Sample records for bacillus spp strains

  1. Biocontrol of geosmin-producing Streptomyces spp. by two Bacillus strains from Chinese liquor.

    PubMed

    Zhi, Yan; Wu, Qun; Du, Hai; Xu, Yan

    2016-08-16

    Streptomyces spp. producing geosmin have been regarded as the most frequent and serious microbial contamination causing earthy off-flavor in Chinese liquor. It is therefore necessary to control the Streptomyces community during liquor fermentation. Biological control, using the native microbiota present in liquor making, appears to be a better solution than chemical methods. The objective of this study was to isolate native microbiota antagonistic toward Streptomyces spp. and then to evaluate the possible action mode of the antagonists. Fourteen Bacillus strains isolated from different Daqu (the fermentation starter) showed antagonistic activity against Streptomyces sampsonii, which is one of the dominant geosmin producers. Bacillus subtilis 2-16 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 1-45 from Maotai Daqu significantly inhibited the growth of S. sampsonii by 57.8% and 84.3% respectively, and effectively prevented the geosmin production in the simulated fermentation experiments (inoculation ratio 1:1). To probe the biocontrol mode, the ability of strain 2-16 and 1-45 to produce antimicrobial metabolites and to reduce geosmin in the fermentation system was investigated. Antimicrobial substances were identified as lipopeptides by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem electrospray ionization/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI/Q-TOF MS) and in vitro antibiotic assay. In addition, strains 2-16 and 1-45 were able to remove 45% and 15% of the geosmin respectively in the simulated solid-state fermentation. This study highlighted the potential of biocontrol, and how the use of native Bacillus species in Daqu could provide an eco-friendly method to prevent growth of Streptomyces spp. and geosmin contamination in Chinese liquor fermentation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Potential of Bacillus spp produces siderophores insuppressing thewilt disease of banana plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kesaulya, H.; Hasinu, J. V.; Tuhumury, G. NC

    2018-01-01

    In nature, different types of siderophore such as hydroxymate, catecholets and carboxylate, are produced by different bacteria. Bacillus spp were isolated from potato rhizospheric soil can produce siderophore of both catecholets and salicylate type with different concentrations. Various strains of Bacillus spp were tested for pathogen inhibition capability in a dual culture manner. The test results showed the ability of inhibition of pathogen isolated from banana wilt disease. From the result tested were found Bacillus niabensis Strain PT-32-1, Bacillus subtilis Strain SWI16b, Bacillus subtilis Strain HPC21, Bacillus mojavensis Strain JCEN3, and Bacillus subtilis Strain HPC24 showed different capabilities in suppressing pathogen.

  3. Discovery of secondary metabolites from Bacillus spp. biocontrol strains using genome mining and mass spectroscopy

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Genome sequencing, data mining and mass spectrometry were used to identify secondary metabolites produced by several Bacillus spp. biocontrol strains. These biocontrol strains have shown promise in managing Fusarium head blight in wheat. Draft genomes were produced and screened in silico using genom...

  4. Toxicity of Bacillus sphaericus strain 2362 on Mansonia spp. larvae.

    PubMed

    Petcharat, J

    1991-09-01

    The efficiency of Bacillus sphaericus strain 2362 (Vectolex) as larvicide against Mansonia spp. was studied. Bioassay studies showed that the toxicity of B. sphaericus on both age groups (I-II instar and III-IV instar) of Mansonia spp. larvae occurred within 24 hours. Probit analysis revealed that LC100 (one hundred per cent lethal concentration) for both age groups of M. boneae were higher than those of M. dives. Small scale field trials were done at Kreng Village, Cha-uat District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, one of the most serious filarial infected areas. It was indicated that 100% kill of Mansonia spp. larvae in the field occurred within 9 days after the larvicide application. When a dose of 5 times of LC100 value was used, 100% control was achieved up to about one month.

  5. In vitro susceptibility of Bacillus spp. to selected antimicrobial agents.

    PubMed Central

    Weber, D J; Saviteer, S M; Rutala, W A; Thomann, C A

    1988-01-01

    Although often dismissed as contaminants when isolated from blood cultures, Bacillus spp. are increasingly recognized as capable of causing serious systemic infections. As part of a clinical-microbiological study, 89 strains of Bacillus spp. isolated from clinical blood cultures between 1981 and 1985 had their species determined and were tested for antimicrobial agent susceptibility to 18 antibiotics. Species of isolates were determined by the API 50CH and API 20E systems. Bacillus cereus (54 strains) was the most common species isolated, followed by B. megaterium (13 strains), B. polymyxa (5 strains), B. pumilus (4 strains), B. subtilis (4 strains), B. circulans (3 strains), B. amyloliquefaciens (2 strains), B. licheniformis (1 strain), and Bacillus spp. (3 strains). Microdilution MIC susceptibility tests revealed all B. cereus strains to be susceptible to imipenem, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin. Non-B. cereus strains were most susceptible to imipenem, vancomycin, LY146032, and ciprofloxacin. Disk susceptibility testing suggested that B. cereus was rarely susceptible to penicillins, semisynthetic penicillins, or cephalosporins with the exception of mezlocillin. In contrast, many non-B. cereus strains were susceptible to penicillins, semisynthetic penicillins, and cephalosporins, but marked variability was noted among species. PMID:3395100

  6. Bacillus Endospores Isolated from Granite: Close Molecular Relationships to Globally Distributed Bacillus spp. from Endolithic and Extreme Environments

    PubMed Central

    Fajardo-Cavazos, Patricia; Nicholson, Wayne

    2006-01-01

    As part of an ongoing effort to catalog spore-forming bacterial populations in environments conducive to interplanetary transfer by natural impacts or by human spaceflight activities, spores of Bacillus spp. were isolated and characterized from the interior of near-subsurface granite rock collected from the Santa Catalina Mountains, AZ. Granite was found to contain ∼500 cultivable Bacillus spores and ∼104 total cultivable bacteria per gram. Many of the Bacillus isolates produced a previously unreported diffusible blue fluorescent compound. Two strains of eight tested exhibited increased spore UV resistance relative to a standard Bacillus subtilis UV biodosimetry strain. Fifty-six isolates were identified by repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) and 16S rRNA gene analysis as most closely related to B. megaterium (15 isolates), B. simplex (23 isolates), B. drentensis (6 isolates), B. niacini (7 isolates), and, likely, a new species related to B. barbaricus (5 isolates). Granite isolates were very closely related to a limited number of Bacillus spp. previously found to inhabit (i) globally distributed endolithic sites such as biodeteriorated murals, stone tombs, underground caverns, and rock concretions and (ii) extreme environments such as Antarctic soils, deep sea floor sediments, and spacecraft assembly facilities. Thus, it appears that the occurrence of Bacillus spp. in endolithic or extreme environments is not accidental but that these environments create unique niches excluding most Bacillus spp. but to which a limited number of Bacillus spp. are specifically adapted. PMID:16597992

  7. Effect of oral administration of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9 strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model

    PubMed Central

    Haldar, Lopamudra; Gandhi, D. N.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To investigate the effect of oral administration of two Bacillus strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model. Materials and Methods: An in vivo experiment was conducted for 49-day period on 36 adult male albino Wister rats divided equally into to four groups. After 7-day adaptation period, one group (T1) was fed on sterile skim milk along with basal diet for the next 28 days. Second (T2) and (T3) groups received spore biomass of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9, respectively, suspended in sterilized skim milk at 8-9 log colony-forming units/ml plus basal diet for 28 days, while control group (T4) was supplied with clean water along with basal diet. There was a 14-day post-treatment period. A total of 288 fecal samples (8 fecal collections per rat) were collected at every 7-day interval starting from 0 to 49 days and subjected to the enumeration of the counts of coliforms and lactobacilli and Bacillus spores using respective agar media. In vitro acid and bile tolerance tests on both the strains were performed. Results: The rats those (T2 and T3) received either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 spore along with non-fermented skim milk showed decrease (p<0.01) in fecal coliform counts and increase (p<0.05) in both fecal lactobacilli and Bacillus spore counts as compared to the control group (T4) and the group fed only skim milk (T1). In vitro study indicated that both the strains were found to survive at pH 2.0 and 3.0 even up to 3 h and tolerate bile up to 2.0% concentration even after 12 h of exposure. Conclusions: This study revealed that oral administration of either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 strains might be useful in reducing coliform counts accompanied by concurrent increase in lactobacilli counts in the intestinal flora in rats. PMID:27536040

  8. Effect of oral administration of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9 strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model.

    PubMed

    Haldar, Lopamudra; Gandhi, D N

    2016-07-01

    To investigate the effect of oral administration of two Bacillus strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model. An in vivo experiment was conducted for 49-day period on 36 adult male albino Wister rats divided equally into to four groups. After 7-day adaptation period, one group (T1) was fed on sterile skim milk along with basal diet for the next 28 days. Second (T2) and (T3) groups received spore biomass of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9, respectively, suspended in sterilized skim milk at 8-9 log colony-forming units/ml plus basal diet for 28 days, while control group (T4) was supplied with clean water along with basal diet. There was a 14-day post-treatment period. A total of 288 fecal samples (8 fecal collections per rat) were collected at every 7-day interval starting from 0 to 49 days and subjected to the enumeration of the counts of coliforms and lactobacilli and Bacillus spores using respective agar media. In vitro acid and bile tolerance tests on both the strains were performed. The rats those (T2 and T3) received either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 spore along with non-fermented skim milk showed decrease (p<0.01) in fecal coliform counts and increase (p<0.05) in both fecal lactobacilli and Bacillus spore counts as compared to the control group (T4) and the group fed only skim milk (T1). In vitro study indicated that both the strains were found to survive at pH 2.0 and 3.0 even up to 3 h and tolerate bile up to 2.0% concentration even after 12 h of exposure. This study revealed that oral administration of either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 strains might be useful in reducing coliform counts accompanied by concurrent increase in lactobacilli counts in the intestinal flora in rats.

  9. Enhanced growth and nodulation of pigeon pea by co-inoculation of Bacillus strains with Rhizobium spp.

    PubMed

    Rajendran, Geetha; Sing, Falguni; Desai, Anjana J; Archana, G

    2008-07-01

    Endophytic bacteria which are known to reside in plant tissues have often been shown to promote plant growth. Present study deals with the isolation of putative endophytes from the surface sterilized root nodules of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) designated as non-rhizobial (NR) isolates. Three of these non-rhizobial isolates called NR2, NR4 and NR6 showed plant growth promotion with respect to increase in plant fresh weight, chlorophyll content, nodule number and nodule fresh weight when co-inoculated with the rhizobial bioinoculant strain IC3123. The three isolates were neither able to nodulate C. cajan nor did they show significant plant growth promotion when inoculated alone without Rhizobium spp. IC3123. All the three isolates were gram positive rods with NR2 and NR4 showing endospore formation and formed one single cluster in Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA). Partial sequences of 16S rRNA genes of NR4 and NR6 showed 97% similarity to Bacillus megaterium. The Bacillus strains NR4 and NR6 were able to produce siderophores which the rhizobial bioinoculant IC3123 was able to cross-utilize. Under iron starved conditions IC3123 showed enhanced growth in the presence of the Bacillus isolates indicating that siderophore mediated interactions may be underlying mechanism of beneficial effect of the NR isolates on nodulation by IC3123.

  10. Influence of Bacillus spp. strains on seedling growth and physiological parameters of sorghum under moisture stress conditions.

    PubMed

    Grover, Minakshi; Madhubala, R; Ali, Sk Z; Yadav, S K; Venkateswarlu, B

    2014-09-01

    Microorganisms isolated from stressed ecosystem may prove as ideal candidates for development of bio-inoculants for stressed agricultural production systems. In the present study, moisture stress tolerant rhizobacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of sorghum, pigeonpea, and cowpea grown under semiarid conditions in India. Four isolates KB122, KB129, KB133, and KB142 from sorghum rhizosphere exhibited plant growth promoting traits and tolerance to salinity, high temperature, and moisture stress. These isolates were identified as Bacillus spp. by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The strains were evaluated for growth promotion of sorghum seedlings under two different moisture stress conditions (set-I, continuous 50% soil water holding capacity (WHC) throughout the experiment and set-II, 75% soil WHC for 27 days followed by no irrigation for 5 days) under greenhouse conditions. Plate count and scanning electron microscope studies indicated successful root surface colonization by inoculated bacteria. Plants inoculated with Bacillus spp. strains showed better growth in terms of shoot length and root biomass with dark greenish leaves due to high chlorophyll content while un-inoculated plants showed rolling of the leaves, stunted appearance, and wilting under both stress conditions. Inoculation also improved leaf relative water content and soil moisture content. However, variation in proline and sugar content in the different treatments under two stress conditions indicated differential effect of microbial treatments on plant physiological parameters under stress conditions. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Investigation of antibacterial activity of Bacillus spp. isolated from the feces of Giant Panda and characterization of their antimicrobial gene distributions.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Ziyao; Zhou, Xiaoxiao; Zhong, Zhijun; Wang, Chengdong; Zhang, Hemin; Li, Desheng; He, Tingmei; Li, Caiwu; Liu, Xuehan; Yuan, Hui; Ji, Hanli; Luo, Yongjiu; Gu, Wuyang; Fu, Hualin; Peng, Guangneng

    2014-12-01

    Bacillus group is a prevalent community of Giant Panda's intestinal flora, and plays a significant role in the field of biological control of pathogens. To understand the diversity of Bacillus group from the Giant Panda intestine and their functions in maintaining the balance of the intestinal microflora of Giant Panda, this study isolated a significant number of strains of Bacillus spp. from the feces of Giant Panda, compared the inhibitory effects of these strains on three common enteric pathogens, investigated the distributions of six universal antimicrobial genes (ituA, hag, tasA, sfp, spaS and mrsA) found within the Bacillus group by PCR, and analyzed the characterization of antimicrobial gene distributions in these strains using statistical methods. The results suggest that 34 strains of Bacillus spp. were isolated which has not previously been detected at such a scale, these Bacillus strains could be classified into five categories as well as an external strain by 16S rRNA; Most of Bacillus strains are able to inhibit enteric pathogens, and the antimicrobial abilities may be correlated to their categories of 16S rRNA; The detection rates of six common antimicrobial genes are between 20.58 %(7/34) and 79.41 %(27/34), and genes distribute in three clusters in these strains. We found that the antimicrobial abilities of Bacillus strains can be one of the mechanisms by which Giant Panda maintains its intestinal microflora balance, and may be correlated to their phylogeny.

  12. Selection and evaluation of Malaysian Bacillus spp. strains as potential probiotics in cultured tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus).

    PubMed

    Yasin, Ina-salwany Md; Razak, Nabilah Fatin; Natrah, F M I; Harmin, Sharr Azni

    2016-07-01

    A total of 58 Gram-positive bacteria strains were isolated from the marine environment and screened for potential probiotics for disease prevention and improving the productivity of tiger grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus larvae and juveniles. The bacteria were identified as Bacillus licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. circulans, B. sphaericus, B. cereus, Brevibacillus brevis, Corynebacterium propinquum, Leifsonia aquatica and Paenibacillus macerans. Only 24 strains showed antagonistic activities against four pathogenic strains; Vibrio alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus and Aeromonas hydrophila, where two of the Bacillus strains, B12 and B45 demonstrated intermediate to highest level of inhibitory activity against these pathogenic strains, respectively. Further assessment by co-culture assay showed that Bacillus strain B12 exhibited a total inhibition of V. alginolyticus, while B45 strain displayed no inhibitory activity. Mixed culture of Bacillus B12 and B45 strains to outcompete V. alginolyticus was observed at a cell density of 10(7) CFU ml(-1). Molecular identification and phylogenetic tree analysis have categorized Bacillus strain B12 to the reference strains GQ340480 and JX290193 of? B. amyloliquafaciens, and Bacillus strain B45 with a reference strain JF496522 of B. subtilis. Safety tests of probionts by intraperitoneal administration of B12 and B45 strains at cell densities of 103, 105 and 10(7) CFU ml(-1) revealed no abnormalities and cent percent survival for healthy Epinephelus fuscoguttatus juveniles within 15 days of experimental period. Overall, the study revealed that Bacillus B12 strain possesses tremendous probiotic potential that could be used as a feed supplement in tiger grouper diets. ?

  13. Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacillus Strains Isolated from Primary Starters for African Traditional Bread Production and Characterization of the Bacitracin Operon and Bacitracin Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Sørensen, Kim I.; Thorsen, Line; Stuer-Lauridsen, Birgitte; Abdelgadir, Warda S.; Nielsen, Dennis S.; Derkx, Patrick M. F.; Jespersen, Lene

    2012-01-01

    Bacillus spp. are widely used as feed additives and probiotics. However, there is limited information on their resistance to various antibiotics, and there is a growing concern over the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. The MIC for 8 antibiotics was determined for 85 Bacillus species strains, Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (n = 29), Bacillus licheniformis (n = 38), and Bacillus sonorensis (n = 18), all of which were isolated from starters for Sudanese bread production. All the strains were sensitive to tetracycline (8.0 mg/liter), vancomycin (4.0 mg/liter), and gentamicin (4.0 mg/liter) but resistant to streptomycin. Sensitivity to clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and kanamycin was species specific. The erythromycin resistance genes ermD and ermK were detected by PCR in all of the erythromycin-resistant (MIC, ≥16.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strains and one erythromycin-sensitive (MIC, 4.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strain. Several amino acid changes were present in the translated ermD and ermK nucleotide sequences of the erythromycin-sensitive strain, which could indicate ErmD and ErmK protein functionalities different from those of the resistance strains. The ermD and ermK genes were localized on an 11.4-kbp plasmid. All of the B. sonorensis strains harbored the bacitracin synthetase gene, bacA, and the transporter gene bcrA, which correlated with their observed resistance to bacitracin. Bacitracin was produced by all the investigated species strains (28%), as determined by ultra-high-definition quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHD-QTOF LC/MS). The present study has revealed species-specific variations in the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Bacillus spp. and provides new information on MIC values, as well as the occurrence of resistance genes in Bacillus spp., including the newly described species B. sonorensis. PMID:22941078

  14. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Bacillus strains isolated from primary starters for African traditional bread production and characterization of the bacitracin operon and bacitracin biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Adimpong, David B; Sørensen, Kim I; Thorsen, Line; Stuer-Lauridsen, Birgitte; Abdelgadir, Warda S; Nielsen, Dennis S; Derkx, Patrick M F; Jespersen, Lene

    2012-11-01

    Bacillus spp. are widely used as feed additives and probiotics. However, there is limited information on their resistance to various antibiotics, and there is a growing concern over the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. The MIC for 8 antibiotics was determined for 85 Bacillus species strains, Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (n = 29), Bacillus licheniformis (n = 38), and Bacillus sonorensis (n = 18), all of which were isolated from starters for Sudanese bread production. All the strains were sensitive to tetracycline (8.0 mg/liter), vancomycin (4.0 mg/liter), and gentamicin (4.0 mg/liter) but resistant to streptomycin. Sensitivity to clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and kanamycin was species specific. The erythromycin resistance genes ermD and ermK were detected by PCR in all of the erythromycin-resistant (MIC, ≥16.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strains and one erythromycin-sensitive (MIC, 4.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strain. Several amino acid changes were present in the translated ermD and ermK nucleotide sequences of the erythromycin-sensitive strain, which could indicate ErmD and ErmK protein functionalities different from those of the resistance strains. The ermD and ermK genes were localized on an 11.4-kbp plasmid. All of the B. sonorensis strains harbored the bacitracin synthetase gene, bacA, and the transporter gene bcrA, which correlated with their observed resistance to bacitracin. Bacitracin was produced by all the investigated species strains (28%), as determined by ultra-high-definition quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHD-QTOF LC/MS). The present study has revealed species-specific variations in the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Bacillus spp. and provides new information on MIC values, as well as the occurrence of resistance genes in Bacillus spp., including the newly described species B. sonorensis.

