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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024The aim of this case study was the evaluation of the selected metals' concentration, potential toxic compound identification, cytotoxicity analysis, estimation of the...
The aim of this case study was the evaluation of the selected metals' concentration, potential toxic compound identification, cytotoxicity analysis, estimation of the airborne dust concentration, biodiversity, and number of microorganisms in the environment (leachate, soil, air) of the biggest uncontrolled post-industrial landfills in Poland. Based on the results obtained, preliminary solutions for the future management of post-industrial objects that have become an uncontrolled landfill were indicated. In the air, the PM fraction dominated, constituting 78.1-98.2% of the particulate matter. Bacterial counts were in the ranges of 9.33 × 10-3.21 × 10 CFU m (air), 1.87 × 10-2.30 × 10 CFU mL (leachates), and 8.33 × 10-2.69 × 10 CFU g (soil). In the air, the predominant bacteria were and . The predominant fungi were , , and . The main bacteria in the leachates and soils were , , , , and . The main fungi in the leachates and soils were . Elevated concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Hg were detected. The soil showed the most pronounced cytotoxic potential, with rates of 36.55%, 63.08%, and 100% for the A-549, Caco-2, and A-549 cell lines. Nine compounds were identified which may be responsible for this cytotoxic effect, including 2,4,8-trimethylquinoline, benzo(f)quinoline, and 1-(m-tolyl)isoquinoline. The microbiome included bacteria and fungi potentially metabolizing toxic compounds and pathogenic species.
Topics: Humans; Dust; Caco-2 Cells; Metals; Mercury; Soil
PubMed: 38611776
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29071496 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Dec 2023Asphaltenes are the most polar and heavy fraction of petroleum, and their complex structure and toxicity make them resistant to biodegradation. The ability to tolerate...
Asphaltenes are the most polar and heavy fraction of petroleum, and their complex structure and toxicity make them resistant to biodegradation. The ability to tolerate high asphaltene concentrations is crucial to reducing the toxicity-related inhibition of microbial growth and improving their capacity for adaptation, survival, and biodegradation in soils highly contaminated with asphaltenes. This study developed a highly tolerant consortium for efficient asphaltene biodegradation in soils from 22 bacterial isolates obtained from heavy-crude oil-contaminated soils. Isolates corresponded to the Rhodococcus, Bacillus, Stutzerimonas, Cellulosimicrobium, Pseudomonas, and Paenibacillus genera, among others, and used pure asphaltenes and heavy crude oil as the only carbon sources. Surface plate assays were used to evaluate the tolerance of individual isolates to asphaltenes, and the results showed variations in the extension and inhibition rates with maximum tolerance levels at 60,000 mg asphaltenes l. Inhibition assays were used to select non-antagonistic bacterial isolates among those showing the highest tolerance levels to asphaltenes. A consortium made up of the five most tolerant and non-antagonistic bacterial isolates was able to degrade up to 83 wt.% out of 10,000 mg asphaltenes kg in the soil after 52 days. Due to its biological compatibility, high asphaltene tolerance, and ability to utilise it as a source of energy, the degrading consortium developed in this work has shown a high potential for soil bioremediation and is a promising candidate for the treatment of aged soil areas contaminated with heavy and extra-heavy crude oil. This would be the first research to assess and consider extreme bacterial tolerance and microbial antagonism between individual degrading microbes, leading to the development of an improved consortium capable of efficiently degrading high amounts of asphaltenes in soil.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Soil; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants; Petroleum; Rhodococcus
PubMed: 37982951
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30682-7 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023Soil's biological equilibrium, disturbed by the uncontrolled penetration of pesticides, can be restored by the activity of native microorganisms, which show abilities in...
