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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 -
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 -
14BME20 Prevents Allergic Airway Inflammation by Induction of Regulatory T Cells via Interleukin-10.Frontiers in Immunology 2019Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease, which is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), high serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)E, and recruitment...
Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease, which is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), high serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)E, and recruitment of various inflammatory cells such as eosinophils and lymphocytes. Korean traditional fermented foods have been reported to exert beneficial effects against allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. In this study, we investigated whether strain 14BME20 (14BME20) isolated from doenjang, a traditional high-salt-fermented soybean food of Korea, exerts suppressive effects on allergic airway inflammation in a murine model. Mice were orally administered with 14BME20, then sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin as an allergen. Administration of the 14BME20 significantly suppressed AHR and influx of inflammatory cells into the lungs and reduced serum IgE levels. Moreover, the proportion of T helper type 2 (Th2) cells and the production of Th2 cytokines were decreased in 14BME20-treated mice, whereas dendritic cells (DCs) with tolerogenic characteristics were increased. In contrast, oral administration of 14BME20 increased the proportion of CD4CD25Foxp3 regulatory T (Treg) cells and the level of interleukin (IL)-10 in 14BME20-treated mice. Furthermore, 14BME20 induced maturation of tolerogenic DCs, and 14BME20-treated DCs increased Treg cell population in a co-culture system of DCs and CD4 T cells. The addition of a neutralizing anti-IL-10 mAb to the culture of cells that had been treated with 14BME20 decreased the enhanced Treg cell population, thereby indicating that 14BME20-treated DCs increase Treg cell population via DC-derived IL-10. These results demonstrate that oral administration of 14BME20 suppresses airway inflammation by enhancing Treg responses and suggest that the 14BME20 isolated from doenjang may be a therapeutic agent for allergic asthma.
Topics: Animals; Asthma; Bronchial Hyperreactivity; Cytokines; Dendritic Cells; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Food Microbiology; Immune Tolerance; Immunoglobulin E; Inflammation Mediators; Interleukin-10; Mice; Staphylococcus; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
PubMed: 31231389
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01269 -
Journal of Microbiology and... Feb 2019We inoculated different combinations of three starter candidates of Bacillus licheniformis, , and , into sterilized soybeans to predict their contributions to volatile...
We inoculated different combinations of three starter candidates of Bacillus licheniformis, , and , into sterilized soybeans to predict their contributions to volatile compounds production through soybean fermentation. Simultaneously, we added NaCl to soybean cultures to evaluate its effect on the volatile compounds profile. Cells in soybean cultures (1.5% NaCl) reached almost their maximum growth in a day of incubation, while cell growth was delayed by increasing NaCl concentration in soybean cultures. The dominance of and in the mixed culture of three starter candidates switched to as the NaCl concentration increased from 1.5% to 14% (w/w). Seventeen volatile compounds were detected from the control and starter candidate-inoculated soybean cultures with and without the addition of NaCl. Principal component analysis of these volatile compounds concluded that and made major contributions to producing a specific volatile compound profile from soybean cultures where both species exhibited good growth. 3-Hydroxybutan-2-one, butane-2,3-diol, and 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine are specific odor notes for , and 3-methylbutyl acetate and 2-phenylethanol are specific for . Octan-3-one and 3-methylbutan-1-ol were shown to be decisive volatile compounds for determining the involvement of in the soybean culture containing 7% NaCl. 3-Methylbutyl acetate and 3-methylbutan-1-ol were also produced by during soybean fermentation at an appropriate level of NaCl. Although and exhibited growth on the soybean cultures containing 14% NaCl, species-specific volatile compounds determining the directionality of the volatile compounds profile were not produced.
Topics: Bacteria; Fermentation; Food Microbiology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Microbiota; Principal Component Analysis; Sodium Chloride; Soy Foods; Glycine max; Species Specificity; Volatile Organic Compounds
PubMed: 30602270
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1811.11012 -
Genome Announcements Jan 2017Staphylococcus succinus subsp. succinus type strain DSM 14617 was isolated from plant and soil inclusions within 25- to 35-million-year-old Dominican amber. The...
Draft Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus succinus subsp. succinus Type Strain DSM 14617, Isolated from Plant and Soil Inclusions within 25- to 35-Million-Year-Old Dominican Amber.
Staphylococcus succinus subsp. succinus type strain DSM 14617 was isolated from plant and soil inclusions within 25- to 35-million-year-old Dominican amber. The complete genome sequence of strain DSM 14617 includes a genome of 2.88 Mb (32.94% G+C content) without any plasmids.