  15. Distribution and identification of proteolytic Bacillus spp. in paddy field soil under rice cultivation.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, K; Hayano, K

    1993-07-01

    Proteolytic bacteria in paddy field soils under rice cultivation were characterized and enumerated using azocoll agar plates. Bacillus spp. were the proteolytic bacteria that were most frequently present, comprising 59% of the isolates. They were always the numerically dominant proteolytic bacteria isolated from three kinds of fertilizer treatments (yearly application of rice-straw compost and chemical fertilizer, yearly application of chemical fertilizer, and no fertilizer application) and at three different stages of rice development (vegetative growth stage, maximal tillering stage, and harvest stage). Of the 411 proteolytic bacteria isolated, 124 isolates had stronger proteolytic activity than others on the basis of gelatin liquefaction tests and most of them were Bacillus spp. (100% in 1989 and 92.4% in 1991). Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus were the main bacteria of this group and Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus megaterium were also present. We conclude that these Bacillus spp. are the primary source of soil protease in these paddy fields.

  16. Rope-producing strains of Bacillus spp. from wheat bread and strategy for their control by lactic acid bacteria.

    PubMed

    Pepe, Olimpia; Blaiotta, Giuseppe; Moschetti, Giancarlo; Greco, Teresa; Villani, Francesco

    2003-04-01

    Two types of white wheat bread (high- and low-type loaves) were investigated for rope spoilage. Thirty of the 56 breads tested developed rope spoilage within 5 days; the high-type loaves were affected by rope spoilage more than the low-type loaves. Sixty-one Bacillus strains were isolated from ropy breads and were characterized on the basis of their phenotypic and genotypic traits. All of the isolates were identified as Bacillus subtilis by biochemical tests, but molecular assays (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR assay, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis, and sequencing of the V3 region of 16S ribosomal DNA) revealed greater Bacillus species variety in ropy breads. In fact, besides strains of B. subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus cereus, and isolates of Bacillus clausii and Bacillus firmus were also identified. All of the ropy Bacillus isolates exhibited amylase activity, whereas only 32.4% of these isolates were able to produce ropiness in bread slices after treatment at 96 degrees C for 10 min. Strains of lactic acid bacteria previously isolated from sourdough were first selected for antirope activity on bread slices and then used as starters for bread-making experiments. Prevention of growth of approximately 10(4) rope-producing B. subtilis G1 spores per cm(2) on bread slices for more than 15 days was observed when heat-treated cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum E5 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides A27 were added. Growth of B. subtilis G1 occurred after 7 days in breads started with Saccharomyces cerevisiae T22, L. plantarum E5, and L. mesenteroides A27.

  17. Toxigenic genes, spoilage potential, and antimicrobial resistance of Bacillus cereus group strains from ice cream.

    PubMed

    Arslan, Seza; Eyi, Ayla; Küçüksarı, Rümeysa

    2014-02-01

    Bacillus spp. can be recovered from almost every environment. It is also found readily in foods, where it may cause food spoilage and/or food poisoning due to its toxigenic and pathogenic nature, and extracellular enzymes. In this study, 29 Bacillus cereus group strains from ice cream were examined for the presence of following virulence genes hblC, nheA, cytK and ces genes, and tested for a range of the extracellular enzymes, and antimicrobial susceptibility. The strains were found to produce extracellular enzymes: proteolytic and lipolytic activity, gelatin hydrolysis and lecithinase production (100%), DNase production (93.1%) and amylase activity (93.1%). Of 29 strains examined, 24 (82.8%) showed hemolytic activity on blood agar. Beta-lactamase enzyme was only produced by 20.7% of B. cereus group. Among 29 B. cereus group from ice cream, nheA was the most common virulence gene detected in 44.8% of the strains, followed by hblC gene with 17.2%. Four (13.8%) of the 29 strains were positive for both hblC gene and nheA gene. Contrarily, cytK and ces genes were not detected in any of the strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility of ice cream isolates was tested to 14 different antimicrobial agents using the disc diffusion method. We detected resistance to penicillin and ampicillin with the same rate of 89.7%. Thirty-one percent of the strains were multiresistant to three or more antibiotics. This study emphasizes that the presence of natural isolates of Bacillus spp. harboring one or more enterotoxin genes, producing extracellular enzymes which may cause spoilage and acquiring antibiotic resistance might hold crucial importance in the food safety and quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Evaluation of new antimicrobial agents on Bacillus spp. strains: docking affinity and in vitro inhibition of glutamate-racemase.

    PubMed

    Tamay-Cach, Feliciano; Correa-Basurto, José; Villa-Tanaca, Lourdes; Mancilla-Percino, Teresa; Juárez-Montiel, Margarita; Trujillo-Ferrara, José G

    2013-10-01

    Three glutamic acid derivatives, two boron-containing and one imide-containing compound, were synthesized and tested for antimicrobial activity targeting glutamate-racemase. Antimicrobial effect was evaluated over Bacillus spp. Docking analysis shown that the test compounds bind near the active site of racemase isoforms, suggesting an allosteric effect. The boron derivatives had greater affinity than the imide derivative. In vitro assays shown good antimicrobial activity for the boron-containing compounds, and no effectiveness for the imide-containing compounds. The minimum inhibitory concentration of tetracycline, used as standard, was lower than that of the boron-containing derivatives. However, it seems that the boron-containing derivatives are more selective for bacteria. Experimental evidence suggests that the boron-containing derivatives act by inhibiting the racemase enzyme. Therefore, these test compounds probably impede the formation of the bacterial cell wall. Thus, the boron-containing glutamic acid derivatives should certainly be of interest for future studies as antimicrobial agents for Bacillus spp.

  19. Probiotic Bacillus spp. in Soy-Curd: Nutritional, Rheological, Sensory, and Antioxidant Properties.

    PubMed

    Shobharani, P; Prakash, Maya; Halami, Prakash M

    2015-10-01

    The focus of this study was to coculture probiotic Bacillus spp. with dairy starter cultures namely, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus for enhanced nutritional properties of soy-curd. Subsequently, rheological, sensory, and antioxidant properties of soy-curd along with mineral as well as fatty acid composition were analyzed. Data revealed an increase in the cell viability of probiotic Bacillus spp. on coculturing rather than as mono-culture. Proximate analysis showed higher nutritional value along with increased trace elements. UFA/SFA ratio, rheology, and sensory properties of probiotic soy-curd were in the acceptable range. Probiotic soy-curd showed higher antioxidant activity as measured by the ability to scavenge free radicals. No significant difference in the overall quality within the probiotic products was observed. However, B. flexus MCC2427 cocultured product displayed slightly better attributes than other samples. In general, the results suggest that soy-curd can be a suitable carrier for probiotic Bacillus spp. and the enhanced nutritional and antioxidant properties could be of additional advantage to combat malnutrition problem. In order to supply consumers with intriguing probiotic products for improving health benefits, several criteria including technological and functional properties should be considered as a quality control measures. Further, a meaningful level of probiotics has to be viable to exhibit beneficial effect. Hence, present work has been carried out to improve the quality of soy-curd by supplementation of probiotic Bacillus spp. These Bacillus spp. are well characterized native probiotic cultures with potential functional attributes including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticholesterol activity (Shobharani and Halami 2014). Hence, the application of these cultures will encourage for development of food product with wider health benefits. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  20. Biocontrol of Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria gracilis by eucalypts growth promoters Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Paz, Isabel Cristina Padula; Santin, Rita de Cássia Madail; Guimarães, Alexandre Martins; Rosa, Osmar Paulo Pereira da; Quecine, Maria Carolina; Silva, Michele de Cássia Pereira E; Azevedo, João Lúcio; Matsumura, Aida Terezinha Santos

    2018-05-17

    The clonal Eucalyptus plants are commonly obtained by vegetative propagation under a protected environment. This system improves the Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria spp infection on the young eucalypts plantings, resulting gray mold and cutting rot respectively. Currently, the unique available control method is based on chemicals. As alternative, novel methods to manage plant diseases, endophytic microorganisms could be an interesting alternative. Thus, we aimed to evaluate endophytic Bacillus isolated from eucalypts as a biocontrol agent against Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria gracilis, important fungal pathogens in the greenhouse, using clonal plantlets of E. urograndis. Eight endophytic strains of Bacillus, previously described as eucalyptus growth promoters, were evaluated in vitro and in vivo against Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria gracilis. The diffusible metabolites assay showed the potential of endophytic Bacillus to decrease the growth of both pathogens. Differences in the susceptibility of the pathogens to bacterial volatile metabolites were observed, B. cinerea showed more susceptible than Calonectria gracilis. In vivo assays, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EUCB 10 demonstrated better overall reductions in these diseases. Based on the results obtained from the in vitro and in vivo analyses, we suggest that the endophytic B. amyloliquefaciens strain EUCB 10 constitutes a promising biocontrol agent against B. cinerea and Calonectria gracilis. Furthermore, this is the first reporting of B. amyloliquefaciens previously describe as plant growth promoter and also as potential control agent of B. cinerea and Calonectria gracilis to eucalyptus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A novel strategy to improve protein secretion via overexpression of the SppA signal peptide peptidase in Bacillus licheniformis.

    PubMed

    Cai, Dongbo; Wang, Hao; He, Penghui; Zhu, Chengjun; Wang, Qin; Wei, Xuetuan; Nomura, Christopher T; Chen, Shouwen

    2017-04-24

    Signal peptide peptidases play an important role in the removal of remnant signal peptides in the cell membrane, a critical step for extracellular protein production. Although these proteins are likely a central component for extracellular protein production, there has been a lack of research on whether protein secretion could be enhanced via overexpression of signal peptide peptidases. In this study, both nattokinase and α-amylase were employed as prototypical secreted target proteins to evaluate the function of putative signal peptide peptidases (SppA and TepA) in Bacillus licheniformis. We observed dramatic decreases in the concentrations of both target proteins (45 and 49%, respectively) in a sppA deficient strain, while the extracellular protein yields of nattokinase and α-amylase were increased by 30 and 67% respectively in a strain overexpressing SppA. In addition, biomass, specific enzyme activities and the relative gene transcriptional levels were also enhanced due to the overexpression of sppA, while altering the expression levels of tepA had no effect on the concentrations of the secreted target proteins. Our results confirm that SppA, but not TepA, plays an important functional role for protein secretion in B. licheniformis. Our results indicate that the sppA overexpression strain, B. licheniformis BL10GS, could be used as a promising host strain for the industrial production of heterologous secreted proteins.

  2. Keratinase Production by Three Bacillus spp. Using Feather Meal and Whole Feather as Substrate in a Submerged Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Mazotto, Ana Maria; Coelho, Rosalie Reed Rodrigues; Cedrola, Sabrina Martins Lage; de Lima, Marcos Fábio; Couri, Sonia; Paraguai de Souza, Edilma; Vermelho, Alane Beatriz

    2011-01-01

    Three Bacillus species (B. subtilis LFB-FIOCRUZ 1270, B. subtilis LFB-FIOCRUZ 1273, and B. licheniformis LFB-FIOCRUZ 1274), isolated from the poultry industry, were evaluated for keratinase production using feathers or feather meal as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources in a submerged fermentation. The three Bacillus spp. produced extracellular keratinases and peptidases after 7 days. Feather meal was the best substrate for keratinase and peptidase production in B. subtilis 1273, with 412 U/mL and 463 U/ml. The three strains were able to degrade feather meal (62–75%) and feather (40–95%) producing 3.9–4.4 mg/ml of soluble protein in feather meal medium and 1.9–3.3 mg/ml when feather medium was used. The three strains produced serine peptidases with keratinase and gelatinase activity. B. subtilis 1273 was the strain which exhibited the highest enzymatic activity. PMID:21822479

  3. Isolation of Salmonella spp. from lettuce and evaluation of its susceptibility to novel bacteriocins of Bacillus thuringiensis and antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Castañeda-Ramírez, Cristobal; Cortes-Rodríguez, Viridiana; de la Fuente-Salcido, Norma; Bideshi, Dennis K; del Rincón-Castro, M Cristina; Barboza-Corona, J Eleazar

    2011-02-01

    In this study, 13% of fresh lettuce (Lactuca sativa) samples collected from markets and supermarkets in two cities of Mexico were contaminated with Salmonella spp. From those samples, amplicons of ∼300 base pairs (bp) were amplified, corresponding to the expected size of the invasion (invA) and internal transcribed spacer regions of the 16S and 23S rRNA genes of Salmonella spp. Additionally, Salmonella strains were isolated and harbored plasmids ranging from ∼9 to 16 kbp. From these strains, 91% were resistant to ampicillin and nitrofurantoin, whereas 55% were resistant to cephalothin and chloramphenicol. No resistance was detected to amikacin, carbenicillin, cefotaxime, gentamicin, netilmicin, norfloxacin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. When Salmonella isolates were tested against novel bacteriocins (morricin 269, kurstacin 287, kenyacin 404, entomocin 420, and tolworthcin 524) produced by five Mexican strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, 50% were susceptible to these antimicrobial peptides. This is the first report showing that Salmonella strains isolated from lettuce are susceptible to bacteriocins produced by the most important bioinsecticide worldwide, suggesting the potential use of these antibacterial peptides as therapeutic agents or food preservatives to reduce or destroy populations of Salmonella spp. Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection

  4. Assessment of potential probiotic properties of Lactobacillus spp., Lactococcus spp., and Pediococcus spp. strains isolated from kefir.

    PubMed

    Sabir, Firat; Beyatli, Yavuz; Cokmus, Cumhur; Onal-Darilmaz, Derya

    2010-01-01

    In this study, the metabolic activities (in terms of quantities of the produced lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and exopolysaccharides) of 8 strains of Lactobacillus spp., Lactococcus spp., and Pediococcus spp., were determined. Lactic acid levels produced by strains were 8.1 to 17.4 mg/L. The L. acidophilus Z1L strain produced the maximum amount (3.18 μg/mL) of hydrogen peroxide. The exopolysaccharides (EPS) production by the strains was ranged between 173 and 378 mg/L. The susceptibility of 7 different antibiotics against these strains was also tested. All strains were found to be sensitive to ampicillin. The tolerance of the strains to low pH, their resistance to bile salts of strains, and their abilities to autoaggregate and coaggregate with Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 were also evaluated. High EPS-producing strains showed significant autoaggregation and coaggregation ability with test bacteria (P < 0.01). A correlation also was determined between EPS production and acid-bile tolerance (P < 0.05). EPS production possibly affects or is involved in acid-bile tolerance and aggregation of Lactobacillus spp., Lactococcus spp., and Pediococcus spp. strains and supports the potential of L. acidophilus Z1L strain as new probiotic. © 2010 Institute of Food Technologists®

  5. Antagonist effects of Bacillus spp. strains against Fusarium graminearum for protection of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum).

    PubMed

    Zalila-Kolsi, Imen; Ben Mahmoud, Afif; Ali, Hacina; Sellami, Sameh; Nasfi, Zina; Tounsi, Slim; Jamoussi, Kaïs

    2016-11-01

    Bacillus species are attractive due to their potential use in the biological control of fungal diseases. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain BLB369, Bacillus subtilis strain BLB277, and Paenibacillus polymyxa strain BLB267 were isolated and identified using biochemical and molecular (16S rDNA, gyrA, and rpoB) approaches. They could produce, respectively, (iturin and surfactin), (surfactin and fengycin), and (fusaricidin and polymyxin) exhibiting broad spectrum against several phytopathogenic fungi. In vivo examination of wheat seed germination, plant height, phenolic compounds, chlorophyll, and carotenoid contents proved the efficiency of the bacterial cells and the secreted antagonist activities to protect Tunisian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) cultivar Om Rabiia against F. graminearum fungus. Application of single bacterial culture medium, particularly that of B. amyloliquefaciens, showed better protection than combinations of various culture media. The tertiary combination of B. amyloliquefaciens, B. subtilis, and P. polymyxa bacterial cells led to the highest protection rate which could be due to strains synergistic or complementary effects. Hence, combination of compatible biocontrol agents could be a strategic approach to control plant diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. Complete Genomes of Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, Two Phylogenetically Distinct Probiotics.

    PubMed

    Khatri, Indu; Sharma, Shailza; Ramya, T N C; Subramanian, Srikrishna

    2016-01-01

    Several spore-forming strains of Bacillus are marketed as probiotics due to their ability to survive harsh gastrointestinal conditions and confer health benefits to the host. We report the complete genomes of two commercially available probiotics, Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, and compare them with the genomes of other Bacillus and Lactobacillus. The taxonomic position of both organisms was established with a maximum-likelihood tree based on twenty six housekeeping proteins. Analysis of all probiotic strains of Bacillus and Lactobacillus reveal that the essential sporulation proteins are conserved in all Bacillus probiotic strains while they are absent in Lactobacillus spp. We identified various antibiotic resistance, stress-related, and adhesion-related domains in these organisms, which likely provide support in exerting probiotic action by enabling adhesion to host epithelial cells and survival during antibiotic treatment and harsh conditions.

  7. [Salmonella spp. strains resistant to drugs].

