-
Microorganisms Mar 2024is a persistent ectoparasite of cattle that causes bovine anaplasmosis and babesiosis, causing economic losses worldwide. Chemical treatment is the primary method for...
is a persistent ectoparasite of cattle that causes bovine anaplasmosis and babesiosis, causing economic losses worldwide. Chemical treatment is the primary method for tick control, but the emergence of pesticide-resistant ticks is a major challenge. Alternative biocontrol strategies utilizing entomopathogenic microorganisms are being explored. This study aimed to validate the species identification and assess the efficacy of four strains of bacteria ( S1 and S-2, , and ) previously reported as being entomopathogenic to ticks. According to the bioassays, S-1 exhibited the greatest degree of reproductive inhibition (47%), followed by (44.3%) at a concentration of 1 × 10 cfu/mL. displayed decreased reproductive inhibition (6.3%). In an additional bioassay, S-1 exhibited a significant larval mortality of 67.63%, followed by with 66.75%, S-2 with 64.61%, and with 28.18% mortality. The common signs of infection observed on these ticks included swelling, yellowish exudate on the hypostome, and reduced limb mobility and color change, except for , which did not cause color changes. These bacteria were naturally found on bovine skin. However, further studies are needed to confirm their potential as promising alternatives or complementary agents to existing acaricidal compounds.
PubMed: 38543602
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12030551 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Mar 2024Infective endocarditis is a rare condition in humans and is associated with high illness and death rates. We describe a case of infective endocarditis caused by...
Infective endocarditis is a rare condition in humans and is associated with high illness and death rates. We describe a case of infective endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus succinus bacteria in France. We used several techniques for susceptibility testing for this case to determine the oxacillin profile.
Topics: Humans; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Endocarditis; Staphylococcus; France
PubMed: 38407206
DOI: 10.3201/eid3003.230986 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023, a notorious fungal pathogen responsible for the devastating brown rot disease afflicting apples, wreaks havoc in both orchards and storage facilities, precipitating...
, a notorious fungal pathogen responsible for the devastating brown rot disease afflicting apples, wreaks havoc in both orchards and storage facilities, precipitating substantial economic losses. Currently, chemical methods represent the primary means of controlling this pathogen in warehouses. However, this study sought to explore an alternative approach by harnessing the biocontrol potential of bacterial isolates against brown rot in apple trees. A total of 72 bacterial isolates were successfully obtained from the apple tree rhizosphere and subjected to initial screening via co-cultivation with the pathogen. Notably, eight bacterial isolates demonstrated remarkable efficacy, reducing the mycelial growth of the pathogen from 68.75 to 9.25%. These isolates were subsequently characterized based on phenotypic traits, biochemical properties, and 16S rRNA gene amplification. Furthermore, we investigated these isolates' production capacity with respect to two enzymes, namely, protease and chitinase, and evaluated their efficacy in disease control. Through phenotypic, biochemical, and 16S rRNA gene-sequencing analyses, the bacterial isolates were identified as , , sp., , and . In dual culture assays incorporating , and exhibited the most potent degree of mycelial growth inhibition, achieving 68.75 and 9.25% reductions, respectively. All the bacterial isolates displayed significant chitinase and protease activities. Quantitative assessment of chitinase activity revealed the highest levels in strains AP5 and AP13, with values of 1.47 and 1.36 U/mL, respectively. Similarly, AP13 and AP6 exhibited the highest protease activity, with maximal enzyme production levels reaching 1.3 and 1.2 U/mL, respectively. In apple disease control assays, and strains exhibited disease severity values of 12.34% and 61.66% (DS), respectively, highlighting their contrasting efficacy in mitigating disease infecting apple fruits. These findings underscore the immense potential of the selected bacterial strains with regard to serving as biocontrol agents for combatting brown rot disease in apple trees, thus paving the way for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to chemical interventions.
PubMed: 37623599
DOI: 10.3390/jof9080828 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023The salinization of soil is the process of progressive accumulation of salts such as sulfates, sodium, or chlorides into the soil. The increased level of salt has...
The salinization of soil is the process of progressive accumulation of salts such as sulfates, sodium, or chlorides into the soil. The increased level of salt has significant effects on glycophyte plants, such as rice, maize, and wheat, which are staple foods for the world's population. Consequently, it is important to develop biotechnologies that improve crops and clean up the soil. Among other remediation methods, there is an environmentally friendly approach to ameliorate the cultivation of glycophyte plants in saline soil, namely, the use of microorganisms tolerant to salt with growth-promoting features. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can improve plant growth by colonizing their roots and playing a vital role in helping plants to establish and grow in nutrient-deficient conditions. Our research aimed to test halotolerant PGPR, isolated and characterized in a previous study conducted in our laboratory, inoculating them on maize seedlings to improve their growth in the presence of sodium chloride. The bacterial inoculation was performed using the seed-coating method, and the produced effects were evaluated by morphometric analysis, quantization of ion contents (sodium, potassium), produced biomass, both for epigeal (shoot) and hypogeal (root) organs, and by measuring salt-induced oxidative damage. The results showed an increase in biomass and sodium tolerance and even a reduction of oxidative stress in seedlings pretreated with a PGPR bacterial consortium ( + ) over the control. Moreover, we observed that salt reduces growth and alters root system traits of maize seedlings, while bacterial treatment improves plant growth and partially restores the root architecture system in saline stress conditions. Therefore, the PGPR seed-coating or seedling treatment could be an effective strategy to enhance sustainable agriculture in saline soils due to the protection of the plants from their inhibitory effect.
