Halophilic Bacteria of Lunsu Produce an Array of Industrially Important Enzymes with Salt Tolerant Activity.

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Gupta, Sonika; Sharma, Parul; Dev, Kamal; Sourirajan, Anuradha

2016-01-01

The halophilic bacterial isolates SS1, SS2, SS3, SS5, and SS8 were characterized for production of industrially important enzymes like amylase, protease, lipase, and glutaminase. Halophilic bacterial isolates SS1 and SS3 exhibited salt dependent extracellular amylase and protease activities. Both the halophilic isolates SS1 and SS3 exhibited maximum amylase and protease activities in the presence of 1.5 and 1.0 M NaCl, respectively, with the optimum pH 8 and temperature 40°C. SS2 showed maximum extracellular protease and lipase activities in the presence of 0.75 M NaCl, at optimum pH of 7, and temperature 37°C. The glutaminase activity of SS3 increased with increase in concentration of NaCl up to 2.5 M. The optimum pH and temperature for L-glutaminase activity of SS3 was 8 and 40°C, respectively. The combined hydrolytic activities of these halophilic bacterial isolates can be used for bioconversion of organic materials to useful products.

Uranium association with halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria and archaea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francis, A.J.; Gillow, J.B.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Papenguth, H.W.

2004-01-01

We determined the association of uranium with bacteria isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), Carlsbad, New Mexico, and compared this with known strains of halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria and archaea. Examination of the cultures by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed uranium accumulation extracellularly and/or intracellularly to a varying degree. In Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis uranium was associated with the cell surface and in the latter it was present as irregularly shaped grains. In Halobacterium halobium, the only archeon studied here, uranium was present as dense deposits and with Haloanaerobium praevalens as spikey deposits. Halomonas sp. isolated from the WIPP site accumulated uranium both extracellularly on the cell surface and intracellularly as electron-dense discrete granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of uranium with the halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria and archaea showed that the uranium present in whole cells was bonded to an average of 2.4 ± 0.7 phosphoryl groups at a distance of 3.65 ± 0.03 Aa. Comparison of whole cells of Halomonas sp. with the cell wall fragments of lysed cells showed the presence of a uranium bidentate complex at 2.91 ± 0.03 Aa with the carboxylate group on the cell wall, and uranyl hydroxide with U-U interaction at 3.71 ± 0.03 Aa due to adsorption or precipitation reactions; no U-P interaction was observed. Addition of uranium to the cell lysate of Halomonas sp. resulted in the precipitation of uranium due to the inorganic phosphate produced by the cells. These results show that the phosphates released from bacteria bind a significant amount of uranium. However, the bacterially immobilized uranium was readily solubilized by bicarbonate with concurrent release of phosphate into solution. (orig.)

Ability of sea-water bacterial consortium to produce electricity and denitrify water

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Maruvada, Nagasamrat V. V.; Tommasi, Tonia; Kaza, Kesava Rao; Ruggeri, Bernardo

Sea is a store house for varied types of microbes with an ability to reduce and oxidize substances like iron, sulphur, carbon dioxide, etc. Most of these processes happen in the sea water environment, but can be applied for purification of wastewater. In the present paper, we discuss the use of a consortium of seawater bacteria in a fuel cell to produce electricity by oxidizing organic matter and reducing nitrates. We also discuss how the growth of the bacterial consortium can lead to an increased electricity production and decreased diffusional resistance in the cell. The analysis was done using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). Here, we use bicarbonate buffered solution, which is the natural buffering agent found in sea. We show that the seawater bacterial consortium can be used in both the anode and cathode parts of the cell. The results confirm the adaptability of the seawater bacteria to different environments and can be used for various applications. Heritage, Erasmus Mundus Programme, European Commission.

Bioremoval of Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wasters by bacterial consortiums

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Rafael Vicente de Padua; Lima, Josenilson B. de; Gomes, Mirella C.; Borba, Tania R.; Bellini, Maria Helena; Marumo, Julio Takehiro; Sakata, Solange Kazumi

2011-01-01

This paper evaluates the capacity of two bacterial consortiums of impacted areas in removing the Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wastes.The experiments indicated that the two study consortiums were able to remove 100% of the Cs-137 and Am-241 presents in the waste from 4 days of contact. These results suggest that the bio removal with the selected consortiums, can be a viable technique for the treatment of radioactive wastes containing Am-241 and Cs-137

Alleviation of salt stress by halotolerant and halophilic plant growth-promoting bacteria in wheat (Triticum aestivum

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Furkan Orhan

Full Text Available ABSTRACT In the current study, 18 halotolerant and halophilic bacteria have been investigated for their plant growth promoting abilities in vitro and in a hydroponic culture. The bacterial strains have been investigated for ammonia, indole-3-acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate-deaminase production, phosphate solubilisation and nitrogen fixation activities. Of the tested bacteria, eight were inoculated with Triticum aestivum in a hydroponic culture. The investigated bacterial strains were found to have different plant-growth promoting activities in vitro. Under salt stress (200 mM NaCl, the investigated bacterial strains significantly increased the root and shoot length and total fresh weight of the plants. The growth rates of the plants inoculated with bacterial strains ranged from 62.2% to 78.1%.Identifying of novel halophilic and halotolerant bacteria that promote plant growth can be used as alternatives for salt sensitive plants. Extensive research has been conducted on several halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains to investigate their plant growth promoting activities. However, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first study to inoculate these bacterial strains with wheat.

Alleviation of salt stress by halotolerant and halophilic plant growth-promoting bacteria in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

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Orhan, Furkan

2016-01-01

In the current study, 18 halotolerant and halophilic bacteria have been investigated for their plant growth promoting abilities in vitro and in a hydroponic culture. The bacterial strains have been investigated for ammonia, indole-3-acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate-deaminase production, phosphate solubilisation and nitrogen fixation activities. Of the tested bacteria, eight were inoculated with Triticum aestivum in a hydroponic culture. The investigated bacterial strains were found to have different plant-growth promoting activities in vitro. Under salt stress (200mM NaCl), the investigated bacterial strains significantly increased the root and shoot length and total fresh weight of the plants. The growth rates of the plants inoculated with bacterial strains ranged from 62.2% to 78.1%. Identifying of novel halophilic and halotolerant bacteria that promote plant growth can be used as alternatives for salt sensitive plants. Extensive research has been conducted on several halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains to investigate their plant growth promoting activities. However, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first study to inoculate these bacterial strains with wheat. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Critical evaluation of post-consumption food waste composting employing thermophilic bacterial consortium.

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Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Lai, Ka Man; Wong, Jonathan W C

2017-12-01

Effect of single-function (oil degrading) and multi-functional bacterial consortium with zeolite as additive for post-consumption food waste (PCFW) composting was investigated through assessing the oil content reduction in a computer controlled 20-L composter. Three treatments of PCFWs combined with 10% zeolite were developed: Treatment-2 and Treatment-3 were inoculated with multi-functional (BC-1) and oil degrading bacterial consortium (BC-2), respectively, while T-1 was without bacterial inoculation and served as control. Results revealed that BC-2 inoculated treatment (T-3) was superior to control treatment and marginally better than T-2 in terms of oil degradation. The reduction of oil content was >97.8% in T-3 and 92.27% in T-2, while total organic matter degradation was marginally higher in T-2 (42.95%) than T-3 (41.67%). Other parameters of compost maturity including germination test indicated that T-2 was marginally better than T-3 and significantly enhanced the oily PCFW decomposition and shortened the composting period by 20days. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Naphthalene degradation by bacterial consortium (DV-AL) developed from Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard, Gujarat, India.

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Patel, Vilas; Jain, Siddharth; Madamwar, Datta

2012-03-01

Naphthalene degrading bacterial consortium (DV-AL) was developed by enrichment culture technique from sediment collected from the Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard, Gujarat, India. The 16S rRNA gene based molecular analyzes revealed that the bacterial consortium (DV-AL) consisted of four strains namely, Achromobacter sp. BAB239, Pseudomonas sp. DV-AL2, Enterobacter sp. BAB240 and Pseudomonas sp. BAB241. Consortium DV-AL was able to degrade 1000 ppm of naphthalene in Bushnell Haas medium (BHM) containing peptone (0.1%) as co-substrate with an initial pH of 8.0 at 37°C under shaking conditions (150 rpm) within 24h. Maximum growth rate and naphthalene degradation rate were found to be 0.0389 h(-1) and 80 mg h(-1), respectively. Consortium DV-AL was able to utilize other aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, phenol, carbazole, petroleum oil, diesel fuel, and phenanthrene and 2-methyl naphthalene as sole carbon source. Consortium DV-AL was also efficient to degrade naphthalene in the presence of other pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation and reclamation of soil contaminated with petroleum oil hydrocarbons by exogenously seeded bacterial consortium: a pilot-scale study.

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Mukherjee, Ashis K; Bordoloi, Naba K

2011-03-01

Spillage of petroleum hydrocarbons causes significant environmental pollution. Bioremediation is an effective process to remediate petroleum oil contaminant from the ecosystem. The aim of the present study was to reclaim a petroleum oil-contaminated soil which was unsuitable for the cultivation of crop plants by using petroleum oil hydrocarbon-degrading microbial consortium. Bacterial consortium consisting of Bacillus subtilis DM-04 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa M and NM strains were seeded to 20% (v/w) petroleum oil-contaminated soil, and bioremediation experiment was carried out for 180 days under laboratory condition. The kinetics of hydrocarbon degradation was analyzed using biochemical and gas chromatographic (GC) techniques. The ecotoxicity of the elutriates obtained from petroleum oil-contaminated soil before and post-treatment with microbial consortium was tested on germination and growth of Bengal gram (Cicer aretinum) and green gram (Phaseolus mungo) seeds. Bacterial consortium showed a significant reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbon level in contaminated soil (76% degradation) as compared to the control soil (3.6% degradation) 180 days post-inoculation. The GC analysis confirmed that bacterial consortium was more effective in degrading the alkane fraction compared to aromatic fraction of crude petroleum oil hydrocarbons in soil. The nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen compounds fraction was least degraded. The reclaimed soil supported the germination and growth of crop plants (C. aretinum and P. mungo). In contrast, seeds could not be germinated in petroleum oil-contaminated soil. The present study reinforces the application of bacterial consortium rather than individual bacterium for the effective bioremediation and reclamation of soil contaminated with petroleum oil.

Microbial activity of soil with sulfentrazone associated with phytoremediator species and inoculation with a bacterial consortium

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Christiane Augusta Diniz Melo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Phytostimulation plays a key role in the process of rhizodegradation of herbicides in soil. Additionally, bio-enhancement associated with phytoremediation may increase the efficiency of the decontamination process of soils with herbicides. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biomass and microbial activity of soil contaminated with sulfentrazone and cultivated with phytoremediator species plus a bacterial consortium. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, carried out with a 2 × 4 × 4 completely randomized factorial design with 4 replications. The first factor consisted of the presence or absence of bio-enhancement with a bacterial consortium composed of Pseudomonas bacteria; the second factor consisted of a monoculture or mixed cultivation of 2 phytoremediator species Canavalia ensiformis and Helianthus annuus, besides the absence of cultivation; the third factor was made up by the bio-remediation time (25, 45, 65, and 85 days after thinning. Uncultivated soils displayed low values of microbial biomass carbon and microbial quotient as well as high values of metabolic quotient throughout the bio-remediation time, indicating the importance of cultivating phytoremediator species for the stimulation of soil microbiota. Bio-enhancement with the bacterial consortium, in general, promoted an increase in the microbial biomass and activity of soil contaminated with sulfentrazone. In the presence of the bacterial consortium, Canavalia ensiformis stimulated a greater activity of associated microbiota and supported a higher microbial biomass. Phytoremediation associated with microbial bio-enhancement are thus promising techniques for the bio-remediation for soils contaminated with sulfentrazone. This technique enhances the biomass and activity of soil microorganisms.

Culturable diversity of halophilic bacteria in foreshore soils.

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Irshad, Aarzoo; Ahmad, Irshad; Kim, Seung Bum

2014-01-01

Halophilic bacteria are commonly found in natural environments containing significant concentration of NaCl such as inland salt lakes and evaporated sea-shore pools, as well as environments such as curing brines, salted food products and saline soils. Dependence on salt is an important phenotypic characteristic of halophilic bacteria, which can be used in the polyphasic characterization of newly discovered microorganisms. In this study the diversity of halophilic bacteria in foreshore soils of Daecheon, Chungnam, and Saemangeum, Jeonbuk, was investigated. Two types of media, namely NA and R2A supplemented with 3%, 5%, 9%, 15%, 20% and 30% NaCl were used. More than 200 halophilic bacteria were isolated and BOX-PCR fingerprinting analysis was done for the typing of the isolates. The BLAST identification results showed that isolated strains were composed of 4 phyla, Firmicutes (60%), Proteobacteria (31%), Bacteriodetes (5%) and Actinobacteria (4%). Isolates were affiliated with 16 genera and 36 species. Bacillus was the dominant genus in the phylum Firmicutes, comprising 24% of the total isolates. Halomonas (12%) and Shewanella (12%) were also found as the main genera. These findings show that the foreshore soil of Daecheon Beach and Saemangeum Sea of Korea represents an untapped source of bacterial biodiversity.

Culturable diversity of halophilic bacteria in foreshore soils

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Aarzoo Irshad

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Halophilic bacteria are commonly found in natural environments containing significant concentration of NaCl such as inland salt lakes and evaporated sea-shore pools, as well as environments such as curing brines, salted food products and saline soils. Dependence on salt is an important phenotypic characteristic of halophilic bacteria, which can be used in the polyphasic characterization of newly discovered microorganisms. In this study the diversity of halophilic bacteria in foreshore soils of Daecheon, Chungnam, and Saemangeum, Jeonbuk, was investigated. Two types of media, namely NA and R2A supplemented with 3%, 5%, 9%, 15%, 20% and 30% NaCl were used. More than 200 halophilic bacteria were isolated and BOX-PCR fingerprinting analysis was done for the typing of the isolates. The BLAST identification results showed that isolated strains were composed of 4 phyla, Firmicutes (60%, Proteobacteria (31%, Bacteriodetes (5% and Actinobacteria (4%. Isolates were affiliated with 16 genera and 36 species. Bacillus was the dominant genus in the phylum Firmicutes, comprising 24% of the total isolates. Halomonas (12% and Shewanella (12% were also found as the main genera. These findings show that the foreshore soil of Daecheon Beach and Saemangeum Sea of Korea represents an untapped source of bacterial biodiversity.

Development of an Efficient Bacterial Consortium for the Potential Remediation of Hydrocarbons from Contaminated Sites.

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Patowary, Kaustuvmani; Patowary, Rupshikha; Kalita, Mohan C; Deka, Suresh

2016-01-01

The intrinsic biodegradability of hydrocarbons and the distribution of proficient degrading microorganisms in the environment are very crucial for the implementation of bioremediation practices. Among others, one of the most favorable methods that can enhance the effectiveness of bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated environment is the application of biosurfactant producing microbes. In the present study, the biodegradation capacities of native bacterial consortia toward total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) with special emphasis to poly aromatic hydrocarbons were determined. The purpose of the study was to isolate TPH degrading bacterial strains from various petroleum contaminated soil of Assam, India and develop a robust bacterial consortium for bioremediation of crude oil of this native land. From a total of 23 bacterial isolates obtained from three different hydrocarbons contaminated samples five isolates, namely KS2, PG1, PG5, R1, and R2 were selected as efficient crude oil degraders with respect to their growth on crude oil enriched samples. Isolates KS2, PG1, and R2 are biosurfactant producers and PG5, R1 are non-producers. Fourteen different consortia were designed involving both biosurfactant producing and non-producing isolates. Consortium 10, which comprises two Bacillus strains namely, Bacillus pumilus KS2 and B. cereus R2 (identified by 16s rRNA sequencing) has shown the best result in the desired degradation of crude oil. The consortium showed degradation up to 84.15% of TPH after 5 weeks of incubation, as revealed from gravimetric analysis. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) and GCMS (Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer) analyses were correlated with gravimetric data which reveals that the consortium has removed a wide range of petroleum hydrocarbons in comparison with abiotic control including different aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Development of an efficient bacterial consortium for the potential remediation of hydrocarbons from contaminated sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaustuvmani Patowary

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The intrinsic biodegradability of hydrocarbons and the distribution of proficient degrading microorganisms in the environment are very crucial for the implementation of bioremediation practices. Among others, one of the most favorable methods that can enhance the effectiveness of bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated environment is the application of biosurfactant producing microbes. In the present study, the biodegradation capacities of native bacterial consortia towards total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH with special emphasis to poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs were determined. The purpose of the study was to isolate TPH degrading bacterial strains from various petroleum contaminated soil of Assam, India and develop a robust bacterial consortium for bioremediation of crude oil of this native land. From a total of 23 bacterial isolates obtained from three different hydrocarbons contaminated samples 5 isolates, namely KS2, PG1, PG5, R1 and R2 were selected as efficient crude oil degraders with respect to their growth on crude oil enriched samples. Isolates KS2, PG1 and R2 are biosurfactant producers and PG5, R1 are non-producers. Fourteen different consortia were designed involving both biosurfactant producing and non-producing isolates. Consortium 10, which comprises two Bacillus strains namely, Bacillus pumilus KS2 and Bacillus cereus R2 (identified by 16s rRNA sequencing has shown the best result in the desired degradation of crude oil. The consortium showed degradation up to 84.15% of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH after five weeks of incubation, as revealed from gravimetric analysis. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared and GCMS (Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analyses were correlated with gravimetric data which reveals that the consortium has removed a wide range of petroleum hydrocarbons in comparison with abiotic control including different aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Halophilic & halotolerant prokaryotes in humans.

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Seck, El Hadji; Dufour, Jean-Charles; Raoult, Didier; Lagier, Jean-Christophe

2018-05-04

Halophilic prokaryotes are described as microorganisms living in hypersaline environments. Here, we list the halotolerant and halophilic bacteria which have been isolated in humans. Of the 52 halophilic prokaryotes, 32 (61.54%) were moderately halophilic, 17 (32.69%) were slightly halophilic and three (5.76%) were extremely halophilic prokaryotes. At the phylum level, 29 (54.72%) belong to Firmicutes, 15 (28.84%) to Proteobacteria, four (7.69%) to Actinobacteria, three (5.78%) to Euryarchaeota and one (1.92%) belongs to Bacteroidetes. Halophilic prokaryotes are rarely pathogenic: of these 52 halophilic prokaryotes only two (3.92%) species were classified in Risk Group 2 (Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus) and one (1.96%), species in Risk Group 3 (Bacillus anthracis).

Structural changes in halophilic and non-halophilic proteases in response to chaotropic reagents.

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Sinha, Rajeshwari; Khare, S K

2014-08-01

Halophilic enzymes have been established for their stability and catalytic abilities under harsh operational conditions. These have been documented to withstand denaturation at high temperature, pH, organic solvents, and chaotropic agents. However, this stability is modulated by salt. The present study targets an important aspect in understanding protein-urea/GdmCl interactions using proteases from halophilic Bacillus sp. EMB9 and non-halophilic subtilisin (Carlsberg) from Bacillus licheniformis as model systems. While, halophilic protease containing 1 % (w/v) NaCl (0.17 M) retained full activity towards urea (8 M), non-halophilic protease lost about 90 % activity under similar conditions. The secondary and tertiary structure were lost in non-halophilic but preserved for halophilic protein. This effect could be due to the possible charge screening and shielding of the protein surface by Ca(2+) and Na(+) ions rendering it stable against denaturation. The dialyzed halophilic protease almost behaved like the non-halophilic counterpart. Incorporation of NaCl (up to 5 %, w/v or 0.85 M) in dialyzed EMB9 protease containing urea/GdmCl, not only helped regain of proteolytic activity but also evaded denaturing action. Deciphering the basis of this salt modulated stability amidst a denaturing milieu will provide guidelines and templates for engineering stable proteins/enzymes for biotechnological applications.

[Diversity and enzyme-producing activity of culturable halophilic bacteria in Daishan Saltern of East China].

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Yang, Dan-Dan; Li, Qian; Huang, Jing-Jing; Chen, Min

2012-11-01

Soil and saline water samples were collected from the Daishan Saltern of East China, and the halophilic bacteria were isolated and cultured by using selective media, aimed to investigate the diversity and enzyme-producing activity of culturable halophilic bacteria in saltern environment. A total of 181 strains were isolated by culture-dependent method. Specific primers were used to amplify the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria and archaea. The operation taxonomy units (OTUs) were determined by ARDRA method, and the representative strain of each OTU was sequenced. The phylogenetic position of all the isolated strains was determined by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results showed that the isolated 181 strains displayed 21 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), of which, 12 OTUs belonged to halophilic bacteria, and the others belonged to halophilic archaea. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that there were 7 genera presented among the halophilic bacteria group, and 4 genera presented among the halophilic archaea group. The dominant halophilic strains were of Halomonas and Haloarcula, with 46.8% in halophilic bacteria and 49.1% in halophilic archaea group, respectively. Enzyme-producing analysis indicated that most strains displayed enzyme-producing activity, including the activities of producing amylase, proteinase and lipase, and the dominant strains capable of enzyme-producing were of Haloarcula. Our results showed that in the environment of Daishan Saltern, there existed a higher diversity of halophilic bacteria, being a source sink for screening enzyme-producing bacterial strains.

Unique Features of Halophilic Proteins.

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Arakawa, Tsutomu; Yamaguchi, Rui; Tokunaga, Hiroko; Tokunaga, Masao

2017-01-01

Proteins from moderate and extreme halophiles have unique characteristics. They are highly acidic and hydrophilic, similar to intrinsically disordered proteins. These characteristics make the halophilic proteins soluble in water and fold reversibly. In addition to reversible folding, the rate of refolding of halophilic proteins from denatured structure is generally slow, often taking several days, for example, for extremely halophilic proteins. This slow folding rate makes the halophilic proteins a novel model system for folding mechanism analysis. High solubility and reversible folding also make the halophilic proteins excellent fusion partners for soluble expression of recombinant proteins.

Distinct Osmoadaptation Strategies in the Strict Halophilic and Halotolerant Bacteria Isolated from Lunsu Salt Water Body of North West Himalayas.

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Vaidya, Shivani; Dev, Kamal; Sourirajan, Anuradha

2018-07-01

Two strict halophilic bacterial strains, Halobacillus trueperi SS1, and Halobacillus trueperi SS3, and three halotolerant bacterial strains, Shewanella algae SS2, Halomonas venusta SS5, and Marinomonas sp. SS8 of Lunsu salt water body, Himachal Pradesh, India, were selected to study the mechanism of salt tolerance and the role of osmolytes therein. A combination of flame photometry, chromatographic and colorimetric assays was used to study the mechanism of salt tolerance in the selected strict halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains. The strict halophiles and, one of the halotolerants, Marinomonas sp. SS8 were found to utilize both "salt-in strategy" and "accumulation of compatible solutes strategy" for osmoregulation in hypersaline conditions. On the contrary, the remaining two halotolerants used "accumulation of compatible solutes strategy" under saline stress and not the "salt-in strategy". The present study suggests towards distinct mechanisms of salt tolerance in the two classes, wherein strict halophiles accumulate compatible solutes as well as adopt salt-in strategy, while the halotolerant bacteria accumulate a range of compatible solutes, except Marinomonas sp. SS8, which utilizes both the strategies to combat salt stress.

Factors Determining the Biodiversity of Halophilic Microorganisms on Historic Masonry Buildings

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Otlewska, Anna; Adamiak, Justyna; Stryszewska, Teresa; Kańka, Stanisław; Gutarowska, Beata

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to obtain insights into the relationship between the chemical (salt content and pH) and physico-mechanical (humidity and compressive strength) properties of mineral-based materials from historic buildings with salt efflorescence and the growth and biodiversity of halophilic microorganisms. Samples were mainly characterized by pH 6.5–8.5 and a moisture content of between 0.12 and 3.3%. Significant variations were also found in the salt content (sulfates, chlorides, and nitrates) of the materials. An SEM/EDS analysis of material surfaces revealed the presence of halite, calcite, gypsum, sodium sulfate, and potassium-sodium sulfate. Culture-dependent and culture-independent (clone library construction) approaches were both applied to detect halophilic microorganisms. Results derived from culturable methods and the materials analysis revealed a correlation between the total halophile count and pH value as well as sulfate content. A correlation was not observed between the concentration of chlorides or nitrates and the number of halophilic microorganisms. The materials studied were inhabited by the culturable halophilic bacteria Halobacillus sp., Virgibacillus sp., and Marinococcus sp. as well as the yeast Sterigmatomyces sp., which was isolated for the first time from mineral materials. Culture-independent techniques revealed the following bacterial species: Salinibacterium, Salinisphaera, Rubrobacter, Rubricoccus, Halomonas, Halorhodospira, Solirubrobacter, Salinicoccus, and Salinibacter. Biodiversity was the highest in materials with high or moderate salinity. PMID:28592721

Factors Determining the Biodiversity of Halophilic Microorganisms on Historic Masonry Buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Otlewska, Anna; Adamiak, Justyna; Stryszewska, Teresa; Kańka, Stanisław; Gutarowska, Beata

2017-06-24

The aim of the present study was to obtain insights into the relationship between the chemical (salt content and pH) and physico-mechanical (humidity and compressive strength) properties of mineral-based materials from historic buildings with salt efflorescence and the growth and biodiversity of halophilic microorganisms. Samples were mainly characterized by pH 6.5-8.5 and a moisture content of between 0.12 and 3.3%. Significant variations were also found in the salt content (sulfates, chlorides, and nitrates) of the materials. An SEM/EDS analysis of material surfaces revealed the presence of halite, calcite, gypsum, sodium sulfate, and potassium-sodium sulfate. Culture-dependent and culture-independent (clone library construction) approaches were both applied to detect halophilic microorganisms. Results derived from culturable methods and the materials analysis revealed a correlation between the total halophile count and pH value as well as sulfate content. A correlation was not observed between the concentration of chlorides or nitrates and the number of halophilic microorganisms. The materials studied were inhabited by the culturable halophilic bacteria Halobacillus sp., Virgibacillus sp., and Marinococcus sp. as well as the yeast Sterigmatomyces sp., which was isolated for the first time from mineral materials. Culture-independent techniques revealed the following bacterial species: Salinibacterium, Salinisphaera, Rubrobacter, Rubricoccus, Halomonas, Halorhodospira, Solirubrobacter, Salinicoccus, and Salinibacter. Biodiversity was the highest in materials with high or moderate salinity.

Phenotypic characterization and 16S rDNA identification of culturable non-obligate halophilic bacterial communities from a hypersaline lake, La Sal del Rey, in extreme South Texas (USA).

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Phillips, Kristen; Zaidan, Frederic; Elizondo, Omar R; Lowe, Kristine L

2012-02-02

La Sal del Rey ("the King's Salt") is one of several naturally-occurring salt lakes in Hidalgo County, Texas and is part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The research objective was to isolate and characterize halophilic microorganisms from La Sal del Rey. Water samples were collected from the lake and a small creek that feeds into the lake. Soil samples were collected from land adjacent to the water sample locations. Sample salinity was determined using a refractometer. Samples were diluted and cultured on a synthetic saline medium to grow halophilic bacteria. The density of halophiles was estimated by viable plate counts. A collection of isolates was selected, gram-stained, tested for catalase, and characterized using API 20E® test strips. Isolates were putatively identified by sequencing the 16S rDNA. Carbon source utilization by the microbial community from each sample site was examined using EcoPlate™ assays and the carbon utilization total activity of the community was determined. Results showed that salinity ranged from 4 parts per thousand (ppt) at the lake water source to 420 ppt in water samples taken just along the lake shore. The density of halophilic bacteria in water samples ranged from 1.2 × 102 - 5.2 × 103 colony forming units per ml (cfu ml-1) whereas the density in soil samples ranged from 4.0 × 105 - 2.5 × 106 colony forming units per gram (cfu g-1). In general, as salinity increased the density of the bacterial community decreased. Microbial communities from water and soil samples were able to utilize 12 - 31 carbon substrates. The greatest number of substrates utilized was by water-borne communities compared to soil-based communities, especially at lower salinities. The majority of bacteria isolated were gram-negative, catalase-positive, rods. Biochemical profiles constructed from API 20E® test strips showed that bacterial isolates from low-salinity water samples (4 ppt) showed the greatest phenotypic diversity

Chemometric formulation of bacterial consortium-AVS for improved decolorization of resonance-stabilized and heteropolyaromatic dyes.

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Kumar, Madhava Anil; Kumar, Vaidyanathan Vinoth; Premkumar, Manickam Periyaraman; Baskaralingam, Palanichamy; Thiruvengadaravi, Kadathur Varathachary; Dhanasekaran, Anuradha; Sivanesan, Subramanian

2012-11-01

A bacterial consortium-AVS, consisting of Pseudomonas desmolyticum NCIM 2112, Kocuria rosea MTCC 1532 and Micrococcus glutamicus NCIM 2168 was formulated chemometrically, using the mixture design matrix based on the design of experiments methodology. The formulated consortium-AVS decolorized acid blue 15 and methylene blue with a higher average decolorization rate, which is more rapid than that of the pure cultures. The UV-vis spectrophotometric, Fourier transform infra red spectrophotometric and high performance liquid chromatographic analysis confirm that the decolorization was due to biodegradation by oxido-reductive enzymes, produced by the consortium-AVS. The toxicological assessment of plant growth parameters and the chlorophyll pigment concentrations of Phaseolus mungo and Triticum aestivum seedlings revealed the reduced toxic nature of the biodegraded products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A proteomics approach to study synergistic and antagonistic interactions of the fungal-bacterial consortium Fusarium oxysporum wild-type MSA 35.

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Moretti, Marino; Grunau, Alexander; Minerdi, Daniela; Gehrig, Peter; Roschitzki, Bernd; Eberl, Leo; Garibaldi, Angelo; Gullino, Maria Lodovica; Riedel, Kathrin

2010-09-01

Fusarium oxysporum is an important plant pathogen that causes severe damage of many economically important crop species. Various microorganisms have been shown to inhibit this soil-borne plant pathogen, including non-pathogenic F. oxysporum strains. In this study, F. oxysporum wild-type (WT) MSA 35, a biocontrol multispecies consortium that consists of a fungus and numerous rhizobacteria mainly belonging to gamma-proteobacteria, was analyzed by two complementary metaproteomic approaches (2-DE combined with MALDI-Tof/Tof MS and 1-D PAGE combined with LC-ESI-MS/MS) to identify fungal or bacterial factors potentially involved in antagonistic or synergistic interactions between the consortium members. Moreover, the proteome profiles of F. oxysporum WT MSA 35 and its cured counter-part CU MSA 35 (WT treated with antibiotics) were compared with unravel the bacterial impact on consortium functioning. Our study presents the first proteome mapping of an antagonistic F. oxysporum strain and proposes candidate proteins that might play an important role for the biocontrol activity and the close interrelationship between the fungus and its bacterial partners.

Characterization of the promising poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) producing halophilic bacterium Halomonas halophila

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kučera, D.; Pernicová, I.; Kovalčik, A.; Koller, M.; Müllerová, L.; Sedláček, P.; Mravec, F.; Nebesářová, Jana; Kalina, M.; Márová, I.; Krzyžánek, Vladislav; Obruča, S.

2018-01-01

Roč. 256, May (2018), s. 552-556 ISSN 0960-8524 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015062; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-20645S Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : Halomonas halophila * halophiles * lignocellulose hydrolysates * morphology of bacterial cells * polyhydroxyalkanoates Impact factor: 5.651, year: 2016

Bioremediation of high molecular weight polyaromatic hydrocarbons co-contaminated with metals in liquid and soil slurries by metal tolerant PAHs degrading bacterial consortium.

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Thavamani, Palanisami; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

2012-11-01

Bioremediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contaminated soils in the presence of heavy metals have proved to be difficult and often challenging due to the ability of toxic metals to inhibit PAH degradation by bacteria. In this study, a mixed bacterial culture designated as consortium-5 was isolated from a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site. The ability of this consortium to utilise HMW PAHs such as pyrene and BaP as a sole carbon source in the presence of toxic metal Cd was demonstrated. Furthermore, this consortium has proven to be effective in degradation of HMW PAHs even from the real long term contaminated MGP soil. Thus, the results of this study demonstrate the great potential of this consortium for field scale bioremediation of PAHs in long term mix contaminated soils such as MGP sites. To our knowledge this is the first study to isolate and characterize metal tolerant HMW PAH degrading bacterial consortium which shows great potential in bioremediation of mixed contaminated soils such as MGP.

Bacterial diversity and reductive dehalogenase redundancy in a 1,2-dichloroethane-degrading bacterial consortium enriched from a contaminated aquifer

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Wittebolle Lieven

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacteria possess a reservoir of metabolic functionalities ready to be exploited for multiple purposes. The use of microorganisms to clean up xenobiotics from polluted ecosystems (e.g. soil and water represents an eco-sustainable and powerful alternative to traditional remediation processes. Recent developments in molecular-biology-based techniques have led to rapid and accurate strategies for monitoring and identification of bacteria and catabolic genes involved in the degradation of xenobiotics, key processes to follow up the activities in situ. Results We report the characterization of the response of an enriched bacterial community of a 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA contaminated aquifer to the spiking with 5 mM lactate as electron donor in microcosm studies. After 15 days of incubation, the microbial community structure was analyzed. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone library showed that the most represented phylogenetic group within the consortium was affiliated with the phylum Firmicutes. Among them, known degraders of chlorinated compounds were identified. A reductive dehalogenase genes clone library showed that the community held four phylogenetically-distinct catalytic enzymes, all conserving signature residues previously shown to be linked to 1,2-DCA dehalogenation. Conclusions The overall data indicate that the enriched bacterial consortium shares the metabolic functionality between different members of the microbial community and is characterized by a high functional redundancy. These are fundamental features for the maintenance of the community's functionality, especially under stress conditions and suggest the feasibility of a bioremediation treatment with a potential prompt dehalogenation and a process stability over time.

A comparison of liquid-holding recovery and photoreactivation in halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitt, P.S.; Sharma, N.; Castellanos, G.

1983-01-01

The ability of the extreme halophile Halobacterium cutirubrum to recover from the effects of ultraviolet radiation during liquid holding in the dark in non-nutrient medium has been compared with that of (i) a moderately halophilic bacterium (NRC 41227) and (ii) Escherichia coli B. The photoreactivabilities of all three bacteria have also been studied. The extreme halophile was incapable of liquid-holding recovery in these conditions, in marked contrast to both E. coli B and the moderate halophile, and also failed to recover when held in nutrient medium in the dark. These results strongly support the hypothesis that H. cutirubrum lacks DNA excision repair. It was also found that ultraviolet-irradiated H. cutirubrum could be almost completely photoreactivated from any level of survival in the range 10 - 4 -80%, provided exposure to visible light was not delayed, whereas the moderate halophile resembled E. coli B and had a comparatively limited capacity for photoreactivation. (Auth.)

Identification and characterization of an anaerobic ethanol-producing cellulolytic bacterial consortium from Great Basin hot springs with agricultural residues and energy crops.

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Zhao, Chao; Deng, Yunjin; Wang, Xingna; Li, Qiuzhe; Huang, Yifan; Liu, Bin

2014-09-01

In order to obtain the cellulolytic bacterial consortia, sediments from Great Basin hot springs (Nevada, USA) were sampled and enriched with cellulosic biomass as the sole carbon source. The bacterial composition of the resulting anaerobic ethanol-producing celluloytic bacterial consortium, named SV79, was analyzed. With methods of the full-length 16S rRNA librarybased analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, 21 bacteria belonging to eight genera were detected from this consortium. Clones with closest relation to the genera Acetivibrio, Clostridium, Cellulosilyticum, Ruminococcus, and Sporomusa were predominant. The cellulase activities and ethanol productions of consortium SV79 using different agricultural residues (sugarcane bagasse and spent mushroom substrate) and energy crops (Spartina anglica, Miscanthus floridulus, and Pennisetum sinese Roxb) were studied. During cultivation, consortium SV79 produced the maximum filter paper activity (FPase, 9.41 U/ml), carboxymethylcellulase activity (CMCase, 6.35 U/ml), and xylanase activity (4.28 U/ml) with sugarcane bagasse, spent mushroom substrate, and S. anglica, respectively. The ethanol production using M. floridulus as substrate was up to 2.63 mM ethanol/g using gas chromatography analysis. It has high potential to be a new candidate for producing ethanol with cellulosic biomass under anoxic conditions in natural environments.

High-Throughput Screening for a Moderately Halophilic Phenol-Degrading Strain and Its Salt Tolerance Response

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Lu, Zhi-Yan; Guo, Xiao-Jue; Li, Hui; Huang, Zhong-Zi; Lin, Kuang-Fei; Liu, Yong-Di

2015-01-01

A high-throughput screening system for moderately halophilic phenol-degrading bacteria from various habitats was developed to replace the conventional strain screening owing to its high efficiency. Bacterial enrichments were cultivated in 48 deep well microplates instead of shake flasks or tubes. Measurement of phenol concentrations was performed in 96-well microplates instead of using the conventional spectrophotometric method or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The high-throughput screening system was used to cultivate forty-three bacterial enrichments and gained a halophilic bacterial community E3 with the best phenol-degrading capability. Halomonas sp. strain 4-5 was isolated from the E3 community. Strain 4-5 was able to degrade more than 94% of the phenol (500 mg·L−1 starting concentration) over a range of 3%–10% NaCl. Additionally, the strain accumulated the compatible solute, ectoine, with increasing salt concentrations. PCR detection of the functional genes suggested that the largest subunit of multicomponent phenol hydroxylase (LmPH) and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) were active in the phenol degradation process. PMID:26020478

The bioleaching potential of a bacterial consortium.

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Latorre, Mauricio; Cortés, María Paz; Travisany, Dante; Di Genova, Alex; Budinich, Marko; Reyes-Jara, Angélica; Hödar, Christian; González, Mauricio; Parada, Pilar; Bobadilla-Fazzini, Roberto A; Cambiazo, Verónica; Maass, Alejandro

2016-10-01

This work presents the molecular foundation of a consortium of five efficient bacteria strains isolated from copper mines currently used in state of the art industrial-scale biotechnology. The strains Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans Licanantay, Acidiphilium multivorum Yenapatur, Leptospirillum ferriphilum Pañiwe, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Wenelen and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans Cutipay were selected for genome sequencing based on metal tolerance, oxidation activity and bioleaching of copper efficiency. An integrated model of metabolic pathways representing the bioleaching capability of this consortium was generated. Results revealed that greater efficiency in copper recovery may be explained by the higher functional potential of L. ferriphilum Pañiwe and At. thiooxidans Licanantay to oxidize iron and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds. The consortium had a greater capacity to resist copper, arsenic and chloride ion compared to previously described biomining strains. Specialization and particular components in these bacteria provided the consortium a greater ability to bioleach copper sulfide ores. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Halophiles, coming stars for industrial biotechnology.

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Yin, Jin; Chen, Jin-Chun; Wu, Qiong; Chen, Guo-Qiang

2015-11-15

Industrial biotechnology aims to produce chemicals, materials and biofuels to ease the challenges of shortage on petroleum. However, due to the disadvantages of bioprocesses including energy consuming sterilization, high fresh water consumption, discontinuous fermentation to avoid microbial contamination, highly expensive stainless steel fermentation facilities and competing substrates for human consumption, industrial biotechnology is less competitive compared with chemical processes. Recently, halophiles have shown promises to overcome these shortcomings. Due to their unique halophilic properties, some halophiles are able to grow in high pH and high NaCl containing medium under higher temperature, allowing fermentation processes to run contamination free under unsterile conditions and continuous way. At the same time, genetic manipulation methods have been developed for halophiles. So far, halophiles have been used to produce bioplastics polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), ectoines, enzymes, and bio-surfactants. Increasing effects have been made to develop halophiles into a low cost platform for bioprocessing with advantages of low energy, less fresh water consumption, low fixed capital investment, and continuous production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of low and high molecular weight hydrocarbons in petroleum refinery wastewater by a thermophilic bacterial consortium.

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Pugazhendi, Arulazhagan; Abbad Wazin, Hadeel; Qari, Huda; Basahi, Jalal Mohammad Al-Badry; Godon, Jean Jacques; Dhavamani, Jeyakumar

2017-10-01

Clean-up of contaminated wastewater remains to be a major challenge in petroleum refinery. Here, we describe the capacity of a bacterial consortium enriched from crude oil drilling site in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to utilize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as sole carbon source at 60°C. The consortium reduced low molecular weight (LMW; naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene and anthracene) and high molecular weight (HMW; pyrene, benzo(e)pyrene and benzo(k)fluoranthene) PAH loads of up to 1.5 g/L with removal efficiencies of 90% and 80% within 10 days. PAH biodegradation was verified by the presence of PAH metabolites and evolution of carbon dioxide (90 ± 3%). Biodegradation led to a reduction of the surface tension to 34 ± 1 mN/m thus suggesting biosurfactant production by the consortium. Phylogenetic analysis of the consortium revealed the presence of the thermophilic PAH degrader Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CEES1 (KU664514) and Bacillus thermosaudia (KU664515) strain CEES2. The consortium was further found to treat petroleum wastewater in continuous stirred tank reactor with 96 ± 2% chemical oxygen demand removal and complete PAH degradation in 24 days.

Diversity and enumeration of halophilic and alkaliphilic bacteria in Spanish-style green table-olive fermentations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucena-Padrós, Helena; Ruiz-Barba, José Luis

2016-02-01

The presence and enumeration of halophilic and alkaliphilic bacteria in Spanish-style table-olive fermentations was studied. Twenty 10-tonne fermenters at two large manufacturing companies in Spain, previously studied through both culture dependent and independent (PCR-DGGE) methodologies, were selected. Virtually all this microbiota was isolated during the initial fermentation stage. A total of 203 isolates were obtained and identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. They belonged to 13 bacterial species, included in 11 genera. It was noticeable the abundance of halophilic and alkaliphilic lactic acid bacteria (HALAB). These HALAB belonged to the three genera of this group: Alkalibacterium, Marinilactibacillus and Halolactibacillus. Ten bacterial species were isolated for the first time from table olive fermentations, including the genera Amphibacillus, Natronobacillus, Catenococcus and Streptohalobacillus. The isolates were genotyped through RAPD and clustered in a dendrogram where 65 distinct strains were identified. Biodiversity indexes found statistically significant differences between both patios regarding genotype richness, diversity and dominance. However, Jaccard similarity index suggested that the halophilic/alkaliphilic microbiota in both patios was more similar than the overall microbiota at the initial fermentation stage. Thus, up to 7 genotypes of 6 different species were shared, suggesting adaptation of some strains to this fermentation stage. Morisita-Horn similarity index indicated a high level of codominance of the same species in both patios. Halophilic and alkaliphilic bacteria, especially HALAB, appeared to be part of the characteristic microbiota at the initial stage of this table-olive fermentation, and they could contribute to the conditioning of the fermenting brines in readiness for growth of common lactic acid bacteria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the Bioremediation of Atrazine under Variable Carbon and Nitrogen Sources by Mixed Bacterial Consortium Isolated from Corn Field Soil in Fars Province of Iran

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Nasseri, Simin; Hashemi, Hassan

2013-01-01

Atrazine herbicide that is widely used in corn production is frequently detected in water resources. The main objectives of this research were focused on assessing the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on atrazine biodegradation by mixed bacterial consortium and by evaluating the feasibility of using mixed bacterial consortium in soil culture. Shiraz corn field soil with a long history of atrazine application has been explored for their potential of atrazine biodegradation. The influence of different carbon compounds and the effect of nitrogen sources and a different pH (5.5–8.5) on atrazine removal efficiency by mixed bacterial consortium in liquid culture were investigated. Sodium citrate and sucrose had the highest atrazine biodegradation rate (87.22%) among different carbon sources. Atrazine biodegradation rate decreased more quickly by the addition of urea (26.76%) compared to ammonium nitrate. Based on the data obtained in this study, pH of 7.0 is optimum for atrazine biodegradation. After 30 days of incubation, the percent of atrazine reduction rates were significantly enhanced in the inoculated soils (60.5%) as compared to uninoculated control soils (12%) at the soil moisture content of 25%. In conclusion, bioaugmentation of soil with mixed bacterial consortium may enhance the rate of atrazine degradation in a highly polluted soil. PMID:23533452

The effects of salinity on nitrification using halophilic nitrifiers in a Sequencing Batch Reactor treating hypersaline wastewater.

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Cui, You-Wei; Zhang, Hong-Yu; Ding, Jie-Ran; Peng, Yong-Zhen

2016-04-25

With annual increases in the generation and use of saline wastewater, the need to avoid environmental problems such as eutrophication is critical. A previous study identified ways to start up a halophilic sludge domesticated from estuarine sediments to remove nitrogen from wastewater with a salinity of 30 g/L. This investigation expands that work to explore the impact of salinity on nitrogen removal. This study demonstrated that the mixed halophilic consortia removed nitrogen from wastewater with a salinity of 30-85 g/L. A kinetic analysis showed that halophilic nitrifiers selected based on hypersalinity were characterized by low Ks, μmax and specific ammonium oxidization rates. This explains the decrease in ammonium removal efficiency in the high salinity operational phases. Salinity inhibited ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) activity, as well as the number of dominant AOB, but did not significantly affect the AOB dominant species. Three most dominant AOB lineages in the halophilic sludge were Nitrosomonas marina, Nitrosomonas europaea, and Nitrosococcus mobilis. Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrosococcus mobilis were mainly affected by salinity, while nitrite accumulation and ammonia loading played the key role in determining the abundance of Nitrosococcus mobilis and Nitrosococcus europaea. The study contributes insights about shifts in halophilic nitrifying bacterial populations.

Aerobic De-Epoxydation of Trichothecene Mycotoxins by a Soil Bacterial Consortium Isolated Using In Situ Soil Enrichment

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Wei-Jie He

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Globally, the trichothecene mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON and nivalenol (NIV are among the most widely distributed mycotoxins that contaminate small grain cereals. In this study, a bacterial consortium, PGC-3, with de-epoxydation activity was isolated from soil by an in situ soil enrichment method. Screening of 14 soil samples that were sprayed with DON revealed that 4 samples were able to biotransform DON into de-epoxydized DON (dE-DON. Among these, the PGC-3 consortium showed the highest and most stable activity to biotransform DON into dE-DON and NIV into dE-NIV. PGC-3 exhibited de-epoxydation activity at a wide range of pH (5–10 and temperatures (20–37 °C values under aerobic conditions. Sequential subculturing with a continued exposure to DON substantially reduced the microbial population diversity of this consortium. Analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences indicated that PGC-3 comprised 10 bacterial genera. Among these, one species, Desulfitobacterium, showed a steady increase in relative abundance, from 0.03% to 1.55% (a 52-fold increase, as higher concentrations of DON were used in the subculture media, from 0 to 500 μg/mL. This study establishes the foundation to further develop bioactive agents that can detoxify trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals and enables for the characterization of detoxifying genes and their regulation.

Halophilic microbial communities in deteriorated buildings.

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Adamiak, Justyna; Otlewska, Anna; Gutarowska, Beata

2015-10-01

Halophilic microorganisms were traditionally isolated from an aquatic environment. There has been little research conducted into halophiles inhabiting the terrestrial environment in which historic monuments deteriorate. Salt efflorescence deposited on the walls is an observed phenomenon on the surface of historic buildings, and would favour the growth of halophiles. However, some conditions have to be fulfilled in order for efflorescence to occur: (1) the presence of salts, (2) porosity, (3) a source of water. Salt crystallization influences the material structure (cracking, detachment, material loss), but active growth of halophilic microorganisms may be a serious threat to historic materials as well, leading to aesthetical changes such as coloured biofilms, orange to pink or even violet stains. This is why it is important to investigate halophilic microorganisms, taking into consideration both the environmental conditions they need to grow in, material characteristics they inhabit, the mechanisms they possess to cope with osmotic stress, and the methods that should be applied for their identification.

Support vector machine with a Pearson VII function kernel for discriminating halophilic and non-halophilic proteins.

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Zhang, Guangya; Ge, Huihua

2013-10-01

Understanding of proteins adaptive to hypersaline environment and identifying them is a challenging task and would help to design stable proteins. Here, we have systematically analyzed the normalized amino acid compositions of 2121 halophilic and 2400 non-halophilic proteins. The results showed that halophilic protein contained more Asp at the expense of Lys, Ile, Cys and Met, fewer small and hydrophobic residues, and showed a large excess of acidic over basic amino acids. Then, we introduce a support vector machine method to discriminate the halophilic and non-halophilic proteins, by using a novel Pearson VII universal function based kernel. In the three validation check methods, it achieved an overall accuracy of 97.7%, 91.7% and 86.9% and outperformed other machine learning algorithms. We also address the influence of protein size on prediction accuracy and found the worse performance for small size proteins might be some significant residues (Cys and Lys) were missing in the proteins. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the biodegradation, bioremediation and detoxification capacity of a bacterial consortium able to degrade the fungicide thiabendazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Perruchon, Chiara; Pantoleon, Anastasios; Veroutis, Dimitrios; Gallego-Blanco, Sara; Martin-Laurent, F; Liadaki, Kalliopi; Karpouzas, Dimitrios G

2017-12-01

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is a persistent fungicide used in the post-harvest treatment of fruits. Its application results in the production of contaminated effluents which should be treated before their environmental discharge. In the absence of efficient treatment methods in place, biological systems based on microbial inocula with specialized degrading capacities against TBZ could be a feasible treatment approach. Only recently the first bacterial consortium able to rapidly transform TBZ was isolated. This study aimed to characterize its biodegradation, bioremediation and detoxification potential. The capacity of the consortium to mineralize 14 C-benzyl-ring labelled TBZ was initially assessed. Subsequent tests evaluated its degradation capacity under various conditions (range of pH, temperatures and TBZ concentration levels) and relevant practical scenarios (simultaneous presence of other postharvest compounds) and its bioaugmentation potential in soils contaminated with increasing TBZ levels. Finally cytotoxicity assays explored its detoxification potential. The consortium effectively mineralized the benzoyl ring of the benzimidazole moiety of TBZ and degraded spillage level concentrations of the fungicide in aqueous cultures (750 mg L -1 ) and in soil (500 mg kg -1 ). It maintained its high degradation capacity in a wide range of pH (4.5-7.5) and temperatures (15-37 °C) and in the presence of other pesticides (ortho-phenylphenol and diphenylamine). Toxicity assays using the human liver cancer cell line HepG2 showed a progressive decrease in cytotoxicity, concomitantly with the biodegradation of TBZ, pointing to a detoxification process. Overall, the bacterial consortium showed high potential for future implementation in bioremediation and biodepuration applications.

Study of the Bioremediation of Atrazine under Variable Carbon and Nitrogen Sources by Mixed Bacterial Consortium Isolated from Corn Field Soil in Fars Province of Iran

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Mansooreh Dehghani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Atrazine herbicide that is widely used in corn production is frequently detected in water resources. The main objectives of this research were focused on assessing the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on atrazine biodegradation by mixed bacterial consortium and by evaluating the feasibility of using mixed bacterial consortium in soil culture. Shiraz corn field soil with a long history of atrazine application has been explored for their potential of atrazine biodegradation. The influence of different carbon compounds and the effect of nitrogen sources and a different pH (5.5–8.5 on atrazine removal efficiency by mixed bacterial consortium in liquid culture were investigated. Sodium citrate and sucrose had the highest atrazine biodegradation rate (87.22% among different carbon sources. Atrazine biodegradation rate decreased more quickly by the addition of urea (26.76% compared to ammonium nitrate. Based on the data obtained in this study, pH of 7.0 is optimum for atrazine biodegradation. After 30 days of incubation, the percent of atrazine reduction rates were significantly enhanced in the inoculated soils (60.5% as compared to uninoculated control soils (12% at the soil moisture content of 25%. In conclusion, bioaugmentation of soil with mixed bacterial consortium may enhance the rate of atrazine degradation in a highly polluted soil.

Degradation of paracetamol by pure bacterial cultures and their microbial consortium.

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Zhang, Lili; Hu, Jun; Zhu, Runye; Zhou, Qingwei; Chen, Jianmeng

2013-04-01

Three bacterial strains utilizing paracetamol as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source were isolated from a paracetamol-degrading aerobic aggregate, and assigned to species of the genera Stenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas. The Stenotrophomonas species have not included any known paracetamol degraders until now. In batch cultures, the organisms f1, f2, and fg-2 could perform complete degradation of paracetamol at concentrations of 400, 2,500, and 2,000 mg/L or below, respectively. A combination of three microbial strains resulted in significantly improved degradation and mineralization of paracetamol. The co-culture was able to use paracetamol up to concentrations of 4,000 mg/L, and mineralized 87.1 % of the added paracetamol at the initial of 2,000 mg/L. Two key metabolites of the biodegradation pathway of paracetamol, 4-aminophenol, and hydroquinone were detected. Paracetamol was degraded predominantly via 4-aminophenol to hydroquinone with subsequent ring fission, suggesting new pathways for paracetamol-degrading bacteria. The degradation of paracetamol could thus be performed by the single isolates, but is stimulated by a synergistic interaction of the three-member consortium, suggesting a possible complementary interaction among the various isolates. The exact roles of each of the strains in the consortium need to be further elucidated.

Biodegradation of marine crude oil pollution using a salt-tolerant bacterial consortium isolated from Bohai Bay, China.

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Li, Xinfei; Zhao, Lin; Adam, Mohamed

2016-04-15

This study aims at constructing an efficient bacterial consortium to biodegrade crude oil spilled in China's Bohai Sea. In this study, TCOB-1 (Ochrobactrum), TCOB-2 (Brevundimonas), TCOB-3 (Brevundimonas), TCOB-4 (Bacillus) and TCOB-5 (Castellaniella) were isolated from Bohai Bay. Through the analysis of hydrocarbon biodegradation, TCOB-4 was found to biodegrade more middle-chain n-alkanes (from C17 to C23) and long-chain n-alkanes (C31-C36). TCOB-5 capable to degrade more n-alkanes including C24-C30 and aromatics. On the basis of complementary advantages, TCOB-4 and TCOB-5 were chosen to construct a consortium which was capable of degrading about 51.87% of crude oil (2% w/v) after 1week of incubation in saline MSM (3% NaCl). It is more efficient compared with single strain. In order to biodegrade crude oil, the construction of bacterial consortia is essential and the principle of complementary advantages could reduce competition between microbes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Bacterial community analysis in chlorpyrifos enrichment cultures via DGGE and use of bacterial consortium for CP biodegradation.

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Akbar, Shamsa; Sultan, Sikander; Kertesz, Michael

2014-10-01

The organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CP) has been used extensively since the 1960s for insect control. However, its toxic effects on mammals and persistence in environment necessitate its removal from contaminated sites, biodegradation studies of CP-degrading microbes are therefore of immense importance. Samples from a Pakistani agricultural soil with an extensive history of CP application were used to prepare enrichment cultures using CP as sole carbon source for bacterial community analysis and isolation of CP metabolizing bacteria. Bacterial community analysis (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) revealed that the dominant genera enriched under these conditions were Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomonas, along with lower numbers of Sphingomonas, Agrobacterium and Burkholderia. Furthermore, it revealed that members of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, α- and γ-Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were present at initial steps of enrichment whereas β-Proteobacteria appeared in later steps and only Proteobacteria were selected by enrichment culturing. However, when CP-degrading strains were isolated from this enrichment culture, the most active organisms were strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Pseudomonas mendocina and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These strains degraded 6-7.4 mg L(-1) day(-1) of CP when cultivated in mineral medium, while the consortium of all four strains degraded 9.2 mg L(-1) day(-1) of CP (100 mg L(-1)). Addition of glucose as an additional C source increased the degradation capacity by 8-14 %. After inoculation of contaminated soil with CP (200 mg kg(-1)) disappearance rates were 3.83-4.30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for individual strains and 4.76 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for the consortium. These results indicate that these organisms are involved in the degradation of CP in soil and represent valuable candidates for in situ bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters.

Salty sisters: The women of halophiles

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Bonnie K. Baxter

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A history of halophile research reveals the commitment of scientists to uncovering the secrets of the limits of life, in particular life in high salt concentration and under extreme osmotic pressure. During the last 40 years, halophile scientists have indeed made important contributions to extremophile research, and prior international halophiles congresses have documented both the historical and the current work. During this period of salty discoveries, female scientists, in general, have grown in number worldwide. But those who worked in the field when there were small numbers of women sometimes saw their important contributions overshadowed by their male counterparts. Recent studies suggest that modern female scientists experience gender bias in matters such as conference invitations and even representation among full professors. In the field of halophilic microbiology, what is the impact of gender bias? How has the participation of women changed over time? What do women uniquely contribute to this field? What are factors that impact current female scientists to a greater degree? This essay emphasizes the herstory (not history of halophile discovery.

Selection, isolation and growth kinetic study of a bacterial consortium obtained from the Potengi mangrove in the presence of crude oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, C.C.; Vaz, M.R.F.; Santos, E.S.; Macedo, G.R. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica], E-mail: natcintia@gmail.com; Costa, J.G. da [Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Coari, AM (Brazil). Inst. de Saude e Biotecnologia

2011-10-15

The selection, isolation and kinetic study of a bacterial consortium obtained from a sample of soil from the Potengi mangrove, located in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, has been carried out using the enrichment culture technique to observe aspects such as the evaluation of main growth parameters. The kinetic study used a rotary incubator shaker at 150rpm, under 30 deg C. The bacterial consortium isolated from the estuary of the Potengi River showed a good acclimation in minimum mineral medium with 1% (v/v) of oil. The cell concentration reached 2.55 g/L at 16h of cultivation and surface tension dropped. The maximum productivity in cells obtained was of 0.3 g/L.h, the specific velocity of growth was of 0.075h{sup -1}, with a generation time (tg) of 9.24h. This study seeks to demonstrate that the consortium can be used as inoculants in biological treatments, capable of reducing the waste's degradation time. (author)

Halophiles and their enzymes: Negativity put to good use

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DasSarma, Shiladitya; DasSarma, Priya

2015-01-01

Halophilic microorganisms possess stable enzymes that function in very high salinity, an extreme condition that leads to denaturation, aggregation, and precipitation of most other proteins. Genomic and structural analyses have established that the enzymes of halophilic Archaea and many halophilic Bacteria are negatively charged due to an excess of acidic over basic residues, and altered hydrophobicity, which enhance solubility and promote function in low water activity conditions. Here, we provide an update on recent bioinformatic analysis of predicted halophilic proteomes as well as experimental molecular studies on individual halophilic enzymes. On-going efforts on discovery and utilization of halophiles and their enzymes for biotechnology, including biofuel applications are also considered. PMID:26066288

Halophiles and their enzymes: negativity put to good use.

Science.gov (United States)

DasSarma, Shiladitya; DasSarma, Priya

2015-06-01

Halophilic microorganisms possess stable enzymes that function in very high salinity, an extreme condition that leads to denaturation, aggregation, and precipitation of most other proteins. Genomic and structural analyses have established that the enzymes of halophilic Archaea and many halophilic Bacteria are negatively charged due to an excess of acidic over basic residues, and altered hydrophobicity, which enhance solubility and promote function in low water activity conditions. Here, we provide an update on recent bioinformatic analysis of predicted halophilic proteomes as well as experimental molecular studies on individual halophilic enzymes. Recent efforts on discovery and utilization of halophiles and their enzymes for biotechnology, including biofuel applications are also considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of high ionic strength on neptunium (V) adsorption to a halophilic bacterium

Science.gov (United States)

Ams, David A.; Swanson, Juliet S.; Szymanowski, Jennifer E. S.; Fein, Jeremy B.; Richmann, Michael; Reed, Donald T.

2013-06-01

The mobility of neptunium (V) in subsurface high ionic strength aqueous systems may be strongly influenced by adsorption to the cell wall of the halophilic bacteria Chromohalobacter sp. This study is the first to evaluate the adsorption of neptunium (V) to the surface of a halophilic bacterium as a function of pH from approximately 2 to 10 and at ionic strengths of 2 and 4 M. This is also the first study to evaluate the effects of carbonate complexation with neptunium (V) on adsorption to whole bacterial cells under high pH conditions. A thermodynamically-based surface complexation model was adapted to describe experimental adsorption data under high ionic strength conditions where traditional corrections for aqueous ion activity are invalid. Adsorption of neptunium (V) was rapid and reversible under the conditions of the study. Adsorption was significant over the entire pH range evaluated for both ionic strength conditions and was shown to be dependent on the speciation of the sites on the bacterial surface and neptunium (V) in solution. Adsorption behavior was controlled by the relatively strong electrostatic attraction of the positively charged neptunyl ion to the negatively charged bacterial surface at pH below circum-neutral. At pH above circum-neutral, the adsorption behavior was controlled by the presence of negatively charged neptunium (V) carbonate complexes resulting in decreased adsorption, although adsorption was still significant due to the adsorption of negatively charged neptunyl-carbonate species. Adsorption in 4 M NaClO4 was enhanced relative to adsorption in 2 M NaClO4 over the majority of the pH range evaluated, likely due to the effect of increasing aqueous ion activity at high ionic strength. The protonation/deprotonation characteristics of the cell wall of Chromohalobacter sp. were evaluated by potentiometric titrations in 2 and 4 M NaClO4. Bacterial titration results indicated that Chromohalobacter sp. exhibits similar proton buffering

[Experimental interaction of halophilic prokaryotes and opportunistic bacteria in brine].

Science.gov (United States)

Selivanova, E A; Nemtseva, N V

2013-01-01

Study the effect of extremely halophilic archaea and moderately halophilic bacteria on preservation of opportunistic bacteria in brine. 17 strains of moderately halophilic bacteria and 2 strains of extremely halophilic archaea were isolated from continental hypersaline lake Razval of Sol-Iletsk area of Orenburg Region. Identification of pure cultures of prokaryotes was carried out taking into account their phenotype properties and based on determination of 16S RNA gene sequence. The effect of halophilic prokaryote on elimination of Escherichia coli from brine was evaluated during co-cultivation. Antagonistic activity of cell extracts of the studied microorganisms was evaluated by photometric method. A more prolonged preservation of an E. coli strain in brine in the presence of live cells of extremely halophilic archaea Halorubrum tebenquichense and moderately halophilic bacteria Marinococcus halophilus was established. Extracts of cells of extremely halophilic archaea and moderately halophilic bacteria on the contrary displayed antagonistic activity. The protective effect of live cells of halophilic prokaryotes and antagonistic activity of their cell extracts change the period of conservation of opportunistic bacteria in brine that regulates inter-microbial interactions and changes the period of self-purification that reflects the sanitary condition of a hypersaline water body.

Extracellular proteases of Halobacillus blutaparonensis strain M9, a new moderately halophilic bacterium.

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Santos, Anderson F; Valle, Roberta S; Pacheco, Clarissa A; Alvarez, Vanessa M; Seldin, Lucy; Santos, André L S

2013-12-01

Halophilic microorganisms are source of potential hydrolytic enzymes to be used in industrial and/or biotechnological processes. In the present study, we have investigated the ability of the moderately halophilic bacterium Halobacillus blutaparonensis (strain M9), a novel species described by our group, to release proteolytic enzymes. This bacterial strain abundantly proliferated in Luria-Bertani broth supplemented with 2.5% NaCl as well as secreted proteases to the extracellular environment. The production of proteases occurred in bacterial cells grown under different concentration of salt, ranging from 0.5% to 10% NaCl, in a similar way. The proteases secreted by H. blutaparonensis presented the following properties: (i) molecular masses ranging from 30 to 80 kDa, (ii) better hydrolytic activities under neutral-alkaline pH range, (iii) expression modulated according to the culture age, (iv) susceptibility to phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, classifying them as serine-type proteases, (v) specific cleavage over the chymotrypsin substrate, and (vi) enzymatic stability in the presence of salt (up to 20% NaCl) and organic solvents (e.g., ether, isooctane and cyclohexane). The proteases described herein are promising for industrial practices due to its haloalkaline properties.

Magnesium and manganese content of halophilic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

de Medicis, E.; Paquette, J.; Gauthier, J.J.; Shapcott, D.

1986-01-01

Magnesium and manganese contents were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in bacteria of several halophilic levels, in Vibrio costicola, a moderately halophilic eubacterium growing in 1 M NaCl, Halobacterium volcanii, a halophilic archaebacterium growing in 2.5 NaCl, Halobacterium cutirubrum, an extremely halophilic archaebacterium growing in 4 M NaCl, and Escherichia coli, a nonhalophilic eubacterium growing in 0.17 M NaCl. Magnesium and manganese contents varied with the growth phase, being maximal at the early log phase. Magnesium and manganese molalities in cell water were shown to increase with the halophilic character of the logarithmically growing bacteria, from 30 mmol of Mg per kg of cell water and 0.37 mmol of Mn per kg of cell water for E. coli to 102 mmol of Mg per kg of cell water and 1.6 mmol of Mn per kg of cell water for H cutirubrum. The intracellular concentrations of manganese were determined independently by a radioactive tracer technique in V. costicola and H. volcanii. The values obtained by 54 Mn loading represented about 70% of the values obtained by atomic absorption. The increase of magnesium and manganese contents associated with the halophilic character of the bacteria suggests that manganese and magnesium play a role in haloadaptation

Enhancement of pyrene degradation efficacy of Synechocystis sp., by construction of an artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium

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Jignasa G. Patel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to investigate the ability of microalgae Synechocystis sp. to high molecular weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon pyrene (PYR and artificial microalgal–bacterial consortium at different concentrations. The consortium consisted of one axenic species Synechocystis sp. and two PYR-degrading bacteria with known complementary degradative capabilities viz. Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. The influence of PYR on growth in terms of chlorophyll-a were analysed, and it was found that in the presence of bacteria, Synechocystis sp. tremendously increased in growth as well as biodegradation capability, whereas Synechocystis sp. alone exhibited concentration-dependent decrease in growth and biodegradation ability. Degradation of PYR shows that the consortium could eliminate PYR by 94.1% at 50 mg/L; however, Synechocystis sp alone could degrade up to 36% at 1.5 mg/L after 16 days of incubation. The study revealed that microalgae grew better in the presence of the aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and provided them with necessary organics for efficient PYR degradation activities. Moreover, consortium JP-NKA7B2 grows efficiently on other xenobiotic compounds. The artificial consortia JP-NK is thus proven to be an effective and promising system for bioremediating PYR compound and could be suggested in degradation of PYR compound in hydrocarbon-polluted areas in situ and ex situ.

Insights into the sequence parameters for halophilic adaptation.