    PubMed

    Białucha, Agata; Kozuszko, Sylwia; Gospodarek, Eugenia

    2010-01-01

    The aim of the study was retrospective analysis of Salmonella spp. strains isolated from patients of State Infectious Diseases Observatory Hospital of T. Browicz in Bydgoszcz (SZAK) and University of dr. A. Jurasz in Bydgoszcz (SU CM UMK) in 2006-2009. The percentages of Salmonella spp. strains resistant to at least one drug were: 19,0% in 2006, 12,5% in 2007, 50,6% in 2008 and 43,8% in the first half of 2009 year. The highest number of Salmonella spp. strains resistant to drugs were isolated from stool (96,7%) and from patients of SZAK (83,3%). Among all isolated Salmonella spp. strains resistant to drugs the highest percentage were S. enterica serovar Enteritidis (56,7%). Among S. enterica bacilli predominated resitant phenotypes to ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol and nalidixic acid. The increasing number of strains resistant to ciprofloxacin (0,0 - 26,7%) and high percentage of strains resistant to nalidixic acid (97,3%) were noted. Decreasing resistance to chloramphenicol was observed in our study (54,5 - 14,3%).

  8. Identification of Bacillus Strains for Biological Control of Catfish Pathogens

    PubMed Central

    Ran, Chao; Carrias, Abel; Williams, Malachi A.; Capps, Nancy; Dan, Bui C. T.; Newton, Joseph C.; Kloepper, Joseph W.; Ooi, Ei L.; Browdy, Craig L.; Terhune, Jeffery S.; Liles, Mark R.

    2012-01-01

    Bacillus strains isolated from soil or channel catfish intestine were screened for their antagonism against Edwardsiella ictaluri and Aeromonas hydrophila, the causative agents of enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC) and motile aeromonad septicaemia (MAS), respectively. Twenty one strains were selected and their antagonistic activity against other aquatic pathogens was also tested. Each of the top 21 strains expressed antagonistic activity against multiple aquatic bacterial pathogens including Edwardsiella tarda, Streptococcus iniae, Yersinia ruckeri, Flavobacterium columnare, and/or the oomycete Saprolegnia ferax. Survival of the 21 Bacillus strains in the intestine of catfish was determined as Bacillus CFU/g of intestinal tissue of catfish after feeding Bacillus spore-supplemented feed for seven days followed by normal feed for three days. Five Bacillus strains that showed good antimicrobial activity and intestinal survival were incorporated into feed in spore form at a dose of 8×107 CFU/g and fed to channel catfish for 14 days before they were challenged by E. ictaluri in replicate. Two Bacillus subtilis strains conferred significant benefit in reducing catfish mortality (P<0.05). A similar challenge experiment conducted in Vietnam with four of the five Bacillus strains also showed protective effects against E. ictaluri in striped catfish. Safety of the four strains exhibiting the strongest biological control in vivo was also investigated in terms of whether the strains contain plasmids or express resistance to clinically important antibiotics. The Bacillus strains identified from this study have good potential to mediate disease control as probiotic feed additives for catfish aquaculture. PMID:23029244

  9. Genomic Analysis of Bacillus sp. Strain B25, a Biocontrol Agent of Maize Pathogen Fusarium verticillioides.

    PubMed

    Douriet-Gámez, Nadia R; Maldonado-Mendoza, Ignacio E; Ibarra-Laclette, Enrique; Blom, Jochen; Calderón-Vázquez, Carlos L

    2018-03-01

    Bacillus sp. B25 is an effective biocontrol agent against the maize pathogenic fungus Fusarium verticillioides (Fv). Previous in vitro assays have shown that B25 has protease, glucanase, and chitinase activities and siderophores production; however, specific mechanisms by which B25 controls Fv are still unknown. To determine the genetic traits involved in biocontrol, B25 genome was sequenced and analyzed. B25 genome is composed of 5,113,413 bp and 5251 coding genes. A multilocus phylogenetic analysis (MLPA) suggests that B25 is closely related to the Bacillus cereus group and a high percentage (70-75%) of the genetic information is conserved between B25 and related strains, which include most of the genes associated to fungal antagonism. Some of these genes are shared with some biocontrol agents of the Bacillus genus and less with Pseudomonas and Serratia strains. We performed a genomic comparison between B25 and five Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas and Serratia strains. B25 contains genes involved in a wide variety of antagonistic mechanisms including chitinases, glycoside hydrolases, siderophores, antibiotics, and biofilm production that could be implicated in root colonization. Also, 24 genomic islands and 3 CRISPR sequences were identified in the B25 genome. This is the first comparative genome analysis between strains belonging to the B. cereus group and biocontrol agents of phytopathogenic fungi. These results are the starting point for further studies on B25 gene expression during its interaction with Fv.

  10. COMPARISON OF UV INACTIVATION OF SPORES OF THREE ENCEPHALITOZOON SPECIES WITH THAT OF SPORES OF TWO DNA REPAIR-DEFICIENT BACILLUS SUBTILIS BIODOSIMETRY STRAINS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The sensitivity of three Encephalitozoon spp. to ultraviolet (UV) inactivation was determined. Encephalitozoon intestinalis is a contaminant listed on the USEPA's 1998 Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). Also, use of DNA repair deficient strains of Bacillus subtilis were evaluat...

  11. Complete Genomes of Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, Two Phylogenetically Distinct Probiotics

    PubMed Central

    Ramya, T. N. C.; Subramanian, Srikrishna

    2016-01-01

    Several spore-forming strains of Bacillus are marketed as probiotics due to their ability to survive harsh gastrointestinal conditions and confer health benefits to the host. We report the complete genomes of two commercially available probiotics, Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, and compare them with the genomes of other Bacillus and Lactobacillus. The taxonomic position of both organisms was established with a maximum-likelihood tree based on twenty six housekeeping proteins. Analysis of all probiotic strains of Bacillus and Lactobacillus reveal that the essential sporulation proteins are conserved in all Bacillus probiotic strains while they are absent in Lactobacillus spp. We identified various antibiotic resistance, stress-related, and adhesion-related domains in these organisms, which likely provide support in exerting probiotic action by enabling adhesion to host epithelial cells and survival during antibiotic treatment and harsh conditions. PMID:27258038

  12. Isolation and Evaluation of New Antagonist Bacillus Strains for the Control of Pathogenic and Mycotoxigenic Fungi of Fig Orchards.

    PubMed

    Öztopuz, Özlem; Pekin, Gülseren; Park, Ro Dong; Eltem, Rengin

    2018-05-03

    Bacillus is an antagonistic bacteria that shows high effectiveness against different phytopathogenic fungi and produces various lytic enzymes, such as chitosanase, chitinase, protease, and gluconase. The aim of this study is to determine Bacillus spp. for lytic enzyme production and to evaluate the antifungal effects of the selected strains for biocontrol of mycotoxigenic and phytopathogenic fungi. A total of 92 endospore-forming bacterial isolates from the 24 fig orchard soil samples were screened for chitosanase production, and six best chitosanolytic isolates were selected to determine chitinase, protease, and N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase activity and molecularly identified. The antagonistic activities of six Bacillus strains against Aspergillus niger EGE-K-213, Aspergillus foetidus EGE-K-211, Aspergillus ochraceus EGE-K-217, and Fusarium solani KCTC 6328 were evaluated. Fungal spore germination inhibition and biomass inhibition activities were also measured against A. niger EGE-K-213. The results demonstrated that Bacillus mojavensis EGE-B-5.2i and Bacillus thuringiensis EGE-B-14.1i were more efficient antifungal agents against A. niger EGE-K-213. B. mojavensis EGE-B-5.2i has shown maximum inhibition of the biomass (30.4%), and B. thuringiensis EGE-B-14.1i has shown maximum inhibition of spore germination (33.1%) at 12 h. This is the first study reporting the potential of antagonist Bacillus strains as biocontrol agents against mycotoxigenic fungi of fig orchads.

  13. Bacillus Strains Most Closely Related to Bacillus nealsonii Are Not Effectively Circumscribed within the Taxonomic Species Definition

    PubMed Central

    Peak, K. Kealy; Duncan, Kathleen E.; Luna, Vicki A.; King, Debra S.; McCarthy, Peter J.; Cannons, Andrew C.

    2011-01-01

    Bacillus strains with >99.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity were characterized with DNA:DNA hybridization, cellular fatty acid (CFA) analysis, and testing of 100 phenotypic traits. When paired with the most closely related type strain, percent DNA:DNA similarities (% S) for six Bacillus strains were all far below the recommended 70% threshold value for species circumscription with Bacillus nealsonii. An apparent genomic group of four Bacillus strain pairings with 94%–70% S was contradicted by the failure of the strains to cluster in CFA- and phenotype-based dendrograms as well as by their differentiation with 9–13 species level discriminators such as nitrate reduction, temperature range, and acid production from carbohydrates. The novel Bacillus strains were monophyletic and very closely related based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. Coherent genomic groups were not however supported by similarly organized phenotypic clusters. Therefore, the strains were not effectively circumscribed within the taxonomic species definition. PMID:22046187

  14. Aerobic TCE degradation by encapsulated toluene-oxidizing bacteria, Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Kim, Seungjin; Bae, Wookeun; Hwang, Jungmin; Park, Jaewoo

    2010-01-01

    The degradation rates of toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE) by Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus spp. that were encapsulated in polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymers were evaluated in comparison with the results of exposure to suspended cultures. PEG monomers were polymerized together with TCE-degrading microorganisms, such that the cells were encapsulated in and protected by the matrices of the PEG polymers. TCE concentrations were varied from 0.1 to 1.5 mg/L. In the suspended cultures of P. putida, the TCE removal rate decreased as the initial TCE concentration increased, revealing TCE toxicity or a limitation of reducing power, or both. When the cells were encapsulated, an initial lag period of about 10-20 h was observed for toluene degradation. Once acclimated, the encapsulated P. putida cultures were more tolerant to TCE at an experimental range of 0.6-1.0 mg/L and gave higher transfer efficiencies (mass TCE transformed/mass toluene utilized). When the TCE concentration was low (e.g., 0.1 mg/L) the removal of TCE per unit mass of cells (specific removal) was significantly lower, probably due to a diffusion limitation into the PEG pellet. Encapsulated Bacillus spp. were able to degrade TCE cometabolically. The encapsulated Bacillus spp. gave significantly higher values than did P. putida in the specific removal and the transfer efficiency, particularly at relatively high TCE concentration of approximately 1.0±0.5 mg/L. The transfer efficiency by encapsulated Bacillus spp. in this study was 0.27 mgTCE/mgToluene, which was one to two orders of magnitude greater than the reported values.

  15. Bacillus As Potential Probiotics: Status, Concerns, and Future Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Elshaghabee, Fouad M. F.; Rokana, Namita; Gulhane, Rohini D.; Sharma, Chetan; Panwar, Harsh

    2017-01-01

    Spore-forming bacilli are being explored for the production and preservation of food for many centuries. The inherent ability of production of large number of secretory proteins, enzymes, antimicrobial compounds, vitamins, and carotenoids specifies the importance of bacilli in food chain. Additionally, Bacillus spp. are gaining interest in human health related functional food research coupled with their enhanced tolerance and survivability under hostile environment of gastrointestinal tract. Besides, bacilli are more stable during processing and storage of food and pharmaceutical preparations, making them more suitable candidate for health promoting formulations. Further, Bacillus strains also possess biotherapeutic potential which is connected with their ability to interact with the internal milieu of the host by producing variety of antimicrobial peptides and small extracellular effector molecules. Nonetheless, with proposed scientific evidences, commercial probiotic supplements, and functional foods comprising of Bacillus spp. had not gained much credential in general population, since the debate over probiotic vs pathogen tag of Bacillus in the research and production terrains is confusing consumers. Hence, it’s important to clearly understand the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of selective beneficial Bacillus spp. and their substantiation with those having GRAS status, to reach a consensus over the same. This review highlights the probiotic candidature of spore forming Bacillus spp. and presents an overview of the proposed health benefits, including application in food and pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, the growing need to evaluate the safety of individual Bacillus strains as well as species on a case by case basis and necessity of more profound analysis for the selection and identification of Bacillus probiotic candidates are also taken into consideration. PMID:28848511

  16. Selection and differentiation of Bacillus spp. Antagonistic to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici and Alternaria solani infecting Tomato.

    PubMed

    Shanmugam, Veerubommu; Atri, Kamini; Gupta, Samriti; Kanoujia, Nandina; Naruka, Digvijay Singh

    2011-03-01

    Antagonistic Bacillus spp. displaying in vitro production of siderophore, chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase were identified from dual culture assays. In independent greenhouse studies, seed bacterization and soil application of Bacillus atrophaeus S2BC-2 challenge inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL) and Alternaria solani (AS) recorded low percent disease index of 25.3 and 28.7, respectively, over nonbacterised pathogen control (44.3 and 56.4). The low disease incidence corroborated with tomato growth promotion with high vigor index (8,041.2) and fresh plant weight (82.5 g) on challenge inoculation with FOL. Analysis of root and leaf samples in rhizobacterial treatment challenged with FOL and AS revealed maximum induction of chitinase (1.9 and 1.7 U/mg of protein, respectively) and β-1,3-glucanase (23.5 and 19.2 U/mg of protein, respectively). In native gel activity assays, the rhizobacterial treatment on challenge inoculation strongly expressed three high intensity PO isoforms along with one low intensity isoform. In studies on genetic diversity of the Bacillus strains by repetitive extragenomic palindromic-polymerase chain reaction (REP-PCR) and amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) patterns, ARDRA was more highly discriminant than REP-PCR and allowed grouping of the strains and differentiation of the antagonistic strains from other isolates.

  17. The presence of sboA and spaS genes and antimicrobial peptides subtilosin A and subtilin among Bacillus strains of the Amazon basin

    PubMed Central

    Velho, Renata Voltolini; Basso, Ana Paula; Segalin, Jeferson; Costa-Medina, Luis Fernando; Brandelli, Adriano

    2013-01-01

    This report demonstrates the usefulness of PCR for the genes spaS and sboA as a means of identifying Bacillus strains with a potential to produce subtilin and subtilosin A. One collection strain and five Bacillus spp. isolated from aquatic environments in the Amazon basin were screened by PCR using primers for sboA and spaS designed specifically for this study. The sequences of the PCR products showed elevated homology with previously described spaS and sboA genes. Antimicrobial peptides were isolated from culture supernatants and analyzed by mass spectrometry. For all samples, the mass spectra revealed clusters with peaks at m/z 3300–3500 Da, corresponding to subtilosin A, subtilin and isoforms of these peptides. These results suggest that the antimicrobial activity of these strains may be associated with the production of subtilosin A and/or subtilin. The PCR used here was efficient in identifying novel Bacillus strains with the essential genes for producing subtilosin A and subtilin. PMID:23569414

  18. First steps of bacteriophage SPP1 entry into Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Jakutytė, Lina; Lurz, Rudi; Baptista, Catarina; Carballido-Lopez, Rut; São-José, Carlos; Tavares, Paulo; Daugelavičius, Rimantas

    2012-01-20

    The mechanism of genome transfer from the virion to the host cytoplasm is critical to understand and control the beginning of viral infection. The initial steps of bacteriophage SPP1 infection of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis were monitored by following changes in permeability of the cytoplasmic membrane (CM). SPP1 leads to a distinctively faster CM depolarization than the one caused by podovirus ϕ29 or myovirus SP01 during B. subtilis infection. Depolarization requires interaction of SPP1 infective virion to its receptor protein YueB. The amplitude of depolarization depends on phage input and concentration of YueB at the cell surface. Sub-millimolar concentrations of Ca(2+) are necessary and sufficient for SPP1 reversible binding to the host envelope and thus to trigger depolarization while DNA delivery to the cytoplasm depends on millimolar concentrations of this divalent cation. A model describing the early events of bacteriophage SPP1 infection is presented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Study of mural painting isolates, leading to the transfer of 'Bacillus maroccanus' and 'Bacillus carotarum' to Bacillus simplex, emended description of Bacillus simplex, re-examination of the strains previously attributed to 'Bacillus macroides' and description of Bacillus muralis sp. nov.

    PubMed

    Heyrman, Jeroen; Logan, Niall A; Rodríguez-Díaz, Marina; Scheldeman, Patsy; Lebbe, Liesbeth; Swings, Jean; Heyndrickx, Marc; De Vos, Paul

    2005-01-01

    A group of 24 strains was isolated from deteriorated mural paintings situated in Spain (necropolis of Carmona) and Germany (church of Greene-Kreiensen). (GTG)5-PCR genomic fingerprinting was performed on these strains to assess their genomic variability and the strains were delineated into four groups. Representatives were studied by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and were found to be closely related to Bacillus simplex and the species 'Bacillus macroides' (strain NCIMB 8796) and 'Bacillus maroccanus' (names not validly published) according to a fasta search. The close similarity between B. simplex, 'B. macroides' NCIMB 8796, 'B. maroccanus' and the mural painting isolates was confirmed by additional (GTG)5-PCR, ARDRA, FAME and SDS-PAGE analyses. Furthermore, these techniques revealed that strains of 'Bacillus carotarum', another name that has not been validly published, also showed high similarity to this group of organisms. On the other hand, it was shown that the strains labelled 'B. macroides' in different collections do not all belong to the same species. Strain NCIMB 8796 can be allocated to B. simplex, while strain DSM 54 (=ATCC 12905) shares the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Bacillus sphaericus and Bacillus fusiformis (both around 98.6 %). On the basis of further DNA-DNA hybridization data and the study of phenotypic characteristics, one group of five mural painting strains was attributed to a novel species in the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus muralis sp. nov. is proposed. Finally, the remaining mural painting strains, one (LMG 18508=NCIMB 8796) of two strains belonging to 'B. macroides' and strains belonging to 'B. maroccanus' and 'B. carotarum' are allocated to the species B. simplex and an emended description of B. simplex is given.

  20. Sporulation of Bacillus spp. within biofilms: a potential source of contamination in food processing environments.

    PubMed

    Faille, C; Bénézech, T; Midelet-Bourdin, G; Lequette, Y; Clarisse, M; Ronse, G; Ronse, A; Slomianny, C

    2014-06-01

    Bacillus strains are often isolated from biofilms in the food industries. Previous works have demonstrated that sporulation could occur in biofilms, suggesting that biofilms would be a significant source of food contamination with spores. In this study, we investigated the properties of mono-species and mixed Bacillus biofilms and the ability of Bacillus strains to sporulate inside biofilms. Bacillus strains were able to form mono-species biofilms on stainless steel coupons, with up to 90% spores after a 48 h-incubation. These spores were highly resistant to cleaning but were easily transferred to agar, mimicking the cross-contamination of food, thereby suggesting that biofilms would be of particular concern due to a potential for Bacillus spore food contamination. This hypothesis was strengthened by the fact that Bacillus strains were able to form mixed biofilms with resident strains and that sporulation still occurred easily in these complex structures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Design of a CRISPR-Cas system to increase resistance of Bacillus subtilis to bacteriophage SPP1.

