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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 -
Microorganisms Mar 2020Persistent use of the insecticide D-cyphenothrin has resulted in heavy environmental contamination and public concern. However, microbial degradation of D-cyphenothrin...
Persistent use of the insecticide D-cyphenothrin has resulted in heavy environmental contamination and public concern. However, microbial degradation of D-cyphenothrin has never been investigated and the mechanism remains unknown. During this study, for the first time, an efficient D-cyphenothrin-degrading bacterial strain HLJ-10 was identified. Response surface methodology was successfully employed by using Box-Behnken design to optimize the culture conditions. At optimized conditions, over 90% degradation of D-cyphenothrin (50 mg·L) was achieved in a mineral salt medium within 7 d. Kinetics analysis revealed that its half-life was reduced by 61.2 d, in comparison with the uninoculated control. Eight intermediate metabolites were detected in the biodegradation pathway of D-cyphenothrin including -D-cyphenothrin, -D-cyphenothrin, 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde, α-hydroxy-3-phenoxy-benzeneacetonitrile, -2,2-dimethyl-3-propenyl-cyclopropanol, 2,2-dimethyl-3-propenyl-cyclopropionic acid, -2,2-dimethyl-3-propenyl-cyclopropionaldehyde, and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dipropyl ester. This is the first report about the degradation of D-cyphenothrin through cleavage of carboxylester linkage and diaryl bond. In addition to degradation of D-cyphenothrin, strain HLJ-10 effectively degraded a wide range of synthetic pyrethroids including permethrin, tetramethrin, bifenthrin, allethrin, and chlorempenthrin, which are also widely used insecticides with environmental contamination problems. Bioaugmentation of D-cyphenothrin-contaminated soils with strain HLJ-10 substantially enhanced its degradation and over 72% of D-phenothrin was removed from soils within 40 d. These findings unveil the biochemical basis of a highly efficient D-cyphenothrin-degrading bacterial isolate and provide potent agents for eliminating environmental residues of pyrethroids.
PubMed: 32225056
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8040473 -
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 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Feb 2020This study aimed at establishing the effects of attenuated starters and surface bacteria on various features of caciotta cheese. The cheese undergoes a ripening period...
This study aimed at establishing the effects of attenuated starters and surface bacteria on various features of caciotta cheese. The cheese undergoes a ripening period during which the house microbiota contaminates the surface. Conventional cheese (the control cheese [CC]) is made using only primary starters. Primary starters and attenuated (i.e., unable to grow and synthesize lactic acid) () subsp. were used to produce caciotta cheese without (ATT cheese) or with an inoculum of surface bacteria: (i) () (LL cheese), (ii) (VC cheese), (iii) (SE cheese), (iv) (BX cheese), and (v) a mixture of all four (MIX cheese). Attenuated increased microbial diversity during cheese ripening. At the core, attenuated starter mainly increased indigenous lactococci and group bacteria. At the surface, the main effect was on Autochthonous strains took advantage of the attenuated starter, becoming dominant. Adjunct positively affected group bacteria on the LL cheese surface. Adjunct , , and did not become dominant. Surfaces of VC, SE, and BX cheeses mainly harbored Peptidase activities were higher in cheeses made with attenuated starter than in CC, which had the lowest concentration of free amino acids. Based on the enzymatic activities of adjunct , LL and MIX cheeses exhibited the highest glutamate dehydrogenase, cystathionine-γ-lyase, and esterase activities. As shown by multivariate statistical analyses, LL and MIX cheeses showed the highest similarity for microbiological and biochemical features. LL and MIX cheeses received the highest scores for overall sensory acceptability. This study provides in-depth knowledge of the effects of attenuated starters and surface bacterial strains on the microbiota and related metabolic activities during cheese ripening. The use of attenuated strongly impacted the microbiota assembly of caciotta cheese. This led to improved biochemical and sensory features compared to conventional cheese. Among surface bacterial strains, played a key role in the metabolic activities involved in cheese ripening. This resulted in an improvement of the sensory quality of caciotta cheese. The use of attenuated lactic acid bacteria and the surface adjunct could be a useful biotechnology to improve the flavor formation of caciotta cheese.
Topics: Cheese; Food Microbiology; Lactococcus lactis; Microbiota; Taste
PubMed: 31862717
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02165-19 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
BMC Evolutionary Biology Jan 2020The theory of trade-off suggests that limited resources should lead to trade-off in resource intensive traits such as, immunity related and sexually selected traits in...