PubMed: 28126945
DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.01521-16 -
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 -
Journal of Dairy Science Oct 2019Brining is an important step in cheese making, and using brine baths for this purpose is common practice in German dairies. Time of brining, brine concentration, and...
Brining is an important step in cheese making, and using brine baths for this purpose is common practice in German dairies. Time of brining, brine concentration, and composition of the complex and heterogeneous microbiota, including coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), contribute to the ripening and taste of cheese. As well as producing staphylococcal enterotoxins, some CNS show antibiotic resistance; therefore, we isolated 52 strains of presumptive CNS from cheese brines from 13 factories in Germany. Species identification by sodA gene sequencing revealed that 50 isolates were CNS: 31 Staphylococcus saprophyticus, 4 Staphylococcus carnosus, 4 Staphylococcus equorum, 3 Staphylococcus sciuri, 2 Staphylococcus hominis, and 2 Staphylococcus warneri. One isolate each was identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus pasteurii, Staphylococcus succinus, and Staphylococcus xylosus. Further subtyping of the Staph. saprophyticus isolates to the subspecies level revealed the presence of 6 Staph. saprophyticus ssp. saprophyticus. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with the identified Staph. saprophyticus strains, 12 independent clones were identified, resulting in the exclusion of 18 strains from further testing. In 19 of the remaining 32 CNS isolates, resistance to antibiotics was observed. Resistance was found against oxacillin (17), penicillin (5), and cefoxitin (1). Four isolates expressed resistance to both oxacillin and penicillin. No resistance was found to enrofloxacin, tetracycline, gentamicin, or erythromycin. Then, PCR analysis for antibiotic resistance genes was performed for 22 different genes. Only genes blaZ and bla were found in 7 isolates. These isolates were selected for challenge tests with different concentrations of lactic acid and NaCl to examine whether expression of antibiotic resistance was influenced by these stressors. An increase in the minimal inhibitory concentration from 0 to 2.0 µg/mL was seen for trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole only in one isolate of Staph. saprophyticus at an increased lactic acid concentration. Finally, all isolates were tested for genetic determinants (entA, entB, entC, entD, and entE) of the most common staphylococcal enterotoxins; none of these genes were detected. We found no indication for unacceptable risks originating from the isolated CNS.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cefoxitin; Cheese; Coagulase; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Enterotoxins; Food Handling; Germany; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oxacillin; Penicillin G; Salts; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus epidermidis
PubMed: 31421877
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15610 -
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 -
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 -
Acta Biochimica Polonica 2016Historic buildings are constantly being exposed to numerous climatic changes such as damp and rainwater. Water migration into and out of the material's pores can lead to...
Historic buildings are constantly being exposed to numerous climatic changes such as damp and rainwater. Water migration into and out of the material's pores can lead to salt precipitation and the so-called efflorescence. The structure of the material may be seriously threatened by salt crystallization. A huge pressure is produced when salt hydrates occupy larger spaces, which leads at the end to cracking, detachment and material loss. Halophilic microorganisms have the ability to adapt to high salinity because of the mechanisms of inorganic salt (KCl or NaCl) accumulation in their cells at concentrations isotonic to the environment, or compatible solutes uptake or synthesis. In this study, we focused our attention on the determination of optimal growth conditions of halophilic microorganisms isolated from historical buildings in terms of salinity, pH and temperature ranges, as well as biochemical properties and antagonistic abilities. Halophilic microorganisms studied in this paper could be categorized as a halotolerant group, as they grow in the absence of NaCl, as well as tolerate higher salt concentrations (Staphylococcus succinus, Virgibacillus halodenitrificans). Halophilic microorganisms have been also observed (Halobacillus styriensis, H. hunanensis, H. naozhouensis, H. litoralis, Marinococcus halophilus and yeast Sterigmatomyces halophilus). With respect to their physiological characteristics, cultivation at a temperature of 25-30°C, pH 6-7, NaCl concentration for halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, 0-10% and 15-30%, respectively, provides the most convenient conditions. Halophiles described in this study displayed lipolytic, glycolytic and proteolytic activities. Staphylococcus succinus and Marinococcus halophilus showed strong antagonistic potential towards bacteria from the Bacillus genus, while Halobacillus litoralis displayed an inhibiting ability against other halophiles.
Topics: Antibiosis; Bacillus; Construction Materials; Environmental Microbiology; Halobacteriales; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Staphylococcus
PubMed: 26894235
DOI: 10.18388/abp.2015_1171