    PubMed

    Jakutyte-Giraitiene, Lina; Gasiunas, Giedrius

    2016-08-01

    Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) together with CRISPR-associated (cas) genes form an adaptive prokaryotic immune system which provides acquired resistance against viruses and plasmids. Bacillus subtilis presently is the best-characterized laboratory model for Gram-positive bacteria and also widely used for industrial production of enzymes, vitamins and antibiotics. In this study, we show that type II-A CRISPR-Cas system from Streptococcus thermophilus can be transferred into B. subtilis and provides heterologous protection against phage infection. We engineered a heterologous host by cloning S. thermophilus Cas9 and a spacer targeting bacteriophage SPP1 into the chromosome of B. subtilis, which does not harbor its own CRISPR-Cas systems. We found that the heterologous CRISPR-Cas system is functionally active in B. subtilis and provides resistance against bacteriophage SPP1 infection. The high efficiency of the acquired immunity against phage could be useful in generation of biotechnologically important B. subtilis strains with engineered chromosomes.

  2. Genetic Characterization of Bacillus anthracis 17 JB strain.

    PubMed

    Seyed-Mohamadi, Sakineh; Moradi Bidhendi, Soheila; Tadayon, Keyvan; Ghaderi, Rainak

    2015-06-01

    Bacillus anthracis is one of the most homogenous bacteria ever described. Some level of diversity. Bacillus anthracis 17JB is a laboratory strain It is broadly used as a challenge strain in guinea pigs for potency test of anthrax vaccine. This work describes genetic characterization of B. anthracis 17 JB strain using the SNPs and MLVA genotyping. In SNPs typing, the originally French 17JB strain represented the A.Br. 008/009 subgroup. In Levy's genotyping method, 843, 451 and 864 bp long fragments were identified at AA03, AJ03 and AA07 loci, respectively. In the vaccine manufacturer perspective these findings are much valuable on their own account, but similar research is required to extend molecular knowledge of B. anthracis epidemiology in Persia.

  3. [A METHOD FOR DIFFERENTIATION OF BACILLUS ANTHRACIS STRAINS AND PHYLOGENETICALLY RELATED SPECIES BASED ON DETERMINATION OF THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCESBETWEEN CHROMOSOMAL GENES FOR BIOSYNTHESIS OF FLAGELLIN AND METHIONINE].

    PubMed

    Mikshis, N I; Kashtanova, T N; Kutyrev, V V

    2015-01-01

    Nucleotide sequence analysis of several genes responsible for the anthrax pathogen definitive properties--motility and penicillinase activity--determined a chromosomal locus promising for interspecies differentiation. We demonstrated that the gene fliC encoding flagellin synthesis contains extended region, distinguishing B. anthracis strains from the majority of non-pathogenic and opportunistic bacilli. A novel method for the anthrax pathogen indication and identification based on determination of the differences in the chromosomal genes fliC and hom2 structure was suggested. A total of 60 strains of different Bacillus spp. (B. anthracis, B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, B. mycoides, B. megaterium, B. subtilis, etc.) were tested using two chromosomal DNA targets. The algorithm developed in this work permits to detect the pathogenic microorganism and reliably differentiate it from other Bacillus spp. representatives. The introduction of primers complementary to specific sequences of pXO1 and pXQ2 plasmids into the multiplex PCR makes it possible to receive additional information on proposed virulence of the isolate.

  4. Surfactin production by strains of Bacillus mojavensis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus mojavensis, RRC101 is an endophytic bacterium patented for control of fungal diseases in maize and other plants. DNA fingerprint analysis of the rep-PCR fragments of 35 B. mojavensis and 4 B. subtilis strains using the Diversilab genotyping system revealed genotypic distinctive strains alon...

  5. Characterization of endophytic strains of Bacillus mojavensis and their production of surfactin isomers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus subtilis consists of a large collection of strains from which several cryptic species have been delineated, and most of these along with strains within the species are important biocontrol agents. Bacillus mojavensis, a species recently distinguished from this broad Bacillus subtilis grou...

  6. Identification of diacetonamine from soybean curd residue as a sporulation-inducing factor toward Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Ikeda, Aki; Kim, Dongyeop; Hashidoko, Yasuyuki

    2017-12-01

    Under bioassay-guided investigation, a sporulation-inducing factor (SIF) toward Bacillus spp. was searched for in methanol (MeOH) extracts of soybean curd residues, and diacetonamine (1) was identified as the active compound. SIF was first isolated as a monoacetylated derivative (2, 4.1 mg from 655 g soybean curd residues), and its chemical structure was elucidated by field desorption mass spectrometry, electron ionization mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses. After 48-h incubation, 40 µM diacetonamine hydrochloride (1b) exhibited sporulation-inducing activity with 35% sporulation frequency toward a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens wild-type strain (AHU 2170), whereas 40 µM diacetone acrylamide (3) showed 99% sporulation induction, which was much higher than that of 1b. Although Bacillus megaterium NBRC 15308 was sporulated by the treatment with 400 µM 1b with 36 and 70% sporulation frequency after 72- and 96-h incubation respectively, 3 at the same concentration showed only 2% sporulation after 72-h incubation. Hence, diacetonamine (1) was characterized as a genuine SIF from soybean curd residues, but it was uncertain whether 1 is a natural product or an artifact. Spores of B. amyloliquefaciens induced by 1b survived after treatment with heating at 95 °C for 10 min, also suggesting that 1 is genuine SIF in soybean curd residue. As sporulation induction is likely linked to activation of antibiotic production in some spore-forming Firmicutes bacteria, compound 1 would be a possible chemical tool to develop an effective fermentation technology in Bacillus species.

  7. Ex Vivo Application of Secreted Metabolites Produced by Soil-Inhabiting Bacillus spp. Efficiently Controls Foliar Diseases Caused by Alternaria spp.

    PubMed

    Ali, Gul Shad; El-Sayed, Ashraf S A; Patel, Jaimin S; Green, Kari B; Ali, Mohammad; Brennan, Mary; Norman, David

    2016-01-15

    Bacterial biological control agents (BCAs) are largely used as live products to control plant pathogens. However, due to variable environmental and ecological factors, live BCAs usually fail to produce desirable results against foliar pathogens. In this study, we investigated the potential of cell-free culture filtrates of 12 different bacterial BCAs isolated from flower beds for controlling foliar diseases caused by Alternaria spp. In vitro studies showed that culture filtrates from two isolates belonging to Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens displayed strong efficacy and potencies against Alternaria spp. The antimicrobial activity of the culture filtrate of these two biological control agents was effective over a wider range of pH (3.0 to 9.0) and was not affected by autoclaving or proteolysis. Comparative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses showed that a complex mixture of cyclic lipopeptides, primarily of the fengycin A and fengycin B families, was significantly higher in these two BCAs than inactive Bacillus spp. Interaction studies with mixtures of culture filtrates of these two species revealed additive activity, suggesting that they produce similar products, which was confirmed by LC-tandem MS analyses. In in planta pre- and postinoculation trials, foliar application of culture filtrates of B. subtilis reduced lesion sizes and lesion frequencies caused by Alternaria alternata by 68 to 81%. Taken together, our studies suggest that instead of live bacteria, culture filtrates of B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens can be applied either individually or in combination for controlling foliar diseases caused by Alternaria species. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  8. Ex Vivo Application of Secreted Metabolites Produced by Soil-Inhabiting Bacillus spp. Efficiently Controls Foliar Diseases Caused by Alternaria spp.

    PubMed Central

    El-Sayed, Ashraf S. A.; Patel, Jaimin S.; Green, Kari B.; Ali, Mohammad; Brennan, Mary; Norman, David

    2015-01-01

    Bacterial biological control agents (BCAs) are largely used as live products to control plant pathogens. However, due to variable environmental and ecological factors, live BCAs usually fail to produce desirable results against foliar pathogens. In this study, we investigated the potential of cell-free culture filtrates of 12 different bacterial BCAs isolated from flower beds for controlling foliar diseases caused by Alternaria spp. In vitro studies showed that culture filtrates from two isolates belonging to Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens displayed strong efficacy and potencies against Alternaria spp. The antimicrobial activity of the culture filtrate of these two biological control agents was effective over a wider range of pH (3.0 to 9.0) and was not affected by autoclaving or proteolysis. Comparative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses showed that a complex mixture of cyclic lipopeptides, primarily of the fengycin A and fengycin B families, was significantly higher in these two BCAs than inactive Bacillus spp. Interaction studies with mixtures of culture filtrates of these two species revealed additive activity, suggesting that they produce similar products, which was confirmed by LC-tandem MS analyses. In in planta pre- and postinoculation trials, foliar application of culture filtrates of B. subtilis reduced lesion sizes and lesion frequencies caused by Alternaria alternata by 68 to 81%. Taken together, our studies suggest that instead of live bacteria, culture filtrates of B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens can be applied either individually or in combination for controlling foliar diseases caused by Alternaria species. PMID:26519395

  9. Differentiation of strains from the Bacillus cereus group by RFLP-PFGE genomic fingerprinting.

    PubMed

    Otlewska, Anna; Oltuszak-Walczak, Elzbieta; Walczak, Piotr

    2013-11-01

    Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus pseudomycoides, Bacillus weihenstephanensis, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus cereus belong to the B. cereus group. The last three species are characterized by different phenotype features and pathogenicity spectrum, but it has been shown that these species are genetically closely related. The macrorestriction analysis of the genomic DNA with the NotI enzyme was used to generate polymorphism of restriction profiles for 39 food-borne isolates (B. cereus, B. mycoides) and seven reference strains (B. mycoides, B. thuringiensis, B. weihenstephanensis, and B. cereus). The PFGE method was applied to differentiate the examined strains of the B. cereus group. On the basis of the unweighted pair group method with the arithmetic mean method and Dice coefficient, the strains were divided into five clusters (types A-E), and the most numerous group was group A (25 strains). A total of 21 distinct pulsotypes were observed. The RFLP-PFGE analysis was successfully used for the differentiation and characterization of B. cereus and B. mycoides strains isolated from different food products. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Biodegradation of furfural by Bacillus subtilis strain DS3.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Dan; Bao, Jianguo; Lu, Jueming; Lv, Quanxi

    2015-07-01

    An aerobic bacterial strain DS3, capable of growing on furfural as sole carbon source, was isolated from actived sludge of wastewater treatment plant in a diosgenin factory after enrichment. Based on morphological physiological tests as well as 16SrDNA sequence and Biolog analyses it was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The study revealed that strain DS3 utilized furfural, as analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under following conditions: pH 8.0, temperature 35 degrees C, 150 rpm and 10% inoculum, strain DS3 showed 31.2% furfural degradation. Furthermore, DS3 strain was found to tolerate furfural concentration as high as 6000 mg(-1). The ability of Bacillus subtilis strain DS3 to degrade furfural has been demonstrated for the first time in the present study.

  11. Genome sequence of the thermophile Bacillus coagulans Hammer, the type strain of the species.

    PubMed

    Su, Fei; Tao, Fei; Tang, Hongzhi; Xu, Ping

    2012-11-01

    Here we announce a 3.0-Mb assembly of the Bacillus coagulans Hammer strain, which is the type strain of the species within the genus Bacillus. Genomic analyses based on the sequence may provide insights into the phylogeny of the species and help to elucidate characteristics of the poorly studied strains of Bacillus coagulans.

  12. Genome Sequence of the Thermophile Bacillus coagulans Hammer, the Type Strain of the Species

    PubMed Central

    Su, Fei; Tao, Fei; Tang, Hongzhi

    2012-01-01

    Here we announce a 3.0-Mb assembly of the Bacillus coagulans Hammer strain, which is the type strain of the species within the genus Bacillus. Genomic analyses based on the sequence may provide insights into the phylogeny of the species and help to elucidate characteristics of the poorly studied strains of Bacillus coagulans. PMID:23105047

  13. Influence of nitrogen source and pH value on undesired poly(γ-glutamic acid) formation of a protease producing Bacillus licheniformis strain.

    PubMed

    Meissner, Lena; Kauffmann, Kira; Wengeler, Timo; Mitsunaga, Hitoshi; Fukusaki, Eiichiro; Büchs, Jochen

    2015-09-01

    Bacillus spp. are used for the production of industrial enzymes but are also known to be capable of producing biopolymers such as poly(γ-glutamic acid). Biopolymers increase the viscosity of the fermentation broth, thereby impairing mixing, gas/liquid mass and heat transfer in any bioreactor system. Undesired biopolymer formation has a significant impact on the fermentation and downstream processing performance. This study shows how undesirable poly(γ-glutamic acid) formation of an industrial protease producing Bacillus licheniformis strain was prevented by switching the nitrogen source from ammonium to nitrate. The viscosity was reduced from 32 to 2.5 mPa s. A constant or changing pH value did not influence the poly(γ-glutamic acid) production. Protease production was not affected: protease activities of 38 and 46 U mL(-1) were obtained for ammonium and nitrate, respectively. With the presented results, protease production with industrial Bacillus strains is now possible without the negative impact on fermentation and downstream processing by undesired poly(γ-glutamic acid) formation.

  14. Effects of low-doses of Bacillus spp. from permafrost on differentiation of bone marrow cells.

    PubMed

    Kalyonova, L F; Novikova, M A; Kostolomova, E G

    2015-01-01

    The effects of a new microorganism species (Bacillus spp., strain M3) isolated from permafrost specimens from Central Yakutia (Mamontova Mountain) on the bone marrow hemopoiesis were studied on laboratory mice. Analysis of the count and immunophenotype of bone marrow cells indicated that even in low doses (1000-5000 microbial cells) these microorganisms modulated hemopoiesis and lymphopoiesis activity. The percentage of early hemopoietic precursors (CD117(+)CD34(-)) increased, intensity of lymphocyte precursor proliferation and differentiation (CD25(+)CD44(-)) decreased, and the percentage of lymphocytes released from the bone marrow (CD25(+)CD44(+)) increased on day 21 after injection of the bacteria. These changes in activity of hemopoiesis were associated with changes in the level of regulatory T lymphocytes (reduced expression of TCRαβ) and were most likely compensatory. The possibility of modulating hemopoiesis activity in the bone marrow by low doses of one microorganism strain isolated from the permafrost could be useful for evaluating the effects of other low dose bacteria on the bone marrow hemopoiesis.

  15. A report on extensive lateral genetic reciprocation between arsenic resistant Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus strains analyzed using RAPD-PCR.

    PubMed

    Khowal, Sapna; Siddiqui, Md Zulquarnain; Ali, Shadab; Khan, Mohd Taha; Khan, Mather Ali; Naqvi, Samar Husain; Wajid, Saima

    2017-02-01

    The study involves isolation of arsenic resistant bacteria from soil samples. The characterization of bacteria isolates was based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The phylogenetic consanguinity among isolates was studied employing rpoB and gltX gene sequence. RAPD-PCR technique was used to analyze genetic similarity between arsenic resistant isolates. In accordance with the results Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus strains may exhibit extensive horizontal gene transfer. Arsenic resistant potency in Bacillus sonorensis and high arsenite tolerance in Bacillus pumilus strains was identified. The RAPD-PCR primer OPO-02 amplified a 0.5kb DNA band specific to B. pumilus 3ZZZ strain and 0.75kb DNA band specific to B. subtilis 3PP. These unique DNA bands may have potential use as SCAR (Sequenced Characterized Amplified Region) molecular markers for identification of arsenic resistant B. pumilus and B. subtilis strains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Bacillus "next generation" diagnostics: moving from detection toward subtyping and risk-related strain profiling.

    PubMed

    Ehling-Schulz, Monika; Messelhäusser, Ute

    2013-01-01

    The highly heterogeneous genus Bacillus comprises the largest species group of endospore forming bacteria. Because of their ubiquitous nature, Bacillus spores can enter food production at several stages resulting in significant economic losses and posing a potential risk to consumers due the capacity of certain Bacillus strains for toxin production. In the past, food microbiological diagnostics was focused on the determination of species using conventional culture-based methods, which are still widely used. However, due to the extreme intra-species diversity found in the genus Bacillus, DNA-based identification and typing methods are gaining increasing importance in routine diagnostics. Several studies showed that certain characteristics are rather strain-dependent than species-specific. Therefore, the challenge for current and future Bacillus diagnostics is not only the efficient and accurate identification on species level but also the development of rapid methods to identify strains with specific characteristics (such as stress resistance or spoilage potential), trace contamination sources, and last but not least discriminate potential hazardous strains from non-toxic strains.

  17. 40 CFR 180.1209 - Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1209 Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713; exemption from the... the microbial pesticide Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 when used in or on all food commodities. [65...

  18. Bacillus subtilis strain specificity affects performance improvement in broilers.

    PubMed

    Rhayat, L; Jacquier, V; Brinch, K S; Nielsen, P; Nelson, A; Geraert, P-A; Devillard, E

    2017-07-01

    The study reports the effects on broiler performance of a newly isolated Bacillus subtilis strain, which is phylogenetically not closely related to already well-described strains of B. subtilis. In the first experiment, birds were reared in battery cages and exposed to C. perfringens. An increase in growth performance was observed with the strain when compared to the challenged animals. Three additional growth trials were conducted to 35 d of age, in different rearing conditions (genetic breeds, corn-soybean meal-based diet with or without animal proteins, in presence or absence of phytase, on fresh or used litter) to investigate the efficacy and the specificity of this new B. subtilis strain on the improvement of BWG and FCR of broilers in comparison with a B. subtilis-based DFM already used in the field. Whatever the rearing conditions tested, the new B. subtilis strain led to an average 3.2% improvement in feed conversion ratio or bodyweight. Comparatively, the commercial Bacillus strain significantly improved broiler performance in only one trial out of 3 with an average improvement reaching 2%. All these results indicate that this new B. subtilis strain consistently improves broiler performances. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  19. 77 FR 73934 - Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 Variant Soil; Amendment to an Exemption From the Requirement of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-12

    ... subtilis Strain QST 713 Variant Soil; Amendment to an Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance for Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 To Include Residues of Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 Variant Soil... in or on all food commodities by including residues of Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 variant soil...