Soil's biological equilibrium, disturbed by the uncontrolled penetration of pesticides, can be restored by the activity of native microorganisms, which show abilities in neutralizing these xenobiotics. Therefore, this research is necessary in the search for new microorganisms used in the process of the bioremediation of contaminated soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the herbicides, Sulcogan 300 SC, Tezosar 500 SC, and Sulcotrek 500 SC, applied to soil at the manufacturers' recommended dosage as well as 10-fold higher, on the abundance of microorganisms, the diversity and structure of bacterial and fungal communities, the activity of soil enzymes, and the growth and development of L. It was found that herbicides in contaminating amounts stimulated the proliferation of organotrophic bacteria and inhibited the growth of fungi. Organotrophic bacteria and actinobacteria were represented by K-strategies and fungi by r-strategies. Bacteria belonging to the phylum, , represented by the genus, , were most abundant in the soil, while among the fungi, it was the phylum, , represented by the genus, and . The herbicides decreased urease activity while increasing arylsulfatase and acid phosphatase activity. They had a positive effect on the growth and development of L., as evidenced by an increase in the values of the plant tolerance index (TI) and the maize leaf greenness index (SPAD). The results indicate that soil microorganisms and enzymes are suitable indicators reflecting the quality of herbicide-treated soil.
Topics: Soil; Fungi; Bacteria; Ascomycota; Herbicides; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants; Zea mays
PubMed: 37833917
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914469 -
Journal of Veterinary Research Sep 2023Universally, in microbiological diagnostics the detection of live bacteria is essential. Rapid identification of pathogens enables appropriate remedial measures to be...
INTRODUCTION
Universally, in microbiological diagnostics the detection of live bacteria is essential. Rapid identification of pathogens enables appropriate remedial measures to be taken. The identification of many bacteria simultaneously facilitates the determination of the characteristics of the accompanying microbiota and/or the microbiological complexity of a given environment.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The effectiveness of the VITEK2 Compact automated microbial identification system and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), analytical profile index (API) and Remel RapID tests were compared in identification of bacteria isolated from the alpaca gastrointestinal tract.
RESULTS
Most isolates were Gram-positive, such as and and , , and ; ; ; ; ; , , and (the last only isolated manually by API Coryne and the VITEK2 system and (CBC) card). was misidentified by MALDI-TOF MS as (currently ). Gram-positive and Gram-variable were also isolated. Gram-negative , , and ; ; subsp. ; and ; , and ; subsp. ; ; ; ; ; and were also found. The yeasts and were also present.
CONCLUSION
MALDI-TOF MS enabled the identification of pathogens and opportunistic pathogens from the alpaca gut which may represent a high risk to human and animal health.
PubMed: 37786852
DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0051 -
BMC Microbiology Aug 2023Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) can solubilize insoluble phosphate compounds and improve phosphate availability in soil. Road verges are important in urban...
Isolation and characterization of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria from rhizosphere of poplar on road verge and their antagonistic potential against various phytopathogens.
BACKGROUND
Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) can solubilize insoluble phosphate compounds and improve phosphate availability in soil. Road verges are important in urban landscaping, but the population structure of PSB and their ecological functions in the road verge soil is still unclear.
RESULTS
Twenty-one mineral PSB strains and 14 organic PSB strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of poplar on urban road verge. All the mineral PSB strains showed better solubilization to Ca(PO) than FePO or AlPO. Among them, 7 strains showed high phosphate-solubilizing (PS) activities to Ca(PO) (150-453 mg/L). All the organic PSB strains displayed weak solubilization to lecithin. 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic analysis showed good species diversity of the PSB strains, which belongs to 12 genera: Bacillus, Cedecea, Cellulosimicrobium, Delftia, Ensifer, Paenibacillus, Pantoea, Phyllobacterium, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium and Staphylococcus. Moreover, 8 PSB strains showed various degrees of growth inhibition against 4 plant pathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum S1, F. oxysporum S2, Pythium deliense Meurs Z4, Phomopsis sp. AC1 and a plant pathogenic bacterium, Pectobacterium carotovorum TP1.
CONCLUSIONS
The results indicated that these PSB strains could perform multiple ecological functions on road verge. The development and application of bio-agents based on the strains would provide a new strategy for maintaining and improving the ecosystem stability of road verges.
