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Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2024We examined the microbial populations present in fecal samples of macropods capable of utilizing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (70:30) percent. The feces...
UNLABELLED
We examined the microbial populations present in fecal samples of macropods capable of utilizing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (70:30) percent. The feces samples were cultured under anaerobic conditions, and production of methane or acetic acids characteristic for methanogenesis and homoacetogenesis was measured. While the feces of adult macropods mainly produced methane from the substrate, the sample from a 2-month-old juvenile kangaroo only produced acetic acid and no methane. The stable highly enriched culture of the joey kangaroo was sequenced to examine the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that over 70% of gene copies belonged to the Clostridia class, with and as the most predominant genera. The culture further showed the presence of spp., a genus which has only been identified in the GI tract of macropods in a few studies, and where none, to our knowledge, have been classified as homoacetogenic. The joey kangaroo mixed culture showed a doubling time of 3.54 h and a specific growth rate of 0.199/h, faster than what has been observed for homoacetogenic bacteria in general.
IMPORTANCE
Enteric methane emissions from cattle are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Methane emissions not only contribute to climate change but also represent a loss of energy from the animal's diet. However, methanogens play an important role as hydrogen sink to rumen systems; without it, the performance of hydrolytic organisms diminishes. Therefore, effective strategies of methanogen inhibition would be enhanced in conjunction with the addition of alternative hydrogen sinks to the rumen. The significance of our research is to identify homoacetogens present in the GI tract of kangaroos and to present their performance , demonstrating their capability to serve as alternatives to rumen methanogens.
PubMed: 38904373
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03183-23 -
International Journal of Biological... 2024Renal fibrosis is the common pathway in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) is expressed in various phagocytes and is highly...
Renal fibrosis is the common pathway in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) is expressed in various phagocytes and is highly expressed in proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). Research shows that AOAH plays a critical role in infections and chronic inflammatory diseases, although its role in kidney injury is unknown. Here, we found that AOAH deletion led to exacerbated kidney injury and fibrosis after folic acid (FA) administration, which was reversed by overexpression of in kidneys. ScRNA-seq revealed that mice exhibited increased subpopulation of CD74 PTECs, though the percentage of total PTECs were decreased compared to WT mice after FA treatment. Additionally, exacerbated kidney injury and fibrosis seen in mice was attenuated via administration of methyl ester of (S, R)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazole acetic acid (ISO-1), an inhibitor of macrophage inhibition factor (MIF) and CD74 binding. Finally, AOAH expression was found positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate while negatively correlated with the degree of renal fibrosis in kidneys of CKD patients. Thus, our work indicates that AOAH protects against kidney injury and fibrosis by inhibiting renal tubular epithelial cells CD74 signaling pathways. Targeting kidney AOAH represents a promising strategy to prevent renal fibrosis progression.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Macrophages; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; Humans; Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Male; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; Folic Acid; Kidney Tubules; Fibrosis; Mice, Knockout; Epithelial Cells
PubMed: 38904010
DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.91237 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024The gut microbiota plays a vital role in the development of sepsis and in protecting against pneumonia. Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of the gut-lung...
BACKGROUND
The gut microbiota plays a vital role in the development of sepsis and in protecting against pneumonia. Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of the gut-lung axis and the interaction between the gut and the lung, which is related to the prognosis of critically ill patients; however, most of these studies focused on chronic lung diseases and influenza virus infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on -related pulmonary infection via the gut-lung axis and to compare the effects of FMT with those of traditional antibiotics to identify new therapeutic strategies.
METHODS
We divided the mice into six groups: the blank control (PBS), pneumonia-derived sepsis (KP), pneumonia-derived sepsis + antibiotic (KP + PIP), pneumonia-derived sepsis + faecal microbiota transplantation(KP + FMT), antibiotic treatment control (KP+PIP+PBS), and pneumonia-derived sepsis+ antibiotic + faecal microbiota transplantation (KP + PIP + FMT) groups to compare the survival of mice, lung injury, inflammation response, airway barrier function and the intestinal flora, metabolites and drug resistance genes in each group.