  20. Bacillus “next generation” diagnostics: moving from detection toward subtyping and risk-related strain profiling

    PubMed Central

    Ehling-Schulz, Monika; Messelhäusser, Ute

    2013-01-01

    The highly heterogeneous genus Bacillus comprises the largest species group of endospore forming bacteria. Because of their ubiquitous nature, Bacillus spores can enter food production at several stages resulting in significant economic losses and posing a potential risk to consumers due the capacity of certain Bacillus strains for toxin production. In the past, food microbiological diagnostics was focused on the determination of species using conventional culture-based methods, which are still widely used. However, due to the extreme intra-species diversity found in the genus Bacillus, DNA-based identification and typing methods are gaining increasing importance in routine diagnostics. Several studies showed that certain characteristics are rather strain-dependent than species-specific. Therefore, the challenge for current and future Bacillus diagnostics is not only the efficient and accurate identification on species level but also the development of rapid methods to identify strains with specific characteristics (such as stress resistance or spoilage potential), trace contamination sources, and last but not least discriminate potential hazardous strains from non-toxic strains. PMID:23440299

  1. Systematic characterization of Bacillus Genetic Stock Center Bacillus thuringiensis strains using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kui; Shu, Changlong; Soberón, Mario; Bravo, Alejandra; Zhang, Jie

    2018-04-30

    The goal of this work was to perform a systematic characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains from the Bacillus Genetic Stock Center (BGSC) collection using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST). Different genetic markers of 158 Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains from 73 different serovars stored in the BGSC, that represented 92% of the different Bt serovars of the BGSC were analyzed, the 8% that were not analyzed were not available. In addition, we analyzed 72 Bt strains from 18 serovars available at the pubMLST bcereus database, and Bt strains G03, HBF18 and Bt185, with no H serovars provided by our laboratory. We performed a systematic MLST analysis using seven housekeeping genes (glpF, gmK, ilvD, pta, pur, pycA and tpi) and analyzed correlation of the results of this analysis with strain serovars. The 233 Bt strains analyzed were assigned to 119 STs from which 19 STs were new. Genetic relationships were established by phylogenetic analysis and showed that STs could be grouped in two major Clusters containing 21 sub-groups. We found that a significant number of STs (101 in total) correlated with specific serovars, such as ST13 that corresponded to nine Bt isolates from B. thuringiensis serovar kenyae. However, other serovars showed high genetic variability and correlated with multiple STs; for example, B. thuringiensis serovar morrisoni correlated with 11 different STs. In addition, we found that 16 different STs correlated with multiple serovars (2-4 different serovars); for example, ST12 correlated with B. thuringiensis serovar alesti, dakota, palmanyolensis and sotto/dendrolimus. These data indicated that only partial correspondence between MLST and serotyping can be established. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. 77 FR 2910 - Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens Strain D747; Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance; Technical...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-20

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 180 [EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0944; FRL-9334-3] Bacillus... requirement of a tolerance for residues of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D747 (formerly known as Bacillus subtilis variant amyloliquefaciens strain D747). This document is being issued to correct the typographical...

  3. Specific identification of Bacillus anthracis strains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishnamurthy, Thaiya; Deshpande, Samir; Hewel, Johannes; Liu, Hongbin; Wick, Charles H.; Yates, John R., III

    2007-01-01

    Accurate identification of human pathogens is the initial vital step in treating the civilian terrorism victims and military personnel afflicted in biological threat situations. We have applied a powerful multi-dimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) along with newly generated software termed Profiler to identify the sequences of specific proteins observed for few strains of Bacillus anthracis, a human pathogen. Software termed Profiler was created to initially screen the MudPIT data of B. anthracis strains and establish the observed proteins specific for its strains. A database was also generated using Profiler containing marker proteins of B. anthracis and its strains, which in turn could be used for detecting the organism and its corresponding strains in samples. Analysis of the unknowns by our methodology, combining MudPIT and Profiler, led to the accurate identification of the anthracis strains present in samples. Thus, a new approach for the identification of B. anthracis strains in unknown samples, based on the molecular mass and sequences of marker proteins, has been ascertained.

  4. Activation of Antibiotic Production in Bacillus spp. by Cumulative Drug Resistance Mutations

    PubMed Central

    Tojo, Shigeo; Tanaka, Yukinori

    2015-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis strains produce a wide range of antibiotics, including ribosomal and nonribosomal peptide antibiotics, as well as bacilysocin and neotrehalosadiamine. Mutations in B. subtilis strain 168 that conferred resistance to drugs such as streptomycin and rifampin resulted in overproduction of the dipeptide antibiotic bacilysin. Cumulative drug resistance mutations, such as mutations in the mthA and rpsL genes, which confer low- and high-level resistance, respectively, to streptomycin, and mutations in rpoB, which confer resistance to rifampin, resulted in cells that overproduced bacilysin. Transcriptional analysis demonstrated that the enhanced transcription of biosynthesis genes was responsible for the overproduction of bacilysin. This approach was effective also in activating the cryptic genes of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, leading to actual production of antibiotic(s). PMID:26369962

  5. Efficacy of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in the control of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and aflatoxins production on pistachio.

    PubMed

    Siahmoshteh, Fatemeh; Siciliano, Ilenia; Banani, Houda; Hamidi-Esfahani, Zohreh; Razzaghi-Abyaneh, Mehdi; Gullino, Maria Lodovica; Spadaro, Davide

    2017-08-02

    Pistachio (Pistacia vera) is an important nut for its economic, nutritional and health aspects but it can be contaminated by aflatoxigenic fungi in the field and during storage. Biological control could be considered as an alternative to chemical treatment. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic capability of two Bacillus spp. both in vitro and on pistachio kernels. In in vitro conditions, both strains were able to reduce the mycelial growth and they were able to degrade the four aflatoxins during the first three days after inoculation. AFG 1 and AFG 2 were rapidly degraded within two days of incubation with the bacterial strains. No aflatoxin was found in the bacterial cell walls, permitting exclusion of mycotoxin adsorption and hypothesis of an in vitro biodegradation as a mode of action. The cultivar of pistachio most susceptible to fungal colonization was 'Ahmad-Aghaei', selected among four main Iranian cultivars. A. parasiticus was able to grow and produce aflatoxins on pistachios, but at longer inoculation periods, a natural decrease of aflatoxins was registered. Both strains were able to reduce the fungal incidence and number of spores on pistachio with a stronger effect during the first 5dpi. The effect on aflatoxin content in vivo was less pronounced than in vitro, with a maximum effect at 8dpi. At longer times, there was a contrasting effect due to the lower activity of Bacillus spp. in stationary phase and higher growth of Aspergillus species. This consideration could explain the lack of aflatoxin reduction at 12dpi. Both bacterial strains showed good antifungal activity and aflatoxin reduction in in vitro conditions and on pistachio kernels. Altogether, these results indicate that Bacillus species could be considered as potential biocontrol agents to combat toxigenic fungal growth and subsequent aflatoxin contamination of nuts and agricultural crops in practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Activation of Antibiotic Production in Bacillus spp. by Cumulative Drug Resistance Mutations.

    PubMed

    Tojo, Shigeo; Tanaka, Yukinori; Ochi, Kozo

    2015-12-01

    Bacillus subtilis strains produce a wide range of antibiotics, including ribosomal and nonribosomal peptide antibiotics, as well as bacilysocin and neotrehalosadiamine. Mutations in B. subtilis strain 168 that conferred resistance to drugs such as streptomycin and rifampin resulted in overproduction of the dipeptide antibiotic bacilysin. Cumulative drug resistance mutations, such as mutations in the mthA and rpsL genes, which confer low- and high-level resistance, respectively, to streptomycin, and mutations in rpoB, which confer resistance to rifampin, resulted in cells that overproduced bacilysin. Transcriptional analysis demonstrated that the enhanced transcription of biosynthesis genes was responsible for the overproduction of bacilysin. This approach was effective also in activating the cryptic genes of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, leading to actual production of antibiotic(s). Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  7. Growth characteristics of Bacillus anthracis compared to other Bacillus spp. on the selective nutrient media Anthrax Blood Agar and Cereus Ident Agar.

    PubMed

    Tomaso, Herbert; Bartling, Carsten; Al Dahouk, Sascha; Hagen, Ralf M; Scholz, Holger C; Beyer, Wolfgang; Neubauer, Heinrich

    2006-01-01

    Anthrax Blood Agar (ABA) and Cereus Ident Agar (CEI) were evaluated as selective growth media for the isolation of Bacillus anthracis using 92 B. anthracis and 132 other Bacillus strains from 30 species. The positive predictive values for the identification of B. anthracis on ABA, CEI, and the combination of both were 72%, 71%, and 90%, respectively. Thus, less than 10% of all species were misidentified using both nutrient media. Species which might be misidentified as B. anthracis were B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis. Particularly, 30% of B. weihenstephanensis strains were misidentified as B. anthracis.

  8. Putative Virulence Factor Expression by Clinical and Food Isolates of Bacillus spp. after Growth in Reconstituted Infant Milk Formulae

    PubMed Central

    Rowan, Neil J.; Deans, Karen; Anderson, John G.; Gemmell, Curtis G.; Hunter, Iain S.; Chaithong, Thararat

    2001-01-01

    Forty-seven strains representing 14 different Bacillus species isolated from clinical and food samples were grown in reconstituted infant milk formulae (IMF) and subsequently assessed for adherence to, invasion of, and cytotoxicity toward HEp-2 and Caco-2 cells. Cell-free supernatant fluids from 38 strains (81%) were shown to be cytotoxic, 43 strains (91%) adhered to the test cell lines, and 23 strains (49%) demonstrated various levels of invasion. Of the 21 Bacillus cereus strains examined, 5 (24%) were invasive. A larger percentage of clinically derived Bacillus species (20%) than of similar species tested from the food environment were invasive. Increased invasion occurred after growth of selected Bacillus species in reconstituted IMF containing glucose. While PCR primer studies revealed that many different Bacillus species contained DNA sequences encoding the hemolysin BL (HBL) enterotoxin complex and B. cereus enterotoxin T, not all of these isolates expressed these diarrheagenic genes after growth in reconstituted IMF. Of the 47 Bacillus isolates examined, 3 isolates of B. cereus and 1 isolate of B. subtilis produced the HBL enterotoxin after 18 h of growth in brain heart infusion broth. However, eight isolates belonging to the species B. cereus, B. licheniformis, B. circulans, and B. megaterium were found to produce this enterotoxin after growth in reconstituted IMF when assessed with the B. cereus enterotoxin (diarrheal type) reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) kit. It is concluded that several Bacillus species occurring occasionally in clinical specimens and food samples are of potential medical significance due to the expression of putative virulence factors. PMID:11525980

  9. Phylogenetic analysis of Bacillus subtilis strains applicable to natto (fermented soybean) production.

    PubMed

    Kubo, Yuji; Rooney, Alejandro P; Tsukakoshi, Yoshiki; Nakagawa, Rikio; Hasegawa, Hiromasa; Kimura, Keitarou

    2011-09-01

    Spore-forming Bacillus strains that produce extracellular poly-γ-glutamic acid were screened for their application to natto (fermented soybean food) fermentation. Among the 424 strains, including Bacillus subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, which we isolated from rice straw, 59 were capable of fermenting natto. Biotin auxotrophism was tightly linked to natto fermentation. A multilocus nucleotide sequence of six genes (rpoB, purH, gyrA, groEL, polC, and 16S rRNA) was used for phylogenetic analysis, and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was also conducted on the natto-fermenting strains. The ability to ferment natto was inferred from the two principal components of the AFLP banding pattern, and natto-fermenting strains formed a tight cluster within the B. subtilis subsp. subtilis group.

  10. Isolation and characterization of Bacillus sp. GFP-2, a novel Bacillus strain with antimicrobial activities, from Whitespotted bamboo shark intestine.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jia; Xu, Guoqiang; Jin, Yangyang; Sun, Cong; Zhou, Li; Lin, Guodong; Xu, Rong; Wei, Ling; Fei, Hui; Wang, Dan; Chen, Jianqing; Lv, Zhengbing; Liu, Kuancheng

    2018-05-22

    The abuse of antibiotics and following rapidly increasing of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is the serious threat to our society. Natural products from microorganism are regarded as the important substitution antimicrobial agents of antibiotics. We isolated a new strain, Bacillus sp. GFP-2, from the Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Whitespotted bamboo shark) intestine, which showed great inhibitory effects on the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the growth of salmon was effectively promoted when fed with inactivated strain GFP-2 as the inhibition agent of pathogenic bacteria. The genes encoding antimicrobial peptides like LCI, YFGAP and hGAPDH and gene clusters for secondary metabolites and bacteriocins, such as difficidin, bacillibactin, bacilysin, surfactin, butirosin, macrolactin, bacillaene, fengycin, lanthipeptides and LCI, were predicted in the genome of Bacillus sp. GFP-2, which might be expressed and contribute to the antimicrobial activities of this strain. The gene encoding β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was successfully cloned from the genome and this protein was detected in the culture supernatant of Bacillus sp. GFP-2 by the antibody produced in rabbit immunized with the recombinant β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, indicating that this strain could express β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, which might partially contribute to its antimicrobial activities. This study can enhance a better understanding of the mechanism of antimicrobial activities in genus Bacillus and provide a useful material for the biotechnology study in antimicrobial agent development.

  11. Bio sorption of strontium from aqueous solution by New Strain Bacillus sp. GTG-83

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tajer Mohammad Ghazvini, P.; Ghorbanzadeh Mashkani, S.; Ghafourian, H.

    Attempt was made to isolate bacterial strains capable of removing Sr biologically. In this study we collected ten different water samples from naturally radioactive spring Neydasht in Iran and bacterial strains samples isolated. Initial screening of a total of 50 bacterial isolates resulted in selection of one strain. The strain showed maximum adsorption capacity with 55 mg Sr/g dry wt. It was tentatively identified as Bacillus sp. according to morphological and biochemical properties and called strain GTG-83. Studies indicated that Bacillus sp. GTG-83 was able to grow aerobically in the presence of 50 mM SrCl{sub 2} but showed severe growthmore » inhibition at levels above that concentration. The bio-sorption capacity of Bacillus sp. GTG-83 strongly depends on solution pH, and the maximum Sr sorption capacity of Bacillus sp. GTG-83 were obtained at pH 10 independent of the absence or the presence of increasing concentrations of salt (MgCl{sub 2}). Sr-salt bio-sorption studies were also performed at this pH values. Equilibrium uptakes of Sr increased with increasing Sr concentrations up to 250 mg/l for Bacillus sp. GTG-83. Maximum bio-sorption of Sr was obtained at temperatures in the range of 30-35 deg. C. Bacillus sp. GTG-83 bio-sorbed 97 mg Sr/g dry wt at 100 mg/l initial Sr concentration without salt medium (MgCl{sub 2}). When salt concentration (MgCl{sub 2}) increased to 15% (w/v), these values dropped to 23.6 mg Sr/g dry wt at the same conditions. Uptake of Sr within 5 min of incubation was relatively rapid and the absorption continued slowly thereafter. (authors)« less

  12. 40 CFR 180.1209 - Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 and strain QST 713 variant soil; exemption from the requirement...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... strain QST 713 variant soil; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. 180.1209 Section 180.1209... strain QST 713 and strain QST 713 variant soil; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. An... Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 and strain QST 713 variant soil when used in or on all food commodities...

  13. 40 CFR 180.1209 - Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 and strain QST 713 variant soil; exemption from the requirement...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... strain QST 713 variant soil; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. 180.1209 Section 180.1209... strain QST 713 and strain QST 713 variant soil; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. An... Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 and strain QST 713 variant soil when used in or on all food commodities...

  14. [New antibiotics produced by Bacillus subtilis strains].

    PubMed

    Malanicheva, I A; Kozlov, D G; Efimenko, T A; Zenkova, V A; Kastrukha, G S; Reznikova, M I; Korolev, A M; Borshchevskaia, L N; Tarasova, O D; Sineokiĭ, S P; Efremenkova, O V

    2014-01-01

    Two Bacillus subtilis strains isolated from the fruiting body of a basidiomycete fungus Pholiota squarrosa exhibited a broad range of antibacterial activity, including those against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus INA 00761 (MRSA) and Leuconostoc mes6nteroides VKPM B-4177 resistant to glycopep-> tide antibiotics, as well as antifungal activity. The strains were identified as belonging to the "B. subtilis" com- plex based on their morphological and physiological characteristics, as well as by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragments. Both strains (INA 01085 and INA 01086) produced insignificant amounts of polyene antibiotics (hexaen and pentaen, respectively). Strain INA 01086 produced also a cyclic polypeptide antibiotic containing Asp, Gly, Leu, Pro, Tyr, Thr, Trp, and Phe, while the antibiotic of strain INA 01085 contained, apart from these, two unidentified nonproteinaceous amino acids. Both polypeptide antibiotics were new compounds efficient against gram-positive bacteria and able to override the natural bacterial antibiotic resistance.

  15. Bacillus arsenicoselenatis, sp. nov., and Bacillus selenitireducens, sp. nov.: Two haloalkaliphiles from Mono Lake, California that respire oxyanions of selenium and arsenic

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Switzer, Blum J.; Burns, Bindi A.; Buzzelli, J.; Stolz, J.F.; Oremland, R.S.

    1998-01-01

    Two gram-positive anaerobic bacteria (strains E1H and MLS10) were isolated from the anoxic muds of Mono Lake, California, an alkaline, hypersaline, arsenic-rich water body. Both grew by dissimilatory reduction of As(V) to As(III) with the concomitant oxidation of lactate to acetate plus CO2. Bacillus arsenicoselenatis (strain E1H) is a spore-forming rod that also grew by dissimilatory reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV). Bacillus selenitireducens (strain MLS 10) is a short, non-spore-forming rod that grew by dissimilatory reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0). When the two isolates were cocultured, a complete reduction of Se(VI) to Se(0) was achieved. Both isolates are alkaliphiles and had optimal specific growth rates in the pH range of 8.5-10. Strain E1H had a salinity optimum at 60 g 1-1 NaCl, while strain MLS10 had optimal growth at lower salinities (24-60 g 1-1 NaCl). Both strains have limited abilities to grow with electron donors and acceptors other than those given above. Strain MLS10 demonstrated weak growth as a microaerophile and was also capable of fermentative growth on glucose, while strain E1H is a strict anaerobe. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed the two isolates with other Bacillus spp. in the low G+C gram-positive group of bacteria.

  16. [Susceptibility of Aedes aegypti (L.) strains from Havana to a Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis].

    PubMed

    Menéndez Díaz, Zulema; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Jinnay; Gato Armas, René; Companioni Ibañez, Ariamys; Díaz Pérez, Manuel; Bruzón Aguila, Rosa Yirian

    2012-01-01

    the integration of chemical and biological methods is one of the strategies for the vector control, due to the existing environmental problems and the concerns of the community as a result of the synthetic organic insecticide actions. The bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis in liquid formulation has been widely used in the vector control programs in several countries and has shown high efficacy at lab in Cuba. to determine the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti collected in the municipalities of La Habana province to Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis. fifteen Aedes aegypti strains, one from each municipality, were used including larvae and pupas collected in 2010 and one reference strain known as Rockefeller. The aqueous formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bactivec, Labiofam, Cuba) was used. The bioassays complied with the World Health Organization guidelines for use of bacterial larvicides in the public health sector. The larval mortality was read after 24 hours and the results were processed by the statistical system SPSS (11.0) through Probit analysis. the evaluated mosquito strains showed high susceptibility to biolarvicide, there were no significant differences in LC50 values of Ae. aegypti strains, neither in the comparison of these values with those of the reference strain. the presented results indicate that the use of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis continues to be a choice for the control of Aedes aegypti larval populations in La Habana province.