Topics: Rhizosphere; Phosphates; Populus; Soil Microbiology; Phylogeny; Soil; Bacteria; Ecosystem
PubMed: 37580699
DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02953-3 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Aug 2023Mycetoma is one of the six Neglected Tropical Diseases that are prevalent in Turkana County (northwest Kenya). The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of...
Mycetoma is one of the six Neglected Tropical Diseases that are prevalent in Turkana County (northwest Kenya). The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of mycetoma in the county, as well as to describe the main causative agents involved in the disease using methods affordable locally. Based on the data collected by the team of cooperative medicine Cirugia en Turkana (Surgery in Turkana), a specific study for mycetoma was started during the 16th humanitarian medicine campaign in February 2019. Patients with suspected mycetoma were studied at the Lodwar County Referral Hospital (LCRH). After informing the patient and getting their consent, the lesions were examined and sampled (mainly by biopsy) and clinical data were recorded. Samples were washed in sterile saline solution and cut in fragments. Some of these were inoculated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, Malt Extract Agar, and diluted Nutrient Agar plates. One fragment of each sample was used for DNA extraction. The DNA and the rest of the fragments of samples were kept at -20°C. All cultures were incubated at room temperature at the LCRH laboratory. The DNA obtained from clinical samples was submitted to PCR amplification of the ITS-5.8S and the V4-V5 16S rRNA gene region, for the detection and identification of fungi and bacteria respectively. From February 2019 till February 2022, 60 patients were studied. Most of them were men (43, 74,1%) between 13 and 78 y.o. (mean age 37). Half of the patients were herdsmen but, among women 40% (6) were housewives and 26.7% (4) charcoal burners. Lesions were mainly located at the feet (87.9%) and most of the patients (54; 93.1%) reported discharge of grains in the exudate, being 27 (46.6%) yellow or pale colored and 19 (32.8%) of them dark grains. Culture of clinical samples yielded 35 fungal and bacterial putative causative agents. Culture and molecular methods allowed the identification of a total of 21 causative agents of mycetoma (39.6% of cases studied). Most of them (17) corresponded to fungi causing eumycetoma (80.9%) being the most prevalent the genus Madurella (7; 41.2%), with two species involved (M. mycetomatis and M. fahalii), followed by Aspergillus (2; 11.8%). Other minority genera detected were Cladosporium, Fusarium, Acremonium, Penicillium, and Trichophyton (5.9% each of them). Actinobacteria were detected in 19.1% of samples, but only Streptomyces somaliensis was identified as a known agent of mycetoma, the rest being actinobacteria not previously described as causative agents of the disease, such as Cellulosimicrobium cellulans detected in two of the patients. Although Kenya is geographically located in the mycetoma belt, to our knowledge this is the first report on mycetoma in this country from 1973, and the first one for Turkana County.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Adult; Mycetoma; Kenya; Agar; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Madurella
PubMed: 37578968
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011327 -
EFSA Journal. European Food Safety... Jun 2023The food enzyme -amylase (4--d-glucan glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1) is produced with the non-genetically modified strain AE-AMT by Amano Enzyme Inc. In a previous...
The food enzyme -amylase (4--d-glucan glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1) is produced with the non-genetically modified strain AE-AMT by Amano Enzyme Inc. In a previous opinion, a safety evaluation of this food enzyme was completed, in which EFSA concluded that this food enzyme did not give rise to safety concerns when used in starch processing for maltodextrin production. The applicant has now provided new data to extend the use of this food enzyme to six additional food manufacturing processes: baking processes, cereal-based processes, plant processing for the production of dairy analogues, processing of tea, herbal and fruit infusions, brewing processes and the production of non-wine vinegar. For its use in a total of seven food manufacturing processes, the dietary exposure to the food enzyme-total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 0.012 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. Using the toxicological data provided in the previous opinion, with a NOAEL of 230 mg TOS/kg bw per day (the highest dose tested), the Panel derived a margin of exposure of at least 19,167. Based on the revised exposure calculation and the outcome of the previous evaluation, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the revised intended conditions of use.