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Nath, Abhigyan

2016-03-01

The sequence parameters for halophilic adaptation are still not fully understood. To understand the molecular basis of protein hypersaline adaptation, a detailed analysis is carried out, and investigated the likely association of protein sequence attributes to halophilic adaptation. A two-stage strategy is implemented, where in the first stage a supervised machine learning classifier is build, giving an overall accuracy of 86 % on stratified tenfold cross validation and 90 % on blind testing set, which are better than the previously reported results. The second stage consists of statistical analysis of sequence features and possible extraction of halophilic molecular signatures. The results of this study showed that, halophilic proteins are characterized by lower average charge, lower K content, and lower S content. A statistically significant preference/avoidance list of sequence parameters is also reported giving insights into the molecular basis of halophilic adaptation. D, Q, E, H, P, T, V are significantly preferred while N, C, I, K, M, F, S are significantly avoided. Among amino acid physicochemical groups, small, polar, charged, acidic and hydrophilic groups are preferred over other groups. The halophilic proteins also showed a preference for higher average flexibility, higher average polarity and avoidance for higher average positive charge, average bulkiness and average hydrophobicity. Some interesting trends observed in dipeptide counts are also reported. Further a systematic statistical comparison is undertaken for gaining insights into the sequence feature distribution in different residue structural states. The current analysis may facilitate the understanding of the mechanism of halophilic adaptation clearer, which can be further used for rational design of halophilic proteins.

Salt-bridge energetics in halophilic proteins.

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Nayek, Arnab; Sen Gupta, Parth Sarthi; Banerjee, Shyamashree; Mondal, Buddhadev; Bandyopadhyay, Amal K

2014-01-01

Halophilic proteins have greater abundance of acidic over basic and very low bulky hydrophobic residues. Classical electrostatic stabilization was suggested as the key determinant for halophilic adaptation of protein. However, contribution of specific electrostatic interactions (i.e. salt-bridges) to overall stability of halophilic proteins is yet to be understood. To understand this, we use Adaptive-Poison-Boltzmann-Solver Methods along with our home-built automation to workout net as well as associated component energy terms such as desolvation energy, bridge energy and background energy for 275 salt-bridges from 20 extremely halophilic proteins. We then perform extensive statistical analysis on general and energetic attributes on these salt-bridges. On average, 8 salt-bridges per 150 residues protein were observed which is almost twice than earlier report. Overall contributions of salt-bridges are -3.0 kcal mol-1. Majority (78%) of salt-bridges in our dataset are stable and conserved in nature. Although, average contributions of component energy terms are equal, their individual details vary greatly from one another indicating their sensitivity to local micro-environment. Notably, 35% of salt-bridges in our database are buried and stable. Greater desolvation penalty of these buried salt-bridges are counteracted by stable network salt-bridges apart from favorable equal contributions of bridge and background terms. Recruitment of extensive network salt-bridges (46%) with a net contribution of -5.0 kcal mol-1 per salt-bridge, seems to be a halophilic design wherein favorable average contribution of background term (-10 kcal mol-1) exceeds than that of bridge term (-7 kcal mol-1). Interiors of proteins from halophiles are seen to possess relatively higher abundance of charge and polar side chains than that of mesophiles which seems to be satisfied by cooperative network salt-bridges. Overall, our theoretical analyses provide insight into halophilic signature in its

Isolation and characterization of halophilic bacteria and archaea from salt ponds in Hangu Saltworks, Tianjin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Yuangao; Xu, Gaochao; Sui, Liying

2015-07-01

A total of 26 isolates were obtained from solar salt ponds of different salinities (100, 150, 200, and 250) in Hangu Saltworks Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that five bacteria genera Halomonas, Salinicoccus, Oceanobacillus, Gracibacillus, and Salimicrobium and one archaea genera Halorubrum were present. The genus Halomonas was predominant with eight strains distributed in a salinity range of 100-200, followed by Halorubrum with six strains in salinity 250. Based on the genus and original sampling salinity, eight bacterial and two archaeal isolates were selected for further morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization. All of the bacterial strains were moderately halophilic with the optimal salinity for growth being either 50 or 100, while two archaeal strains were extremely halophilic with an optimal growth salinity of 200. Additionally, we put forth strain SM.200-5 as a new candidate Salimicrobium species based on the phylogenic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence and its biochemical characteristics when compared with known related species.

Perchlorate and halophilic prokaryotes: implications for possible halophilic life on Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Oren, Aharon; Elevi Bardavid, Rahel; Mana, Lily

2014-01-01

In view of the finding of perchlorate among the salts detected by the Phoenix Lander on Mars, we investigated the relationships of halophilic heterotrophic microorganisms (archaea of the family Halobacteriaceae and the bacterium Halomonas elongata) toward perchlorate. All strains tested grew well in NaCl-based media containing 0.4 M perchlorate, but at the highest perchlorate concentrations, tested cells were swollen or distorted. Some species (Haloferax mediterranei, Haloferax denitrificans, Haloferax gibbonsii, Haloarcula marismortui, Haloarcula vallismortis) could use perchlorate as an electron acceptor for anaerobic growth. Although perchlorate is highly oxidizing, its presence at a concentration of 0.2 M for up to 2 weeks did not negatively affect the ability of a yeast extract-based medium to support growth of the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum. These findings show that presence of perchlorate among the salts on Mars does not preclude the possibility of halophilic life. If indeed the liquid brines that may exist on Mars are inhabited by salt-requiring or salt-tolerant microorganisms similar to the halophiles on Earth, presence of perchlorate may even be stimulatory when it can serve as an electron acceptor for respiratory activity in the anaerobic Martian environment.

Neptunium (V) Adsorption to a Halophilic Bacterium Under High Ionic Strength Conditions: A Surface Complexation Modeling Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ams, David A [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2012-06-11

Rationale for experimental design: Np(V) -- important as analog for Pu(V) and for HLW scenarios; High ionic strength -- relevant to salt-based repositories such as the WIPP; Halophilic microorganisms -- representative of high ionic strength environments. For the first time showed: Significant adsorbant to halophilic microorganisms over entire pH range under high ionic strength conditions; Strong influence of ionic strength with increasing adsorption with increasing ionic strength (in contrast to trends of previous low ionic strength studies); Effect of aqueous Np(V) and bacterial surface site speciation on adsorption; and Developed thermodynamic models that can be incorporated into geochemical speciation models to aid in the prediction of the fate and transport of Np(V) in more complex systems.

Systematic and biotechnological aspects of halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamedi, Javad; Mohammadipanah, Fatemeh; Ventosa, Antonio

2013-01-01

More than 70 species of halotolerant and halophilic actinomycetes belonging to at least 24 genera have been validly described. Halophilic actinomycetes are a less explored source of actinomycetes for discovery of novel bioactive secondary metabolites. Degradation of aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds, detoxification of pollutants, production of new enzymes and other metabolites such as antibiotics, compatible solutes and polymers are other potential industrial applications of halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes. Especially new bioactive secondary metabolites that are derived from only a small fraction of the investigated halophilic actinomycetes, mainly from marine habitats, have revealed the huge capacity of this physiological group in production of new bioactive chemical entities. Combined high metabolic capacities of actinomycetes and unique features related to extremophilic nature of the halophilic actinomycetes have conferred on them an influential role for future biotechnological applications.

Screening and isolation of halophilic bacteria producing industrially important enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sumit; Karan, Ram; Kapoor, Sanjay; S P, Singh; S K, Khare

2012-10-01

Halophiles are excellent sources of enzymes that are not only salt stable but also can withstand and carry out reactions efficiently under extreme conditions. The aim of the study was to isolate and study the diversity among halophilic bacteria producing enzymes of industrial value. Screening of halophiles from various saline habitats of India led to isolation of 108 halophilic bacteria producing industrially important hydrolases (amylases, lipases and proteases). Characterization of 21 potential isolates by morphological, biochemical and 16S rRNA gene analysis found them related to Marinobacter, Virgibacillus, Halobacillus, Geomicrobium, Chromohalobacter, Oceanobacillus, Bacillus, Halomonas and Staphylococcus genera. They belonged to moderately halophilic group of bacteria exhibiting salt requirement in the range of 3-20%. There is significant diversity among halophiles from saline habitats of India. Preliminary characterization of crude hydrolases established them to be active and stable under more than one extreme condition of high salt, pH, temperature and presence of organic solvents. It is concluded that these halophilic isolates are not only diverse in phylogeny but also in their enzyme characteristics. Their enzymes may be potentially useful for catalysis under harsh operational conditions encountered in industrial processes. The solvent stability among halophilic enzymes seems a generic novel feature making them potentially useful in non-aqueous enzymology.

Stability of halophilic proteins: from dipeptide attributes to discrimination classifier.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guangya; Huihua, Ge; Yi, Lin

2013-02-01

To investigate the molecular features responsible for protein halophilicity is of great significance for understanding the structure basis of protein halo-stability and would help to develop a practical strategy for designing halophilic proteins. In this work, we have systematically analyzed the dipeptide composition of the halophilic and non-halophilic protein sequences. We observed the halophilic proteins contained more DA, RA, AD, RR, AP, DD, PD, EA, VG and DV at the expense of LK, IL, II, IA, KK, IS, KA, GK, RK and AI. We identified some macromolecular signatures of halo-adaptation, and thought the dipeptide composition might contain more information than amino acid composition. Based on the dipeptide composition, we have developed a machine learning method for classifying halophilic and non-halophilic proteins for the first time. The accuracy of our method for the training dataset was 100.0%, and for the 10-fold cross-validation was 93.1%. We also discussed the influence of some specific dipeptides on prediction accuracy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioremoval of Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wasters by bacterial consortiums; Biorremocao de Am-241 e Cs-137 de rejeitos radioativos liquidos por consorcios bacterianos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreira, Rafael Vicente de Padua; Lima, Josenilson B. de; Gomes, Mirella C.; Borba, Tania R.; Bellini, Maria Helena; Marumo, Julio Takehiro; Sakata, Solange Kazumi, E-mail: rpadua@ipen.b, E-mail: sksakata@ipen.b, E-mail: jblima@ipen.b, E-mail: mbmarumo@ipen.b, E-mail: jtmarumo@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2011-10-26

This paper evaluates the capacity of two bacterial consortiums of impacted areas in removing the Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wastes.The experiments indicated that the two study consortiums were able to remove 100% of the Cs-137 and Am-241 presents in the waste from 4 days of contact. These results suggest that the bio removal with the selected consortiums, can be a viable technique for the treatment of radioactive wastes containing Am-241 and Cs-137

Genome-Centric Analysis of a Thermophilic and Cellulolytic Bacterial Consortium Derived from Composting

Science.gov (United States)

Lemos, Leandro N.; Pereira, Roberta V.; Quaggio, Ronaldo B.; Martins, Layla F.; Moura, Livia M. S.; da Silva, Amanda R.; Antunes, Luciana P.; da Silva, Aline M.; Setubal, João C.

2017-01-01

Microbial consortia selected from complex lignocellulolytic microbial communities are promising alternatives to deconstruct plant waste, since synergistic action of different enzymes is required for full degradation of plant biomass in biorefining applications. Culture enrichment also facilitates the study of interactions among consortium members, and can be a good source of novel microbial species. Here, we used a sample from a plant waste composting operation in the São Paulo Zoo (Brazil) as inoculum to obtain a thermophilic aerobic consortium enriched through multiple passages at 60°C in carboxymethylcellulose as sole carbon source. The microbial community composition of this consortium was investigated by shotgun metagenomics and genome-centric analysis. Six near-complete (over 90%) genomes were reconstructed. Similarity and phylogenetic analyses show that four of these six genomes are novel, with the following hypothesized identifications: a new Thermobacillus species; the first Bacillus thermozeamaize genome (for which currently only 16S sequences are available) or else the first representative of a new family in the Bacillales order; the first representative of a new genus in the Paenibacillaceae family; and the first representative of a new deep-branching family in the Clostridia class. The reconstructed genomes from known species were identified as Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius and Caldibacillus debilis. The metabolic potential of these recovered genomes based on COG and CAZy analyses show that these genomes encode several glycoside hydrolases (GHs) as well as other genes related to lignocellulose breakdown. The new Thermobacillus species stands out for being the richest in diversity and abundance of GHs, possessing the greatest potential for biomass degradation among the six recovered genomes. We also investigated the presence and activity of the organisms corresponding to these genomes in the composting operation from which the consortium was built

Compatible bacterial mixture, tolerant to desiccation, improves maize plant growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina-Romero, Dalia; Baez, Antonino; Quintero-Hernández, Verónica; Castañeda-Lucio, Miguel; Fuentes-Ramírez, Luis Ernesto; Bustillos-Cristales, María Del Rocío; Rodríguez-Andrade, Osvaldo; Morales-García, Yolanda Elizabeth; Munive, Antonio; Muñoz-Rojas, Jesús

2017-01-01

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) increase plant growth and crop productivity. The inoculation of plants with a bacterial mixture (consortium) apparently provides greater benefits to plant growth than inoculation with a single bacterial strain. In the present work, a bacterial consortium was formulated containing four compatible and desiccation-tolerant strains with potential as PGPR. The formulation had one moderately (Pseudomonas putida KT2440) and three highly desiccation-tolerant (Sphingomonas sp. OF178, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and Acinetobacter sp. EMM02) strains. The four bacterial strains were able to adhere to seeds and colonize the rhizosphere of plants when applied in both mono-inoculation and multi-inoculation treatments, showing that they can also coexist without antagonistic effects in association with plants. The effects of the bacterial consortium on the growth of blue maize were evaluated. Seeds inoculated with either individual bacterial strains or the bacterial consortium were subjected to two experimental conditions before sowing: normal hydration or desiccation. In general, inoculation with the bacterial consortium increased the shoot and root dry weight, plant height and plant diameter compared to the non-inoculated control or mono-inoculation treatments. The bacterial consortium formulated in this work had greater benefits for blue maize plants even when the inoculated seeds underwent desiccation stress before germination, making this formulation attractive for future field applications.

Compatible bacterial mixture, tolerant to desiccation, improves maize plant growth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dalia Molina-Romero

Full Text Available Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR increase plant growth and crop productivity. The inoculation of plants with a bacterial mixture (consortium apparently provides greater benefits to plant growth than inoculation with a single bacterial strain. In the present work, a bacterial consortium was formulated containing four compatible and desiccation-tolerant strains with potential as PGPR. The formulation had one moderately (Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and three highly desiccation-tolerant (Sphingomonas sp. OF178, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and Acinetobacter sp. EMM02 strains. The four bacterial strains were able to adhere to seeds and colonize the rhizosphere of plants when applied in both mono-inoculation and multi-inoculation treatments, showing that they can also coexist without antagonistic effects in association with plants. The effects of the bacterial consortium on the growth of blue maize were evaluated. Seeds inoculated with either individual bacterial strains or the bacterial consortium were subjected to two experimental conditions before sowing: normal hydration or desiccation. In general, inoculation with the bacterial consortium increased the shoot and root dry weight, plant height and plant diameter compared to the non-inoculated control or mono-inoculation treatments. The bacterial consortium formulated in this work had greater benefits for blue maize plants even when the inoculated seeds underwent desiccation stress before germination, making this formulation attractive for future field applications.

Transcription-coupled repair of UV damage in the halophilic archaea.

Science.gov (United States)

Stantial, Nicole; Dumpe, Jarrod; Pietrosimone, Kathryn; Baltazar, Felicia; Crowley, David J

2016-05-01

Transcription-coupled repair (TCR) is a subpathway of nucleotide excision repair (NER) in which excision repair proteins are targeted to RNA polymerase-arresting lesions located in the transcribed strand of active genes. TCR has been documented in a variety of bacterial and eukaryotic organisms but has yet to be observed in the Archaea. We used Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and Haloferax volcanii to determine if TCR occurs in the halophilic archaea. Following UV irradiation of exponentially growing cultures, we quantified the rate of repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the two strands of the rpoB2B1A1A2 and the trpDFEG operons of Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and the pts operon of H. volcanii through the use of a Southern blot assay and strand-specific probes. TCR was observed in all three operons and was dependent on the NER gene uvrA in Halobacterium sp. NRC-1, but not in H. volcanii. The halophilic archaea likely employ a novel mechanism for TCR in which an as yet unknown coupling factor recognizes the arrested archaeal RNA polymerase complex and recruits certain NER proteins to complete the process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improvement of simultaneous Cr(VI) and phenol removal by an immobilised bacterial consortium and characterisation of biodegradation products.

Science.gov (United States)

Ontañon, Ornella M; González, Paola S; Barros, Germán G; Agostini, Elizabeth

2017-07-25

Microbial bioremediation emerged some decades ago as an eco-friendly technology to restore polluted sites. Traditionally, the search for microorganisms suitable for bioremediation has been based on the selection of isolated strains able to remove a specific type of pollutant. However, this strategy has now become obsolete, since co-pollution is a global reality. Thus, current studies attempt to find bacterial cultures capable of coping with a mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. In this sense, the bacterial consortium SFC 500-1 has demonstrated efficiency for Cr(VI) and phenol removal, both of which are found in many industrial wastewaters. In the present study, the ability of SFC 500-1 for simultaneous removal was improved through its entrapment in a Ca-alginate matrix. This strategy led to an increased removal of Cr(VI), which was partially reduced to Cr(III). Immobilised cells were able to tolerate and degrade phenol up to 1,500mg/l at high rates, forming catechol and cis,cis-muconate as oxidation intermediates. Successful removal potential through 5 cycles of reuse, as well as after long-term storage, was another important advantage of the immobilised consortium. These characteristics make SFC 500-1 an interesting system for potential application in the biotreatment of co-polluted effluents. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An experimental point of view on hydration/solvation in halophilic proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Talon, Romain; Coquelle, Nicolas; Madern, Dominique; Girard, Eric

2014-01-01

Protein-solvent interactions govern the behaviors of proteins isolated from extreme halophiles. In this work, we compared the solvent envelopes of two orthologous tetrameric malate dehydrogenases (MalDHs) from halophilic and non-halophilic bacteria. The crystal structure of the MalDH from the non-halophilic bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus (Ca MalDH) solved, de novo, at 1.7 Å resolution exhibits numerous water molecules in its solvation shell. We observed that a large number of these water molecules are arranged in pentagonal polygons in the first hydration shell of Ca MalDH. Some of them are clustered in large networks, which cover non-polar amino acid surface. The crystal structure of MalDH from the extreme halophilic bacterium Salinibacter ruber (Sr) solved at 1.55 Å resolution shows that its surface is strongly enriched in acidic amino acids. The structural comparison of these two models is the first direct observation of the relative impact of acidic surface enrichment on the water structure organization between a halophilic protein and its non-adapted counterpart. The data show that surface acidic amino acids disrupt pentagonal water networks in the hydration shell. These crystallographic observations are discussed with respect to halophilic protein behaviors in solution.

Biodegradation of phenanthrene in bioaugmented microcosm by consortium ASP developed from coastal sediment of Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Vilas; Patel, Janki; Madamwar, Datta

2013-09-15

A phenanthrene-degrading bacterial consortium (ASP) was developed using sediment from the Alang-Sosiya shipbreaking yard at Gujarat, India. 16S rRNA gene-based molecular analyses revealed that the bacterial consortium consisted of six bacterial strains: Bacillus sp. ASP1, Pseudomonas sp. ASP2, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain ASP3, Staphylococcus sp. ASP4, Geobacillus sp. ASP5 and Alcaligenes sp. ASP6. The consortium was able to degrade 300 ppm of phenanthrene and 1000 ppm of naphthalene within 120 h and 48 h, respectively. Tween 80 showed a positive effect on phenanthrene degradation. The consortium was able to consume maximum phenanthrene at the rate of 46 mg/h/l and degrade phenanthrene in the presence of other petroleum hydrocarbons. A microcosm study was conducted to test the consortium's bioremediation potential. Phenanthrene degradation increased from 61% to 94% in sediment bioaugmented with the consortium. Simultaneously, bacterial counts and dehydrogenase activities also increased in the bioaugmented sediment. These results suggest that microbial consortium bioaugmentation may be a promising technology for bioremediation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Osmoadaptative Strategy and Its Molecular Signature in Obligately Halophilic Heterotrophic Protists.

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, Tommy; Brown, Matthew W; Simpson, Alastair G B; Roger, Andrew J

2016-08-03

Halophilic microbes living in hypersaline environments must counteract the detrimental effects of low water activity and salt interference. Some halophilic prokaryotes equilibrate their intracellular osmotic strength with the extracellular milieu by importing inorganic solutes, mainly potassium. These "salt-in" organisms characteristically have proteins that are highly enriched with acidic and hydrophilic residues. In contrast, "salt-out" halophiles accumulate large amounts of organic solutes like amino acids, sugars and polyols, and lack a strong signature of halophilicity in the amino acid composition of cytoplasmic proteins. Studies to date have examined halophilic prokaryotes, yeasts, or algae, thus virtually nothing is known about the molecular adaptations of the other eukaryotic microbes, that is, heterotrophic protists (protozoa), that also thrive in hypersaline habitats. We conducted transcriptomic investigations to unravel the molecular adaptations of two obligately halophilic protists, Halocafeteria seosinensis and Pharyngomonas kirbyi Their predicted cytoplasmic proteomes showed increased hydrophilicity compared with marine protists. Furthermore, analysis of reconstructed ancestral sequences suggested that, relative to mesophiles, proteins in halophilic protists have undergone fewer substitutions from hydrophilic to hydrophobic residues since divergence from their closest relatives. These results suggest that these halophilic protists have a higher intracellular salt content than marine protists. However, absence of the acidic signature of salt-in microbes suggests that Haloc. seosinensis and P. kirbyi utilize organic osmolytes to maintain osmotic equilibrium. We detected increased expression of enzymes involved in synthesis and transport of organic osmolytes, namely hydroxyectoine and myo-inositol, at maximal salt concentration for growth in Haloc. seosinensis, suggesting possible candidates for these inferred organic osmolytes. © The Author 2016

Structural basis for the aminoacid composition of proteins from halophilic archea.

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Xavier Tadeo

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Proteins from halophilic organisms, which live in extreme saline conditions, have evolved to remain folded at very high ionic strengths. The surfaces of halophilic proteins show a biased amino acid composition with a high prevalence of aspartic and glutamic acids, a low frequency of lysine, and a high occurrence of amino acids with a low hydrophobic character. Using extensive mutational studies on the protein surfaces, we show that it is possible to decrease the salt dependence of a typical halophilic protein to the level of a mesophilic form and engineer a protein from a mesophilic organism into an obligate halophilic form. NMR studies demonstrate complete preservation of the three-dimensional structure of extreme mutants and confirm that salt dependency is conferred exclusively by surface residues. In spite of the statistically established fact that most halophilic proteins are strongly acidic, analysis of a very large number of mutants showed that the effect of salt on protein stability is largely independent of the total protein charge. Conversely, we quantitatively demonstrate that halophilicity is directly related to a decrease in the accessible surface area.

Actinide Biocolloid Formation in Brine by Halophilic Bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.V.; Papenguth, H.W.

1999-07-28

We examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WFP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell Surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited volubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellulary as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide.

Actinide biocolloid formation in brine by halophilic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.B.; Papenguth, H.W.

1998-01-01

The authors examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WIPP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited solubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellularly as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide

Actinide biocolloid formation in brine by halophilic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.V.; Papenguth, H.W.

1999-01-01

The authors examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WIPP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited solubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellularly as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide

Actinide Biocolloid Formation in Brine by Halophilic Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.V.; Papenguth, H.W.

1999-01-01

We examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WFP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell Surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited volubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellulary as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide

Halophilic microorganisms in deteriorated historic buildings: insights into their characteristics.

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Adamiak, Justyna; Otlewska, Anna; Gutarowska, Beata; Pietrzak, Anna

2016-01-01

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.

Microbial culturomics unravels the halophilic microbiota repertoire of table salt: description of Gracilibacillus massiliensis sp. nov.

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Awa Diop

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Microbial culturomics represents an ongoing revolution in the characterization of environmental and human microbiome. Methods: By using three media containing high salt concentration (100, 150, and 200 g/L, the halophilic microbial culturome of a commercial table salt was determined. Results: Eighteen species belonging to the Terrabacteria group were isolated including eight moderate halophilic and 10 halotolerant bacteria. Gracilibacillus massiliensis sp. nov., type strain Awa-1T (=CSUR P1441=DSM 29726, is a moderately halophilic gram-positive, non-spore-forming rod, and is motile by using a flagellum. Strain Awa-1T shows catalase activity but no oxidase activity. It is not only an aerobic bacterium but also able to grow in anaerobic and microaerophilic atmospheres. The draft genome of G. massiliensis is 4,207,226 bp long, composed of 13 scaffolds with 36.05% of G+C content. It contains 3,908 genes (3,839 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes. At least 1,983 (52% orthologous proteins were not shared with the closest phylogenetic species. Hundred twenty-six genes (3.3% were identified as ORFans. Conclusions: Microbial culturomics can dramatically improve the characterization of the food and environmental microbiota repertoire, deciphering new bacterial species and new genes. Further studies will clarify the geographic specificity and the putative role of these new microbes and their related functional genetic content in environment, health, and disease.

Microbial culturomics unravels the halophilic microbiota repertoire of table salt: description of Gracilibacillus massiliensis sp. nov.

Science.gov (United States)

Diop, Awa; Khelaifia, Saber; Armstrong, Nicholas; Labas, Noémie; Fournier, Pierre-Edouard; Raoult, Didier; Million, Matthieu

2016-01-01

Microbial culturomics represents an ongoing revolution in the characterization of environmental and human microbiome. By using three media containing high salt concentration (100, 150, and 200 g/L), the halophilic microbial culturome of a commercial table salt was determined. Eighteen species belonging to the Terrabacteria group were isolated including eight moderate halophilic and 10 halotolerant bacteria. Gracilibacillus massiliensis sp. nov., type strain Awa-1 T (=CSUR P1441=DSM 29726), is a moderately halophilic gram-positive, non-spore-forming rod, and is motile by using a flagellum. Strain Awa-1 T shows catalase activity but no oxidase activity. It is not only an aerobic bacterium but also able to grow in anaerobic and microaerophilic atmospheres. The draft genome of G. massiliensis is 4,207,226 bp long, composed of 13 scaffolds with 36.05% of G+C content. It contains 3,908 genes (3,839 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes). At least 1,983 (52%) orthologous proteins were not shared with the closest phylogenetic species. Hundred twenty-six genes (3.3%) were identified as ORFans. Microbial culturomics can dramatically improve the characterization of the food and environmental microbiota repertoire, deciphering new bacterial species and new genes. Further studies will clarify the geographic specificity and the putative role of these new microbes and their related functional genetic content in environment, health, and disease.

Halophilic Amylase from a Moderately Halophilic Micrococcus

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Onishi, Hiroshi

1972-01-01

A moderately halophilic Micrococcus sp., isolated from unrefined solar salt, produced a considerable amount of extracellular dextrinogenic amylase when cultivated aerobically in media containing 1 to 3 m NaCl. The Micrococcus amylase had maximal activity at pH 6 to 7 in 1.4 to 2 m NaCl or KCl at 50 C. Calcium ion and a high concentration of NaCl or KCl were essential for activity and stability of the amylase. The salt response of the amylase depended greatly on the pH and temperature of the enzyme assay. PMID:5058445

THE HALOPHILICITY OF FILAMENTOUS FUNGI ISOLATED FROM SALINE SOILS OF SOUTH CAUCASUS

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Kvesitadze E.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The work is devoted to the isolation, purification, determination of taxonomical characteristics and application in soil improvement and other biotechnological processes halophilic microscopic fungi strains isolated from saline soils of Eastern Georgia (middle part of South Caucasus, where their existence is maximally supposed. In all soilclimatic zones the dominate forms of spread fungi are genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium, followed by Trichoderma and Mucor. Other genera are met less intensively. The genera Aspergillus is widely spread in chestnut soils and in chernozem, in green forest soils the genera Penicillium is prevailing. The salinity of soil, lake or any other objects from which the isolation of microscopic fungi is performed greatly determines halophilisity of isolated strains. Finally, the collection of halophilic microscopic fungi has been created accounting 96 isolates of extreme halophiles, halophiles and week halophiles.

Halophilic biohydrogen and 1,3-propanediol production from raw glycerol: A genomic perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kivisto, A.

2013-11-01

: (1) to develop an open raw glycerol degrading bioprocess primarily for H{sub 2} (clean and renewable energy carrier molecule) and secondarily for 1,3-PD (component of biopolymers) production employing halophilic pure cultures and (2) to obtain information on the genome of salttolerant organisms, halophilic survival strategies, and fermentation pathways via wholegenome sequencing. In the present study, glycerol fermentation of halophilic Halanaerobium saccharolyticum subsp. saccharolyticum and Halanaerobium saccharolyticum subsp. senegalense were characterized and H{sub 2} as well as 1,3-PD formation were initially optimized using commercial pure glycerol as a substrate. Growth, as well as the H{sub 2} and 1,3-PD production of H. saccharolyticum subsp. saccharolyticum were further optimized as small-scale batch experiments for vitamin B12 content, process conditions and medium composition. In addition, inhibitory effect of unpurified raw glycerol and the fermentation end-products (H{sub 2}, acetate and 1,3-PD) along with contamination risk of an halophilic bioprocess were assessed. The glycerol fermentation and raw glycerol inhibition were compared to non-halophilic microorganisms Escherichia coli and/or Clostridium butyricum. Eventually, the halophilic H{sub 2} and 1,3-PD production from unpurified raw glycerol were combined in an open (non-sterile) two-stage fermentation process. The halophilic bacterial subspecies fermented glycerol mainly to H{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and acetate. H. saccharolyticum subsp. saccharolyticum yielded also 1,3-PD via a vitamin B12 dependent pathway. The subsp. senegalense grew poorly and after vitamin B12 optimization produced H{sub 2} less efficiently, and thus the subsp. saccharolyticum was chosen for the further studies. The H{sub 2} and 1,3-PD yielding pathways of H. saccharolyticum subsp. saccharolyticum were observed to compete, and the H{sub 2} production was remarkably enhanced when the 1,3-PD production was blocked by the

Biodeterioration Risk Threatens the 3100 Year Old Staircase of Hallstatt (Austria): Possible Involvement of Halophilic Microorganisms.

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Piñar, Guadalupe; Dalnodar, Dennis; Voitl, Christian; Reschreiter, Hans; Sterflinger, Katja

2016-01-01

The prosperity of Hallstatt (Salzkammergut region, Austria) is based on the richness of salt in the surrounding mountains and salt mining, which is documented as far back as 1500 years B.C. Substantial archaeological evidence of Bronze and Iron Age salt mining has been discovered, with a wooden staircase (1108 B.C.) being one of the most impressive and well preserved finds. However, after its discovery, fungal mycelia have been observed on the surface of the staircase, most probably due to airborne contamination after its find. As a basis for the further preservation of this valuable object, the active micro-flora was examined to investigate the presence of potentially biodegradative microorganisms. Most of the strains isolated from the staircase showed to be halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, due to the saline environment of the mine. Results derived from culture-dependent assays revealed a high fungal diversity, including both halotolerant and halophilic fungi, the most dominant strains being members of the genus Phialosimplex (synonym: Aspergillus). Additionally, some typical cellulose degraders, namely Stachybotrys sp. and Cladosporium sp. were detected. Numerous bacterial strains were isolated and identified as members of 12 different genera, most of them being moderately halophilic species. The most dominant isolates affiliated with species of the genera Halovibrio and Marinococcus. Halophilic archaea were also isolated and identified as species of the genera Halococcus and Halorubrum. Molecular analyses complemented the cultivation assays, enabling the identification of some uncultivable archaea of the genera Halolamina, Haloplanus and Halobacterium. Results derived from fungi and bacteria supported those obtained by cultivation methods, exhibiting the same dominant members in the communities. The results clearly showed the presence of some cellulose degraders that may become active if the requirements for growth and the environmental conditions

Biodeterioration Risk Threatens the 3100 Year Old Staircase of Hallstatt (Austria: Possible Involvement of Halophilic Microorganisms.

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Guadalupe Piñar

Full Text Available The prosperity of Hallstatt (Salzkammergut region, Austria is based on the richness of salt in the surrounding mountains and salt mining, which is documented as far back as 1500 years B.C. Substantial archaeological evidence of Bronze and Iron Age salt mining has been discovered, with a wooden staircase (1108 B.C. being one of the most impressive and well preserved finds. However, after its discovery, fungal mycelia have been observed on the surface of the staircase, most probably due to airborne contamination after its find.As a basis for the further preservation of this valuable object, the active micro-flora was examined to investigate the presence of potentially biodegradative microorganisms.Most of the strains isolated from the staircase showed to be halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, due to the saline environment of the mine. Results derived from culture-dependent assays revealed a high fungal diversity, including both halotolerant and halophilic fungi, the most dominant strains being members of the genus Phialosimplex (synonym: Aspergillus. Additionally, some typical cellulose degraders, namely Stachybotrys sp. and Cladosporium sp. were detected. Numerous bacterial strains were isolated and identified as members of 12 different genera, most of them being moderately halophilic species. The most dominant isolates affiliated with species of the genera Halovibrio and Marinococcus. Halophilic archaea were also isolated and identified as species of the genera Halococcus and Halorubrum. Molecular analyses complemented the cultivation assays, enabling the identification of some uncultivable archaea of the genera Halolamina, Haloplanus and Halobacterium. Results derived from fungi and bacteria supported those obtained by cultivation methods, exhibiting the same dominant members in the communities.The results clearly showed the presence of some cellulose degraders that may become active if the requirements for growth and the environmental

Bacterial consortia for crude oil spill remediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chhatre, S.; Purohit, H.; Shanker, R.; Khanna, P.

1996-01-01

Oil spills generate enormous public concern and highlight the need for cost effective ad environmentally acceptable mitigation technologies. Physico-chemical methods are not completely effective after a spill. Hence, there is a need for improved and alternative technologies. Bioremediation is the most environmentally sound technology for clean up. This report intends to determine the potential of a bacterial consortium for degradation of Gulf and Bombay High crude oil. A four membered consortium was designed that could degrade 70% of the crude oil. A member of consortium produced a biosurfactant, rhamnolipid, that emulsified crude oil efficiently for effective degradation by the other members of consortium. The wide range of hydrocarbonoclastic capabilities of the selected members of bacterial consortium leads to the degradation of both aromatic and aliphatic fractions of crude oil in 72 hours. (Author)

Diversity of halophilic archaea in fermented foods and human intestines and their application.

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Lee, Han-Seung

2013-12-01

Archaea are prokaryotic organisms distinct from bacteria in the structural and molecular biological sense, and these microorganisms are known to thrive mostly at extreme environments. In particular, most studies on halophilic archaea have been focused on environmental and ecological researches. However, new species of halophilic archaea are being isolated and identified from high salt-fermented foods consumed by humans, and it has been found that various types of halophilic archaea exist in food products by culture-independent molecular biological methods. In addition, even if the numbers are not quite high, DNAs of various halophilic archaea are being detected in human intestines and much interest is given to their possible roles. This review aims to summarize the types and characteristics of halophilic archaea reported to be present in foods and human intestines and to discuss their application as well.

Biotechnological applications of halophilic lipases and thioesterases.

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Schreck, Steven D; Grunden, Amy M

2014-02-01

Lipases and esterases are enzymes which hydrolyze ester bonds between a fatty acid moiety and an esterified conjugate, such as a glycerol or phosphate. These enzymes have a wide spectrum of use in industrial applications where their high activity, broad substrate specificity, and stability under harsh conditions have made them integral in biofuel production, textile processing, waste treatment, and as detergent additives. To date, these industrial applications have mainly leveraged enzymes from mesophilic and thermophilic organisms. However, increasingly, attention has turned to halophilic enzymes as catalysts in environments where high salt stability is desired. This review provides a brief overview of lipases and esterases and examines specific structural motifs and evolutionary adaptations of halophilic lipases. Finally, we examine the state of research involving these enzymes and provide an in-depth look at an exciting algal-based biofuel production system. This system uses a recombinant halophilic lipase to increase oil production efficiency by cleaving algal fatty acids from the acyl carrier protein, which eliminates feedback inhibition of fatty acid synthesis.

Overexpression and purification of halophilic proteins in Haloferax volcanii

OpenAIRE

Allers, Thorsten

2010-01-01

Halophilic enzymes function optimally at high salt concentrations and are active at low water availability. Such conditions are encountered at elevated concentrations of solutes such as salts and sugars, and at high concentrations of organic solvents. However, expression in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli can cause problems, since halophilic proteins typically misfold and aggregate in conditions of low ionic strength. We have harnessed the sophisticated genetic tools available for...

Prospects for robust biocatalysis: engineering of novel specificity in a halophilic amino acid dehydrogenase.

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Munawar, Nayla; Engel, Paul C

2013-01-01

Heat- and solvent-tolerant enzymes from halophiles, potentially important industrially, offer a robust framework for protein engineering, but few solved halophilic structures exist to guide this. Homology modelling has guided mutations in glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) from Halobacterium salinarum to emulate conversion of a mesophilic GDH to a methionine dehydrogenase. Replacement of K89, A163 and S367 by leucine, glycine and alanine converted halophilic GDH into a dehydrogenase accepting L-methionine, L-norleucine and L-norvaline as substrates. Over-expression in the halophilic expression host Haloferax volcanii and three-step purification gave ~98 % pure protein exhibiting maximum activity at pH 10. This enzyme also showed enhanced thermostability and organic solvent tolerance even at 70 °C, offering a biocatalyst resistant to harsh industrial environments. To our knowledge, this is the first reported amino acid specificity change engineered in a halophilic enzyme, encouraging use of mesophilic models to guide engineering of novel halophilic biocatalysts for industrial application. Calibrated gel filtration experiments show that both the mutant and the wild-type enzyme are stable hexamers.

Stoichiometric and kinetic analysis of extreme halophilic Archaea on various substrates in a corrosion resistant bioreactor.

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Lorantfy, Bettina; Seyer, Bernhard; Herwig, Christoph

2014-01-25

Extreme halophilic Archaea are extremophile species which can thrive in hypersaline environments of up to 3-5 M sodium chloride concentration. Although their ecology and physiology are widely identified on the microbiological level, little emphasis has been laid on quantitative bioprocess development with extreme halophiles. The goal of this study was to establish, on the one hand, a methodological basis for quantitative bioprocess analysis of extreme halophilic Archaea with an extreme halophilic strain as an example. Firstly, as a novel usage, a corrosion resistant bioreactor setup for extreme halophiles has been implemented. Then, paying special attention to total bioprocess quantification approaches, an indirect method for biomass quantification using on-line process signals was introduced. Subsequently, robust quantitative data evaluation methods for halophiles could be developed, providing defined and controlled cultivation conditions in the bioreactor and therefore obtaining suitable quality of on-line as well as off-line datasets. On the other hand, new physiological results of extreme halophiles in bioreactor have also been obtained based on the quantitative methodological tools. For the first time, quantitative data on stoichiometry and kinetics were collected and evaluated on different carbon sources. The results on various substrates were interpreted, with proposed metabolic mechanisms, by linking to the reported primary carbon metabolism of extreme halophilic Archaea. Moreover, results of chemostat cultures demonstrated that extreme halophilic organisms show Monod-kinetics on different sole carbon sources. A diauxic growth pattern was described on a mixture of substrates in batch cultivations. In addition, the methodologies presented here enable one to characterize the utilized strain Haloferax mediterranei (HFX) as a potential new host organism. Thus, this study offers a strong methodological basis as well as a fundamental physiological assessment for

Halophilic Bacteria as a Source of Novel Hydrolytic Enzymes

Science.gov (United States)

de Lourdes Moreno, María; Pérez, Dolores; García, María Teresa; Mellado, Encarnación

2013-01-01

Hydrolases constitute a class of enzymes widely distributed in nature from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. The halotolerance of many enzymes derived from halophilic bacteria can be exploited wherever enzymatic transformations are required to function under physical and chemical conditions, such as in the presence of organic solvents and extremes in temperature and salt content. In recent years, different screening programs have been performed in saline habitats in order to isolate and characterize novel enzymatic activities with different properties to those of conventional enzymes. Several halophilic hydrolases have been described, including amylases, lipases and proteases, and then used for biotechnological applications. Moreover, the discovery of biopolymer-degrading enzymes offers a new solution for the treatment of oilfield waste, where high temperature and salinity are typically found, while providing valuable information about heterotrophic processes in saline environments. In this work, we describe the results obtained in different screening programs specially focused on the diversity of halophiles showing hydrolytic activities in saline and hypersaline habitats, including the description of enzymes with special biochemical properties. The intracellular lipolytic enzyme LipBL, produced by the moderately halophilic bacterium Marinobacter lipolyticus, showed advantages over other lipases, being an enzyme active over a wide range of pH values and temperatures. The immobilized LipBL derivatives obtained and tested in regio- and enantioselective reactions, showed an excellent behavior in the production of free polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). On the other hand, the extremely halophilic bacterium, Salicola marasensis sp. IC10 showing lipase and protease activities, was studied for its ability to produce promising enzymes in terms of its resistance to temperature and salinity. PMID:25371331

Halophilic Bacteria as a Source of Novel Hydrolytic Enzymes

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Encarnación Mellado

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Hydrolases constitute a class of enzymes widely distributed in nature from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. The halotolerance of many enzymes derived from halophilic bacteria can be exploited wherever enzymatic transformations are required to function under physical and chemical conditions, such as in the presence of organic solvents and extremes in temperature and salt content. In recent years, different screening programs have been performed in saline habitats in order to isolate and characterize novel enzymatic activities with different properties to those of conventional enzymes. Several halophilic hydrolases have been described, including amylases, lipases and proteases, and then used for biotechnological applications. Moreover, the discovery of biopolymer-degrading enzymes offers a new solution for the treatment of oilfield waste, where high temperature and salinity are typically found, while providing valuable information about heterotrophic processes in saline environments. In this work, we describe the results obtained in different screening programs specially focused on the diversity of halophiles showing hydrolytic activities in saline and hypersaline habitats, including the description of enzymes with special biochemical properties. The intracellular lipolytic enzyme LipBL, produced by the moderately halophilic bacterium Marinobacter lipolyticus, showed advantages over other lipases, being an enzyme active over a wide range of pH values and temperatures. The immobilized LipBL derivatives obtained and tested in regio- and enantioselective reactions, showed an excellent behavior in the production of free polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs. On the other hand, the extremely halophilic bacterium, Salicola marasensis sp. IC10 showing lipase and protease activities, was studied for its ability to produce promising enzymes in terms of its resistance to temperature and salinity.

Halophilic Nuclease from a Moderately Halophilic Micrococcus varians

Science.gov (United States)

Kamekura, Masahiro; Onishi, Hiroshi

1974-01-01

The moderately halophilic bacterium Micrococcus varians, isolated from soy sauce mash, produced extracellular nuclease when cultivated aerobically in media containing 1 to 4 M NaCl or KCl. The enzyme, purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state, had both ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease activities. The nuclease had maximal activity in the presence of 2.9 M NaCl or 2.1 M KCl at 40 C. The enzymatic activity was lost by dialysis against low-salt buffer, whereas when the inactivated enzyme was dialyzed against 3.4 M NaCl buffer as much as 77% of the initial activity could be restored. Images PMID:4852218

Identification of halophile bacteria from salt deserts of Iran and study some of their physiological traits

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Maryam Safdarian

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Halophiles and halotolerant microorganisms are some of the extremophiles that are able to grow in medium containing sodium chloride and have adapted to life in salinity environments. Halophiles bacteria in saline soils by maintaining the food chain, decomposition of organic matter and improvement of soil structure and fertility improve soil conditions. Materials and methods: In order to isolate the halotoletant bacteria, from the halophyte rhizosphere, four desert areas in Golestan province were sampled. To check the Extremophile of isolates, their resistance was tested for resistant to salinity, drought, temperature and PH. Also, plant growth promoting traits were measured. Results: Fromforty-five strains which were isolated, three strains (G3, G6 and G14 have demonstrated the ability of resistance to 35% salt. Isolates G6 and G3 phosphate solubiliziation power of 301 and 201 ppm, respectively. Isolated G6 micrograms produced auxin 20/7 Mg/ ml. G14 and G6 grow at 50 °C, pH = 10 and osmotic potential -0 /7MPa. While G3 strain grows at 50 °C, pH = 7/ 5 and osmotic potential -0/49. The three strains of the bacterial genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: In this study, isolates due to the growth in concentrations of salt and saturated salt tolerance of extreme environmental conditions and are likely halotolerant or halophile bacteria and its potential for use in various fields of biotechnology including biotech, industrial enzyme production and biological fertilizers for saline soil improvement.

Plutonium interaction with a bacterial strain isolated from the waste isolation pilot plant (WIPP) environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strietelmeier, B.A.; Kraus, S.M.; Leonard, P.A.; Triay, I.R.

1996-01-01

This work was conducted as part of a series of experiments to determine the association and interaction of various actinides with bacteria isolated from the WIPP site. The majority of bacteria that exist at the site are expected to be halophiles, or extreme halophiles, due to the high concentration of salt minerals at the location. Experiments were conducted to determine the toxicity of plutonium-n-239, neptunium-237 and americium-243 to several species of these halophiles and the results were reported elsewhere. As an extension of these experiments, we report an investigation of the type of association that occurs between 239 Pu and the isolate WIPP-1A, isolated by staff at Brookhaven National Laboratory, when grown in a high-salt, defined medium. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, we demonstrate a surface association of the 239 Pu with the bacterial cells

Structural adaptation of extreme halophilic proteins through decrease of conserved hydrophobic contact surface

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Halophiles are extremophilic microorganisms growing optimally at high salt concentrations. There are two strategies used by halophiles to maintain proper osmotic pressure in their cytoplasm: accumulation of molar concentrations of potassium and chloride with extensive adaptation of the intracellular macromolecules ("salt-in" strategy) or biosynthesis and/or accumulation of organic osmotic solutes ("osmolyte" strategy). Our work was aimed at contributing to the understanding of the shared molecular mechanisms of protein haloadaptation through a detailed and systematic comparison of a sample of several three-dimensional structures of halophilic and non-halophilic proteins. Structural differences observed between the "salt-in" and the mesophilic homologous proteins were contrasted to those observed between the "osmolyte" and mesophilic pairs. Results The results suggest that haloadaptation strategy in the presence of molar salt concentration, but not of osmolytes, necessitates a weakening of the hydrophobic interactions, in particular at the level of conserved hydrophobic contacts. Weakening of these interactions counterbalances their strengthening by the presence of salts in solution and may help the structure preventing aggregation and/or loss of function in hypersaline environments. Conclusions Considering the significant increase of biotechnology applications of halophiles, the understanding of halophilicity can provide the theoretical basis for the engineering of proteins of great interest because stable at concentrations of salts that cause the denaturation or aggregation of the majority of macromolecules. PMID:22192175

Structural adaptation of extreme halophilic proteins through decrease of conserved hydrophobic contact surface

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Siglioccolo Alessandro

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Halophiles are extremophilic microorganisms growing optimally at high salt concentrations. There are two strategies used by halophiles to maintain proper osmotic pressure in their cytoplasm: accumulation of molar concentrations of potassium and chloride with extensive adaptation of the intracellular macromolecules ("salt-in" strategy or biosynthesis and/or accumulation of organic osmotic solutes ("osmolyte" strategy. Our work was aimed at contributing to the understanding of the shared molecular mechanisms of protein haloadaptation through a detailed and systematic comparison of a sample of several three-dimensional structures of halophilic and non-halophilic proteins. Structural differences observed between the "salt-in" and the mesophilic homologous proteins were contrasted to those observed between the "osmolyte" and mesophilic pairs. Results The results suggest that haloadaptation strategy in the presence of molar salt concentration, but not of osmolytes, necessitates a weakening of the hydrophobic interactions, in particular at the level of conserved hydrophobic contacts. Weakening of these interactions counterbalances their strengthening by the presence of salts in solution and may help the structure preventing aggregation and/or loss of function in hypersaline environments. Conclusions Considering the significant increase of biotechnology applications of halophiles, the understanding of halophilicity can provide the theoretical basis for the engineering of proteins of great interest because stable at concentrations of salts that cause the denaturation or aggregation of the majority of macromolecules.

Progress in decontamination by halophilic microorganisms in saline wastewater and soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuang Xuliang; Han Zhen; Bai Zhihui; Zhuang Guoqiang; Shim Hojae

2010-01-01

Environments with high-salt concentrations are often populated by dense microbial communities. Halophilic microorganisms can be isolated from different saline environments and different strains even belonging to the same genus have various applications. Wastewater and soil rich in both organic matter and salt are difficult to treat using conventional microorganisms typically found in wastewater treatment and soil bioremediation facilities. Studies on decontaminative capabilities and decontamination pathways of organic contaminants (i.e., aromatic compounds benzoate, cinnamate, 3-phenylpropionate, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid), heavy metals (i.e., tellurium, vanadium), and nutrients in the biological treatment of saline wastewater and soil by halophilic microorganisms are discussed in this review. - Review on the decontaminative capabilities of halophilic microorganisms in saline wastewater and soil.

Progress in decontamination by halophilic microorganisms in saline wastewater and soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuang Xuliang, E-mail: xlzhuang@rcees.ac.c [Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085 (China); Bureau of Science and Technology for Resources and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864 (China); Han Zhen [Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Bai Zhihui; Zhuang Guoqiang [Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085 (China); Shim Hojae [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau (China)

2010-05-15

Environments with high-salt concentrations are often populated by dense microbial communities. Halophilic microorganisms can be isolated from different saline environments and different strains even belonging to the same genus have various applications. Wastewater and soil rich in both organic matter and salt are difficult to treat using conventional microorganisms typically found in wastewater treatment and soil bioremediation facilities. Studies on decontaminative capabilities and decontamination pathways of organic contaminants (i.e., aromatic compounds benzoate, cinnamate, 3-phenylpropionate, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid), heavy metals (i.e., tellurium, vanadium), and nutrients in the biological treatment of saline wastewater and soil by halophilic microorganisms are discussed in this review. - Review on the decontaminative capabilities of halophilic microorganisms in saline wastewater and soil.

Generation of PHB from Spent Sulfite Liquor Using Halophilic Microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Weissgram, Michaela; Gstöttner, Janina; Lorantfy, Bettina; Tenhaken, Raimund; Herwig, Christoph; Weber, Hedda K

2015-06-08

Halophilic microorganisms thrive at elevated concentrations of sodium chloride up to saturation and are capable of growing on a wide variety of carbon sources like various organic acids, hexose and also pentose sugars. Hence, the biotechnological application of these microorganisms can cover many aspects, such as the treatment of hypersaline waste streams of different origin. Due to the fact that the high osmotic pressure of hypersaline environments reduces the risk of contamination, the capacity for cost-effective non-sterile cultivation can make extreme halophilic microorganisms potentially valuable organisms for biotechnological applications. In this contribution, the stepwise use of screening approaches, employing design of experiment (DoE) on model media and subsequently using industrial waste as substrate have been implemented to investigate the applicability of halophiles to generate PHB from the industrial waste stream spent sulfite liquor (SSL). The production of PHB on model media as well as dilutions of industrial substrate in a complex medium has been screened for by fluorescence microscopy using Nile Blue staining. Screening was used to investigate the ability of halophilic microorganisms to withstand the inhibiting substances of the waste stream without negatively affecting PHB production. It could be shown that neither single inhibiting substances nor a mixture thereof inhibited growth in the investigated range, hence, leaving the question on the inhibiting mechanisms open. However, it could be demonstrated that some haloarchaea and halophilic bacteria are able to produce PHB when cultivated on 3.3% w/w dry matter spent sulfite liquor, whereas H. halophila was even able to thrive on 6.6% w/w dry matter spent sulfite liquor and still produce PHB.

Taxonomic study of extreme halophilic archaea isolated from the "Salar de Atacama", Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Lizama, C; Monteoliva-Sánchez, M; Prado, B; Ramos-Cormenzana, A; Weckesser, J; Campos, V

2001-11-01

A large number of halophilic bacteria were isolated in 1984-1992 from the Atacama Saltern (North of Chile). For this study 82 strains of extreme halophilic archaea were selected. The characterization was performed by using the phenotypic characters including morphological, physiological, biochemical, nutritional and antimicrobial susceptibility test. The results, together with those from reference strains, were subjected to numerical analysis, using the Simple Matching (S(SM)) coefficient and clustered by the unweighted pair group method of association (UPGMA). Fifteen phena were obtained at an 70% similarity level. The results obtained reveal a high diversity among the halophilic archaea isolated. Representative strains from the phena were chosen to determine their DNA base composition and the percentage of DNA-DNA similarity compared to reference strains. The 16S rRNA studies showed that some of these strains constitutes a new taxa of extreme halophilic archaea.

Bioremediation of gasoline contaminated soil by a bacterial consortium amended with poultry litter, coir pith and rhamnolipid biosurfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, K.S.M.; Banat, I.M.; Thahira, J.; Thayumanavan, T.; Lakshmanaperumalsamy, P.

2002-01-01

The aim of the present study was to find methods for enhancing rates of hydrocarbon biodegradation in gasoline contaminated soil by ex situ bioremediation. Red soil (RS) was treated with gasoline-spilled soil (GS) from a gasoline station and different combinations of amendments were prepared using (i) mixed bacterial consortium (MC), (ii) poultry litter (PL), (iii) coir pith (CP) and (iv) rhamnolipid biosurfactant (BS) produced by Pseudomonas sp. DS10-129. The study was conducted for a period of 90 days during which bacterial growth, hydrocarbon degradation and growth parameters of Phaseolus aureus RoxB including seed germination, chlorophyll content, shoot and root length were measured. Approximately 67% and 78% of the hydrocarbons were effectively degraded within 60 days in soil samples amended with RS + GS + MC + PL + CP + BS at 0.1% and 1%. Maximum percentage of seed germination, shoot length, root length and chlorophyll content in P. aureus were recorded after 60 days in the above amendments. Further incubation to 90 days did not exhibit significant improvements. Statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT) revealed that the level of amendments, incubation time and combination of amendments significantly influenced bacterial growth, hydrocarbon degradation, seed germination and chlorophyll content at a 1% probability level. All tested additives MC, PL, CP and rhamnolipid BS had significant positive effects on the bioremediation of GS. (author)

Halophilic and haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sorokin, D.Y.; Banciu, H.; Robertson, L.A.; Kuenen, J.G.; Muntyan, M.S.; Muyzer, G.; Rosenberg, E.; DeLong, F.; Delong, E.; Lory, S.; Stackebrandt, E.; Thompson, F.

2013-01-01

Chemotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) represent an important functional group of microorganisms responsible for the dark oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds generated by sulfidogens. Until recently, only a single genus of halophilic SOB (Halothiobacillus) has been described, and nothing was

Microbial culturomics to isolate halophilic bacteria from table salt: genome sequence and description of the moderately halophilic bacterium Bacillus salis sp. nov.

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E.H. Seck

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Bacillus salis strain ES3T (= CSUR P1478 = DSM 100598 is the type strain of B. salis sp. nov. It is an aerobic, Gram-positive, moderately halophilic, motile and spore-forming bacterium. It was isolated from commercial table salt as part of a broad culturomics study aiming to maximize the culture conditions for the in-depth exploration of halophilic bacteria in salty food. Here we describe the phenotypic characteristics of this isolate, its complete genome sequence and annotation, together with a comparison with closely related bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated 97.5% similarity with Bacillus aquimaris, the closest species. The 8 329 771 bp long genome (one chromosome, no plasmids exhibits a G+C content of 39.19%. It is composed of 18 scaffolds with 29 contigs. Of the 8303 predicted genes, 8109 were protein-coding genes and 194 were RNAs. A total of 5778 genes (71.25% were assigned a putative function. Keywords: Bacillus salis, culturomics, genome, halophilic bacteria, human gut, taxonogenomics

Molecular analysis of the bacterial diversity in a specialized consortium for diesel oil degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paixao, Douglas Antonio Alvaredo; Accorsini, Fabio Raphael; Vidotti, Maria Benincasa; Lemos, Eliana Gertrudes de Macedo [Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Fac. de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias], Emails: douglas_unespfcav@yahoo.com.br, vidotti@netsite.com.bregerle@fcav.unesp.br; Dimitrov, Mauricio Rocha [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil)], Email: mau_dimitrov@yahoo.com.br; Pereira, Rodrigo Matheus [EMBRAPARA Soybean - Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria (EMBRAPA - Soja), Londrina, PR (Brazil)], Email: poetbr@gmail.com

2010-05-15

Diesel oil is a compound derived from petroleum, consisting primarily of hydrocarbons. Poor conditions in transportation and storage of this product can contribute significantly to accidental spills causing serious ecological problems in soil and water and affecting the diversity of the microbial environment. The cloning and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene is one of the molecular techniques that allows estimation and comparison of the microbial diversity in different environmental samples. The aim of this work was to estimate the diversity of microorganisms from the Bacteria domain in a consortium specialized in diesel oil degradation through partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. After the extraction of DNA metagenomics, the material was amplified by PCR reaction using specific oligonucleotide primers for the 16S rRNA gene. The PCR products were cloned into a pGEM-T-Easy vector (Promega), and Escherichia coli was used as the host cell for recombinant DNAs. The partial clone sequencing was obtained using universal oligonucleotide primers from the vector. The genetic library obtained generated 431 clones. All the sequenced clones presented similarity to phylum Proteobacteria, with Gammaproteobacteria the most present group (49.8 % of the clones), followed by Alphaproteobacteira (44.8 %) and Betaproteobacteria (5.4 %). The Pseudomonas genus was the most abundant in the metagenomics library, followed by the Parvibaculum and the Sphingobium genus, respectively. After partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA, the diversity of the bacterial consortium was estimated using DOTUR software. When comparing these sequences to the database from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a strong correlation was found between the data generated by the software used and the data deposited in NCBI. (author)

Untargeted Metabolomics Approach in Halophiles: Understanding the Biodeterioration Process of Building Materials

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Justyna Adamiak

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to explore the halophile metabolome in building materials using untargeted metabolomics which allows for broad metabolome coverage. For this reason, we used high-performance liquid chromatography interfaced to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC/HRMS. As an alternative to standard microscopy techniques, we introduced pioneering Coherent Anti-stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy (CARS to non-invasively visualize microbial cells. Brick samples saturated with salt solution (KCl, NaCl (two salinity levels, MgSO4, Mg(NO32, were inoculated with the mixture of preselected halophilic microorganisms, i.e., bacteria: Halobacillus styriensis, Halobacillus naozhouensis, Halobacillus hunanensis, Staphylococcus succinus, Marinococcus halophilus, Virgibacillus halodenitryficans, and yeast: Sterigmatomyces halophilus and stored at 28°C and 80% relative humidity for a year. Metabolites were extracted directly from the brick samples and measured via HPLC/HRMS in both positive and negative ion modes. Overall, untargeted metabolomics allowed for discovering the interactions of halophilic microorganisms with buildings materials which together with CARS microscopy enabled us to elucidate the biodeterioration process caused by halophiles. We observed that halophile metabolome was differently affected by different salt solutions. Furthermore, we found indications for haloadaptive strategies and degradation of brick samples due to microbial pigment production as a salt stress response. Finally, we detected changes in lipid content related to changes in the structure of phospholipid bilayers and membrane fluidity.

Effective bioremediation of a petroleum-polluted saline soil by a surfactant-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa consortium

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Ali Ebadi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bacteria able to produce biosurfactants can use petroleum-based hydrocarbons as a carbon source. Herein, four biosurfactant-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, isolated from oil-contaminated saline soil, were combined to form a bacterial consortium. The inoculation of the consortium to contaminated soil alleviated the adverse effects of salinity on biodegradation and increased the rate of degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon approximately 30% compared to the rate achieved in non-treated soil. In saline condition, treatment of polluted soil with the consortium led to a significant boost in the activity of dehydrogenase (approximately 2-fold. A lettuce seedling bioassay showed that, following the treatment, the soil's level of phytotoxicity was reduced up to 30% compared to non-treated soil. Treatment with an appropriate bacterial consortium can represent an effective means of reducing the adverse effects of salinity on the microbial degradation of petroleum and thus provides enhancement in the efficiency of microbial remediation of oil-contaminated saline soils.

Efficiency of consortium for in-situ bioremediation and CO2 evolution method of refines petroleum oil in microcosms study

OpenAIRE

Dutta, Shreyasri; Singh, Padma

2017-01-01

An in-situ bioremediation study was conducted in a laboratory by using mixed microbial consortium. An indigenous microbial consortium was developed by assemble of two Pseudomonas spp. and two Aspergillus spp. which were isolated from various oil contaminated sites of India. The laboratory feasibility study was conducted in a 225 m2 block. Six treatment options-Oil alone, Oil+Best remediater, Oil+Bacterial consortium, Oil+Fungal consortium, Oil+Mixed microbial consortium, Oil+Indigenous microf...

The potential of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria for the production of antineoplastic enzymes: L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirazian, Pejman; Asad, Sedigheh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali

2016-01-01

L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase can be effectively used for the treatment of patients who suffer from accute lymphoblastic leukemia and tumor cells. Microbial sources are the best source for the bulk production of these enzymes. However, their long-term administration may cause immunological responses, so screening for new enzymes with novel properties is required. Halophilic and halotolerant bacteria with novel enzymatic characteristics can be considered as a potential source for production of enzymes with different immunological properties. In this study, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production by halophilic bacteria isolated from Urmia salt lake was studied. Out of the 85 isolated halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains, 16 (19 %) showed L-asparaginase activity and 3 strains (3.5 %) showed L-glutaminase activity. Strains with the highest activities were selected for further studies. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, it was shown that the selected isolates for L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production belong to the genus Bacillus and Salicola, respectively. Both enzymes were produced extracellularly. The strain with the most L-asparaginase production did not show L-glutaminase production which is medically important. The effects of key parameters including temperature, initial pH of the solution, and concentrations of glucose, asparagine or glutamine, and sodium chloride were evaluated by means of response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize enzymes production. Under the obtained optimal conditions, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production was increased up to 1.5 (61.7 unit/mL) and 2.6 fold (46.4 unit/mL), respectively.

The Function of Gas Vesicles in Halophilic Archaeaand Bacteria: Theories and Experimental Evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Oren, Aharon

2012-01-01

A few extremely halophilic Archaea (Halobacterium salinarum, Haloquadratum walsbyi, Haloferax mediterranei, Halorubrum vacuolatum, Halogeometricum borinquense, Haloplanus spp.) possess gas vesicles that bestow buoyancy on the cells. Gas vesicles are also produced by the anaerobic endospore-forming halophilic Bacteria Sporohalobacter lortetii and Orenia sivashensis. We have extensive information on the properties of gas vesicles in Hbt. salinarum and Hfx. mediterranei and the regulation of their formation. Different functions were suggested for gas vesicle synthesis: buoying cells towards oxygen-rich surface layers in hypersaline water bodies to prevent oxygen limitation, reaching higher light intensities for the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin, positioning the cells optimally for light absorption, light shielding, reducing the cytoplasmic volume leading to a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio (for the Archaea) and dispersal of endospores (for the anaerobic spore-forming Bacteria). Except for Hqr. walsbyi which abounds in saltern crystallizer brines, gas-vacuolate halophiles are not among the dominant life forms in hypersaline environments. There only has been little research on gas vesicles in natural communities of halophilic microorganisms, and the few existing studies failed to provide clear evidence for their possible function. This paper summarizes the current status of the different theories why gas vesicles may provide a selective advantage to some halophilic microorganisms. PMID:25371329

Hans Georg Trüper (1936–2016 and His Contributions to Halophile Research

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Aharon Oren

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Prof. Hans Georg Trüper, one of the most important scientists in the field of halophile research, passed away on 9 March 2016 at the age of 79. I here present a brief obituary with special emphasis on Prof. Trüper’s contributions to our understanding of the halophilic prokaryotes and their adaptations to life in hypersaline environments. He has pioneered the study of the halophilic anoxygenic phototrophic sulfur bacteria of the Ectothiorhodospira—Halorhodospira group. Some of the species he and his group isolated from hypersaline and haloalkaline environments have become model organisms for the study of the mechanisms of haloadaptation: the functions of three major organic compounds – glycine betaine, ectoine, and trehalose – known to serve as “compatible solutes” in halophilic members of the Bacteria domain, were discovered during studies of these anoxygenic phototrophs. Prof. Trüper’s studies of hypersaline alkaline environments in Egypt also led to the isolation of the first known extremely halophilic archaeon (Natronomonas pharaonis. The guest editors dedicate this special volume of Life to the memory of Prof. Hans Georg Trüper.

Improvement of halophilic cellulase production from locally isolated fungal strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunny, Ahmad Anas Nagoor; Arbain, Dachyar; Jamal, Parveen; Gumba, Rizo Edwin

2015-07-01

Halophilic cellulases from the newly isolated fungus, Aspergillus terreus UniMAP AA-6 were found to be useful for in situ saccharification of ionic liquids treated lignocelluloses. Efforts have been taken to improve the enzyme production through statistical optimization approach namely Plackett-Burman design and the Face Centered Central Composite Design (FCCCD). Plackett-Burman experimental design was used to screen the medium components and process conditions. It was found that carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), FeSO4·7H2O, NaCl, MgSO4·7H2O, peptone, agitation speed and inoculum size significantly influence the production of halophilic cellulase. On the other hand, KH2PO4, KOH, yeast extract and temperature had a negative effect on enzyme production. Further optimization through FCCCD revealed that the optimization approach improved halophilic cellulase production from 0.029 U/ml to 0.0625 U/ml, which was approximately 2.2-times greater than before optimization.

Investigating the Effects of Simulated Space conditions on Novel Extremely Halophilic Archaea: Halovarius Luteus gen. nov., sp. nov.

Science.gov (United States)

Feshangsaz, Niloofar; Van Loon, ing.. Jack J. W. A.; Nazmi, Kamran; Semsarha, Farid

2016-07-01

Studying halophiles from different environments of Earth provide new insights into our search for life in the universe. Haloarchaea show some unique characteristics and physiological adaptations like acidic proteins against harsh environments such as natural brine with salt concentration approaching saturation (5 M) and regions with low active water. These properties make haloarchaea interesting candidate for astrobiological studies. Halovarius luteus gen. nov., sp. nov. a novel extremely halophilic archaeon from Urmia salt lake, in Iran has been chosen to explore its resistance against a series of extreme conditions. The aim of this study is to assess the resistance of strain DA50T under the effects of simulated space conditions like simulated microgravity, hypergravity, and desiccation. In this paper we will discuss the results of these studies where we specifically focus on changes in carotenoid pigments production and whole cell proteome. This is the first report of very novel Iranian archaea in response to extreme space conditions. The pigments were extracted by acetone and methanol. Pigments were analyzed by scanning the absorbance spectrum in the UV-VIS spectrophotometer. And they were separated by TLC. Whole protein from cell lysate supernatant was extracted after lysis with Bacterial Protein Extraction Reagent and fractionated by RP-HPLC using C18 column. Proteome analyzed by electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and MALDI-TOF. Carotenoid pigments are formed under different extreme conditions such as dry environment and gravitational changes. Also the protein composition exhibits alterations after exposure to the same conditions. Our conclusion is that pigments and proteins formation depend on the growth circumstances. Halophiles use this as an adaptation to survive under different environmental conditions.