RESULTS
Alterations in specific intestinal flora can occur in the gut of patients with pneumonia-derived sepsis caused by . Compared with those in the faecal microbiota transplantation group, the antibiotic treatment group had lower levels of proinflammatory factors and higher levels of anti-inflammatory factors but less amelioration of lung pathology and improvement of airway epithelial barrier function. Additionally, the increase in opportunistic pathogens and drug resistance-related genes in the gut of mice was accompanied by decreased production of favourable fatty acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, decanoic acid, and secondary bile acids such as chenodeoxycholic acid 3-sulfate, isodeoxycholic acid, taurodeoxycholic acid, and 3-dehydrocholic acid; the levels of these metabolites were restored by faecal microbiota transplantation. Faecal microbiota transplantation after antibiotic treatment can gradually ameliorate gut microbiota disorder caused by antibiotic treatment and reduce the number of drug resistance genes induced by antibiotics.
CONCLUSION
In contrast to direct antibiotic treatment, faecal microbiota transplantation improves the prognosis of mice with pneumonia-derived sepsis caused by by improving the structure of the intestinal flora and increasing the level of beneficial metabolites, fatty acids and secondary bile acids, thereby reducing systemic inflammation, repairing the barrier function of alveolar epithelial cells, and alleviating pathological damage to the lungs. The combination of antibiotics with faecal microbiota transplantation significantly alleviates intestinal microbiota disorder, reduces the selection for drug resistance genes caused by antibiotics, and mitigates lung lesions; these effects are superior to those following antibiotic monotherapy.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Klebsiella Infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Mice; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Lung; Sepsis; Prognosis; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL
PubMed: 38903943
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1392376 -
Plant Direct Jun 2024Chloroplasts play a vital role in plant growth and development, which are the main sites of photosynthesis and the production of hormones and metabolites. Despite their...
Chloroplasts play a vital role in plant growth and development, which are the main sites of photosynthesis and the production of hormones and metabolites. Despite their significance, the regulatory mechanisms governing chloroplast development remain unclear. In our investigation, we identified a rice mutant with defective chloroplasts in rice ( L.), named albino lethal 13 (), which displayed a distinct albino phenotype in leaves, ultimately resulting in seedling lethality. Molecular cloning revealed that encodes a novel rice protein with no homologous gene or known conserved domain. This gene was located in the chloroplast and exhibited constitutive expression in various tissues, particularly in green tissues and regions of active cell growth. Our study's findings reveal that RNAi-mediated knockdown of led to a pronounced albino phenotype, reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, a vesicle chloroplast structure, and a decrease in the expression of chloroplast-associated genes. Consequently, the pollen fertility and seed setting rate were lower compared with the wild type. In contrast, the overexpression of resulted in an increased photosynthetic rate, a higher total grain number per panicle, and enhanced levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the roots and gibberellin A3 (GA3) in the shoot. These outcomes provide new insights on the role of in regulating chloroplast development in rice.
PubMed: 38903415
DOI: 10.1002/pld3.610 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jun 2024A heavily impacted river basin (Caudal River, NW Spain) by Hg and Cu mining activities, abandoned decades ago, was used to evaluate the environmental quality of their...
A heavily impacted river basin (Caudal River, NW Spain) by Hg and Cu mining activities, abandoned decades ago, was used to evaluate the environmental quality of their river sediments. The obtained results compared with reference values established by the US EPA and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for river sediments, have shown that the main elements of environmental concern are arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and, to a lesser extent, copper (Cu), which reach concentrations up to 1080, 80 and 54 mg kg, respectively. To understand the role that river sediments play in terms of risk to ecosystem health, a comparison has been made between the total content of metal(oid)s in the sediments and the bioavailable contents of the same elements in pore water, passive DGT (Diffusive Gradients in Thin films) samplers and the sediment extractant using acetic acid. A good correlation between the As and Cu contents in the DGTs and the pore water was found, resulting in a transfer from the pore water to the DGT of at least 47 % of the Cu and more than 75 % of the As when the concentrations were low, with a deployment time of 4 days. When As and Cu concentrations were higher, their transfer was not so high (above 23.6 % for As and 19.3 % for Cu). The transfer of Hg from the pore water to the DGT was practically nil and does not seem to depend on the content of this metal. The fraction extracted with acetic acid, conventionally accepted as bioavailable, was clearly lower than that captured by DGTs for As and Cu (≤5 % and ≤8.5 % of the total amount, respectively), while it was similar for Hg (0.2 %).