PubMed: 37303788
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1171980 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2022Cold stress is a critical environmental challenge that affects an organism's fitness-related traits. In Drosophila, increased resistance to specific environmental stress...
Cold stress is a critical environmental challenge that affects an organism's fitness-related traits. In Drosophila, increased resistance to specific environmental stress may lead to increased resistance to other kinds of stress. In the present study, we aimed to understand whether increased cold stress resistance in Drosophila melanogaster can facilitate their ability to tolerate other environmental stresses. For the current study, we used successfully selected replicate populations of D. melanogaster against cold shock and their control population. These selected populations have evolved several reproductive traits, including increased egg viability, mating frequency, male mating ability, ability to sire progenies, and faster recovery for mating latency under cold shock conditions. In the present work, we investigated egg viability and mating frequency with and without heat and cold shock conditions in the selected and their control populations. We also examined resistance to cold shock, heat shock, desiccation, starvation, and survival post-challenge with Staphylococcus succinus subsp. succinus PK-1 in the selected and their control populations. After cold-shock treatment, we found a 1.25 times increase in egg viability and a 1.57 times increase in mating frequency in the selected populations compared to control populations. Moreover, more males (0.87 times) and females (1.66 times) of the selected populations survived under cold shock conditions relative to their controls. After being subjected to heat shock, the selected population's egg viability and mating frequency increased by 0.30 times and 0.57 times, respectively, compared to control populations. Additionally, more selected males (0.31 times) and females (0.98 times) survived under heat shock conditions compared to the control populations. Desiccation resistance slightly increased in the females of the selected populations relative to their control, but we observed no change in the case of males. Starvation resistance decreased in males and females of the selected populations compared to their controls. Our findings suggest that the increased resistance to cold shock correlates with increased tolerance to heat stress, but this evolved resistance comes at a cost, with decreased tolerance to starvation.
Topics: Animals; Female; Male; Drosophila melanogaster; Cold-Shock Response; Adaptation, Physiological; Biological Evolution; Reproduction; Starvation; Drosophila; Cold Temperature
PubMed: 36376445
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23674-z -
Microbiology Resource Announcements Jul 2021A strain of Staphylococcus succinus was sampled from the floor of the basement of a house and isolated in an undergraduate classroom in Milwaukee, WI. Here, we report...
A strain of Staphylococcus succinus was sampled from the floor of the basement of a house and isolated in an undergraduate classroom in Milwaukee, WI. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain.
PubMed: 34236223
DOI: 10.1128/MRA.00580-21 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Oct 2021Zoos are places open for a large number of visitors, adults and children, who can admire exotic as well as indigenous animal species. The premises for animals may...
Zoos are places open for a large number of visitors, adults and children, who can admire exotic as well as indigenous animal species. The premises for animals may contain pathogenic microbes, including those exhibiting antibiotic resistance. It poses a threat to people remaining within the zoo premises, both for animal keepers who meet animals on a daily basis and visitors who infrequently have contact with animals. There are almost no studies concerning the presence on the concentration of airborne bacteria, especially staphylococci and fecal bacteria in animal shelters in the zoo. There is no data about antibiotic resistance of staphylococci in these places. The results will enable to determine the scale of the threat that indicator bacteria from the bioaerosol pose to human health within zoo premises. This study conducted in rooms for 5 animals group (giraffes, camels, elephants, kangaroos, and Colobinae (species of monkey)) in the Silesian Zoological Garden in Chorzów (Poland). The bioaerosol samples were collected using a six-stage Andersen cascade impactor to assess the concentrations and size distribution of airborne bacteria. Staphylococci were isolated from bioaerosol and tested for antibiotic resistance. In our study, the highest contamination of staphylococci and fecal bacteria was recorded in rooms for camels and elephants, and the lowest in rooms for Colobinae. At least 2/3 of bacteria in bioaerosol constituted respirable fraction that migrates into the lower respiratory tract of the people. In investigated animal rooms, the greatest bacteria contribution was recorded for bioaerosol fraction sized 1.1-3.3μm. Bacterial concentrations were particularly strong in spring and autumn, what is related to shedding fur by animals. Among the isolated staphylococci which most often occurred were Staphylococcus succinus, S. sciuri, and S. vitulinus. The highest antibiotic resistance was noted in the case of Staphylococcus epidermidis, while the lowest for S. xylosus. In addition to standard cleaning of animal rooms, periodic disinfection should be considered. Cleaning should be carried out wet, which should reduce dust, and thus the concentrations of bacteria in the air of animal enclosures.