ABILITY OF BACTERIAL CONSORTIUM: Bacillus coagulans, Bacilus licheniformis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, Nitrosomonas sp. and Pseudomonas putida IN BIOREMEDIATION OF WASTE WATER IN CISIRUNG WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratu SAFITRI

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted in order to determine the ability of bacterial consortium: Bacillus coagulans, Bacilus licheniformis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, Nitrosomonas sp., and Pseudomonas putida in bioremediation of wastewater origin Cisirung WWTP. This study uses an experimental method completely randomized design (CRD, which consists of two treatment factors (8x8 factorial design. The first factor is a consortium of bacteria (K, consisting of 8 level factors (k1, k2, k3, k4, k5, k6, k7, and k8. The second factor is the time (T, consisting of a 7 level factors (t0, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, and t7. Test parameters consist of BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand, COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand, TSS (Total Suspended Solid, Ammonia and Population of Microbes during bioremediation. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, followed by Duncan test. The results of this study showed that the consortium of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, Nitrosomonas sp., and Pseudomonas putida with inoculum concentration of 5% (k6 is a consortium of the most effective in reducing BOD 71.93%, 64.30% COD, TSS 94.85%, and 88.58% of ammonia.

Mechanism of uranium (VI) removal by two anaerobic bacterial communities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martins, Monica [Centro de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, FCT-DQF (edificio 8), Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Faleiro, Maria Leonor [IBB - Centro de Biomedicina Molecular e Estrutural, Universidade do Algarve, FCT, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Costa, Ana M. Rosa da [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica do Algarve, Universidade do Algarve, FCT, DQF, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Chaves, Sandra; Tenreiro, Rogerio [Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciencias, Centro de Biodiversidade, Genomica Integrativa e Funcional (BioFIG), Campus de FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa (Portugal); Matos, Antonio Pedro [Servico de Anatomia Patologica, Hospital Curry Cabral, Lisboa (Portugal); Costa, Maria Clara, E-mail: mcorada@ualg.pt [Centro de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, FCT-DQF (edificio 8), Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal)

2010-12-15

The mechanism of uranium (VI) removal by two anaerobic bacterial consortia, recovered from an uncontaminated site (consortium A) and other from an uranium mine (consortium U), was investigated. The highest efficiency of U (VI) removal by both consortia (97%) occurred at room temperature and at pH 7.2. Furthermore, it was found that U (VI) removal by consortium A occurred by enzymatic reduction and bioaccumulation, while the enzymatic process was the only mechanism involved in metal removal by consortium U. FTIR analysis suggested that after U (VI) reduction, U (IV) could be bound to carboxyl, phosphate and amide groups of bacterial cells. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA showed that community A was mainly composed by bacteria closely related to Sporotalea genus and Rhodocyclaceae family, while community U was mainly composed by bacteria related to Clostridium genus and Rhodocyclaceae family.

Mechanism of uranium (VI) removal by two anaerobic bacterial communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Monica; Faleiro, Maria Leonor; Costa, Ana M. Rosa da; Chaves, Sandra; Tenreiro, Rogerio; Matos, Antonio Pedro; Costa, Maria Clara

2010-01-01

The mechanism of uranium (VI) removal by two anaerobic bacterial consortia, recovered from an uncontaminated site (consortium A) and other from an uranium mine (consortium U), was investigated. The highest efficiency of U (VI) removal by both consortia (97%) occurred at room temperature and at pH 7.2. Furthermore, it was found that U (VI) removal by consortium A occurred by enzymatic reduction and bioaccumulation, while the enzymatic process was the only mechanism involved in metal removal by consortium U. FTIR analysis suggested that after U (VI) reduction, U (IV) could be bound to carboxyl, phosphate and amide groups of bacterial cells. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA showed that community A was mainly composed by bacteria closely related to Sporotalea genus and Rhodocyclaceae family, while community U was mainly composed by bacteria related to Clostridium genus and Rhodocyclaceae family.

Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane Coupled to Nitrite Reduction by Halophilic Marine NC10 Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Zhanfei; Geng, Sha; Cai, Chaoyang; Liu, Shuai; Liu, Yan; Pan, Yawei; Lou, Liping; Zheng, Ping; Xu, Xinhua; Hu, Baolan

2015-08-15

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to nitrite reduction is a novel AOM process that is mediated by denitrifying methanotrophs. To date, enrichments of these denitrifying methanotrophs have been confined to freshwater systems; however, the recent findings of 16S rRNA and pmoA gene sequences in marine sediments suggest a possible occurrence of AOM coupled to nitrite reduction in marine systems. In this research, a marine denitrifying methanotrophic culture was obtained after 20 months of enrichment. Activity testing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis were then conducted and showed that the methane oxidation activity and the number of NC10 bacteria increased correlatively during the enrichment period. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that only bacteria in group A of the NC10 phylum were enriched and responsible for the resulting methane oxidation activity, although a diverse community of NC10 bacteria was harbored in the inoculum. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that NC10 bacteria were dominant in the enrichment culture after 20 months. The effect of salinity on the marine denitrifying methanotrophic culture was investigated, and the apparent optimal salinity was 20.5‰, which suggested that halophilic bacterial AOM coupled to nitrite reduction was obtained. Moreover, the apparent substrate affinity coefficients of the halophilic denitrifying methanotrophs were determined to be 9.8 ± 2.2 μM for methane and 8.7 ± 1.5 μM for nitrite. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Response surface method optimization of ectoine fermentation medium with moderate halophilic bacteria Halomonas sp. H02

Science.gov (United States)

Li, T. T.; Qu, A.; Yuan, X. N.; Tan, F. X.; Li, X. W.; Wang, T.; Zhang, L. H.

2017-07-01

Moderate halophilic bacteria are of halophilic bacteria whose suitable growth of NaCl is 5-10%. When the moderate halophilic bacteria response to high osmotic stress, the intracellular will synthesize small organic molecule compatible solutes. Ectoine, which is the major synthetic osmotic compatible solutes for moderate halophilic bacteria, can help microbial enzymes, nucleic acids and the whole cell resist to hypertonic, high temperature, freezing and other inverse environment. In order to increase the Ectoine production of Moderate halophilic bacteria Halomonas sp. H02, the Ectoine fermentation medium component was optimized by Plackett-Burman (PB) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on the principle of non-complete equilibrium The results of PB experiments showed that the three main influencing factors of Moderate halophilic bacteria Halomonas sp. H02 synthesis Ectoine culture medium were C5H8NNaO4 concentration, NaCl concentration and initial pH. According to the center point of the steepest climbing experiment, the central combination design experiment was used to show that the model is consistent with the actual situation. The optimum combination of three influencing factors were C5H8NNaO4 41 g/L, NaCl 87.2 g/L and initial pH 5.9, and the predicted amount of Ectoine was 1835.8 mg/L, increased by 41.6%.

Characterization of the proteasome from the extremely halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Franzetti

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A 20S proteasome, comprising two subunits α and β, was purified from the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui, which grows only in saturated salt conditions. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the H. marismortui proteasome (Hm proteasome, obtained from negatively stained electron micrographs, is virtually identical to the structure of a thermophilic proteasome filtered to the same resolution. The stability of the Hm proteasome was found to be less salt-dependent than that of other halophilic enzymes previously described. The proteolytic activity of the Hm proteasome was investigated using the malate dehydrogenase from H. marismortui (HmMalDH as a model substrate. The HmMalDH denatures when the salt concentration is decreased below 2 M. Under these conditions, the proteasome efficiently cleaves HmMalDH during its denaturation process, but the fully denatured HmMalDH is poorly degraded. These in vitro experiments show that, at low salt concentrations, the 20S proteasome from halophilic archaea eliminates a misfolded protein.

In Vitro Antioxidant, Antihemolytic, and Anticancer Activity of the Carotenoids from Halophilic Archaea.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jing; Cui, Heng-Lin

2018-03-01

Halophilic archaea represent a promising natural source of carotenoids. However, little information is available about the biological effects of carotenoids from halophilic archaea. In this study, the carotenoids produced by seven halophilic archaeal strains Halogeometricum rufum, Halogeometricum limi, Haladaptatus litoreus, Haloplanus vescus, Halopelagius inordinatus, Halogranum rubrum, and Haloferax volcanii were identified by ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The C 50 carotenoids bacterioruberin and its derivatives monoanhydrobacterioruberin and bisanhydrobacterioruberin were found to be the predominant carotenoids. The antioxidant capacities of the carotenoids from these strains were significantly higher than β-carotene as determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. The antihemolytic activities of these carotenoid extracts against H 2 O 2 -induced hemolysis in mouse erythrocytes were 3.9-6.3 times higher than β-carotene. A dose-dependent in vitro antiproliferative activity against HepG2 cells was observed for the extract from Hgm. limi, while that from Hpn. vescus exhibited a relatively high activity in a dose-independent manner. These results suggested that halophilic archaea could be considered as an alternative source of natural carotenoids with high antioxidant, antihemolytic, and anticancer activity.

Microbial ecology of bacterially mediated PCB biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettigrew, C.A. Jr.

1989-01-01

The roles of plasmid mediated and consortia mediated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) biodegradation by bacterial populations isolated from PCB contaminated freshwater sediments were investigated. PCB degrading bacteria were isolated by DNA:DNA colony hybridization, batch enrichments, and chemostat enrichment. Analysis of substrate removal and metabolite production were done using chlorinated biphenyl spray plates, reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography, Cl - detection, and 14 C-labeled substrate mineralization methods. A bacterial consortium, designated LPS10, involved in a concerted metabolic attack on chlorinated biphenyls, was shown to mineralize 4-chlorobiphenyl (4CB) and 4,4'-dichlorobiphenyl (4,4' CB). The LPS10 consortium was isolated by both batch and chemostat enrichment using 4CB and biphenyl (BP) as sole carbon source and was found to have tree bacterial isolates that predominated; these included: Pseudomonas, testosteroni LPS10A which mediated the breakdown of 4CB and 4,4' CB to the putative meta-cleavage product and subsequently to 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4CBA), an isolate tentatively identified as an Arthrobacter sp. LPS10B which mediated 4CBA degradation, and Pseudomonas putida by A LPS10C whose role in the consortium has not been determined

Anti-methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Compound Isolation from Halophilic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MHB1 and Determination of Its Mode of Action Using Electron Microscope and Flow Cytometry Analysis

OpenAIRE

Jeyanthi, Venkadapathi; Velusamy, Palaniyandi

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to purify, characterize and evaluate the antibacterial activity of bioactive compound against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The anti-MRSA compound was produced by a halophilic bacterial strain designated as MHB1. The MHB1 strain exhibited 99��% similarity to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. The culture conditions of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MHB1 were optimized using nutritional and environmental parameters for enhanc...

Arcobacter halophilus sp nov., the first obligate halophile in the genus Arcobacter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Donachie, S.P.; Bowman, J.P.; On, Stephen L.W.

2005-01-01

. Most notably, LA31B(T) was found to be an obligate halophile, a hitherto undescribed feature among recognized Arcobacter species. These data indicate that LA31B(T) should be considered to represent a novel species in the genus Arcobacter, for which the name Arcobacter halophilus sp. nov. is proposed....... This is the first obligately halophilic member of the genus. The type strain is LA31B(T) (= ATCC BAA- 102 2 T=CIP 108450(T))....

Structural characteristics of alkaline phosphatase from the moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. 593

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, Shigeki; Yonezawa, Yasushi; Ishibashi, Matsujiro; Matsumoto, Fumiko; Adachi, Motoyasu; Tamada, Taro; Tokunaga, Hiroko; Blaber, Michael; Tokunaga, Masao; Kuroki, Ryota

2014-01-01

In order to clarify the structural basis of the halophilic characteristics of an alkaline phosphatase derived from the moderate halophile Halomonas sp. 593 (HaAP), the tertiary structure of HaAP was determined to 2.1 Å resolution by X-ray crystallography. The structural properties of surface negative charge and core hydrophobicity were shown to be intermediate between those characteristic of halophiles and non-halophiles, and may explain the unique functional adaptation to a wide range of salt concentrations. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the moderate halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. 593 (HaAP) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphomonoesters over a wide salt-concentration range (1–4 M NaCl). In order to clarify the structural basis of its halophilic characteristics and its wide-range adaptation to salt concentration, the tertiary structure of HaAP was determined by X-ray crystallography to 2.1 Å resolution. The unit cell of HaAP contained one dimer unit corresponding to the biological unit. The monomer structure of HaAP contains a domain comprised of an 11-stranded β-sheet core with 19 surrounding α-helices similar to those of APs from other species, and a unique ‘crown’ domain containing an extended ‘arm’ structure that participates in formation of a hydrophobic cluster at the entrance to the substrate-binding site. The HaAP structure also displays a unique distribution of negatively charged residues and hydrophobic residues in comparison to other known AP structures. AP from Vibrio sp. G15-21 (VAP; a slight halophile) has the highest similarity in sequence (70.0% identity) and structure (C α r.m.s.d. of 0.82 Å for the monomer) to HaAP. The surface of the HaAP dimer is substantially more acidic than that of the VAP dimer (144 exposed Asp/Glu residues versus 114, respectively), and thus may enable the solubility of HaAP under high-salt conditions. Conversely, the monomer unit of HaAP formed a substantially larger hydrophobic interior comprising 329

Structural characteristics of alkaline phosphatase from the moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. 593

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arai, Shigeki; Yonezawa, Yasushi [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Ishibashi, Matsujiro [Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Matsumoto, Fumiko; Adachi, Motoyasu; Tamada, Taro [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Tokunaga, Hiroko [Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Blaber, Michael [Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300 (United States); Tokunaga, Masao [Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Kuroki, Ryota, E-mail: kuroki.ryota@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

2014-03-01

In order to clarify the structural basis of the halophilic characteristics of an alkaline phosphatase derived from the moderate halophile Halomonas sp. 593 (HaAP), the tertiary structure of HaAP was determined to 2.1 Å resolution by X-ray crystallography. The structural properties of surface negative charge and core hydrophobicity were shown to be intermediate between those characteristic of halophiles and non-halophiles, and may explain the unique functional adaptation to a wide range of salt concentrations. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the moderate halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. 593 (HaAP) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphomonoesters over a wide salt-concentration range (1–4 M NaCl). In order to clarify the structural basis of its halophilic characteristics and its wide-range adaptation to salt concentration, the tertiary structure of HaAP was determined by X-ray crystallography to 2.1 Å resolution. The unit cell of HaAP contained one dimer unit corresponding to the biological unit. The monomer structure of HaAP contains a domain comprised of an 11-stranded β-sheet core with 19 surrounding α-helices similar to those of APs from other species, and a unique ‘crown’ domain containing an extended ‘arm’ structure that participates in formation of a hydrophobic cluster at the entrance to the substrate-binding site. The HaAP structure also displays a unique distribution of negatively charged residues and hydrophobic residues in comparison to other known AP structures. AP from Vibrio sp. G15-21 (VAP; a slight halophile) has the highest similarity in sequence (70.0% identity) and structure (C{sup α} r.m.s.d. of 0.82 Å for the monomer) to HaAP. The surface of the HaAP dimer is substantially more acidic than that of the VAP dimer (144 exposed Asp/Glu residues versus 114, respectively), and thus may enable the solubility of HaAP under high-salt conditions. Conversely, the monomer unit of HaAP formed a substantially larger hydrophobic interior

Production of surfactant and detergent-stable, halophilic, and alkalitolerant alpha-amylase by a moderately halophilic Bacillus sp. Strain TSCVKK.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiran, Kondepudi Kanthi; Chandra, T S

2008-01-01

A moderately halophilic alkalitolerant Bacillus sp. Strain TSCVKK, with an ability to produce extracellular halophilic, alkalitolerant, surfactant, and detergent-stable alpha-amylase was isolated from soil samples obtained from a salt-manufacturing industry in Chennai. The culture conditions for higher amylase production were optimized with respect to NaCl, substrate, pH, and temperature. Maximum amylase production of 592 mU/ml was achieved in the medium at 48 h with 10% NaCl, 1% dextrin, 0.4% yeast extract, 0.2% tryptone, and 0.2% CaCl(2) at pH 8.0 at 30 degrees C. The enzyme activity in the culture supernatant was highest with 10% NaCl at pH 7.5 and 55 degrees C. The amylase that was partially purified by acetone precipitation was highly stable in various surfactants and detergents. Glucose, maltose, and maltooligosaccharides were the main end products of starch hydrolysis indicating that it is an alpha-amylase.

Catalytic properties of thermophilic lactate dehydrogenase and halophilic malate dehydrogenase at high temperature and low water activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hecht, K; Wrba, A; Jaenicke, R

1989-07-15

Thermophilic lactate dehydrogenases from Thermotoga maritima and Bacillus stearothermophilus are stable up to temperature limits close to the optimum growth temperature of their parent organisms. Their catalytic properties are anomalous in that Km shows a drastic increase with increasing temperature. At low temperatures, the effect levels off. Extreme halophilic malate dehydrogenase from Halobacterium marismortui exhibits a similar anomaly. Increasing salt concentration (NaCl) leads to an optimum curve for Km, oxaloacctate while Km, NADH remains constant. Previous claims that the activity of halophilic malate dehydrogenase shows a maximum at 1.25 M NaCl are caused by limiting substrate concentration; at substrate saturation, specific activity of halophilic malate dehydrogenase reaches a constant value at ionic strengths I greater than or equal to 1 M. Non-halophilic (mitochondrial) malate dehydrogenase shows Km characteristics similar to those observed for the halophilic enzyme. The drastic decrease in specific activity of the mitochondrial enzyme at elevated salt concentrations is caused by the salt-induced increase in rigidity of the enzyme, rather than gross structural changes.

Life under Multiple Extreme Conditions: Diversity and Physiology of the Halophilic Alkalithermophiles

Science.gov (United States)

Wiegel, Juergen

2012-01-01

Around the world, there are numerous alkaline, hypersaline environments that are heated either geothermally or through intense solar radiation. It was once thought that such harsh environments were inhospitable and incapable of supporting a variety of life. However, numerous culture-dependent and -independent studies revealed the presence of an extensive diversity of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and archaea that survive and grow under these multiple harsh conditions. This diversity includes the halophilic alkalithermophiles, a novel group of polyextremophiles that require for growth and proliferation the multiple extremes of high salinity, alkaline pH, and elevated temperature. Life under these conditions undoubtedly involves the development of unique physiological characteristics, phenotypic properties, and adaptive mechanisms that enable control of membrane permeability, control of intracellular osmotic balance, and stability of the cell wall, intracellular proteins, and other cellular constituents. This minireview highlights the ecology and growth characteristics of the extremely halophilic alkalithermophiles that have been isolated thus far. Biochemical, metabolic, and physiological properties of the extremely halophilic alkalithermophiles are described, and their roles in resistance to the combined stressors of high salinity, alkaline pH, and high temperature are discussed. The isolation of halophilic alkalithermophiles broadens the physicochemical boundaries for life and extends the boundaries for the combinations of the maximum salinity, pH, and temperature that can support microbial growth. PMID:22492435

First characterization of extremely halophilic 2-deoxy-D-ribose-5-phosphate aldolase.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohshida, Tatsuya; Hayashi, Junji; Satomura, Takenori; Kawakami, Ryushi; Ohshima, Toshihisa; Sakuraba, Haruhiko

2016-10-01

2-Deoxy-d-ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) catalyzes the aldol reaction between two aldehydes and is thought to be a potential biocatalyst for the production of a variety of stereo-specific materials. A gene encoding DERA from the extreme halophilic archaeon, Haloarcula japonica, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was successfully purified, using procedures based on the protein's halophilicity, and characterized. The expressed enzyme was stable in a buffer containing 2 M NaCl and exhibited high thermostability, retaining more than 90% of its activity after heating at 70 °C for 10 min. The enzyme was also tolerant to high concentrations of organic solvents, such as acetonitrile and dimethylsulfoxide. Moreover, H. japonica DERA was highly resistant to a high concentration of acetaldehyde and retained about 35% of its initial activity after 5-h' exposure to 300 mM acetaldehyde at 25 °C, the conditions under which E. coli DERA is completely inactivated. The enzyme exhibited much higher activity at 25 °C than the previously characterized hyperthermophilic DERAs (Sakuraba et al., 2007). Our results suggest that the extremely halophilic DERA has high potential to serve as a biocatalyst in organic syntheses. This is the first description of the biochemical characterization of a halophilic DERA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bipyrimidine Signatures as a Photoprotective Genome Strategy in G + C-rich Halophilic Archaea.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Daniel L; Baxter, Bonnie K

2016-09-02

Halophilic archaea experience high levels of ultraviolet (UV) light in their environments and demonstrate resistance to UV irradiation. DNA repair systems and carotenoids provide UV protection but do not account for the high resistance observed. Herein, we consider genomic signatures as an additional photoprotective strategy. The predominant forms of UV-induced DNA damage are cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, most notoriously thymine dimers (T^Ts), which form at adjacent Ts. We tested whether the high G + C content seen in halophilic archaea serves a photoprotective function through limiting T nucleotides, and thus T^T lesions. However, this speculation overlooks the other bipyrimidine sequences, all of which capable of forming photolesions to varying degrees. Therefore, we designed a program to determine the frequencies of the four bipyrimidine pairs (5' to 3': TT, TC, CT, and CC) within genomes of halophilic archaea and four other randomized sample groups for comparison. The outputs for each sampled genome were weighted by the intrinsic photoreactivities of each dinucleotide pair. Statistical methods were employed to investigate intergroup differences. Our findings indicate that the UV-resistance seen in halophilic archaea can be attributed in part to a genomic strategy: high G + C content and the resulting bipyrimidine signature reduces the genomic photoreactivity.

Isolation and characterization of extreme halophilic archaea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franze, Madlen; Cherkouk, Andrea [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). HZDR Young Investigator Group

2017-06-01

Extreme halophilic archaea from the family Halobactereacea represent a dominant part of the microbial community present in saline soils as well as rock salts. By using a culture-dependent approach different Haloarchaea could be isolated and were phylogenetic analysed. Interestingly, isolates closely related to different Halobacterium spp. were found in both environments.

Isolation and characterization of extreme halophilic archaea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franze, Madlen; Cherkouk, Andrea

2017-01-01

Extreme halophilic archaea from the family Halobactereacea represent a dominant part of the microbial community present in saline soils as well as rock salts. By using a culture-dependent approach different Haloarchaea could be isolated and were phylogenetic analysed. Interestingly, isolates closely related to different Halobacterium spp. were found in both environments.

Structural evidence for solvent-stabilisation by aspartic acid as a mechanism for halophilic protein stability in high salt concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenton, Samuel; Walsh, Danielle L; Rhys, Natasha H; Soper, Alan K; Dougan, Lorna

2016-07-21

Halophilic organisms have adapted to survive in high salt environments, where mesophilic organisms would perish. One of the biggest challenges faced by halophilic proteins is the ability to maintain both the structure and function at molar concentrations of salt. A distinct adaptation of halophilic proteins, compared to mesophilic homologues, is the abundance of aspartic acid on the protein surface. Mutagenesis and crystallographic studies of halophilic proteins suggest an important role for solvent interactions with the surface aspartic acid residues. This interaction, between the regions of the acidic protein surface and the solvent, is thought to maintain a hydration layer around the protein at molar salt concentrations thereby allowing halophilic proteins to retain their functional state. Here we present neutron diffraction data of the monomeric zwitterionic form of aspartic acid solutions at physiological pH in 0.25 M and 2.5 M concentration of potassium chloride, to mimic mesophilic and halophilic-like environmental conditions. We have used isotopic substitution in combination with empirical potential structure refinement to extract atomic-scale information from the data. Our study provides structural insights that support the hypothesis that carboxyl groups on acidic residues bind water more tightly under high salt conditions, in support of the residue-ion interaction model of halophilic protein stabilisation. Furthermore our data show that in the presence of high salt the self-association between the zwitterionic form of aspartic acid molecules is reduced, suggesting a possible mechanism through which protein aggregation is prevented.

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by bacterial consortium from excess sludge fermentation liquid at laboratory and pilot scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Qianqian; Xiong, Huilei; Wang, Hui; Shi, Hanchang; Sheng, Xinying; Sun, Run; Chen, Guoqiang

2014-11-01

The generation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from excess sludge fermentation liquid (SFL) was studied at lab and pilot scale. A PHA-accumulated bacterial consortium (S-150) was isolated from activated sludge using simulated SFL (S-SFL) contained high concentration volatile fatty acids (VFA) and nitrogen. The maximal PHA content accounted for 59.18% in S-SFL and dropped to 23.47% in actual SFL (L-SFL) of the dry cell weight (DCW) at lab scale. The pilot-scale integrated system comprised an anaerobic fermentation reactor (AFR), a ceramic membrane system (CMS) and a PHA production bio-reactor (PHAR). The PHA content from pilot-scale SFL (P-SFL) finally reached to 59.47% DCW with the maximal PHA yield coefficient (YP/S) of 0.17 g PHA/g COD. The results indicated that VFA-containing SFL was suitable for PHA production. The adverse impact of excess nitrogen and non-VFAs in SFL might be eliminated by pilot-scale domestication, which might resulted in community structure optimization and substrate selective ability improvement of S-150. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fungal hyphae stimulate bacterial degradation of 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knudsen, Berith Elkær; Ellegaard-Jensen, Lea; Albers, Christian Nyrop; Rosendahl, Søren; Aamand, Jens

2013-01-01

Introduction of specific degrading microorganisms into polluted soil or aquifers is a promising remediation technology provided that the organisms survive and spread in the environment. We suggest that consortia, rather than single strains, may be better suited to overcome these challenges. Here we introduced a fungal–bacterial consortium consisting of Mortierella sp. LEJ702 and the 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM)-degrading Aminobacter sp. MSH1 into small sand columns. A more rapid mineralisation of BAM was obtained by the consortium compared to MSH1 alone especially at lower moisture contents. Results from quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) demonstrated better spreading of Aminobacter when Mortierella was present suggesting that fungal hyphae may stimulate bacterial dispersal. Extraction and analysis of BAM indicated that translocation of the compound was also affected by the fungal hyphae in the sand. This suggests that fungal–bacterial consortia are promising for successful bioremediation of pesticide contamination. -- Highlights: •Presence of fungi increased the rate of BAM mineralization by Aminobacter sp. MSH1. •Fungal–bacterial consortium enhanced BAM degradation at low moisture contents. •Mortierella hyphae facilitated transport of the BAM degrader Aminobacter sp. MSH1. -- This study brings new knowledge to the benefits of applying bacterial–fungal consortia for bioremediation

[Community structure and diversity of culturable moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from Qrhan salt lake on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau].

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Shuo

2017-04-04

I studied the community structure and diversity of culturable moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from Qrhan Salt Lake. I isolated and cultured the moderate halophilic bacteria on different selective media. After the 16S rRNA gene sequences was amplified and measured, I constructed the phylogenic tree, analyzed the community structure and calculated the diversity indexes according to the 16S rRNA gene information. A total of 421 moderate halophilic bacteria were isolated from water and mud samples in Qrhan Salt Lake. The 16S rRNA gene information showed that 4 potential novel species belonged to the family Bacillaceae. Eighty-three model strains belonged to 3 phylurms 6 families 16 genus. Among them, Bacillus sp., Oceanobacillus sp. and Halomonas sp. were dominant species. Diversity analysis showed that the diversity of strains isolated from water sample was higher than that from mud sample, but the dominance degree of strains isolated from mud sample was higher than that from water sample. The genetic diversity of moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from Qrhan Salt Lake was abundant. Also, there were dominant and novel species of culturable moderate halophilic bacteria in this lake.

Shortcut nitrification-denitrification by means of autochthonous halophilic biomass in an SBR treating fish-canning wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Capodici, Marco; Corsino, Santo Fabio; Torregrossa, Michele; Viviani, Gaspare

2018-02-15

Autochthonous halophilic biomass was cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) aimed at analyzing the potential use of autochthonous halophilic activated sludge in treating saline industrial wastewater. Despite the high salt concentration (30 g NaCl L -1 ), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS), removal efficiencies were higher than 90%. More than 95% of the nitrogen was removed via a shortcut nitrification-denitrification process. Both the autotrophic and heterotrophic biomass samples exhibited high biological activity. The use of autochthonous halophilic biomass led to high-quality effluent and helped to manage the issues related to nitrogen removal in saline wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of antibiotics and ultraviolet radiation on the halophilic blue-green alga

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yopp, J.H.; Albright, G.; Miller, D.M.; Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale

1979-01-01

The effects of a variety of antibiotics, ultraviolet radiation and N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) on the survival and mutability of the halophilic blue-green alga, Aphanothece halophytica, were determined. The halophile was found extremely sensitive to penicillin G and bacitracin; moderately sensitive to novobiocin, amino acid analogs, chloramphenicol and streptomycin; and tolerant to actidione and hydroxyurea. Ultraviolet and NTG killing curves and photoreactivation capabilities were seimilar to those reported for other members of the Chroococcales. Three stable morphological mutants were obtained by ultraviolet and NTG treatment, the latter being much more efficient in the production of mutants. (orig.)

Application of Endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens and a Bacterial Consortium to Brassica napus Can Increase Plant Height and Biomass under Greenhouse and Field Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard D. Lally

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Plant associated bacteria with plant growth promotion (PGP properties have been proposed for use as environmentally friendly biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture; however, analysis of their efficacy in the field is often limited. In this study, greenhouse and field trials were carried out using individual endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens strains, the well characterized rhizospheric P. fluorescens F113 and an endophytic microbial consortium of 10 different strains. These bacteria had been previously characterized with respect to their PGP properties in vitro and had been shown to harbor a range of traits associated with PGP including siderophore production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC deaminase activity, and inorganic phosphate solubilization. In greenhouse experiments individual strains tagged with gfp and Kmr were applied to Brassica napus as a seed coat and were shown to effectively colonize the rhizosphere and root of B. napus and in addition they demonstrated a significant increase in plant biomass compared with the non-inoculated control. In the field experiment, the bacteria (individual and consortium were spray inoculated to winter oilseed rape B. napus var. Compass which was grown under standard North Western European agronomic conditions. Analysis of the data provides evidence that the application of the live bacterial biofertilizers can enhance aspects of crop development in B. napus at field scale. The field data demonstrated statistically significant increases in crop height, stem/leaf, and pod biomass, particularly, in the case of the consortium inoculated treatment. However, although seed and oil yield were increased in the field in response to inoculation, these data were not statistically significant under the experimental conditions tested. Future field trials will investigate the effectiveness of the inoculants under different agronomic conditions.

Lipids of the ultra-thin square halophilic archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi

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Simona LoBasso

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The lipid composition of the extremely halophilic archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi was investigated by thin-layer chromatography and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The analysis of neutral lipids showed the presence of vitamin MK-8, squalene, carotene, bacterioruberin and several retinal isomers. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerophosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerosulfate, phosphatidylglycerol and sulfated diglycosyl diether lipid. Among cardiolipins, the tetra-phytanyl or dimeric phospholipids, only traces of bisphosphatidylglycerol were detected. When the cells were exposed to hypotonic medium, no changes in the membrane lipid composition occurred. Distinguishing it from other extreme halophiles of the Halobacteriaceae family, the osmotic stress did not induce the neo-synthesis of cardiolipins in H. walsbyi. The difference may depend on the three-laminar structure of the cell wall, which differs significantly from that of other Haloarchaea.

Microbial culturomics to isolate halophilic bacteria from table salt: genome sequence and description of the moderately halophilic bacterium Bacillus salis sp. nov.

Science.gov (United States)

Seck, E H; Diop, A; Armstrong, N; Delerce, J; Fournier, P-E; Raoult, D; Khelaifia, S

2018-05-01

Bacillus salis strain ES3 T (= CSUR P1478 = DSM 100598) is the type strain of B. salis sp. nov. It is an aerobic, Gram-positive, moderately halophilic, motile and spore-forming bacterium. It was isolated from commercial table salt as part of a broad culturomics study aiming to maximize the culture conditions for the in-depth exploration of halophilic bacteria in salty food. Here we describe the phenotypic characteristics of this isolate, its complete genome sequence and annotation, together with a comparison with closely related bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated 97.5% similarity with Bacillus aquimaris, the closest species. The 8 329 771 bp long genome (one chromosome, no plasmids) exhibits a G+C content of 39.19%. It is composed of 18 scaffolds with 29 contigs. Of the 8303 predicted genes, 8109 were protein-coding genes and 194 were RNAs. A total of 5778 genes (71.25%) were assigned a putative function.

DNA Repair and Photoprotection: Mechanisms of Overcoming Environmental Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure in Halophilic Archaea.

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Jones, Daniel L; Baxter, Bonnie K

2017-01-01

Halophilic archaea push the limits of life at several extremes. In particular, they are noted for their biochemical strategies in dealing with osmotic stress, low water activity and cycles of desiccation in their hypersaline environments. Another feature common to their habitats is intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is a challenge that microorganisms must overcome. The consequences of high UV exposure include DNA lesions arising directly from bond rearrangement of adjacent bipyrimidines, or indirectly from oxidative damage, which may ultimately result in mutation and cell death. As such, these microorganisms have evolved a number of strategies to navigate the threat of DNA damage, which we differentiate into two categories: DNA repair and photoprotection. Photoprotection encompasses damage avoidance strategies that serve as a "first line of defense," and in halophilic archaea include pigmentation by carotenoids, mechanisms of oxidative damage avoidance, polyploidy, and genomic signatures that make DNA less susceptible to photodamage. Photolesions that do arise are addressed by a number of DNA repair mechanisms that halophilic archaea efficiently utilize, which include photoreactivation, nucleotide excision repair, base excision repair, and homologous recombination. This review seeks to place DNA damage, repair, and photoprotection in the context of halophilic archaea and the solar radiation of their hypersaline environments. We also provide new insight into the breadth of strategies and how they may work together to produce remarkable UV-resistance for these microorganisms.

Isolation, one-step affinity purification, and characterization of a polyextremotolerant laccase from the halophilic bacterium Aquisalibacillus elongatus and its application in the delignification of sugar beet pulp.

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Rezaei, Shahla; Shahverdi, Ahmad Reza; Faramarzi, Mohammad Ali

2017-04-01

The aim of the present work was to study the ability of a halophilic bacterial laccase to efficient delignification in extreme conditions. Here, a highly stable extracellular laccase showing ligninolytic activity from halophilic Aquisalibacillus elongatus is described. The laccase production was strongly influenced by NaCl and CuSO 4 and under optimal conditions reached 4.8UmL -1 . The monomeric enzyme of 75kDa was purified by a synthetic affinity column with 68.2% yield and 99.8-fold purification. The enzyme showed some valuable features viz. stability against a wide range of organic solvents, salts, metals, inhibitors, and surfactants and specificity to a wide spectrum of substrates diverse in structure and redox potential. It retained more than 50% of the original activity at 25-75°C and pH 5.0-10.0. Furthermore, the enzyme was found to be effective in the delignification of sugar beet pulp in an ionic liquid that makes it useful for industrial applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The crystal structure of Haloferax volcanii proliferating cell nuclear antigen reveals unique surface charge characteristics due to halophilic adaptation

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Morroll Shaun

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The high intracellular salt concentration required to maintain a halophilic lifestyle poses challenges to haloarchaeal proteins that must stay soluble, stable and functional in this extreme environment. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA is a fundamental protein involved in maintaining genome integrity, with roles in both DNA replication and repair. To investigate the halophilic adaptation of such a key protein we have crystallised and solved the structure of Haloferax volcanii PCNA (HvPCNA to a resolution of 2.0 Å. Results The overall architecture of HvPCNA is very similar to other known PCNAs, which are highly structurally conserved. Three commonly observed adaptations in halophilic proteins are higher surface acidity, bound ions and increased numbers of intermolecular ion pairs (in oligomeric proteins. HvPCNA possesses the former two adaptations but not the latter, despite functioning as a homotrimer. Strikingly, the positive surface charge considered key to PCNA's role as a sliding clamp is dramatically reduced in the halophilic protein. Instead, bound cations within the solvation shell of HvPCNA may permit sliding along negatively charged DNA by reducing electrostatic repulsion effects. Conclusion The extent to which individual proteins adapt to halophilic conditions varies, presumably due to their diverse characteristics and roles within the cell. The number of ion pairs observed in the HvPCNA monomer-monomer interface was unexpectedly low. This may reflect the fact that the trimer is intrinsically stable over a wide range of salt concentrations and therefore additional modifications for trimer maintenance in high salt conditions are not required. Halophilic proteins frequently bind anions and cations and in HvPCNA cation binding may compensate for the remarkable reduction in positive charge in the pore region, to facilitate functional interactions with DNA. In this way, HvPCNA may harness its environment as

The crystal structure of Haloferax volcanii proliferating cell nuclear antigen reveals unique surface charge characteristics due to halophilic adaptation

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Jody A; Christofi, Panayiotis; Morroll, Shaun; Bunting, Karen A

2009-01-01

Background The high intracellular salt concentration required to maintain a halophilic lifestyle poses challenges to haloarchaeal proteins that must stay soluble, stable and functional in this extreme environment. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a fundamental protein involved in maintaining genome integrity, with roles in both DNA replication and repair. To investigate the halophilic adaptation of such a key protein we have crystallised and solved the structure of Haloferax volcanii PCNA (HvPCNA) to a resolution of 2.0 Å. Results The overall architecture of HvPCNA is very similar to other known PCNAs, which are highly structurally conserved. Three commonly observed adaptations in halophilic proteins are higher surface acidity, bound ions and increased numbers of intermolecular ion pairs (in oligomeric proteins). HvPCNA possesses the former two adaptations but not the latter, despite functioning as a homotrimer. Strikingly, the positive surface charge considered key to PCNA's role as a sliding clamp is dramatically reduced in the halophilic protein. Instead, bound cations within the solvation shell of HvPCNA may permit sliding along negatively charged DNA by reducing electrostatic repulsion effects. Conclusion The extent to which individual proteins adapt to halophilic conditions varies, presumably due to their diverse characteristics and roles within the cell. The number of ion pairs observed in the HvPCNA monomer-monomer interface was unexpectedly low. This may reflect the fact that the trimer is intrinsically stable over a wide range of salt concentrations and therefore additional modifications for trimer maintenance in high salt conditions are not required. Halophilic proteins frequently bind anions and cations and in HvPCNA cation binding may compensate for the remarkable reduction in positive charge in the pore region, to facilitate functional interactions with DNA. In this way, HvPCNA may harness its environment as opposed to simply surviving in

Approach toward enhancement of halophilic protease production by Halobacterium sp. strain LBU50301 using statistical design response surface methodology.

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Chuprom, Julalak; Bovornreungroj, Preeyanuch; Ahmad, Mehraj; Kantachote, Duangporn; Dueramae, Sawitree

2016-06-01

A new potent halophilic protease producer, Halobacterium sp. strain LBU50301 was isolated from salt-fermented fish samples ( budu ) and identified by phenotypic analysis, and 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Thereafter, sequential statistical strategy was used to optimize halophilic protease production from Halobacterium sp. strain LBU50301 by shake-flask fermentation. The classical one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach determined gelatin was the best nitrogen source. Based on Plackett - Burman (PB) experimental design; gelatin, MgSO 4 ·7H 2 O, NaCl and pH significantly influenced the halophilic protease production. Central composite design (CCD) determined the optimum level of medium components. Subsequently, an 8.78-fold increase in corresponding halophilic protease yield (156.22 U/mL) was obtained, compared with that produced in the original medium (17.80 U/mL). Validation experiments proved the adequacy and accuracy of model, and the results showed the predicted value agreed well with the experimental values. An overall 13-fold increase in halophilic protease yield was achieved using a 3 L laboratory fermenter and optimized medium (231.33 U/mL).

Approach toward enhancement of halophilic protease production by Halobacterium sp. strain LBU50301 using statistical design response surface methodology

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Julalak Chuprom

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A new potent halophilic protease producer, Halobacterium sp. strain LBU50301 was isolated from salt-fermented fish samples (budu and identified by phenotypic analysis, and 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Thereafter, sequential statistical strategy was used to optimize halophilic protease production from Halobacterium sp. strain LBU50301 by shake-flask fermentation. The classical one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT approach determined gelatin was the best nitrogen source. Based on Plackett–Burman (PB experimental design; gelatin, MgSO4·7H2O, NaCl and pH significantly influenced the halophilic protease production. Central composite design (CCD determined the optimum level of medium components. Subsequently, an 8.78-fold increase in corresponding halophilic protease yield (156.22 U/mL was obtained, compared with that produced in the original medium (17.80 U/mL. Validation experiments proved the adequacy and accuracy of model, and the results showed the predicted value agreed well with the experimental values. An overall 13-fold increase in halophilic protease yield was achieved using a 3 L laboratory fermenter and optimized medium (231.33 U/mL.

Halophilic polysulfabetaines-synthesis and study of gelation and thermoresponsive behavior

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Vasantha, Vivek Arjunan; Jana, Satyasankar; Parthiban, Anbanandam; Vancso, Julius G.

2014-01-01

Polysulfabetaines (PSBs) derived from zwitterionic sulfates (contrary to commonly used polysulfobetaines which are derived from zwitterionic sulfonates) were synthesized for the first time. PSBs dissolved in brine (halophilic), swelled in deionized water and also exhibited reversible and

Protective role of salt in catalysis and maintaining structure of halophilic proteins against denaturation

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Sinha, Rajeshwari; Khare, Sunil K.

2014-01-01

Search for new industrial enzymes having novel properties continues to be a desirable pursuit in enzyme research. The halophilic organisms inhabiting under saline/ hypersaline conditions are considered as promising source of useful enzymes. Their enzymes are structurally adapted to perform efficient catalysis under saline environment wherein n0n-halophilic enzymes often lose their structure and activity. Haloenzymes have been documented to be polyextremophilic and withstand high temperature, pH, organic solvents, and chaotropic agents. However, this stability is modulated by salt. Although vast amount of information have been generated on salt mediated protection and structure function relationship in halophilic proteins, their clear understanding and correct perspective still remain incoherent. Furthermore, understanding their protein architecture may give better clue for engineering stable enzymes which can withstand harsh industrial conditions. The article encompasses the current level of understanding about haloadaptations and analyzes structural basis of their enzyme stability against classical denaturants. PMID:24782853

Complete genome of Martelella sp. AD-3, a moderately halophilic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-degrading bacterium.

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Cui, Changzheng; Li, Zhijie; Qian, Jiangchao; Shi, Jie; Huang, Ling; Tang, Hongzhi; Chen, Xin; Lin, Kuangfei; Xu, Ping; Liu, Yongdi

2016-05-10

Martelella sp. strain AD-3, a moderate halophilic bacterium, was isolated from a petroleum-contaminated soil with high salinity in China. Here, we report the complete genome of strain AD-3, which contains one circular chromosome and two circular plasmids. An array of genes related to metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and halophilic mechanism in this bacterium was identified by the whole genome analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of di-n-butyl phthalate by bacterial consortium LV-1 enriched from river sludge.

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Yangyang Wang

Full Text Available A stable bacterial consortium (LV-1 capable of degrading di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP was enriched from river sludge. Community analysis revealed that the main families of LV-1 are Brucellaceae (62.78% and Sinobacteraceae (14.83%, and the main genera of LV-1 are Brucella spp. (62.78% and Sinobacter spp. (14.83%. The optimal pH and temperature for LV-1 to degrade DBP were pH 6.0 and 30°C, respectively. Inoculum size influenced the degradation ratio when the incubation time was < 24 h. The initial concentration of DBP also influenced the degradation rates of DBP by LV-1, and the degradation rates ranged from 69.0-775.0 mg/l/d in the first 24 h. Degradation of DBP was best fitted by first-order kinetics when the initial concentration was < 300 mg/l. In addition, Cd2+, Cr6+, and Zn2+ inhibited DBP degradation by LV-1 at all considered concentrations, but low concentrations of Pb2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+ enhanced DBP degradation. The main intermediates (mono-ethyl phthalate [MEP], mono-butyl phthalate [MBP], and phthalic acid [PA] were identified in the DBP degradation process, thus a new biochemical pathway of DBP degradation is proposed. Furthermore, LV-1 also degraded other phthalates with shorter ester chains (DMP, DEP, and PA.

Culture-dependent and -independent approaches establish the complexity of a PAH-degrading microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vinas, M.; Sabate, J.; Solanas, A.M. [Barcelona Univ., Barcelona (Spain). Dept. of Microbiology; Guasp, C.; Lalucat, J. [Illes Balears Univ., Palma de Mallorca (Spain). Dept. of Biology

2005-11-15

Microbial consortia are used in the decontamination of polluted environmental sites. A microbial consortium obtained by batch enrichment culture is a closed system with controlled conditions in which micro-organisms with a potentially high growth rate are selected and become dominant. The aim of this study was to identify the members of consortium AM, in which earlier batch enrichment work had shown high biodegradation rates of the aromatic fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The AM consortium was obtained by sequential enrichment in liquid culture with a PAH mixture of 3- and 4- ringed PAHs as the sole source of carbon and energy. The consortium was examined using a triple approach method based on various cultivation strategies, denaturing gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) and the screening of 16S and 18S rRNA gene clone libraries. Eleven different sequences by culture-dependent techniques and 7 by both DGGE and clone libraries were obtained, yielding 19 different microbial components. Proteobacteria were the dominant group, representing 83 per cent of the total, while the Cytophaga-Flexibactor-Bacteroides group (CFB) was 11 per cent, and Ascomycota fungi were 6 per cent. It was determined that {beta}-Proteobacteria were predominant in the DGGE and clone library methods, whereas they were a minority in culturable strains. The highest diversity and number of noncoincident sequences was achieved by the cultivation method that showed members of the {alpha},{beta}, and {gamma}-Proteobacteria, CFB bacterial group, and Ascomycota fungi. Only 6 of the 11 strains isolated showed PAH-degrading capability. The bacterial strain (AMS7) and the fungal strain (AMF1) achieved the greatest PAH depletion. Results indicated that polyphasic assessment is necessary for a proper understanding of the composition of a microbial consortium. It was concluded that microbial consortia are more complex than previously realized. 54 refs., 3 tabs., 3 figs.

DNA Repair and Photoprotection: Mechanisms of Overcoming Environmental Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure in Halophilic Archaea

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Daniel L. Jones

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Halophilic archaea push the limits of life at several extremes. In particular, they are noted for their biochemical strategies in dealing with osmotic stress, low water activity and cycles of desiccation in their hypersaline environments. Another feature common to their habitats is intense ultraviolet (UV radiation, which is a challenge that microorganisms must overcome. The consequences of high UV exposure include DNA lesions arising directly from bond rearrangement of adjacent bipyrimidines, or indirectly from oxidative damage, which may ultimately result in mutation and cell death. As such, these microorganisms have evolved a number of strategies to navigate the threat of DNA damage, which we differentiate into two categories: DNA repair and photoprotection. Photoprotection encompasses damage avoidance strategies that serve as a “first line of defense,” and in halophilic archaea include pigmentation by carotenoids, mechanisms of oxidative damage avoidance, polyploidy, and genomic signatures that make DNA less susceptible to photodamage. Photolesions that do arise are addressed by a number of DNA repair mechanisms that halophilic archaea efficiently utilize, which include photoreactivation, nucleotide excision repair, base excision repair, and homologous recombination. This review seeks to place DNA damage, repair, and photoprotection in the context of halophilic archaea and the solar radiation of their hypersaline environments. We also provide new insight into the breadth of strategies and how they may work together to produce remarkable UV-resistance for these microorganisms.

Biomineralization of carbonate and phosphate by moderately halophilic bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sánchez-Román, Mónica; Rivadeneyra, Maria A.; Vasconcelos, Crisogono; McKenzie, Judith A.

We investigated the precipitation of carbonate and phosphate minerals by 19 species of moderately halophilic bacteria using media with variable Mg 2+/Ca2+ ratios. The precipitated minerals were calcite, magnesium (Mg) calcite, and struvite (MgNH4PO4· 6H2O) in variable proportions depending on the

Diversity of halophilic archaea from six hypersaline environments in Turkey.

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Ozcan, Birgul; Ozcengiz, Gulay; Coleri, Arzu; Cokmus, Cumhur

2007-06-01

The diversity of archaeal strains from six hypersaline environments in Turkey was analyzed by comparing their phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequences. Thirty-three isolates were characterized in terms of their phenotypic properties including morphological and biochemical characteristics, susceptibility to different antibiotics, and total lipid and plasmid contents, and finally compared by 16S rDNA gene sequences. The results showed that all isolates belong to the family Halobacteriaceae. Phylogenetic analyses using approximately 1,388 bp comparisions of 16S rDNA sequences demonstrated that all isolates clustered closely to species belonging to 9 genera, namely Halorubrum (8 isolates), Natrinema (5 isolates), Haloarcula (4 isolates), Natronococcus (4 isolates), Natrialba (4 isolates), Haloferax (3 isolates), Haloterrigena (3 isolates), Halalkalicoccus (1 isolate), and Halomicrobium (1 isolate). The results revealed a high diversity among the isolated halophilic strains and indicated that some of these strains constitute new taxa of extremely halophilic archaea.

Diverse antimicrobial interactions of halophilic archaea and bacteria extend over geographical distances and cross the domain barrier.

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Atanasova, Nina S; Pietilä, Maija K; Oksanen, Hanna M

2013-10-01

The significance of antimicrobial substances, halocins, produced by halophilic archaea and bacteria thriving in hypersaline environments is relatively unknown. It is suggested that their production might increase species diversity and give transient competitive advances to the producer strain. Halocin production is considered to be common among halophilic archaea, but there is a lack of information about halocins produced by bacteria in highly saline environments. We studied the antimicrobial activity of 68 halophilic archaea and 22 bacteria isolated from numerous geographically distant hypersaline environments. Altogether 144 antimicrobial interactions were found between the strains and aside haloarchaea, halophilic bacteria from various genera were identified as halocin producers. Close to 80% of the interactions were detected between microorganisms from different genera and in few cases, even across the domain boundary. Several of the strains produced halocins with a wide inhibitory spectrum as has been observed before. Most of the antimicrobial interactions were found between strains from distant sampling sites indicating that hypersaline environments around the world have similar microorganisms with the potential to produce wide activity range antimicrobials. © 2013 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Stable carbon isotope fractionation of chlorinated ethenes by a microbial consortium containing multiple dechlorinating genes.

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Liu, Na; Ding, Longzhen; Li, Haijun; Zhang, Pengpeng; Zheng, Jixing; Weng, Chih-Huang

2018-08-01

The study aimed to determine the possible contribution of specific growth conditions and community structures to variable carbon enrichment factors (Ɛ- carbon ) values for the degradation of chlorinated ethenes (CEs) by a bacterial consortium with multiple dechlorinating genes. Ɛ- carbon values for trichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride were -7.24% ± 0.59%, -14.6% ± 1.71%, and -21.1% ± 1.14%, respectively, during their degradation by a microbial consortium containing multiple dechlorinating genes including tceA and vcrA. The Ɛ- carbon values of all CEs were not greatly affected by changes in growth conditions and community structures, which directly or indirectly affected reductive dechlorination of CEs by this consortium. Stability analysis provided evidence that the presence of multiple dechlorinating genes within a microbial consortium had little effect on carbon isotope fractionation, as long as the genes have definite, non-overlapping functions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kocuria marina BS-15 a biosurfactant producing halophilic bacteria isolated from solar salt works in India

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Sarafin, Yesurethinam; Donio, Mariathasan Birdilla Selva; Velmurugan, Subramanian; Michaelbabu, Mariavincent; Citarasu, Thavasimuthu

2014-01-01

Biosurfactant screening was made among the eight halophilic bacterial genera isolated from Kovalam solar salt works in Kanyakumari of India. After initial screening, Kocuria sp. (Km), Kurthia sp. (Ku) and Halococcus sp. (Hc) were found to have positive biosurfactant activity. Biosurfactant derived from Kocuria sp. emulsified more than 50% of the crude oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, olive oil and kerosene when compared to the other strains. Further, Kocuria marina BS-15 derived biosurfactant was purified and characterized by TLC, FTIR and GC–MS analysis. The TLC analysis revealed that, the purified biosurfactants belong to the lipopeptide group. The IR spectrum results revealed that functional groups are R2C 000000000000 000000000000 000000000000 111111111111 000000000000 111111111111 000000000000 000000000000 000000000000 NN, alkenes and N–H. The GC–MS analysis confirmed the compound as Nonanoic acid and Cyclopropane with the retention time of 12.78 and 24.65, respectively. PMID:25473358

Determinism and Contingency Shape Metabolic Complementation in an Endosymbiotic Consortium.

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Ponce-de-Leon, Miguel; Tamarit, Daniel; Calle-Espinosa, Jorge; Mori, Matteo; Latorre, Amparo; Montero, Francisco; Pereto, Juli

2017-01-01

Bacterial endosymbionts and their insect hosts establish an intimate metabolic relationship. Bacteria offer a variety of essential nutrients to their hosts, whereas insect cells provide the necessary sources of matter and energy to their tiny metabolic allies. These nutritional complementations sustain themselves on a diversity of metabolite exchanges between the cell host and the reduced yet highly specialized bacterial metabolism-which, for instance, overproduces a small set of essential amino acids and vitamins. A well-known case of metabolic complementation is provided by the cedar aphid Cinara cedri that harbors two co-primary endosymbionts, Buchnera aphidicola BCc and Ca . Serratia symbiotica SCc, and in which some metabolic pathways are partitioned between different partners. Here we present a genome-scale metabolic network (GEM) for the bacterial consortium from the cedar aphid i BSCc. The analysis of this GEM allows us the confirmation of cases of metabolic complementation previously described by genome analysis (i.e., tryptophan and biotin biosynthesis) and the redefinition of an event of metabolic pathway sharing between the two endosymbionts, namely the biosynthesis of tetrahydrofolate. In silico knock-out experiments with i BSCc showed that the consortium metabolism is a highly integrated yet fragile network. We also have explored the evolutionary pathways leading to the emergence of metabolic complementation between reduced metabolisms starting from individual, complete networks. Our results suggest that, during the establishment of metabolic complementation in endosymbionts, adaptive evolution is significant in the case of tryptophan biosynthesis, whereas vitamin production pathways seem to adopt suboptimal solutions.

Biodegradation of oil spill by petroleum refineries using consortia of novel bacterial strains.

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Singh, Bina; Bhattacharya, Amit; Channashettar, Veeranna A; Jeyaseelan, C Paul; Gupta, Sachin; Sarma, Priyangshu M; Mandal, Ajoy K; Lal, Banwari

2012-08-01

Feasibility study carried out at the site prior to the full scale study showed that the introduced bacterial consortium effectively adapted to the local environment of the soil at bioremediation site. The soil samples were collected from the contaminated fields after treatment with bacterial consortium at different time intervals and analyzed by gas chromatography after extraction with hexane and toluene. At time zero (just before initiation of bioremediation), the concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil (25-cm horizon) of plot A, B, C and D was 30.90 %, 18.80 %, 25.90 % and 29.90 % respectively, after 360 days of treatment with microbial consortia was reduced to 0.97 %, 1.0 %, 1.0 %, and 1.1 % respectively. Whereas, only 5 % degradation was observed in the control plot after 365 days (microbial consortium not applied).

Fungal hyphae stimulate bacterial degradation of 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM).

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Knudsen, Berith Elkær; Ellegaard-Jensen, Lea; Albers, Christian Nyrop; Rosendahl, Søren; Aamand, Jens

2013-10-01

Introduction of specific degrading microorganisms into polluted soil or aquifers is a promising remediation technology provided that the organisms survive and spread in the environment. We suggest that consortia, rather than single strains, may be better suited to overcome these challenges. Here we introduced a fungal-bacterial consortium consisting of Mortierella sp. LEJ702 and the 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM)-degrading Aminobacter sp. MSH1 into small sand columns. A more rapid mineralisation of BAM was obtained by the consortium compared to MSH1 alone especially at lower moisture contents. Results from quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) demonstrated better spreading of Aminobacter when Mortierella was present suggesting that fungal hyphae may stimulate bacterial dispersal. Extraction and analysis of BAM indicated that translocation of the compound was also affected by the fungal hyphae in the sand. This suggests that fungal-bacterial consortia are promising for successful bioremediation of pesticide contamination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Draft genome sequence of the extremely halophilic archaeon Haladaptatus cibarius type strain D43(T) isolated from fermented seafood.

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Lee, Hae-Won; Kim, Dae-Won; Lee, Mi-Hwa; Kim, Byung-Yong; Cho, Yong-Joon; Yim, Kyung June; Song, Hye Seon; Rhee, Jin-Kyu; Seo, Myung-Ji; Choi, Hak-Jong; Choi, Jong-Soon; Lee, Dong-Gi; Yoon, Changmann; Nam, Young-Do; Roh, Seong Woon

2015-01-01

An extremely halophilic archaeon, Haladaptatus cibarius D43(T), was isolated from traditional Korean salt-rich fermented seafood. Strain D43(T) shows the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (98.7 %) with Haladaptatus litoreus RO1-28(T), is Gram-negative staining, motile, and extremely halophilic. Despite potential industrial applications of extremely halophilic archaea, their genome characteristics remain obscure. Here, we describe the whole genome sequence and annotated features of strain D43(T). The 3,926,724 bp genome includes 4,092 protein-coding and 57 RNA genes (including 6 rRNA and 49 tRNA genes) with an average G + C content of 57.76 %.

Reversible Activation of Halophilic β-lactamase from Methanol-Induced Inactive Form: Contrast to Irreversible Inactivation of Non-Halophilic Counterpart.

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Tokunaga, Hiroko; Maeda, Junpei; Arakawa, Tsutomu; Tokunaga, Masao

2017-06-01

Effects of a water-miscible organic solvent, methanol, on the structure and activity of halophilic β-lactamase derived from Chromohalobacter sp.560 (HaBla), were investigated by means of circular dichroism (CD) measurement and enzymatic activity determination. Beta-lactamase activity was enhanced about 1.2-fold in the presence of 10-20% methanol. CD measurement of HaBla revealed different structures depending on the methanol concentration: native-like active form (Form I) in 10-20% methanol and methanol-induced inactive form at higher concentration (Form II in 40-60% and Form III in 75-80% methanol). Incubation of HaBla with 40% methanol led to the complete loss of activity within ~80 min accompanied by the formation of Form II, whose activity was recovered promptly up to ~80% of full activity upon dilution of the methanol concentration to 10%. In addition, when the protein concentration was sufficiently high (e.g., 0.7 mg/ml), HaBla activity of Form III in 75% methanol could be recovered in the same way (with slightly slower recovery rate), upon dilution of the methanol concentration. In contrast, non-halophilic β-lactamase from Escherichia coli K12 strain MG1655 (EcBla) was irreversibly denatured in the presence of 40% methanol. HaBla showed remarkable ability to renature from the methanol-induced inactive states.

Analysis of metagenomic data reveals common features of halophilic viral communities across continents.

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Roux, Simon; Enault, Francois; Ravet, Viviane; Colombet, Jonathan; Bettarel, Yvan; Auguet, Jean-Christophe; Bouvier, Thierry; Lucas-Staat, Soizick; Vellet, Agnès; Prangishvili, David; Forterre, Patrick; Debroas, Didier; Sime-Ngando, Telesphore

2016-03-01

Microbial communities from hypersaline ponds, dominated by halophilic archaea, are considered specific of such extreme conditions. The associated viral communities have accordingly been shown to display specific features, such as similar morphologies among different sites. However, little is known about the genetic diversity of these halophilic viral communities across the Earth. Here, we studied viral communities in hypersaline ponds sampled on the coast of Senegal (8-36% of salinity) using metagenomics approach, and compared them with hypersaline viromes from Australia and Spain. The specificity of hyperhalophilic viruses could first be demonstrated at a community scale, salinity being a strong discriminating factor between communities. For the major viral group detected in all samples (Caudovirales), only a limited number of halophilic Caudovirales clades were highlighted. These clades gather viruses from different continents and display consistent genetic composition, indicating that they represent related lineages with a worldwide distribution. Non-tailed hyperhalophilic viruses display a greater rate of gene transfer and recombination, with uncharacterized genes conserved across different kind of viruses and plasmids. Thus, hypersaline viral communities around the world appear to form a genetically consistent community that are likely to harbour new genes coding for enzymes specifically adapted to these environments. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Molecular interactions within the halophilic, thermophilic, and mesophilic prokaryotic ribosomal complexes: clues to environmental adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallik, Saurav; Kundu, Sudip

2015-01-01

Using the available crystal structures of 50S ribosomal subunits from three prokaryotic species: Escherichia coli (mesophilic), Thermus thermophilus (thermophilic), and Haloarcula marismortui (halophilic), we have analyzed different structural features of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), proteins, and of their interfaces. We have correlated these structural features with the environmental adaptation strategies of the corresponding species. While dense intra-rRNA packing is observed in thermophilic, loose intra-rRNA packing is observed in halophilic (both compared to mesophilic). Interestingly, protein-rRNA interfaces of both the extremophiles are densely packed compared to that of the mesophilic. The intersubunit bridge regions are almost devoid of cavities, probably ensuring the proper formation of each bridge (by not allowing any loosely packed region nearby). During rRNA binding, the ribosomal proteins experience some structural transitions. Here, we have analyzed the intrinsically disordered and ordered regions of the ribosomal proteins, which are subjected to such transitions. The intrinsically disordered and disorder-to-order transition sites of the thermophilic and mesophilic ribosomal proteins are simultaneously (i) highly conserved and (ii) slowly evolving compared to rest of the protein structure. Although high conservation is observed at such sites of halophilic ribosomal proteins, but slow rate of evolution is absent. Such differences between thermophilic, mesophilic, and halophilic can be explained from their environmental adaptation strategy. Interestingly, a universal biophysical principle evident by a linear relationship between the free energy of interface formation, interface area, and structural changes of r-proteins during assembly is always maintained, irrespective of the environmental conditions.

Extracellular polymer substance synthesized by a halophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter canadensis 28.

Science.gov (United States)

Radchenkova, Nadja; Boyadzhieva, Ivanka; Atanasova, Nikolina; Poli, Annarita; Finore, Ilaria; Di Donato, Paola; Nicolaus, Barbara; Panchev, Ivan; Kuncheva, Margarita; Kambourova, Margarita

2018-04-03

Halophilic microorganisms are producers of a lot of new compounds whose properties suggest promising perspectives for their biotechnological exploration. Moderate halophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter canadensis 28 was isolated from Pomorie salterns as an extracellular polymer substance (EP) producer. The best carbon source for extracellular polymer production was found to be lactose, a sugar received as a by-product from the dairy industry. After optimization of the culture medium and physicochemical conditions for cultivation, polymer biosynthesis increased more than 2-fold. The highest level of extracellular polymer synthesis by C. canadensis 28 was observed in an unusually high NaCl concentration (15% w/v). Chemical analysis of the purified polymer revealed the presence of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) fraction (14.3% w/w) and protein fraction (72% w/w). HPLC analysis of the protein fraction showed the main presence of polyglutamic acid (PGA) (75.7% w/w). EPS fraction analysis revealed the following sugar composition (% w/w): glucosamine 36.7, glucose 32.3, rhamnose 25.4, xylose 1.7, and not identified sugar 3.9. The hydrogel formed by PGA and EPS fractions showed high swelling behavior, very good emulsifying and stabilizing properties, and good foaming ability. This is the first report for halophilic bacterium able to synthesize a polymer containing PGA fraction. The synthesized biopolymer shows an extremely high hydrophilicity, due to the simultaneous presence of PGA and EPS. The analysis of its functional properties and the presence of glucosamine in the highest proportion in EPS fraction clearly determine the potential of EP synthesized by C. canadensis 28 for application in the cosmetics industry.

Purification and characterization of an extracellular halophilic and organic solvent-tolerant amylopullulanase from a haloarchaeon, Halorubrum sp. strain Ha25.

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Mostafa Fazeli

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Halophiles, especially haloarchaea are one of the most important groups of extremophiles. Halophilic hydrolases have been studied worldwide and have been considered for biotechnology and industrial technologies. This study is the first report in amylopullulanase production in halophilic microorganisms.Materials and methods: A halophilic archaeon, Halorubrum sp. strain Ha25, produced extracellular halophilic organic solvent-tolerant amylopullulanase. The enzyme was purified using ethanol precipitation and anion exchange chromatography method. Molecular mass of purified enzyme was determined by SDS–PAGE method. After purification, the enzyme was characterized. To study the effects of organic solvents in the stability of the enzyme, the enzyme solution was incubated in the presence of various organic compounds and then, residual enzyme activity was measured. Mode of action of the enzyme was determined by thin-layer chromatography.Results: Molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 140 kDa by SDS–PAGE method. Optimum temperature for amylolitic and pullulytic activities was 50 °C. Optimum pH for amylolitic activity was 7.0 and for pullulytic activity was 7.5. This enzyme was active over a wide range of concentrations (0-4.5 M of NaCl. The effect of organic solvents on the amylolitic and pullulytic activities showed that this enzyme was more stable in the presence of non-polar organic solvents than polar solvents. The enzyme solely hydrolyzed pullulan and soluble starch to glucose.Discussion and conclusion: Halorubrum sp. strain Ha25 produces thermophilic and extremely halophilic amylopullulanase. The catalytic function under multi extreme condition of high temperature, high salinity, and low water activity might possess biotechnological and commercial values such as treatment waste solutions with starch residues, high salt content and solvents.

Bactericidal effect of lactoferrin and lactoferrin chimera against halophilic Vibrio parahaemolyticus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leon-Sicairos, N.; Canizalez-Roman, A.; de la Garza, M.; Reyes-Lopez, M.; Zazueta-Beltran, J.; Nazmi, K.; Gomez-Gil, B.; Bolscher, J.G.

2009-01-01

Infections caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, an halophilic member of the genus Vibrio, have increased globally in the last 5 years. Diarrhea caused by V. parahaemolyticus results from eating raw or undercooked seafood. The aim of this work was to investigate whether lactoferrin and some

Characterization of a bioflocculant produced by a consortium of Halomonas sp. Okoh and Micrococcus sp. Leo.

