis elucidated that was a keystone genus of the soil bacterial communities, which could be used to indicate the pollution levels of DBP and DEHP. The results of KEGG annotation demonstrated that was responsible for benzoate degradation, quorum sensing, ABC transporters, and the two-component system and could promote the intercellular communications and the microbial growth and proliferation and maintain the stability of the community structure. Therefore, the degradation rate of DBP and DEHP in purple soils depended on their initial content and their own properties. played an important role in the PAEs degradation, and played a major part in promoting PAEs degradation and regulating the stability of the structure and function of degrading bacterial communities.
Topics: Soil; Diethylhexyl Phthalate; Phthalic Acids; Dibutyl Phthalate; Esters
PubMed: 38471894
DOI: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202303127 -
Microbiology Resource Announcements Apr 2024is a pathogenic bacterium naturally resistant to various antimicrobials, including colistin. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of , which exhibits high-level...
is a pathogenic bacterium naturally resistant to various antimicrobials, including colistin. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of , which exhibits high-level multidrug resistance, isolated from a hospitalized patient in Japan.
PubMed: 38470265
DOI: 10.1128/mra.01166-23 -
Journal of Global Antimicrobial... Mar 2024Gram-negative pathogens causing respiratory infection in people with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis are becoming progressively more resistant to conventional...
OBJECTIVES
Gram-negative pathogens causing respiratory infection in people with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis are becoming progressively more resistant to conventional antibiotics. Although cefiderocol is licenced for the treatment of infections due to Gram-negative organisms, there are limited data on the activity of cefiderocol against pathogens associated with chronic respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility of Gram-negative pathogens from cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis to cefiderocol and comparator antibiotics.
METHODS
Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of cefiderocol and 15 comparator antibiotics were determined by broth microdilution against 300 respiratory isolates: Burkholderia spp., Stenotrophomonas spp., Achromobacter spp., Ralstonia spp. and Pandoraea spp., and used to calculate the MIC of each antibiotic required to inhibit 50% (MIC) and 90% (MIC) of isolates.
RESULTS
The MIC and MIC of cefiderocol for all 300 isolates tested was 0.25 and 32 mg/L, with 232 (77.3%) isolates having an MIC value ≤2 mg/L. In addition, cefiderocol demonstrated excellent activity against Stenotrophomonas spp. and Achromobacter spp. isolates, with 86.7% and 87.2%, respectively, exhibiting an MIC of 2 mg/L. Tigecycline also demonstrated good activity against all isolates with an MIC of <0.5 mg/L.
CONCLUSIONS
These in vitro data demonstrated that cefiderocol had greater activity than most comparator antibiotics and could be an alternative treatment option for respiratory infection caused by these pathogens that has not responded to first-line therapy.
Topics: Humans; Cefiderocol; Cephalosporins; Cystic Fibrosis; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bronchiectasis; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 38336228
DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.01.023 -
Biotechnology Progress 2024In this report, gold nanoparticles (GNPS) were synthesized using cell-free extracts of seven different isolates, namely, Pseudomonas aerogenosa CEBP2, Pseudomonas sp....
In this report, gold nanoparticles (GNPS) were synthesized using cell-free extracts of seven different isolates, namely, Pseudomonas aerogenosa CEBP2, Pseudomonas sp. CEBP1, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes CEB1G, Acinetobactor baumani CEBS1, Cuprividus sp. CEB3, Micrococcus luteus CUB12, and Pandoraea sp. CUB2S. The spectroscopic (UV-vis, FTIR, DLS, XRD, EDS) and microscopic (FESEM, TEM) results confirm the reduction of Au to Au in the presence of biomolecules having reducing as well as self-stabilizing activity. In this green synthesis approach, the average particle size of biosynthesized GNPS might vary (4-60 nm) depending on the bacterial species, pH of the media, incubation time, and temperature. In this study, GSH-modified BSGNPs (Au-GSH) have shown antimicrobial activity with better stability against Gram-positive bacteria. After conjugation of lysozyme with Au-GSH (lyso@Au-GSH), the zone of inhibition was enhanced from 12 to 23 mm (Au-GSH). The TEM study shows the spherical GNP (16.65 ± 2.84) turns into a flower-shaped GNP (22.22 ± 3.12) after conjugation with lysozyme due to the formation of the protein corona. Furthermore, the nanobioconjugate (lyso@Au-GSH) was immobilized with Nafion on a glassy carbon electrode to fabricate a label-free impedance biosensor that is highly sensitive to monitor changes in the transducer surface due to biomolecular interactions. The uniquely designed biosensor could selectively detect Gram-positive bacteria in the linear range of 3.0 × 10-3 × 10 cfu mL with RE <5%. The proposed simplest biosensor exhibited good reproducibility (RSD = 3.1%) and excellent correlation (R = 0.999) with the standard plate count method, making it suitable for monitoring Gram-positive bacterial contamination in biofluids, food, and environmental samples.
