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Life (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2021(1) Background: Future missions to potentially habitable places in the Solar System require biochemistry-independent methods for detecting potential alien life forms....
(1) Background: Future missions to potentially habitable places in the Solar System require biochemistry-independent methods for detecting potential alien life forms. The technology was not advanced enough for onboard machine analysis of microscopic observations to be performed in past missions, but recent increases in computational power make the use of automated in-situ analyses feasible. (2) Methods: Here, we present a semi-automated experimental setup, capable of distinguishing the movement of abiotic particles due to Brownian motion from the motility behavior of the bacteria . Supervised machine learning algorithms were also used to specifically identify these species based on their characteristic motility behavior. (3) Results: While we were able to distinguish microbial motility from the abiotic movements due to Brownian motion with an accuracy exceeding 99%, the accuracy of the automated identification rates for the selected species does not exceed 82%. (4) Conclusions: Motility is an excellent biosignature, which can be used as a tool for upcoming life-detection missions. This study serves as the basis for the further development of a microscopic life recognition system for upcoming missions to Mars or the ocean worlds of the outer Solar System.
PubMed: 33445805
DOI: 10.3390/life11010044 -
Cell Jun 2013The smallest reported bacterial genome belongs to Tremblaya princeps, a symbiont of Planococcus citri mealybugs (PCIT). Tremblaya PCIT not only has a 139 kb genome, but...
The smallest reported bacterial genome belongs to Tremblaya princeps, a symbiont of Planococcus citri mealybugs (PCIT). Tremblaya PCIT not only has a 139 kb genome, but possesses its own bacterial endosymbiont, Moranella endobia. Genome and transcriptome sequencing, including genome sequencing from a Tremblaya lineage lacking intracellular bacteria, reveals that the extreme genomic degeneracy of Tremblaya PCIT likely resulted from acquiring Moranella as an endosymbiont. In addition, at least 22 expressed horizontally transferred genes from multiple diverse bacteria to the mealybug genome likely complement missing symbiont genes. However, none of these horizontally transferred genes are from Tremblaya, showing that genome reduction in this symbiont has not been enabled by gene transfer to the host nucleus. Our results thus indicate that the functioning of this three-way symbiosis is dependent on genes from at least six lineages of organisms and reveal a path to intimate endosymbiosis distinct from that followed by organelles.
Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Bacteria; Betaproteobacteria; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Hemiptera; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Symbiosis
PubMed: 23791183
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.040 -
The Journal of General and Applied... 2012Bacterial strains capable of degrading trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) were isolated from the secondary sludge of a pulp and paper mill and were characterized. These...
Bacterial strains capable of degrading trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) were isolated from the secondary sludge of a pulp and paper mill and were characterized. These isolates were identified as Planococcus rifietoensis (CL4) and Bacillus pumilus (CL5), based on their 16S rRNA sequence analysis. These isolates were able to grow and utilize 2,4,6-TCP as their source of carbon as well as energy. HPLC analysis and stoichometric release of chloride in the medium confirmed the degradation ability of these isolates. Removal efficiency of 2,4,6-TCP by these isolates was discovered to be high. They were able to remove 90% of 2,4,6-TCP when grown at a concentration of 600 mg L(-1). Inoculation of these bacteria completely removed 2,4,6-TCP within 2 weeks from the sludge of the pulp and paper mill when supplemented at the rate of 100 mg L(-1). Absorbable Organic Halogen (AOX) and Extractable Organic Halogen (EOX) were significantly reduced by 63% and 70% respectively from the sludge due to inoculation of these bacteria. These isolates have high potential to remove 2,4,6-TCP and may be used for removal of 2,4,6-TCP from pulp paper mill waste.
Topics: Bacillus; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Biodegradation, Environmental; Chlorophenols; DNA, Bacterial; Industrial Waste; Molecular Sequence Data; Paper; Phylogeny; Planococcus Bacteria; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sewage; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 23337576
DOI: 10.2323/jgam.58.413 -
Bioscience, Biotechnology, and... Aug 1997We have identified 2 DnaK and 3 GroEL homologues from moderately halophilic Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Planococcus species by partial purification using an...
We have identified 2 DnaK and 3 GroEL homologues from moderately halophilic Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Planococcus species by partial purification using an ATP-agarose column and by the analysis and similarity search of these NH2-terminal amino acid sequences. Although these bacteria required 1 to 2M NaCl for growth, these DnaK and GroEL homologues did not require high salt to bind to the ATP column, thus suggesting that these chaperones did not require high salts for their biochemically activities.
Topics: Acinetobacter; Amino Acid Sequence; Chaperonin 60; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Proteins; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; Immunoblotting; Micrococcaceae; Molecular Chaperones; Molecular Sequence Data; Pseudomonas
PubMed: 9301123
DOI: 10.1271/bbb.61.1388 -
Journal of Food Protection May 1979To determine the effect of delayed heading on shrimp quality, shrimp were stored on ice with and without heads for 10 days. Some shrimp were delay-headed after 5 days...