Science.gov (United States)

Okaiyeto, Kunle; Nwodo, Uchechukwu U; Mabinya, Leonard V; Okoh, Anthony I

2013-10-16

The physicochemical and flocculating properties of a bioflocculant produced by a bacterial consortium composed of Halomonas sp. Okoh and Micrococcus sp. Leo were investigated. The purified bioflocculant was cation and pH dependent, and optimally flocculated kaolin clay suspension at a dosage of 0.1 mg/mL. The flocculating activity of the bioflocculant was stimulated in the presence of Ca2+, Mn2+, Al3+ and had a wide pH range of 2-10, with the highest flocculating activity of 86% at pH 8. The bioflocculant was thermostable and retained more than 70% of its flocculating activity after being heated at 80 °C for 30 min. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed a partial thermal decomposition of the biofloculant at 400 °C. The infrared spectrum showed the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl and amino moieties as functional groups. The bioflocculant produced by the bacterial consortium appears to hold promising alternative to inorganic and synthetic organic flocculants that are widely used in wastewater treatment.

Exploration, antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activity of halophilic bacteria communities from saline soils of Howze-Soltan playa in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafari, Samaneh; Aghaei, Seyed-Soheil; Afifi-Sabet, Hossein; Shams-Ghahfarokhi, Masoomeh; Jahanshiri, Zahra; Gholami-Shabani, Mohammadhassan; Shafiei-Darabi, Seyedahmad; Razzaghi-Abyaneh, Mehdi

2018-01-01

In the present study, halophilic bacteria communities were explored in saline soils of Howze-Soltan playa in Iran with special attention to their biological activity against an aflatoxigenic Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999. Halophilic bacteria were isolated from a total of 20 saline soils using specific culture media and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing in neighbor-joining tree analysis. Antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activities of the bacteria were screened by a nor-mutant A. parasiticus NRRL 2999 using visual agar plate assay and confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Among a total of 177 halophilic bacteria belonging to 11 genera, 121 isolates (68.3%) inhibited A. parasiticus growth and/or aflatoxin production. The most potent inhibitory bacteria of the genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus and Staphylococcus were distributed in three main phylogenetic clusters as evidenced by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. A. parasiticus growth was inhibited by 0.7-92.7%, while AFB 1 and AFG 1 productions were suppressed by 15.1-98.9 and 57.0-99.6%, respectively. Taken together, halophilic bacteria identified in this study may be considered as potential sources of novel bioactive metabolites as well as promising candidates to develop new biocontrol agents for managing toxigenic fungi growth and subsequent aflatoxin contamination of food and feed in practice.

A novel halophilic lipase, LipBL, showing high efficiency in the production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA.

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Dolores Pérez

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Among extremophiles, halophiles are defined as microorganisms adapted to live and thrive in diverse extreme saline environments. These extremophilic microorganisms constitute the source of a number of hydrolases with great biotechnological applications. The interest to use extremozymes from halophiles in industrial applications is their resistance to organic solvents and extreme temperatures. Marinobacter lipolyticus SM19 is a moderately halophilic bacterium, isolated previously from a saline habitat in South Spain, showing lipolytic activity. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A lipolytic enzyme from the halophilic bacterium Marinobacter lipolyticus SM19 was isolated. This enzyme, designated LipBL, was expressed in Escherichia coli. LipBL is a protein of 404 amino acids with a molecular mass of 45.3 kDa and high identity to class C β-lactamases. LipBL was purified and biochemically characterized. The temperature for its maximal activity was 80°C and the pH optimum determined at 25°C was 7.0, showing optimal activity without sodium chloride, while maintaining 20% activity in a wide range of NaCl concentrations. This enzyme exhibited high activity against short-medium length acyl chain substrates, although it also hydrolyzes olive oil and fish oil. The fish oil hydrolysis using LipBL results in an enrichment of free eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, relative to its levels present in fish oil. For improving the stability and to be used in industrial processes LipBL was immobilized in different supports. The immobilized derivatives CNBr-activated Sepharose were highly selective towards the release of EPA versus DHA. The enzyme is also active towards different chiral and prochiral esters. Exposure of LipBL to buffer-solvent mixtures showed that the enzyme had remarkable activity and stability in all organic solvents tested. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we isolated, purified, biochemically characterized and immobilized a

Genomic adaptations of the halophilic Dead Sea filamentous fungus Eurotium rubrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kis-Papo, Tamar; Weig, Alfons R; Riley, Robert; Peršoh, Derek; Salamov, Asaf; Sun, Hui; Lipzen, Anna; Wasser, Solomon P; Rambold, Gerhard; Grigoriev, Igor V; Nevo, Eviatar

2014-05-09

The Dead Sea is one of the most hypersaline habitats on Earth. The fungus Eurotium rubrum (Eurotiomycetes) is among the few species able to survive there. Here we highlight its adaptive strategies, based on genome analysis and transcriptome profiling. The 26.2 Mb genome of E. rubrum shows, for example, gains in gene families related to stress response and losses with regard to transport processes. Transcriptome analyses under different salt growth conditions revealed, among other things differentially expressed genes encoding ion and metabolite transporters. Our findings suggest that long-term adaptation to salinity requires cellular and metabolic responses that differ from short-term osmotic stress signalling. The transcriptional response indicates that halophilic E. rubrum actively counteracts the salinity stress. Many of its genes encode for proteins with a significantly higher proportion of acidic amino acid residues. This trait is characteristic of the halophilic prokaryotes as well, supporting the theory of convergent evolution under extreme hypersaline stress.

Antibiotic resistance of bacterial biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoiby, N.; Bjarnsholt, T.; Givskov, M.

2010-01-01

A biofilm is a structured consortium of bacteria embedded in a self-produced polymer matrix consisting of polysaccharide, protein and DNA. Bacterial biofilms cause chronic infections because they show increased tolerance to antibiotics and disinfectant chemicals as well as resisting phagocytosis...... and other components of the body's defence system. The persistence of, for example, staphylococcal infections related to foreign bodies is due to biofilm formation. Likewise, chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in cystic fibrosis patients is caused by biofilm-growing mucoid strains....... Characteristically, gradients of nutrients and oxygen exist from the top to the bottom of biofilms and these gradients are associated with decreased bacterial metabolic activity and increased doubling times of the bacterial cells; it is these more or less dormant cells that are responsible for some of the tolerance...

Halophilic mechanism of the enzymatic function of a moderately halophilic dihydrofolate reductase from Haloarcula japonica strain TR-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyashita, Yurina; Ohmae, Eiji; Ikura, Teikichi; Nakasone, Kaoru; Katayanagi, Katsuo

2017-05-01

Dihydrofolate (DHF) reductase coded by a plasmid of the extremely halophilic archaeon Haloarcula japonica strain TR-1 (HjDHFR P1) shows moderate halophilicity on enzymatic activity at pH 6.0, although there is no significant effect of NaCl on its secondary structure. To elucidate the salt-activation and -inactivation mechanisms of this enzyme, we investigated the effects of pH and salt concentration, deuterium isotope effect, steady-state kinetics, and rapid-phase ligand-binding kinetics. Enzyme activity was increased eightfold by the addition of 500 mM NaCl at pH 6.0, fourfold by 250 mM at pH 8.0, and became independent of salt concentration at pH 10.0. Full isotope effects observed at pH 10.0 under 0-1000 mM NaCl indicated that the rate of hydride transfer, which was the rate-determining step at the basic pH region, was independent of salt concentration. Conversely, rapid-phase ligand-binding experiments showed that the amplitude of the DHF-binding reaction increased and the tetrahydrofolate (THF)-releasing rate decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. These results suggested that the salt-activation mechanism of HjDHFR P1 is via the population change of the anion-unbound and anion-bound conformers, which are binding-incompetent and -competent conformations for DHF, respectively, while that of salt inactivation is via deceleration of the THF-releasing rate, which is the rate-determining step at the neutral pH region.

Solid-state fermentation as a potential technique for esterase/lipase production by halophilic archaea.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin del Campo, Martha; Camacho, Rosa M; Mateos-Díaz, Juan C; Müller-Santos, Marcelo; Córdova, Jesus; Rodríguez, Jorge A

2015-11-01

Halophilic archaea are extremophiles, adapted to high-salt environments, showing a big biotechnological potential as enzyme, lipids and pigments producers. Four inert supports (perlite, vermiculite, polyurethane foam and glass fiber) were employed for solid-state fermentation (SSF) of the halophilic archaeon Natronococcus sp. TC6 to investigate biomass and esterase production. A very low esterase activity and high water activity were observed when perlite, vermiculite and polyurethane were used as supports. When glass fiber was employed, an important moisture loss was observed (8.6%). Moreover, moisture retention was improved by mixing polyurethane and glass fiber, resulting in maximal biomass and esterase production. Three halophilic archaea: Natronococcus sp. TC6, Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and Haloarcula marismortui were cultured by submerged fermentation (SmF) and by SSF; an improvement of 1.3- to 6.2-fold was observed in the biomass and esterase production when SSF was used. Growth was not homogeneous in the mixture, but was predominant in the glass fiber thus was probably because the glass fiber provides a holder to the cells, while the polyurethane acts as an impregnation medium reservoir. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first report on haloarchaea cultivation by SSF aiming biomass and esterase/lipase activity production.

Effect of UVC Radiation on Hydrated and Desiccated Cultures of Slightly Halophilic and Non-Halophilic Methanogenic Archaea: Implications for Life on Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Navita; Kral, Timothy A

2018-05-12

Methanogens have been considered models for life on Mars for many years. In order to survive any exposure at the surface of Mars, methanogens would have to endure Martian UVC radiation. In this research, we irradiated hydrated and desiccated cultures of slightly halophilic Methanococcus maripaludis and non-halophilic Methanobacterium formicicum for various time intervals with UVC (254 nm) radiation. The survivability of the methanogens was determined by measuring methane concentrations in the headspace gas samples of culture tubes after re-inoculation of the methanogens into their growth-supporting media following exposure to UVC radiation. Hydrated M. maripaludis survived 24 h of UVC exposure, while in a desiccated condition they endured for 16 h. M. formicicum also survived UVC radiation for 24 h in a liquid state; however, in a desiccated condition, the survivability of M. formicicum was only 12 h. Some of the components of the growth media could have served as shielding agents that protected cells from damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Overall, these results suggest that limited exposure (12⁻24 h) to UVC radiation on the surface of Mars would not necessarily be a limiting factor for the survivability of M. maripaludis and M. formicicum .

Evaluation of biodecolorization of the textile azo dye by halophilic archaea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoomeh Selseleh Hassan-Kiadehi

2017-09-01

Discussion and conclusion: In conclusion, our results indicate that halophilic archaea have very high potential to decolorize azo dyes. Regarding high amounts of salts in textile wastewaters, using such microorganisms which can tolerate the harsh environment in order to decolorize azo dyes, could be a new approach in this field.

Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Masateru; Takahashi, Etsuko; Joudeh, Luay I; Marini, Monica; Das, Gobind; Elshenawy, Mohamed M; Akal, Anastassja; Sakashita, Kosuke; Alam, Intikhab; Tehseen, Muhammad; Sobhy, Mohamed A; Stingl, Ulrich; Merzaban, Jasmeen S; Di Fabrizio, Enzo; Hamdan, Samir M

2018-01-24

The deep-sea brines of the Red Sea are remote and unexplored environments characterized by high temperatures, anoxic water, and elevated concentrations of salt and heavy metals. This environment provides a rare system to study the interplay between halophilic and thermophilic adaptation in biologic macromolecules. The present article reports the first DNA polymerase with halophilic and thermophilic features. Biochemical and structural analysis by Raman and circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that the charge distribution on the protein's surface mediates the structural balance between stability for thermal adaptation and flexibility for counteracting the salt-induced rigid and nonfunctional hydrophobic packing. Salt bridge interactions via increased negative and positive charges contribute to structural stability. Salt tolerance, conversely, is mediated by a dynamic structure that becomes more fixed and functional with increasing salt concentration. We propose that repulsive forces among excess negative charges, in addition to a high percentage of negatively charged random coils, mediate this structural dynamism. This knowledge enabled us to engineer a halophilic version of KOD DNA polymerase.-Takahashi, M., Takahashi, E., Joudeh, L. I., Marini, M., Das, G., Elshenawy, M. M., Akal, A., Sakashita, K., Alam, I., Tehseen, M., Sobhy, M. A., Stingl, U., Merzaban, J. S., Di Fabrizio, E., Hamdan, S. M. Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea.

Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Takahashi, Masateru; Takahashi, Etsuko; Joudeh, Luay I.; Marini, Monica; Das, Gobind; Elshenawy, Mohamed; Akal, Anastassja; Sakashita, Kosuke; Alam, Intikhab; Tehseen, Muhammad; Sobhy, Mohamed Abdelmaboud; Stingl, Ulrich; Merzaban, Jasmeen; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Hamdan, Samir

2018-01-01

The deep-sea brines of the Red Sea are remote and unexplored environments characterized by high temperatures, anoxic water, and elevated concentrations of salt and heavy metals. This environment provides a rare system to study the interplay between halophilic and thermophilic adaptation in biologic macromolecules. The present article reports the first DNA polymerase with halophilic and thermophilic features. Biochemical and structural analysis by Raman and circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that the charge distribution on the protein’s surface mediates the structural balance between stability for thermal adaptation and flexibility for counteracting the salt-induced rigid and nonfunctional hydrophobic packing. Salt bridge interactions via increased negative and positive charges contribute to structural stability. Salt tolerance, conversely, is mediated by a dynamic structure that becomes more fixed and functional with increasing salt concentration. We propose that repulsive forces among excess negative charges, in addition to a high percentage of negatively charged random coils, mediate this structural dynamism. This knowledge enabled us to engineer a halophilic version of KOD DNA polymerase.—Takahashi, M., Takahashi, E., Joudeh, L. I., Marini, M., Das, G., Elshenawy, M. M., Akal, A., Sakashita, K., Alam, I., Tehseen, M., Sobhy, M. A., Stingl, U., Merzaban, J. S., Di Fabrizio, E., Hamdan, S. M. Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea.

Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Takahashi, Masateru

2018-01-24

The deep-sea brines of the Red Sea are remote and unexplored environments characterized by high temperatures, anoxic water, and elevated concentrations of salt and heavy metals. This environment provides a rare system to study the interplay between halophilic and thermophilic adaptation in biologic macromolecules. The present article reports the first DNA polymerase with halophilic and thermophilic features. Biochemical and structural analysis by Raman and circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that the charge distribution on the protein’s surface mediates the structural balance between stability for thermal adaptation and flexibility for counteracting the salt-induced rigid and nonfunctional hydrophobic packing. Salt bridge interactions via increased negative and positive charges contribute to structural stability. Salt tolerance, conversely, is mediated by a dynamic structure that becomes more fixed and functional with increasing salt concentration. We propose that repulsive forces among excess negative charges, in addition to a high percentage of negatively charged random coils, mediate this structural dynamism. This knowledge enabled us to engineer a halophilic version of KOD DNA polymerase.—Takahashi, M., Takahashi, E., Joudeh, L. I., Marini, M., Das, G., Elshenawy, M. M., Akal, A., Sakashita, K., Alam, I., Tehseen, M., Sobhy, M. A., Stingl, U., Merzaban, J. S., Di Fabrizio, E., Hamdan, S. M. Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea.

Insights into Head-Tailed Viruses Infecting Extremely Halophilic Archaea

Science.gov (United States)

Pietilä, Maija K.; Laurinmäki, Pasi; Russell, Daniel A.; Ko, Ching-Chung; Jacobs-Sera, Deborah; Butcher, Sarah J.

2013-01-01

Extremophilic archaea, both hyperthermophiles and halophiles, dominate in habitats where rather harsh conditions are encountered. Like all other organisms, archaeal cells are susceptible to viral infections, and to date, about 100 archaeal viruses have been described. Among them, there are extraordinary virion morphologies as well as the common head-tailed viruses. Although approximately half of the isolated archaeal viruses belong to the latter group, no three-dimensional virion structures of these head-tailed viruses are available. Thus, rigorous comparisons with bacteriophages are not yet warranted. In the present study, we determined the genome sequences of two of such viruses of halophiles and solved their capsid structures by cryo-electron microscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction. We show that these viruses are inactivated, yet remain intact, at low salinity and that their infectivity is regained when high salinity is restored. This enabled us to determine their three-dimensional capsid structures at low salinity to a ∼10-Å resolution. The genetic and structural data showed that both viruses belong to the same T-number class, but one of them has enlarged its capsid to accommodate a larger genome than typically associated with a T=7 capsid by inserting an additional protein into the capsid lattice. PMID:23283946

On the Response of Halophilic Archaea to Space Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Leuko, Stefan; Rettberg, Petra; Pontifex, Ashleigh L.; Burns, Brendan P.

2014-01-01

Microorganisms are ubiquitous and can be found in almost every habitat and ecological niche on Earth. They thrive and survive in a broad spectrum of environments and adapt to rapidly changing external conditions. It is of great interest to investigate how microbes adapt to different extreme environments and with modern human space travel, we added a new extreme environment: outer space. Within the last 50 years, technology has provided tools for transporting microbial life beyond Earth’s protective shield in order to study in situ responses to selected conditions of space. This review will focus on halophilic archaea, as, due to their ability to survive in extremes, they are often considered a model group of organisms to study responses to the harsh conditions associated with space. We discuss ground-based simulations, as well as space experiments, utilizing archaea, examining responses and/or resistance to the effects of microgravity and UV in particular. Several halophilic archaea (e.g., Halorubrum chaoviator) have been exposed to simulated and actual space conditions and their survival has been determined as well as the protective effects of halite shown. Finally, the intriguing potential of archaea to survive on other planets or embedded in a meteorite is postulated. PMID:25370029

Metabolic flux analysis of the halophilic archaeon Haladaptatus paucihalophilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Guangxiu; Zhang, Manxiao; Mo, Tianlu; He, Lian; Zhang, Wei; Yu, Yi; Zhang, Qi; Ding, Wei

2015-11-27

This work reports the (13)C-assisted metabolic flux analysis of Haladaptatus paucihalophilus, a halophilic archaeon possessing an intriguing osmoadaption mechanism. We showed that the carbon flow is through the oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle whereas the reductive TCA cycle is not operative in H. paucihalophilus. In addition, both threonine and the citramalate pathways contribute to isoleucine biosynthesis, whereas lysine is synthesized through the diaminopimelate pathway and not through the α-aminoadipate pathway. Unexpected, the labeling patterns of glycine from the cells grown on [1-(13)C]pyruvate and [2-(13)C]pyruvate suggest that, unlike all the organisms investigated so far, in which glycine is produced exclusively from the serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) pathway, glycine biosynthesis in H. paucihalophilus involves different pathways including SHMT, threonine aldolase (TA) and the reverse reaction of glycine cleavage system (GCS), demonstrating for the first time that other pathways instead of SHMT can also make a significant contribution to the cellular glycine pool. Transcriptional analysis confirmed that both TA and GCS genes were transcribed in H. paucihalophilus, and the transcriptional level is independent of salt concentrations in the culture media. This study expands our understanding of amino acid biosynthesis and provides valuable insights into the metabolism of halophilic archaea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the Response of Halophilic Archaea to Space Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Leuko

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Microorganisms are ubiquitous and can be found in almost every habitat and ecological niche on Earth. They thrive and survive in a broad spectrum of environments and adapt to rapidly changing external conditions. It is of great interest to investigate how microbes adapt to different extreme environments and with modern human space travel, we added a new extreme environment: outer space. Within the last 50 years, technology has provided tools for transporting microbial life beyond Earth’s protective shield in order to study in situ responses to selected conditions of space. This review will focus on halophilic archaea, as, due to their ability to survive in extremes, they are often considered a model group of organisms to study responses to the harsh conditions associated with space. We discuss ground-based simulations, as well as space experiments, utilizing archaea, examining responses and/or resistance to the effects of microgravity and UV in particular. Several halophilic archaea (e.g., Halorubrum chaoviator have been exposed to simulated and actual space conditions and their survival has been determined as well as the protective effects of halite shown. Finally, the intriguing potential of archaea to survive on other planets or embedded in a meteorite is postulated.

Novel dark fermentation involving bioaugmentation with constructed bacterial consortium for enhanced biohydrogen production from pretreated sewage sludge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotay, Shireen Meher; Das, Debabrata [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India)

2009-09-15

The present study summarizes the observations on various nutrient and seed formulation methods using sewage sludge that have been aimed at ameliorating the biohydrogen production potential. Pretreatment methods viz., acid/base treatment, heat treatment, sterilization, freezing-thawing, microwave, ultrasonication and chemical supplementation were attempted on sludge. It was observed that pretreatment was essential not only to reduce the needless, competitive microbial load but also to improve the nutrient solublization of sludge. Heat treatment at 121 C for 20 min was found to be most effective in reducing the microbial load by 98% and hydrolyzing the organic fraction of sludge. However, this pretreatment alone was either not sufficient or inconsistent in developing a suitable microbial consortium for hydrogen production. Hydrogen yield was found to improve 1.5-4 times upon inoculation with H{sub 2}-producing microorganisms. A defined microbial consortium was developed consisting of three established bacteria viz., Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1. Following pretreatments soluble proteins and lipids (the major component of the sludge) were also found to be consumed besides carbohydrates. This laid out the concurrent proteolytic/lipolytic ability of the developed H{sub 2}-producing consortium. 1:1:1 v/v ratio of these bacteria in consortium was found to give the maximum yield of H{sub 2} from sludge, 39.15 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub reduced}. 15%v/v dilution and supplementation with 0.5%w/v cane molasses prior to heat treatment was found to further improve the yield to 41.23 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub reduced}. (author)

Comparative analysis of uranium bioassociation with halophilic bacteria and archaea

Science.gov (United States)

Bader, Miriam; Müller, Katharina; Foerstendorf, Harald; Schmidt, Matthias; Simmons, Karen; Swanson, Juliet S.; Reed, Donald T.; Stumpf, Thorsten

2018-01-01

Rock salt represents a potential host rock formation for the final disposal of radioactive waste. The interactions between indigenous microorganisms and radionuclides, e.g. uranium, need to be investigated to better predict the influence of microorganisms on the safety assessment of the repository. Hence, the association process of uranium with two microorganisms isolated from rock salt was comparatively studied. Brachybacterium sp. G1, which was isolated from the German salt dome Gorleben, and Halobacterium noricense DSM15987T, were selected as examples of a moderately halophilic bacterium and an extremely halophilic archaeon, respectively. The microorganisms exhibited completely different association behaviors with uranium. While a pure biosorption process took place with Brachybacterium sp. G1 cells, a multistage association process occurred with the archaeon. In addition to batch experiments, in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was applied to characterize the U(VI) interaction process. Biosorption was identified as the dominating process for Brachybacterium sp. G1 with this method. Carboxylic functionalities are the dominant interacting groups for the bacterium, whereas phosphoryl groups are also involved in U(VI) association by the archaeon H. noricense. PMID:29329319

Useful halophilic, thermostable and ionic liquids tolerant cellulases

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tao; Datta, Supratim; Simmons, Blake A.; Rubin, Edward M.

2016-06-28

The present invention provides for an isolated or recombinant polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of a Halorhabdus utahensis cellulase, such as Hu-CBH1, wherein said amino acid sequence has a halophilic thermostable and/or thermophilic cellobiohydrolase (CBH) activity. In some embodiments, the polypeptide has a CBH activity that is resistant to up to about 20% of ionic liquids. The present invention also provides for compositions comprising and methods using the isolated or recombinant polypeptide.

[Comparative analysis of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) loci in the genomes of halophilic archaea].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fan; Zhang, Bing; Xiang, Hua; Hu, Songnian

2009-11-01

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a widespread system that provides acquired resistance against phages in bacteria and archaea. Here we aim to genome-widely analyze the CRISPR in extreme halophilic archaea, of which the whole genome sequences are available at present time. We used bioinformatics methods including alignment, conservation analysis, GC content and RNA structure prediction to analyze the CRISPR structures of 7 haloarchaeal genomes. We identified the CRISPR structures in 5 halophilic archaea and revealed a conserved palindromic motif in the flanking regions of these CRISPR structures. In addition, we found that the repeat sequences of large CRISPR structures in halophilic archaea were greatly conserved, and two types of predicted RNA secondary structures derived from the repeat sequences were likely determined by the fourth base of the repeat sequence. Our results support the proposal that the leader sequence may function as recognition site by having palindromic structures in flanking regions, and the stem-loop secondary structure formed by repeat sequences may function in mediating the interaction between foreign genetic elements and CAS-encoded proteins.

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate dependent CO2 fixation in the halophilic archaebacterium, Halobacterium mediterranei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawal, N.; Kelkar, S.M.; Altekar, W.

1988-01-01

The cell extract of Halobacterium mediterranei catalyses incorporation of 14 CO 2 into 3-phosphoglycerate in the presence of ribulose bisphosphate suggesting the existence of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase activity in this halophilic archaebacterium

Contribution of hot spring bacterial consortium in cadmium and lead bioremediation through quadratic programming model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sen, Sudip Kumar; Raut, Sangeeta; Dora, Tapas Kumar [Department of Biotechnology, Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Gunupur, Rayagada 765 022, Odisha (India); Mohapatra, Pradeep Kumar Das, E-mail: pkdmvu@gmail.com [Department of Microbiology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore 721 102, West Bengal (India)

2014-01-30

Highlights: • Adsorption of cadmium and lead using hot spring microbial consortium. • Development of empirical models for % adsorption using ANOVA and response surface methodology. • Fitting of the kinetics of adsorption to Freundlich and Langmuir model. • Optimization of the operating parameters to maximize the % of adsorption. -- Abstract: In the present investigation, a number of experiments have been conducted to isolate microbial strains from Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India for bioremediation of cadmium and lead. The strains Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SS1), Aeromonas veronii (SS2) and Bacillus barbaricus (SS3) have shown better adaptation to metal tolerance test, with different concentrations of cadmium and lead and hence have been selected for further studies of metal microbial interaction and optimization. The results of bioremediation process indicate that consortium of thermophilic isolates adsorbed heavy metals more effectively than the individually treated isolates. Therefore, A 24 full factorial central composite design has been employed to analyze the effect of metal ion concentration, microbial concentration and time on removal of heavy metals with consortium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows a high coefficient of determination value. The kinetic data have been fitted to pseudo-first order and second-order models. The isotherm equilibrium data have been well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum removal conditions determined for initial ion concentration was 0.3 g/l; contact time 72 h; microbial concentration, 3 ml/l; and pH 7. At optimum adsorption conditions, the adsorption of cadmium and lead are found to be 92% and 93%, respectively, and presence of metals was confirmed through EDS analysis.

Contribution of hot spring bacterial consortium in cadmium and lead bioremediation through quadratic programming model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, Sudip Kumar; Raut, Sangeeta; Dora, Tapas Kumar; Mohapatra, Pradeep Kumar Das

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Adsorption of cadmium and lead using hot spring microbial consortium. • Development of empirical models for % adsorption using ANOVA and response surface methodology. • Fitting of the kinetics of adsorption to Freundlich and Langmuir model. • Optimization of the operating parameters to maximize the % of adsorption. -- Abstract: In the present investigation, a number of experiments have been conducted to isolate microbial strains from Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India for bioremediation of cadmium and lead. The strains Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SS1), Aeromonas veronii (SS2) and Bacillus barbaricus (SS3) have shown better adaptation to metal tolerance test, with different concentrations of cadmium and lead and hence have been selected for further studies of metal microbial interaction and optimization. The results of bioremediation process indicate that consortium of thermophilic isolates adsorbed heavy metals more effectively than the individually treated isolates. Therefore, A 24 full factorial central composite design has been employed to analyze the effect of metal ion concentration, microbial concentration and time on removal of heavy metals with consortium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows a high coefficient of determination value. The kinetic data have been fitted to pseudo-first order and second-order models. The isotherm equilibrium data have been well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum removal conditions determined for initial ion concentration was 0.3 g/l; contact time 72 h; microbial concentration, 3 ml/l; and pH 7. At optimum adsorption conditions, the adsorption of cadmium and lead are found to be 92% and 93%, respectively, and presence of metals was confirmed through EDS analysis

Halophilic-Psychrophilic Bacteria from Tirich Mir Glacier, Pakistan, as Potential Candidate for Astrobiological Studies

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Rafiq, M. R.; Anesio, A. M. A.; Hayat, M. H.; Zada, S. Z.; Sajjad, W. S.; Shah, A. A. S.; Hasan, F. H.

2016-09-01

Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalaya region is referred to as 'third pole' and could be suitable as a terrestrial analog of Mars and increased possibility of finding polyextremophiles. Study is focused on halophilic psychrophiles.

Bacterioruberin and salinixanthin carotenoids of extremely halophilic Archaea and Bacteria: A Raman spectroscopic study

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Jehlička, J.; Edwards, H. G. M.; Oren, A.

2013-04-01

Laboratory cultures of a number of red extremely halophilic Archaea (Halobacterium salinarum strains NRC-1 and R1, Halorubrum sodomense, Haloarcula valismortis) and of Salinibacter ruber, a red extremely halophilic member of the Bacteria, have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy using 514.5 nm excitation to characterize their carotenoids. The 50-carbon carotenoid α-bacterioruberin was detected as the major carotenoid in all archaeal strains. Raman spectroscopy also detected bacterioruberin as the main pigment in a red pellet of cells collected from a saltern crystallizer pond. Salinibacter contains the C40-carotenoid acyl glycoside salinixanthin (all-E, 2'S)-2'-hydroxy-1'-[6-O-(methyltetradecanoyl)-β-D-glycopyranosyloxy]-3',4'-didehydro-1',2'-dihydro-β,ψ-carotene-4-one), for which the Raman bands assignments of are given here for the first time.

Performance of a pilot-scale packed bed reactor for perchlorate reduction using a sulfur oxidizing bacterial consortium.

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Boles, Amber R; Conneely, Teresa; McKeever, Robert; Nixon, Paul; Nüsslein, Klaus R; Ergas, Sarina J

2012-03-01

A novel sulfur-utilizing perchlorate reducing bacterial consortium successfully treated perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) in prior batch and bench-scale packed bed reactor (PBR) studies. This study examined the scale up of this process for treatment of water from a ClO ₄⁻ and RDX contaminated aquifer in Cape Cod Massachusetts. A pilot-scale upflow PBR (∼250-L) was constructed with elemental sulfur and crushed oyster shell packing media. The reactor was inoculated with sulfur oxidizing ClO₄⁻ reducing cultures enriched from a wastewater seed. Sodium sulfite provided a good method of dissolved oxygen removal in batch cultures, but was found to promote the growth of bacteria that carry out sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction, which inhibited ClO₄⁻ reduction in the pilot system. After terminating sulfite addition, the PBR successfully removed 96% of the influent ClO₄⁻ in the groundwater at an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 12 h (effluent ClO₄⁻ of 4.2 µg L(-1)). Simultaneous ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻ reduction was observed in the lower half of the reactor before reactions shifted to sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction. Analyses of water quality profiles were supported by molecular analysis, which showed distinct groupings of ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻ degrading organisms at the inlet of the PBR, while sulfur disproportionation was the primary biological process occurring in the top potion of the reactor. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bacterial community dynamic associated with autochthonous bioaugmentation for enhanced Cu phytoremediation of salt-marsh sediments.

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Almeida, C Marisa R; Oliveira, Tânia; Reis, Izabela; Gomes, Carlos R; Mucha, Ana P

2017-12-01

Autochthonous bioaugmentation for metal phytoremediation is still little explored, particularly its application to estuarine salt marshes, but results obtained so far are promising. Nevertheless, understanding the behaviour of the microbial communities in the process of bioaugmentation and their role in improving metal phytoremediation is very important to fully validate the application of this biological technology. This study aimed to characterize the bacterial community dynamic associated with the application of autochthonous bioaugmentation in an experimentation which showed that Phragmites australis rhizosphere microorganisms could increase this salt marsh plant potential to phytoremediate Cu contaminated sediments. Bacterial communities present in the autochthonous microbial consortium resistant to Cu added to the medium and in the sediment at the beginning and at the end of the experiment were characterized by ARISA. Complementarily, the consortium and the sediment used for its production were characterized by next generation sequencing using the pyrosequencing platform 454. The microbial consortium resistant to Cu obtained from non-vegetated sediment was dominated by the genus Lactococcus (46%), Raoultella (25%), Bacillus (12%) and Acinetobacter (11%), whereas the one obtained form rhizosediment was dominated by the genus Gluconacetobacter (77%), Bacillus (17%) and Dyella (3%). Results clearly showed that, after two months of experiment, Cu caused a shift in the bacterial community structure of sediments, an effect that was observed either with or without addition of the metal resistant microbial consortium. Therefore, bioaugmentation application improved the process of phytoremediation (metal translocation by the plant was increased) without inducing long term changes in the bacterial community structure of the sediments. So, phytoremediation combined with autochthonous bioaugmentation can be a suitable technology for the recovery of estuarine areas

International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium

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The InterLymph Consortium, or formally the International Consortium of Investigators Working on Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Epidemiologic Studies, is an open scientific forum for epidemiologic research in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Anti-methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Compound Isolation from Halophilic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MHB1 and Determination of Its Mode of Action Using Electron Microscope and Flow Cytometry Analysis.

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Jeyanthi, Venkadapathi; Velusamy, Palaniyandi

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to purify, characterize and evaluate the antibacterial activity of bioactive compound against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The anti-MRSA compound was produced by a halophilic bacterial strain designated as MHB1. The MHB1 strain exhibited 99 % similarity to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. The culture conditions of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MHB1 were optimized using nutritional and environmental parameters for enhanced anti-MRSA compound production. The pure bioactive compound was isolated using silica gel column chromatography and Semi-preparative High-performance liquid chromatography (Semi-preparative HPLC). The Thin layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton NMR ((1)H NMR) analysis indicated the phenolic nature of the compound. The molecular mass of the purified compound was 507 Da as revealed by Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. The compound inhibited the growth of MRSA with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 62.5 µg mL(-1). MRSA bacteria exposed to 4× MIC of the compound and the cell viability was determined using flow cytometric analysis. Scanning electron microscope and Transmission electron microscope analysis was used to determine the ultrastructural changes in bacteria. This is the first report on isolation of anti-MRSA compound from halophilic B. amyloliquefaciens MHB1 and could act as a promising biocontrol agent.

Global transcriptome analysis of Halolamina sp. to decipher the salt tolerance in extremely halophilic archaea.

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Kurt-Kızıldoğan, Aslıhan; Abanoz, Büşra; Okay, Sezer

2017-02-15

Extremely halophilic archaea survive in the hypersaline environments such as salt lakes or salt mines. Therefore, these microorganisms are good sources to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the tolerance to high salt concentrations. In this study, a global transcriptome analysis was conducted in an extremely halophilic archaeon, Halolamina sp. YKT1, isolated from a salt mine in Turkey. A comparative RNA-seq analysis was performed using YKT1 isolate grown either at 2.7M NaCl or 5.5M NaCl concentrations. A total of 2149 genes were predicted to be up-regulated and 1638 genes were down-regulated in the presence of 5.5M NaCl. The salt tolerance of Halolamina sp. YKT1 involves the up-regulation of genes related with membrane transporters, CRISPR-Cas systems, osmoprotectant solutes, oxidative stress proteins, and iron metabolism. On the other hand, the genes encoding the proteins involved in DNA replication, transcription, translation, mismatch and nucleotide excision repair were down-regulated. The RNA-seq data were verified for seven up-regulated genes as well as six down-regulated genes via qRT-PCR analysis. This comprehensive transcriptome analysis showed that the halophilic archaeon canalizes its energy towards keeping the intracellular osmotic balance minimizing the production of nucleic acids and peptides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation on paper cup waste degradation by bacterial consortium and Eudrillus eugeinea through vermicomposting.

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Arumugam, Karthika; Renganathan, Seenivasagan; Babalola, Olubukola Oluranti; Muthunarayanan, Vasanthy

2018-04-01

Disposable Paper cups are a threat to the environment and are composed of 90% high strength paper with 5% thin coating of polyethylene. This polyethylene prevents the paper cup from undergoing degradation in the soil. Hence, in the present study two different approaches towards the management of paper cup waste through vermicomposting technology has been presented. The experimental setup includes 2 plastic reactors namely Vermicompost (VC) (Cow dung + Paper cup waste + Earthworm (Eudrillus eugeinea)) and Vermicompost with bacterial consortium (VCB) (Cow dung + Paper cup waste + Eudrillus eugeinea + Microbial consortia such as Bacillus anthracis, B. endophyticus, B. funiculus, B. thuringiensis, B. cereus, B. toyonensis, Virigibacillius chiquenigi, Acinetobacter baumanni and Lactobacillus pantheries). After treatment the physicochemical parameters were analysed. The results showed that the values of TOC (26.52 and 37.47%), TOM (36.01 and 33.13%) and C/N (15.02 and 11.92%) ratio are reduced in both VC and VCB whereas, the values of pH (8.01 and 7.56), EC (1.2-1.9 µs -1 and 1.4-1.9 µs -1 ), TP (46.1 and 51%), TMg (50.52 and 64.3%), TCa (50 and 64%), TNa (1.39 and 1.75%) and TK (1.75 and 1.86%) have increased. This study substantiates the addition of the microbial consortia augmenting the degradation in VCB reactor by reducing the period of process from 19 to 12 weeks. Further the characterisation of the vermicompost prepared from paper cup with FT-IR shows high degradation of carboxylic and aliphatic group; SEM analysis shows the disaggregation of cellulose and lignin; XRD shows the degradation of cellulose. All these analyses endorse the degradation of the paper cup waste faster with microbes (VCB). Thus, this present study high lights management of the paper cup waste in a relatively short period of time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survival of Halophilic Archaea in the Stratosphere as a Mars Analog: A Transcriptomic Approach

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DasSarma, S.; DasSarma, P.; Laye, V.; Harvey, J.; Reid, C.; Shultz, J.; Yarborough, A.; Lamb, A.; Koske-Phillips, A.; Herbst, A.; Molina, F.; Grah, O.; Phillips, T.

2016-05-01

On Earth, halophilic Archaea tolerate multiple extreme conditions similar to those on Mars. In order to study their survival, we launched live cultures into Earth’s stratosphere on helium balloons. The effects on survival and transcriptomes were interrogated in the lab.

Putative bacterial interactions from metagenomic knowledge with an integrative systems ecology approach.

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Bordron, Philippe; Latorre, Mauricio; Cortés, Maria-Paz; González, Mauricio; Thiele, Sven; Siegel, Anne; Maass, Alejandro; Eveillard, Damien

2016-02-01

Following the trend of studies that investigate microbial ecosystems using different metagenomic techniques, we propose a new integrative systems ecology approach that aims to decipher functional roles within a consortium through the integration of genomic and metabolic knowledge at genome scale. For the sake of application, using public genomes of five bacterial strains involved in copper bioleaching: Acidiphilium cryptum, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, Leptospirillum ferriphilum, and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, we first reconstructed a global metabolic network. Next, using a parsimony assumption, we deciphered sets of genes, called Sets from Genome Segments (SGS), that (1) are close on their respective genomes, (2) take an active part in metabolic pathways and (3) whose associated metabolic reactions are also closely connected within metabolic networks. Overall, this SGS paradigm depicts genomic functional units that emphasize respective roles of bacterial strains to catalyze metabolic pathways and environmental processes. Our analysis suggested that only few functional metabolic genes are horizontally transferred within the consortium and that no single bacterial strain can accomplish by itself the whole copper bioleaching. The use of SGS pinpoints a functional compartmentalization among the investigated species and exhibits putative bacterial interactions necessary for promoting these pathways. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Genome-Based Metabolic Systems Engineering to Boost Levan Production in a Halophilic Bacterial Model.

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Aydin, Busra; Ozer, Tugba; Oner, Ebru Toksoy; Arga, Kazim Yalcin

2018-03-01

Metabolic systems engineering is being used to redirect microbial metabolism for the overproduction of chemicals of interest with the aim of transforming microbial hosts into cellular factories. In this study, a genome-based metabolic systems engineering approach was designed and performed to improve biopolymer biosynthesis capability of a moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas smyrnensis AAD6 T producing levan, which is a fructose homopolymer with many potential uses in various industries and medicine. For this purpose, the genome-scale metabolic model for AAD6 T was used to characterize the metabolic resource allocation, specifically to design metabolic engineering strategies for engineered bacteria with enhanced levan production capability. Simulations were performed in silico to determine optimal gene knockout strategies to develop new strains with enhanced levan production capability. The majority of the gene knockout strategies emphasized the vital role of the fructose uptake mechanism, and pointed out the fructose-specific phosphotransferase system (PTS fru ) as the most promising target for further metabolic engineering studies. Therefore, the PTS fru of AAD6 T was restructured with insertional mutagenesis and triparental mating techniques to construct a novel, engineered H. smyrnensis strain, BMA14. Fermentation experiments were carried out to demonstrate the high efficiency of the mutant strain BMA14 in terms of final levan concentration, sucrose consumption rate, and sucrose conversion efficiency, when compared to the AAD6 T . The genome-based metabolic systems engineering approach presented in this study might be considered an efficient framework to redirect microbial metabolism for the overproduction of chemicals of interest, and the novel strain BMA14 might be considered a potential microbial cell factory for further studies aimed to design levan production processes with lower production costs.

Nesterenkonia pannonica sp. nov., a novel alkaliphilic and moderately halophilic actinobacterium.

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Borsodi, Andrea K; Szili-Kovács, Tibor; Schumann, Peter; Spröer, Cathrin; Márialigeti, Károly; Tóth, Erika

2017-10-01

An alkaliphilic and moderately halophilic bacterial strain characterized by optimal growth at pH 9.0-10.0 and with 5-7 % (w/v) NaCl, designated BV-35 T , was isolated from water of a soda pan located in Kiskunság National Park, Hungary. Cells of the orange-pigmented colony were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile and non-endospore-forming coccoid rods. The isolate was strictly aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Strain BV-35 T displayed a peptidoglycan similar to type A4α, l-Lys-l-Glu (A11.54 according to www.peptidoglycan-types.info) but containing additionally 4-aminobutyric acid. Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) was the predominant isoprenoid quinone, and anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0 were its major cellular fatty acids. The DNA G+C content of strain BV-35 T was 65.4 mol%. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, the novel isolate showed the closest relationship to Nesterenkonia populi GP 10-3 T (97.9 %). The DNA-DNA relatedness between BV-35 T and N. populi was 46.7 %. The distinguishing phenotypic and genetic results of this polyphasic study revealed that strain BV-35 T represents a novel member of the genus Nesterenkonia, for which the name Nesterenkonia pannonica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BV-35 T (=DSM 29786 T =NCAIM B 02606 T ).

Characterization of exopolysaccharides produced by three moderately halophilic bacteria belonging to the family Alteromonadaceae.

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Mata, J A; Béjar, V; Bressollier, P; Tallon, R; Urdaci, M C; Quesada, E; Llamas, I

2008-08-01

To study the exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by three novel moderately halophilic species belonging to the family Alteromonadaceae to optimize EPS yields, characterize their physical and chemical properties and evaluate possible biotechnological applications for these polymers. EPSs synthesized by Idiomarina fontislapidosi F32(T), Idiomarina ramblicola R22(T) and Alteromonas hispanica F23(T) were collected and analysed under optimum conditions: MY medium supplemented with 7.5% (w/v) salts; 32 degrees C; and 1% (w/v) glucose. Polymers were synthesized mainly during the early stationary growth phase with yields ranging from 1 to 1.5 g l(-1). The Idiomarina species each produced an anionic EPS composed mainly of glucose, mannose and galactose. A. hispanica synthesized an anionic EPS composed mainly of glucose, mannose and xylose. Solutions of all the polymers were low in viscosity and pseudoplastic in their behaviour. They showed emulsifying activity and the capacity to bind some metals. The Alteromonadaceae species studied in this work produced EPSs with physical and chemical properties different from those produced by other halophilic and nonhalophilic bacteria, suggesting that the wide diversity of micro-organisms being encountered nowadays in hypersaline environments offers enormous potential resources for biotechnological applications. We have optimized the EPS production and analysed new biopolymers produced by some recently described, moderately halophilic bacteria. These biopolymers are chemically and physically different from others already in use in biotechnology and offer hopes for new applications, especially in the case of A. hispanica, which may prove to be a viable source of xylo-oligosaccharides.

Production of halophilic proteins using Haloferax volcanii H1895 in a stirred-tank bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Strillinger, Eva

2015-10-01

The success of biotechnological processes is based on the availability of efficient and highly specific biocatalysts, which can satisfy industrial demands. Extreme and remote environments like the deep brine pools of the Red Sea represent highly interesting habitats for the discovery of novel halophilic and thermophilic enzymes. Haloferax volcanii constitutes a suitable expression system for halophilic enzymes obtained from such brine pools. We developed a batch process for the cultivation of H. volcanii H1895 in controlled stirred-tank bioreactors utilising knockouts of components of the flagella assembly system. The standard medium Hv-YPC was supplemented to reach a higher cell density. Without protein expression, cell dry weight reaches 10 g L−1. Two halophilic alcohol dehydrogenases were expressed under the control of the tryptophanase promoter p.tna with 16.8 and 3.2 mg gCDW −1, respectively, at a maximum cell dry weight of 6.5 g L−1. Protein expression was induced by the addition of l-tryptophan. Investigation of various expression strategies leads to an optimised two-step induction protocol introducing 6 mM l-tryptophan at an OD650 of 0.4 followed by incubation for 16 h and a second induction step with 3 mM l-tryptophan followed by a final incubation time of 4 h. Compared with the uncontrolled shaker-flask cultivations used until date, dry cell mass concentrations were improved by a factor of more than 5 and cell-specific enzyme activities showed an up to 28-fold increased yield of the heterologous proteins.

RNomics and Modomics in the halophilic archaea Haloferax volcanii: identification of RNA modification genes

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Decatur Wayne A

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Naturally occurring RNAs contain numerous enzymatically altered nucleosides. Differences in RNA populations (RNomics and pattern of RNA modifications (Modomics depends on the organism analyzed and are two of the criteria that distinguish the three kingdoms of life. If the genomic sequences of the RNA molecules can be derived from whole genome sequence information, the modification profile cannot and requires or direct sequencing of the RNAs or predictive methods base on the presence or absence of the modifications genes. Results By employing a comparative genomics approach, we predicted almost all of the genes coding for the t+rRNA modification enzymes in the mesophilic moderate halophile Haloferax volcanii. These encode both guide RNAs and enzymes. Some are orthologous to previously identified genes in Archaea, Bacteria or in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but several are original predictions. Conclusion The number of modifications in t+rRNAs in the halophilic archaeon is surprisingly low when compared with other Archaea or Bacteria, particularly the hyperthermophilic organisms. This may result from the specific lifestyle of halophiles that require high intracellular salt concentration for survival. This salt content could allow RNA to maintain its functional structural integrity with fewer modifications. We predict that the few modifications present must be particularly important for decoding, accuracy of translation or are modifications that cannot be functionally replaced by the electrostatic interactions provided by the surrounding salt-ions. This analysis also guides future experimental validation work aiming to complete the understanding of the function of RNA modifications in Archaeal translation.

Production of halophilic proteins using Haloferax volcanii H1895 in a stirred-tank bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Strillinger, Eva; Grötzinger, Stefan Wolfgang; Allers, Thorsten; Eppinger, Jörg; Weuster-Botz, Dirk

2016-02-01

The success of biotechnological processes is based on the availability of efficient and highly specific biocatalysts, which can satisfy industrial demands. Extreme and remote environments like the deep brine pools of the Red Sea represent highly interesting habitats for the discovery of novel halophilic and thermophilic enzymes. Haloferax volcanii constitutes a suitable expression system for halophilic enzymes obtained from such brine pools. We developed a batch process for the cultivation of H. volcanii H1895 in controlled stirred-tank bioreactors utilising knockouts of components of the flagella assembly system. The standard medium Hv-YPC was supplemented to reach a higher cell density. Without protein expression, cell dry weight reaches 10 g L(-1). Two halophilic alcohol dehydrogenases were expressed under the control of the tryptophanase promoter p.tna with 16.8 and 3.2 mg gCDW (-1), respectively, at a maximum cell dry weight of 6.5 g L(-1). Protein expression was induced by the addition of L-tryptophan. Investigation of various expression strategies leads to an optimised two-step induction protocol introducing 6 mM L-tryptophan at an OD650 of 0.4 followed by incubation for 16 h and a second induction step with 3 mM L-tryptophan followed by a final incubation time of 4 h. Compared with the uncontrolled shaker-flask cultivations used until date, dry cell mass concentrations were improved by a factor of more than 5 and cell-specific enzyme activities showed an up to 28-fold increased yield of the heterologous proteins.

Production of halophilic proteins using Haloferax volcanii H1895 in a stirred-tank bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Strillinger, Eva; Grö tzinger, Stefan W.; Allers, Thorsten; Eppinger, Jö rg; Weuster-Botz, Dirk

2015-01-01

The success of biotechnological processes is based on the availability of efficient and highly specific biocatalysts, which can satisfy industrial demands. Extreme and remote environments like the deep brine pools of the Red Sea represent highly interesting habitats for the discovery of novel halophilic and thermophilic enzymes. Haloferax volcanii constitutes a suitable expression system for halophilic enzymes obtained from such brine pools. We developed a batch process for the cultivation of H. volcanii H1895 in controlled stirred-tank bioreactors utilising knockouts of components of the flagella assembly system. The standard medium Hv-YPC was supplemented to reach a higher cell density. Without protein expression, cell dry weight reaches 10 g L−1. Two halophilic alcohol dehydrogenases were expressed under the control of the tryptophanase promoter p.tna with 16.8 and 3.2 mg gCDW −1, respectively, at a maximum cell dry weight of 6.5 g L−1. Protein expression was induced by the addition of l-tryptophan. Investigation of various expression strategies leads to an optimised two-step induction protocol introducing 6 mM l-tryptophan at an OD650 of 0.4 followed by incubation for 16 h and a second induction step with 3 mM l-tryptophan followed by a final incubation time of 4 h. Compared with the uncontrolled shaker-flask cultivations used until date, dry cell mass concentrations were improved by a factor of more than 5 and cell-specific enzyme activities showed an up to 28-fold increased yield of the heterologous proteins.

Purification and Characterization of Haloalkaline, Organic Solvent Stable Xylanase from Newly Isolated Halophilic Bacterium-OKH

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Sanghvi, Gaurav; Jivrajani, Mehul; Patel, Nirav; Jivrajani, Heta; Bhaskara, Govinal Badiger; Patel, Shivani

2014-01-01

A novel, alkali-tolerant halophilic bacterium-OKH with an ability to produce extracellular halophilic, alkali-tolerant, organic solvent stable, and moderately thermostable xylanase was isolated from salt salterns of Mithapur region, Gujarat, India. Identification of the bacterium was done based upon biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence. Maximum xylanase production was achieved at pH 9.0 and 37°C temperature in the medium containing 15% NaCl and 1% (w/v) corn cobs. Sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw also induce xylanase production when used as carbon source. The enzyme was active over a range of 0–25% sodium chloride examined in culture broth. The optimum xylanase activity was observed at 5% sodium chloride. Xylanase was purified with 25.81%-fold purification and 17.1% yield. Kinetic properties such as Km and Vmax were 4.2 mg/mL and 0.31 μmol/min/mL, respectively. The enzyme was stable at pH 6.0 and 50°C with 60% activity after 8 hours of incubation. Enzyme activity was enhanced by Ca2+, Mn2+, and Mg2+ but strongly inhibited by heavy metals such as Hg2+, Fe3+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. Xylanase was found to be stable in organic solvents like glutaraldehyde and isopropanol. The purified enzyme hydrolysed lignocellulosic substrates. Xylanase, purified from the halophilic bacterium-OKH, has potential biotechnological applications. PMID:27350996

Bioremediation of oil sludge using a type of nitrogen source and the consortium of bacteria with composting method

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Fitri, Inayah; Ni'matuzahroh, Surtiningsih, Tini

2017-06-01

The purpose of this research are to know the effect of addition of different nitrogen source, consortium of bacteria, incubation time and the interaction between those variables to the total number of bacteria (CFU/g-soil) and the percentage of degradation (%) in the bioremediation of oil sludge contaminated soil; as well as degraded hydrocarbon components at the best treatment on 6th week. The experiments carried out by mixing the materials and placed them in each bath with and without adding different nitrogen source and bacterial consortium. pH and moisture were measured for every week. An increase in total number of bacteria and percent of maximum degradation recorded at treatment with the addition of NPK+Azotobacter+bacteria consortium; with the TPC value was 14.24 log CFU/g, percent degradation was 77.8%, organic C content was 10.91%, total N was 0.12% and organic matter content was 18.87%, respectively.

Studies on poly-3-hydroxyoctanoate biosynthesis by a consortium of microorganisms

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Eremia Mihaela Carmen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalcanoates (PHAs are specifically produced by a wide variety of bacteria, as an intracellular energy reserve in the form of homo- and copolymers of [R]-β-hydroxyalkanoic acids, depending on the C source used for microorganism growth, when the cells are grown under stressing conditions. In this paper we present microbiological accumulation of poly-3-hydroxyoctanoate (PHO by using a consortium of bacterial strains, Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis, in a rate of 3:1, grown on a fermentation medium based on sodium octanoate as the sole carbon source. The experiments performed in the above mentioned conditions led to the following results: from 18.70 g sodium octanoate (7.72 g/L in the fermentation medium used up during the bioprocess, 3.93-3.96 g/L dry bacterial biomass and 1.834 - 1.884 g/L PHA, containing 85.83 - 86.8% PHO, were obtained.

Bacterial decolorization and detoxification of black liquor from rayon grade pulp manufacturing paper industry and detection of their metabolic products.

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Chandra, Ram; Abhishek, Amar; Sankhwar, Monica

2011-06-01

This study deals with the decolorization of black liquor (BL) by isolated potential bacterial consortium comprising Serratia marcescens (GU193982), Citrobacter sp. (HQ873619) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (GU193983). The decolorization of BL was studied by using the different nutritional as well as environmental parameters. In this study, result revealed that the ligninolytic activities were found to be growth associated and the developed bacterial consortium was efficient for the reduction of COD, BOD and color up to 83%, 74% and 85%, respectively. The HPLC analysis of degraded samples of BL has shown the reduction in peak area compared to control. Further, the GC-MS analysis showed that, most of the compounds detected in control were diminished after bacterial treatment while, formic acid hydrazide, 4-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid, carbamic acid, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid and erythropentanoic acid were found as new metabolites. Further, the seed germination test using Phaseolus aureus has supported the detoxification of bacterial decolorized BL. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome sequence of the moderately halophilic bacterium Salinicoccus carnicancri type strain Crm(T) (= DSM 23852(T)).

Science.gov (United States)

Hyun, Dong-Wook; Whon, Tae Woong; Cho, Yong-Joon; Chun, Jongsik; Kim, Min-Soo; Jung, Mi-Ja; Shin, Na-Ri; Kim, Joon-Yong; Kim, Pil Soo; Yun, Ji-Hyun; Lee, Jina; Oh, Sei Joon; Bae, Jin-Woo

2013-01-01

Salinicoccus carnicancri Jung et al. 2010 belongs to the genus Salinicoccus in the family Staphylococcaceae. Members of the Salinicoccus are moderately halophilic and originate from various salty environments. The halophilic features of the Salinicoccus suggest their possible uses in biotechnological applications, such as biodegradation and fermented food production. However, the genus Salinicoccus is poorly characterized at the genome level, despite its potential importance. This study presents the draft genome sequence of S. carnicancri strain Crm(T) and its annotation. The 2,673,309 base pair genome contained 2,700 protein-coding genes and 78 RNA genes with an average G+C content of 47.93 mol%. It was notable that the strain carried 72 predicted genes associated with osmoregulation, which suggests the presence of beneficial functions that facilitate growth in high-salt environments.

Using extremely halophilic bacteria to understand the role of surface charge and surface hydration in protein evolution, folding, and function

Science.gov (United States)

Hoff, Wouter; Deole, Ratnakar; Osu Collaboration

2013-03-01

Halophilic Archaea accumulate molar concentrations of KCl in their cytoplasm as an osmoprotectant, and have evolved highly acidic proteomes that only function at high salinity. We examine osmoprotection in the photosynthetic Proteobacteria Halorhodospira halophila. We find that H. halophila has an acidic proteome and accumulates molar concentrations of KCl when grown in high salt media. Upon growth of H. halophila in low salt media, its cytoplasmic K + content matches that of Escherichia coli, revealing an acidic proteome that can function in the absence of high cytoplasmic salt concentrations. These findings necessitate a reassessment of two central aspects of theories for understanding extreme halophiles. We conclude that proteome acidity is not driven by stabilizing interactions between K + ions and acidic side chains, but by the need for maintaining sufficient solvation and hydration of the protein surface at high salinity through strongly hydrated carboxylates. We propose that obligate protein halophilicity is a non-adaptive property resulting from genetic drift in which constructive neutral evolution progressively incorporates weakly stabilizing K + binding sites on an increasingly acidic protein surface.

Creation of the Probiotic Consortium on the Base of Strains of Bifidobacterium spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kozhakhmetov, S. S.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, a widespread circulation of disbiotic conditions among the population of all ages in Kazakhstan requires an active development in industry for both preparations and products with probiotic properties. The gained bacterial isolates, Bifidobacterium adolescentis 180, B. breve 204, B. breve 584 and B. breve 587 were used in our researches and screening showed they possess high probiotic properties. The consortium possesses strong antimicrobial activity to pathogenic and potentially-pathogenic microflora, insulated during disbacteriosis, as well as from vagina and urea. They are able to produce vitamin B12 and also have antimutagenic activity. As a result, the consortium on the base of strains of Bifidobacterium spp. was received, possessing the following advantages: contains live mass of microbial, antagonistically active strains B. breve and B. adolescentis; contains more than 10^9 alive Bifidobacteria; does not contain plasmids, which means that it could not be a carrier of antibiotic stability for Gram-positive receptive pathogenic and potentially-pathogenic microflora.

EDTA addition enhances bacterial respiration activities and hydrocarbon degradation in bioaugmented and non-bioaugmented oil-contaminated desert soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Kharusi, Samiha; Abed, Raeid M M; Dobretsov, Sergey

2016-03-01

The low number and activity of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and the low solubility and availability of hydrocarbons hamper bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils in arid deserts, thus bioremediation treatments that circumvent these limitations are required. We tested the effect of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) addition, at different concentrations (i.e. 0.1, 1 and 10 mM), on bacterial respiration and biodegradation of Arabian light oil in bioaugmented (i.e. with the addition of exogenous alkane-degrading consortium) and non-bioaugmented oil-contaminated desert soils. Post-treatment shifts in the soils' bacterial community structure were monitored using MiSeq sequencing. Bacterial respiration, indicated by the amount of evolved CO2, was highest at 10 mM EDTA in bioaugmented and non-bioaugmented soils, reaching an amount of 2.2 ± 0.08 and 1.6 ± 0.02 mg-CO2 g(-1) after 14 days of incubation, respectively. GC-MS revealed that 91.5% of the C14-C30 alkanes were degraded after 42 days when 10 mM EDTA and the bacterial consortium were added together. MiSeq sequencing showed that 78-91% of retrieved sequences in the original soil belonged to Deinococci, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteia and Bacilli. The same bacterial classes were detected in the 10 mM EDTA-treated soils, however with slight differences in their relative abundances. In the bioaugmented soils, only Alcanivorax sp. MH3 and Parvibaculum sp. MH21 from the exogenous bacterial consortium could survive until the end of the experiment. We conclude that the addition of EDTA at appropriate concentrations could facilitate biodegradation processes by increasing hydrocarbon availability to microbes. The addition of exogenous oil-degrading bacteria along with EDTA could serve as an ideal solution for the decontamination of oil-contaminated desert soils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptations to High Salt in a Halophilic Protist: Differential Expression and Gene Acquisitions through Duplications and Gene Transfers

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Harding, Tommy; Roger, Andrew J.; Simpson, Alastair G. B.

2017-01-01

The capacity of halophiles to thrive in extreme hypersaline habitats derives partly from the tight regulation of ion homeostasis, the salt-dependent adjustment of plasma membrane fluidity, and the increased capability to manage oxidative stress. Halophilic bacteria, and archaea have been intensively studied, and substantial research has been conducted on halophilic fungi, and the green alga Dunaliella. By contrast, there have been very few investigations of halophiles that are phagotrophic protists, i.e., protozoa. To gather fundamental knowledge about salt adaptation in these organisms, we studied the transcriptome-level response of Halocafeteria seosinensis (Stramenopiles) grown under contrasting salinities. We provided further evolutionary context to our analysis by identifying genes that underwent recent duplications. Genes that were highly responsive to salinity variations were involved in stress response (e.g., chaperones), ion homeostasis (e.g., Na+/H+ transporter), metabolism and transport of lipids (e.g., sterol biosynthetic genes), carbohydrate metabolism (e.g., glycosidases), and signal transduction pathways (e.g., transcription factors). A significantly high proportion (43%) of duplicated genes were also differentially expressed, accentuating the importance of gene expansion in adaptation by H. seosinensis to high salt environments. Furthermore, we found two genes that were lateral acquisitions from bacteria, and were also highly up-regulated and highly expressed at high salt, suggesting that this evolutionary mechanism could also have facilitated adaptation to high salt. We propose that a transition toward high-salt adaptation in the ancestors of H. seosinensis required the acquisition of new genes via duplication, and some lateral gene transfers (LGTs), as well as the alteration of transcriptional programs, leading to increased stress resistance, proper establishment of ion gradients, and modification of cell structure properties like membrane

Adaptations to High Salt in a Halophilic Protist: Differential Expression and Gene Acquisitions through Duplications and Gene Transfers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommy Harding

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The capacity of halophiles to thrive in extreme hypersaline habitats derives partly from the tight regulation of ion homeostasis, the salt-dependent adjustment of plasma membrane fluidity, and the increased capability to manage oxidative stress. Halophilic bacteria, and archaea have been intensively studied, and substantial research has been conducted on halophilic fungi, and the green alga Dunaliella. By contrast, there have been very few investigations of halophiles that are phagotrophic protists, i.e., protozoa. To gather fundamental knowledge about salt adaptation in these organisms, we studied the transcriptome-level response of Halocafeteria seosinensis (Stramenopiles grown under contrasting salinities. We provided further evolutionary context to our analysis by identifying genes that underwent recent duplications. Genes that were highly responsive to salinity variations were involved in stress response (e.g., chaperones, ion homeostasis (e.g., Na+/H+ transporter, metabolism and transport of lipids (e.g., sterol biosynthetic genes, carbohydrate metabolism (e.g., glycosidases, and signal transduction pathways (e.g., transcription factors. A significantly high proportion (43% of duplicated genes were also differentially expressed, accentuating the importance of gene expansion in adaptation by H. seosinensis to high salt environments. Furthermore, we found two genes that were lateral acquisitions from bacteria, and were also highly up-regulated and highly expressed at high salt, suggesting that this evolutionary mechanism could also have facilitated adaptation to high salt. We propose that a transition toward high-salt adaptation in the ancestors of H. seosinensis required the acquisition of new genes via duplication, and some lateral gene transfers (LGTs, as well as the alteration of transcriptional programs, leading to increased stress resistance, proper establishment of ion gradients, and modification of cell structure properties like

Biodegradation of benzene by halophilic and halotolerant bacteria under aerobic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Carla A; Fathepure, Babu Z

2004-02-01

A highly enriched halophilic culture was established with benzene as the sole carbon source by using a brine soil obtained from an oil production facility in Oklahoma. The enrichment completely degraded benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes within 1 to 2 weeks. Also, [14C]benzene was converted to 14CO2, suggesting the culture's ability to mineralize benzene. Community structure analysis revealed that Marinobacter spp. were the dominant members of the enrichment.

25 CFR 1000.73 - Once a Tribe/Consortium has been awarded a grant, may the Tribe/Consortium obtain information...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Once a Tribe/Consortium has been awarded a grant, may the Tribe/Consortium obtain information from a non-BIA bureau? 1000.73 Section 1000.73 Indians OFFICE OF THE... § 1000.73 Once a Tribe/Consortium has been awarded a grant, may the Tribe/Consortium obtain information...

Chloride and organic osmolytes: a hybrid strategy to cope with elevated salinities by the moderately halophilic, chloride-dependent bacterium Halobacillus halophilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Saum, Stephan H; Pfeiffer, Friedhelm; Palm, Peter; Rampp, Markus; Schuster, Stephan C; Müller, Volker; Oesterhelt, Dieter

2013-05-01

Salt acclimation in moderately halophilic bacteria is the result of action of a grand interplay orchestrated by signals perceived from the environment. To elucidate the cellular players involved in sensing and responding to changing salinities we have determined the genome sequence of Halobacillus halophilus, a Gram-positive moderate halophilic bacterium that has a strict requirement for the anion chloride. Halobacillus halophilus synthesizes a multitude of different compatible solutes and switches its osmolyte strategy with the external salinity and growth phase. Based on the emerging genome sequence, the compatible solutes glutamate, glutamine, proline and ectoine have already been experimentally studied. The biosynthetic routes for acetyl ornithine and acetyl lysine are also delineated from the genome sequence. Halobacillus halophilus is nutritionally very versatile and most compatible solutes cannot only be produced but also used as carbon and energy sources. The genome sequence unravelled isogenes for many pathways indicating a fine regulation of metabolism. Halobacillus halophilus is unique in integrating the concept of compatible solutes with the second fundamental principle to cope with salt stress, the accumulation of molar concentrations of salt (Cl(-)) in the cytoplasm. Extremely halophilic bacteria/archaea, which exclusively rely on the salt-in strategy, have a high percentage of acidic proteins compared with non-halophiles with a low percentage. Halobacillus halophilus has an intermediate position which is consistent with its ability to integrate both principles. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Osmoregulation in the Halophilic Bacterium Halomonas elongata: A Case Study for Integrative Systems Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kindzierski, Viktoria; Raschke, Silvia; Knabe, Nicole; Siedler, Frank; Scheffer, Beatrix; Pflüger-Grau, Katharina; Pfeiffer, Friedhelm; Oesterhelt, Dieter; Marin-Sanguino, Alberto; Kunte, Hans-Jörg

2017-01-01

Halophilic bacteria use a variety of osmoregulatory methods, such as the accumulation of one or more compatible solutes. The wide diversity of compounds that can act as compatible solute complicates the task of understanding the different strategies that halophilic bacteria use to cope with salt. This is specially challenging when attempting to go beyond the pathway that produces a certain compatible solute towards an understanding of how the metabolic network as a whole addresses the problem. Metabolic reconstruction based on genomic data together with Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) is a promising tool to gain insight into this problem. However, as more of these reconstructions become available, it becomes clear that processes predicted by genome annotation may not reflect the processes that are active in vivo. As a case in point, E. coli is unable to grow aerobically on citrate in spite of having all the necessary genes to do it. It has also been shown that the realization of this genetic potential into an actual capability to metabolize citrate is an extremely unlikely event under normal evolutionary conditions. Moreover, many marine bacteria seem to have the same pathways to metabolize glucose but each species uses a different one. In this work, a metabolic network inferred from genomic annotation of the halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata and proteomic profiling experiments are used as a starting point to motivate targeted experiments in order to find out some of the defining features of the osmoregulatory strategies of this bacterium. This new information is then used to refine the network in order to describe the actual capabilities of H. elongata, rather than its genetic potential.