Topics: Gold; Muramidase; Metal Nanoparticles; Reproducibility of Results; Electric Impedance; Gram-Positive Bacteria
PubMed: 38160432
DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3421 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023Pathogenic invasion of profoundly altered microflora in the crop production system, impacting diversity and composition in both artificial bed-log and fruiting bodies....
Pathogenic invasion of profoundly altered microflora in the crop production system, impacting diversity and composition in both artificial bed-log and fruiting bodies. A more complex ecological network between the diseased and healthy bodies. Researchers still have poor knowledge about how the important agricultural relationship between the composition of the microbiome of the artificial bed-log and the fruiting bodies is infected by the pathogenic invasive microbes , but this knowledge is crucial if we want to use or improve it. Here, we investigated 8 groups (48 biological samples) across 5 growth stages of the production system using metagenomic technology. Diseased and healthy fruiting bodies exhibited distinct microbial compositions, while core members in artificial bed-logs remained stable. Core microbiota analysis highlighted and bacterial genera, as well as , , , and fungal genera as biomarker species after the bodies were treated with the pathogenic invasive microbes . In diseased bodies, these core members upregulated pathways including polymyxin resistance, L-arginine degradation II, superpathway of L-arginine and L-ornithine degradation, glucose degradation (oxidative), glucose and glucose-1-phosphate degradation, promoting fruit spoilage. Our data confirm that plays an important role in the early stages of disease development in the crop generation system. The exposed volatile core microbiome may play an important role in accelerating -induced decay of fruiting bodies.
PubMed: 38029184
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1263982 -
Microbiology Resource Announcements Dec 2023We report here seven draft genomes of bacterial strains from two Danish wastewater facilities, two of which might be characterized as a new group within the and...
We report here seven draft genomes of bacterial strains from two Danish wastewater facilities, two of which might be characterized as a new group within the and genera, respectively. These genomes will provide useful references for understanding bacterial interactions and horizontal gene transfer within bacterial communities.
PubMed: 37966239
DOI: 10.1128/MRA.00529-23 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Nov 2023Pandoraea spp. are gram-negative, nonfermenting rods mainly known to infect patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Outbreaks have been reported from several CF centers. We... (Review)
Review
Pandoraea spp. are gram-negative, nonfermenting rods mainly known to infect patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Outbreaks have been reported from several CF centers. We report a Pandoraea spp. outbreak comprising 24 non-CF patients at a large university hospital and a neighboring heart center in Germany during July 2019-December 2021. Common features in the patients were critical illness, invasive ventilation, antimicrobial pretreatment, and preceding surgery. Complicated and relapsing clinical courses were observed in cases with intraabdominal infections but not those with lower respiratory tract infections. Genomic analysis of 15 isolates identified Pandoraea commovens as the genetically most similar species and confirmed the clonality of the outbreak strain, designated P. commovens strain LB-19-202-79. The strain exhibited resistance to most antimicrobial drugs except ampicillin/sulbactam, imipenem, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Our findings suggest Pandoraea spp. can spread among non-CF patients and underscore that clinicians and microbiologists should be vigilant in detecting and assessing unusual pathogens.
Topics: Humans; Cystic Fibrosis; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Anti-Infective Agents; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; Burkholderiaceae; Germany
PubMed: 37877517
DOI: 10.3201/eid2911.230493