  17. Identification of Bacillus spp. from Bikalga, fermented seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa: phenotypic and genotypic characterization.

    PubMed

    Ouoba, L I I; Parkouda, C; Diawara, B; Scotti, C; Varnam, A H

    2008-01-01

    To identify Bacillus spp. responsible of the fermentation of Hibiscus sabdariffa for production of Bikalga, an alkaline fermented food used as a condiment in Burkina Faso. Seventy bacteria were isolated from Bikalga produced in different regions of Burkina Faso and identified by phenotyping and genotyping using PCR amplification of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS-PCR), repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) and DNA sequencing. The isolates were characterized as motile, rod-shaped, endospore forming, catalase positive, Gram-positive bacteria. ITS-PCR allowed typing mainly at species level. Rep-PCR was more discriminative and allowed a typing at ssp. level. The DNA sequencing combined with the Blast search program and fermentation profiles using API 50CHB system allowed an identification of the bacteria as Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. cereus, B. pumilus, B. badius, Brevibacillus bortelensis, B. sphaericus and B. fusiformis. B. subtilis were the predominant bacterium (42) followed by B. licheniformis (16). Various species and ssp. of Bacillus are involved in fermentation of H. sabdariffa for production of Bikalga. Selection of starter cultures of Bacillus for controlled production of Bikalga, selection of probiotic bacteria.

  18. Linamarase activities in Bacillus spp. responsible for thermophilic aerobic digestion of agricultural wastes for animal nutrition.

    PubMed

    Ugwuanyi, J Obeta; Harvey, L M; McNeil, B

    2007-01-01

    Thermophilic Bacillus spp. isolated from thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of model agricultural slurry were screened for ability to secret linamarase activity and degrade linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside toxin abundant in cassava. Screening was performed by both linamarin - picrate assay and by p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside (PNPG) degradation, and results of both assays were related. Linamarase positive isolates were identified as Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus stearothermophilus. Enzyme production was growth related and peak production was reached in 48 h in B. coagulans and 36 h in B. stearothermophilus. B. coagulans produced over 40 times greater activity than B. stearothermophilus. Enzyme productivity in shake flask was not strictly related to screening assay result. Crude enzyme of B. coagulans was optimally active at 75 degrees C while that of B. stearothermophilus was optimally active at 80 degrees C and both had optimum activity at pH 8.0. The thermophilic and neutrophilic- to marginally alkaline activity of the crude enzymes could be very useful in the detoxification and reprocessing of cyanogens containing cassava wastes by TAD for use in animal nutrition.

  19. Zinc solubilizing Bacillus spp. potential candidates for biofortification in maize.

    PubMed

    Mumtaz, Muhammad Zahid; Ahmad, Maqshoof; Jamil, Moazzam; Hussain, Tanveer

    2017-09-01

    Bioaugmentation of Zn solubilizing rhizobacteria could be a sustainable intervention to increase bioavailability of Zn in soil which can be helpful in mitigation of yield loss and malnutrition of zinc. In present study, a number of pure rhizobacterial colonies were isolated from maize rhizosphere and screened for their ability to solubilize zinc oxide. These isolates were screened on the basis of zinc and phosphate solubilization, IAA production, protease production, catalase activity and starch hydrolysis. All the selected isolates were also positive for oxidase activity (except ZM22), HCN production (except ZM27) and utilization of citrate. More than 70% of isolates produces ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, exopolysaccharides and cellulase. More than half of isolates also showed potential for urease activity and production of lipase. The ZM31 and S10 were the only isolates which showed the chitinase activity. All these isolates were evaluated in a jar trial for their ability to promote growth of maize under axenic conditions. Results revealed that inoculation of selected zinc solubilizing rhizobacterial isolates improved the growth of maize. In comparison, isolates ZM20, ZM31, ZM63 and S10 were best compared to other tested isolates in stimulating the growth attributes of maize like shoot length, root length, plant fresh and dry biomass. These strains were identified as Bacillus sp. (ZM20), Bacillus aryabhattai (ZM31 and S10) and Bacillus subtilis (ZM63) through 16S rRNA sequencing. This study indicated that inoculation of Zn solubilizing strains have potential to promote growth and can be the potential bio-inoculants for biofortification of maize to overcome the problems of malnutrition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Phylogenetic analysis of Bacillus subtilis strains applicable to natto (fermented soybean) production

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Spore-forming Bacillus strains that produce extracellular poly-'-glutamic acid were screened for their application to natto (fermented soybean food) fermentation. Among the 365 strains, including B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, which we isolated from rice straw, 59 were capable of fermenting n...

  1. Purification and Characterization of Plantaricin JLA-9: A Novel Bacteriocin against Bacillus spp. Produced by Lactobacillus plantarum JLA-9 from Suan-Tsai, a Traditional Chinese Fermented Cabbage.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Shengming; Han, Jinzhi; Bie, Xiaomei; Lu, Zhaoxin; Zhang, Chong; Lv, Fengxia

    2016-04-06

    Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized peptides with antimicrobial activity produced by numerous bacteria. A novel bacteriocin-producing strain, Lactobacillus plantarum JLA-9, isolated from Suan-Tsai, a traditional Chinese fermented cabbage, was screened and identified by its physiobiochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. A new bacteriocin, designated plantaricin JLA-9, was purified using butanol extraction, gel filtration, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The molecular mass of plantaricin JLA-9 was shown to be 1044 Da by MALDI-TOF-MS analyses. The amino acid sequence of plantaricin JLA-9 was predicted to be FWQKMSFA by MALDI-TOF-MS/MS, which was confirmed by Edman degradation. This bacteriocin exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, especially Bacillus spp., high thermal stability (20 min, 121 °C), and narrow pH stability (pH 2.0-7.0). It was sensitive to α-chymotrypsin, pepsin, alkaline protease, and papain. The mode of action of this bacteriocin responsible for outgrowth inhibition of Bacillus cereus spores was studied. Plantaricin JLA-9 had no detectable effects on germination initiation over 1 h on monitoring the hydration, heat resistance, and 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (DPA) release of spores. Rather, germination initiation is a prerequisite for the action of plantaricin JLA-9. Plantaricin JLA-9 inhibited growth by preventing the establishment of oxidative metabolism and disrupting membrane integrity in germinating spores within 2 h. The results suggest that plantaricin JLA-9 has potential applications in the control of Bacillus spp. in the food industry.

  2. Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Strains Applicable to Natto (Fermented Soybean) Production ▿

    PubMed Central

    Kubo, Yuji; Rooney, Alejandro P.; Tsukakoshi, Yoshiki; Nakagawa, Rikio; Hasegawa, Hiromasa; Kimura, Keitarou

    2011-01-01

    Spore-forming Bacillus strains that produce extracellular poly-γ-glutamic acid were screened for their application to natto (fermented soybean food) fermentation. Among the 424 strains, including Bacillus subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, which we isolated from rice straw, 59 were capable of fermenting natto. Biotin auxotrophism was tightly linked to natto fermentation. A multilocus nucleotide sequence of six genes (rpoB, purH, gyrA, groEL, polC, and 16S rRNA) was used for phylogenetic analysis, and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was also conducted on the natto-fermenting strains. The ability to ferment natto was inferred from the two principal components of the AFLP banding pattern, and natto-fermenting strains formed a tight cluster within the B. subtilis subsp. subtilis group. PMID:21764950

  3. Bacillus velezensis is not a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens; Bacillus methylotrophicus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp plantarum and ‘Bacillus oryzicola’ are later heterotypic synonyms of Bacillus

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The rhizosphere isolated bacteria belonging to the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum and Bacillus methylotrophicus clades are an important group of strains that are used as plant growth promoters and antagonists of plant pathogens. These properties have made these strains the focus of comm...

  4. Biofilms affecting progression of mild steel corrosion by Gram positive Bacillus sp.

    PubMed

    Lin, Johnson; Madida, Bafana B

    2015-10-01

    The biodeterioration of metals have detrimental effects on the environment with economic implications. The deterioration of metals is of great concern to industry. In this study, mild steel coupons which were immersed in a medium containing Gram-positive Bacillus spp. and different nutrient sources were compared with the control in sterile deionized water. The weight loss of the coupons in the presence of Bacillus spp. alone was lower than the control and was further reduced when additional carbon sources, especially fructose, were added. The level of metal corrosion was significantly increased in the presence of nitrate with or without bacteria. There was a significant strong correlation between the weight loss and biofilm level (r =  0.64; p < 0.05). The addition of nitrate and Bacillus spp. produced more biofilms on the coupons and resulted in greater weight loss compared to that with Bacillus spp. only under the same conditions. However, Bacillus spp. enriched with carbon sources formed less biofilms and results in lower weight loss compared to that with Bacillus spp. only. The production of biofilm by Bacillus spp. influences the level of metal corrosion under different environmental conditions, thereby, supporting the development of a preventive strategy against corrosion. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. The carotenoid pigments of a marine Bacillus firmus strain.

    PubMed

    Pane, L; Radin, L; Franconi, G; Carli, A

    1996-01-01

    As carotenoids have important biological functions, it is important to discover new natural sources of these pigments. The bacterial strains isolated from a sea water rock pool were cultivated on marine agar containing yeast extract and identified by conventional methods. The bacterial pigments were extracted with methanol and analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC with diode array detection. The major pigment of a Bacillus firmus strain was identified as astaxanthin; the results obtained suggest potential use of this bacterium in aquaculture and in pharmaceutical field.

  6. Mechanisms of microbial oil recovery by Clostridium acetobutylicum and Bacillus strain JF-2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marsh, T.L.; Zhang, X.; Knapp, R.M.

    1995-12-31

    Core displacement experiments at elevated pressures were conducted to determine whether microbial processes are effective under conditions that simulate those found in an actual oil reservoir. The in-situ growth of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Bacillus strain JF-2 resulted in the recovery of residual oil. About 21 and 23% of the residual oil was recovered by C. acetobutylicum and Bacillus strain JF-2, respectively. Flooding cores with cell-free culture fluids of C. acetobutylicum with and without the addition of 50 mM acetone and 100 mM butanol did not result in the recovery of residual oil. Mathematical simulations showed that the amount of gasmore » produced by the clostridial fermentation was not showed that the amount of gas produced by the clostridial fermentation was not sufficient to recover residual oil. Oil recovery by Bacillus strain JF-2 was highly correlated to surfactant production. A biosurfactant-deficient mutant of strain JF-2 was not capable of recovering residual oil. These data show that surfactant production is an important mechanism for microbially enhanced oil recovery. The mechanism for oil recovery by C. acetobutylicum is not understood at this time, but the production of acids, solvents, or gases alone cannot explain the observed increases in oil recovery by this organism.« less

  7. Immunization studies with attenuated strains of Bacillus anthracis.

    PubMed Central

    Ivins, B E; Ezzell, J W; Jemski, J; Hedlund, K W; Ristroph, J D; Leppla, S H

    1986-01-01

    Live, attenuated strains of Bacillus anthracis lacking either the capsule plasmid pXO2, the toxin plasmid pXO1, or both were tested for their efficacy as vaccines against intravenous challenge with anthrax toxin in Fischer 344 rats and against aerosol or intramuscular challenge with virulent anthrax spores in Hartley guinea pigs. Animals immunized with toxigenic, nonencapsulated (pXO1+, pXO2-) strains survived toxin and spore challenge and demonstrated postimmunization antibody titers to the three components of anthrax toxin (protective antigen, lethal factor, and edema factor). Immunization with two nontoxigenic, encapsulated (pXO1-, pXO2+), Pasteur vaccine strains neither provided protection nor elicited titers to any of the toxin components. Therefore, to immunize successfully against anthrax toxin or spore challenge, attenuated, live strains of B. anthracis must produce the toxin components specified by the pXO1 plasmid. PMID:3084383

  8. Draft Genome Sequences from a Novel Clade of Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato Strains, Isolated from the International Space Station.

    PubMed

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Checinska Sielaff, Aleksandra; Ratnayake, Shashikala; Pope, Robert K; Blank, Thomas E; Stepanov, Victor G; Fox, George E; van Tongeren, Sandra P; Torres, Clinton; Allen, Jonathan; Jaing, Crystal; Pierson, Duane; Perry, Jay; Koren, Sergey; Phillippy, Adam; Klubnik, Joy; Treangen, Todd J; Rosovitz, M J; Bergman, Nicholas H

    2017-08-10

    The draft genome sequences of six Bacillus strains, isolated from the International Space Station and belonging to the Bacillus anthracis - B. cereus - B. thuringiensis group, are presented here. These strains were isolated from the Japanese Experiment Module (one strain), U.S. Harmony Node 2 (three strains), and Russian Segment Zvezda Module (two strains). Copyright © 2017 Venkateswaran et al.

  9. Probiotic Bacillus cereus Strains, a Potential Risk for Public Health in China

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Kui; Hölzel, Christina S.; Cui, Yifang; Mayer, Ricarda; Wang, Yang; Dietrich, Richard; Didier, Andrea; Bassitta, Rupert; Märtlbauer, Erwin; Ding, Shuangyang

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus cereus is an important cause of foodborne infectious disease and food poisoning. However, B. cereus has also been used as a probiotic in human medicine and livestock production, with low standards of safety assessment. In this study, we evaluated the safety of 15 commercial probiotic B. cereus preparations from China in terms of mislabeling, toxin production, and transferable antimicrobial resistance. Most preparations were incorrectly labeled, as they contained additional bacterial species; one product did not contain viable B. cereus at all. In total, 18 B. cereus group strains—specifically B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis—were isolated. Enterotoxin genes nhe, hbl, and cytK1, as well as the ces-gene were assessed by PCR. Enterotoxin production and cytotoxicity were confirmed by ELISA and cell culture assays, respectively. All isolated B. cereus group strains produced the enterotoxin Nhe; 15 strains additionally produced Hbl. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed by microdilution; resistance genes were detected by PCR and further characterized by sequencing, transformation and conjugation assays. Nearly half of the strains harbored the antimicrobial resistance gene tet(45). In one strain, tet(45) was situated on a mobile genetic element—encoding a site-specific recombination mechanism—and was transferable to Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis by electro-transformation. In view of the wide and uncontrolled use of these products, stricter regulations for safety assessment, including determination of virulence factors and transferable antimicrobial resistance genes, are urgently needed. PMID:27242738

  10. 40 CFR 180.1243 - Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24; exemption from the requirement of a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis var... EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1243 Bacillus subtilis... the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain...

  11. Studies of plant colonisation by closely related Bacillus amyloliquefaciens biocontrol agents using strain specific quantitative PCR assays.

    PubMed

    Johansson, Anna H; Bejai, Sarosh; Niazi, Adnan; Manzoor, Shahid; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik; Meijer, Johan

    2014-12-01

    Certain strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens can colonize plants and improve growth and stress management. In order to study these effects, bacterial growth dynamics on plants and in the rhizosphere are of interest calling for specific analytical tools. For that purpose, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays were developed in order to differentiate among three closely related B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum strains (UCMB5033, UCMB5036, UCMB5113) and to determine their levels with high accuracy. Oligonucleotide primers were designed for strain unique gene sequences and used for SYBR green based qPCR analysis. Standard curves covered a wide linear range (10(6)) of DNA amounts with the lowest detection level at 50 fg. Post-reaction melting curve analysis showed only a single product. Accurate threshold cycles were obtained, even in the presence of high excess of related Bacillus strains and total bacterial DNA from soil. Analysis of Bacillus colonisation after seed treatment of two oilseed rape cultivars (Oase and Ritz) grown on agar support showed a time dependent effect but that the bacteria mostly were found on root tissues and little on green tissues. The colonisation on plants grown in soil varied among the Bacillus strains where Oase seemed to house more bacteria than Ritz. Applied as a mixture, all three Bacillus strains co-existed on the roots of plants grown in soil. The qPCR assay in combination with other techniques will be a powerful tool to study plant interactions of these B. amyloliquefaciens biocontrol agents to further understand the requirements for successful interactions and improvement of plant properties.

  12. Comparative secretome analysis of four isogenic Bacillus clausii probiotic strains

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The spore-bearing alkaliphilic Bacillus species constitute a large, heterogeneous group of microorganisms, important for their ability to produce enzymes, antibodies and metabolites of potential medical use. Some Bacillus species are currently being used for manufacturing probiotic products consisting of bacterial spores, exhibiting specific features (colonization, immune-stimulation and antimicrobial activity) that can account for their claimed probiotic properties. In the present work a comparative proteomic study was performed aimed at characterizing the secretome of four closely related isogenic O/C, SIN, N/R and T B. clausii strains, already marketed in a pharmaceutical mixture as probiotics. Results Proteomic analyses revealed a high degree of concordance among the four secretomes, although some proteins exhibited considerable variations in their expression level in the four strains. Among these, some proteins with documented activity in the interaction with host cells were identified, such as the glycolytic enzyme enolase, with a putative plasminogen-binding activity, GroEL, a molecular chaperone shown to be able to bind to mucin, and flagellin protein, a structural flagella protein and a putative immunomodulation agent. Conclusion This study shows, for the first time, differences in the secretome of the OC, SIN, NR and T B. clausii strains. These differences indicate that specific secretome features characterize each of the four strains despite their genotypic similarity. This could confer to the B. clausii strains specific probiotic functions associated with the differentially expressed proteins and indicate that they can cooperate as probiotics as the secretome components of each strain could contribute to the overall activity of a mixed probiotic preparation. PMID:23816335

  13. Bacterial treatment of alkaline cement kiln dust using Bacillus halodurans strain KG1.

    PubMed

    Kunal; Rajor, Anita; Siddique, Rafat

    2016-01-01

    This study was conducted to isolate an acid-producing, alkaliphilic bacterium to reduce the alkalinity of cement industry waste (cement kiln dust). Gram-positive isolate KG1 grew well at pH values of 6-12, temperatures of 28-50°C, and NaCl concentrations of 0-16% and thus was further screened for its potential to reduce the pH of an alkaline medium. Phenotypic characteristics of the KG1 isolate were consistent with those of the genus Bacillus, and the highest level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was found with Bacillus halodurans strain DSM 497 (94.7%). On the basis of its phenotypic characteristics and genotypic distinctiveness from other phylogenetic neighbors belonging to alkaliphilic Bacillus species, the isolated strain was designated B. halodurans strain KG1, with GenBank accession number JQ307184 (= NCIM 5439). Isolate KG1 reduced the alkalinity (by 83.64%) and the chloride content (by 86.96%) of cement kiln dust and showed a potential to be used in the cement industry for a variety of applications. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  14. Trypsin-dependent production of an antibacterial substance by a human Peptostreptococcus strain in gnotobiotic rats and in vitro.