PubMed: 38901168
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116614 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which causes chikungunya fever, is an arbovirus of public health concern with no approved antiviral therapies. A significant proportion of...
BACKGROUND
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which causes chikungunya fever, is an arbovirus of public health concern with no approved antiviral therapies. A significant proportion of patients develop chronic arthritis after an infection. Zinc and magnesium salts help the immune system respond effectively against viral infections. This study explored the antiviral potential of zinc sulphate, zinc acetate, and magnesium sulphate against CHIKV infection.
METHODS
The highest non-toxic concentration of the salts (100 µM) was used to assess the prophylactic, virucidal, and therapeutic anti-CHIKV activities. Dose-dependent antiviral effects were investigated to find out the 50% inhibitory concentration of the salts. Entry bypass assay was conducted to find out whether the salts affect virus entry or post entry stages. Virus output in all these experiments was estimated using a focus-forming unit assay, real-time RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence assay.
RESULTS
Different time- and temperature-dependent assays revealed the therapeutic antiviral activity of zinc and magnesium salts against CHIKV. A minimum exposure of 4 hours and treatment initiation within 1 to 2 hours of infection are required for inhibition of CHIKV. Entry assays revealed that zinc salt affected virus-entry. Entry bypass assays suggested that both salts affected post-entry stages of CHIKV. In infected C57BL6 mice orally fed with zinc and magnesium salts, a reduction in viral RNA copy number was observed.
CONCLUSION
The study results suggest zinc salts exert anti-CHIKV activity at entry and post entry stages of the virus life cycle, while magnesium salt affect CHIKV at post entry stages. Overall, the study highlights the significant antiviral potential of zinc sulphate, zinc acetate, and magnesium sulphate against CHIKV, which can be exploited in designing potential therapeutic strategies for early treatment of chikungunya patients, thereby reducing the virus-associated persistent arthritis.
Topics: Chikungunya virus; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Chikungunya Fever; Zinc Acetate; Zinc Sulfate; Chlorocebus aethiops; Vero Cells; Virus Internalization; Mice; Zinc; Humans; Magnesium Sulfate; Magnesium; Virus Replication; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Salts; Cell Line
PubMed: 38895735
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1335189 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The sulfur in petroleum coke is harmful to carbon products, underscoring the importance of desulfurization for high-sulfur petroleum coke. This paper proposes a method...
The sulfur in petroleum coke is harmful to carbon products, underscoring the importance of desulfurization for high-sulfur petroleum coke. This paper proposes a method combining alkaline catalytic roasting with ultrasonic oxidation for the deep desulfurization of high-sulfur petroleum coke. The results show that the desulfurization rate reaches 88.99% and the sulfur content is reduced to 0.83 wt.% under a coke particle size of 96-75 μm, sodium-hydroxide-to-petroleum-coke ratio of 50%, roasting temperature of 700 °C, and holding time of 2 h. The alkali-calcined petroleum coke is ultrasonically oxidized and desulfurized in peracetic acid. The results show that, under a hydrogen peroxide content of 10%, hydrogen-peroxide-(liquid)-to-petroleum-coke (solid) ratio of 20 mL/g, acetic acid content of 5 mL, ultrasonic power of 300 W, reaction temperature of 60 °C, and reaction duration of 4 h, the sulfur content is reduced to 0.15 wt.% and the total desulfurization reaches 98.01%. Through a series of characterizations, the proposed desulfurization mechanism is verified. Alkali roasting effectively removes a significant portion of sulfur in petroleum coke. However, the elimination of certain sulfur compounds, such as the more complex thiophene, presents challenges. The thiophene content is subsequently removed via ultrasonic oxidation.