Topics: Aerosols; Air Microbiology; Animals; Bacteria; Housing, Animal; Staphylococcus
PubMed: 34061267
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14594-y -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2020Koumiss is a traditional fermented raw mare's milk product. It contains high nutritional value and is well-known for its health-promoting effect as an alimentary...
Koumiss is a traditional fermented raw mare's milk product. It contains high nutritional value and is well-known for its health-promoting effect as an alimentary supplement. This study aimed to investigate the bacterial diversity, especially lactic acid bacteria (LAB), in koumiss and raw mare's milk. Forty-two samples, including koumiss and raw mare's milk, were collected from the pastoral area in Yili, Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China. This work applied PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to profile full-length 16S rRNA genes, which was a powerful technology enabling bacterial taxonomic assignment to the species precision. The SMRT sequencing identified 12 phyla, 124 genera, and 227 species across 29 koumiss samples. Eighteen phyla, 286 genera, and 491 species were found across 13 raw mare's milk samples. The bacterial microbiota diversity of the raw mare's milk was more complex and diverse than the koumiss. Raw mare's milk was rich in LAB, such as (.) , (.) , and . In addition, raw mare's milk also contained sequences representing pathogenic bacteria, such as , (.) , and . The koumiss microbiota mainly comprised LAB, and sequences representing pathogenic bacteria were not detected. Meanwhile, the koumiss was enriched with secondary metabolic pathways that were potentially beneficial for health. Using a Random Forest model, the two kinds of samples could be distinguished with a high accuracy 95.2% [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.98] based on 42 species and functions. Comprehensive depiction of the microbiota in raw mare's milk and koumiss might help elucidate evolutionary and functional relationships among the bacterial communities in these dairy products. The current work suffered from the limitation of a low sample size, so further work would be required to verify our findings.
PubMed: 33193214
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.581610 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2020The bacterial communities that are established during natural meat fermentation depend on the processing conditions and the type of meat substrate used. Six pork samples...
The bacterial communities that are established during natural meat fermentation depend on the processing conditions and the type of meat substrate used. Six pork samples of variable quality (reflected in pH values) and six less conventional meats (beef, horse, hare, wild deer, wild duck, and wild boar) were naturally fermented under controlled conditions in model systems. The development of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), and enterobacteria was followed using culture-dependent techniques and (GTG)-PCR fingerprinting of genomic DNA from the isolates obtained. Taken together, was the most abundant LAB species, although was more manifest in high-pH pork. Within staphylococci, common species were encountered (i.e., , , and ), although some atypical ones (i.e., ) were also recovered. Within enterobacteria, spp. prevailed in more acidic pork batches and in beef, whereas spp. prevailed in game meat fermentations. Enterobacterial counts were particularly high in fermentations with low acidity, namely for some pork batches, hare, wild duck, and wild boar. These findings should be considered when naturally fermented meat products are manufactured, as the use of game meat or meat with high pH can give rise to safety concerns.
PubMed: 33019548
DOI: 10.3390/foods9101386 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2020Seventeen staphylococci isolated from 54 Slovak local lump cheeses made from ewes' milk were taxonomically allotted to five species and three clusters/groups involving...
Seventeen staphylococci isolated from 54 Slovak local lump cheeses made from ewes' milk were taxonomically allotted to five species and three clusters/groups involving the following species: (5 strains), (3 strains), (one strain) (5 strains) and (3 strains). Five different species were determined. The aim of the study follows two lines: basic research in connection with staphylococci, and further possible application of the bacteriocins. Identified staphylococci were mostly susceptible to antibiotics (10 out of 14 antibiotics). Strains showed γ-hemolysis (meaning they did not form hemolysis) except for SAOS1/1 strain, which formed β-hemolysis. SAOS1/1 strain was also DNase positive as did SAOS5/2 and SAOS51/3. The other staphylococci were DNase negative. SAOS1/1 and SAOS51/3 showed biofilm formation on Congo red agar. However, using quantitative plate assay, 12 strains out of 17 showed low-grade biofilm formation (0.1 ≤ A < 1), while five strains did not form biofilm (A < 0.1). The growth of all strains, including those strains resistant to enterocins, was inhibited by nisin and gallidermin, with high inhibition activity resulting in the inhibition zone in size from 1600 up to 102,400 AU/mL (arbitrary unit per milliliter). This study contributes to microbiota colonization associated with raw ewe's milk lump cheeses; it also indicates bacteriocin treatment benefit, which can be used in prevention and/or elimination of staphylococci.
PubMed: 32971750
DOI: 10.3390/foods9091335