BACKGROUND
The theory of trade-off suggests that limited resources should lead to trade-off in resource intensive traits such as, immunity related and sexually selected traits in males. Alternatively, sexual exaggerations can also act as an honest indicator of underlying immunocompetence, leading to positive correlations between these traits. Evidences in support of either hypothesis in invertebrates are equivocal. Whereas several studies have addressed this question, few have used naturally occurring pathogens and realized post infection realized immunity (e.g., survivorship) to assay the fitness correlations between these two sets of traits.
RESULTS
Adopting an experimental evolution approach, we evolved replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster under high and low sexual selection regimes for over a hundred generations and found the following in virgin and mated males in three separate assays: a.Post infection survivorship against two natural pathogens - Pseudomonas entomophila (Pe) and Staphylococcus succinus (Ss): Mated males survived better against Pe, but were no different than virgins against Ss.b.Bacterial clearance ability against a third natural pathogen Providencia rettgeri (Pr): Mated males had significantly lower CFUs than virgins. However, sexual selection history had no effect on realized immunity of either virgin or mated males.
CONCLUSION
We show that while mating can affect realized immunity in a pathogen specific way, sexual selection did not affect the same. The results highlight that complex polygenic traits such as immunity and reproductive traits not necessarily evolve following a binary trade-off model. We also stress the importance natural pathogens while studying sexual selection-immunity correlations.
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Colony Count, Microbial; Drosophila melanogaster; Female; Immunity; Male; Phenotype; Proportional Hazards Models; Pseudomonas; Reproduction; Selection, Genetic; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Staphylococcus
PubMed: 31992187
DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1574-1 -
Current Microbiology Apr 2013We analyzed highly vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive bacteria isolated from the saliva of migratory songbirds captured, sampled, and released from a bird-banding...
We analyzed highly vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive bacteria isolated from the saliva of migratory songbirds captured, sampled, and released from a bird-banding station in western Kansas. Individual bacterial isolates were identified by partial 16S rRNA sequencing. Most of the bacteria in this study were shown to be Staphylococcus succinus with the majority being isolated from the American Robin. Some of these bacteria were shown to carry vanA, vanB, and vanC vancomycin-resistance genes and have the ability to form biofilms. One of the van gene-carrying isolates is also coagulase positive, which is normally considered a virulence factor. Other organisms isolated included Staphylococcus saprophyticus as well as Enterococcus gallinarum. Given the wide range of the American Robin and ease of horizontal gene transfer between Gram-positive cocci, we postulate that these organisms could serve as a reservoir of vancomycin-resistance genes capable of transferring to human pathogens.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Enterococcus; Kansas; Saliva; Songbirds; Staphylococcus; Vancomycin; Vancomycin Resistance
PubMed: 23224296
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-012-0278-1 -
International Journal of Food... Nov 2015In Italy, fermented sausages (called "salami") are consumed in large quantities. Salami samples from a local meat factory in the area of Torino were analyzed at 0, 3, 7,...
In Italy, fermented sausages (called "salami") are consumed in large quantities. Salami samples from a local meat factory in the area of Torino were analyzed at 0, 3, 7, 30 and 45 days of ripening. Swab samples from the production environment were also collected at the beginning of the experiment. The diversity of metabolically active microbiota occurring during the natural fermentation of salami was evaluated by using RT-PCR-DGGE coupled with RNA-based pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. A culture-dependent approach was also applied to identify and characterize isolated Staphylococcaceae and LAB populations. Staphylococcus succinus, Staphylococcus xylosus and Lactobacillus sakei were the species most frequently isolated during the maturation time. Rep-PCR analysis showed that S. succinus and S. xylosus isolated from swabs and salami samples clustered together, suggesting possible contamination during the production process. RT-PCR-DGGE and rRNA-based pyrosequencing showed that the metabolically active populations were dominated by S. succinus, Lb. sakei and Leuconostoc carnosum. In this specific case study, only a few species belonging to Staphylococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae and Leuconostocaceae may be metabolically active and contribute to determine the final characteristics of the products.
Topics: Biodiversity; Fermentation; Food Microbiology; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Italy; Meat Products; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Time
PubMed: 25724303
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.01.016