PubMed: 38893875
DOI: 10.3390/ma17112609 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The x%Ni/SmO-MnO (x = 0, 10, 15, 20) catalysts derived from SmMnO mullite were prepared by solution combustion and impregnation method; auto-thermal reforming (ATR) of...
The x%Ni/SmO-MnO (x = 0, 10, 15, 20) catalysts derived from SmMnO mullite were prepared by solution combustion and impregnation method; auto-thermal reforming (ATR) of acetic acid (HAc) for hydrogen production was used to explore the metal-support effect induced by Ni loadings on the catalytic reforming activity and product distribution. The 15%Ni/SmO-MnO catalyst exhibited optimal catalytic performance, which can be due to the appropriate Ni loading inducing a strong metal-support interaction to form a stable Ni/SmO-MnO active center, while side reactions, such as methanation and ketonization, were well suppressed. According to characterizations, SmO-MnO mixed oxides derived from SmMnO mullite were formed with oxygen vacancies; nevertheless, loading of Ni metal further promoted the formation of oxygen vacancies, thus enhancing adsorption and activation of oxygen-containing intermediate species and resulting in higher reactivity with HAc conversion near 100% and hydrogen yield at 2.62 mol-H/mol-HAc.
PubMed: 38893754
DOI: 10.3390/ma17112490 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Dispersions of amino-functionalized silica in ethylene glycol (EG) and in aqueous glycol show excellent stability at room temperature. Stability at elevated temperatures...
Dispersions of amino-functionalized silica in ethylene glycol (EG) and in aqueous glycol show excellent stability at room temperature. Stability at elevated temperatures would be much desired with respect to their potential application as heat-transfer fluids. Amino-functionalized silica was dispersed in EG and in 50-50 aqueous EG by mass. HCl and acetic acid were added to enhance the positive ζ potential. The dispersions were stored at 40, 60, 80, and 100 °C for up to 28 days, and ζ potential and apparent particle radius were studied as a function of elapsed time. The particles showed a positive ζ potential in excess of 40 mV (Smoluchowski), which remained unchanged for 28 days. Such a high absolute value of ζ potential is sufficient to stabilize the dispersion against flocculation and sedimentation. The apparent particle radius in acidified dispersions was about 70 nm, and it was stable for 28 days. The particles were larger in pH-neutral dispersions. The apparent particle radius was about 80 nm in fresh dispersions and it increased on long storage at 80 and 100 °C.
PubMed: 38893560
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112686 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and other members of the complex microbiotas, whose activity is essential for vinegar production, display biodiversity and richness that is...
Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and other members of the complex microbiotas, whose activity is essential for vinegar production, display biodiversity and richness that is difficult to study in depth due to their highly selective culture conditions. In recent years, liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has emerged as a powerful tool for rapidly identifying thousands of proteins present in microbial communities, offering broader precision and coverage. In this work, a novel method based on LC-MS/MS was established and developed from previous studies. This methodology was tested in three studies, enabling the characterization of three submerged acetification profiles using innovative raw materials (synthetic alcohol medium, fine wine, and craft beer) while working in a semicontinuous mode. The biodiversity of existing microorganisms was clarified, and both the predominant taxa (, , , and ) and others never detected in these media ( and , among others) were identified. The key functions and adaptive metabolic strategies were determined using comparative studies, mainly those related to cellular material biosynthesis, energy-associated pathways, and cellular detoxification processes. This study provides the groundwork for a highly reliable and reproducible method for the characterization of microbial profiles in the vinegar industry.
Topics: Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Acetic Acid; Chromatography, Liquid; Bacterial Proteins; Bacteria
PubMed: 38893424
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112548