To determine the effect of delayed heading on shrimp quality, shrimp were stored on ice with and without heads for 10 days. Some shrimp were delay-headed after 5 days and returned to ice for the remainder of the storage period. Microbiological studies were conducted at 0, 5 and 10 days of storage. Total aerobic plate counts were done using Standard Plate Count agar with an added 0.5% NaCl. Incubation was at 20 C for 5 days. Analyses indicated similar counts on shrimp tails stored with or without heads and those delayed-headed. Counts ranged from 2.4 × 10 bacteria/gram at 0 day to 1.6 × 10 bacteria/gram on the 10th day. Identification of the flora present revealed that the same major groups of organisms predominated on shrimp tails subjected to the different storage treatments and the head did not alter development of the usual flora. Flavobacterium , Pseudomonas , Planococcus , Moraxella and the Vibrio/Aeromonas group were the major genera encountered. A shift in bacterial populations was observed during storage. Flavobacterium species predominated during the first 5 days of storage; however, after the fifth day Pseudomonas species predominated. Sensory panel data revealed no differences in acceptability between shrimp tails stored with or without heads and those delay-headed.
PubMed: 30812269
DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X-42.5.407 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Jul 2008We investigated the infection dynamics of endosymbiotic bacteria in the developmental course of the mealybugs Planococcus kraunhiae and Pseudococcus comstocki. Molecular...
We investigated the infection dynamics of endosymbiotic bacteria in the developmental course of the mealybugs Planococcus kraunhiae and Pseudococcus comstocki. Molecular phylogenetic analyses identified a betaproteobacterium and a gammaproteobacterium from each of the mealybug species. The former bacterium was related to the beta-endosymbionts of other mealybugs, i.e., "Candidatus Tremblaya princeps," and formed a compact clade in the Betaproteobacteria. Meanwhile, the latter bacterium was related to the gamma-endosymbionts of other mealybugs but belonged to distinct clades in the Gammaproteobacteria. Whole-mount in situ hybridization confirmed the peculiar nested formation in the endosymbiotic system of the mealybugs: the beta-endosymbiont cells were present in the cytoplasm of the bacteriocytes, and the gamma-endosymbiont cells were located in the beta-endosymbiont cells. In nymphal and female development, a large oval bacteriome consisting of a number of bacteriocytes was present in the abdomen, wherein the endosymbionts were harbored. In male development, strikingly, the bacteriome progressively degenerated in prepupae and pupae and became almost unrecognizable in adult males. In the degeneration process, the gamma-endosymbionts disappeared more rapidly than the beta-endosymbionts did. Quantitative PCR analyses revealed that (i) the population dynamics of the endosymbionts in female development reflected the reproductive activity of the insects, (ii) the population dynamics of the endosymbionts were strikingly different between female development and male development, (iii) the endosymbiont populations drastically decreased in male development, and (iv) the gamma-endosymbiont populations decreased more rapidly than the beta-endosymbiont populations in male development. Possible mechanisms underlying the uncoupled regulation of the beta- and gamma-endosymbiont populations are discussed in relation to the establishment and evolution of this unique prokaryote-prokaryote endosymbiotic system.
Topics: Animals; Betaproteobacteria; Chaperonin 60; Female; Gammaproteobacteria; Genes, rRNA; Hemiptera; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Nymph; Phylogeny; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Symbiosis
PubMed: 18469124
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00250-08 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2015Many insect species establish mutualistic symbiosis with intracellular bacteria that complement their unbalanced diets. The betaproteobacterium "Candidatus Tremblaya"...
Many insect species establish mutualistic symbiosis with intracellular bacteria that complement their unbalanced diets. The betaproteobacterium "Candidatus Tremblaya" maintains an ancient symbiosis with mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), which are classified in subfamilies Phenacoccinae and Pseudococcinae. Most Phenacoccinae mealybugs have "Candidatus Tremblaya phenacola" as their unique endosymbiont, while most Pseudococcinae mealybugs show a nested symbiosis (a bacterial symbiont placed inside another one) where every "Candidatus Tremblaya princeps" cell harbors several cells of a gammaproteobacterium. Genomic characterization of the endosymbiotic consortium from Planococcus citri, composed by "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" and "Candidatus Moranella endobia," unveiled several atypical features of the former's genome, including the concerted evolution of paralogous loci. Its comparison with the genome of "Ca. Tremblaya phenacola" PAVE, single endosymbiont of Phenacoccus avenae, suggests that the atypical reductive evolution of "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" could be linked to the acquisition of "Ca. Moranella endobia," which possess an almost complete set of genes encoding proteins involved in homologous recombination. In order to test this hypothesis, we performed comparative genomics between "Ca. Tremblaya phenacola" and "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" and searched for the co-occurrence of concerted evolution and homologous recombination genes in endosymbiotic consortia from four unexplored mealybug species, Dysmicoccus boninsis, Planococcus ficus, Pseudococcus longispinus, and Pseudococcus viburni. Our results support a link between concerted evolution and nested endosymbiosis.