    PubMed

    Ramare, F; Nicoli, J; Dabard, J; Corring, T; Ladire, M; Gueugneau, A M; Raibaud, P

    1993-09-01

    An antibacterial substance appeared within 1 day in feces of gnotobiotic rats harboring a human intestinal Peptostreptococcus strain. It disappeared when the rat bile-pancreatic duct was ligatured or when the rats ingested a trypsin inhibitor. Anaerobic cultures of the Peptostreptococcus strain in a medium supplemented with trypsin also exhibited an antibacterial activity, which was also inhibited by the trypsin inhibitor. In vitro the antibacterial substance from both feces and culture medium was active against several gram-positive bacteria, including other Peptostreptococcus spp., potentially pathogenic Clostridium spp. such as C. perfringens, C. difficile, C. butyricum, C. septicum, and C. sordellii, Eubacterium spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Bacillus spp. Whatever the order of inoculation of the strains, a sensitive strain of C. perfringens was eliminated within 1 day from the intestine of rats monoassociated with the Peptostreptococcus strain. These findings demonstrate for the first time that very potent antibacterial substances can be produced through a mechanism involving intestinal bacteria and exocrine pancreatic secretions.

  15. Antagonistic Activities of Bacillus spp. Strains Isolated from Tidal Flat Sediment Towards Anthracnose Pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gloeosporioides in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Han, Joon-Hee; Shim, Hongsik; Shin, Jong-Hwan; Kim, Kyoung Su

    2015-06-01

    Anthracnose is a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum species that is detrimental to numerous plant species. Anthracnose control with fungicides has both human health and environmental safety implications. Despite increasing public concerns, fungicide use will continue in the absence of viable alternatives. There have been relatively less efforts to search antagonistic bacteria from mudflats harboring microbial diversity. A total of 420 bacterial strains were isolated from mudflats near the western sea of South Korea. Five bacterial strains, LB01, LB14, HM03, HM17, and LB15, were characterized as having antifungal properties in the presence of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides. The three Bacillus atrophaeus strains, LB14, HM03, and HM17, produced large quantities of chitinase and protease enzymes, whereas the B. amyloliquefaciens strain LB01 produced protease and cellulase enzymes. Two important antagonistic traits, siderophore production and solubilization of insoluble phosphate, were observed in the three B. atrophaeus strains. Analyses of disease suppression revealed that LB14 was most effective for suppressing the incidence of anthracnose symptoms on pepper fruits. LB14 produced antagonistic compounds and suppressed conidial germination of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides. The results from the present study will provide a basis for developing a reliable alternative to fungicides for anthracnose control.

  16. Adaptation of primocane fruiting raspberry plants to environmental factors under the influence of Bacillus strains in Western Siberia.

    PubMed

    Belyaev, Anatoly A; Shternshis, Margarita V; Chechenina, Nina S; Shpatova, Tatyana V; Lelyak, Anastasya A

    2017-03-01

    In geographical locations with a short vegetative season and continental climate that include Western Siberia, growing primocane fruiting raspberry varieties becomes very important. However, it is necessary to help the plants to overcome the environmental stress factors. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the pre-planting treatment of primocane fruiting raspberry root system with Bacillus strains on the following plant development under variable environmental conditions. In 2012, Bacillus subtilis RCAM В-10641, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RCAM В-10642, and Bacillus licheniformis RCAM В-10562 were used for inoculating the root system of primocane fruiting raspberry cultivar Nedosyagaemaya before planting. The test suspensions were 10 5  CFU/ml for each bacterial strains. The effects of this treatment on plant growth and crop productivity were estimated in 2012-2015 growing seasons differed by environmental conditions. The pre-planting treatment by the bacterial strains increased the number of new raspberry canes and the number of plant generative organs as well as crop productivity compared to control. In addition, these bacilli acted as the standard humic fertilizer. Variable environmental factors such as air temperature, relative humidity, and winter and spring frosts seriously influenced the plant biological parameters and crop productivity of control plants. At the same time, the pre-planting primocane fruiting root treatment by Bacillus strains decreased the negative effects of abiotic stresses on plants in all years of the research. Of the three strains studied, B. subtilis was shown to reveal the best results in adaptation of primocane fruiting raspberry plants to environmental factors in Western Siberia. For the first time, the role of Bacillus strains in enhancing frost resistance in primocane fruiting raspberry plants was shown. These bacilli are capable of being the basis of multifunctional biological formulations for effective plant and

  17. Degradation of polyester polyurethane by a newly isolated soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis strain MZA-75.

    PubMed

    Shah, Ziaullah; Krumholz, Lee; Aktas, Deniz Fulya; Hasan, Fariha; Khattak, Mutiullah; Shah, Aamer Ali

    2013-11-01

    A polyurethane (PU) degrading bacterial strain MZA-75 was isolated from soil through enrichment technique. The bacterium was identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the phylogenetic analysis indicated the strain MZA-75 belonged to genus Bacillus having maximum similarity with Bacillus subtilis strain JBE0016. The degradation of PU films by strain MZA-75 in mineral salt medium (MSM) was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). SEM revealed the appearance of widespread cracks on the surface. FTIR spectrum showed decrease in ester functional group. Increase in polydispersity index was observed in GPC, which indicates chain scission as a result of microbial treatment. CO2 evolution and cell growth increased when PU was used as carbon source in MSM in Sturm test. Increase in both cell associated and extracellular esterases was observed in the presence of PU indicated by p-Nitrophenyl acetate (pNPA) hydrolysis assay. Analysis of cell free supernatant by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that 1,4-butanediol and adipic acid monomers were produced. Bacillus subtilis strain MZA-75 can degrade the soft segment of polyester polyurethane, unfortunately no information about the fate of hard segment could be obtained. Growth of strain MZA-75 in the presence of these metabolites indicated mineralization of ester hydrolysis products into CO2 and H2O.

  18. Characterization of Bacillus subtilis strains in Thua nao, a traditional fermented soybean food in northern Thailand.

    PubMed

    Inatsu, Y; Nakamura, N; Yuriko, Y; Fushimi, T; Watanasiritum, L; Kawamoto, S

    2006-09-01

    To clarify the diversity of Bacillus subtilis strains in Thua nao that produce high concentrations of products useful in food manufacturing and in health-promoting compounds. Production of amylase, protease, subtilisin NAT (nattokinase), and gamma-polyglutamic acid (PGA) by the Bacillus subtilis strains in Thua nao was measured. Productivity of protease NAT by these strains tended to be higher than by Japanese commercial natto-producing strains. Molecular diversity of isolated strains was analysed via randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR fingerprinting. The strains were divided into 19 types, including a type with the same pattern as a Japanese natto-producing strain. B. subtilis strains that could be a resource for effective production of protease, amylase, subtilisin NAT, or PGA were evident in Thua nao produced in various regions in northern Thailand. This study clearly demonstrated the value of Thua nao as a potential resource of food-processing enzymes and health-promoting compounds.

  19. Effect of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis supplementation in diets with low- and high-protein content on ileal crude protein and amino acid digestibility and intestinal microbiota composition of growing pigs.

    PubMed

    Kaewtapee, Chanwit; Burbach, Katharina; Tomforde, Georgina; Hartinger, Thomas; Camarinha-Silva, Amélia; Heinritz, Sonja; Seifert, Jana; Wiltafsky, Markus; Mosenthin, Rainer; Rosenfelder-Kuon, Pia

    2017-01-01

    Bacillus spp. seem to be an alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters for improving animals' health and performance. However, there is little information on the effect of Bacillus spp. in combination with different dietary crude protein (CP) levels on the ileal digestibility and microbiota composition. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of Bacillus spp. supplementation to low- (LP) and high-protein diets (HP) on ileal CP and amino acid (AA) digestibility and intestinal microbiota composition. Eight ileally cannulated pigs with an initial body weight of 28.5 kg were randomly allocated to a row-column design with 8 pigs and 3 periods of 16 d each. The assay diets were based on wheat-barley-soybean meal with two protein levels: LP (14% CP, as-fed) and HP diet (18% CP, as-fed). The LP and HP diets were supplemented with or without Bacillus spp. at a level of 0.04% (as-fed). The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP and AA was determined. Bacterial community composition from ileal digesta was analyzed by Illumina amplicon sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial design using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS. The supplementation with Bacillus spp. did not affect both AID and SID of CP and AA in growing pigs. Moreover, there was no difference in AID of CP and AA between HP and LP diets, but SID of cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, and proline was lower ( P  < 0.05) in pigs fed the HP diets. The HP diets increased abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp., ( P  < 0.05) and by amplicon sequencing the latter was identified as predominant genus in microbiota from HP with Bacillus spp., whereas dietary supplementation of Bacillus spp. increased ( P  < 0.05) abundance of Roseburia spp.. The HP diet increased abundance of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp.. The supplementation of Bacillus spp. resulted in a higher

  20. Antagonism of Bacillus spp. isolated from marine biofilms against terrestrial phytopathogenic fungi.

    PubMed

    Ortega-Morales, B O; Ortega-Morales, F N; Lara-Reyna, J; De la Rosa-García, S C; Martínez-Hernández, A; Montero-M, Jorge

    2009-01-01

    We aimed at determining the antagonistic behavior of bacteria derived from marine biofilms against terrestrial phytopathogenic fungi. Some bacteria closely related to Bacillus mojavensis (three isolates) and Bacillus firmus (one isolate) displayed antagonistic activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ATCC 42374, selected as first screen organism. The four isolates were further quantitatively tested against C. gloeosporioides, Colletotrichum fragariae, and Fusarium oxysporum on two culture media, potato dextrose agar (PDA) and a marine medium-based agar [yeast extract agar (YEA)] at different times of growth of the antagonists (early, co-inoculation with the pathogen and late). Overall antagonistic assays showed differential susceptibility among the pathogens as a function of the type of culture media and time of colonization (P < 0.05). In general, higher suppressive activities were recorded for assays performed on YEA than on PDA; and also when the antagonists were allowed to grow 24 h earlier than the pathogen. F. oxysporum was the most resistant fungus while the most sensitive was C. gloeosporioides ATCC 42374. Significant differences in antagonistic activity (P < 0.05) were found between the different isolates. In general, Bacillus sp. MC3B-22 displayed a greater antagonistic effect than the commercial biocontrol strain Bacillus subtilis G03 (Kodiak). Further incubation studies and scanning electronic microscopy revealed that Bacillus sp. MC3B-22 was able to colonize, multiply, and inhibit C. gloeosporioides ATCC 42374 when tested in a mango leaf assay, showing its potential for fungal biocontrol. Additional studies are required to definitively identify the active isolates and to determine their mode of antifungal action, safety, and biocompatibility.

  1. Characterization of antagonistic-potential of two Bacillus strains and their biocontrol activity against Rhizoctonia solani in tomato.

    PubMed

    Solanki, Manoj Kumar; Singh, Rajesh Kumar; Srivastava, Supriya; Kumar, Sudheer; Kashyap, Prem Lal; Srivastava, Alok K

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the biocontrol mechanism of two antagonistic Bacillus strains (Bacillus subtilis MB14 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MB101), three in vitro antagonism assays were screened and the results were concluded that both strains inhibited Rhizoctonia solani growth in a similar manner by dual culture assay, but the maximum percent of inhibition only resulted with MB101 by volatile and diffusible metabolite assays. Moreover, cell free supernatant (CFS) of MB101 also showed significant (p > 0.05) growth inhibition as compared to MB14, when 10 and 20% CFS mix with the growth medium of R. solani. After in vitro-validation, both strains were evaluated under greenhouse and the results concluded that strain MB101 had significant biocontrol potential as compared to MB14. Strain MB101 was enhanced the plant height, biomass and chlorophyll content of tomato plant through a higher degree of root colonization. In field trials, strain MB101 showed higher lessening in root rot symptoms with significant fruit yield as compare to strain MB14 and infected control. Next to the field study, the presence of four antibiotic genes (srfAA, fenD, ituC, and bmyB) also concluded the antifungal nature of both Bacillus strains. Phylogenetic analysis of protein sequences revealed a close relatedness of three genes (srfAA, fenD, and ituC) with earlier reported sequences of B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens. However, bmyB showed heterogeneity in among both strains (MB14 and MB101) and it may be concluded that higher degree of antagonism, root colonization and different antibiotic producing genes may play an important role in biocontrol mechanism of strain MB101. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Genomic comparisons of two Bacillus subtilis biocontrol strains with different modes of actions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus subtilis strains AS 43.3 and OH131.1 were isolated from wheat anthers and shown to be efficacious in managing Fusarium head blight in greenhouse and some field trials. Chemical analysis of the cell-free culture supernatant identified B. subtilis strain AS 43.3 to be a potent producer of the...

  3. Bacillus infantis sp. nov. and Bacillus idriensis sp. nov., isolated from a patient with neonatal sepsis.

    PubMed

    Ko, Kwan Soo; Oh, Won Sup; Lee, Mi Young; Lee, Jang Ho; Lee, Hyuck; Peck, Kyong Ran; Lee, Nam Yong; Song, Jae-Hoon

    2006-11-01

    Two Gram-positive bacilli, designated as strains SMC 4352-1T and SMC 4352-2T, were isolated sequentially from the blood of a newborn child with sepsis. They could not be identified by using conventional clinical microbiological methods. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that both strains belonged to the genus Bacillus but clearly diverged from known Bacillus species. Strain SMC 4352-1T and strain SMC 4352-2T were found to be closely related to Bacillus firmus NCIMB 9366T (98.2% sequence similarity) and Bacillus cibi JG-30T (97.1% sequence similarity), respectively. They also displayed low DNA-DNA reassociation values (less than 40%) with respect to the most closely related Bacillus species. On the basis of their polyphasic characteristics, strain SMC 4352-1T and strain SMC 4352-2T represent two novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the names Bacillus infantis sp. nov. (type strain SMC 4352-1T=KCCM 90025T=JCM 13438T) and Bacillus idriensis sp. nov. (type strain SMC 4352-2T=KCCM 90024T=JCM 13437T) are proposed.

  4. Isolation and Evaluation of Bacillus Strains for Industrial Production of 2,3-Butanediol.

    PubMed

    Song, Chan Woo; Rathnasingh, Chelladurai; Park, Jong Myoung; Lee, Julia; Song, Hyohak

    2018-03-28

    Biologically produced 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) has diverse industrial applications. In this study, schematic isolation and screening procedures were designed to obtain generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and efficient 2,3-BDO producers. Over 4,000 candidate strains were isolated by pretreatment and enrichment, and the isolated Bacillus strains were further screened by morphological, biochemical, and genomic analyses. The screened strains were then used to test the utilization of the most common carbon (glucose, xylose, fructose, sucrose) and nitrogen (yeast extract, corn steep liquor) sources for the economical production of 2,3-BDO. Two-stage fed-batch fermentation was finally carried out to enhance 2,3-BDO production. In consequence, a newly isolated Bacillus licheniformis GSC3102 strain produced 92.0 g/l of total 2,3-BDO with an overall productivity and yield of 1.40 g/l/h and 0.423 g/g glucose, respectively, using a cheap and abundant nitrogen source. These results strongly suggest that B. licheniformis , which is found widely in nature, can be used as a host strain for the industrial fermentative production of 2,3-BDO.

  5. Development of strain-specific PCR primers for quantitative detection of Bacillus mesentericus strain TO-A in human feces.

    PubMed

    Sato, Naoki; Seo, Genichiro; Benno, Yoshimi

    2014-01-01

    Strain-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for detection of Bacillus mesentericus strain TO-A (BM TO-A) were developed. The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to produce potential strain-specific markers. A 991-bp RAPD marker found to be strain-specific was sequenced, and two primer pairs specific to BM TO-A were constructed based on this sequence. In addition, we explored a more specific DNA region using inverse PCR, and designed a strain-specific primer set for use in real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). These primer pairs were tested against 25 Bacillus subtilis strains and were found to be strain-specific. After examination of the detection limit and linearity of detection of BM TO-A in feces, the qPCR method and strain-specific primers were used to quantify BM TO-A in the feces of healthy volunteers who had ingested 3×10(8) colony forming unit (CFU) of BM TO-A per day in tablets. During the administration period, BM TO-A was detected in the feces of all 24 subjects, and the average number of BM TO-A detected using the culture method and qPCR was about 10(4.8) and 10(5.8) cells per gram of feces, respectively. Using the qPCR method, BM TO-A was detected in the feces of half of the subjects 3 d after withdrawal, and was detected in the feces of only one subject 1 week after withdrawal. These results suggest that the qPCR method using BM TO-A strain-specific primers is useful for the quantitative detection of this strain in feces.

  6. Identification and adhesion profile of Lactobacillus spp. strains isolated from poultry

    PubMed Central

    Rocha, Ticiana Silva; Baptista, Ana Angelita Sampaio; Donato, Tais Cremasco; Milbradt, Elisane Lenita; Okamoto, Adriano Sakai; Filho, Raphael Lucio Andreatti

    2014-01-01

    In the aviculture industry, the use of Lactobacillus spp. as a probiotic has been shown to be frequent and satisfactory, both in improving bird production indexes and in protecting intestine against colonization by pathogenic bacteria. Adhesion is an important characteristic in selecting Lactobacillus probiotic strains since it impedes its immediate elimination to enable its beneficial action in the host. This study aimed to isolate, identify and characterize the in vitro and in vivo adhesion of Lactobacillus strains isolated from birds. The Lactobacillus spp. was identified by PCR and sequencing and the strains and its adhesion evaluated in vitro via BMM cell matrix and in vivo by inoculation in one-day-old birds. Duodenum, jejunum, ileum and cecum were collected one, four, 12 and 24 h after inoculation. The findings demonstrate greater adhesion of strains in the cecum and an important correlation between in vitro and in vivo results. It was concluded that BMM utilization represents an important technique for triage of Lactobacillus for subsequent in vivo evaluation, which was shown to be efficient in identifying bacterial adhesion to the enteric tract. PMID:25477944

  7. Functional genomic approaches for understanding the mode of action of Bacillus sp biocontrol strains

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Complete genome sequencing of several Bacillus sp. strains has shed new light on the mode of action of these antagonists of plant pathogens. The use of genomic data mining tools provided the ability to quickly determine the potential of these strains to produce bioactive secondary metabolites. Our B...