Application of lipopeptide biosurfactant isolated from a halophile: Bacillus tequilensis CH for inhibition of biofilm.

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Arun Kumar; Pradhan, Nilotpala; Mall, Gangotri; Panda, Himadri Tanaya; Sukla, Lala Behari; Panda, Prasanna Kumar; Mishra, Barada Kanta

2013-11-01

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic molecules having hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties produced by various microorganisms. These molecules trigger the reduction of surface tension or interfacial tension in liquids. A biosurfactant-producing halophile was isolated from Lake Chilika, a brackish water lake of Odisha, India (19°41'39″N, 85°18'24″E). The halophile was identified as Bacillus tequilensis CH by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing and assigned accession no. KC851857 by GenBank. The biosurfactant produced by B. tequilensis CH was partially characterized as a lipopeptide using thin-layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The minimum effective concentration of a biosurfactant for inhibition of pathogenic biofilm (Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans) on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces was found to be 50 μg ml(-1). This finding has potential for a variety of applications.

An Extremely Halophilic Proteobacterium Combines a Highly Acidic Proteome with a Low Cytoplasmic Potassium Content*

Science.gov (United States)

Deole, Ratnakar; Challacombe, Jean; Raiford, Douglas W.; Hoff, Wouter D.

2013-01-01

Halophilic archaea accumulate molar concentrations of KCl in their cytoplasm as an osmoprotectant and have evolved highly acidic proteomes that function only at high salinity. We examined osmoprotection in the photosynthetic Proteobacteria Halorhodospira halophila and Halorhodospira halochloris. Genome sequencing and isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis showed that the proteome of H. halophila is acidic. In line with this finding, H. halophila accumulated molar concentrations of KCl when grown in high salt medium as detected by x-ray microanalysis and plasma emission spectrometry. This result extends the taxonomic range of organisms using KCl as a main osmoprotectant to the Proteobacteria. The closely related organism H. halochloris does not exhibit an acidic proteome, matching its inability to accumulate K+. This observation indicates recent evolutionary changes in the osmoprotection strategy of these organisms. Upon growth of H. halophila in low salt medium, its cytoplasmic K+ content matches that of Escherichia coli, revealing an acidic proteome that can function in the absence of high cytoplasmic salt concentrations. These findings necessitate a reassessment of two central aspects of theories for understanding extreme halophiles. First, we conclude that proteome acidity is not driven by stabilizing interactions between K+ ions and acidic side chains but by the need for maintaining sufficient solvation and hydration of the protein surface at high salinity through strongly hydrated carboxylates. Second, we propose that obligate protein halophilicity is a non-adaptive property resulting from genetic drift in which constructive neutral evolution progressively incorporates weakly stabilizing K+-binding sites on an increasingly acidic protein surface. PMID:23144460

Complete Genome Sequence of the Anaerobic Halophilic Alkalithermophile Natranaerobius thermophilus JW/NM-WN-LFT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mesbah, Noha [University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Dalin, Eileen [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Goodwin, Lynne A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Nolan, Matt [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Pitluck, Sam [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Chertkov, Olga [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Han, James [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Larimer, Frank W [ORNL; Land, Miriam L [ORNL; Hauser, Loren John [ORNL; Kyrpides, Nikos C [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Wiegel, Juergen [University of Georgia, Athens, GA

2011-01-01

The genome of the anaerobic halophilic alkalithermophile Natranaerobius thermophiles consists of one chromosome and two plasmids.The present study is the first to report the completely sequenced genome of polyextremophile and the harboring genes harboring genes associated with roles in regulation of intracellular osmotic pressure, pH homeostasis, and thermophilic stability.

Amyloid fibril formation in vitro from halophilic metal binding protein: Its high solubility and reversibility minimized formation of amorphous protein aggregations

Science.gov (United States)

Tokunaga, Yuhei; Matsumoto, Mitsuharu; Tokunaga, Masao; Arakawa, Tsutomu; Sugimoto, Yasushi

2013-01-01

Halophilic proteins are characterized by high net negative charges and relatively small fraction of hydrophobic amino acids, rendering them aggregation resistant. These properties are also shared by histidine-rich metal binding protein (HP) from moderate halophile, Chromohalobacter salexigens, used in this study. Here, we examined how halophilic proteins form amyloid fibrils in vitro. His-tagged HP, incubated at pH 2.0 and 58°C, readily formed amyloid fibrils, as observed by thioflavin fluorescence, CD spectra, and transmission or atomic force microscopies. Under these low-pH harsh conditions, however, His-HP was promptly hydrolyzed to smaller peptides most likely responsible for rapid formation of amyloid fibril. Three major acid-hydrolyzed peptides were isolated from fibrils and turned out to readily form fibrils. The synthetic peptides predicted to form fibrils in these peptide sequences by Waltz software also formed fibrils. Amyloid fibril was also readily formed from full-length His-HP when incubated with 10–20% 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol at pH 7.8 and 25°C without peptide bond cleavage. PMID:24038709

Consortium for military LCD display procurement

Science.gov (United States)

Echols, Gregg

2002-08-01

International Display Consortium (IDC) is the joining together of display companies to combined their buying power and obtained favorable terms with a major LCD manufacturer. Consolidating the buying power and grouping the demand enables the rugged display industry of avionics, ground vehicles, and ship based display manufacturers to have unencumbered access to high performance AMLCDs while greatly reducing risk and lowering cost. With an unrestricted supply of AMLCD displays, the consortium members have total control of their risk, cost, deliveries and added value partners. Every display manufacturer desires a very close relationship with a display vender. With IDC each consortium member achieves a close relationship. Consortium members enjoy cost effective access to high performance, industry standard sized LCD panels, and modified commercial displays with 100 degree C clearing points and portrait configurations. Consortium members also enjoy proposal support, technical support and long-term support.

The clinical impact of bacterial biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høiby, Niels; Ciofu, Oana; Johansen, Helle Krogh

2011-01-01

Bacteria survive in nature by forming biofilms on surfaces and probably most, if not all, bacteria (and fungi) are capable of forming biofilms. A biofilm is a structured consortium of bacteria embedded in a self-produced polymer matrix consisting of polysaccharide, protein and extracellular DNA....... Bacterial biofilms are resistant to antibiotics, disinfectant chemicals and to phagocytosis and other components of the innate and adaptive inflammatory defense system of the body. It is known, for example, that persistence of staphylococcal infections related to foreign bodies is due to biofilm formation....... Likewise, chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients are caused by biofilm growing mucoid strains. Gradients of nutrients and oxygen exist from the top to the bottom of biofilms and the bacterial cells located in nutrient poor areas have decreased metabolic activity...

Influence of the nano-micro structure of the surface on bacterial adhesion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Díaz

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Biomaterials failures are frequently associated to the formation of bacterial biofilms on the surface. The aim of this work is to study the adhesion of non motile bacteria streptococci consortium and motile Pseudomonas fluorescens. Substrates with micro and nanopatterned topography were used. The influence of surface characteristics on bacterial adhesion was investigated using optical and epifluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM. Results showed an important influence of the substratum nature. On microrough surfaces, initial bacterial adhesion was less significant than on smooth surfaces. In contrast, nanopatterned samples showed more bacterial attachment than the smooth control. It was also noted a remarkable difference in morphology, orientation and distribution of bacteria between the smooth and the nanostructured substrate. The results show the important effect of substratum nature and topography on bacterial adhesion which depended on the relation between roughness characteristics dimensions and bacterial size.

Comparative metagenomic analysis of PAH degradation in soil by a mixed microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafra, German; Taylor, Todd D; Absalón, Angel E; Cortés-Espinosa, Diana V

2016-11-15

In this study, we used a taxonomic and functional metagenomic approach to analyze some of the effects (e.g. displacement, permanence, disappearance) produced between native microbiota and a previously constructed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading microbial consortium during the bioremediation process of a soil polluted with PAHs. Bioaugmentation with a fungal-bacterial consortium and biostimulation of native microbiota using corn stover as texturizer produced appreciable changes in the microbial diversity of polluted soils, shifting native microbial communities in favor of degrading specific populations. Functional metagenomics showed changes in gene abundance suggesting a bias towards aromatic hydrocarbon and intermediary degradation pathways, which greatly favored PAH mineralization. In contrast, pathways favoring the formation of toxic intermediates such as cytochrome P450-mediated reactions were found to be significantly reduced in bioaugmented soils. PAH biodegradation in soil using the microbial consortium was faster and reached higher degradation values (84% after 30 d) as a result of an increased co-metabolic degradation when compared with other mixed microbial consortia. The main differences between inoculated and non-inoculated soils were observed in aromatic ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases, laccase, protocatechuate, salicylate and benzoate-degrading enzyme genes. Based on our results, we propose that several concurrent metabolic pathways are taking place in soils during PAH degradation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From Rare to Dominant: a Fine-Tuned Soil Bacterial Bloom during Petroleum Hydrocarbon Bioremediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuentes, Sebastián; Barra, Bárbara; Caporaso, J Gregory; Seeger, Michael

2016-02-01

Hydrocarbons are worldwide-distributed pollutants that disturb various ecosystems. The aim of this study was to characterize the short-lapse dynamics of soil microbial communities in response to hydrocarbon pollution and different bioremediation treatments. Replicate diesel-spiked soil microcosms were inoculated with either a defined bacterial consortium or a hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial enrichment and incubated for 12 weeks. The microbial community dynamics was followed weekly in microcosms using Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Both the bacterial consortium and enrichment enhanced hydrocarbon degradation in diesel-polluted soils. A pronounced and rapid bloom of a native gammaproteobacterium was observed in all diesel-polluted soils. A unique operational taxonomic unit (OTU) related to the Alkanindiges genus represented ∼ 0.1% of the sequences in the original community but surprisingly reached >60% after 6 weeks. Despite this Alkanindiges-related bloom, inoculated strains were maintained in the community and may explain the differences in hydrocarbon degradation. This study shows the detailed dynamics of a soil bacterial bloom in response to hydrocarbon pollution, resembling microbial blooms observed in marine environments. Rare community members presumably act as a reservoir of ecological functions in high-diversity environments, such as soils. This rare-to-dominant bacterial shift illustrates the potential role of a rare biosphere facing drastic environmental disturbances. Additionally, it supports the concept of "conditionally rare taxa," in which rareness is a temporary state conditioned by environmental constraints. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

High quality draft genome sequence of the moderately halophilic bacterium Pontibacillus yanchengensis Y32(T) and comparison among Pontibacillus genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jing; Qiao, Zi Xu; Tang, Jing Wei; Wang, Gejiao

2015-01-01

Pontibacillus yanchengensis Y32(T) is an aerobic, motile, Gram-positive, endospore-forming, and moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from a salt field. In this study, we describe the features of P. yanchengensis strain Y32(T) together with a comparison with other four Pontibacillus genomes. The 4,281,464 bp high-quality-draft genome of strain Y32(T) is arranged into 153 contigs containing 3,965 protein-coding genes and 77 RNA encoding genes. The genome of strain Y32(T) possesses many genes related to its halophilic character, flagellar assembly and chemotaxis to support its survival in a salt-rich environment.

Metabolic flux analysis of the halophilic archaeon Haladaptatus paucihalophilus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Guangxiu; Zhang, Manxiao [Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Mo, Tianlu [Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 (China); He, Lian [Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 (China); Zhang, Wei [Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Yu, Yi, E-mail: yu_yi@whu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 (China); Zhang, Qi, E-mail: qizhang@sioc.ac.cn [Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 (China); Ding, Wei, E-mail: dingw@lzu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 (China)

2015-11-27

This work reports the {sup 13}C-assisted metabolic flux analysis of Haladaptatus paucihalophilus, a halophilic archaeon possessing an intriguing osmoadaption mechanism. We showed that the carbon flow is through the oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle whereas the reductive TCA cycle is not operative in H. paucihalophilus. In addition, both threonine and the citramalate pathways contribute to isoleucine biosynthesis, whereas lysine is synthesized through the diaminopimelate pathway and not through the α-aminoadipate pathway. Unexpected, the labeling patterns of glycine from the cells grown on [1-{sup 13}C]pyruvate and [2-{sup 13}C]pyruvate suggest that, unlike all the organisms investigated so far, in which glycine is produced exclusively from the serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) pathway, glycine biosynthesis in H. paucihalophilus involves different pathways including SHMT, threonine aldolase (TA) and the reverse reaction of glycine cleavage system (GCS), demonstrating for the first time that other pathways instead of SHMT can also make a significant contribution to the cellular glycine pool. Transcriptional analysis confirmed that both TA and GCS genes were transcribed in H. paucihalophilus, and the transcriptional level is independent of salt concentrations in the culture media. This study expands our understanding of amino acid biosynthesis and provides valuable insights into the metabolism of halophilic archaea. - Highlights: • Serine hydroxymethyltransferase, threonine aldolase, and glycine cleavage system all contribute to the glycine pool of H. paucihalophilus. • Threonine and the citramalate pathways contribute equally to the isoleucine biosynthesis in H. paucihalophilus. • Lysine in H. paucihalophilus is synthesized through the diaminopimelate pathway and not through the α-aminoadipate pathway. • Glycine biosynthesis is likely unrelated to the cell osmoadaption mechanism.

Metabolic flux analysis of the halophilic archaeon Haladaptatus paucihalophilus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Guangxiu; Zhang, Manxiao; Mo, Tianlu; He, Lian; Zhang, Wei; Yu, Yi; Zhang, Qi; Ding, Wei

2015-01-01

This work reports the "1"3C-assisted metabolic flux analysis of Haladaptatus paucihalophilus, a halophilic archaeon possessing an intriguing osmoadaption mechanism. We showed that the carbon flow is through the oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle whereas the reductive TCA cycle is not operative in H. paucihalophilus. In addition, both threonine and the citramalate pathways contribute to isoleucine biosynthesis, whereas lysine is synthesized through the diaminopimelate pathway and not through the α-aminoadipate pathway. Unexpected, the labeling patterns of glycine from the cells grown on [1-"1"3C]pyruvate and [2-"1"3C]pyruvate suggest that, unlike all the organisms investigated so far, in which glycine is produced exclusively from the serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) pathway, glycine biosynthesis in H. paucihalophilus involves different pathways including SHMT, threonine aldolase (TA) and the reverse reaction of glycine cleavage system (GCS), demonstrating for the first time that other pathways instead of SHMT can also make a significant contribution to the cellular glycine pool. Transcriptional analysis confirmed that both TA and GCS genes were transcribed in H. paucihalophilus, and the transcriptional level is independent of salt concentrations in the culture media. This study expands our understanding of amino acid biosynthesis and provides valuable insights into the metabolism of halophilic archaea. - Highlights: • Serine hydroxymethyltransferase, threonine aldolase, and glycine cleavage system all contribute to the glycine pool of H. paucihalophilus. • Threonine and the citramalate pathways contribute equally to the isoleucine biosynthesis in H. paucihalophilus. • Lysine in H. paucihalophilus is synthesized through the diaminopimelate pathway and not through the α-aminoadipate pathway. • Glycine biosynthesis is likely unrelated to the cell osmoadaption mechanism.

The International Human Epigenome Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Hirst, Martin

2016-01-01

The International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) coordinates the generation of a catalog of high-resolution reference epigenomes of major primary human cell types. The studies now presented (see the Cell Press IHEC web portal at http://www.cell.com/consortium/IHEC) highlight the coordinated ac...

Comparison of two extreme halophilic Halobacterium noricense strains on DNA and protein level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bader, Miriam; Cherkouk, Andrea [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). HZDR Young Investigator Group; Flemming, Katrin [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Biogeochemistry; Swanson, J.S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Carlsbad, NM (United States)

2017-06-01

Two strains of the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium noricense isolated from rock salt of different locations were used for interaction studies with uranium. It was found that both strains showed similar, atypical bioassociation kinetics accompanied by cell agglomeration as a stress response. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of both strains had a high similarity (> 99 %). However, differences in the whole protein pattern were apparent.

Comparison of two extreme halophilic Halobacterium noricense strains on DNA and protein level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bader, Miriam; Cherkouk, Andrea

2017-01-01

Two strains of the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium noricense isolated from rock salt of different locations were used for interaction studies with uranium. It was found that both strains showed similar, atypical bioassociation kinetics accompanied by cell agglomeration as a stress response. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of both strains had a high similarity (> 99 %). However, differences in the whole protein pattern were apparent.

Proteomic characterization of the outer membrane vesicle of the halophilic marine bacterium Novosphingobium pentaromativorans US6-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Sung Ho; Lee, Sang-Yeop; Choi, Chi-Won; Lee, Hayoung; Ro, Hyun-Joo; Jun, Sangmi; Kwon, Yong Min; Kwon, Kae Kyoung; Kim, Sang-Jin; Kim, Gun-Hwa; Kim, Seung Il

2017-01-01

Novosphingobium pentaromativorans US6-1 is a Gram-negative halophilic marine bacterium able to utilize several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene. In this study, using transmission electron microscopy, we confirmed that N. pentaromativorans US6-1 produces outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). N. pentaromativorans OMVs (hereafter OMV Novo ) are spherical in shape, and the average diameter of OMV Novo is 25-70 nm. Proteomic analysis revealed that outer membrane proteins and periplasmic proteins of N. pentaromativorans are the major protein components of OMV Novo . Comparative proteomic analysis with the membrane-associated protein fraction and correlation analysis demonstrated that the outer membrane proteins of OMV Novo originated from the membrane- associated protein fraction. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize OMV purified from halophilic marine bacteria.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Consortium Agreement

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Asada, Haruhiko

1999-01-01

... of Phase 2 of the Home Automation and Healthcare Consortium. This report describes all major research accomplishments within the last six months since we launched the second phase of the consortium...

Two new sesquiterpenoids produced by halophilic Nocardiopsis chromatogenes YIM 90109.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ming-Wei; Zhang, Xiao-Mei; Bi, Hui-Li; Li, Wen-Jun; Lu, Chun-Hua

2017-01-01

Two new germacradiene-type sesquiterpenoids, including 1(10)E,5E-germacradiene-9β,11-diol (or 9β-hydroxyl germacradienol) (1) and 11-hydroxy-1(10)E,5E-germacradien-2-one (2-oxygermacradienol) (2), together with a known geosmin-type sesquiterpenoid (1β,4β,4aβ,7α,8aα)-4,8a-dimethyloctahydronaphthalene-1,4a,7(2H)-triol (3), were elucidated by their NMR spectroscopic data, HR-ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction from the halophilic strain Nocardiopsis chromatogenes YIM 90109. The antimicrobial activities were evaluated by paper diffusion method.

Influence of Biopreparations on the Bacterial Community of Oily Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Biktasheva, L. R.; Galitskaya, P. Yu; Selivanovskaya, S. Yu

2018-01-01

Oil pollution is reported to be one the most serious environmental problems nowadays. Therefore, methods of remediation of oily polluted soils and oily wastes are of great importance. Bioremediation being a perspective method of sanitation of oil pollutions, includes biostimulation of the polluted sites’ indigenous microflora, and in some cases additional introduction of active strains able to decompose hydrocarbon. The efficacy of introducing such biopreparations depends on the interactions between the introduced microbes and the indigenous ones. In this study, the influence of bacterial consortium (Rhodococcus jialingiae, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila and Pseudomonas gessardii) introduction on the bioremediation of an oily waste sampled from a refinery situated in the Mari El region (Russia) was estimated. Single and multiple inoculations of the consortium in addition to moistening and aeration were compared with a control sample, which included only aeration and moistening of the waste. It was shown, that two of the three introduced strains (Rh. jialingiae and Ps.gessardii) gene copy numbers were higher in the inoculated variants than in the control sample and with their initial counts, which meant that these strains survived and included into the bacterial community of the wastes. At the same time, bacterial counts were significantly lower, and the physiological profile of waste microflora slightly altered in the inoculated remediation variants as compared with the control sample. Interestingly, no difference in the degradation rates of hydrocarbons was revealed in the inoculated remediation variants and the control sample.

Biodegradation of diesel fuel by a microbial consortium in the presence of 1-alkoxymethyl-2-methyl-5-hydroxypyridinium chloride homologues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chrzanowski, L; Stasiewicz, M; Owsianiak, Mikolaj

2009-01-01

hypothesize that in the presence of diesel fuel low-water-soluble ionic liquids may become more toxic to hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. In this study the influence of 1-alkoxymethyl-2-methyl-5-hydroxypyridinium chloride homologues (side-chain length from C-3 to C-18) on biodegradation of diesel fuel...... by a bacterial consortium was investigated. Whereas test performed for the consortium cultivated on disodium succinate showed that toxicity of the investigated ionic liquids decreased with increase in side-chain length, only higher homologues (C-8-C-18) caused a decrease in diesel fuel biodegradation......, respectively. We conclude that in the presence of hydrocarbons acting as a solvent, the increased bioavailability of hydrophobic homologues is responsible for the decrease in biodegradation efficiency of diesel fuel....

Isolation of amoebic-bacterial consortia capable of degrading trichloroethylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyndall, R.L.; Ironside, K.; Little, C.D.; Katz, S.; Kennedy, J.

1990-01-01

Groundwater from a waste disposal site contaminated with chlorinated alkenes was examined for the presence of amoebic-bacterial consortia capable of degrading the suspected carcinogen, trichloroethylene (TCE). Consortia were readily isolated from all of four test wells. They contained free-living amoebae, and heterotrophic and methylotrophic bacteria. Electron microscopic examination showed bacteria localized throughout the amoebic cytoplasm and an abundance of hyphomicrobium, but not Type I methanotrophs. The presence of Type II methanotrophs was indirectly indicated by lipid analysis of one consortium. The consortia have been passaged for over two years on mineral salts media in a methane atmosphere, which would not be expected to maintain the heterotrophs or amoebae separately. The methanotrophic bacteria apparently provided a stable nutrient source, allowing the persistence of the various genera. By use of 14 C-radiotracer techniques, the degradation of TCE by the consortia was observed with 14 C eventuating predominantly in CO 2 and water-soluble products. In a more detailed examination of one consortia, the amoebae and heterotrohic components did not degrade TCE, while a mixed culture of heterotrophs and methanotrophs did degrade TCE, suggesting the latter component was the primary cause for the consortium's ability to degrade TCE. Amoebic-bacterial consortia may play a role in stabilizing and preserving methylotrophic bacteria in hostile environments

Comparative biodegradation of HDPE and LDPE using an indigenously developed microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Satlewal, Alok; Soni, Ravindra; Zaidi, Mgh; Shouche, Yogesh; Goel, Reeta

2008-03-01

A variety of bacterial strains were isolated from waste disposal sites of Uttaranchal, India, and some from artificially developed soil beds containing maleic anhydride, glucose, and small pieces of polyethylene. Primary screening of isolates was done based on their ability to utilize high- and low-density polyethylenes (HDPE/LDPE) as a primary carbon source. Thereafter, a consortium was developed using potential strains. Furthermore, a biodegradation assay was carried out in 500-ml flasks containing minimal broth (250 ml) and HDPE/ LDPE at 5 mg/ml concentration. After incubation for two weeks, degraded samples were recovered through filtration and subsequent evaporation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis TG-DTG-DTA) were used to analyze these samples. Results showed that consortium-treated HDPE (considered to be more inert relative to LDPE) was degraded to a greater extent 22.41% weight loss) in comparison with LDPE (21.70% weight loss), whereas, in the case of untreated samples, weight loss was more for LDPE than HDPE (4.5% and 2.5%, respectively) at 400 degrees . Therefore, this study suggests that polyethylene could be degraded by utilizing microbial consortia in an eco-friendly manner.

DNA Binding in High Salt: Analysing the Salt Dependence of Replication Protein A3 from the Halophile Haloferax volcanii

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Jody A. Winter

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Halophilic archaea maintain intracellular salt concentrations close to saturation to survive in high-salt environments and their cellular processes have adapted to function under these conditions. Little is known regarding halophilic adaptation of the DNA processing machinery, particularly intriguing since protein-DNA interactions are classically salt sensitive. To investigate such adaptation, we characterised the DNA-binding capabilities of recombinant RPA3 from Haloferax volcanii (HvRPA3. Under physiological salt conditions (3 M KCl, HvRPA3 is monomeric, binding 18 nucleotide ssDNA with nanomolar affinity, demonstrating that RPAs containing the single OB-fold/zinc finger architecture bind with broadly comparable affinity to two OB-fold/zinc finger RPAs. Reducing the salt concentration to 1 M KCl induces dimerisation of the protein, which retains its ability to bind DNA. On circular ssDNA, two concentration-dependent binding modes are observed. Conventionally, increased salt concentration adversely affects DNA binding but HvRPA3 does not bind DNA in 0.2 M KCl, although multimerisation may occlude the binding site. The single N-terminal OB-fold is competent to bind DNA in the absence of the C-terminal zinc finger, albeit with reduced affinity. This study represents the first quantitative characterisation of DNA binding in a halophilic protein in extreme salt concentrations.

New insight in the structural features of haloadaptation in α-amylases from halophilic Archaea following homology modeling strategy: folded and stable conformation maintained through low hydrophobicity and highly negative charged surface

Science.gov (United States)

Zorgani, Mohamed Amine; Patron, Kevin; Desvaux, Mickaël

2014-07-01

Proteins from halophilic archaea, which live in extreme saline conditions, have evolved to remain folded, active and stable at very high ionic strengths. Understanding the mechanism of haloadaptation is the first step toward engineering of halostable biomolecules. Amylases are one of the main enzymes used in industry. Yet, no three-dimensional structure has been experimentally resolved for α-amylases from halophilic archaea. In this study, homology structure modeling of α-amylases from the halophilic archaea Haloarcula marismortui, Haloarcula hispanica, and Halalkalicoccus jeotgali were performed. The resulting models were subjected to energy minimization, evaluation, and structural analysis. Calculations of the amino acid composition, salt bridges and hydrophobic interactions were also performed and compared to a set of non-halophilic counterparts. It clearly appeared that haloarchaeal α-amylases exhibited lower propensities for helix formation and higher propensities for coil-forming regions. Furthermore, they could maintain a folded and stable conformation in high salt concentration through highly negative charged surface with over representation of acidic residues, especially Asp, and low hydrophobicity with increase of salt bridges and decrease in hydrophobic interactions on the protein surface. This study sheds some light on the stability of α-amylases from halophilic archaea and provides strong basis not only to understand haloadaptation mechanisms of proteins in microorganisms from hypersalines environments but also for biotechnological applications.

Halophilic archaea on Earth and in space: growth and survival under extreme conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Oren, Aharon

2014-12-13

Salts are abundant on Mars, and any liquid water that is present or may have been present on the planet is expected to be hypersaline. Halophilic archaea (family Halobacteriaceae) are the microorganisms best adapted to life at extremes of salinity on Earth. This paper reviews the properties of the Halobacteriaceae that may make the group good candidates for life also on Mars. Many species resist high UV and gamma radiation levels; one species has survived exposure to vacuum and radiation during a space flight; and there is at least one psychrotolerant species. Halophilic archaea may survive for millions of years within brine inclusions in salt crystals. Many species have different modes of anaerobic metabolism, and some can use light as an energy source using the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin. They are also highly tolerant to perchlorate, recently shown to be present in Martian soils, and some species can even use perchlorate as an electron acceptor to support anaerobic growth. The presence of characteristic carotenoid pigments (α-bacterioruberin and derivatives) makes the Halobacteriaceae easy to identify by Raman spectroscopy. Thus, if present on Mars, such organisms may be detected by Raman instrumentation planned to explore Mars during the upcoming ExoMars mission. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Halophilic archaea cultivated from surface sterilized middle-late eocene rock salt are polyploid.

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Salla T Jaakkola

Full Text Available Live bacteria and archaea have been isolated from several rock salt deposits of up to hundreds of millions of years of age from all around the world. A key factor affecting their longevity is the ability to keep their genomic DNA intact, for which efficient repair mechanisms are needed. Polyploid microbes are known to have an increased resistance towards mutations and DNA damage, and it has been suggested that microbes from deeply buried rock salt would carry several copies of their genomes. Here, cultivable halophilic microbes were isolated from a surface sterilized middle-late Eocene (38-41 million years ago rock salt sample, drilled from the depth of 800 m at Yunying salt mine, China. Eight unique isolates were obtained, which represented two haloarchaeal genera, Halobacterium and Halolamina. We used real-time PCR to show that our isolates are polyploid, with genome copy numbers of 11-14 genomes per cell in exponential growth phase. The ploidy level was slightly downregulated in stationary growth phase, but the cells still had an average genome copy number of 6-8. The polyploidy of halophilic archaea living in ancient rock salt might be a factor explaining how these organisms are able to overcome the challenge of prolonged survival during their entombment.

Immobilization of halophilic Bacillus sp. EMB9 protease on functionalized silica nanoparticles and application in whey protein hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Rajeshwari; Khare, S K

2015-04-01

The present work targets the fabrication of an active, stable, reusable enzyme preparation using functionalized silica nanoparticles as an effective enzyme support for crude halophilic Bacillus sp. EMB9 protease. The immobilization efficiency under optimized conditions was 60%. Characterization of the immobilized preparation revealed marked increase in pH and thermal stability. It retained 80% of its original activity at 70 °C while t 1/2 at 50 °C showed a five-fold enhancement over that for the free protease. Kinetic constants K m and V max were indicative of a higher reaction velocity along with decreased affinity for substrate. The preparation could be efficiently reused up to 6 times and successfully hydrolysed whey proteins with high degree of hydrolysis. Immobilization of a crude halophilic protease on a nanobased scaffold makes the process cost effective and simple.

Establishing a Consortium for the Study of Rare Diseases: The Urea Cycle Disorders Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Seminara, Jennifer; Tuchman, Mendel; Krivitzky, Lauren; Krischer, Jeffrey; Lee, Hye-Seung; LeMons, Cynthia; Baumgartner, Matthias; Cederbaum, Stephen; Diaz, George A.; Feigenbaum, Annette; Gallagher, Renata C.; Harding, Cary O.; Kerr, Douglas S.; Lanpher, Brendan; Lee, Brendan; Lichter-Konecki, Uta; McCandless, Shawn E.; Merritt, J. Lawrence; Oster-Granite, Mary Lou; Seashore, Margretta R.; Stricker, Tamar; Summar, Marshall; Waisbren, Susan; Yudkoff, Marc; Batshaw, Mark L.

2010-01-01

The Urea Cycle Disorders Consortium (UCDC) was created as part of a larger network established by the National Institutes of Health to study rare diseases. This paper reviews the UCDC’s accomplishments over the first six years, including how the Consortium was developed and organized, clinical research studies initiated, and the importance of creating partnerships with patient advocacy groups, philanthropic foundations and biotech and pharmaceutical companies. PMID:20188616

Enrichment and cultivation of a sulfide-oxidizing bacteria consortium for its deploying in full-scale biogas desulfurization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González Sánchez, Armando; Flores Márquez, Trinidad Eliseo; Revah, Sergio; Morgan Sagastume, Juan Manuel

2014-01-01

Operational experiences and strategies to get suitable chemolithoautotrophic sulfide-oxidizing biomass from activated sludge wastewater treatment plant for its deploying in a full-scale biogas desulfurization plant are described. An economic nutrient source was applied to foster microbial selection and rapid growth. Respirometry was implemented on full-scale installations to monitor the ability of the specialized bacteria consortium to oxidize reduced sulfur i.e. H 2 S. During the deployment in the full-scale desulfurization reactor, intermittent sulfide feed from biogas scrubbing was performed to accelerate the startup the desulfurization process. - Highlights: • A simple method for reaching high amounts of specialized sulfide-oxidizing bacterial consortium from activated sludge was developed. • The full-scale desulfurization process can be continuously monitored by respirometry allowing fast decision making if problems arise. • The dissolved sulfide concentration was estimated with an empirical correlation between measurements of ORP, dissolved oxygen and pH

Bioprospecting Archaea: Focus on Extreme Halophiles

KAUST Repository

Antunes, André

2016-12-12

In 1990, Woese et al. divided the Tree of Life into three separate domains: Eukarya, Bacteria, and Archaea. Archaea were originally perceived as little more than “odd bacteria” restricted to extreme environmental niches, but later discoveries challenged this assumption. Members of this domain populate a variety of unexpected environments (e.g. soils, seawater, and human bodies), and we currently witness ongoing massive expansions of the archaeal branch of the Tree of Life. Archaea are now recognized as major players in the biosphere and constitute a significant fraction of the earth’s biomass, yet they remain underexplored. An ongoing surge in exploration efforts is leading to an increase in the (a) number of isolated strains, (b) associated knowledge, and (c) utilization of Archaea in biotechnology. They are increasingly employed in fields as diverse as biocatalysis, biocomputing, bioplastic production, bioremediation, bioengineering, food, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. This chapter provides a general overview on bioprospecting Archaea, with a particular focus on extreme halophiles. We explore aspects such as diversity, ecology, screening techniques and biotechnology. Current and future trends in mining for applications are discussed.

International Radical Cystectomy Consortium: A way forward

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Johar Raza

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC is an emerging operative alternative to open surgery for the management of invasive bladder cancer. Studies from single institutions provide limited data due to the small number of patients. In order to better understand the related outcomes, a world-wide consortium was established in 2006 of patients undergoing RARC, called the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium (IRCC. Thus far, the IRCC has reported its findings on various areas of operative interest and continues to expand its capacity to include other operative modalities and transform it into the International Radical Cystectomy Consortium. This article summarizes the findings of the IRCC and highlights the future direction of the consortium.

Comparative effectiveness of different carriers to improve the efficacy of bacterial consortium for enhancing wheat production under salt affected field conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahzad, S.; Zahir, Z. A.; Asghar, H. N.; Chaudhry, U. K.

2017-01-01

Salinity is one of the most crucial problems for sustainable agriculture which is severely affecting crop growth and decreasing the food production. On another hand, burgeoning population in the world demands to produce more food. So, there is a need of hours to increase agricultural production particularly cereals from salt affected soils by adopting cost effective and environment friendly approaches. Use of bio-inoculants with salt tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could be a promising option to enhance the production of cereals in salt affected soils. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate different carriers compost, peat, biogas slurry and press mud along with PGPR to enhance wheat production under salinity stress. Consortium containing equal proportion of three PGPR strains (Bacillus cereus strain Y5, Bacillus sp. Y14 and Bacillus subtilis strain Y16) was used with different carriers for seed coating. Finely ground and sterilized carriers were mixed in broth and coated on the surface of wheat seeds with different carriers. Coated seeds were sown in saline field with salinity range of 10-13 dS m/sup -1/. Results revealed that multi-strain bacterial inoculation improved the gas exchange, ionic, biochemical, growth and yield attributes of wheat crop under salinity stress. However, use of different carriers further improved the efficacy of multi-strain inoculation and significantly increased growth, yield and physiological parameters of wheat. The results of compost, peat and biogas slurry as carrier for bio-inoculants were statistically similar. (author)

EFFECTS OF STIMULATOR SUBSTANCES ON AEROBIC METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER BIODEGRADATION BY MICROBIAL CONSORTIUM

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M. Farrokhi ، S. Ahmadizad

2009-04-01

Full Text Available In this study dissolved humic substances and yeast extract were tested in different concentrations for enhancing methyl tert-butyl ether mineralization by isolated microorganisms from a variety of sources. All experiments were conducted at a constant temperature of 25ºC. Vials of 50 mL and 125 mL volume sealed with Teflon-lined Mini-Nert caps was used for microcosm experiments. In all experiments 1% sodium azide were used as control. Samples of bacterial cultures that metabolize methyl tert-butyl ether have been analysed by direct GC analysis using flame ionization detector. Cultures able to metabolize have been found in activated sludge and soils. These microorganisms weregram-positive bacterium. An aerobic microbial consortium was enriched in laboratory for four months. Methyl tert-butyl ether has been shown to biodegrade under aerobic and co-metabolic conditions. A microbial consortium isolated from activated sludges was identified as Cocobacillus. The concentration of the initial attached biomass was about 0.11 g/L of dry weight. The maximum mineralization rate and beneficial effects of stimulator substances on aerobic biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether occurred with the culture by combined concentrations of 500 mg/L of yeast extract and 20 mg/L of peat humic growth support of microbial consortium within 216 h and in presence of high oxygen levels and well mixing conditions. It was shown that adding, peat humic and yeast extract together, had better stimulatory effect on methyl tert-butyl ether biodegradation. Results clearly showed a stimulatory effect on methyl tert-butyl ether consumption higher than 20%. Consortium was capable of degrading concentrations of ≤1000 mg/L, whereas concentrations of >1000 mg/L, were not degraded.

The OncoArray Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amos, Christopher I; Dennis, Joe; Wang, Zhaoming

2017-01-01

by Illumina to facilitate efficient genotyping. The consortium developed standard approaches for selecting SNPs for study, for quality control of markers, and for ancestry analysis. The array was genotyped at selected sites and with prespecified replicate samples to permit evaluation of genotyping accuracy...... among centers and by ethnic background. RESULTS: The OncoArray consortium genotyped 447,705 samples. A total of 494,763 SNPs passed quality control steps with a sample success rate of 97% of the samples. Participating sites performed ancestry analysis using a common set of markers and a scoring...

Increasing Sales by Developing Production Consortiums.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Christopher A.; Russo, Robert

Intended to help rehabilitation facility administrators increase organizational income from manufacturing and/or contracted service sources, this document provides a decision-making model for the development of a production consortium. The document consists of five chapters and two appendices. Chapter 1 defines the consortium concept, explains…

Complete Genome Sequence of the Halophilic Methylotrophic Methanogen Archaeon Methanohalophilus portucalensis Strain FDF-1T

KAUST Repository

L’Haridon, Stéphane

2018-01-17

We report here the complete genome sequence (2.08 Mb) of Methanohalophilus portucalensis strain FDF-1T, a halophilic methylotrophic methanogen isolated from the sediment of a saltern in Figeria da Foz, Portugal. The average nucleotide identity and DNA-DNA hybridization analyses show that Methanohalophilus mahii, M. halophilus, and M. portucalensis are three different species within the Methanosarcinaceae family.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Halophilic Methylotrophic Methanogen Archaeon Methanohalophilus portucalensis Strain FDF-1T

KAUST Repository

L’ Haridon, Sté phane; Corre, Erwan; Guan, Yue; Vinu, Manikandan; La Cono, Violetta; Yakimov, Michail; Stingl, Ulrich; Toffin, Laurent; Jebbar, Mohamed

2018-01-01

We report here the complete genome sequence (2.08 Mb) of Methanohalophilus portucalensis strain FDF-1T, a halophilic methylotrophic methanogen isolated from the sediment of a saltern in Figeria da Foz, Portugal. The average nucleotide identity and DNA-DNA hybridization analyses show that Methanohalophilus mahii, M. halophilus, and M. portucalensis are three different species within the Methanosarcinaceae family.

Biodegradation of Organic Liquid Waste by Using Consortium Bacteria as Material Preparation of Environmental Pollution Course Textbook

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Dora Dayu Rahma Turista

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Organic waste is one waste type which oftenly pollutes the waters. Biodegradation can be used as an environmental remedy solution that is contaminated by organic matter. This research aimed to determine the ability of bacteria consortium in degrading of organic liquid waste, and construct the textbook for Environmental Pollution subject based on research of biodegradation organic waste by using bacteria consortium. This research was done through two stages. The first stage was an experimental research by using Randomized Complete Designe with bacterial type treatment and 3 repetitions, while the second phase of research was a developmental research from the first stage. The results of the first phase showed that the combination of 3 indigenous isolats bacteria (Enterobacter gergoviae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Pseudomonas stutzeri was the highest potential bacteria in decreasing BOD (71.75% , COD (74.40%, TSS (58.44%, and increasing DO (84.15%. The second phase was Educational Research and Development of teaching materials which refers to the development model of Borg & Gall. The stages of research were: Research and Information Collecting, Planning, Develop Preliminary Form of Product, Preliminary Field Testing and Main Product Revision which was produced as textbook for the Environmental Pollution course entitled Biodegradation Organic Waste by Using Bacteria Consortium.

Marinospirillum insulare sp. nov., a novel halophilic helical bacterium isolated from kusaya gravy.

Science.gov (United States)

Satomi, M; Kimura, B; Hayashi, M; Okuzumi, M; Fujii, T

2004-01-01

A novel species that belongs to the genus Marinospirillum is described on the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences and DNA-DNA hybridization. Four strains of helical, halophilic, Gram-negative, heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from kusaya gravy, which is fermented brine that is used for the production of traditional dried fish in the Izu Islands of Japan. All of the new isolates were motile by means of bipolar tuft flagella, of small cell size, coccoid-body-forming and aerophilic; it was concluded that they belong to the same bacterial species, based on DNA-DNA hybridization values (>70% DNA relatedness). DNA G+C contents of the new strains were 42-43 mol% and they had isoprenoid quinone Q-8 as the major component. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the new isolates were members of the genus Marinospirillum; sequence similarity of the new isolates to Marinospirillum minutulum, Marinospirillum megaterium and Marinospirillum alkaliphilum was 98.5, 98.2 and 95.2%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the gyrB gene indicated that the new isolates had enough phylogenetic distance from M. minutulum and M. megaterium to be regarded as different species, with 84.7 and 78.7% sequence similarity, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the new isolates had <36% DNA relatedness to M. minutulum and M. megaterium, supporting the phylogenetic conclusion. Thus, a novel species is proposed: Marinospirillum insulare sp. nov. (type strain, KT=LMG 21802T=NBRC 100033T).

Cloning and Molecular Characterization of an Alpha-Glucosidase (MalH) from the Halophilic Archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuebas-Irizarry, Mara F; Irizarry-Caro, Ricardo A; López-Morales, Carol; Badillo-Rivera, Keyla M; Rodríguez-Minguela, Carlos M; Montalvo-Rodríguez, Rafael

2017-11-21

We report the heterologous expression and molecular characterization of the first extremely halophilic alpha-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20) from the archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi . A 2349 bp region ( Hqrw_2071 ) from the Hqr. walsbyi C23 annotated genome was PCR-amplified and the resulting amplicon ligated into plasmid pET28b(+), expressed in E. coli Rosetta cells, and the resulting protein purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein showed an estimated molecular mass of 87 kDa, consistent with the expected value of the annotated protein, and an optimal activity for the hydrolysis of α-PNPG was detected at 40 °C, and at pH 6.0. Enzyme activity values were the highest in the presence of 3 M NaCl or 3-4 M KCl. However, specific activity values were two-fold higher in the presence of 3-4 M KCl when compared to NaCl suggesting a cytoplasmic localization. Phylogenetic analyses, with respect to other alpha-glucosidases from members of the class Halobacteria, showed that the Hqr. walsbyi MalH was most similar (up to 41%) to alpha-glucosidases and alpha-xylosidases of Halorubrum . Moreover, computational analyses for the detection of functional domains, active and catalytic sites, as well as 3D structural predictions revealed a close relationship with an E. coli YicI-like alpha-xylosidase of the GH31 family. However, the purified enzyme did not show alpha-xylosidase activity. This narrower substrate range indicates a discrepancy with annotations from different databases and the possibility of specific substrate adaptations of halophilic glucosidases due to high salinity. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the characterization of an alpha-glucosidase from the halophilic Archaea, which could serve as a new model to gain insights into carbon metabolism in this understudied microbial group.

Cloning and Molecular Characterization of an Alpha-Glucosidase (MalH from the Halophilic Archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mara F. Cuebas-Irizarry

2017-11-01

Full Text Available We report the heterologous expression and molecular characterization of the first extremely halophilic alpha-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20 from the archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi. A 2349 bp region (Hqrw_2071 from the Hqr. walsbyi C23 annotated genome was PCR-amplified and the resulting amplicon ligated into plasmid pET28b(+, expressed in E. coli Rosetta cells, and the resulting protein purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein showed an estimated molecular mass of 87 kDa, consistent with the expected value of the annotated protein, and an optimal activity for the hydrolysis of α-PNPG was detected at 40 °C, and at pH 6.0. Enzyme activity values were the highest in the presence of 3 M NaCl or 3–4 M KCl. However, specific activity values were two-fold higher in the presence of 3–4 M KCl when compared to NaCl suggesting a cytoplasmic localization. Phylogenetic analyses, with respect to other alpha-glucosidases from members of the class Halobacteria, showed that the Hqr. walsbyi MalH was most similar (up to 41% to alpha-glucosidases and alpha-xylosidases of Halorubrum. Moreover, computational analyses for the detection of functional domains, active and catalytic sites, as well as 3D structural predictions revealed a close relationship with an E. coli YicI-like alpha-xylosidase of the GH31 family. However, the purified enzyme did not show alpha-xylosidase activity. This narrower substrate range indicates a discrepancy with annotations from different databases and the possibility of specific substrate adaptations of halophilic glucosidases due to high salinity. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the characterization of an alpha-glucosidase from the halophilic Archaea, which could serve as a new model to gain insights into carbon metabolism in this understudied microbial group.

DNA Repair and Photoprotection: Mechanisms of Overcoming Environmental Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure in Halophilic Archaea

OpenAIRE

Daniel L. Jones; Bonnie K. Baxter

2017-01-01

Halophilic archaea push the limits of life at several extremes. In particular, they are noted for their biochemical strategies in dealing with osmotic stress, low water activity and cycles of desiccation in their hypersaline environments. Another feature common to their habitats is intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is a challenge that microorganisms must overcome. The consequences of high UV exposure include DNA lesions arising directly from bond rearrangement of adjacent bipyrimidine...

Multistage bioassociation of uranium onto an extremely halophilic archaeon revealed by a unique combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bader, Miriam; Müller, Katharina; Foerstendorf, Harald; Drobot, Björn [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Schmidt, Matthias; Musat, Niculina [Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research–UFZ, Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Swanson, Juliet S.; Reed, Donald T. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Repository Science and Operations, 1400 University Drive, Carlsbad, NM, 88220 (United States); Stumpf, Thorsten [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Cherkouk, Andrea, E-mail: a.cherkouk@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

2017-04-05

Highlights: • First prolonged kinetics study of uranium to halophilic archaea was performed. • An atypical time-dependent bioassociation behavior of uranium was observed. • Unique combination of spectroscopic and microscopic methods was used. • In situ ATR FT-IR showed association of U(VI) to phosphoryl and carboxylate groups. • Time-dependent changes of U(VI) localization could be monitored by SEM/EDX. - Abstract: The interactions of two extremely halophilic archaea with uranium were investigated at high ionic strength as a function of time, pH and uranium concentration. Halobacterium noricense DSM-15987 and Halobacterium sp. putatively noricense, isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository, were used for these investigations. The kinetics of U(VI) bioassociation with both strains showed an atypical multistage behavior, meaning that after an initial phase of U(VI) sorption, an unexpected interim period of U(VI) release was observed, followed by a slow reassociation of uranium with the cells. By applying in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the involvement of phosphoryl and carboxylate groups in U(VI) complexation during the first biosorption phase was shown. Differences in cell morphology and uranium localization become visible at different stages of the bioassociation process, as shown with scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate for the first time that association of uranium with the extremely halophilic archaeon is a multistage process, beginning with sorption and followed by another process, probably biomineralization.

Multistage bioassociation of uranium onto an extremely halophilic archaeon revealed by a unique combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bader, Miriam; Müller, Katharina; Foerstendorf, Harald; Drobot, Björn; Schmidt, Matthias; Musat, Niculina; Swanson, Juliet S.; Reed, Donald T.; Stumpf, Thorsten; Cherkouk, Andrea

2017-01-01

Highlights: • First prolonged kinetics study of uranium to halophilic archaea was performed. • An atypical time-dependent bioassociation behavior of uranium was observed. • Unique combination of spectroscopic and microscopic methods was used. • In situ ATR FT-IR showed association of U(VI) to phosphoryl and carboxylate groups. • Time-dependent changes of U(VI) localization could be monitored by SEM/EDX. - Abstract: The interactions of two extremely halophilic archaea with uranium were investigated at high ionic strength as a function of time, pH and uranium concentration. Halobacterium noricense DSM-15987 and Halobacterium sp. putatively noricense, isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository, were used for these investigations. The kinetics of U(VI) bioassociation with both strains showed an atypical multistage behavior, meaning that after an initial phase of U(VI) sorption, an unexpected interim period of U(VI) release was observed, followed by a slow reassociation of uranium with the cells. By applying in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the involvement of phosphoryl and carboxylate groups in U(VI) complexation during the first biosorption phase was shown. Differences in cell morphology and uranium localization become visible at different stages of the bioassociation process, as shown with scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate for the first time that association of uranium with the extremely halophilic archaeon is a multistage process, beginning with sorption and followed by another process, probably biomineralization.

Hickory Consortium 2001 Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2003-02-01

As with all Building America Program consortia, systems thinking is the key to understanding the processes that Hickory Consortium hopes to improve. The Hickory Consortium applies this thinking to more than the whole-building concept. Their systems thinking embraces the meta process of how housing construction takes place in America. By understanding the larger picture, they are able to identify areas where improvements can be made and how to implement them.

Actinopolyspora biskrensis sp. nov., a novel halophilic actinomycete isolated from Northern Sahara.

Science.gov (United States)

Saker, Rafika; Bouras, Noureddine; Meklat, Atika; Zitouni, Abdelghani; Schumann, Peter; Spröer, Cathrin; Klenk, Hans-Peter; Sabaou, Nasserdine

2015-03-01

A novel halophilic, filamentous actinomycete, designated H254(T), was isolated from a Saharan soil sample collected from Biskra (Northern Sahara), and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic characterization. The strain is Gram-positive, aerobic, and halophilic, and the optimum NaCl concentration for growth is 15-20 % (w/v). The cell-wall hydrolysate contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, and the diagnostic whole-cell sugars were arabinose and galactose. The diagnostic phospholipid detected was phosphatidylcholine, and MK-9(H4) was the predominant menaquinone. The major fatty acid profiles were anteiso-C17:0 (32.8 %), C15:0 (28 %), and iso-C17:0 (12.3 %). Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain H254(T) formed a well-separated sub-branch within the radiation of the genus Actinopolyspora, and the microorganism was most closely related to Actinopolyspora saharensis DSM 45459(T) (99.2 %), Actinopolyspora halophila DSM 43834(T) (99.1 %), and Actinopolyspora algeriensis DSM 45476(T) (99.0 %). Nevertheless, the strain had relatively lower mean values for DNA-DNA relatedness with the above strains (57.2, 68.4, and 45.6 %, respectively). Based on phenotypic features and phylogenetic position, we propose that strain H254(T) represents a novel species of the genus Actinopolyspora, for which the name Actinopolyspora biskrensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of A. biskrensis is strain H254(T) (=DSM 46684(T) =CECT 8576(T)).

Production of biosurfactant on crude date syrup under saline conditions by entrapped cells of Natrialba sp. strain E21, an extremely halophilic bacterium isolated from a solar saltern (Ain Salah, Algeria).

Science.gov (United States)

Kebbouche-Gana, Salima; Gana, Mohamed Lamine; Ferrioune, Imen; Khemili, Souad; Lenchi, Nesrine; Akmouci-Toumi, Sihem; Bouanane-Darenfed, Nabila Amel; Djelali, Nacer-Eddine

2013-11-01

A bacterial strain E21 was isolated from a sample of water collected in the salt lake located close to Ain Salah, Algeria. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence had indicated that the strain had 93 % sequence similarity with the genus Natrialba sp. strain E21 (GenBank, FR750525.1) and was considered extremely halophilic. Production of biosurfactant by the strain E21 with free and entrapped cells was investigated using soluble starch in the saline conditions. Biosurfactant synthesis was followed by measuring the surface tension and emulsifying index 9 days under optimal conditions (40 °C, pH 7). Some diffusional limitations in alginate and agar beads affected the kinetics of biosurfactant production when compared to that obtained with free cells culture. The minimum values of surface tension were 27 and 30 mN m(-1) achieved after 9 days with free and immobilized cells, respectively, while the corresponding maximum E24 values were 65.3 and 62.3 %, respectively. The re-use of bacterial cells along with the limited cell losses provided by the immobilized system might lead to significant reduction of the biosurfactant production cost.

Tri-District Arts Consortium Summer Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirby, Charlotte O.

1990-01-01

The Tri-District Arts Consortium in South Carolina was formed to serve artistically gifted students in grades six-nine. The consortium developed a summer program offering music, dance, theatre, and visual arts instruction through a curriculum of intense training, performing, and hands-on experiences with faculty members and guest artists. (JDD)

The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC)

Science.gov (United States)

Von Schill, Lyndele; Ivory, Joyce

2017-01-01

The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented minority students into STEM and STEM careers by providing unique summer research experiences followed by long-term mentoring and cohort support. Hallmarks of the NAC program include: research or internship opportunities at one of the NAC partner sites, a framework to continue research over the academic year, peer and faculty mentoring, monthly virtual hangouts, and much more. NAC students also participate in two professional travel opportunities each year: the annual NAC conference at Howard University and poster presentation at the annual AAS winter meeting following their summer internship.The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is a program led by the National Radio Astronomy Consortium (NRAO) and Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), in partnership with the National Society of Black Physicist (NSBP), along with a number of minority and majority universities.

Isolation, cloning and characterization of an azoreductase from the halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata.

Science.gov (United States)

Eslami, Maryam; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Asad, Sedigheh

2016-04-01

Azo dyes are a major class of colorants used in various industries including textile, paper and food. These dyes are regarded as pollutant since they are not readily reduced under aerobic conditions. Halomonas elongata, a halophilic bacterium, has the ability to decolorize different mono and di-azo dyes in anoxic conditions. In this study the putative azoreductase gene of H. elongata, formerly annotated as acp, was isolated, heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. The gene product, AzoH, was found to have a molecular mass of 22 kDa. The enzyme requires NADH, as an electron donor for its activity. The apparent Km was 63 μM for NADH and 12 μM for methyl red as a mono-azo dye substrate. The specific activity for methyl red was 0.27 μmol min(-1)mg(-1). The optimum enzyme activity was achieved in 50mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 6. Although increased salinity resulted in reduced activity, AzoH could decolorize azo dye at NaCl concentrations up to 15% (w/v). The enzyme was also shown to be able to decolorize remazol black B as a representative of di-azo dyes. This is the first report describing the sequence and activity of an azo-reducing enzyme from a halophilic bacterium. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safe-site effects on rhizosphere bacterial communities in a high-altitude alpine environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciccazzo, Sonia; Esposito, Alfonso; Rolli, Eleonora; Zerbe, Stefan; Daffonchio, Daniele; Brusetti, Lorenzo

2014-01-01

The rhizosphere effect on bacterial communities associated with three floristic communities (RW, FI, and M sites) which differed for the developmental stages was studied in a high-altitude alpine ecosystem. RW site was an early developmental stage, FI was an intermediate stage, M was a later more matured stage. The N and C contents in the soils confirmed a different developmental stage with a kind of gradient from the unvegetated bare soil (BS) site through RW, FI up to M site. The floristic communities were composed of 21 pioneer plants belonging to 14 species. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis showed different bacterial genetic structures per each floristic consortium which differed also from the BS site. When plants of the same species occurred within the same site, almost all their bacterial communities clustered together exhibiting a plant species effect. Unifrac significance value (P floristic communities rhizospheres on their soil bacterial communities.

Cloning, Characterization and Analysis of cat and ben Genes from the Phenol Degrading Halophilic Bacterium Halomonas organivorans

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Maria de Lourdes; Sánchez-Porro, Cristina; Piubeli, Francine; Frias, Luciana; García, María Teresa; Mellado, Encarnación

2011-01-01

Background Extensive use of phenolic compounds in industry has resulted in the generation of saline wastewaters that produce significant environmental contamination; however, little information is available on the degradation of phenolic compounds in saline conditions. Halomonas organivorans G-16.1 (CECT 5995T) is a moderately halophilic bacterium that we isolated in a previous work from saline environments of South Spain by enrichment for growth in different pollutants, including phenolic compounds. PCR amplification with degenerate primers revealed the presence of genes encoding ring-cleaving enzymes of the β-ketoadipate pathway for aromatic catabolism in H. organivorans. Findings The gene cluster catRBCA, involved in catechol degradation, was isolated from H. organivorans. The genes catA, catB, catC and the divergently transcribed catR code for catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (1,2-CTD), cis,cis-muconate cycloisomerase, muconolactone delta-isomerase and a LysR-type transcriptional regulator, respectively. The benzoate catabolic genes (benA and benB) are located flanking the cat genes. The expression of cat and ben genes by phenol and benzoic acid was shown by RT-PCR analysis. The induction of catA gene by phenol and benzoic acid was also probed by the measurement of 1,2-CTD activity in H. organivorans growth in presence of these inducers. 16S rRNA and catA gene-based phylogenies were established among different degrading bacteria showing no phylogenetic correlation between both genes. Conclusions/Significance In this work, we isolated and determined the sequence of a gene cluster from a moderately halophilic bacterium encoding ortho-pathway genes involved in the catabolic metabolism of phenol and analyzed the gene organization, constituting the first report characterizing catabolic genes involved in the degradation of phenol in moderate halophiles, providing an ideal model system to investigate the potential use of this group of extremophiles in the decontamination of

Methods of hydrolyzing a cellulose using halophilic, thermostable and ionic liquids tolerant cellulases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Tao; Datta, Supratim; Simmons, Blake A.; Rubin, Edward M.

2018-01-09

The present invention provides for an isolated or recombinant polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of a Halorhabdus utahensis cellulase, such as Hu-CBH1, wherein said amino acid sequence has a halophilic thermostable and/or thermophilic cellobiohydrolase (CBH) activity. In some embodiments, the polypeptide has a CBH activity that is resistant to up to about 20% of ionic liquids. The present invention also provides for compositions comprising and methods using the isolated or recombinant polypeptide.

IPD-Work consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kivimäki, Mika; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Virtanen, Marianna

2015-01-01

of countries. The aim of the consortium is to estimate reliably the associations of work-related psychosocial factors with chronic diseases, disability, and mortality. Our findings are highly cited by the occupational health, epidemiology, and clinical medicine research community. However, some of the IPD-Work......'s findings have also generated disagreement as they challenge the importance of job strain as a major target for coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention, this is reflected in the critical discussion paper by Choi et al (1). In this invited reply to Choi et al, we aim to (i) describe how IPD-Work seeks......Established in 2008 and comprising over 60 researchers, the IPD-Work (individual-participant data meta-analysis in working populations) consortium is a collaborative research project that uses pre-defined meta-analyses of individual-participant data from multiple cohort studies representing a range...

Characterization and antimicrobial potential of extremely halophilic archaea isolated from hypersaline environments of the Algerian Sahara.

Science.gov (United States)

Quadri, Inès; Hassani, Imene Ikrame; l'Haridon, Stéphane; Chalopin, Morgane; Hacène, Hocine; Jebbar, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Halophilic archaea were isolated from different chotts and sebkha, dry salt lakes and salt flat respectively, of the Algerian Sahara and characterized using phenotypic and phylogenetic approaches. From 102 extremely halophilic strains isolated, forty three were selected and studied. These strains were also screened for their antagonistic potential and the production of hydrolytic enzymes. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes and phylogenetic analysis allowed the identification of 10 archaeal genera within the class Halobacteria: Natrinema (13 strains), Natrialba (12 strains), Haloarcula (4 strains), Halopiger (4 strains), Haloterrigena (3 strains), Halorubrum (2 strains), Halostagnicola (2 strains), Natronococcus, Halogeometricum and Haloferax (1 strain each). The most common producers of antimicrobial compounds belong to the genus Natrinema while the most hydrolytic isolates, with combined production of several enzymes, belong to the genus Natrialba. The strain affiliated to Halopiger djelfamassilliensis was found to produce some substances of interest (halocins, anti-Candida, enzymes). After partial purification and characterization of one of the strains Natrinema gari QI1, we found similarities between the antimicrobial compound and the halocin C8. Therefore, the gene encoding halocin C8 was amplified and sequenced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Purification and characterization of an extreme halothermophilic protease from a halophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter sp. TVSP101

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malashetty Vidyasagar

2009-03-01

Full Text Available An extreme halophilic bacterium was isolated from solar saltern samples and identified based on biochemical tests and 16S r RNA sequencing as Chromohalobacter sp. strain TVSP101. The halophilic protease was purified using ultrafiltration, ethanol precipitation, hydrophobic interaction column chromatography and gel permeation chromatography to 180 fold with 22% yield. The molecular mass of the protease determined by SDS PAGE was 66 kDa. The purified enzyme was salt dependent for its activity and stability with an optimum of 4.5 M NaCl. The optimum temperature for maximum protease activity was 75°C. The protease was optimally active at pH 8 and retained more than 80% of its activity in the range of pH 7-10. Sucrose and glycine at 10% (w/v were the most effective osmolytes, retained 100% activity in the absence of NaCl. The activity was completely inhibited by ZnCl2 (2 mM, 0.1% SDS and PMSF (1mM. The enzyme was not inhibited by 1mM of pepstatin, EDTA and PCMB. The protease was active and retained 100% it activity in 10% (v/v DMSO, DMF, ethanol and acetone.

Biochemical characterization of a halophilic, alkalithermophilic protease from Alkalibacillus sp. NM-Da2.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Hamed, Asmaa R; Abo-Elmatty, Dina M; Wiegel, Juergen; Mesbah, Noha M

2016-11-01

An extracellular, halophilic, alkalithermophilic serine protease from the halo-alkaliphilic Alkalibacillus sp. NM-Da2 was purified to homogeneity by ethanol precipitation and anion-exchange chromatography. The purified protease was a monomeric enzyme with an approximate molecular mass of 35 kDa and exhibited maximal activity at 2.7 M NaCl, pH 55 °C 9 and 56 °C. The protease showed great temperature stability, retaining greater than 80 % of initial activity after 2 h incubation at 55 °C. The protease was also extremely pH tolerant, retaining 80 % of initial activity at pH 55 °C 10.5 after 30 min incubation. Protease hydrolyzed complex substrates, displaying activity on yeast extract, tryptone, casein, gelatin and peptone. Protease activity was inhibited at casein concentrations greater than 1.2 mg/mL. The enzyme was stable and active in 40 % (v/v) solutions of isopropanol, ethanol and benzene and was stable in the presence of the polysorbate surfactant Tween 80. Activity was stimulated with the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide. Inhibition with phenyl methylsulfonylfluoride indicates it is a serine protease. Synthetic saline wastewater treated with the protease showed 50 % protein removal after 5 h. Being halophilic, alkaliphilic and thermophilic, in addition to being resistant to organic solvents, this protease has potential for various applications in biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries.

NASA space radiation transport code development consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townsend, L. W.

2005-01-01

Recently, NASA established a consortium involving the Univ. of Tennessee (lead institution), the Univ. of Houston, Roanoke College and various government and national laboratories, to accelerate the development of a standard set of radiation transport computer codes for NASA human exploration applications. This effort involves further improvements of the Monte Carlo codes HETC and FLUKA and the deterministic code HZETRN, including developing nuclear reaction databases necessary to extend the Monte Carlo codes to carry out heavy ion transport, and extending HZETRN to three dimensions. The improved codes will be validated by comparing predictions with measured laboratory transport data, provided by an experimental measurements consortium, and measurements in the upper atmosphere on the balloon-borne Deep Space Test Bed (DSTB). In this paper, we present an overview of the consortium members and the current status and future plans of consortium efforts to meet the research goals and objectives of this extensive undertaking. (authors)

Isolation and characterization of halophilic Bacillus sp. BS3 able to produce pharmacologically important biosurfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Donio, M B S; Ronica, S F A; Viji, V Thanga; Velmurugan, S; Jenifer, J Adlin; Michaelbabu, M; Citarasu, T

2013-11-01

To characterize the pharmacological importance of biosurfactants isolated from halophilic Bacillus sp BS3. Halophilic Bacillus sp. BS3 was isolated from solar salt works, identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and was used for screening their biosurfactant production. Characters of the biosurfactant and their anticancer activity were analyzed and performed in mammary epithelial carcinoma cell at different concentrations. The biosurfactant were characterized by TLC, FTIR and GC-MS analysis and identified as lipopeptide type. GC-MS analysis revealed that, the biosurfactant had various compounds including 13-Docosenamide, (Z); Mannosamine, 9- and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl. Surprisingly the antiviral activity was found against shrimp white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) by suppressing the viral replication and significantly raised shrimp survival (Pbiosurfactants, among the various concentrations of biosurfactants such as 0.000 25, 0.002 5, 0.025, 0.25 and 2.5 μg, the 0.25 μg concentration suppressed the cells significantly (P<0.05) to 24.8%. Based on the findings, the present study concluded that, there is a possibility to develop eco-friendly antimicrobial and anticancer drugs from the extremophilic origin. Copyright © 2013 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The ocean sampling day consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kopf, Anna; Bicak, Mesude; Kottmann, Renzo

2015-01-01

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate...... the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our...

Production of an extracellular thermohalophilic lipase from a moderately halophilic bacterium, Salinivibrio sp. strain SA-2.

Science.gov (United States)

Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Salehghamari, Ensieh; Khajeh, Khosro; Kabiri, Mahbube; Naddaf, Saied

2008-06-01

Fifty strains of moderately halophilic bacteria were isolated from various salty environments in Iran. A strain designated as SA-2 was shown to be the best producer of extracellular lipase and was selected for further studies. Biochemical and physiological characterization along with 16S rDNA sequence analysis placed SA-2 in the genus Salinivibrio. The optimum salt, pH, temperature and aeration for enzyme production were 0.1 M KCl, pH 8, 35 degrees C and 150 rpm, respectively. The enzyme production was synchronized bacterial growth and reached a maximum level during the early-stationary phase in the basal medium containing 1 M NaCl. Triacylglycerols enhanced lipase production, while carbohydrates had inhibitory effects on it. The maximum lipase activity was obtained at pH 7.5, 50 degrees C and CaCl(2) concentration of 0.01 M. The enzyme was stable at pH range of 7.5-8 and retained 90% of its activity at 80 degrees C for 30 min. Different concentrations of NaNO(3), Na(2)SO(4), KCl and NaCl had no affect on lipase stability for 3 h. These results suggest that the lipase secreted by Salinivibrio sp. strain SA-2 is industrially important from the perspective of its tolerance to a broad temperature range, its moderate thermoactivity and its high tolerance to a wide range of salt concentrations (0-3 M NaCl).