PubMed: 37396875
DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8101 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2023Little is known about the microbiomes of flower parts, and even less information is available regarding these microorganisms' colonization of specific niches in...
Interspecies and temporal dynamics of bacterial and fungal microbiomes of pistil stigmas in flowers in holoparasitic plants of the Orobanche series Alsaticae (Orobanchaceae).
Little is known about the microbiomes of flower parts, and even less information is available regarding these microorganisms' colonization of specific niches in parasitic plants. We investigate the temporal interspecies dynamics of the parasitic plants microbiome of flower stigmas in two stages of development: immature stigmas in flower buds and mature stigmas in opened flowers. We compared two related holoparasitic Orobanche species from localities approximately 90 km apart and characterize their bacterial and fungal communities using 16S rRNA gene and ITS sequences, respectively. We identified from 127 to over 228 OTUs per sample for fungi, sequences belonging to genera: Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, Malassezia, Mycosphaerella, and Pleosporales, constituting approximately 53% of the community in total. In the bacterial profile, we recorded 40 to over 68 OTUs per sample consisting of Enterobacteriaceae, and genera Cellulosimicrobium, Pantoea, and Pseudomonas spp., with an approximately 75% frequency. In microbial communities, higher numbers of OTUs colonizing mature stigmas were recorded than in immature. This implies that the dynamics and concurrence of microbial communities were different between O. alsatica and O. bartlingii and underwent significant changes during flower development. To the best of our knowledge, is the first study of the interspecies and temporal dynamics of the bacterial and fungal microbiomes of pistil stigmas in flowers.
Topics: Orobanche; Orobanchaceae; Mycobiome; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Plants; Ascomycota; Flowers
PubMed: 37185962
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33676-0 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2023Dextranase is widely used in sugar production, drug synthesis, material preparation, and biotechnology, among other fields. The immobilization of dextranase using...
Dextranase is widely used in sugar production, drug synthesis, material preparation, and biotechnology, among other fields. The immobilization of dextranase using nanomaterials in order to make it reusable, is a hot research topic. In this study, the immobilization of purified dextranase was performed using different nanomaterials. The best results were obtained when dextranase was immobilized on titanium dioxide (TiO), and a particle size of 30 nm was achieved. The optimum immobilization conditions were pH 7.0, temperature 25 °C, time 1 h, and immobilization agent TiO. The immobilized materials were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy. The optimum temperature and pH of the immobilized dextranase were 30 °C and 7.5, respectively. The activity of the immobilized dextranase was >50% even after 7 times of reuse, and 58% of the enzyme was active even after 7 days of storage at 25 °C, indicating the reproducibility of the immobilized enzyme. The adsorption of dextranase by TiO nanoparticles exhibited secondary reaction kinetics. Compared with free dextranase, the hydrolysates of the immobilized dextranase were significantly different, and consisted mainly of isomaltotriose and isomaltotetraose. The highly polymerized isomaltotetraose levels could reach >78.69% of the product after 30 min of enzymatic digestion.
PubMed: 36985959
DOI: 10.3390/nano13061065 -
Acta Medica Portuguesa Jan 2024Mycetoma is caused by the subcutaneous inoculation of filamentous fungi or aerobic filamentous bacteria. Cellulosimicrobium cellulans is a gram-positive bacterium from...
Mycetoma is caused by the subcutaneous inoculation of filamentous fungi or aerobic filamentous bacteria. Cellulosimicrobium cellulans is a gram-positive bacterium from the order Actinomycetales that rarely causes human disease. The diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation and identification of the causative microorganism. We present a short literature review regarding the case report of a young man diagnosed with actinomycetoma due to Cellulosimicrobium cellulans and who received treatment with an association of amikacin and sulfamethoxazole/ trimethoprim (Welsh regimen).
Topics: Male; Humans; Mycetoma; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Guinea-Bissau; Actinomycetales; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
PubMed: 36919988
DOI: 10.20344/amp.17356