PubMed: 26161080
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00642 -
Journal of Industrial Microbiology &... Jun 2017A recently developed rapid co-composting of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME) anaerobic sludge is beginning to attract attention from...
A recently developed rapid co-composting of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME) anaerobic sludge is beginning to attract attention from the palm oil industry in managing the disposal of these wastes. However, a deeper understanding of microbial diversity is required for the sustainable practice of the co-compositing process. In this study, an in-depth assessment of bacterial community succession at different stages of the pilot scale co-composting of OPEFB-POME anaerobic sludge was performed using 454-pyrosequencing, which was then correlated with the changes of physicochemical properties including temperature, oxygen level and moisture content. Approximately 58,122 of 16S rRNA gene amplicons with more than 500 operational taxonomy units (OTUs) were obtained. Alpha diversity and principal component analysis (PCoA) indicated that bacterial diversity and distributions were most influenced by the physicochemical properties of the co-composting stages, which showed remarkable shifts of dominant species throughout the process. Species related to Devosia yakushimensis and Desemzia incerta are shown to emerge as dominant bacteria in the thermophilic stage, while Planococcus rifietoensis correlated best with the later stage of co-composting. This study proved the bacterial community shifts in the co-composting stages corresponded with the changes of the physicochemical properties, and may, therefore, be useful in monitoring the progress of co-composting and compost maturity.
Topics: Bacteria; Biodiversity; Composting; Fruit; Industrial Waste; Palm Oil; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sewage
PubMed: 28197796
DOI: 10.1007/s10295-017-1916-1 -
Journal of Bacteriology Aug 1970The amino acid composition and amino acid sequence of the murein (peptidoglycan) of 10 strains of planococci were studied. It is shown that the peptide subunit consists...
The amino acid composition and amino acid sequence of the murein (peptidoglycan) of 10 strains of planococci were studied. It is shown that the peptide subunit consists of muramyl-l-alanyl-gamma-d-glutamyl-l-lysyl-d -alanine. The cross-linking of two adjacent peptide subunits is mediated by d-glutamic acid which is bound to the epsilon-amino group of lysine by its gamma-carboxyl group and to the carboxyl group of d-alanine of an adjacent peptide subunit by its amino group. About 20 to 25% of the peptide subunits are not cross-linked. The murein structure of the different species and strains of Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, and Sarcina are compared. It is evident that the murein structure is a very good criterion for grouping the micrococci. In addition, some of these groups are fairly well defined by physiological properties as well as by their guanine + cytosine content of the deoxyribonucleic acid e.g., Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Planococcus, Sarcina ureae. Other groups, represented by a single or a few strains only, such as M. varians NTCC 7281, M. radiodurans, M. freudenreichii ATCC 407, and M. luteus ATCC 398, need further investigation.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Amino Acids; Bacteria; Cell Wall; Chromatography; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Glutamates; Glycosaminoglycans; Micrococcus; Peptides; Sarcina; Staphylococcus
PubMed: 4247024
DOI: 10.1128/jb.103.2.387-392.1970 -
TheScientificWorldJournal 2014Catechol 2,3-dioxygenases (C23Os, E.C.1.13.12.2) are two domain enzymes that catalyze degradation of monoaromatic hydrocarbons. The catalytically active C-domain of all...
Catechol 2,3-dioxygenases (C23Os, E.C.1.13.12.2) are two domain enzymes that catalyze degradation of monoaromatic hydrocarbons. The catalytically active C-domain of all known C23Os comprises ferrous ion ligands as well as residues forming active site pocket. The aim of this work was to examine and discuss the effect of nonsense mutation at position 289 on the activity of catechol 2,3-dioxygenase from Planococcus strain. Although the mutant C23O showed the same optimal temperature for activity as the wild-type protein (35 °C), it exhibited activity slightly more tolerant to alkaline pH. Mutant enzyme exhibited also higher affinity to catechol as a substrate. Its K(m) (66.17 µM) was approximately 30% lower than that of wild-type enzyme. Interestingly, removal of the C-terminal residues resulted in 1.5- to 1.8-fold (P < 0.05) increase in the activity of C23OB61 against 4-methylcatechol and 4-chlorocatechol, respectively, while towards catechol the activity of the protein dropped to about 80% of that of the wild-type enzyme. The results obtained may facilitate the engineering of the C23O for application in the bioremediation of polluted areas.
Topics: Carbon Dioxide; Catechol 2,3-Dioxygenase; Enzyme Activation; Enzyme Stability; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Planococcus Bacteria; Species Specificity; Structure-Activity Relationship; Substrate Specificity
PubMed: 24693238
DOI: 10.1155/2014/598518