Consortium Application of Endophytic Bacteria and Fungi Improves Grain Yield and Physiological Attributes in Advanced Lines of Bread Wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghulam Muhae-Ud-Din

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Increasing human population places pressure on agriculture. To feed this population, two time increase in the current wheat production is needed. Today agriculture is becoming input intensive with more reliance on synthetic fertilizers and agrochemicals to fulfil the feed demand of the growing numbers. Use of synthetic fertilizer since last few years is impacting the soil quality. In this scenario, the use of beneficial endophytic microbes is an attractive strategy to overcome the use of synthetic products. To investigate the effect of consortium application of endophytic bacteria and fungus on plant growth, grain yield moisture status, a pot experiment was conducted in different wheat lines. It comprised four treatments like control, application of bacterial strain Bacillus sp. MN54, fungal strain Trichoderma sp. MN6, and their consortium (Bacillus sp. MN54 + Trichoderma sp. MN6. The effect of consortium application was more prominent and significantly different from the sole application of bacteria and fungus. The results showed that with a consortium application of endophytic bacteria and fungus, there was 28.6, 4.3, -6.3 and -3.7% increases in flag leaf area, chlorophyll content, relative membrane permeability and water content respectively. Consortia of endophytic microbes also resulted in the yield enhancement through the betterment of various yield attributes like number of spikelet’s, grains per spike and grain yield per plant (32.2, 25.8 and 30.8%, respectively. So, consortia of endophytic microbes can greatly promote the progress of plants in dry land agriculture and increase the yield in an environmentally sustainable way.

Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, Elton

2004-01-01

The Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium is a unique, forward-thinking, community-based healthcare service project organized around 5 not-for-profit community hospitals located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi...

Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, Elton

2003-01-01

The Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium is a unique, forward-thinking, community-based healthcare service project organized around 5 not-for-profit community hospitals located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi...

Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, Jr, Elton L

2007-01-01

The Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium is a unique, forward-thinking, community-based healthcare service project organized around 5 not-for-profit community hospitals located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi...

Biodegradation of Various Aromatic Compounds by Enriched Bacterial Cultures: Part A-Monocyclic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberoi, Akashdeep Singh; Philip, Ligy; Bhallamudi, S Murty

2015-08-01

Present study focused on the screening of bacterial consortium for biodegradation of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (MAH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Target compounds in the present study were naphthalene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene (PAHs), and benzene (MAH). Microbial consortia enriched with the above target compounds were used in screening experiments. Naphthalene-enriched consortium was found to be the most efficient consortium, based on its substrate degradation rate and its ability to degrade other aromatic pollutants with significantly high efficiency. Substrate degradation rate with naphthalene-enriched culture followed the order benzene > naphthalene > acenaphthene > phenanthrene. Chryseobacterium and Rhodobacter were discerned as the predominant species in naphthalene-enriched culture. They are closely associated to the type strain Chryseobacterium arthrosphaerae and Rhodobacter maris, respectively. Single substrate biodegradation studies with naphthalene (PAH) and benzene (MAH) were carried out using naphthalene-enriched microbial consortium (NAPH). Phenol and 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde were identified as the predominant intermediates during benzene and naphthalene degradation, respectively. Biodegradation of toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, phenol, and indole by NAPH was also investigated. Monod inhibition model was able to simulate biodegradation kinetics for benzene, whereas multiple substrate biodegradation model was able to simulate biodegradation kinetics for naphthalene.

Reconstruction of the High-Osmolarity Glycerol (HOG) Signaling Pathway from the Halophilic Fungus Wallemia ichthyophaga in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Konte, Tilen; Terpitz, Ulrich; Plemenitaš, Ana

2016-01-01

The basidiomycetous fungus Wallemia ichthyophaga grows between 1.7 and 5.1 M NaCl and is the most halophilic eukaryote described to date. Like other fungi, W. ichthyophaga detects changes in environmental salinity mainly by the evolutionarily conserved high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) signaling pathway. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the HOG pathway has been extensively studied in connection to osmotic regulation, with a valuable knock-out strain collection established. In the present study, we reconstructed the architecture of the HOG pathway of W. ichthyophaga in suitable S. cerevisiae knock-out strains, through heterologous expression of the W. ichthyophaga HOG pathway proteins. Compared to S. cerevisiae, where the Pbs2 (ScPbs2) kinase of the HOG pathway is activated via the SHO1 and SLN1 branches, the interactions between the W. ichthyophaga Pbs2 (WiPbs2) kinase and the W. ichthyophaga SHO1 branch orthologs are not conserved: as well as evidence of poor interactions between the WiSho1 Src-homology 3 (SH3) domain and the WiPbs2 proline-rich motif, the absence of a considerable part of the osmosensing apparatus in the genome of W. ichthyophaga suggests that the SHO1 branch components are not involved in HOG signaling in this halophilic fungus. In contrast, the conserved activation of WiPbs2 by the S. cerevisiae ScSsk2/ScSsk22 kinase and the sensitivity of W. ichthyophaga cells to fludioxonil, emphasize the significance of two-component (SLN1-like) signaling via Group III histidine kinase. Combined with protein modeling data, our study reveals conserved and non-conserved protein interactions in the HOG signaling pathway of W. ichthyophaga and therefore significantly improves the knowledge of hyperosmotic signal processing in this halophilic fungus.

Appalachian clean coal technology consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutz, K.; Yoon, Roe-Hoan

1995-01-01

The Appalachian Clean Coal Technology Consortium (ACCTC) has been established to help U.S. coal producers, particularly those in the Appalachian region, increase the production of lower-sulfur coal. The cooperative research conducted as part of the consortium activities will help utilities meet the emissions standards established by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, enhance the competitiveness of U.S. coals in the world market, create jobs in economically-depressed coal producing regions, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy supplies. The research activities will be conducted in cooperation with coal companies, equipment manufacturers, and A ampersand E firms working in the Appalachian coal fields. This approach is consistent with President Clinton's initiative in establishing Regional Technology Alliances to meet regional needs through technology development in cooperation with industry. The consortium activities are complementary to the High-Efficiency Preparation program of the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, but are broader in scope as they are inclusive of technology developments for both near-term and long-term applications, technology transfer, and training a highly-skilled work force

Appalachian clean coal technology consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kutz, K.; Yoon, Roe-Hoan [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)

1995-11-01

The Appalachian Clean Coal Technology Consortium (ACCTC) has been established to help U.S. coal producers, particularly those in the Appalachian region, increase the production of lower-sulfur coal. The cooperative research conducted as part of the consortium activities will help utilities meet the emissions standards established by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, enhance the competitiveness of U.S. coals in the world market, create jobs in economically-depressed coal producing regions, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy supplies. The research activities will be conducted in cooperation with coal companies, equipment manufacturers, and A&E firms working in the Appalachian coal fields. This approach is consistent with President Clinton`s initiative in establishing Regional Technology Alliances to meet regional needs through technology development in cooperation with industry. The consortium activities are complementary to the High-Efficiency Preparation program of the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, but are broader in scope as they are inclusive of technology developments for both near-term and long-term applications, technology transfer, and training a highly-skilled work force.

Chloride Activated Halophilic α-Amylase from Marinobacter sp. EMB8: Production Optimization and Nanoimmobilization for Efficient Starch Hydrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sumit Kumar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Halophiles have been perceived as potential source of novel enzymes in recent years. The interest emanates from their ability to catalyze efficiently under high salt and organic solvents. Present work encompasses production optimization and nanoimmobilization of an α-amylase from moderately halophilic Marinobacter sp. EMB8. Media ingredients and culture conditions were optimized by “one-at-a-time approach.” Starch was found to be the best carbon source at 5% (w/v concentration. Glucose acted as catabolic repressor for amylase production. Salt proved critical for amylase production and maximum production was attained at 5% (w/v NaCl. Optimization of various culture parameters resulted in 48.0 IU/mL amylase production, a 12-fold increase over that of unoptimized condition (4.0 IU/mL. α-Amylase was immobilized on 3-aminopropyl functionalized silica nanoparticles using glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent. Optimization of various parameters resulted in 96% immobilization efficiency. Starch hydrolyzing efficiency of immobilized enzyme was comparatively better. Immobilized α-amylase retained 75% of its activity after 5th cycle of repeated use.

A Staff Education Consortium: One Model for Collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Stetler, Cheryl Beth; And Others

1983-01-01

Discusses the development, organization, activities, problems, and future of a staff education consortium of five medical center hospitals in Boston. The purposes of the consortium are mutual sharing, reduction in duplication, and cost containment of educational programing. (JOW)

Extremely halophilic archaea from ancient salt sediments and their possible survival in halite fluid inclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Stan-Lotter, H.; Fendrihan, S.; Gerbl, F. W.; Dornmayr-Pfaffenhuemer, M.; Frethem, C.

2008-09-01

Halophilic archaebacteria (haloarchaea) thrive in environments with salt concentrations approaching saturation, such as natural brines, marine solar salterns and alkaline salt lakes; they have also been isolated from ancient subsurface salt sediments of great geological age (195-280 million years) and some of those strains were described as novel species (1). The cells survived perhaps while being enclosed within small fluid inclusions in the halite. The characterization of subsurface microbial life is of astrobiological relevance since extraterrestrial halite has been detected and since microbial life on Mars, if existent, may have retreated into the subsurface. We attempted to simulate the embedding process of extremely halophilic archaea and to analyse any cellular changes which might occur. When enclosing haloarchaea in laboratory grown halite, cells accumulated preferentially in fluid inclusions, as could be demonstrated by pre-staining with fluorescent dyes. With increased time of embedding, rod-shaped cells of Halobacterium salinarum strains were found to assume roundish morphologies. Upon dissolution of the salt crystals, these spheres were stable and viable for months when kept in buffers containing 4 M NaCl. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) following fixation with glutaraldehyde suggested a potentially gradual transformation from rods to spheres. This notion was supported by fluorescence microscopy of Halobacterium cells, following embedding in halite and staining with SYTO 9. One-dimensional protein patterns of rods and spheres, following SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, were similar except that the S-layer protein appeared reduced by about 15 - 20 % in spheres. The reddish-orange pigmentation of spheres was much lighter compared to that of rod-shaped cells, suggesting lowered concentrations of carotenoids; this was confirmed by extraction and spectrometry of pigments. The data suggested that Halobacterium cells are capable of forming specific

Fungal–bacterial consortia increase diuron degradation in water-unsaturated systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellegaard-Jensen, Lea; Knudsen, Berith Elkær; Johansen, Anders

2014-01-01

organism. In addition, fungal hyphae may function as transport vectors for bacteria, thereby facilitating a more effective spreading of degrader organisms in the soil. A more rapid mineralization of the phenylurea herbicide diuron was found in sand with added microbial consortia consisting of both...... degrading bacteria and fungi. Facilitated transport of bacteria by fungal hyphae was demonstrated using a system where herbicide-spiked sand was separated from the consortium by a layer of sterile glass beads. Several fungal–bacterial consortia were investigated by combining different diuron...

Corn in consortium with forages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cássia Maria de Paula Garcia

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The basic premises for sustainable agricultural development with focus on rural producers are reducing the costs of production and aggregation of values through the use crop-livestock system (CLS throughout the year. The CLS is based on the consortium of grain crops, especially corn with tropical forages, mainly of the genus Panicum and Urochloa. The study aimed to evaluate the grain yield of irrigated corn crop intercropped with forage of the genus Panicum and Urochloa. The experiment was conducted at the Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão – FEPE  of the Faculdade de Engenharia - UNESP, Ilha Solteira in an Oxisol in savannah conditions and in the autumn winter of 2009. The experimental area was irrigated by a center pivot and had a history of no-tillage system for 8 years. The corn hybrid used was simple DKB 390 YG at distances of 0.90 m. The seeds of grasses were sown in 0.34 m spacing in the amount of 5 kg ha-1, they were mixed with fertilizer minutes before sowing  and placed in a compartment fertilizer seeder and fertilizers were mechanically deposited in the soil at a depth of 0.03 m. The experimental design used was a randomized block with four replications and five treatments: Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania sown during the nitrogen fertilization (CTD of the corn; Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça sown during the nitrogen fertilization (CMD of the corn; Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés sown during the occasion of nitrogen fertilization (CBD of the corn; Urochloa ruziziensis cv. Comumsown during the nitrogen fertilization (CRD of the corn and single corn (control. The production components of corn: plant population per hectare (PlPo, number of ears per hectare (NE ha-1, number of rows per ear (NRE, number of kernels per row on the cob (NKR, number of grain in the ear (NGE and mass of 100 grains (M100G were not influenced by consortium with forage. Comparing grain yield (GY single corn and maize intercropped with forage of the genus Panicum

Purification and characterization of halophilic lipase of Chromohalobacter sp. from ancient salt well.

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Li; Huang, Yaping; Wang, Chuan

2018-06-04

A halophilic lipase (LipS2) was produced by Chromohalobacter canadensis strain which was isolated from ancient salt well of Zigong, China. LipS2 was purified to homogeneity and showed a single band with molecular mass of 58 kDa by SDS-PAGE. LipS2 preferred middle-to-long acyl chain esters with C14 triglycerides as optimum substrate. It was noteworthy that LipS2 displayed efficient hydrolysis activity to some vegetable oils which were composed of polyunsaturated fatty acid. LipS2 showed high activity in range of 2.5-3.5 M NaCl, no activity without salt. Optimum temperature and pH were 55 °C and pH 8.5, respectively. Notably, the thermostability and pH stability of LipS2, varying with salt concentration, reached optimum in the presence of 3.0 M NaCl. LipS2 was stimulated by Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , inhibited by Zn 2+ , Cu 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Hg 2+ . Moreover, LipS2 displayed significant tolerance to organic solvents including methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate and acetone, especially, LipS2 activity was enhanced markedly by the hexane and benzene. Non-ionic surfactants increased LipS2 activity, while ionic surfactants decreased activity. This was the first report on halophilic lipase of Chromohalobacter from ancient salt well. The results suggested that LipS2 may have considerable potential for biotechnological applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of halophilic C50 carotenoid-producing archaea isolated from solar saltworks in Bohai Bay, China

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Liying; Liu, Liangsen; Deng, Yuangao

2014-11-01

Halophilic archaea comprise the majority of microorganisms found in hypersaline environments. C50 carotenoids accumulated in archaea cells are considered potential biotechnological products and possess a number of biological functions. Ten red colonies were isolated from brine water in a saltern crystallizer pond of the Hangu Saltworks, China. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the colonies belonged to the extremely halophilic archaea genera Halobacterium and Halorubrum. Two representative strains, Halobacterium strain SP-2 and Halorubrum strain SP-4, were selected for further study on the phenotypic characteristics and effects of salinity and pH on accumulation and composition of pigments in their cells. The archaeal strains were isolated and grown in a culture medium prepared by dissolving yeast extract (10 g/L) and acid-hydrolyzed casein (7.5 g/L) into brine water obtained from a local salt pond. Their optimum salinity and pH for growth were 250 and 7, respectively, although pigment accumulation (OD490 / mL broth) was highest at pH 8. In addition, at 150-300 salinity, increasing salinity resulted in decreasing pigment accumulation. Analysis of the UV-Vis spectrum, TLC and HLPC chromatograms showed that C50 carotenoid bacterioruberin is the major pigment in both strains.

Bacterial and Archaeal Lipids Recovered from Subsurface Evaporites of Dalangtan Playa on the Tibetan Plateau and Their Astrobiological Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Ziye; Xiao, Long; Wang, Hongmei; Yang, Huan; Li, Jingjing; Huang, Ting; Xu, Yi; Ma, Nina

2017-11-01

Qaidam Basin (Tibetan Plateau) is considered an applicable analogue to Mars with regard to sustained extreme aridity and abundant evaporites. To investigate the possibility of the preservation of microbial lipids under these Mars analog conditions, we conducted a mineralogical and organic geochemistry study on samples collected from two Quaternary sections in Dalangtan Playa, northwestern Qaidam Basin, which will enhance our understanding of the potential preservation of molecular biomarkers on Mars. Two sedimentary units were identified along two profiles: one salt unit characterized by a predominance of gypsum and halite, and one detrital unit with a decrease of gypsum and halite and enrichment in siliciclastic minerals. Bacterial fatty acids and archaeal acyclic diether and tetraether membrane lipids were detected, and they varied throughout the sections in concentration and abundance. Bacterial and archaeal biomolecules indicate a dominance of Gram-positive bacteria and halophilic archaea in this hypersaline ecosystem that is similar to those in other hypersaline environments. Furthermore, the abundance of bacterial lipids decreases with the increase of salinity, whereas archaeal lipids showed a reverse trend. The detection of microbial lipids in hypersaline environments would indicate, for example on Mars, a high potential for the detection of microbial biomarkers in evaporites over geological timescales.

Nesterenkonia sp. strain F, a halophilic bacterium producing acetone, butanol, and ethanol under aerobic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Amiri, Hamid; Azarbaijani, Reza; Parsa Yeganeh, Laleh; Shahzadeh Fazeli, Abolhassan; Tabatabaei, Meisam; Salekdeh, Ghasem Hosseini; Karimi, Keikhosro

2016-01-04

The moderately halophilic bacterium Nesterenkonia sp. strain F, which was isolated from Aran-Bidgol Lake (Iran), has the ability to produce acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) as well as acetic and butyric acids under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. This result is the first report of ABE production with a wild microorganism from a family other than Clostridia and also the first halophilic species shown to produce butanol under aerobic cultivation. The cultivation of Nesterenkonia sp. strain F under anaerobic conditions with 50 g/l of glucose for 72 h resulted in the production of 105 mg/l of butanol, 122 mg/l of acetone, 0.2 g/l of acetic acid, and 2.5 g/l of butyric acid. Furthermore, the strain was cultivated on media with different glucose concentrations (20, 50, and 80 g/l) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Through fermentation with a 50 g/l initial glucose concentration under aerobic conditions, 66 mg/l of butanol, 125 mg/l of acetone, 291 mg/l of ethanol, 5.9 g/l of acetic acid, and 1.2 g/l of butyric acid were produced. The enzymes pertaining to the fermentation pathway in the strain were compared with the enzymes of Clostridium spp., and the metabolic pathway of fermentation used by Nesterenkonia sp. strain F was investigated.

Cloning, characterization and analysis of cat and ben genes from the phenol degrading halophilic bacterium Halomonas organivorans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria de Lourdes Moreno

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Extensive use of phenolic compounds in industry has resulted in the generation of saline wastewaters that produce significant environmental contamination; however, little information is available on the degradation of phenolic compounds in saline conditions. Halomonas organivorans G-16.1 (CECT 5995(T is a moderately halophilic bacterium that we isolated in a previous work from saline environments of South Spain by enrichment for growth in different pollutants, including phenolic compounds. PCR amplification with degenerate primers revealed the presence of genes encoding ring-cleaving enzymes of the β-ketoadipate pathway for aromatic catabolism in H. organivorans. FINDINGS: The gene cluster catRBCA, involved in catechol degradation, was isolated from H. organivorans. The genes catA, catB, catC and the divergently transcribed catR code for catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (1,2-CTD, cis,cis-muconate cycloisomerase, muconolactone delta-isomerase and a LysR-type transcriptional regulator, respectively. The benzoate catabolic genes (benA and benB are located flanking the cat genes. The expression of cat and ben genes by phenol and benzoic acid was shown by RT-PCR analysis. The induction of catA gene by phenol and benzoic acid was also probed by the measurement of 1,2-CTD activity in H. organivorans growth in presence of these inducers. 16S rRNA and catA gene-based phylogenies were established among different degrading bacteria showing no phylogenetic correlation between both genes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In this work, we isolated and determined the sequence of a gene cluster from a moderately halophilic bacterium encoding ortho-pathway genes involved in the catabolic metabolism of phenol and analyzed the gene organization, constituting the first report characterizing catabolic genes involved in the degradation of phenol in moderate halophiles, providing an ideal model system to investigate the potential use of this group of extremophiles in

An x-ray absorption spectroscopy study of Cd binding onto a halophilic archaeon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Showalter, Allison R; Bunker, Bruce A; Szymanowski, Jennifer E S; Fein, Jeremy B

2016-01-01

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and cadmium (Cd) isotherm experiments determine how Cd adsorbs to the surface of halophilic archaeon Halobacterium noricense . This archaeon, isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico could be involved with the transport of toxic metals stored in the transuranic waste in the salt mine. The isotherm experiments show that adsorption is relatively constant across the tolerable pH range for H. noricense . The XAS results indicate that Cd adsorption occurs predominately via a sulfur site, most likely sulfhydryl, with the same site dominating all measured pH values. (paper)

An x-ray absorption spectroscopy study of Cd binding onto a halophilic archaeon

Science.gov (United States)

Showalter, Allison R.; Szymanowski, Jennifer E. S.; Fein, Jeremy B.; Bunker, Bruce A.

2016-05-01

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and cadmium (Cd) isotherm experiments determine how Cd adsorbs to the surface of halophilic archaeon Halobacterium noricense. This archaeon, isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico could be involved with the transport of toxic metals stored in the transuranic waste in the salt mine. The isotherm experiments show that adsorption is relatively constant across the tolerable pH range for H. noricense. The XAS results indicate that Cd adsorption occurs predominately via a sulfur site, most likely sulfhydryl, with the same site dominating all measured pH values.

Kansas Wind Energy Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruenbacher, Don [Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (United States)

2015-12-31

This project addresses both fundamental and applied research problems that will help with problems defined by the DOE “20% Wind by 2030 Report”. In particular, this work focuses on increasing the capacity of small or community wind generation capabilities that would be operated in a distributed generation approach. A consortium (KWEC – Kansas Wind Energy Consortium) of researchers from Kansas State University and Wichita State University aims to dramatically increase the penetration of wind energy via distributed wind power generation. We believe distributed generation through wind power will play a critical role in the ability to reach and extend the renewable energy production targets set by the Department of Energy. KWEC aims to find technical and economic solutions to enable widespread implementation of distributed renewable energy resources that would apply to wind.

Characterization of a novel chitinase from a moderately halophilic bacterium, Virgibacillus marismortui strain M3-23

OpenAIRE

Essghaier, Badiaa; Hedi, Abdeljabbar; Bajji, Mohammed; Jijakli, Haissam; Boudabous, Abdellatif; Sadfi-Zouaoui, Najla

2012-01-01

A new chitinase produced by the moderately halophilic bacterium Virgibacillus marismortui strain M3- 23 was identified and characterized. Distinguishable characteristics of high activity and stability at different pH, temperatures and salinity of M3-23 chitinase are reported. Analysis of the catalytic domain sequence from the enzyme highlighted its relationship to glycosyl hydrolase family 18. Comparison of the deduced chitinase sequence from strain M3-23 to known chitinases from Bacillus spe...

Application of halophilic nuclease H of Micrococcus varians subsp. halophilus to commercial production of flavoring agent 5'-GMP.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamekura, M; Hamakawa, T; Onishi, H

1982-01-01

RNA was degraded at 60 degrees C for 24 h by halophilic nuclease H in supernatants from broth cultures of Micrococcus varians subsp. halophilus containing 12% NaCl. Since contaminating 5'-nucleotidase exhibited almost no activity under these conditions, the 5'-GMP formed could be recovered from the reaction mixture, and the yield was 805 mg from 5 g of RNA. PMID:6184020

Migrating from Informal to Formal Consortium — COSTLI Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Birdie, C.; Patil, Y. M.

2010-10-01

There are many models of library consortia which have come into existence due to various reasons and compulsions. FORSA (Forum for Resource Sharing in Astronomy) is an informal consortium born from the links between academic institutions specializing in astronomy in India. FORSA is a cooperative venture initiated by library professionals. Though this consortium was formed mainly for inter-lending activities and bibliographic access, it has matured over the years to adopt the consortium approach on cooperative acquisitions, due to increased requirements.

Adaptation to high salt concentrations in halotolerant/ halophilic fungi: a molecular perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana ePlemenitas

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Molecular studies of salt tolerance of eukaryotic microorganisms have until recently been limited to the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a few other moderately halotolerant yeast. Discovery of the extremely halotolerant and adaptable fungus Hortaea werneckii and the obligate halophile Wallemia ichthyophaga introduced two new model organisms into studies on the mechanisms of salt tolerance in eukaryotes. H. werneckii is unique in its adaptability to fluctuations in salt concentrations, as it can grow without NaCl as well as in the presence of up to 5 M NaCl. On the other hand, W. ichthyophaga requires at least 1.5 M NaCl for growth, but also grows in up to 5 M NaCl. Our studies have revealed the novel and intricate molecular mechanisms used by these fungi to combat high salt concentrations, which differ in many aspects between the extremely halotolerant H. werneckii and the halophilic W. ichthyophaga. Specifically, the high osmolarity glycerol signalling pathway that is important for sensing and responding to increased salt concentrations is here compared between H. werneckii and W. ichthyophaga. In both of these fungi, the key signalling components are conserved, but there are structural and regulation differences between these pathways in H. werneckii and W. ichthyophaga. We also address differences that have been revealed from analysis of their newly sequenced genomes. The most striking characteristics associated with H. werneckii are the large genetic redundancy, the expansion of genes encoding metal cation transporters, and a relatively recent whole genome duplication. In contrast, the genome of W. ichthyophaga is very compact, as only 4,884 protein-coding genes are predicted, which cover almost three quarters of the sequence. Importantly, there has been a significant increase in their hydrophobins, cell-wall proteins that have multiple cellular functions.

Northern New Jersey Nursing Education Consortium: a partnership for graduate nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinless, F W; Levin, R F

1998-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the evolution and implementation of the Northern New Jersey Nursing Education consortium--a consortium of seven member institutions established in 1992. Details regarding the specific functions of the consortium relative to cross-registration of students in graduate courses, financial disbursement of revenue, faculty development activities, student services, library privileges, and institutional research review board mechanisms are described. The authors also review the administrative organizational structure through which the work conducted by the consortium occurs. Both the advantages and disadvantages of such a graduate consortium are explored, and specific examples of recent potential and real conflicts are fully discussed. The authors detail governance and structure of the consortium as a potential model for replication in other environments.

Comparison between the polypeptide profile of halophilic bacteria and salt tolerant plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz, G; González, C; Flores, P; Prado, B; Campos, V

1997-12-01

Changes in the polypeptide profile induced by salt stress in halotolerant and halophilic bacteria, isolated from the Atacama desert (northern Chile), were compared with those in the cotyledons of Prosopis chilensis (Leguminoseae) seedlings, a salt tolerant plant. SDS-PAGE analyses show the presence of four predominant polypeptides, with molecular weights around 78, 70, 60 and 44 kDa respectively, both in bacteria and in cotyledons from P. chilensis seedlings raised under salt stress conditions. Moreover, the 60 and 44 kDa polypeptides seem to be salt responsive, since their concentration increases with increasing NaCl in the growth medium. Our results suggest a common mechanism for salt tolerance in prokaryotes and in eukaryotes.

Biogas production from various coal types using beef cattle rumen's liquid as a source of microorganisms consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Kurnani, Tubagus Benito Achmad; Harlia, Ellin; Hidayati, Yuli Astuti; Marlina, Eulis Tanti; Sugiarto, A. N.; Rahmah, K. N.; Joni, I. M.

2018-02-01

Nowadays, Indonesia is developing Coal-Bed Methane (CBM) production, but its production is not sufficient yet. Basically, CBM is produced naturally along with coal formation, i.e. through the activity of indigenous microorganisms. In this regard, to increase the production of CBM, adding a consortium of microorganisms into the coal deposit can be an option. One source of a consortium of bacteria available in nature is the rumen contents of ruminant livestock such as beef cattle. The purpose of this research was to know the capability of bacteria in rumen contents of beef cattle to produce CBM from various types of coal. In addition, to get a better concentration of bacteria than previous research so that it can be used as a reference for CBM production in the future. This explorative research used an experimental method with descriptive explanation. CBM production was performed using Hungate tube as a digester with three coal substrates, namely lignite, sub-bituminous and bituminous. This experiment also used 10-7 diluted rumen content of beef cattle as a source. The parameters measured were bacterial density, the amount of CBM, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide on day 2, 5, 10 and 14. The treatment and parameters measurement were carried out in triplicates. This study finding showed that the highest bacterial density in all three types of coal was obtained on day 10 as well as the amount of CBM, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. These results are higher than the results from previous research therefore, this treatment can be used as an inoculant in a solid form for easy distribution.

Analysis of Carotenoid Production by Halorubrum sp. TBZ126; an Extremely Halophilic Archeon from Urmia Lake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davood Naziri

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Carotenoids are of great interest in many scientific disciplines because of their wide distribution, diverse functions and interesting properties. The present report describes a new natural source for carotenoid production. Methods: Halorubrum sp., TBZ126, an extremely halophilic archaeon, was isolated from Urmia Lack following culture of water sample on marine agar medium and incubation at 30 °C. Then single colonies were cultivated in broth media. After that the cells were collected and carotenoids were extracted with acetone-methanol (7:3 v/v. The identification of carotenoids was performed by UV-VIS spectroscopy and confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC in the presence of antimony pentachloride (SbCl5. The production profile was analyzed using liquid-chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS techniques. Phenotypic characteristics of the isolate were carried out and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Results: LC-MS analytical results revealed that produced carotenoids are bacterioruberin, lycopene and β-carotene. Bacterioruberin was found to be the predominant produced carotenoid. 16S rRNA analysis showed that TBZ126 has 100% similarity with Halorubrum chaoviator Halo-G*T (AM048786. Conclusion: Halorubrum sp. TBZ126, isolated from Urmia Lake has high capacity in the production of carotenoids. This extremely halophilic archaeon could be considered as a prokaryotic candidate for carotenoid production source for future studies.

Isolation and identification of poly-extremophilic alkalophilic, halophilic and halotolerant bacteria from alkaline thalassohaline Gomishan wetland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azadeh Shahinpei

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Gomishan wetland is a natural ecosystem located in 35 km north west of Gorgan, in the west vicinity of Khajeh Nafas city and Gomishan. Twice sampling from 3 different geographic positions in dry and rainy seasons, led to the isolation of 224 isolates. For 57 isolates, halophilic and halotolerant behaviors and also optimum and growth range in different pH and temperatures were determined. Most of the moderately halophilic and halotolerant strains were capable of growing optimally in media with pH 8.5-9 and optimum growth temperatures ranging from <4 to 40 °C. The isolates were examined for hydrolytic enzymes production. Most of the isolates showed lipase activites and a total of 15, 7 and 3 strains produced amylases, proteases and DNases, respectively. The enzymes could be useful in some industrial processes. 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis were done for 55 strains. According to this analysis, strains were placed in 22 different genera: Achromobacter, Aeromicrobium, Altererythrobacter, Bacillus, Caenispirillum, Cyclobacterium, Erythrobacter, Halobacillus, Halomonas, Idiomarina, Jonesia, Marinobacter, Martelella, Nesiotobacter, Paenibacillus, Planococcus, Pseudomonas, Rheinheimera, Saccharospirillum, Stappia, Thalassospira and Vibrio. 23% of these strains were haloalkalophilic bacteria and belonged to the Bacillus, Halobacillus, Halomonas, Idiomarina and Marinobacter. This was the first study on the culturable bacteria at Gomishan wetland, an area of considerable alkaline thalassohaline ecosystem.

Degradation and mineralization of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by defined fungal-bacterial cocultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boonchan, S.; Britz, M.L.; Stanley, G.A.

2000-01-01

This study investigated the biodegradation of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in liquid media and soil by bacteria (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia VUN 10,010 and bacterial consortium VUN 10,009) and a fungus (Penicillium janthinellum VUO 10,201) that were isolated from separate creosote- and manufactured-gas plant-contaminated soils. The bacteria could use pyrene as their sole carbon and energy source in a basal salts medium (BSM) and mineralized significant amounts of benzo[a]pyrene cometabolically when pyrene was also present in BSM. P. janthinellum VUO 10,201 could not utilize any high-molecular-weight PAH as sole carbon and energy source but could partially degrade these if cultured in a nutrient broth. Although small amounts of chrysene, benz[a]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene were degraded by axenic cultures of these isolates in BSM containing a single PAH, such conditions did not support significant microbial growth or PAH mineralization. However, significant degradation of, and microbial growth on, pyrene, chrysene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene, each as a single PAH in BSM, occurred when P. janthinellum VUO 10,201 and either bacterial consortium VUN 10,009 or S. maltophilia VUN 10,010 were combined in the one culture, i.e., fungal-bacterial cocultures: 25% of the benzo[a]pyrene was mineralized to CO 2 by these cocultures over 49 days, accompanied by transient accumulation and disappearance of intermediates detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Inoculation of fungal-bacterial cocultures into PAH-contaminated soil resulted in significantly improved degradation of high-molecular-weight PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene mineralization, and reduction in the mutagenicity of organic soil extracts, compared with the indigenous microbes and soil amended with only axenic inocula

Yield emulsifiers exopolysaccharides produced by native halophilic bacteria concentrations molasses three Saccharum officinarum L. "sugarcane"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ángel Fuentes, Carmen Carreño

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The microbial exopolysaccharide with emulsifying properties are an alternative to polymers and chemicals from algae and plants. Its production in molasses as carbon source lowers costs and generates added value to this byproduct of the sugar industry, so the aim of this study was to determine the performance and productivity of EPS emulsifiers by native halophilic bacteria in 20, 30 and 40 gL-1 of molasses. In MY synthetic medium with 5 % w/v of salts, 138 isolates of bacteria obtained from soil samples of salt water and in the districts of San Jose and Santa Rosa, in Lambayeque. In 10.8 % of these gummy colony forming bacteria and grown on glucose as carbon source EPS recovered whose maximum values of the mixtures in water emulsion - oil phase were 63.3 and 56.6 % after 1 and 24 hours, respectively. The M5 bacteria identified as Halomonas C1 10-1 sp. M5 EPS synthesized emulsifiers molasses broth, reaching yields Yp/s of 0.296 gg-1 and 0.200 gg-1 with 20 and 30 gL-1 of molasses respectively, a productivity of 0.016 and 0.017 gL-1 h -1 , not differing significantly between them. With 10 gL-1 glucose was reached Yp/s of 0.171 gg-1 and a productivity of 0.018 gL-1 h -1 . It was shown that the EPS produced native halophilic bacteria utilizing molasses emulsifiers as carbon source.

Discovery of extremely halophilic, methyl-reducing euryarchaea provides insights into the evolutionary origin of methanogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Sorokin, Dimitry Y.; Makarova, Kira S.; Abbas, Ben; Ferrer, Manuel; Golyshin, Peter N.; Galinski, Erwin A.; Ciordia, Sergio; Mena, María Carmen; Merkel, Alexander Y.; Wolf, Yuri I.; van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M.; Koonin, Eugene V.

2017-01-01

Methanogenic archaea are major players in the global carbon cycle and in the biotechnology of anaerobic digestion. The phylum Euryarchaeota includes diverse groups of methanogens that are interspersed with non-methanogenic lineages. So far methanogens inhabiting hypersaline environments have been identified only within the order Methanosarcinales. We report the discovery of a deep phylogenetic lineage of extremophilic methanogens in hypersaline lakes, and present analysis of two nearly complete genomes from this group. Within the phylum Euryarchaeota, these isolates form a separate, class-level lineage “Methanonatronarchaeia” that is most closely related to the class Halobacteria. Similar to the Halobacteria, “Methanonatronarchaeia” are extremely halophilic and do not accumulate organic osmoprotectants. The high intracellular concentration of potassium implies that “Methanonatronarchaeia” employ the “salt-in” osmoprotection strategy. These methanogens are heterotrophic methyl-reducers that utilize C1-methylated compounds as electron acceptors and formate or hydrogen as electron donors. The genomes contain an incomplete and apparently inactivated set of genes encoding the upper branch of methyl group oxidation to CO2 as well as membrane-bound heterosulfide reductase and cytochromes. These features differentiates “Methanonatronarchaeia” from all known methyl-reducing methanogens. The discovery of extremely halophilic, methyl-reducing methanogens related to haloarchaea provides insights into the origin of methanogenesis and shows that the strategies employed by methanogens to thrive in salt-saturating conditions are not limited to the classical methylotrophic pathway. PMID:28555626

Atlantic Coast Environmental Indicators Consortium

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — n 2000, the US EPA granted authority to establish up to five Estuarine Indicator Research Programs. These Programs were designed to identify, evaluate, recommend and...

Halomonas indalinina sp.nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from a solar saltern in Cabo de Gata, Al,eria, southern Spain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cabrera, A.; Aguilera, M.; Fuentes Enriquez de Salamanca, S.; Incerti, C.; Russell, N.J.; Ramos-Cormenzana, A.; Monteoliva-Sanchez, M.

2007-01-01

moderately halophilic bacterium, strain CG2.1T, isolated from a solar saltern at Cabo de Gata, a wildlife reserve located in the province of Almería, southern Spain, was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. This organism was an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative rod that produced orange-pigmented

Phosphorus mobilizing consortium Mammoth P™ enhances plant growth

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Colin; Mancini, Lauren M.; Lee, Melanie N.; Conant, Richard T.; Wallenstein, Matthew D.

2016-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is a critical nutrient used to maximize plant growth and yield. Current agriculture management practices commonly experience low plant P use efficiency due to natural chemical sorption and transformations when P fertilizer is applied to soils. A perplexing challenge facing agriculture production is finding sustainable solutions to deliver P more efficiently to plants. Using prescribed applications of specific soil microbial assemblages to mobilize soil bound—P to improve crop nutrient uptake and productivity has rarely been employed. We investigated whether inoculation of soils with a bacterial consortium developed to mobilize soil P, named Mammoth PTM, could increase plant productivity. In turf, herbs, and fruits, the combination of conventional inorganic fertilizer combined with Mammoth PTM increased productivity up to twofold compared to the fertilizer treatments without the Mammoth PTM inoculant. Jalapeño plants were found to bloom more rapidly when treated with either Mammoth P. In wheat trials, we found that Mammoth PTM by itself was able to deliver yields equivalent to those achieved with conventional inorganic fertilizer applications and improved productivity more than another biostimulant product. Results from this study indicate the substantial potential of Mammoth PTM to enhance plant growth and crop productivity. PMID:27326379

Halotolerant and halophilic bacteria in the oceans of the icy satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, S. I.; Montoya, L.; Avendaño, R.

2013-05-01

Halotolerant and halophilic prokaryotes require salt concentrations equal to or higher than those present at terrestrial oceans (Rothschild and Mancinelli, 2001). They are a particular kind of extremophiles and as expected, their halotolerance is mainly expressed in terms of a certain NaCl percentage, at least on Earth. With the discovery of putative salty liquid oceans beneath the iced surfaces of some of the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn (Mueller and McKinnon, 1988; Kargel et al., 2000; Zolotov, 2007), information about the impact of other types of salts, different from NaCl, on the growth of complex biological systems is necessary. We have found that when three specific bacteria strains are growing in media enriched with salts containing chaotropic and kosmotropic ions, their specific optimal growth value is modified (Montoya et al., 2010). The changes can be broadly explained in terms of the Hofmeister series (Zhang and Cremer, 2006). These results can be used to infer an extension in the limits of biological activity. For terrestrial organisms there is scarce information to determine the impact of another salt in the growth of an organism. In these sense we have found that when media enriched with magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) at water activity values (aw) similar to those reported as optimal for NaCl, their growth and tolerance is considerably enhanced. On the other hand, the combination of chaotropic and kosmotropic ions result in salts of astrobiological importance such as the sulphate already mentioned, carbonates or chlorides that can tentatively exist in the putative ocean of Europa, Ganymedes, or Enceladus or even at the subsurface of Mars. In this frame, we studied the growth rate of Halomonas halodurans, H. magadiensis and Bacillus pumillus when exposed to media enriched with NaCl, MgSO4, Mg(NO3)2, MgCl2, Na2SO4 and NH4SO4. Equivalent values of water activity (aw) for each salt were compared and correlated with microbial activity (Montoya et al., 2010

The nation's first consortium to address waste management issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikel, C.J.

1991-01-01

On July 26, 1989, the secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Admiral James Watkins, announced approval of the Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC). The consortium is composed of New Mexico State University (NMSU), the University of New Mexico, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. This pilot program is expected to form a model for other regional and national programs. The WERC mission is to expand the national capability to address issues associated with the management of hazardous, radioactive, and solid waste. Research, technology transfer, and education/training are the three areas that have been identified to accomplish the objectives set by the consortium. The members of the consortium will reach out to the DOE facilities, other government agencies and facilities, and private institutions across the country. Their goal is to provide resources for solutions to waste management problems

Planococcus salinus sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from a saline-alkali soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Longzhan; Zhang, Heming; Tian, Jiewei; Li, Xiaoguang; Long, Xiufeng; Zhang, Yuqin; Dai, Yumei; Tian, Yongqiang

2018-02-01

A novel aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, motile, moderately halophilic and coccoid bacterial strain, designated LCB217 T , was isolated from a saline-alkali soil in north-western China and identified using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Growth occurred with 3-15 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3-5 %), at 10-45 °C (optimum 30 °C) and at pH 7.0-9.0 (optimum pH 9.0). Strain LCB217 T contained MK-7 and MK-8 as the predominant menaquinones and anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The polar lipids from strain LCB217 T consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminophospholipid and one unidentified lipid. The peptidoglycan type was A4α (l-Lys-d-Glu). Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain LCB217 T belonged to the genus Planococcus and was closely related to the type strains Planococcus plakortidis AS/ASP6 (II) T (98.2 % similarity), Planococcus maitriensis S1 T (97.7 %) and Planococcus salinarum ISL-16 T (97.2 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.4 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain LCB217 T andPlanococcusplakortidis AS/ASP6 (II) T , Planococcusmaitriensis S1 T andPlanococcussalinarum ISL-16 T were 29.5, 38.1 and 39.5 %, respectively. On the basis of the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genomic data, strain LCB217 T represents a novel species of the genus Planococcus, for which the name Planococcus salinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LCB217 T (=CGMCC 1.15685 T =KCTC 33861 T ).

NCI Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

NCI has awarded grants to five research teams to participate in its Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium, which is intended to help to prioritize which agents to pursue in pediatric clinical trials.

Renewable Generators' Consortium: ensuring a market for green electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-03-01

This project summary focuses on the objectives and key achievements of the Renewable Generators Consortium (RGC) which was established to help renewable energy projects under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) to continue to generate in the open liberated post-1998 electricity market. The background to the NFFO is traced, and the development of the Consortium, and the attitudes of generators and suppliers to the Consortium are discussed along with the advantages of collective negotiations through the RGC, the Heads of Terms negotiations, and the success of RGC which has demonstrated the demand for green electricity

Computational Astrophysics Consortium 3 - Supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts and Nucleosynthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woosley, Stan [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

2014-08-29

Final project report for UCSC's participation in the Computational Astrophysics Consortium - Supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts and Nucleosynthesis. As an appendix, the report of the entire Consortium is also appended.

Cultivation of algae consortium in a dairy farm wastewater for biodiesel production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Hena

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Dairy farm wastewaters are potential resources for production of microalgae biofuels. A study was conducted to evaluate the capability of production of biodiesel from consortium of native microalgae culture in dairy farm treated wastewater. Native algal strains were isolated from dairy farm wastewaters collection tank (untreated wastewater as well as from holding tank (treated wastewater. The consortium members were selected on the basis of fluorescence response after treating with Nile red reagent. Preliminary studies of two commercial and consortium of ten native strains of algae showed good growth in wastewaters. A consortium of native strains was found capable to remove more than 98% nutrients from treated wastewater. The biomass production and lipid content of consortium cultivated in treated wastewater were 153.54 t ha−1 year−1 and 16.89%, respectively. 72.70% of algal lipid obtained from consortium could be converted into biodiesel.

Biotransformation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) by a prospective consortium and its most effective isolate Serratia marcescens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, D.M.; Ogden, K.L. [Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Environmental Engineering; Unkefer, P.J. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States). Chemical Science and Technology Div.

1997-03-05

The biotransformation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5 triazine (RDX) has been observed in liquid culture by a consortium of bacteria found in horse manure. Five types of bacteria were found to predominate in the consortium and were isolated. The most effective of these isolates at transforming RDX was Serratia marcescens. The biotransformation of RDX by all of these bacteria was found to occur only in the anoxic stationary phase. The process of bacterial growth and RDX biotransformation was quantified for the purpose of developing a predictive type model. Cell growth was assumed to follow Monod kinetics. All of the aerobic and anoxid growth parameters were determined: {mu}{sub max}, K{sub s}, and Y{sub x/s}. RDX was found to competitively inhibit cell growth in both atmospheres. Degradation of RDX by Serratia marcescens was found to proceed through the stepwise reduction of the three nitro groups to nitroso groups. Each of these reductions was found to be first order in both component and cell concentrations. The degradation rate constant for the first step in this reduction process by the consortium was 0.022 L/g cells {center_dot} h compared to 0.033 L/g cells {center_dot} h for the most efficient isolate.

Multistage bioassociation of uranium onto an extremely halophilic archaeon revealed by a unique combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Bader, Miriam; Müller, Katharina; Foerstendorf, Harald; Drobot, Björn; Schmidt, Matthias; Musat, Niculina; Swanson, Juliet S; Reed, Donald T; Stumpf, Thorsten; Cherkouk, Andrea

2017-04-05

The interactions of two extremely halophilic archaea with uranium were investigated at high ionic strength as a function of time, pH and uranium concentration. Halobacterium noricense DSM-15987 and Halobacterium sp. putatively noricense, isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository, were used for these investigations. The kinetics of U(VI) bioassociation with both strains showed an atypical multistage behavior, meaning that after an initial phase of U(VI) sorption, an unexpected interim period of U(VI) release was observed, followed by a slow reassociation of uranium with the cells. By applying in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the involvement of phosphoryl and carboxylate groups in U(VI) complexation during the first biosorption phase was shown. Differences in cell morphology and uranium localization become visible at different stages of the bioassociation process, as shown with scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate for the first time that association of uranium with the extremely halophilic archaeon is a multistage process, beginning with sorption and followed by another process, probably biomineralization. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Genomic Standards Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Field, Dawn; Amaral-Zettler, Linda; Cochrane, Guy

2011-01-01

Standards Consortium (GSC), an open-membership organization that drives community-based standardization activities, Here we provide a short history of the GSC, provide an overview of its range of current activities, and make a call for the scientific community to join forces to improve the quality...

Extreme Halophiles and Carbon Monoxide: Looking Through Windows at Earth's Past and Towards a Future on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

King, G.

2015-12-01

Carbon monoxide, which is ubiquitous on Earth, is the 2nd most abundant molecule in the universe. Members of the domain Bacteria have long been known to oxidize it, and activities of CO oxidizers in soils have been known for several decades to contribute to tropospheric CO regulation. Nonetheless, the diversity of CO oxidizers and their evolutionary history remain largely unknown. A molybdenum-dependent dehydrogenase (Mo-CODH) couples CO oxidation by most terrestrial and marine bacteria to either O2 or nitrate. Molybdenum dependence, the requirement for O2 and previous phylogenetic inferences have all supported a relatively late evolution for "aerobic" CO oxidation, presumably after the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) about 2.3 Gya. Although conundrums remain, recent discoveries suggest that Mo-CODH might have evolved before the GOE, and prior to the Bacteria-Archaea split. New phylogenetic analyses incorporating sequences from extremely halophilic CO-oxidizing Euryarchaeota isolated from salterns in the Atacama Desert, brines on Hawai`i and from the Bonneville Salt Flat suggest that Mo-CODH was present in an ancestor shared by Bacteria and Archaea. This observation is consistent with results of phylogenetic histories of genes involved in Mo-cofactor synthesis, and findings by others that Mo-nitrogenase was likely active > 3 Gya. Thus, analyses of Mo-dependent CO oxidizers provide a window on the past by raising questions about the availability of Mo and non-O2 electron acceptors. Extremely halophilic CO oxidizers also provide insights relevant for understanding the potential for extraterrestrial life. CO likely occurred at high concentrations in Mars' early atmosphere, and it occurs presently at about 800 ppm. At such high concentrations, CO represents one of the most abundant energy sources available for near-surface regolith. However, use of CO by an extant or transplanted Mars microbiota would require tolerance of low water potentials and high salt concentrations

Inland valley research in sub-Saharan Africa; priorities for a regional consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jamin, J.Y.; Andriesse, W.; Thiombiano, L.; Windmeijer, P.N.

1996-01-01

These proceedings are an account of an international workshop in support of research strategy development for the Inland Valley Consortium in sub-Saharan Africa. This consortium aims at concerted research planning for rice-based cropping systems in the lower parts of inland valleys. The Consortium

Bacterial community structure in aquifers corresponds to stratigraphy

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Andrea; Möller, Silke; Neumann, Stefan; Burow, Katja; Gutmann, Falko; Lindner, Julia; Müsse, Steffen; Kothe, Erika; Büchel, Georg

2014-05-01

So far, groundwater microbiology with respect to different host rocks has not been well described in the literature. However, factors influencing the communities would be of interest to provide a tool for mapping groundwater paths. The Thuringian Basin (Germany) studied here, contains formations of the Permian (Zechstein) and also Triassic period of Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk and Keuper, all of which can be found to crop out at the surface in different regions. We analyzed the bacterial community of nine natural springs and sixteen groundwater wells of the respective rock formations as well as core material from the Zechstein salts. For that we sampled in a mine 3 differnet salt rock samples (carnallitite, halite and sylvinitite). To validate the different approaches, similar rock formations were compared and a consistent microbial community for Buntsandstein could be verified. Similary, for Zechstein, the presence of halophiles was seen with cultivation, isolation directly from the rock material and also in groundwater with DNA-dependent approaches. A higher overlap between sandstone- and limestone-derived communities was visible as if compared to the salt formations. Principal component analysis confirmed formation specific patterns for Muschelkalk, Buntsandstein and Zechstein for the bacterial taxa present, with some overlaps. Bacilli and Gammaproteobacteria were the major groups, with the genera Pseudomonas, Marinomonas, Bacillus, Marinobacter and Pseudoalteromonas representing the communities. The bacteria are well adapted to their respective environment with survival strategies including a wide range of salinity which makes them suitable as tracers for fluid movement below the ground. The results indicate the usefulness and robustness of the approach taken here to investigate aquifer community structures in dependence of the stratigraphy of the groundwater reservoir.

Dark fermentative biohydrogen production by mesophilic bacterial consortia isolated from riverbed sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Sneha; Sudhakaran, Anu K.; Sarma, Priyangshu Manab; Subudhi, Sanjukta; Mandal, Ajoy Kumar; Lal, Banwari [Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Habitat Place, Darbari Seth Block, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003 (India); Gandham, Ganesh [Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mumbai Refinery, B. D. Patil Marg, Mahul, Mumbai 400074 (India)

2010-10-15

Dark fermentative bacterial strains were isolated from riverbed sediments and investigated for hydrogen production. A series of batch experiments were conducted to study the effect of pH, substrate concentration and temperature on hydrogen production from a selected bacterial consortium, TERI BH05. Batch experiments for fermentative conversion of sucrose, starch, glucose, fructose, and xylose indicated that TERI BH05 effectively utilized all the five sugars to produce fermentative hydrogen. Glucose was the most preferred carbon source indicating highest hydrogen yields of 22.3 mmol/L. Acetic and butyric acid were the major soluble metabolites detected. Investigation on optimization of pH, temperature, and substrate concentration revealed that TERI BH05 produced maximum hydrogen at 37 C, pH 6 with 8 g/L of glucose supplementation and maximum yield of hydrogen production observed was 2.0-2.3 mol H{sub 2}/mol glucose. Characterization of TERI BH05 revealed the presence of two different bacterial strains showing maximum homology to Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium bifermentans. (author)

Halocin C8: an antimicrobial peptide distributed among four halophilic archaeal genera: Natrinema, Haloterrigena, Haloferax, and Halobacterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Besse, Alison; Vandervennet, Manon; Goulard, Christophe; Peduzzi, Jean; Isaac, Stéphanie; Rebuffat, Sylvie; Carré-Mlouka, Alyssa

2017-05-01

Halophilic archaea thrive in hypersaline ecosystems and produce antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) named halocins. AMPs are essential effectors of microbial interactions in natural ecosystems. Halocin C8 is a 7.4 kDa peptide produced by Natrinema sp. AS7092. Surrounded by genes involved in regulation and transport, the halC8 gene encodes a precursor, processed into the mature halocin and an immunity protein, protecting the producing strain against its halocin. This feature constitutes a unique property of halocin C8, as known AMPs and their immunity proteins are generally encoded on distinct ORFs in an operon. By complementary in silico and PCR-based approaches, the presence of halC8 in halophilic archaea collected from various parts of the world was evidenced. The full-length halC8 gene is restricted and consistently found in the genomes of strains belonging to the phylogenetically related genera Natrinema and Haloterrigena, along with transport and regulation genes. Functional expression of halC8 was demonstrated by RT-PCR and antimicrobial assays. Active halocin C8 was shown to contain five disulphide bridges, presumably conferring a compact structure resistant to harsh environmental conditions. In other archaeal genera, Haloferax and Halobacterium, genes encoding halocin C8 with diverging immunity protein moiety were evidenced. A phylogenetic analysis of halocin C8 sequences was conducted.

Isolation and initial characterization of the tellurite reducing moderately halophilic bacterium, Salinicoccus sp. strain QW6.

Science.gov (United States)

Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Ashengroph, Morahem; Malekzadeh, Feridon; Reza Razavi, Mohamad; Naddaf, Saied; Kabiri, Mahboubeh

2008-01-01

Among the 49 strains of moderately halophilic bacteria isolated from the salty environments of Iran, a Gram-positive coccus designated as strain QW6 showed high capacity in the removal of toxic oxyanions of tellurium in a wide range of culture medium factors including pH (5.5-10.5), temperature (25-45 degrees C), various salts including NaCl, KCl, and Na(2)SO(4) (0.5-4 M), selenooxyanions (2-10 mM), and at different concentrations of potassium tellurite (0.5-1 mM) under aerobic condition. Phenotypic characterization and phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rDNA sequence comparisons indicated that this strain was a member of the genus Salinicoccus. The maximum tellurite removal was exhibited in 1.5M NaCl at 35 degrees C, while the activity reduced by 53% and 47% at 25 and 45 degrees C, respectively. The optimum pH for removal activity was shown to be 7.5, with 90% and 83% reduced removal capacities at the two extreme values of 5.5 and 10, respectively. The impact of different concentrations of selenooxyanions (2-10 mM) on tellurite removal by strain QW6 was evaluated. The ability of strain QW6 in the removal of tellurite in the presence of 6mM selenite increased by 25%. The concentration of toxic potassium tellurite in the supernatant of the bacterial culture medium decreased by 99% (from 0.5 to 0.005 mM) after 6 days and the color of the medium changed to black due to the formation of less toxic elemental tellurium.

Urban Consortium Energy Task Force - Year 21 Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-04-01

The Urban Consortium Energy Task Force (UCETF), comprised of representatives of large cities and counties in the United States, is a subgroup of the Urban Consortium, an organization of the nation's largest cities and counties joined together to identify, develop and deploy innovative approaches and technological solutions to pressing urban issues.

Solution Behavior and Activity of a Halophilic Esterase under High Salt Concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Lang; Zhao, Xiubo; Pan, Fang; Li, Yin; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe; Lu, Jian R.

2009-01-01

Background Halophiles are extremophiles that thrive in environments with very high concentrations of salt. Although the salt reliance and physiology of these extremophiles have been widely investigated, the molecular working mechanisms of their enzymes under salty conditions have been little explored. Methodology/Principal Findings A halophilic esterolytic enzyme LipC derived from archeaon Haloarcula marismortui was overexpressed from Escherichia coli BL21. The purified enzyme showed a range of hydrolytic activity towards the substrates of p-nitrophenyl esters with different alkyl chains (n = 2−16), with the highest activity being observed for p-nitrophenyl acetate, consistent with the basic character of an esterase. The optimal esterase activities were found to be at pH 9.5 and [NaCl] = 3.4 M or [KCl] = 3.0 M and at around 45°C. Interestingly, the hydrolysis activity showed a clear reversibility against changes in salt concentration. At the ambient temperature of 22°C, enzyme systems working under the optimal salt concentrations were very stable against time. Increase in temperature increased the activity but reduced its stability. Circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) were deployed to determine the physical states of LipC in solution. As the salt concentration increased, DLS revealed substantial increase in aggregate sizes, but CD measurements revealed the maximal retention of the α-helical structure at the salt concentration matching the optimal activity. These observations were supported by SANS analysis that revealed the highest proportion of unimers and dimers around the optimal salt concentration, although the coexistent larger aggregates showed a trend of increasing size with salt concentration, consistent with the DLS data. Conclusions/Significance The solution α-helical structure and activity relation also matched the highest proportion of enzyme unimers and dimers. Given that

ATP- and NAD+-dependent DNA ligases share an essential function in the halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, A.; Gray, F. C; MacNeill, S. A.

2006-01-01

DNA ligases join the ends of DNA molecules during replication, repair and recombination. ATP-dependent ligases are found predominantly in the eukarya and archaea whereas NAD+-dependent DNA ligases are found only in the eubacteria and in entomopoxviruses. Using the genetically tractable halophile....... volcanii also encodes an NAD+-dependent DNA ligase family member, LigN, the first such enzyme to be identified in the archaea, and present phylogenetic analysis indicating that the gene encoding this protein has been acquired by lateral gene transfer (LGT) from eubacteria. As with LigA, we show that Lig...

Using a portable Raman spectrometer to detect carotenoids of halophilic prokaryotes in synthetic inclusions in NaCl, KCl, and sulfates.

Science.gov (United States)

Jehlička, Jan; Culka, Adam; Mana, Lilly; Oren, Aharon

2018-05-03

Cell suspensions of the haloarchaea Halorubrum sodomense and Halobacterium salinarum and the extremely halophilic bacterium Salinibacter ruber (Bacteroidetes) in saturated solutions of chlorides and sulfates (NaCl, KCl, MgSO 4 ·7H 2 O, K 2 SO 4 , and (NH 4 )Al(SO 4 ) 2 ·12H 2 O) were left to evaporate to produce micrometric inclusions in laboratory-grown crystals. Raman spectra of these pinkish inclusions were obtained using a handheld Raman spectrometer with green excitation (532 nm). This portable instrument does not include any microscopic tool. Acceptable Raman spectra of carotenoids were obtained in the range of 200-4000 cm -1 . This detection achievement was related to the mode of illumination and collection of scattered light as well as due to resonance Raman enhancement of carotenoid signals under green excitation. The position of diagnostic Raman carotenoid bands corresponds well to those specific carotenoids produced by a given halophile. To our best knowledge, this is the first study of carotenoids included in the laboratory in crystalline chlorides and sulfates, using a miniature portable Raman spectrometer. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

The SAATELLITE and EVADE Clinical Studies Within the COMBACTE Consortium: A Public-Private Collaborative Effort in Designing and Performing Clinical Trials for Novel Antibacterial Drugs to Prevent Nosocomial Pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

François, Bruno; Chastre, Jean; Eggiman, Philippe; Laterre, Pierre-François; Torres, Antoni; Sanchez, Miguel; Esser, Mark T; Bishop, Brian; Bonten, Marc; Goosens, Herman; Jafri, Hasan S

2016-08-15

The Innovative Medicines Initiative-funded COMBACTE consortium fosters academic-industry partnership in pioneering studies to combat serious bacterial infections. We describe how this partnership is advancing the development of 2 monoclonal antibodies, MEDI4893 and MEDI3902, for the prevention of nosocomial pneumonia. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Virginia ADS consortium - thorium utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myneni, Ganapati

2015-01-01

A Virginia ADS consortium, consisting of Virginia Universities (UVa, VCU, VT), Industry (Casting Analysis Corporation, GEM*STAR, MuPlus Inc.), Jefferson Lab and not-for-profit ISOHIM, has been organizing International Accelerator-Driven Sub-Critical Systems (ADS) and Thorium Utilization (ThU) workshops. The third workshop of this series was hosted by VCU in Richmond, Virginia, USA Oct 2014 with CBMM and IAEA sponsorship and was endorsed by International Thorium Energy Committee (IThEC), Geneva and Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority. In this presentation a brief summary of the successful 3 rd International ADS and ThU workshop proceedings and review the worldwide ADS plans and/or programs is given. Additionally, a report on new start-ups on Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) systems is presented. Further, a discussion on potential simplistic fertile 232 Th to fissile 233 U conversion is made

Consortium for Verification Technology Fellowship Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadler, Lorraine E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-06-01

As one recipient of the Consortium for Verification Technology (CVT) Fellowship, I spent eight days as a visiting scientist at the University of Michigan, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS). During this time, I participated in multiple department and research group meetings and presentations, met with individual faculty and students, toured multiple laboratories, and taught one-half of a one-unit class on Risk Analysis in Nuclear Arms control (six 1.5 hour lectures). The following report describes some of the interactions that I had during my time as well as a brief discussion of the impact of this fellowship on members of the consortium and on me/my laboratory’s technical knowledge and network.

Brain Tumor Epidemiology Consortium (BTEC)

Science.gov (United States)

The Brain Tumor Epidemiology Consortium is an open scientific forum organized to foster the development of multi-center, international and inter-disciplinary collaborations that will lead to a better understanding of the etiology, outcomes, and prevention of brain tumors.

Efecto de la inoculación de la cepa Sphingomonas paucimobilis 20006FA sobre la composición de un consorcio bacteriano degradador de fenantreno Effect of the inoculant strain Sphingomonas paucimobilis 20006FA on the bacterial composition of a phenanthrene-degrading consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Madueño

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Se estudió el efecto de la inoculación con la cepa Sphingomonas paucimobilis 20006FA sobre la composición bacteriana de un consorcio degradador de fenantreno en cultivos discontinuos (batch con 8 repiques sucesivos. El consorcio original se obtuvo a partir de un suelo prístino. A los fines del estudio, se obtuvieron y mantuvieron dos consorcios: uno inoculado (F200+I y otro sin inocular (F200. Se estudió la diversidad bacteriana de los consorcios mediante el análisis de microorganismos cultivables (por caracterización fenotípica y genotípica y totales (por PCR-DGGE. A lo largo de los repiques sucesivos pudo observarse en ambos consorcios una tendencia a la pérdida de la capacidad degradadora de fenantreno, acompañada por una disminución de la diversidad bacteriana. Si bien la inoculación no produjo cambios significativos en la capacidad degradadora de fenantreno de los consorcios (29,9% para F200 y 27,6% para F200+I hacia el tercer repique, sí produjo cambios en la composición bacteriana, ya que los perfiles de DGGE revelaron una dinámica estructural diferente en el consorcio inoculado. En ambos consorcios se pudo observar la presencia de una banda intensa posicionada a la misma altura que el ADN del inóculo en el gel de DGGE; sin embargo, los cultivos aislados de los consorcios que presentaban idéntica posición de banda en el perfil PCR-DGGE que la cepa S. paucimobilis 20006FA mostraron baja similitud con la cepa inoculada mediante la técnica de RAPD.The effect of the inoculant strain Sphingomonas paucimobilis 20006FA on the bacterial composition of a phenanthrene-degrading consortium obtained from a pristine soil in sequencing batch cultures was studied. Inoculated (F200+I and non-inoculated (F200 phenanthrene-degrading consortia, were obtained. Bacterial diversity of consortia was studied at cultivable (phenotype and genotype characterization and non-cultivable (PCR-DGGE levels. During the successive cultures, a loss in

NASA Systems Engineering Research Consortium: Defining the Path to Elegance in Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Michael D.; Farrington, Phillip A.

2016-01-01

The NASA Systems Engineering Research Consortium was formed at the end of 2010 to study the approaches to producing elegant systems on a consistent basis. This has been a transformative study looking at the engineering and organizational basis of systems engineering. The consortium has engaged in a variety of research topics to determine the path to elegant systems. In the second year of the consortium, a systems engineering framework emerged which structured the approach to systems engineering and guided our research. This led in the third year to set of systems engineering postulates that the consortium is continuing to refine. The consortium has conducted several research projects that have contributed significantly to the understanding of systems engineering. The consortium has surveyed the application of the NASA 17 systems engineering processes, explored the physics and statistics of systems integration, and considered organizational aspects of systems engineering discipline integration. The systems integration methods have included system exergy analysis, Akaike Information Criteria (AIC), State Variable Analysis, Multidisciplinary Coupling Analysis (MCA), Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO), System Cost Modelling, System Robustness, and Value Modelling. Organizational studies have included the variability of processes in change evaluations, margin management within the organization, information theory of board structures, social categorization of unintended consequences, and initial looks at applying cognitive science to systems engineering. Consortium members have also studied the bidirectional influence of policy and law with systems engineering.

Regulated polyploidy in halophilic archaea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Breuert

Full Text Available Polyploidy is common in higher eukaryotes, especially in plants, but it is generally assumed that most prokaryotes contain a single copy of a circular chromosome and are therefore monoploid. We have used two independent methods to determine the genome copy number in halophilic archaea, 1 cell lysis in agarose blocks and Southern blot analysis, and 2 Real-Time quantitative PCR. Fast growing H. salinarum cells contain on average about 25 copies of the chromosome in exponential phase, and their ploidy is downregulated to 15 copies in early stationary phase. The chromosome copy number is identical in cultures with a twofold lower growth rate, in contrast to the results reported for several other prokaryotic species. Of three additional replicons of H. salinarum, two have a low copy number that is not growth-phase regulated, while one replicon even shows a higher degree of growth phase-dependent regulation than the main replicon. The genome copy number of H. volcanii is similarly high during exponential phase (on average 18 copies/cell, and it is also downregulated (to 10 copies as the cells enter stationary phase. The variation of genome copy numbers in the population was addressed by fluorescence microscopy and by FACS analysis. These methods allowed us to verify the growth phase-dependent regulation of ploidy in H. salinarum, and they revealed that there is a wide variation in genome copy numbers in individual cells that is much larger in exponential than in stationary phase. Our results indicate that polyploidy might be more widespread in archaea (or even prokaryotes in general than previously assumed. Moreover, the presence of so many genome copies in a prokaryote raises questions about the evolutionary significance of this strategy.

Isolation, Screening and Development of Local Bacterial Consortia With Azo Dyes Decolourising Capability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khadijah, O.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 1540 bacterial isolates were isolated and screened for their ability to degrade selected azo dyes. Of these, nine isolates were chosen for further studies based on their ability to degrade a wide spectrum of dyes efficiently and rapidly. Several microbial consortia were developed and tested for their effectiveness. Overall the consortia were able to degrade 70 - 100% colour within 72 hours compared to 60 – 97% colour removed by individual isolates. A microbial consortium labelled C15 showed good growth in agitation culture but the colour removal was best in static culture with 80 - 100% colour removed in less than 72 hours. Based on the 16S rRNA sequencing, two of the bacterial isolates in C15 belong to the Chryseobacterium genus while the other one belongs to Flavobacterium genus.

Borrelidins C-E: New Antibacterial Macrolides from a Saltern-Derived Halophilic Nocardiopsis sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jungwoo; Shin, Daniel; Kim, Seong-Hwan; Park, Wanki; Shin, Yoonho; Kim, Won Kyung; Lee, Sang Kook; Oh, Ki-Bong; Shin, Jongheon; Oh, Dong-Chan

2017-06-06

Chemical investigation of a halophilic actinomycete strain belonging to the genus Nocardiopsis inhabiting a hypersaline saltern led to the discovery of new 18-membered macrolides with nitrile functionality, borrelidins C-E ( 1 - 3 ), along with a previously reported borrelidin ( 4 ). The planar structures of borrelidins C-E, which are new members of the rare borrelidin class of antibiotics, were elucidated by NMR, mass, IR, and UV spectroscopic analyses. The configurations of borrelidines C-E were determined by the interpretation of ROESY NMR spectra, J-based configuration analysis, a modified Mosher's method, and CD spectroscopic analysis. Borrelidins C and D displayed inhibitory activity, particularly against the Gram-negative pathogen Salmonella enterica , and moderate cytotoxicity against the SNU638 and K562 carcinoma cell lines.

The LBNL/JSU/AGMUS Science Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-04-01

This report discusses the 11 year of accomplishments of the science consortium of minority graduates from Jackson State University and Ana G. Mendez University at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkert, Wynn; Kumar, Arvind; Becker, Bryan; Schwinke, Victor; Gonzalez, Angel; McGregor, Douglas

2010-01-01

The objective of the Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium (MNSEC) is to enhance the scope, quality and integration of educational and research capabilities of nuclear sciences and engineering (NS/E) programs at partner schools in support of the U.S. nuclear industry (including DOE laboratories). With INIE support, MNSEC had a productive seven years and made impressive progress in achieving these goals. Since the past three years have been no-cost-extension periods, limited -- but notable -- progress has been made in FY10. Existing programs continue to be strengthened and broadened at Consortium partner institutions. The enthusiasm generated by the academic, state, federal, and industrial communities for the MNSEC activities is reflected in the significant leveraging that has occurred for our programs.

Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Wynn Volkert; Dr. Arvind Kumar; Dr. Bryan Becker; Dr. Victor Schwinke; Dr. Angel Gonzalez; Dr. DOuglas McGregor

2010-12-08

The objective of the Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium (MNSEC) is to enhance the scope, quality and integration of educational and research capabilities of nuclear sciences and engineering (NS/E) programs at partner schools in support of the U.S. nuclear industry (including DOE laboratories). With INIE support, MNSEC had a productive seven years and made impressive progress in achieving these goals. Since the past three years have been no-cost-extension periods, limited -- but notable -- progress has been made in FY10. Existing programs continue to be strengthened and broadened at Consortium partner institutions. The enthusiasm generated by the academic, state, federal, and industrial communities for the MNSEC activities is reflected in the significant leveraging that has occurred for our programs.

Characterization of Bacterial Community Dynamics during the Decomposition of Pig Carcasses in Simulated Soil Burial and Composting Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ki, Bo-Min; Kim, Yu Mi; Jeon, Jun Min; Ryu, Hee Wook; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2017-12-28

Soil burial is the most widely used disposal method for infected pig carcasses, but composting has gained attention as an alternative disposal method because pig carcasses can be decomposed rapidly and safely by composting. To understand the pig carcass decomposition process in soil burial and by composting, pilot-scale test systems that simulated soil burial and composting were designed and constructed in the field. The envelope material samples were collected using special sampling devices without disturbance, and bacterial community dynamics were analyzed by high-throughput pyrosequencing for 340 days. Based on the odor gas intensity profiles, it was estimated that the active and advanced decay stages were reached earlier by composting than by soil burial. The dominant bacterial communities in the soil were aerobic and/or facultatively anaerobic gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Gelidibacter, Mucilaginibacter , and Brevundimonas . However, the dominant bacteria in the composting system were anaerobic, thermophilic, endospore-forming, and/or halophilic gram-positive bacteria such as Pelotomaculum, Lentibacillus, Clostridium , and Caldicoprobacter . Different dominant bacteria played important roles in the decomposition of pig carcasses in the soil and compost. This study provides useful comparative date for the degradation of pig carcasses in the soil burial and composting systems.

Recovery of valuable metals from polymetallic mine tailings by natural microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Vardanyan, Narine; Sevoyan, Garegin; Navasardyan, Taron; Vardanyan, Arevik

2018-05-28

Possibilities for the recovery of non-ferrous and precious metals from Kapan polymetallic mine tailings (Armenia) were studied. The aim of this paper was to study the possibilities of bioleaching of samples of concentrated tailings by the natural microbial consortium of drainage water. The extent of extraction of metals from the samples of concentrated tailings by natural microbial consortium reached 41-55% and 53-73% for copper and zinc, respectively. Metal leaching efficiencies of pure culture Leptospirillum ferrooxidans Teg were higher, namely 47-93% and 73-81% for copper and zinc, respectively. The content of gold in solid phase of tailings increased about 7-16% and 2-9% after bio-oxidation process by L. ferrooxidans Teg and natural microbial consortium, respectively. It was shown that bioleaching of the samples of tailings could be performed using the natural consortium of drainage water. However, to increase the intensity of the recovery of valuable metals, natural consortium of drainage water combined with iron-oxidizing L. ferrooxidans Teg has been proposed.

Aims, organization and activities of the consortium for underground storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stucky, G.

1977-01-01

The consortium of Swiss authorities interested in underground storage (the petroleum oil and gas industries, for fuel storage; the nuclear industry for radioactive waste disposal), was initiated in 1972. The author outlines the motives behind the formation of the consortium and outlines its structure and objectives. The envisaged projects are outlined. (F.Q.)

Prebiotics Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Consortium of the Infant Gut Microbiome.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Daniel A; Pinto, Francisco; Ovalle, Aline; Thomson, Pamela; Garrido, Daniel

2017-10-04

Composition of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet. Milk or formula oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, bioactives that promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. The influence of prebiotics on microbial interactions is not well understood. Here we investigated the transformation of prebiotics by a consortium of four representative species of the infant gut microbiome, and how their interactions changed with dietary substrates. First, we optimized a culture medium resembling certain infant gut parameters. A consortium containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis , Bacteroides vulgatus , Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus was grown on fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or 2'-fucosyllactose (2FL) in mono- or co-culture. While Bi. infantis and Ba. vulgatus dominated growth on 2FL, their combined growth was reduced. Besides, interaction coefficients indicated strong competition, especially on FOS. While FOS was rapidly consumed by the consortium, B. infantis was the only microbe displaying significant consumption of 2FL. Acid production by the consortium resembled the metabolism of microorganisms dominating growth in each substrate. Finally, the consortium was tested in a bioreactor, observing similar predominance but more pronounced acid production and substrate consumption. This study indicates that the chemical nature of prebiotics modulate microbial interactions in a consortium of infant gut species.

Prebiotics Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Consortium of the Infant Gut Microbiome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel A. Medina

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Composition of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet. Milk or formula oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, bioactives that promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. The influence of prebiotics on microbial interactions is not well understood. Here we investigated the transformation of prebiotics by a consortium of four representative species of the infant gut microbiome, and how their interactions changed with dietary substrates. First, we optimized a culture medium resembling certain infant gut parameters. A consortium containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, Bacteroides vulgatus, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus was grown on fructooligosaccharides (FOS or 2′-fucosyllactose (2FL in mono- or co-culture. While Bi. infantis and Ba. vulgatus dominated growth on 2FL, their combined growth was reduced. Besides, interaction coefficients indicated strong competition, especially on FOS. While FOS was rapidly consumed by the consortium, B. infantis was the only microbe displaying significant consumption of 2FL. Acid production by the consortium resembled the metabolism of microorganisms dominating growth in each substrate. Finally, the consortium was tested in a bioreactor, observing similar predominance but more pronounced acid production and substrate consumption. This study indicates that the chemical nature of prebiotics modulate microbial interactions in a consortium of infant gut species.

Safe-Site Effects on Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities in a High-Altitude Alpine Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Ciccazzo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The rhizosphere effect on bacterial communities associated with three floristic communities (RW, FI, and M sites which differed for the developmental stages was studied in a high-altitude alpine ecosystem. RW site was an early developmental stage, FI was an intermediate stage, M was a later more matured stage. The N and C contents in the soils confirmed a different developmental stage with a kind of gradient from the unvegetated bare soil (BS site through RW, FI up to M site. The floristic communities were composed of 21 pioneer plants belonging to 14 species. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis showed different bacterial genetic structures per each floristic consortium which differed also from the BS site. When plants of the same species occurred within the same site, almost all their bacterial communities clustered together exhibiting a plant species effect. Unifrac significance value (P<0.05 on 16S rRNA gene diversity revealed significant differences (P<0.05 between BS site and the vegetated sites with a weak similarity to the RW site. The intermediate plant colonization stage FI did not differ significantly from the RW and the M vegetated sites. These results pointed out the effect of different floristic communities rhizospheres on their soil bacterial communities.

Legacy Clinical Data from the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-2-0026 TITLE: Legacy Clinical Data from the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium PRINCIPAL...2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Legacy Clinical Data from the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Consortium 5b. GRANT...mTBI) Translational Research Consortium was to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mTBI. We enrolled a total of 88 mTBI patients and 73 orthopedic

International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph)

Science.gov (United States)

A consortium designed to enhance collaboration among epidemiologists studying lymphoma, to provide a forum for the exchange of research ideas, and to create a framework for collaborating on analyses that pool data from multiple studies

Ophthalmic epidemiology in Europe : the "European Eye Epidemiology" (E3) consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Delcourt, Cecile; Korobelnik, Jean-Francois; Buitendijk, Gabrielle H. S.; Foster, Paul J.; Hammond, Christopher J.; Piermarocchi, Stefano; Peto, Tunde; Jansonius, Nomdo; Mirshahi, Alireza; Hogg, Ruth E.; Bretillon, Lionel; Topouzis, Fotis; Deak, Gabor; Grauslund, Jakob; Broe, Rebecca; Souied, Eric H.; Creuzot-Garcher, Catherine; Sahel, Jose; Daien, Vincent; Lehtimaki, Terho; Hense, Hans-Werner; Prokofyeva, Elena; Oexle, Konrad; Rahi, Jugnoo S.; Cumberland, Phillippa M.; Schmitz-Valckenberg, Steffen; Fauser, Sascha; Bertelsen, Geir; Hoyng, Carel; Bergen, Arthur; Silva, Rufino; Wolf, Sebastian; Lotery, Andrew; Chakravarthy, Usha; Fletcher, Astrid; Klaver, Caroline C. W.

The European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium is a recently formed consortium of 29 groups from 12 European countries. It already comprises 21 population-based studies and 20 other studies (case-control, cases only, randomized trials), providing ophthalmological data on approximately 170,000

Novel consortium of Klebsiella variicola and Lactobacillus species enhances the functional potential of fermented dairy products by increasing the availability of branched-chain amino acids and the amount of distinctive volatiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosales-Bravo, H; Morales-Torres, H C; Vázquez-Martínez, J; Molina-Torres, J; Olalde-Portugal, V; Partida-Martínez, L P

2017-11-01

Identify novel bacterial taxa that could increase the availability of branched-chain amino acids and the amount of distinctive volatiles during skim milk fermentation. We recovered 344 bacterial isolates from stool samples of healthy and breastfed infants. Five were selected based on their ability to produce branched-chain amino acids. Three strains were identified as Escherichia coli, one as Klebsiella pneumoniae and other as Klebsiella variicola by molecular and biochemical methods. HPLC and solid-phase microextraction with GC-MS were used for the determination of free amino acids and volatile compounds respectively. The consortium formed by K. variicola and four Lactobacillus species showed the highest production of Leu and Ile in skim milk fermentation. In addition, the production of volatile compounds, such as acetoin, ethanol, 2-nonanone, and acetic, hexanoic and octanoic acids, increased in comparison to commercial yogurt, Emmental and Gouda cheese. Also, distinctive volatiles, such as 2,3-butanediol, 4-methyl-2- hexanone and octanol, were identified. The use of K. variicola in combination with probiotic Lactobacillus species enhances the availability of Leu and Ile and the amount of distinctive volatiles during skim milk fermentation. The identified consortium increases the functional potential of fermented dairy products. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

The presence of PHB granules in cytoplasm protects non-halophilic bacterial cells against the harmful impact of hypertonic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Obruca, Stanislav; Sedlacek, Petr; Mravec, Filip; Krzyzanek, Vladislav; Nebesarova, Jana; Samek, Ota; Kucera, Dan; Benesova, Pavla; Hrubanova, Kamila; Milerova, Miluse; Marova, Ivana

2017-10-25

Numerous prokaryotes accumulate polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) intracellularly as a storage material. It has also been proposed that PHB accumulation improves bacterial stress resistance. Cupriavidus necator and its PHB non-accumulating mutant were employed to investigate the protective role of PHB under hypertonic conditions. The presence of PHB granules enhanced survival of the bacteria after exposure to hypertonic conditions. Surprisingly, when coping with such conditions, the bacteria did not utilize PHB to harvest carbon or energy, suggesting that, in the osmotic upshock of C. necator, the protective mechanism of PHB granules is not associated with their hydrolysis. The presence of PHB granules influenced the overall properties of the cells, since challenged PHB-free cells underwent massive plasmolysis accompanied by damage to the cell membrane and the leakage of cytoplasm content, while no such effects were observed in PHB containing bacteria. Moreover, PHB granules demonstrated "liquid-like" properties indicating that they can partially repair and stabilize cell membranes by plugging small gaps formed during plasmolysis. In addition, the level of dehydration and changes in intracellular pH in osmotically challenged cells were less pronounced for PHB-containing cultures, demonstrating the important role of PHB for bacterial survival under hyperosmotic conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in the water quality and bacterial community composition of an alkaline and saline oxbow lake used for temporary reservoir of geothermal waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Borsodi, Andrea K; Szirányi, Barbara; Krett, Gergely; Márialigeti, Károly; Janurik, Endre; Pekár, Ferenc

2016-09-01

Geothermal waters exploited in the southeastern region of Hungary are alkali-hydrogen-carbonate type, and beside the high amount of dissolved salt, they contain a variety of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The majority of these geothermal waters used for heating are directed into surface waters following a temporary storage in reservoir lakes. The aim of this study was to gain information about the temporal and spatial changes of the water quality as well as the bacterial community composition of an alkaline and saline oxbow lake operated as reservoir of used geothermal water. On the basis of the water physical and chemical measurements as well as the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) patterns of the bacterial communities, temporal changes were more pronounced than spatial differences. During the storage periods, the inflow, reservoir water, and sediment samples were characterized with different bacterial community structures in both studied years. The 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences of the bacterial strains and molecular clones confirmed the differences among the studied habitats. Thermophilic bacteria were most abundant in the geothermal inflow, whereas the water of the reservoir was dominated by cyanobacteria and various anoxygenic phototrophic prokaryotes. In addition, members of several facultative anaerobic denitrifying, obligate anaerobic sulfate-reducing and syntrophic bacterial species capable of decomposition of different organic compounds including phenols were revealed from the water and sediment of the reservoir. Most of these alkaliphilic and/or halophilic species may participate in the local nitrogen and sulfur cycles and contribute to the bloom of phototrophs manifesting in a characteristic pink-reddish discoloration of the water of the reservoir.

Zinc bioaccumulation by microbial consortium isolated from nickel smelter sludge disposal site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kvasnová Simona

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Heavy metal pollution is one of the most important environmental issues of today. Bioremediation by microorganisms is one of technologies extensively used for pollution treatment. In this study, we investigated the heavy metal resistance and zinc bioaccumulation by microbial consortium isolated from nickel sludge disposal site near Sereď (Slovakia. The composition of consortium was analyzed based on MALDI-TOF MS of cultivable bacteria and we have shown that the consortium was dominated by bacteria of genus Arthrobacter. While consortium showed very good growth in the zinc presence, it was able to remove only 15 % of zinc from liquid media. Selected members of consortia have shown lower growth rates in the zinc presence but selected isolates have shown much higher bioaccumulation abilities compared to whole consortium (up to 90 % of zinc removal for NH1 strain. Bioremediation is frequently accelerated through injection of native microbiota into a contaminated area. Based on data obtained in this study, we can conclude that careful selection of native microbiota could lead to the identification of bacteria with increased bioaccumulation abilities.

Bio-degradation of oily food waste employing thermophilic bacterial strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Chan, Man Ting; Wong, Jonathan W C

2018-01-01

The objective of this work was to isolate a novel thermophilic bacterial strain and develop a bacterial consortium (BC) for efficient degradation oily food waste. Four treatments were designed: 1:1 mixture of pre-consumption food wastes (PrCFWs) and post-consumption food wastes (PCFWs) (T-1), 1:2 mixture of PrCFWs and PCFWs mixture (T-2), PrCFWs (T-3) and PCFWs (T-4). Equal quantity of BC was inoculated into each treatment to compare the oil degradation efficiency. Results showed that after 15days of incubation, a maximum oil reduction of 65.12±0.08% was observed in treatment T-4, followed by T-2 (55.44±0.12%), T-3 (54.79±0.04%) and T-1 (52.52±0.02%), while oil reduction was negligible in control. Results indicate that the development of oil utilizing thermophilic BC was more cost-effective in solving the degradation of oily food wastes and conversion into a stable end product. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purification and characterization of an extracellular haloalkaline serine protease from the moderately halophilic bacterium, Bacillus iranensis (X5B).

Science.gov (United States)

Ghafoori, Hossein; Askari, Mansoure; Sarikhan, Sajjad

2016-03-01

This study reports the purification and characterization of an extracellular haloalkaline serine protease from the moderately halophilic bacterium, Bacillus iranensis, strain X5B. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by acetone precipitation, ultrafiltration and carboxymethyl (CM) cation exchange chromatography, respectively. The purified protease was a monomeric enzyme with a relative molecular mass of 48-50 kDa and it was inhibited by PMSF indicating that it is a serine-protease. The optimum pH, temperature and NaCl concentration were 9.5, 35 °C and 0.98 M, respectively. The enzyme showed a significant tolerance to salt and alkaline pH. It retained approximately 50% of activity at 2.5 M NaCl and about 70% of activity at highly alkaline pH of 11.0; therefore, it was a moderately halophilic and also can be activated by metals, especially by Ca(2+). The specific activity of the purified protease was measured to be 425.23 μmol of tyrosine/min per mg of protein using casein as a substrate. The apparent K m and V max values were 0.126 mM and 0.523 mM/min, respectively and the accurate value of k cat was obtained as 3.284 × 10(-2) s(-1). These special and important characteristics make this serine protease as valuable tool for industrial applications.

Building a Geochemical View of Microbial Salt Tolerance: Halophilic Adaptation of Marinococcus in a Natural Magnesium Sulfate Brine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark G. Fox-Powell

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Current knowledge of life in hypersaline habitats is mostly limited to sodium and chloride-dominated environments. This narrow compositional window does not reflect the diversity of brine environments that exist naturally on Earth and other planetary bodies. Understanding the limits of the microbial biosphere and predicting extraterrestrial habitability demands a systematic effort to characterize ionic specificities of organisms from a representative range of saline habitats. Here, we investigated a strain of Marinococcus isolated from the magnesium and sulfate-dominated Basque Lakes (British Columbia, Canada. This organism was the sole isolate obtained after exposure to exceptionally high levels of Mg2+ and SO42- ions (2.369 and 2.840 M, respectively, and grew at extremes of ionic strength not normally encountered in Na+/Cl- brines (12.141 mol liter-1. Its association at the 16S rDNA level with bacterial halophiles suggests that ancestral halophily has allowed it to adapt to a different saline habitat. Growth was demonstrated in media dominated by NaCl, Na2SO4, MgCl2, and MgSO4, yet despite this plasticity the strain was still restricted; requiring either Na+ or Cl- to maintain short doubling times. Water activity could not explain growth rate differences between media, demonstrating the importance of ionic composition for dictating microbial growth windows. A new framework for understanding growth in brines is required, that accounts for the geochemical history of brines as well as the various stresses that ions impose on microbes. Studies such as this are required to gain a truly universal understanding of the limits of biological ion tolerance.

Building a Geochemical View of Microbial Salt Tolerance: Halophilic Adaptation of Marinococcus in a Natural Magnesium Sulfate Brine.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox-Powell, Mark G; Cockell, Charles S

2018-01-01

Current knowledge of life in hypersaline habitats is mostly limited to sodium and chloride-dominated environments. This narrow compositional window does not reflect the diversity of brine environments that exist naturally on Earth and other planetary bodies. Understanding the limits of the microbial biosphere and predicting extraterrestrial habitability demands a systematic effort to characterize ionic specificities of organisms from a representative range of saline habitats. Here, we investigated a strain of Marinococcus isolated from the magnesium and sulfate-dominated Basque Lakes (British Columbia, Canada). This organism was the sole isolate obtained after exposure to exceptionally high levels of Mg 2+ and SO 4 2- ions (2.369 and 2.840 M, respectively), and grew at extremes of ionic strength not normally encountered in Na + /Cl - brines (12.141 mol liter -1 ). Its association at the 16S rDNA level with bacterial halophiles suggests that ancestral halophily has allowed it to adapt to a different saline habitat. Growth was demonstrated in media dominated by NaCl, Na 2 SO 4 , MgCl 2 , and MgSO 4 , yet despite this plasticity the strain was still restricted; requiring either Na + or Cl - to maintain short doubling times. Water activity could not explain growth rate differences between media, demonstrating the importance of ionic composition for dictating microbial growth windows. A new framework for understanding growth in brines is required, that accounts for the geochemical history of brines as well as the various stresses that ions impose on microbes. Studies such as this are required to gain a truly universal understanding of the limits of biological ion tolerance.

PROTEOLYTIC AND FIBRINOLYTIC ACTIVITIES OF HALOPHILIC LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FROM TWO INDONESIAN FERMENTED FOODS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asep A. Prihanto

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Exploration of fermented foods as sources of fibrinolytic enzymes is increased in the last decades. Terasi and Jambal roti is Indonesian traditional fermented fish products, which were famous in Java Island. Both are important products in Indonesian dishes, especially in Java. Investigation on halophilic lactic acid bacteria using MRS and M-17 agar obtained seventy four isolated strains. Their proteolytic and fibrinolytic activities were determined using skim milk agar and plasminogen-free fibrin plate. Twenty five isolates showed protease activities, while only four of them secreted fibrinolitic enzyme. The highest proteolytic and fibrinolytic activity was shown by TB1 strain, which is identified as Bacillus coagulans. The 16s rDNA is still in investigating to confirm the TB1 strain identity.

The COPD Biomarker Qualification Consortium (CBQC)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casaburi, Richard; Celli, Bartolome; Crapo, James

2013-01-01

Abstract Knowledge about the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has advanced dramatically over the last 30 years. Unfortunately, this has had little impact in terms of new treatments. Over the same time frame, only one new class of medication for COPD......, and no interested party has been in a position to undertake such a process. In order to facilitate the development of novel tools to assess new treatments, the Food and Drug Administration, in collaboration with the COPD Foundation, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and scientists from the pharmaceutical...... industry and academia conducted a workshop to survey the available information that could contribute to new tools. Based on this, a collaborative project, the COPD Biomarkers Qualification Consortium, was initiated. The Consortium in now actively preparing integrated data sets from existing resources...

The Consortium for Advancing Renewable Energy Technology (CARET)

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, E. M.; Henderson, D. O.; Buffinger, D. R.; Fuller, C. W.; Uribe, R. M.

1998-01-01

The Consortium for Advancing Renewable Energy (CARET) is a research and education program which uses the theme of renewable energy to build a minority scientist pipeline. CARET is also a consortium of four universities and NASA Lewis Research Center working together to promote science education and research to minority students using the theme of renewable energy. The consortium membership includes the HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Fisk, Wilberforce and Central State Universities as well as Kent State University and NASA Lewis Research Center. The various stages of this pipeline provide participating students experiences with a different emphasis. Some emphasize building enthusiasm for the classroom study of science and technology while others emphasize the nature of research in these disciplines. Still others focus on relating a practical application to science and technology. And, of great importance to the success of the program are the interfaces between the various stages. Successfully managing these transitions is a requirement for producing trained scientists, engineers and technologists. Presentations describing the CARET program have been given at this year's HBCU Research Conference at the Ohio Aerospace Institute and as a seminar in the Solar Circle Seminar series of the Photovoltaic and Space Environments Branch at NASA Lewis Research Center. In this report, we will describe the many positive achievements toward the fulfillment of the goals and outcomes of our program. We will begin with a description of the interactions among the consortium members and end with a description of the activities of each of the member institutions .

The creation of the SAVE consortium – Saving Asia's Vultures from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article describes the background to this problem, caused mainly by the veterinary drug diclofenac, and the establishment and structure of the SAVE consortium created to help coordinate the necessary conservation response. The lessons learnt in Asia and the working model of such a consortium are presented, which ...

Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Center's work addresses a wide scope of trauma exposure from the consequences of combat, operations other than war, terrorism, natural and humanmade disasters,...

Biochemical characterisation of LigN, an NAD+-dependent DNA ligase from the halophilic euryarchaeon Haloferax volcanii that displays maximal in vitro activity at high salt concentrations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poidevin, L.; MacNeill, S. A.

2006-01-01

Background DNA ligases are required for DNA strand joining in all forms of cellular life. NAD+-dependent DNA ligases are found primarily in eubacteria but also in some eukaryotic viruses, bacteriophage and archaea. Among the archaeal NAD+-dependent DNA ligases is the LigN enzyme of the halophilic...

Microbial hydrogen production from sewage sludge bioaugmented with a constructed microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotay, Shireen Meher; Das, Debabrata [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302 (India)

2010-10-15

A constructed microbial consortium was formulated from three facultative H{sub 2}-producing anaerobic bacteria, Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1. This consortium was tested as the seed culture for H{sub 2} production. In the initial studies with defined medium (MYG), E. cloacae produced more H{sub 2} than the other two strains and it also was found to be the dominant member when consortium was used. On the other hand, B. coagulans as a pure culture gave better H{sub 2} yield (37.16 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub consumed}) than the other two strains using sewage sludge as substrate. The pretreatment of sludge included sterilization (15% v/v), dilution and supplementation with 0.5% w/v glucose, which was found to be essential to screen out the H{sub 2} consuming bacteria and ameliorate the H{sub 2} production. Considering (1:1:1) defined consortium as inoculum, COD reduction was higher and yield of H{sub 2} was recorded to be 41.23 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub reduced}. Microbial profiling of the spent sludge showed that B. coagulans was the dominant member in the constructed consortium contributing towards H{sub 2} production. Increase in H{sub 2} yield indicated that in consortium, the substrate utilization was significantly higher. The H{sub 2} yield from pretreated sludge (35.54 ml H{sub 2}/g sludge) was comparatively higher than that reported in literature (8.1-16.9 ml H{sub 2}/g sludge). Employing formulated microbial consortium for biohydrogen production is a successful attempt to augment the H{sub 2} yield from sewage sludge. (author)

Kansas Consortium Plug-in Hybrid Medium Duty

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2012-03-31

On September 30, 2008, the US Department of Energy (DoE), issued a cooperative agreement award, DE-FC26-08NT01914, to the Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC), for a project known as “Kansas Consortium Plug-in Hybrid Medium Duty Certification” project. The cooperative agreement was awarded pursuant to H15915 in reference to H. R. 2764 Congressionally Directed Projects. The original agreement provided funding for The Consortium to implement the established project objectives as follows: (1) to understand the current state of the development of a test protocol for PHEV configurations; (2) to work with industry stakeholders to recommend a medium duty vehicle test protocol; (3) to utilize the Phase 1 Eaton PHEV F550 Chassis or other appropriate PHEV configurations to conduct emissions testing; (4) and to make an industry PHEV certification test protocol recommendation for medium duty trucks. Subsequent amendments to the initial agreement were made, the most significant being a revised Scope of Project Objectives (SOPO) that did not address actual field data since it was not available as originally expected. This project was mated by DOE with a parallel project award given to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in California. The SCAQMD project involved designing, building and testing of five medium duty plug-in hybrid electric trucks. SCAQMD had contracted with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to manage the project. EPRI provided the required match to the federal grant funds to both the SCAQMD project and the Kansas Consortium project. The rational for linking the two projects was that the data derived from the SCAQMD project could be used to validate the protocols developed by the Kansas Consortium team. At the same time, the consortium team would be a useful resource to SCAQMD in designating their test procedures for emissions and operating parameters and determining vehicle mileage. The years between award of the cooperative

Overview of the Inland California Translational Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Malkas, Linda H.

2017-05-01

The mission of the Inland California Translational Consortium (ICTC), an independent research consortium comprising a unique hub of regional institutions (City of Hope [COH], California Institute of Technology [Caltech], Jet Propulsion Laboratory [JPL], University of California Riverside [UCR], and Claremont Colleges Keck Graduate Institute [KGI], is to institute a new paradigm within the academic culture to accelerate translation of innovative biomedical discoveries into clinical applications that positively affect human health and life. The ICTC actively supports clinical translational research as well as the implementation and advancement of novel education and training models for the translation of basic discoveries into workable products and practices that preserve and improve human health while training and educating at all levels of the workforce using innovative forward-thinking approaches.

Major similarities in the bacterial communities associated with lesioned and healthy Fungiidae corals

KAUST Repository

Apprill, Amy; Hughen, Konrad; Mincer, Tracy

2013-01-01

Cultivation-based studies have demonstrated that yellow-band disease (YBD), a lesion-producing ailment affecting diverse species of coral, is caused by a consortium of Vibrio spp. This study takes the first cultivation-independent approach to examine the whole bacterial community associated with YBD-like lesioned corals. Two species of Fungiidae corals, Ctenactis crassa and Herpolitha limax, displaying YBD-like lesions were examined across diverse reefs throughout the Red Sea. Using a pyrosequencing approach targeting the V1-V3 regions of the SSU rRNA gene, no major differences in bacterial community composition or diversity were identified between healthy and lesioned corals of either species. Indicator species analysis did not find Vibrio significantly associated with the lesioned corals. However, operational taxonomic units belonging to the Ruegeria genus of Alphaproteobacteria and NS9 marine group of Flavobacteria were significantly associated with the lesioned corals. The most striking trend of this dataset was that reef location was found to be the most significant influence on the coral-bacterial community. It is possible that more pronounced lesion-specific bacterial signatures might have been concealed by the strong influence of environmental conditions on coral-bacteria. Overall, this study demonstrates inconsistencies between cultivation-independent and cultivation-based studies regarding the role of specific bacteria in coral diseases. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Major similarities in the bacterial communities associated with lesioned and healthy Fungiidae corals

KAUST Repository

Apprill, Amy

2013-03-21

Cultivation-based studies have demonstrated that yellow-band disease (YBD), a lesion-producing ailment affecting diverse species of coral, is caused by a consortium of Vibrio spp. This study takes the first cultivation-independent approach to examine the whole bacterial community associated with YBD-like lesioned corals. Two species of Fungiidae corals, Ctenactis crassa and Herpolitha limax, displaying YBD-like lesions were examined across diverse reefs throughout the Red Sea. Using a pyrosequencing approach targeting the V1-V3 regions of the SSU rRNA gene, no major differences in bacterial community composition or diversity were identified between healthy and lesioned corals of either species. Indicator species analysis did not find Vibrio significantly associated with the lesioned corals. However, operational taxonomic units belonging to the Ruegeria genus of Alphaproteobacteria and NS9 marine group of Flavobacteria were significantly associated with the lesioned corals. The most striking trend of this dataset was that reef location was found to be the most significant influence on the coral-bacterial community. It is possible that more pronounced lesion-specific bacterial signatures might have been concealed by the strong influence of environmental conditions on coral-bacteria. Overall, this study demonstrates inconsistencies between cultivation-independent and cultivation-based studies regarding the role of specific bacteria in coral diseases. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Antagonistic interactions and production of halocin antimicrobial peptides among extremely halophilic prokaryotes isolated from the solar saltern of Sfax, Tunisia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanmi, Fadoua; Carré-Mlouka, Alyssa; Vandervennet, Manon; Boujelben, Ines; Frikha, Doniez; Ayadi, Habib; Peduzzi, Jean; Rebuffat, Sylvie; Maalej, Sami

2016-05-01

Thirty-five extremely halophilic microbial strains isolated from crystallizer (TS18) and non-crystallizer (M1) ponds in the Sfax solar saltern in Tunisia were examined for their ability to exert antimicrobial activity. Antagonistic assays resulted in the selection of eleven strains that displayed such antimicrobial activity and they were further characterized. Three cases of cross-domain inhibition (archaea/bacteria or bacteria/archaea) were observed. Four archaeal strains exerted antimicrobial activity against several other strains. Three strains, for which several lines of evidence suggested the antimicrobial activity was, at least in part, due to peptide/protein agents (Halobacterium salinarum ETD5, Hbt. salinarum ETD8, and Haloterrigena thermotolerans SS1R12), were studied further. Optimal culture conditions for growth and antimicrobial production were determined. Using DNA amplification with specific primers, sequencing and RT-PCR analysis, Hbt. salinarum ETD5 and Hbt. salinarum ETD8 were shown to encode and express halocin S8, a hydrophobic antimicrobial peptide targeting halophilic archaea. Although the gene encoding halocin H4 was amplified from the genome of Htg. thermotolerans SS1R12, no transcript could be detected and the antimicrobial activity was most likely due to multiple antimicrobial compounds. This is also the first report that points to four different strains isolated from different geographical locations with the capacity to produce identical halocin S8 proteins.

Ruegeria profundi sp. nov. and Ruegeria marisrubri sp. nov., isolated from the brine–seawater interface at Erba Deep in the Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Guishan; Haroon, Mohamed; Zhang, Ruifu; Dong, Xiaoyan; Wang, Dandan; Liu, Yunpeng; Xun, Weibing; Dong, Xiuzhu; Stingl, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Two moderately halophilic marine bacterial strains of the family Rhodobacteraceae, designated ZGT108T and ZGT118T, were isolated from the brine-seawater interface at Erba Deep in the Red Sea (Saudi Arabia). Cells of both strains were aerobic, rod

A Long Island Consortium Takes Shape. Occasional Paper No. 76-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, William R.

This occasional paper, the first in a "new" series, describes the background, activities, and experiences of the Long Island Consortium, a cooperative effort of two-year and four-year colleges committed to organizing a model program of faculty development. The consortium was organized under an initial grant from the Lilly Endowment. In May and…

77 FR 43237 - Genome in a Bottle Consortium-Work Plan Review Workshop

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-24

... in human whole genome variant calls. A principal motivation for this consortium is to enable... standards and quantitative performance metrics are needed to achieve the confidence in measurement results... principal motivation for this consortium is to enable science-based regulatory oversight of clinical...

Data set from a comprehensive phosphoproteomic analysis of rice variety IRBB5 in response to bacterial blight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxuan Hou

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Bacterial blight (BB caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo has become one of the most devastating diseases for rice, a major food source for over half of the world populations. To investigate the roles of protein phosphorylation in rice bacterial blight resistance, a quantitative phosphoproteomic study was conducted in rice variety IRBB5 at 0 h and 24 h after Xoo infection. 2367 and 2223 phosphosites on 1334 and 1297 representative proteins were identified in 0 h and 24 h after Xoo infection, respectively, out of which 762 proteins were found to be differentially phosphorylated. In associated with the published article “A comprehensive quantitative phosphoproteome analysis of rice in response to bacterial blight” in BMC Plant Biology (Hou et al., 2015 [1], this dataset article provided the detailed information of experimental designing, methods, features as well as the raw data of mass spectrometry (MS identification. The MS proteomics data could be fully accessed from the ProteomeXchange Consortium with the dataset identifier http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD002222. Keywords: Rice (Oryza sativa L., Bacterial blight, Phosphoproteome

THE EXTREMELY HALOPHILIC MICROORGANISMS, A POSSIBLE MODEL FOR LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergiu Fendrihan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract The group of halophilic Archaea was discovered in the beginning of XX th century. They are able to live in more than 2-3 M of sodium chloride concentration that can be found in hypersaline natural lakes, in alkaline saline lakes, in man-made hypersaline mats, in rock salt, in very salted foods, on salted fish, on salted hides, in stromatolites, in saline soils. Their adaptations consist in resistance to high ionic contents with internal accumulation of K ions in order to face high Na ion content from the near environment. They belong to the Halobacteriaceae family. Their adaptation and their resistance to UV radiation and their resistance in oligotrophic conditions in rock salt, apparently over geological times, increase the possibility to find similar microorganisms in the Martian subsurface and in meteorites, and to support the panspermia theory. Some of the research of a working group in this field of activity and their possible uses are shortly reviewed here.

Northeast Artificial Intelligence Consortium Annual Report - 1988 Parallel Vision. Volume 9

Science.gov (United States)

1989-10-01

supports the Northeast Aritificial Intelligence Consortium (NAIC). Volume 9 Parallel Vision Report submitted by Christopher M. Brown Randal C. Nelson...NORTHEAST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONSORTIUM ANNUAL REPORT - 1988 Parallel Vision Syracuse University Christopher M. Brown and Randal C. Nelson...Technical Director Directorate of Intelligence & Reconnaissance FOR THE COMMANDER: IGOR G. PLONISCH Directorate of Plans & Programs If your address has

Halomonas sp. BS4, A biosurfactant producing halophilic bacterium isolated from solar salt works in India and their biomedical importance

OpenAIRE

Donio, Mariathason Birdilla Selva; Ronica, Fernando Arul; Viji, Vijayaragavan Thanga; Velmurugan, Subramanian; Jenifer, John Selesteen Charles Adlin; Michaelbabu, Mariavincent; Dhar, Prasenjit; Citarasu, Thavasimuthu

2013-01-01

Halophilic bacteria were isolated from Thamaraikulam solar salt works in India. After routine biosurfactant screening by various methods, the biosurfactant producing bacteria, Halomonas sp BS4 was confirmed by 16?S rRNA sequencing. The growth optimization of Halomonas sp BS4 revealed their optimum growth at 8% NaCl and 6-8?pH in the growth medium. Further the partially purified biosurfactants were characterized by TLC, FTIR and GC-MS analysis. GC-MS results revealed that, the partial purified...

LBL/JSU/AGMUS science consortium annual report, FY 1991--1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-12-31

In 1983, a formal Memorandum of Understanding joined the Ana G. Mendez University System (AGMUS), Jackson State University (JSU), and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) in a consortium designed to advance the science and technology programs of JSU and AGMUS. This is the first such collaboration between a Hispanic university system, a historically Black university, and a national laboratory. The goals of this alliance are basic and direct: to develop and effect a long-term, comprehensive program that will enable the campuses of AGMUS and JSU to provide a broad, high-quality offering in the natural and computer sciences, to increase the number of minority students entering these fields, and to contribute to scientific knowledge and the federal government`s science mission through research. This report documents the progress toward these goals and includes individual success stories. The LBL/JSU/AGMUS Science Consortium has developed plans for utilizing its program successes to help other institutions to adopt or adapt those elements of the model that have produced the greatest results. Within the five-year plan formulated in 1990 are eight major components, each with defining elements and goals. These elements have become the components of the Science Consortium`s current plan for expansion and propagation.

Biodegradation mechanisms and kinetics of azo dye 4BS by a microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Fang; Hu, Wenrong; Li, Yuezhong

2004-10-01

A microbial consortium consisting of a white-rot fungus 8-4* and a Pseudomonas 1-10 was isolated from wastewater treatment facilities of a local dyeing house by enrichment, using azo dye Direct Fast Scarlet 4BS as the sole source of carbon and energy, which had a high capacity for rapid decolorization of 4BS. To elucidate the decolorization mechanisms, decolorization of 4BS was compared between individual strains and the microbial consortium under different treatment processes. The microbial consortium showed a significant improvement on dye decolorization rates under either static or shaking culture, which might be attributed to the synergetic reaction of single strains. From the curve of COD values and the UV-visible spectra of 4BS solutions before and after decolorization cultivation with the microbial consortium, it was found that 4BS could be mineralized completely, and the results had been used for presuming the degrading pathway of 4BS. This study also examined the kinetics of 4BS decolorization by immobilized microbial consortium. The results demonstrated that the optimal decolorization activity was observed in pH range between four and 9, temperature range between 20 and 40 degrees C and the maximal specific decolorization rate occurred at 1,000 mg l(-1) of 4BS. The proliferation and distribution of microbial consortium were also microscopically observed, which further confirmed the decolorization mechanisms of 4BS.

Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Consortium translation process: consensus development of updated best practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Eremenco, Sonya; Pease, Sheryl; Mann, Sarah; Berry, Pamela

2017-01-01

This paper describes the rationale and goals of the Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Consortium's instrument translation process. The PRO Consortium has developed a number of novel PRO measures which are in the process of qualification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in clinical trials where endpoints based on these measures would support product labeling claims. Given the importance of FDA qualification of these measures, the PRO Consortium's Process Subcommittee determined that a detailed linguistic validation (LV) process was necessary to ensure that all translations of Consortium-developed PRO measures are performed using a standardized approach with the rigor required to meet regulatory and pharmaceutical industry expectations, as well as having a clearly defined instrument translation process that the translation industry can support. The consensus process involved gathering information about current best practices from 13 translation companies with expertise in LV, consolidating the findings to generate a proposed process, and obtaining iterative feedback from the translation companies and PRO Consortium member firms on the proposed process in two rounds of review in order to update existing principles of good practice in LV and to provide sufficient detail for the translation process to ensure consistency across PRO Consortium measures, sponsors, and translation companies. The consensus development resulted in a 12-step process that outlines universal and country-specific new translation approaches, as well as country-specific adaptations of existing translations. The PRO Consortium translation process will play an important role in maintaining the validity of the data generated through these measures by ensuring that they are translated by qualified linguists following a standardized and rigorous process that reflects best practice.

Carbon monoxide as a metabolic energy source for extremely halophilic microbes: implications for microbial activity in Mars regolith.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Gary M

2015-04-07

Carbon monoxide occurs at relatively high concentrations (≥800 parts per million) in Mars' atmosphere, where it represents a potentially significant energy source that could fuel metabolism by a localized putative surface or near-surface microbiota. However, the plausibility of CO oxidation under conditions relevant for Mars in its past or at present has not been evaluated. Results from diverse terrestrial brines and saline soils provide the first documentation, to our knowledge, of active CO uptake at water potentials (-41 MPa to -117 MPa) that might occur in putative brines at recurrent slope lineae (RSL) on Mars. Results from two extremely halophilic isolates complement the field observations. Halorubrum str. BV1, isolated from the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah (to our knowledge, the first documented extremely halophilic CO-oxidizing member of the Euryarchaeota), consumed CO in a salt-saturated medium with a water potential of -39.6 MPa; activity was reduced by only 28% relative to activity at its optimum water potential of -11 MPa. A proteobacterial isolate from hypersaline Mono Lake, California, Alkalilimnicola ehrlichii MLHE-1, also oxidized CO at low water potentials (-19 MPa), at temperatures within ranges reported for RSL, and under oxic, suboxic (0.2% oxygen), and anoxic conditions (oxygen-free with nitrate). MLHE-1 was unaffected by magnesium perchlorate or low atmospheric pressure (10 mbar). These results collectively establish the potential for microbial CO oxidation under conditions that might obtain at local scales (e.g., RSL) on contemporary Mars and at larger spatial scales earlier in Mars' history.

Subsurface Halophilic Microbial Communities in the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert: An Analog for Possible Subsurface Life in Regolith on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Oren, A.; Warren-Rhodes, K.; Rainey, F. T.; Ewing, S.; McKay, C. P.

2003-12-01

The Atacama Desert in its driest portion provides an interesting analog for possible past or present life in the Martian regolith. In the hyperarid core of the Atacama, surface soils are virtually abiotic, with no plants and "near sterile" concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria (i.e., exceedingly low densities of approximately 100 colony forming units per gram soil). The dearth of microbial life at the surface is likely maintained through extremely low water availability, low organic content and the highly oxidizing nature of the soil. In marked contrast to the surface, however, extremely halophilic microorganisms exist in salt layers 1.2-1.5m below the surface. Mineralogical analyses indicate the layers are predominantly halite (70% NaCl) but also contain sodium nitrate (5% NaNO3). Culturing and polar lipid analyses suggest the halophiles are archaeal Halobacterium-like motile rods. Microclimate monitoring at 1m indicates a soil relative humidity of 20% which is stable year-round even during decadal rain events such as that experienced in July 2002. This suggests the layers are isolated from even significant moisture influxes at the surface. Although further research is necessary, important parallels exist between this Earthly desert analog and the possible existence and detection of subsurface life on Mars despite harsh abiotic conditions at the surface.

Selection of halophilic bacteria for biological control of tomato gray mould caused by Botrytis cinerea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imane BERRADA

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In Morocco, tomato gray mould caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers: Fr. is a serious threat for postharvest storage of tomatoes. Fifteen halophilic bacteria were evaluated for their antagonistic activity against B. cinerea: 11 Gram positive strains assigned to the genera Bacillus (9, Jeotgalibacillus (1 and Planococcus (1 and four Gram negative strains assigned to the genera Salinivibrio (1, Vibrio (2 and Photobacterium (1. In in vitro screening, 12 antifungal isolates secreted diffusible compounds, hydrolytic enzymes or volatile compounds. In vivo screening of the isolates, Bacillus safensis CCMM B582 and Bacillus oceanisediminis CCMM B584 showed permanent antagonistic activity on tomato fruits, with 100% inhibition of B. cinerea after 7 days. These two strains may offer potential for biological control of tomato gray mould.

Development of a two-step, non-probed multiplex real-time PCR for surveilling Vibrio anguillarum in seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Vibrio anguillarum is an aggressive and halophilic bacterial pathogen commonly found in seawater. Its presence in aquaculture facilities causes significant morbidity and mortality among aquaculture species primarily from hemorrhaging of the body and skin of the infected fish that eventually leads t...

Consortium de recherche pour le développement de l'agriculture en ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Research Consortium for the Development of Agriculture in Haiti. Even before it was hit by a devastating earthquake in January 2010, Haiti's children suffered some of the worst rates of undernutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean. View moreResearch Consortium for the Development of Agriculture in Haiti ...

Update on the US Government's Biometric Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Campbell, Joseph

1997-01-01

.... The goals of the consortium remain largely the same under this new leadership. The current emphasis is on the formal approval of our charter and on the establishment of a national biometric test and evaluation laboratory.

Complete genome sequence of the halophilic and highly halotolerant Chromohalobacter salexigens type strain (1H11T)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Copeland, A [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; O' Connor, Kathleen [Purdue University; Lucas, Susan [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Lapidus, Alla L. [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Berry, Kerrie W. [United States Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute; Detter, J. Chris [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Glavina Del Rio, Tijana [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Hammon, Nancy [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Dalin, Eileen [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Tice, Hope [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Pitluck, Sam [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Bruce, David [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Goodwin, Lynne A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Han, Cliff [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Tapia, Roxanne [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Saunders, Elizabeth H [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Schmutz, Jeremy [Stanford University; Brettin, Thomas S [ORNL; Larimer, Frank W [ORNL; Land, Miriam L [ORNL; Hauser, Loren John [ORNL; Vargas, Carmen [University of Seville; Nieto, Joaquin J. [University of Seville; Kyrpides, Nikos C [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Ivanova, N [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute; Goker, Markus [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Klenk, Hans-Peter [DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany; Csonka, Laszlo N. [Purdue University; Woyke, Tanja [U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute

2011-01-01

Chromohalobacter salexigens is one of nine currently known species of the genus Chromoha- lobacter in the family Halomonadaceae. It is the most halotolerant of the so-called mod- erately halophilic bacteria currently known and, due to its strong euryhaline phenotype, it is an established model organism for prokaryotic osmoadaptation. C. salexigens strain 1H11T and Halomonas elongata are the first and the second members of the family Halomonada- ceae with a completely sequenced genome. The 3,696,649 bp long chromosome with a total of 3,319 protein-coding and 93 RNA genes was sequenced as part of the DOE Joint Genome Institute Program DOEM 2004.

Ecotoxicological effects of enrofloxacin and its removal by monoculture of microalgal species and their consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Jiu-Qiang; Kurade, Mayur B; Jeon, Byong-Hun

2017-07-01

Enrofloxacin (ENR), a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has gained big scientific concern due to its ecotoxicity on aquatic microbiota. The ecotoxicity and removal of ENR by five individual microalgae species and their consortium were studied to correlate the behavior and interaction of ENR in natural systems. The individual microalgal species (Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlamydomonas mexicana, Chlorella vulgaris, Ourococcus multisporus, Micractinium resseri) and their consortium could withstand high doses of ENR (≤1 mg L -1 ). Growth inhibition (68-81%) of the individual microalgae species and their consortium was observed in ENR (100 mg L -1 ) compared to control after 11 days of cultivation. The calculated 96 h EC 50 of ENR for individual microalgae species and microalgae consortium was 9.6-15.0 mg ENR L -1 . All the microalgae could recover from the toxicity of high concentrations of ENR during cultivation. The biochemical characteristics (total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and malondialdehyde) were significantly influenced by ENR (1-100 mg L -1 ) stress. The individual microalgae species and microalgae consortium removed 18-26% ENR at day 11. Although the microalgae consortium showed a higher sensitivity (with lower EC 50 ) toward ENR than the individual microalgae species, the removal efficiency of ENR by the constructed microalgae consortium was comparable to that of the most effective microalgal species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vibrio Type III Effector VPA1380 Is Related to the Cysteine Protease Domain of Large Bacterial Toxins

Science.gov (United States)

Calder, Thomas; Kinch, Lisa N.; Fernandez, Jessie; Salomon, Dor; Grishin, Nick V.; Orth, Kim

2014-01-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative halophilic bacterium and one of the leading causes of food-borne gastroenteritis. Its genome harbors two Type III Secretion Systems (T3SS1 and T3SS2), but only T3SS2 is required for enterotoxicity seen in animal models. Effector proteins secreted from T3SS2 have been previously shown to promote colonization of the intestinal epithelium, invasion of host cells, and destruction of the epithelial monolayer. In this study, we identify VPA1380, a T3SS2 effector protein that is toxic when expressed in yeast. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that VPA1380 is highly similar to the inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6)-inducible cysteine protease domains of several large bacterial toxins. Mutations in conserved catalytic residues and residues in the putative IP6-binding pocket abolished toxicity in yeast. Furthermore, VPA1380 was not toxic in IP6 deficient yeast cells. Therefore, our findings suggest that VPA1380 is a cysteine protease that requires IP6 as an activator. PMID:25099122

Insight into the bacterial diversity of fermentation woad dye vats as revealed by PCR-DGGE and pyrosequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Milanović, Vesna; Osimani, Andrea; Taccari, Manuela; Garofalo, Cristiana; Butta, Alessandro; Clementi, Francesca; Aquilanti, Lucia

2017-07-01

The bacterial diversity in fermenting dye vats with woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) prepared and maintained in a functional state for approximately 12 months was examined using a combination of culture-dependent and -independent PCR-DGGE analyses and next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons. An extremely complex ecosystem including taxa potentially contributing to both indigo reduction and formation, as well as indigo degradation was found. PCR-DGGE analyses revealed the presence of Paenibacillus lactis, Sporosarcina koreensis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus thermoamylovorans, while Bacillus thermolactis, Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus megaterium were also identified but with sequence identities lower than 97%. Dominant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified by pyrosequencing included Clostridium ultunense, Tissierella spp., Alcaligenes faecalis, Erysipelothrix spp., Enterococcus spp., Virgibacillus spp. and Virgibacillus panthothenicus, while sub-dominant OTUs included clostridia, alkaliphiles, halophiles, bacilli, moderately thermophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, aerobes, and even photosynthetic bacteria. Based on the current knowledge of indigo-reducing bacteria, it is considered that indigo-reducing bacteria constituted only a small fraction in the unique microcosm detected in the natural indigo dye vats.

Vibrio type III effector VPA1380 is related to the cysteine protease domain of large bacterial toxins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Calder

Full Text Available Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative halophilic bacterium and one of the leading causes of food-borne gastroenteritis. Its genome harbors two Type III Secretion Systems (T3SS1 and T3SS2, but only T3SS2 is required for enterotoxicity seen in animal models. Effector proteins secreted from T3SS2 have been previously shown to promote colonization of the intestinal epithelium, invasion of host cells, and destruction of the epithelial monolayer. In this study, we identify VPA1380, a T3SS2 effector protein that is toxic when expressed in yeast. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that VPA1380 is highly similar to the inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6-inducible cysteine protease domains of several large bacterial toxins. Mutations in conserved catalytic residues and residues in the putative IP6-binding pocket abolished toxicity in yeast. Furthermore, VPA1380 was not toxic in IP6 deficient yeast cells. Therefore, our findings suggest that VPA1380 is a cysteine protease that requires IP6 as an activator.

Molecular Mechanisms of Adaptation of the Moderately Halophilic Bacterium Halobacillis halophilus to Its Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inga Hänelt

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The capability of osmoadaptation is a prerequisite of organisms that live in an environment with changing salinities. Halobacillus halophilus is a moderately halophilic bacterium that grows between 0.4 and 3 M NaCl by accumulating both chloride and compatible solutes as osmolytes. Chloride is absolutely essential for growth and, moreover, was shown to modulate gene expression and activity of enzymes involved in osmoadaptation. The synthesis of different compatible solutes is strictly salinity- and growth phase-dependent. This unique hybrid strategy of H. halophilus will be reviewed here taking into account the recently published genome sequence. Based on identified genes we will speculate about possible scenarios of the synthesis of compatible solutes and the uptake of potassium ion which would complete our knowledge of the fine-tuned osmoregulation and intracellular osmolyte balance in H. halophilus.

Structural Analysis and Bioengineering of Thermostable Pyrococcus furiosus Prolidase for the Optimization of Organophosphorus Nerve Agent Detoxification

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-26

organophosphorus acid anhydrase from a halophilic bacterial isolate. J Bacteriol, 173, 1938-1943. Du, X., Tove, S., Kast -Hutcheson, K. & Grunden, A. M...1938-1943. Du, X., Tove, S., Kast -Hutcheson, K. & Grunden, A. M. 2005. Characterization of the dinuclear metal center of Pyrococcus furiosus

Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.M. Griffith (Linda); M. Cowan (Morton); L.D. Notarangelo (Luigi Daniele); R. Kohn (Robert); J. Puck (Jennifer); S.-Y. Pai (Sung-Yun); B. Ballard (Barbara); S.C. Bauer (Sarah); J. Bleesing (Jack); M. Boyle (Marcia); R.W. Brower (Ronald); R.H. Buckley (Rebecca); M. van der Burg (Mirjam); L.M. Burroughs (Lauri); F. Candotti (Fabio); A. Cant (Andrew); T. Chatila (Talal); C. Cunningham-Rundles (Charlotte); M.C. Dinauer (Mary); J. Dvorak (Jennie); A. Filipovich (Alexandra); L.A. Fleisher (Lee); H.B. Gaspar (Bobby); T. Gungor (Tayfun); E. Haddad (Elie); E. Hovermale (Emily); F. Huang (Faith); A. Hurley (Alan); M. Hurley (Mary); S.K. Iyengar (Sudha); E.M. Kang (Elizabeth); B.R. Logan (Brent); J.R. Long-Boyle (Janel); H. Malech (Harry); S.A. McGhee (Sean); S. Modell (Sieglinde); S. Modell (Sieglinde); H.D. Ochs (Hans); R.J. O'Reilly (Richard); R. Parkman (Robertson); D. Rawlings (D.); J.M. Routes (John); P. Shearer (P.); T.N. Small (Trudy); H. Smith (H.); K.E. Sullivan (Kathleen); P. Szabolcs (Paul); A.J. Thrasher (Adrian); D. Torgerson; P. Veys (Paul); K. Weinberg (Kenneth); J.C. Zuniga-Pflucker (Juan Carlos)

2014-01-01

textabstractThe Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) is a network of 33 centers in North America that study the treatment of rare and severe primary immunodeficiency diseases. Current protocols address the natural history of patients treated for severe combined immunodeficiency

Measuring Consortium Impact on User Perceptions: OhioLINK and LibQUAL+[TM

Science.gov (United States)

Gatten, Jeffrey N.

2004-01-01

What is the impact of an academic library consortium on the perceptions of library services experienced by users of the member institutions' libraries? What is the impact of an academic library consortium on the perceptions of library services experienced by users of the member institutions libraries? In 2002 and 2003, OhioLINK (Ohio's consortium…

Deuterium incorporation experiments from (3R)- and (3S)-[3-2H]leucine into characteristic isoprenoidal lipid-core of halophilic archaea suggests the involvement of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamauchi, Noriaki; Tanoue, Ryo

2017-11-01

The stereochemical reaction course for the two C-3 hydrogens of leucine to produce a characteristic isoprenoidal lipid in halophilic archaea was observed using incubation experiments with whole cell Halobacterium salinarum. Deuterium-labeled (3R)- and (3S)-[3- 2 H]leucine were freshly prepared as substrates from 2,3-epoxy-4-methyl-1-pentanol. Incorporation of deuterium from (3S)-[3- 2 H]leucine and loss of deuterium from (3R)-[3- 2 H]leucine in the lipid-core of H. salinarum was observed. Taken together with the results of our previous report, involving the incubation of chiral-labeled [5- 2 H]leucine, these results strongly suggested an involvement of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase in leucine conversion to isoprenoid lipid in halophilic archaea. The stereochemical course of the reaction (anti-elimination) might have been the same as that previously reported for mammalian enzyme reactions. Thus, these results suggested that branched amino acids were metabolized to mevalonate in archaea in a manner similar to other organisms.

Hawaii Space Grant Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Luke P.

2005-01-01

The Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium is composed of ten institutions of higher learning including the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, the University of Guam, and seven Community Colleges spread over the 4 main Hawaiian islands. Geographic separation is not the only obstacle that we face as a Consortium. Hawai'i has been mired in an economic downturn due to a lack of tourism for almost all of the period (2001 - 2004) covered by this report, although hotel occupancy rates and real estate sales have sky-rocketed in the last year. Our challenges have been many including providing quality educational opportunities in the face of shrinking State and Federal budgets, encouraging science and technology course instruction at the K-12 level in a public school system that is becoming less focused on high technology and more focused on developing basic reading and math skills, and assembling community college programs with instructors who are expected to teach more classes for the same salary. Motivated people can overcome these problems. Fortunately, the Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium (HSGC) consists of a group of highly motivated and talented individuals who have not only overcome these obstacles, but have excelled with the Program. We fill a critical need within the State of Hawai'i to provide our children with opportunities to pursue their dreams of becoming the next generation of NASA astronauts, engineers, and explorers. Our strength lies not only in our diligent and creative HSGC advisory board, but also with Hawai'i's teachers, students, parents, and industry executives who are willing to invest their time, effort, and resources into Hawai'i's future. Our operational philosophy is to FACE the Future, meaning that we will facilitate, administer, catalyze, and educate in order to achieve our objective of creating a highly technically capable workforce both here in Hawai'i and for NASA. In addition to administering to programs and

GAS STORAGE TECHNOLOGY CONSORTIUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert W. Watson

2004-10-18

Gas storage is a critical element in the natural gas industry. Producers, transmission and distribution companies, marketers, and end users all benefit directly from the load balancing function of storage. The unbundling process has fundamentally changed the way storage is used and valued. As an unbundled service, the value of storage is being recovered at rates that reflect its value. Moreover, the marketplace has differentiated between various types of storage services, and has increasingly rewarded flexibility, safety, and reliability. The size of the natural gas market has increased and is projected to continue to increase towards 30 trillion cubic feet (TCF) over the next 10 to 15 years. Much of this increase is projected to come from electric generation, particularly peaking units. Gas storage, particularly the flexible services that are most suited to electric loads, is critical in meeting the needs of these new markets. In order to address the gas storage needs of the natural gas industry, an industry-driven consortium was created--the Gas Storage Technology Consortium (GSTC). The objective of the GSTC is to provide a means to accomplish industry-driven research and development designed to enhance operational flexibility and deliverability of the Nation's gas storage system, and provide a cost effective, safe, and reliable supply of natural gas to meet domestic demand. To accomplish this objective, the project is divided into three phases that are managed and directed by the GSTC Coordinator. The first phase, Phase 1A, was initiated on September 30, 2003, and was completed on March 31, 2004. Phase 1A of the project included the creation of the GSTC structure, development and refinement of a technical approach (work plan) for deliverability enhancement and reservoir management. This report deals with Phase 1B and encompasses the period July 1, 2004, through September 30, 2004. During this time period there were three main activities. First was the

Isolation and characterization of halophilic lactic acid bacteria acting as a starter culture for sauce fermentation of the red alga Nori (Porphyra yezoensis).

Science.gov (United States)

Uchida, M; Miyoshi, T; Yoshida, G; Niwa, K; Mori, M; Wakabayashi, H

2014-06-01

A screening test was conducted for environmental samples to isolate halophilic lactic acid bacteria (HLAB) that can act as a starter in a Nori (Porphyra yezoensis)-sauce culture. After 9 months of incubation of enrichment cultures added with 25 kinds of environmental samples, growth of HLAB-like microorganisms was observed in six cultures salted at a 15% w/w level, including culture samples originally from mesopelagic water taken from 321 m-depth and from mountain snow taken at 2450 m-height. Ten strains were isolated and characterized as Tetragenococcus halophilus based on sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. The isolates were inoculated into a newly prepared Nori-sauce culture and were confirmed to be able to act as a starter culture while three reference strains of T. halophilus obtained from a culture collection could not grow in the same culture. Halophilic lactic acid bacteria strains that can make growth in a highly salted Nori-sauce culture were isolated from environmental samples for the first time. All the isolates were identified as T. halophilus. The isolated strains are expected to be utilized as a starter culture for manufacturing fermented seaweed-sauce, which will be the first fermented food products obtained from algae. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Self-organization, layered structure, and aggregation enhance persistence of a synthetic biofilm consortium.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katie Brenner

Full Text Available Microbial consortia constitute a majority of the earth's biomass, but little is known about how these cooperating communities persist despite competition among community members. Theory suggests that non-random spatial structures contribute to the persistence of mixed communities; when particular structures form, they may provide associated community members with a growth advantage over unassociated members. If true, this has implications for the rise and persistence of multi-cellular organisms. However, this theory is difficult to study because we rarely observe initial instances of non-random physical structure in natural populations. Using two engineered strains of Escherichia coli that constitute a synthetic symbiotic microbial consortium, we fortuitously observed such spatial self-organization. This consortium forms a biofilm and, after several days, adopts a defined layered structure that is associated with two unexpected, measurable growth advantages. First, the consortium cannot successfully colonize a new, downstream environment until it self-organizes in the initial environment; in other words, the structure enhances the ability of the consortium to survive environmental disruptions. Second, when the layered structure forms in downstream environments the consortium accumulates significantly more biomass than it did in the initial environment; in other words, the structure enhances the global productivity of the consortium. We also observed that the layered structure only assembles in downstream environments that are colonized by aggregates from a previous, structured community. These results demonstrate roles for self-organization and aggregation in persistence of multi-cellular communities, and also illustrate a role for the techniques of synthetic biology in elucidating fundamental biological principles.

Noncontiguous finished genome sequence and description of Planococcus massiliensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from the human gut

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E.H. Seck

2016-03-01

Full Text Available We propose the main phenotypic characteristics and the complete genome sequence and annotation of Planococcus massiliensis strain ES2T (= CSUR P1103 = DSM 28915, the type strain of P. massiliensis sp. nov., isolated from a faeces sample collected from a healthy Senegalese man. It is an aerobic, Gram-positive, moderately halophilic, motile and rod-shaped bacterium. The 3 357 017 bp long genome exhibits a G+C content of 46.0% and contains 3357 protein-coding genes and 48 RNA genes.

Activities of the Alabama Consortium on forestry education and research, 1993-1999

Science.gov (United States)

John Schelhas

2002-01-01

The Alabama Consortium on Forestry Education and Research was established in 1992 to promote communication and collaboration among diverse institutions involved in forestry in the State of Alabama. It was organized to advance forestry education and research in ways that could not be accomplished by individual members alone. This report tells the story of the consortium...

Nuclear Fabrication Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levesque, Stephen [EWI, Columbus, OH (United States)

2013-04-05

This report summarizes the activities undertaken by EWI while under contract from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) for the management and operation of the Nuclear Fabrication Consortium (NFC). The NFC was established by EWI to independently develop, evaluate, and deploy fabrication approaches and data that support the re-establishment of the U.S. nuclear industry: ensuring that the supply chain will be competitive on a global stage, enabling more cost-effective and reliable nuclear power in a carbon constrained environment. The NFC provided a forum for member original equipment manufactures (OEM), fabricators, manufacturers, and materials suppliers to effectively engage with each other and rebuild the capacity of this supply chain by : Identifying and removing impediments to the implementation of new construction and fabrication techniques and approaches for nuclear equipment, including system components and nuclear plants. Providing and facilitating detailed scientific-based studies on new approaches and technologies that will have positive impacts on the cost of building of nuclear plants. Analyzing and disseminating information about future nuclear fabrication technologies and how they could impact the North American and the International Nuclear Marketplace. Facilitating dialog and initiate alignment among fabricators, owners, trade associations, and government agencies. Supporting industry in helping to create a larger qualified nuclear supplier network. Acting as an unbiased technology resource to evaluate, develop, and demonstrate new manufacturing technologies. Creating welder and inspector training programs to help enable the necessary workforce for the upcoming construction work. Serving as a focal point for technology, policy, and politically interested parties to share ideas and concepts associated with fabrication across the nuclear industry. The report the objectives and summaries of the Nuclear Fabrication Consortium

Latest Developments of the Isprs Student Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Detchev, I.; Kanjir, U.; Reyes, S. R.; Miyazaki, H.; Aktas, A. F.

2016-06-01

The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) Student Consortium (SC) is a network for young professionals studying or working within the fields of photogrammetry, remote sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and other related geo-spatial sciences. The main goal of the network is to provide means for information exchange for its young members and thus help promote and integrate youth into the ISPRS. Over the past four years the Student Consortium has successfully continued to fulfil its mission in both formal and informal ways. The formal means of communication of the SC are its website, newsletter, e-mail announcements and summer schools, while its informal ones are multiple social media outlets and various social activities during student related events. The newsletter is published every three to four months and provides both technical and experiential content relevant for the young people in the ISPRS. The SC has been in charge or at least has helped with organizing one or more summer schools every year. The organization's e-mail list has over 1,100 subscribers, its website hosts over 1,300 members from 100 countries across the entire globe, and its public Facebook group currently has over 4,500 joined visitors, who connect among one another and share information relevant for their professional careers. These numbers show that the Student Consortium has grown into a significant online-united community. The paper will present the organization's on-going and past activities for the last four years, its current priorities and a strategic plan and aspirations for the future four-year period.

The Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline of Pharmaceutical Consortium for Protein Structure Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishijima, Kazumi; Katsuya, Yoshio

2002-01-01

The Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline was constructed by the Pharmaceutical Consortium for Protein Structure Analysis which was established in April 2001. The consortium is composed of 22 pharmaceutical companies affiliating with the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. The beamline is the first exclusive on that is owned by pharmaceutical enterprises at SPring-8. The specification and equipments of the Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline is almost same as that of RIKEN Structural Genomics Beamline I and II. (author)

John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Nall, Marsha

2004-01-01

The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium is an inter-institutional research and technology development, beginning with ten projects in FY02 that are aimed at applying GRC expertise in fluid physics and sensor development with local biomedical expertise to mitigate the risks of space flight on the health, safety, and performance of astronauts. It is anticipated that several new technologies will be developed that are applicable to both medical needs in space and on earth.

Compatible Solute Synthesis and Import by the Moderate Halophile Spiribacter salinus: Physiology and Genomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María J. León

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Members of the genus Spiribacter are found worldwide and are abundant in ecosystems possessing intermediate salinities between seawater and saturated salt concentrations. Spiribacter salinus M19-40 is the type species of this genus and its first cultivated representative. In the habitats of S. salinus M19-40, high salinity is a key determinant for growth and we therefore focused on the cellular adjustment strategy to this persistent environmental challenge. We coupled these experimental studies to the in silico mining of the genome sequence of this moderate halophile with respect to systems allowing this bacterium to control its potassium and sodium pools, and its ability to import and synthesize compatible solutes. S. salinus M19-40 produces enhanced levels of the compatible solute ectoine, both under optimal and growth-challenging salt concentrations, but the genes encoding the corresponding biosynthetic enzymes are not organized in a canonical ectABC operon. Instead, they are scrambled (ectAC; ectB and are physically separated from each other on the S. salinus M19-40 genome. Genomes of many phylogenetically related bacteria also exhibit a non-canonical organization of the ect genes. S. salinus M19-40 also synthesizes trehalose, but this compatible solute seems to make only a minor contribution to the cytoplasmic solute pool under osmotic stress conditions. However, its cellular levels increase substantially in stationary phase cells grown under optimal salt concentrations. In silico genome mining revealed that S. salinus M19-40 possesses different types of uptake systems for compatible solutes. Among the set of compatible solutes tested in an osmostress protection growth assay, glycine betaine and arsenobetaine were the most effective. Transport studies with radiolabeled glycine betaine showed that S. salinus M19-40 increases the pool size of this osmolyte in a fashion that is sensitively tied to the prevalent salinity of the growth medium

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report, 1991--1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-12-31

The member institutions of the Consortium continue to play a significant role in increasing the number of African Americans who enter the environmental professions through the implementation of the Consortium`s RETT Plan for Research, Education, and Technology Transfer. The four major program areas identified in the RETT Plan are as follows: (1) minority outreach and precollege education; (2) undergraduate education and postsecondary training; (3) graduate and postgraduate education and research; and (4) technology transfer.

Potential for plant growth promotion of rhizobacteria associated with Salicornia growing in Tunisian hypersaline soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Mapelli, Francesca; Marasco, Ramona; Rolli, Eleonora; Barbato, Marta; Cherif, Hanene; Guesmi, Amel; Ouzari, Imen; Daffonchio, Daniele; Borin, Sara

2013-01-01

Soil salinity and drought are among the environmental stresses that most severely affect plant growth and production around the world. In this study the rhizospheres of Salicornia plants and bulk soils were collected from Sebkhet and Chott hypersaline ecosystems in Tunisia. Depiction of bacterial microbiome composition by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis unveiled the occurrence of a high bacterial diversity associated with Salicornia root system. A large collection of 475 halophilic and halotolerant bacteria was established from Salicornia rhizosphere and the surrounding bulk soil, and the bacteria were characterized for the resistance to temperature, osmotic and saline stresses, and plant growth promotion (PGP) features. Twenty Halomonas strains showed resistance to a wide set of abiotic stresses and were able to perform different PGP activities in vitro at 5% NaCl, including ammonia and indole-3-acetic acid production, phosphate solubilisation, and potential nitrogen fixation. By using a gfp-labelled strain it was possible to demonstrate that Halomonas is capable of successfully colonising Salicornia roots in the laboratory conditions. Our results indicated that the culturable halophilic/halotolerant bacteria inhabiting salty and arid ecosystems have a potential to contribute to promoting plant growth under the harsh salinity and drought conditions. These halophilic/halotolerant strains could be exploited in biofertilizer formulates to sustain crop production in degraded and arid lands.

Potential for Plant Growth Promotion of Rhizobacteria Associated with Salicornia Growing in Tunisian Hypersaline Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Mapelli

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Soil salinity and drought are among the environmental stresses that most severely affect plant growth and production around the world. In this study the rhizospheres of Salicornia plants and bulk soils were collected from Sebkhet and Chott hypersaline ecosystems in Tunisia. Depiction of bacterial microbiome composition by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis unveiled the occurrence of a high bacterial diversity associated with Salicornia root system. A large collection of 475 halophilic and halotolerant bacteria was established from Salicornia rhizosphere and the surrounding bulk soil, and the bacteria were characterized for the resistance to temperature, osmotic and saline stresses, and plant growth promotion (PGP features. Twenty Halomonas strains showed resistance to a wide set of abiotic stresses and were able to perform different PGP activities in vitro at 5% NaCl, including ammonia and indole-3-acetic acid production, phosphate solubilisation, and potential nitrogen fixation. By using a gfp-labelled strain it was possible to demonstrate that Halomonas is capable of successfully colonising Salicornia roots in the laboratory conditions. Our results indicated that the culturable halophilic/halotolerant bacteria inhabiting salty and arid ecosystems have a potential to contribute to promoting plant growth under the harsh salinity and drought conditions. These halophilic/halotolerant strains could be exploited in biofertilizer formulates to sustain crop production in degraded and arid lands.

A novel sponge disease caused by a consortium of micro-organisms

Science.gov (United States)

Sweet, Michael; Bulling, Mark; Cerrano, Carlo

2015-09-01

In healthy sponges, microbes have been shown to account for up to 40 % of tissues. The majority of these are thought to originate from survivors evading digestion and immune responses of the sponge and growing and residing in the microenvironments of the mesophyll. Although a large percentage of these microbes are likely commensals, they may also include potentially pathogenic agents, which under specific conditions, such as temperature stress, may cause disease. Here we report a novel disease (sponge necrosis syndrome) that is severely affecting populations of the sponge Callyspongia ( Euplacella) aff biru. Both ITS fungal and 16S rDNA bacterial diversities were assessed in healthy and diseased individuals, highlighting six potential primary causal agents for this new disease: two bacteria, a Rhodobacteraceae sp. and a cyanobacterium, Hormoscilla spongeliae (formally identified as Oscillatoria spongeliae), and four fungi, a Ascomycota sp., a Pleosporales sp., a Rhabdocline sp., and a Clasosporium sp. Furthermore, histological analysis showed the dominance of fungal hyphae rather than bacteria throughout the disease lesion, which was absent or rare in healthy tissues. Inoculation trails showed that only a combination of one bacterium and one fungus could replicate the disease, fulfilling Henle-Koch's postulates and showing that this sponge disease is caused by a poly-microbial consortium.

34 CFR 636.5 - What are the matching contribution and planning consortium requirements?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the matching contribution and planning... PROGRAM General § 636.5 What are the matching contribution and planning consortium requirements? (a) The... agreed to by the members of a planning consortium. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1136b, 1136e) ...

Production of beta-xylanase and beta-xylosidase by the extremely halophilic archaeon Halorhabdus utahensis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wainø, M.; Ingvorsen, K.

2003-01-01

-xylosidase stabilities, approximately 55% and 83% of the initial beta-xylanase and beta-xylosidase activities, respectively, remained after 24 h incubation at 20% NaCl. The enzymes were also shown to be slightly thermophilic: P-xylanase activity exhibiting two optima at 55degrees and 70degreesC, while beta......The extremely halophilic archaeon, Halorhabdus utahensis, isolated from the Great Salt Lake, Utah, produced beta-xylanase and beta-xylosidase activities. Both enzymes were active over a broad NaCl range from near zero to 30% NaCl when tested with culture broth. A broad NaCl optimum was observed...... for beta-xylanase activity between 5% and 15% NaCl, while beta-xylosidase activity was highest at 5% NaCl. Almost half of the maximum activities remained at 27%-30% NaCl for both enzyme activities. When dialyzed culture supernatant and culture broth were employed for determination of beta-xylanase and beta...

Rationale and design of the multiethnic Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farzan, Niloufar; Vijverberg, Susanne J; Andiappan, Anand K

2017-01-01

AIM: International collaboration is needed to enable large-scale pharmacogenomics studies in childhood asthma. Here, we describe the design of the Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortium. MATERIALS & METHODS: Investigators of each study participating in PiCA provided data...... corticosteroid users. Among patients from 13 studies with available data on asthma exacerbations, a third reported exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid use. In the future pharmacogenomics studies within the consortium, the pharmacogenomics analyses will be performed separately in each center...

Bioremediation of diuron contaminated soils by a novel degrading microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Villaverde, J; Rubio-Bellido, M; Merchán, F; Morillo, E

2017-03-01

Diuron is a biologically active pollutant present in soil, water and sediments. It is persistent in soil, water and groundwater and slightly toxic to mammals and birds as well as moderately toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Its principal product of biodegradation, 3,4-dichloroaniline, exhibits a higher toxicity than diuron and is also persistent in the environment. On this basis, the objective of the study was to determine the potential capacity of a proposed novel diuron-degrading microbial consortium (DMC) for achieving not only diuron degradation, but its mineralisation both in solution as well as in soils with different properties. The consortium was tested in a soil solution where diuron was the only carbon source, and more than 98.8% of the diuron initially added was mineralised after only a few days. The consortium was composed of three diuron-degrading strains, Arthrobacter sulfonivorans, Variovorax soli and Advenella sp. JRO, the latter had been isolated in our laboratory from a highly contaminated industrial site. This work shows for the first time the potential capacity of a member of the genus Advenella to remediate pesticide-contaminated soils. However, neither of the three strains separately achieved mineralisation (ring- 14 C) of diuron in a mineral medium (MSM) with a trace nutrient solution (NS); combined in pairs, they mineralised 40% of diuron in solution, but the most relevant result was obtained in the presence of the three-member consortium, where complete diuron mineralisation was achieved after only a few days. In the presence of the investigated soils in suspension, the capacity of the consortium to mineralise diuron was evaluated, achieving mineralisation of a wide range of herbicides from 22.9 to 69.0%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced bio-decolorization of azo dyes by co-immobilized quinone-reducing consortium and anthraquinone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Su, YY; Zhang, Yifeng; Wang, J

2009-01-01

In the present study, the accelerating effect of co-immobilized anthraquinone and quinone-reducing consortium was investigated in the bio-decolorization process. The anthraquinone and quinone-reducing consortium were co-immobilized by entrapment in calcium alginate. The co-immobilized beads...

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report draft, 1995--1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The HBCU/MI ET Consortium was established in January 1990, through a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among its member institutions. This group of research-oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCUs/MIs) agreed to work together to initiate or revise educational programs, develop research partnerships with public and private sector organizations, and promote technology development and transfer to address the nation`s critical environmental problems. While the Consortium`s Research, Education and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan is the cornerstone of its overall program efforts, the initial programmatic activities of the Consortium focused on environmental education at all levels with the objective of addressing the underrepresentation of minorities in the environmental professions. This 1996 Annual Report provides an update on the activities of the Consortium with a focus on environmental curriculum development for the Technical Qualifications Program (TQP) and Education for Sustainability.

Combined carbon and nitrogen removal from acetonitrile using algal-bacterial bioreactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munoz, R.; Jacinto, M.; Guieysse, B.; Mattiasson, B. [Dept. of Biotechnology, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund Univ., Lund (Sweden)

2005-06-01

When compared with Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus and Selenastrum capricornutum, C. sorokiniana presented the highest tolerance to acetonitrile and the highest O{sub 2} production capacity. It also supported the fastest acetonitrile biodegradation when mixed with a suitable acetonitrile-degrading bacterial consortium. Consequently, this microalga was tested in symbiosis with the bacterial culture for the continuous biodegradation of acetonitrile at 2 g l{sup -1} in a stirred tank photobioreactor and in a column photobioreactor under continuous illumination (250 {mu}E m{sup -2} s{sup -1}). Acetonitrile removal rates of up to 2.3 g l{sup -1} day{sup -1} and 1.9 g l{sup -1} day{sup -1} were achieved in the column photobioreactor and the stirred-tank photobioreactor, respectively, when operated at the shortest retention times tested (0.4 days, 0.6 days, respectively). In addition, when the stirred-tank photobioreactor was operated with a retention time of 3.5 days, the microbial culture was capable of assimilating up to 71% and nitrifying up to 12% of the NH{sub 4}{sup +} theoretically released through the biodegradation of acetonitrile, thus reducing the need for subsequent nitrogen removal. This study suggests that complete removal of N-organics can be combined with a significant removal of nitrogen by using algal-bacterial systems and that further residual biomass digestion could pay-back part of the operation costs of the treatment plant. (orig.)

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report 1994--1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The HBCU/MI ET Consortium was established in January 1990, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among its member institutions. This group of research oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MIs) agreed to work together to initiate or revise education programs, develop research partnerships with public and private sector organizations, and promote technology development to address the nation`s critical environmental contamination problems. The Consortium`s Research, Education and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan became the working agenda. The Consortium is a resource for collaboration among the member institutions and with federal an state agencies, national and federal laboratories, industries, (including small businesses), majority universities, and two and four-year technical colleges. As a group of 17 institutions geographically located in the southern US, the Consortium is well positioned to reach a diverse group of women and minority populations of African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians. This Report provides a status update on activities and achievements in environmental curriculum development, outreach at the K--12 level, undergraduate and graduate education, research and development, and technology transfer.

Consolidated Bio-Processing of Cellulosic Biomass for Efficient Biofuel Production Using Yeast Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Goyal, Garima

Fossil fuels have been the major source for liquid transportation fuels for ages. However, decline in oil reserves and environmental concerns have raised a lot of interest in alternative and renewable energy sources. One promising alternative is the conversion of plant biomass into ethanol. The primary biomass feed stocks currently being used for the ethanol industry have been food based biomass (corn and sugar cane). However, interest has recently shifted to replace these traditional feed-stocks with more abundant, non-food based cellulosic biomass such as agriculture wastes (corn stover) or crops (switch grass). The use of cellulosic biomass as feed stock for the production of ethanol via bio-chemical routes presents many technical challenges not faced with the use of corn or sugar-cane as feed-stock. Recently, a new process called consolidated Bio-processing (CBP) has been proposed. This process combines simultaneous saccharification of lignocellulose with fermentation of the resulting sugars into a single process step mediated by a single microorganism or microbial consortium. Although there is no natural microorganism that possesses all properties of lignocellulose utilization and ethanol production desired for CBP, some bacteria and fungi exhibit some of the essential traits. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most attractive host organism for the usage of this strategy due to its high ethanol productivity at close to theoretical yields (0.51g ethanol/g glucose consumed), high osmo- and ethanol- tolerance, natural robustness in industrial processes, and ease of genetic manipulation. Introduction of the cellulosome, found naturally in microorganisms, has shown new directions to deal with recalcitrant biomass. In this case enzymes work in synergy in order to hydrolyze biomass more effectively than in case of free enzymes. A microbial consortium has been successfully developed, which ensures the functional assembly of minicellulosome on the yeast surface

Fermentative hydrogen production by microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maintinguer, Sandra I.; Fernandes, Bruna S.; Duarte, Iolanda C.S.; Saavedra, Nora Katia; Adorno, M. Angela T.; Varesche, M. Bernadete [Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Sao-carlense, 400, 13566-590 Sao Carlos-SP (Brazil)

2008-08-15

Heat pre-treatment of the inoculum associated to the pH control was applied to select hydrogen-producing bacteria and endospores-forming bacteria. The source of inoculum to the heat pre-treatment was from a UASB reactor used in the slaughterhouse waste treatment. The molecular biology analyses indicated that the microbial consortium presented microorganisms affiliated with Enterobacter cloacae (97% and 98%), Clostridium sp. (98%) and Clostridium acetobutyricum (96%), recognized as H{sub 2} and volatile acids' producers. The following assays were carried out in batch reactors in order to verify the efficiencies of sucrose conversion to H{sub 2} by the microbial consortium: (1) 630.0 mg sucrose/L, (2) 1184.0 mg sucrose/L, (3) 1816.0 mg sucrose/L and (4) 4128.0 mg sucrose/L. The subsequent yields were obtained as follows: 15% (1.2 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose), 20% (1.6 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose), 15% (1.2 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose) and 4% (0.3 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose), respectively. The intermediary products were acetic acid, butyric acid, methanol and ethanol in all of the anaerobic reactors. (author)

Institutional support for the Utah Consortium for Energy Research and Education. Annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-06-01

The Utah Consortium for Energy Research and Education is made up of three colleges and universities in Utah. The scope of the Consortium plan is the marshalling of the academic research resources, as well as the appropriate non-academic resources within Utah to pursue, as appropriate, energy-related research activities. The heart of this effort has been the institutional contract between DOE and the University of Utah, acting as fiscal agent for the Consortium. Sixteen programs are currently being funded, but only ten of the projects are described in this report. Three projects are on fission/fusion; three on environment and safety; four on fossil energy; three on basic energy sciences; one each on conservation, geothermal, and solar.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Consortium Agreement

Science.gov (United States)

1999-03-01

This is the third progress report of the M.I.T. Home Automation and Healthcare Consortium-Phase Two. It covers majority of the new findings, concepts...research projects of home automation and healthcare, ranging from human modeling, patient monitoring, and diagnosis to new sensors and actuators, physical...aids, human-machine interface and home automation infrastructure. This report contains several patentable concepts, algorithms, and designs.

25 CFR 1000.21 - When does a Tribe/Consortium have a “material audit exception”?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-Governance Eligibility § 1000.21 When does a Tribe/Consortium have a “material audit exception”? A Tribe/Consortium has a material audit exception if any of the audits that it submitted under § 1000.17(c...

Maryland Family Support Services Consortium. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, James F.; Markowitz, Ricka Keeney

The Maryland Family Support Services Consortium is a 3-year demonstration project which developed unique family support models at five sites serving the needs of families with a developmentally disabled child (ages birth to 21). Caseworkers provided direct intensive services to 224 families over the 3-year period, including counseling, liaison and…

Structure of halophilic malate dehydrogenase in multimolar KCl solutions from neutron scattering and ultracentrifugation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calmettes, P.

1987-01-01

The structure and solvent interactions of malate dehydrogenase from Halobacterium marismortui in multimolar KCl solvents are found to be similar to those in multimolar NaCl solvents reported previously (G. Zaccai, E. Wachtel and H. Eisenberg, J. Mol. Biol. 190 (1986) 97). KCl rather than NaCl is predominant in physiological medium. At salt concentrations up to about 3.0 M, the protein (a dimer of M 87000 g/mol) can be considered to occupy an invariant volume in which it is associated with about 4100 molecules of water and about 520 molecules of salt. At very low resolution, the enzyme particle appears to have a compact protein core and protruding protein parts in interaction with the water and salt components, structural features that are not observed in non-halophilic mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase. The above conclusions were drawn from the analysis of neutron scattering and ultracentrifugation data, and the complementarity of these approaches is discussed extensively. 24 refs.; 7 figs.; 4 tabs

Circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy of cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase from Halobacterium salinarum ssp. NRC-1 demonstrates that group I cations are particularly effective in providing structure and stability to this halophilic protein.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J Reed

Full Text Available Proteins from extremophiles have the ability to fold and remain stable in their extreme environment. Here, we investigate the presence of this effect in the cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase from Halobacterium salinarum ssp. NRC-1 (NRC-1, which was used as a model halophilic protein. The effects of salt on the structure and stability of NRC-1 and of E. coli CysRS were investigated through far-UV circular dichroism (CD spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and thermal denaturation melts. The CD of NRC-1 CysRS was examined in different group I and group II chloride salts to examine the effects of the metal ions. Potassium was observed to have the strongest effect on NRC-1 CysRS structure, with the other group I salts having reduced strength. The group II salts had little effect on the protein. This suggests that the halophilic adaptations in this protein are mediated by potassium. CD and fluorescence spectra showed structural changes taking place in NRC-1 CysRS over the concentration range of 0-3 M KCl, while the structure of E. coli CysRS was relatively unaffected. Salt was also shown to increase the thermal stability of NRC-1 CysRS since the melt temperature of the CysRS from NRC-1 was increased in the presence of high salt, whereas the E. coli enzyme showed a decrease. By characterizing these interactions, this study not only explains the stability of halophilic proteins in extremes of salt, but also helps us to understand why and how group I salts stabilize proteins in general.

Publisher Correction: Whole genome sequencing in psychiatric disorders: the WGSPD consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Stephan J; Neale, Benjamin M; Huang, Hailiang; Werling, Donna M; An, Joon-Yong; Dong, Shan; Abecasis, Goncalo; Arguello, P Alexander; Blangero, John; Boehnke, Michael; Daly, Mark J; Eggan, Kevin; Geschwind, Daniel H; Glahn, David C; Goldstein, David B; Gur, Raquel E; Handsaker, Robert E; McCarroll, Steven A; Ophoff, Roel A; Palotie, Aarno; Pato, Carlos N; Sabatti, Chiara; State, Matthew W; Willsey, A Jeremy; Hyman, Steven E; Addington, Anjene M; Lehner, Thomas; Freimer, Nelson B

2018-03-16

In the version of this article initially published, the consortium authorship and corresponding authors were not presented correctly. In the PDF and print versions, the Whole Genome Sequencing for Psychiatric Disorders (WGSPD) consortium was missing from the author list at the beginning of the paper, where it should have appeared as the seventh author; it was present in the author list at the end of the paper, but the footnote directing readers to the Supplementary Note for a list of members was missing. In the HTML version, the consortium was listed as the last author instead of as the seventh, and the line directing readers to the Supplementary Note for a list of members appeared at the end of the paper under Author Information but not in association with the consortium name itself. Also, this line stated that both member names and affiliations could be found in the Supplementary Note; in fact, only names are given. In all versions of the paper, the corresponding author symbols were attached to A. Jeremy Willsey, Steven E. Hyman, Anjene M. Addington and Thomas Lehner; they should have been attached, respectively, to Steven E. Hyman, Anjene M. Addington, Thomas Lehner and Nelson B. Freimer. As a result of this shift, the respective contact links in the HTML version did not lead to the indicated individuals. The errors have been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

Washoe Tribe Nevada Inter-Tribal Energy Consortium Energy Organization Enhancement Project Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Jennifer [Washoe Tribe of NV and Ca

2014-11-06

The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California was awarded funding from the Department of Energy to complete the Nevada Inter-Tribal Energy Consortium Energy Organization Enhancement Project. The main goal of the project was to enhance the capacity of the Nevada Inter-Tribal Energy Consortium (NITEC) to effectively assist tribes within Nevada to technically manage tribal energy resources and implement tribal energy projects.

Shifts in bacterial and archaeal community structures during the batch biomethanation of Ulva biomass under mesophilic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jaai; Jung, Heejung; Lee, Changsoo

2014-10-01

Mesophilic biomethanation of Ulva biomass was performed in a batch bioreactor, and a high organic removal of 77% was obtained on the basis of chemical oxygen demand (COD) after a month of operation. The estimated methane yield was 0.43 ± 0.02 L CH4/g COD(removed) which is close to the theoretical methane potential. Transitions of bacterial and archaeal community structures, associated with process performance data, were investigated using a combination of molecular fingerprinting and biostatistical tools. During the operation, archaeal community structure had no significant changes while bacterial community structure shifted continuously and dynamically. The reactor completely stabilized volatile fatty acids (primarily acetate and propionate) accumulated from the acidogenesis phase, with Methanosaeta- and Methanolinea-related microbes respectively being the main aceticlastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Methanolinea- and Syntrophobacter-related populations were likely the key members to form a syntrophic propionate-degrading consortium. A Methanolinea-related population was likely the dominant methane producer in the experimental reactor. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by oil field isolated bacterial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A mixed consortium was prepared with 15 bacteria isolated by enrichment technique from the sample collected from an oil contaminated site. This consortium was incubated with crude oil to investigate the metabolic capability of bacteria. The degradation efficiency of the isolates in consortium was checked with 2% crude oil ...

Augmentation of a Microbial Consortium for Enhanced Polylactide (PLA) Degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Nimisha R; Sekhar, Vini C; Nampoothiri, K Madhavan

2016-03-01

Bioplastics are eco-friendly and derived from renewable biomass sources. Innovation in recycling methods will tackle some of the critical issues facing the acceptance of bioplastics. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the commonly used and well-studied bioplastic that is presumed to be biodegradable. Considering their demand and use in near future, exploration for microbes capable of bioplastic degradation has high potential. Four PLA degrading strains were isolated and identified as Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Serratia marcescens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. A consortium of above strains degraded 44 % (w/w) PLA in 30 days time in laboratory conditions. Subsequently, the microbial consortium employed effectively for PLA composting.

Effects of the Consortium of Pseudomonas, Bacillus and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of the consortium of Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Micrococcus spp on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oil was carried out using standard microbiological methods. Spectrophotometer, gas chromatography and viable count which determined the optical density, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ...

Inner-City Energy and Environmental Education Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-06-11

The numbers of individuals with adequate education and training to participate effectively in the highly technical aspects of environmental site cleanup are insufficient to meet the increasing demands of industry and government. Young people are particularly sensitive to these issues and want to become better equipped to solve the problems which will confront them during their lives. Educational institutions, on the other hand, have been slow in offering courses and curricula which will allow students to fulfill these interests. This has been in part due to the lack of federal funding to support new academic programs. This Consortium has been organized to initiate focused educational effort to reach inner-city youth with interesting and useful energy and environmental programs which can lead to well-paying and satisfying careers. Successful Consortium programs can be replicated in other parts of the nation. This report describes a pilot program in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and Baltimore with the goal to attract and retain inner-city youth to pursue careers in energy-related scientific and technical areas, environmental restoration, and waste management.

Overview of the carbon products consortium (CPC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Irwin, C.L. [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)

1996-08-01

The Carbon Products Consortium (CPC) is an industry, university, government cooperative research team which has evolved over the past seven years to produce and evaluate coal-derived feedstocks for carbon products. The members of the Carbon Products Consortium are UCAR Carbon Company, Koppers Industries, CONOCO, Aluminum Company of America, AMOCO Polymers, and West Virginia University. The Carbon and Insulation Materials Technology Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Fiber Materials Inc., and BASF Corporation are affiliates of the CPC. The initial work on coal-derived nuclear graphites was supported by a grant to WVU, UCAR Carbon, and ORNL from the U.S. DOE New Production Reactor program. More recently, the CPC program has been supported through the Fossil Energy Materials program and through PETC`s Liquefaction program. The coal processing technologies involve hydrogenation, extraction by solvents such as N-methyl pyrolidone and toluene, material blending, and calcination. The breadth of carbon science expertise and manufacturing capability available in the CPC enables it to address virtually all research and development issues of importance to the carbon products industry.

Extreme halophilic alcohol dehydrogenase mediated highly efficient syntheses of enantiopure aromatic alcohols.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsafadi, Diya; Alsalman, Safaa; Paradisi, Francesca

2017-11-07

Enzymatic synthesis of enantiopure aromatic secondary alcohols (including substituted, hetero-aromatic and bicyclic structures) was carried out using halophilic alcohol dehydrogenase ADH2 from Haloferax volcanii (HvADH2). This enzyme showed an unprecedented substrate scope and absolute enatioselectivity. The cofactor NADPH was used catalytically and regenerated in situ by the biocatalyst, in the presence of 5% ethanol. The efficiency of HvADH2 for the conversion of aromatic ketones was markedly influenced by the steric and electronic factors as well as the solubility of ketones in the reaction medium. Furthermore, carbonyl stretching band frequencies ν (C[double bond, length as m-dash]O) have been measured for different ketones to understand the effect of electron withdrawing or donating properties of the ketone substituents on the reaction rate catalyzed by HvADH2. Good correlation was observed between ν (C[double bond, length as m-dash]O) of methyl aryl-ketones and the reaction rate catalyzed by HvADH2. The enzyme catalyzed the reductions of ketone substrates on the preparative scale, demonstrating that HvADH2 would be a valuable biocatalyst for the preparation of chiral aromatic alcohols of pharmaceutical interest.

Call for participation in the neurogenetics consortium within the Human Variome Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Haworth, Andrea; Bertram, Lars; Carrera, Paola; Elson, Joanna L; Braastad, Corey D; Cox, Diane W; Cruts, Marc; den Dunnen, Johann T; Farrer, Matthew J; Fink, John K; Hamed, Sherifa A; Houlden, Henry; Johnson, Dennis R; Nuytemans, Karen; Palau, Francesc; Rayan, Dipa L Raja; Robinson, Peter N; Salas, Antonio; Schüle, Birgitt; Sweeney, Mary G; Woods, Michael O; Amigo, Jorge; Cotton, Richard G H; Sobrido, Maria-Jesus

2011-08-01

The rate of DNA variation discovery has accelerated the need to collate, store and interpret the data in a standardised coherent way and is becoming a critical step in maximising the impact of discovery on the understanding and treatment of human disease. This particularly applies to the field of neurology as neurological function is impaired in many human disorders. Furthermore, the field of neurogenetics has been proven to show remarkably complex genotype-to-phenotype relationships. To facilitate the collection of DNA sequence variation pertaining to neurogenetic disorders, we have initiated the "Neurogenetics Consortium" under the umbrella of the Human Variome Project. The Consortium's founding group consisted of basic researchers, clinicians, informaticians and database creators. This report outlines the strategic aims established at the preliminary meetings of the Neurogenetics Consortium and calls for the involvement of the wider neurogenetic community in enabling the development of this important resource.

Results From the John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium. A Success Story for NASA and Northeast Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Nall, Marsha M.; Barna, Gerald J.

2009-01-01

The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium was established by NASA in 2002 to formulate and implement an integrated, interdisciplinary research program to address risks faced by astronauts during long-duration space missions. The consortium is comprised of a preeminent team of Northeast Ohio institutions that include Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, The National Center for Space Exploration Research, and the NASA Glenn Research Center. The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium research is focused on fluid physics and sensor technology that addresses the critical risks to crew health, safety, and performance. Effectively utilizing the unique skills, capabilities and facilities of the consortium members is also of prime importance. Research efforts were initiated with a general call for proposals to the consortium members. The top proposals were selected for funding through a rigorous, peer review process. The review included participation from NASA's Johnson Space Center, which has programmatic responsibility for NASA's Human Research Program. The projects range in scope from delivery of prototype hardware to applied research that enables future development of advanced technology devices. All of the projects selected for funding have been completed and the results are summarized. Because of the success of the consortium, the member institutions have extended the original agreement to continue this highly effective research collaboration through 2011.

Consortium formation for a coal-fired power plant in the People`s Republic of China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kostal, K.T.

1994-12-31

The advent of developed power projects within the People`s Republic of China brings the benefits of new financing methods and the energies and resources of new participants. By necessity, it also results in fundamental changes in the many contractual relationships needed to support financial closing. The key element is the contract to design, procure, and construct the power plant. This paper compares and contrasts the requirements of these turnkey contracts with more traditional fixed price equipment supply contracts within the People`s Republic of China. The emphasis of the paper is upon issues and concerns related to the successful formation of a consortium, including the effective integration of Chinese construction companies and design institutes into the process. The issues are explored from the viewpoint of the consortium`s international engineer, who often participates as consortium leader and equipment procurer, in addition to detailed designer.

The IRIS consortium: international cooperation in advanced reactor development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carelli, M.; Petrovic, B.; Miller, K.; Lombardi, C.; Ricotti, M.E.

2005-01-01

Besides its many outstanding technical innovations in the design and safety, the most innovative feature of the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS), is perhaps the international cooperation which carries on its development. IRIS is designed by an international consortium which currently numbers 21 organizations from ten countries across four continents. It includes reactor, fuel and fuel cycle vendors, component manufacturers, laboratories, academia, architect engineers and power producers. The defining organizational characteristics of IRIS is that while Westinghouse has overall lead and responsibility, this lead is of the type of 'primus inter pares' (first among equals) rather than the traditional owner versus suppliers/contractors relationship. All members of the IRIS consortium contribute and expect to have a return, should IRIS be successfully deployed, commensurate to their investment. The nature of such return will be tailored to the type of each organization, because it will of course be of a different nature for say a component manufacturer, university, or architect engineer. One fundamental tenet of the consortium is that all members, regardless of their amount of contribution, have equal access to all information developed within the project. Technical work is thus being coordinated by integrated subgroups and the whole team meets twice a year to perform an overall review of the work, discuss policy and strategy and plan future activities. Personnel from consortium members have performed internships, mostly at Westinghouse locations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Windsor, Connecticut, but also at other members, as it has been the case for several graduate students. In fact, more than one hundred students at the various universities have been working on IRIS, most of them conducting graduate theses at the master or doctoral level. The IRIS experience has proved very helpful to the students in successfully landing their employment choice

Recommendations From the International Consortium on Professional Nursing Practice in Long-Term Care Homes.

Science.gov (United States)

McGilton, Katherine S; Bowers, Barbara J; Heath, Hazel; Shannon, Kay; Dellefield, Mary Ellen; Prentice, Dawn; Siegel, Elena O; Meyer, Julienne; Chu, Charlene H; Ploeg, Jenny; Boscart, Veronique M; Corazzini, Kirsten N; Anderson, Ruth A; Mueller, Christine A

2016-02-01

In response to the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics' global agenda for clinical research and quality of care in long-term care homes (LTCHs), the International Consortium on Professional Nursing Practice in Long Term Care Homes (the Consortium) was formed to develop nursing leadership capacity and address the concerns regarding the current state of professional nursing practice in LTCHs. At its invitational, 2-day inaugural meeting, the Consortium brought together international nurse experts to explore the potential of registered nurses (RNs) who work as supervisors or charge nurses within the LTCHs and the value of their contribution in nursing homes, consider what RN competencies might be needed, discuss effective educational (curriculum and practice) experiences, health care policy, and human resources planning requirements, and to identify what sustainable nurse leadership strategies and models might enhance the effectiveness of RNs in improving resident, family, and staff outcomes. The Consortium made recommendations about the following priority issues for action: (1) define the competencies of RNs required to care for older adults in LTCHs; (2) create an LTCH environment in which the RN role is differentiated from other team members and RNs can practice to their full scope; and (3) prepare RN leaders to operate effectively in person-centered care LTCH environments. In addition to clear recommendations for practice, the Consortium identified several areas in which further research is needed. The Consortium advocated for a research agenda that emphasizes an international coordination of research efforts to explore similar issues, the pursuit of examining the impact of nursing and organizational models, and the showcasing of excellence in nursing practice in care homes, so that others might learn from what works. Several studies already under way are also described. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

Regional Development and the European Consortium of Innovative Universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Saskia Loer; Kokkeler, Ben; van der Sijde, P. C.

2002-01-01

The European Consortium of Innovative Universities is a network that shares information not just among universities but with affiliated incubators, research parks, and other regional entities. The learning network contributes to regional development.(JOW)

Exploring the Bacterial Microbiota of Colombian Fermented Maize Dough "Masa Agria" (Maiz Añejo).

Science.gov (United States)

Chaves-Lopez, Clemencia; Serio, Annalisa; Delgado-Ospina, Johannes; Rossi, Chiara; Grande-Tovar, Carlos D; Paparella, Antonello

2016-01-01

Masa Agria is a naturally fermented maize dough produced in Colombia, very common in the traditional gastronomy. In this study we used culture-dependent and RNA-based pyrosequencing to investigate the bacterial community structure of Masa Agria samples produced in the south west of Colombia. The mean value of cell density was 7.6 log CFU/g of presumptive lactic acid bacteria, 5.4 log cfu/g for presumptive acetic bacteria and 5.6 og CFU/g for yeasts. The abundance of these microorganisms is also responsible for the low pH (3.1-3.7) registered. Although the 16S rRNA pyrosequencing revealed that the analyzed samples were different in bacteria richness and diversity, the genera Lactobacillus, Weissella, and Acetobacter were predominant. In particular, the most common species were Lactobacillus plantarum and Acetobacter fabarum, followed by L. fermentum, L. vaccinostercus, and Pediococcus argentinicus. Several microorganisms of environmental origin, such as Dechloromonas and most of all Sphingobium spp., revealed in each sample, were detected, and also bacteria related to maize, such as Phytoplasma. In conclusion, our results elucidated for the first time the structures of the bacterial communities of Masa Agria samples obtained from different producers, identifying the specific dominant species and revealing a complete picture of the bacterial consortium in this specific niche. The selective pressure of tropical environments may favor microbial biodiversity characterized by a useful technological potential.

25 CFR 1000.18 - May a Consortium member Tribe withdraw from the Consortium and become a member of the applicant...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-governance activities for a member Tribe, that planning activity and report may be used to satisfy the planning requirements for the member Tribe if it applies for self-governance status on its own. (b) Submit... for Participation in Tribal Self-Governance Eligibility § 1000.18 May a Consortium member Tribe...

Matrix composition and community structure analysis of a novel bacterial pyrite leaching community.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, Sibylle; Ackermann, Sonia; Majzlan, Juraj; Gescher, Johannes

2009-09-01

Here we describe a novel bacterial community that is embedded in a matrix of carbohydrates and bio/geochemical products of pyrite (FeS(2)) oxidation. This community grows in stalactite-like structures--snottites--on the ceiling of an abandoned pyrite mine at pH values of 2.2-2.6. The aqueous phase in the matrix contains 200 mM of sulfate and total iron concentrations of 60 mM. Micro-X-ray diffraction analysis showed that jarosite [(K,Na,H(3)O)Fe(3)(SO(4))(2)(OH)(6)] is the major mineral embedded in the snottites. X-ray absorption near-edge structure experiments revealed three different sulfur species. The major signal can be ascribed to sulfate, and the other two features may correspond to thiols and sulfoxides. Arabinose was detected as the major sugar component in the extracellular polymeric substance. Via restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, a community was found that mainly consists of iron oxidizing Leptospirillum and Ferrovum species but also of bacteria that could be involved in dissimilatory sulfate and dissimilatory iron reduction. Each snottite can be regarded as a complex, self-contained consortium of bacterial species fuelled by the decomposition of pyrite.

Zijm Consortium: Engineering a Sustainable Supply Chain System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knofius, Nils; Rahimi Ghahroodi, Sajjad; van Capelleveen, Guido Cornelis; Yazdanpanah, Vahid

2018-01-01

In this paper we address one of the current major research areas of the Zijm consortium; engineering sustainable supply chain systems by transforming traditionally linear practices to circular systems. We illustrate this field of research with a case consisting of a network of three firms Willem

Environmental factors shaping cultured free-living amoebae and their associated bacterial community within drinking water network.

Science.gov (United States)

Delafont, Vincent; Bouchon, Didier; Héchard, Yann; Moulin, Laurent

2016-09-01

Free-living amoebae (FLA) constitute an important part of eukaryotic populations colonising drinking water networks. However, little is known about the factors influencing their ecology in such environments. Because of their status as reservoir of potentially pathogenic bacteria, understanding environmental factors impacting FLA populations and their associated bacterial community is crucial. Through sampling of a large drinking water network, the diversity of cultivable FLA and their bacterial community were investigated by an amplicon sequencing approach, and their correlation with physicochemical parameters was studied. While FLA ubiquitously colonised the water network all year long, significant changes in population composition were observed. These changes were partially explained by several environmental parameters, namely water origin, temperature, pH and chlorine concentration. The characterisation of FLA associated bacterial community reflected a diverse but rather stable consortium composed of nearly 1400 OTUs. The definition of a core community highlighted the predominance of only few genera, majorly dominated by Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas. Co-occurrence analysis also showed significant patterns of FLA-bacteria association, and allowed uncovering potentially new FLA - bacteria interactions. From our knowledge, this study is the first that combines a large sampling scheme with high-throughput identification of FLA together with associated bacteria, along with their influencing environmental parameters. Our results demonstrate the importance of physicochemical parameters in the ecology of FLA and their bacterial community in water networks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel fungal consortium pretreatment of waste oat straw to enhance economic and efficient biohydrogen production

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Lirong Zhou

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Bio-pretreatment using a fungal consortium to enhance the efficiency of lignocellulosic biohydrogen production was explored.  A fungal consortium comprised of T. viride and P. chrysosporium as microbial inoculum was compared with untreated and single-species-inoculated samples. Fungal bio-pretreatment was carried out at atmospheric conditions with limited external energy input.  The effectiveness of the pretreatment is evaluated according to its lignin removal and digestibility. Enhancement of biohydrogen production is observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM analysis. Fungal consortium pretreatment effectively degraded oat straw lignin (by >47% in 7 days leading to decomposition of cell-wall structure as revealed in SEM images, increasing biohydrogen yield. The hydrogen produced from the fungal consortium pretreated straw increased by 165% 6 days later, and was more than produced from either a single fungi species of T. viride or P. chrysosponium pretreated straw (94% and 106%, respectively. No inhibitory effect on hydrogen production was observed.

DNA-based and culture-based characterization of a hydrocarbon-degrading consortium enriched from Arctic soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomassin-Lacroix, E. J. M.; Reimer, K. J. [Royal Military College, Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kingston, On (Canada); Yu, Z.; Mohn, W. W. [British Columbia Univ., Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Eriksson, M. [Royal Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Biotechnology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-12-01

Oil spills are fairly common in polar tundra regions, including remote locations, and are a threat to the relatively fragile ecosystem. Remediation must be done economically and with minimum additional damage. Bioremediation is considered to be the appropriate technology, although its application in polar tundra regions is not well documented. Most studies of hydrocarbon remediation in polar regions have concerned marine oil spills, while a few studies have demonstrated on-site polar tundra soil remediation. A few of these demonstrated the presence of psychrotolerant hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in polar tundra soils. Because fuels are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, microbial consortia rather than pure cultures may be the most effective agents in degrading fuels. Despite their potential advantages for bioaugmentation applications, consortia are difficult to characterize and monitor. Molecular methods based on DNA analysis partially address these difficulties. One such approach is to randomly clone rRNA gene (rDNA) fragments and to sequence as a set of clones. The relative abundance of individual sequences in the clone library is related to the relative abundance of the corresponding organism in the community. In this study a psychrotolerant, fuel-degrading consortium was enriched with Arctic tundra soil. The enrichment substrate for the consortium was Jet A-1 fuel, which is very similar to Arctic diesel fuel, a common contaminant in the region. The objectives of the study were to (1) characterize thr consortium by DNA- and culture-based methods, (2) develop quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for populations of predominant consortium members, and (3) determine the dynamics of those populations during incubation of the consortium. Result showed that is possible to quantitatively monitor members of a microbial consortium, with potential application for bioremediation of Arctic tundra soil. The relative abundance of consortium members was found to vary

Low-pass sequencing for microbial comparative genomics

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Kennedy Sean

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We studied four extremely halophilic archaea by low-pass shotgun sequencing: (1 the metabolically versatile Haloarcula marismortui; (2 the non-pigmented Natrialba asiatica; (3 the psychrophile Halorubrum lacusprofundi and (4 the Dead Sea isolate Halobaculum gomorrense. Approximately one thousand single pass genomic sequences per genome were obtained. The data were analyzed by comparative genomic analyses using the completed Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 genome as a reference. Low-pass shotgun sequencing is a simple, inexpensive, and rapid approach that can readily be performed on any cultured microbe. Results As expected, the four archaeal halophiles analyzed exhibit both bacterial and eukaryotic characteristics as well as uniquely archaeal traits. All five halophiles exhibit greater than sixty percent GC content and low isoelectric points (pI for their predicted proteins. Multiple insertion sequence (IS elements, often involved in genome rearrangements, were identified in H. lacusprofundi and H. marismortui. The core biological functions that govern cellular and genetic mechanisms of H. sp. NRC-1 appear to be conserved in these four other halophiles. Multiple TATA box binding protein (TBP and transcription factor IIB (TFB homologs were identified from most of the four shotgunned halophiles. The reconstructed molecular tree of all five halophiles shows a large divergence between these species, but with the closest relationship being between H. sp. NRC-1 and H. lacusprofundi. Conclusion Despite the diverse habitats of these species, all five halophiles share (1 high GC content and (2 low protein isoelectric points, which are characteristics associated with environmental exposure to UV radiation and hypersalinity, respectively. Identification of multiple IS elements in the genome of H. lacusprofundi and H. marismortui suggest that genome structure and dynamic genome reorganization might be similar to that previously observed in the

Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium (E2C2)

Science.gov (United States)

The Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium studies the etiology of this common cancer and build on resources from existing studies by combining data across studies in order to advance the understanding of the etiology of this disease.

The Activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, U.; Avrigeanu, M.; Avrigeanu, V.; Cabellos, O.; Kodeli, I.; Koning, A.; Konobeyev, A.Yu.; Leeb, H.; Rochman, D.; Pereslavtsev, P.; Sauvan, P.; Sublet, J.-C.; Trkov, A.; Dupont, E.; Leichtle, D.; Izquierdo, J.

2014-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion. The Consortium combines available European expertise to provide services for the generation, maintenance, and validation of nuclear data evaluations and data files relevant for ITER, IFMIF and DEMO, as well as codes and software tools required for related nuclear calculations

The Activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, U., E-mail: ulrich.fischer@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Neutron Physic and Reactor Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Avrigeanu, M.; Avrigeanu, V. [Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), RO-077125 Magurele (Romania); Cabellos, O. [Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Kodeli, I. [Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI), Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Koning, A. [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), Westerduinweg 3, 1755 LE Petten (Netherlands); Konobeyev, A.Yu. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Neutron Physic and Reactor Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Leeb, H. [Technische Universitaet Wien, Atominstitut, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8–10, 1040 Wien (Austria); Rochman, D. [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), Westerduinweg 3, 1755 LE Petten (Netherlands); Pereslavtsev, P. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Neutron Physic and Reactor Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Sauvan, P. [Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, C. Juan del Rosal, 12, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Sublet, J.-C. [Euratom/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Trkov, A. [Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI), Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Dupont, E. [OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, Paris (France); Leichtle, D.; Izquierdo, J. [Fusion for Energy, Barcelona (Spain)

2014-06-15

This paper presents an overview of the activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion. The Consortium combines available European expertise to provide services for the generation, maintenance, and validation of nuclear data evaluations and data files relevant for ITER, IFMIF and DEMO, as well as codes and software tools required for related nuclear calculations.

Microbial biofilm study by synchrotron X-ray microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennafirme, S.; Lima, I.; Bitencourt, J.A.; Crapez, M.A.C.; Lopes, R.T.

2015-01-01

Microbial biofilm has already being used to remove metals and other pollutants from wastewater. In this sense, our proposal was to isolate and cultivate bacteria consortia from mangrove’s sediment resistant to Zn (II) and Cu (II) at 50 mg L −1 and to observe, through synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (microXRF), whether the biofilm sequestered the metal. The biofilm area analyzed was 1 mm 2 and a 2D map was generated (pixel size 20×20 μm 2 , counting time 5 s/point). The biofilm formation and retention followed the sequence Zn>Cu. Bacterial consortium zinc resistant formed dense biofilm and retained 63.83% of zinc, while the bacterial consortium copper resistant retained 3.21% of copper, with lower biofilm formation. Dehydrogenase activity of Zn resistant bacterial consortium was not negatively affect by 50 mg ml −1 zinc input, whereas copper resistant bacterial consortium showed a significant decrease on dehydrogenase activity (50 mg mL −1 of Cu input). In conclusion, biofilm may protect bacterial cells, acting as barrier against metal toxicity. The bacterial consortia Zn resistant, composed by Nitratireductor spp. and Pseudomonas spp formed dense biofilm and sequestered metal from water, decreasing the metal bioavailability. These bacterial consortia can be used in bioreactors and in bioremediation programs. - Highlights: • We studied bacterial bioremediation by microXRF. • Dense biofilm may act sequestering metal while protecting bacterial metabolism. • Nitratireductor spp. and Pseudomonas spp decreased seawater metal bioavailability. • Bacterial consortia from polluted areas may be used in bioremediation programs.

Archaea: Essential inhabitants of the human digestive microbiota

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Vanessa Demonfort Nkamga

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Prokaryotes forming the domain of Archaea, named after their first discovery in extreme environments, are acknowledged but still neglected members of the human digestive tract microbiota. In this microbiota, cultured archaea comprise anaerobic methanogens: Methanobrevibacter smithii, Methanobrevibacter oralis, Methanobrevibacter massiliense, Methanosphaera stadtmanae, Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus, Methanobrevibacter millerae and Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis; along with the non-methanogen halophilic Archaea Halopherax massiliense. Metagenomic analyses detected DNA sequences indicative of the presence of additional methanogenic and non-methanogenic halophilic Archaea in the human intestinal tract and oral cavity. Methanogens specifically metabolize hydrogen produced by anaerobic fermentation of carbohydrates into methane; further transforming heavy metals and metalloids into methylated derivatives, such as trimethylbismuth which is toxic for both human and bacterial cells. However, the role of Archaea as pathogens remains to be established. Future researches will aim to increase the repertoire of the human digestive tract Archaea and to understand their possible association with intestinal and extra-intestinal infections and diseases including weight regulation abnormalities. Keywords: Human-associated Archaea, Methanogens, Halophiles, Oral cavity, Intestinal tract

The Worker Rights Consortium Makes Strides toward Legitimacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Werf, Martin

2000-01-01

Discusses the rapid growth of the Workers Rights Consortium, a student-originated group with 44 member institutions which opposes sweatshop labor conditions especially in the apparel industry. Notes disagreements about the number of administrators on the board of directors and about the role of industry representives. Compares this group with the…

Academic Library Consortium in Jordan: An Evaluation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Mustafa H.; Suleiman, Raid Jameel

2013-01-01

Purpose: Due to the current financial and managerial difficulties that are encountered by libraries in public universities in Jordan and the geographical diffusion of these academic institutions, the idea of establishing a consortium was proposed by the Council of Higher Education to combine these libraries. This article reviews the reality of…

Microbial Consortium with High Cellulolytic Activity (MCHCA for enhanced biogas production.

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Krzysztof ePoszytek

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a substrate in agricultural biogas plants is very popular and yields good results. However, the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, and thus biogas production, is not always satisfactory due to the slow or incomplete degradation (hydrolysis of plant matter. To enhance the solubilization of the lignocellulosic biomass various physical, chemical and biological pretreatment methods are used.The aim of this study was to select and characterize cellulose-degrading bacteria, and to construct a microbial consortium, dedicated for degradation of maize silage and enhancing biogas production from this substrate.Over one hundred strains of cellulose-degrading bacteria were isolated from: sewage sludge, hydrolyzer from an agricultural biogas plant, cattle slurry and manure. After physiological characterization of the isolates, sixteen strains (representatives of Bacillus, Providencia and Ochrobactrum genera were chosen for the construction of a Microbial Consortium with High Cellulolytic Activity, called MCHCA. The selected strains had a high endoglucanase activity (exceeding 0.21 IU/mL CMCase activity and a wide range of tolerance to various physical and chemical conditions. Lab-scale simulation of biogas production using the selected strains for degradation of maize silage was carried out in a two-bioreactor system, similar to those used in agricultural biogas plants.The obtained results showed that the constructed MCHCA consortium is capable of efficient hydrolysis of maize silage, and increases biogas production by even 38%, depending on the inoculum used for methane fermentation. The results in this work indicate that the mesophilic Microbial Consortium with High Cellulolytic Activity has a great potential for application on industrial scale in agricultural biogas plants.

32 CFR 37.515 - Must I do anything additional to determine the qualification of a consortium?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DoD GRANT AND AGREEMENT REGULATIONS TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Pre-Award Business... relationship is essential to increase the research project's chances of success. (b) The collaboration... things, the consortium's: (1) Management structure. (2) Method of making payments to consortium members...

The Optic Disc Drusen Studies Consortium Recommendations for Diagnosis of Optic Disc Drusen Using Optical Coherence Tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malmqvist, Lasse; Bursztyn, Lulu; Costello, Fiona

2018-01-01

imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) has improved the visualization of more deeply buried ODD. There is, however, no consensus regarding the diagnosis of ODD using OCT. The purpose of this study was to develop a consensus recommendation for diagnosing ODD using OCT. METHODS: The members...... of the Optic Disc Drusen Studies (ODDS) Consortium are either fellowship trained neuro-ophthalmologists with an interest in ODD, or researchers with an interest in ODD. Four standardization steps were performed by the consortium members with a focus on both image acquisition and diagnosis of ODD. RESULTS......: Based on prior knowledge and experiences from the standardization steps, the ODDS Consortium reached a consensus regarding OCT acquisition and diagnosis of ODD. The recommendations from the ODDS Consortium include scanning protocol, data selection, data analysis, and nomenclature. CONCLUSIONS: The ODDS...

Engineering substrate promiscuity in halophilic alcohol dehydrogenase (HvADH2 by in silico design.

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Jennifer Cassidy

Full Text Available An alcohol dehydrogenase from the halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii (HvADH2 has been engineered by rational design to broaden its substrate scope towards the conversion of a range of aromatic substrates, including flurbiprofenol, that is an intermediate of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flurbiprofen. Wild-type HvADH2 showed minimal activity with flurbiprofenol (11.1 mU/mg. A homology model of HvADH2 was built and docking experiments with this substrate revealed that the biphenyl rings of flurbiprofenol formed strong interactions with residues F85 and F108, preventing its optimal binding in the active site. Mutations at position 85 however did not increase activity. Site directed mutagenesis at position F108 allowed the identification of three variants showing a significant (up to 2.3-fold enhancement of activity towards flurbiprofenol, when compared to wild-type HvADH2. Interestingly, F108G variant did not show the classic inhibition in the presence of (R-enantiomer when tested with rac-1-phenylethanol, underling its potential in racemic resolution of secondary alcohols.

Characterization of detergent compatible protease from halophilic Virgibacillus sp. CD6.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Ming Quan; Nik Mut, Nik Nurhidayu; Thevarajoo, Suganthi; Chen, Sye Jinn; Selvaratnam, Chitra; Hussin, Huszalina; Jamaluddin, Haryati; Chong, Chun Shiong

2018-02-01

A halophilic bacterium, Virgibacillus sp. strain CD6, was isolated from salted fish and its extracellular protease was characterized. Protease production was found to be highest when yeast extract was used as nitrogen source for growth. The protease exhibited stability at wide range of salt concentration (0-12.5%, w/v), temperatures (20-60 °C), and pH (4-10) with maximum activity at 10.0% (w/v) NaCl, 60 °C, pH 7 and 10, indicating its polyextremophilicity. The protease activity was enhanced in the presence of Mg 2+ , Mn 2+ , Cd 2+ , and Al 3+ (107-122% relative activity), and with retention of activity > 80% for all of other metal ions examined (K + , Ca 2+ , Cu 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Fe 3+ ). Both PMSF and EDTA inhibited protease activity, denoting serine protease and metalloprotease properties, respectively. High stability (> 70%) was demonstrated in the presence of organic solvents and detergent constituents, and the extracellular protease from strain CD6 was also found to be compatible in commercial detergents. Proteinaceous stain removal efficacy revealed that crude protease of strain CD6 could significantly enhance the performance of commercial detergent. The protease from Virgibacillus sp. strain CD6 could serve as a promising alternative for various applications, especially in detergent industry.

Identification and characterization of a novel biodiesel producing halophilic Aphanothece halophytica and its growth and lipid optimization in various media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monisha Miriam, L.R.; Edwin Raj, R.; Kings, Ajith J.; Adhi Visvanathan, M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Halophilic microalgae, Aphanothece halophytica is a new candidate for third generation biodiesel source. • This species is robust, resilient, stable and non-susceptible to environmental conditions. • Novel media, seaweed extract and micronutrient are tested, compared and optimized. • High lipid productivity with low free fatty acid content confirms its potential for biodiesel production. - Abstract: The choice of precise strain is a crucial parameter to the success of algal oil industry. A novel halophilic microalgae, Aphanothece halophytica is selected as a potential source to satisfy the enormous energy needs. This species is highly resilient to environmental changes and can effectively utilize both organic and inorganic nutrients. Commercialization of biodiesel production is hindered by its production cost which necessitates advances in quantitative and qualitative microalgae cultivation. In this work, the salinity and major nutrient sources such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium of the standard Jaworski’s medium are replaced with commercial agricultural fertilizers like urea (N), single super phosphate (P) and muriate of potash (K) respectively and its concentrations optimized for the growth rate. The result showed maximum growth at 60 ppt salinity, 0.05 g l"−"1 (N), 0.5 g l"−"1 (P) and 0.5 g l"−"1 (K). Then a novel attempt is made to identify a low cost media, involving organic–inorganic (seaweed extract + NPK), inorganic (micronutrients + NPK), organic (vermicompost medium) for maximizing growth rate and lipid productivity, which is then compared with the standard Jaworski’s medium. A. halophytica gave the highest cell density of 21.6 × 10"6 ± 0.17 cells ml"−"1 on the 20th day with a lipid content of 29 ± 0.1% by dry weight in seaweed extract + NPK medium. It’s potentiality for biodiesel production is further confirmed by the gas chromatography analysis of the lipid.

Effect of autochthonous bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis on bacterial population dynamics and growth of halotolerant bacteria in Brazilian charqui.

Science.gov (United States)

Biscola, Vanessa; Abriouel, Hikmate; Todorov, Svetoslav Dimitrov; Capuano, Verena Sant'Anna Cabral; Gálvez, Antonio; Franco, Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo

2014-12-01

Charqui is a fermented, salted and sun-dried meat product, widely consumed in Brazil and exported to several countries. Growth of microorganisms in this product is unlikely due to reduced Aw, but halophilic and halotolerant bacteria may grow and cause spoilage. Charqui is a good source of lactic acid bacteria able to produce antimicrobial bacteriocins. In this study, an autochthonous bacteriocinogenic strain (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 69), isolated from charqui, was added to the meat used for charqui manufacture and evaluated for its capability to prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria during storage up to 45 days. The influence of L. lactis 69 on the bacterial diversity during the manufacturing of the product was also studied, using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). L. lactis 69 did not affect the counts and diversity of lactic acid bacteria during manufacturing and storage, but influenced negatively the populations of halotolerant microorganisms, reducing the spoilage potential. The majority of tested virulence genes was absent, evidencing the safety and potential technological application of this strain as an additional hurdle to inhibit undesirable microbial growth in this and similar fermented meat products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation of crude oil waste contaminated soil using petrophilic consortium and Azotobacter sp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Fauzi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed to determine the effect Petrophilic and Azotobacter sp. consortium on the rate of degradation of hydrocarbons, Azotobacter growth, and Petrophilic fungi growth in an Inceptisol contaminated with crude oil waste originating from Balongan refinery, one of Pertamina (Indonesia’s largest state-owned oil and gas company units in Indramayu – West Java. This study was conducted from March to April 2014 in the glasshouse of research station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Padjadjaran University at Ciparanje, Jatinangor District, Sumedang Regency of West Java. This study used a factorial completely randomized design with two treatments. The first treatment factor was Petrophilic microbes (A consisting of four levels (without treatment, 2% Petrophilic fungi, 2% Petrophilic bacteria, and the 2% Petrophilic consortium, and Azotobacter sp. The second treatment factor was Azotobacter sp. (B consisting of four levels (without treatment, 0.5%, Azotobacter sp., 1% Azotobacter sp., and 1.5% Azotobacter sp. The results demonstrated interaction between Petrophilic microbes and Azotobacter sp. towards hydrocarbon degradation rate, but no interaction was found towards the growth rate of Azotobacter sp. and Petrophilic fungi. Treatments of a1b3 (2% consortium of Petrophilic fungi with 1.5% Azotobacter sp. and a3b3 (2% Petrophilic consortium and 1.5% Azotobacter sp. had hydrocarbon degradation rate at 0.22 ppm/day for each treatment, showing the highest hydrocarbon degradation rate.

Medical Physics Residency Consortium: collaborative endeavors to meet the ABR 2014 certification requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Brent C.; Duhon, John; Yang, Claus C.; Wu, H. Terry; Hogstrom, Kenneth R.

2014-01-01

In 2009, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center (MBPCC) established a Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program to provide opportunities for medical physics residency training to MS and PhD graduates of the CAMPEP‐accredited Louisiana State University (LSU)‐MBPCC Medical Physics Graduate Program. The LSU‐MBPCC Program graduates approximately six students yearly, which equates to a need for up to twelve residency positions in a two‐year program. To address this need for residency positions, MBPCC has expanded its Program by developing a Consortium consisting of partnerships with medical physics groups located at other nearby clinical institutions. The consortium model offers the residents exposure to a broader range of procedures, technology, and faculty than available at the individual institutions. The Consortium institutions have shown a great deal of support from their medical physics groups and administrations in developing these partnerships. Details of these partnerships are specified within affiliation agreements between MBPCC and each participating institution. All partner sites began resident training in 2011. The Consortium is a network of for‐profit, nonprofit, academic, community, and private entities. We feel that these types of collaborative endeavors will be required nationally to reach the number of residency positions needed to meet the 2014 ABR certification requirements and to maintain graduate medical physics training programs. PACS numbers: 01.40.Fk, 01.40.gb PMID:24710434

Bacterial and archaeal resistance to ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Confalonieri, F; Sommer, S, E-mail: fabrice.confalonieri@u-psud.fr, E-mail: suzanne.sommer@u-psud.fr [University Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR8621, Institut de Genetique et Microbiologie, Batiments 400-409, Universite Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France)

2011-01-01

Organisms living in extreme environments must cope with large fluctuations of temperature, high levels of radiation and/or desiccation, conditions that can induce DNA damage ranging from base modifications to DNA double-strand breaks. The bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans is known for its resistance to extremely high doses of ionizing radiation and for its ability to reconstruct a functional genome from hundreds of radiation-induced chromosomal fragments. Recently, extreme ionizing radiation resistance was also generated by directed evolution of an apparently radiation-sensitive bacterial species, Escherichia coli. Radioresistant organisms are not only found among the Eubacteria but also among the Archaea that represent the third kingdom of life. They present a set of particular features that differentiate them from the Eubacteria and eukaryotes. Moreover, Archaea are often isolated from extreme environments where they live under severe conditions of temperature, pressure, pH, salts or toxic compounds that are lethal for the large majority of living organisms. Thus, Archaea offer the opportunity to understand how cells are able to cope with such harsh conditions. Among them, the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp and several Pyrococcus or Thermococcus species, such as Thermococcus gammatolerans, were also shown to display high level of radiation resistance. The dispersion, in the phylogenetic tree, of radioresistant prokaryotes suggests that they have independently acquired radioresistance. Different strategies were selected during evolution including several mechanisms of radiation byproduct detoxification and subtle cellular metabolism modifications to help cells recover from radiation-induced injuries, protection of proteins against oxidation, an efficient DNA repair tool box, an original pathway of DNA double-strand break repair, a condensed nucleoid that may prevent the dispersion of the DNA fragments and specific radiation-induced proteins involved in

Characterization of an organic solvent-tolerant thermostable glucoamylase from a halophilic isolate, Halolactibacillus sp. SK71 and its application in raw starch hydrolysis for bioethanol production.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hui-Ying; Li, Xin

2014-01-01

A halophilic bacterium Halolactibacillus sp. SK71 producing extracellular glucoamylase was isolated from saline soil of Yuncheng Salt Lake, China. Enzyme production was strongly influenced by the salinity of growth medium with maximum in the presence of 5% NaCl. The glucoamylase was purified to homogeneity with a molecular mass of 78.5 kDa. It showed broad substrate specificity and raw starch hydrolyzing activity. Analysis of hydrolysis products from soluble starch by thin-layer chromatography revealed that glucose was the sole end-product, indicating the enzyme was a true glucoamylase. Optimal enzyme activity was found to be at 70°C, pH 8.0, and 7.5% NaCl. In addition, it was highly active and stable over broad ranges of temperature (0-100°C), pH (7.0-12.0), and NaCl concentration (0-20%), showing excellent thermostable, alkali stable, and halotolerant properties. Furthermore, it displayed high stability in the presence of hydrophobic organic solvents. The purified glucoamylase was applied for raw corn starch hydrolysis and subsequent bioethanol production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The yield in terms of grams of ethanol produced per gram of sugar consumed was 0.365 g/g, with 71.6% of theoretical yield from raw corn starch. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using enzymes from halophiles for further application in bioenergy production. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Degradation of Lignocellulosic Components in Un-pretreated Vinegar Residue Using an Artificially Constructed Fungal Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaoming Cui

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to degrade lignocellulosic components in un-pretreated vinegar residue (VR using a fungal consortium. Consortium-29, consisting of P. chrysosporium, T. koningii, A. niger, and A. ficuum NTG-23, was constructed using orthogonal design combined with two-way interaction analysis. After seven days of cultivation, the reducing sugar yield reached 35.57 mg per gram of dry substrate (gds-1, which was 108.01% higher than the control (17.10 mg gds-1. Additionally, the xylanase and CMCase activity reached 439.07 U gds-1 and 8.15 U gds-1, which were 432.08% and 243.88% higher than that of pure cultures of A. niger (82.52 U gds-1 and P. chrysosporium (2.37 U gds-1, respectively. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents decreased by 17.11%, 68.61%, and 14.44%, respectively, compared with that of the raw VR. The optimal fermentation conditions of consortium-29 were as follows: incubation temperature 25 °C, initial pH 6, initial moisture content 70%, inoculum size 1 x 10^6 spores/mL, incubation time 5 days, urea/VR 1%, and MnSO4 . H2O/VR 0.03%. This study suggests that consortium-29 is an efficient fungal consortium for un-pretreated VR degradation and has a potential application in lignocellulosic waste utilization with a low cost of operation.

The ARC (Astrophysical Research Consortium) telescope project.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, K. S.

A consortium of universities intends to construct a 3.5 meter optical-infrared telescope at a site in south-central New Mexico. The use of innovative mirror technology, a fast primary, and an alt-azimuth mounting results in a compact and lightweight instrument. This telescope will be uniquely well-suited for addressing certain observational programs by virtue of its capability for fully remote operation and rapid instrument changes.

p-Cresol mineralization by a nitrifying consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva-Luna, C. D.; Gomez, J.; Houbron, E.; Cuervo Lopez, F. M.; Texier, A. C.

2009-01-01

Nitrification and denitrification processes are considered economically feasible technologies for nitrogen removal from wastewater. Knowledge of the toxic or inhibitory effects of cresols on the nitrifying respiratory process is still insufficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the kinetic behavior and oxidizing ability of a nitrifying consortium exposed to p-cresol in batch cultures. Biotransformation of p-cresol was investigated by identifying the different intermediates formed. (Author)