  8. Effects of nitrogen and carbon sources on the production of inulinase from strain Bacillus sp. SG113

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gavrailov, Simeon; Ivanova, Viara

    2016-03-01

    The effects of the carbon and nitrogen substrates on the growth of Bacillus sp. SG113 strain were studied. The use of organic nitrogen sources (peptone, beef extract, yeast extract, casein) leads to rapid cellular growth and the best results for the Bacillus strain were obtained with casein hydrolysate. From the inorganic nitrogen sources studied, the (NH4) 2SO4 proved to be the best nitrogen source. Casein hydrolysate and (NH4) 2SO4 stimulated the invertase synthesis. In the presence of Jerusalem artichoke, onion and garlic extracts as carbon sources the strain synthesized from 6 to 10 times more inulinase.

  9. 40 CFR 180.1181 - Bacillus cereus strain BPO1; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1181 Bacillus cereus strain BPO1; exemption from the requirement... strain BPO1 in or on all raw agricultural commodities when applied/used in accordance with label...

  10. 40 CFR 180.1181 - Bacillus cereus strain BPO1; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1181 Bacillus cereus strain BPO1; exemption from the requirement... strain BPO1 in or on all raw agricultural commodities when applied/used in accordance with label...

  11. Duplex PCR for differentiation of the vaccine strain Brucella suis S2 and B. suis biovar 1 from other strains of Brucella spp.

    PubMed

    Nan, Wenlong; Tan, Pengfei; Wang, Yong; Xu, Zouliang; Mao, Kairong; Peng, Daxin; Chen, Yiping

    2014-09-01

    Immunisation with attenuated Brucella spp. vaccines prevents brucellosis, but may also interfere with diagnosis. In this study, a duplex PCR was developed to distinguish Brucella suis vaccine strain S2 from field strains of B. suis biovar 1 and other Brucella spp. The PCR detected 60 fg genomic DNA of B. suis S2 or biovar 1 field strains and was able to distinguish B. suis S2 and wild-type strains of B. suis biovar 1 among 76 field isolates representing all the common species and biovars, as well as four vaccine strains, of Brucella. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Cyclic lipopeptide signature as fingerprinting for the screening of halotolerant Bacillus strains towards microbial enhanced oil recovery.

    PubMed

    Farias, Bárbara C S; Hissa, Denise C; do Nascimento, Camila T M; Oliveira, Samuel A; Zampieri, Davila; Eberlin, Marcos N; Migueleti, Deivid L S; Martins, Luiz F; Sousa, Maíra P; Moyses, Danuza N; Melo, Vânia M M

    2018-02-01

    Cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) are non-ribosomal biosurfactants produced by Bacillus species that exhibit outstanding interfacial activity. The synthesis of CLPs is under genetic and environmental influence, and representatives from different families are generally co-produced, generating isoforms that differ in chemical structure and biological activities. This study to evaluate the effect of low and high NaCl concentrations on the composition and surface activity of CLPs produced by Bacillus strains TIM27, TIM49, TIM68, and ICA13 towards microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). The strains were evaluated in mineral medium containing NaCl 2.7, 66, or 100 g L -1 and growth, surface tension and emulsification activity were monitored. Based on the analysis of 16S rDNA, gyrB and rpoB sequences TIM27 and TIM49 were assigned to Bacillus subtilis, TIM68 to Bacillus vallismortis, and ICA13 to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. All strains tolerated up to 100-g L -1 NaCl, but only TIM49 and TIM68 were able to reduce surface tension at this concentration. TIM49 also showed emulsification activity at concentrations up to 66-g L -1 NaCl. ESI-MS analysis showed that the strains produced a mixture of CLPs, which presented distinct CLP profiles at low and high NaCl concentrations. High NaCl concentration favored the synthesis of surfactins and/or fengycins that correlated with the surface activities of TIM49 and TIM68, whereas low concentration favored the synthesis of iturins. Taken together, these findings suggest that the determination of CLP signatures under the expected condition of oil reservoirs can be useful in the guidance for choosing well-suited strains to MEOR.

  13. [Effect of carbon and nitrogen sources and complex B vitamins on the synthesis of alkaline protease by different strains of Bacillus mesentericus and Bacillus subtilis].

    PubMed

    Emtseva, T V

    1975-01-01

    The effect of different sources of carbon, nitrogen, amino acids and vitamins on the synthesis of alkaline proteases by the stock and mutant strains of Bacillus mesentericus and by the natural strain of Bacillus subtilis-12 has been investigated. The maximum synthesis of alkaline protease has been obtained in the media containing starch or its hydrolysates--dextrine and maltose as the carbon source. Ammonium phosphate and casein as the nitrogen source prove to be optimal for Bac. mesentericus and Bac. subtilis, respectively. Complex B vitamins added to the nutrient medium accelerate the enzyme synthesis 2.5-4-fold.

  14. Bacillus flexus strain As-12, a new arsenic transformer bacterium isolated from contaminated water resources.

    PubMed

    Jebeli, Mohammad Ahmadi; Maleki, Afshin; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Kalantar, Enayatollah; Izanloo, Hassan; Gharibi, Fardin

    2017-02-01

    A total of 14 arsenic-resistant bacteria were isolated from an arsenic-contaminated travertine spring water in the central district of Qorveh county, Kurdistan Province, Iran. One of strains designated As-12 was selected for further investigation because of its ability to transform arsenic. The strain was identified by cultural, morphological and biochemical tests, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Finally, the growth characteristics of the isolate were investigated in a chemically defined medium which included varied ranges of environmental factors such as pH, temperature and salinity. Moreover, the resistance of this strain to some heavy metals was evaluated. The bacterium was a Gram-positive, endospore-forming with all other characteristics of the genus Bacillus. It revealed maximum similarity at the 16S rRNA gene level with Bacillus flexus. The optimum growth of the strain was observed at 38 °C, pH 9 and 2% salinity. This strain was resistant to heavy metals such as zinc, chromium, lead, nickel, copper, mercuric and cadmium at concentrations of 15 mM, 15.5 mM, 11.5 mM, 12 mM, 11 mM, 5.5 mM, and 1 mM, respectively. The isolated bacterium was able to reduce As (V) to As (III) (about 28%) and oxidize As (III) to As (V) (about 45%) after 48 h of incubation at 37 °C. In conclusion, Bacillus flexus strain As-12, was identified as an arsenic transformer, for the first time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Termitarium-Inhabiting Bacillus spp. Enhanced Plant Growth and Bioactive Component in Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.).

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Ankit Kumar; Maheshwari, Dinesh Kumar; Dheeman, Shrivardhan; Bajpai, Vivek K

    2017-02-01

    Curcumin (diferuloyl methane) is the main bioactive component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) having remarkable multipotent medicinal and therapeutic applications. Two Bacilli isolated from termitarium soil and identified as Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 were used for bacterization of rhizome for raising C. longa ver. suguna for growth and enhancement. Both the strains showed remarkable PGP activities and also chemotactic in nature with high chemotactic index. Turmeric plants bacterized with strains B. endophyticus TSH42 and B. cereus TSH77 individually and in combination increased plant growth and turmeric production up to 18% in field trial in comparison to non-bacterized plants. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to determine the content of curcumin, which showed concentration of curcumin in un-inoculated turmeric as 3.66 g which increased by 13.6% (4.16 g) when combination of TSH42 and TSH77 was used.

  16. Bacillus: A Biological Tool for Crop Improvement through Bio-Molecular Changes in Adverse Environments

    PubMed Central

    Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Hashem, Abeer; Abd_Allah, Elsayed F.

    2017-01-01

    Crop productivity is affected by environmental and genetic factors. Microbes that are beneficial to plants are used to enhance the crop yield and are alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Pseudomonas and Bacillus species are the predominant plant growth-promoting bacteria. The spore-forming ability of Bacillus is distinguished from that of Pseudomonas. Members of this genus also survive for a long time under unfavorable environmental conditions. Bacillus spp. secrete several metabolites that trigger plant growth and prevent pathogen infection. Limited studies have been conducted to understand the physiological changes that occur in crops in response to Bacillus spp. to provide protection against adverse environmental conditions. This review describes the current understanding of Bacillus-induced physiological changes in plants as an adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. During water scarcity, salinity and heavy metal accumulate in soil, Bacillus spp. produce exopolysaccharides and siderophores, which prevent the movement of toxic ions and adjust the ionic balance and water transport in plant tissues while controlling the pathogenic microbial population. In addition, the synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase by Bacillus regulates the intracellular phytohormone metabolism and increases plant stress tolerance. Cell-wall-degrading substances, such as chitosanase, protease, cellulase, glucanase, lipopeptides and hydrogen cyanide from Bacillus spp. damage the pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses and pests to control their populations in plants and agricultural lands. The normal plant metabolism is affected by unfavorable environmental stimuli, which suppress crop growth and yield. Abiotic and biotic stress factors that have detrimental effects on crops are mitigated by Bacillus-induced physiological changes, including the regulation of water transport, nutrient up-take and

  17. Bacillus: A Biological Tool for Crop Improvement through Bio-Molecular Changes in Adverse Environments.

    PubMed

    Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Hashem, Abeer; Abd Allah, Elsayed F

    2017-01-01

    Crop productivity is affected by environmental and genetic factors. Microbes that are beneficial to plants are used to enhance the crop yield and are alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Pseudomonas and Bacillus species are the predominant plant growth-promoting bacteria. The spore-forming ability of Bacillus is distinguished from that of Pseudomonas . Members of this genus also survive for a long time under unfavorable environmental conditions. Bacillus spp. secrete several metabolites that trigger plant growth and prevent pathogen infection. Limited studies have been conducted to understand the physiological changes that occur in crops in response to Bacillus spp. to provide protection against adverse environmental conditions. This review describes the current understanding of Bacillus -induced physiological changes in plants as an adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. During water scarcity, salinity and heavy metal accumulate in soil, Bacillus spp. produce exopolysaccharides and siderophores, which prevent the movement of toxic ions and adjust the ionic balance and water transport in plant tissues while controlling the pathogenic microbial population. In addition, the synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase by Bacillus regulates the intracellular phytohormone metabolism and increases plant stress tolerance. Cell-wall-degrading substances, such as chitosanase, protease, cellulase, glucanase, lipopeptides and hydrogen cyanide from Bacillus spp. damage the pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses and pests to control their populations in plants and agricultural lands. The normal plant metabolism is affected by unfavorable environmental stimuli, which suppress crop growth and yield. Abiotic and biotic stress factors that have detrimental effects on crops are mitigated by Bacillus -induced physiological changes, including the regulation of water transport, nutrient up-take and

  18. Cellular fatty acid analysis as a potential tool for predicting mosquitocidal activity of Bacillus sphaericus strains.

    PubMed Central

    Frachon, E; Hamon, S; Nicolas, L; de Barjac, H

    1991-01-01

    Gas-liquid chromatography of fatty acid methyl esters and numerical analysis were carried out with 114 Bacillus sphaericus strains. Since only two clusters harbored mosquitocidal strains, this technique could be developed in screening programs to limit bioassays on mosquito larvae. It also allows differentiation of highly homologous strains. PMID:1781697

  19. Complete genome sequence of Bacillus subtilis BSD-2, a microbial germicide isolated from cultivated cotton.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hongwei; Yin, Shuli; An, Likang; Zhang, Genwei; Cheng, Huicai; Xi, Yanhua; Cui, Guanhui; Zhang, Feiyan; Zhang, Liping

    2016-07-20

    Bacillus subtilis BSD-2, isolated from cotton (Gossypium spp.), had strong antagonistic activity to Verticillium dahlia Kleb and Botrytis cinerea. We sequenced and annotated the BSD-2 complete genome to help us the better use of this strain, which has surfactin, bacilysin, bacillibactin, subtilosin A, Tas A and a potential class IV lanthipeptide biosynthetic pathways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Silver nanoparticles toxicity against airborne strains of Staphylococcus spp.

    PubMed

    Wolny-Koładka, Katarzyna A; Malina, Dagmara K

    2017-11-10

    The aim of this study was to explore the toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized by chemical reduction method assessment with regard to airborne strains of Staphylococcus spp. The first step of the experiment was the preparation of silver nanoparticle suspension. The suspension was obtained by a fast and simple chemical method involving the reduction of silver ions through a reducing factor in the presence of the suitable stabilizer required to prevent the aggregation. In the second stage, varied instrumental techniques were used for the analysis and characterization of the obtained nanostructures. Third, the bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus were isolated from the air under stable conditions with 47 sports and recreational horses, relatively. Next, isolated strains were identified using biochemical and spectrophotometric methods. The final step was the evaluation of the Staphylococcus genus sensitivity to nanosilver using the disk diffusion test. It has been proven that prepared silver nanoparticles exhibit strong antibacterial properties. The minimum inhibitory concentration for tested isolates was 30 μg/mL. It has been found that the sensitivity of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from six identified species differs considerably. The size distribution of bacterial growth inhibition zones indicates that resistance to various nanosilver concentrations is an individual strain feature, and has no connection with belonging to a specific species.

  1. Calcium Carbonate Precipitation by Bacillus and Sporosarcina Strains Isolated from Concrete and Analysis of the Bacterial Community of Concrete.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyun Jung; Eom, Hyo Jung; Park, Chulwoo; Jung, Jaejoon; Shin, Bora; Kim, Wook; Chung, Namhyun; Choi, In-Geol; Park, Woojun

    2016-03-01

    Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (CCP) is a long-standing but re-emerging environmental engineering process for production of self-healing concrete, bioremediation, and long-term storage of CO2. CCP-capable bacteria, two Bacillus strains (JH3 and JH7) and one Sporosarcina strain (HYO08), were isolated from two samples of concrete and characterized phylogenetically. Calcium carbonate crystals precipitated by the three strains were morphologically distinct according to field emission scanning electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry mapping confirmed biomineralization via extracellular calcium carbonate production. The three strains differed in their physiological characteristics: growth at alkali pH and high NaCl concentrations, and urease activity. Sporosarcina sp. HYO08 and Bacillus sp. JH7 were more alkali- and halotolerant, respectively. Analysis of the community from the same concrete samples using barcoded pyrosequencing revealed that the relative abundance of Bacillus and Sporosarcina species was low, which indicated low culturability of other dominant bacteria. This study suggests that calcium carbonate crystals with different properties can be produced by various CCP-capable strains, and other novel isolates await discovery.

  2. [Isolation and Identification of Petroleum Degradation Bacteria and Interspecific Interactions Among Four Bacillus Strains].

    PubMed

    Wang, Jia-nan; Shi, Yan-yun; Zheng, Li-yan; Wang, Zhe; Cai, Zhang; Liu, Jie

    2015-06-01

    Six petroleum-degrading strains were isolated from oil-contaminated soil at Dagang oil field and oil sewage on Bohai offshore drilling platform in Tianjin using enrichment culture and isolation method. The physiological biochemical test together with 16S rDNA sequencing analysis indicated that they belonged to Bacillus (S1, S2, S3, S4), Pseudomonas (W1) and Ochrobactrum (W2), respectively. The strain S3 had the maximum degradation rate of alkane (41.3%) and aromatic hydrocarbon (30.9%) among all isolated strains showing the better degradation efficiency by endogenous bacteria when compared to that by the exogenous bacteria. The four Bacillus strains were used to construct microbiome, thereafter subjected to petroleum degradation efficiency test and analyzed. The results showed that microbiome F3 consisting of S1 and S4 had the maximum degradation rates of alkane (50.5%) and aromatic hydrocarbon (54.0%), which were 69.9% and 156.1% higher than those by single bacterium, respectively. Furthermore, they were 22.1% and 74.6% respectively higher than those by the most optimal degradation bacterium S3. Microbiome F4 consisting of S2 and S3 had the minimum degradation rates of alkane (18.5%) and aromatic hydrocarbon (18.9%) which were 55.3% and 39.0% lower than the degradation rates of single bacterium, respectively. The results also demonstrated that there were both microbial synergy promotion and antagonism inhibition among bacteria of the same genus in the petroleum degradation period. Bacteria with close affinity in Bacillus genus displayed mainly promoted petroleum degradation effect.

  3. Marine Bacillus spp. associated with the egg capsule of Concholepas concholepas (common name "loco") have an inhibitory activity toward the pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

    PubMed

    Leyton, Yanett; Riquelme, Carlos

    2010-10-01

    The pandemic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus, isolated from seawater, sediment, and marine organisms, is responsible for gastroenteric illnesses in humans and also cause diseases in aquaculture industry in Chile and other countries around the world. In this study, bacterial flora with inhibitory activity against pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus were collected from egg capsules of Concholepas concholepas and evaluated. The 16S rRNA fragment was sequenced from each isolated strain to determine its identity using the GenBank database. A phylogenetic analysis was made, and tests for the productions of antibacterial substance were performed using the double-layer method. Forty-five morphotypes of bacterial colonies were isolated, 8 of which presented an inhibitory effect on the growth of V. parahaemolyticus. 16S rRNA sequence and phylogenetic analysis show that these strains constitute taxa that are phylogenetically related to the Bacillus genus and are probably sister species or strains of the species Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniform, or Bacillus sp. It is important to determine the nature of the antibacterial substance to evaluate their potential for use against the pathogen species V. parahaemolyticus.

  4. Probiotic properties of native Lactobacillus spp. strains for dairy calves.

    PubMed

    Fernández, S; Fraga, M; Silveyra, E; Trombert, A N; Rabaza, A; Pla, M; Zunino, P

    2018-04-10

    The use of native microorganisms with probiotic capacity is an alternative tool for the treatment and prevention of several diseases that affect animals, such as neonatal calf diarrhoea. The selection of probiotic strains within a collection is based on different in vitro and in vivo assays, which predict their potential. The aim of this study was to characterise a group of native Lactobacillus spp. strains isolated from faeces of healthy calves using an in vitro approach and to assess their ability to colonise the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of calves. Native Lactobacillus spp. strains were evaluated on their capacity to survive low pH conditions and bile salts presence, biofilm formation and adhesion to both mucus and Caco-2 cells. Based on the in vitro characterisation, four strains (Lactobacillus johnsonii TP1.1, Lactobacillus reuteri TP1.3B, L. johnsonii TP1.6 and Lactobacillus amylovorus TP8.7) were selected to evaluate their capacity to colonise and persist in the GIT of calves. The assessment of enteric persistence involved an in vivo assay with oral administration of probiotics and quantification in faeces of the administered bacterial species with real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The study was conducted using 15 calves (1-month-old) which were divided into five groups of three animals, four of which were treated with four different selected strains and one was the control group. Strains TP1.3B and TP1.6 managed to persist in treated animals until ten days after the end of the administration period, indicating that they could be promising candidates for the design of probiotics for calves.

  5. Complete Genome Sequences of Two Bacillus pumilus Strains from Cuatrociénegas, Coahuila, Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Alcaraz, Luis D.; Aguilar-Salinas, Bernardo; Islas, Africa

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT We assembled the complete genome sequences of Bacillus pumilus strains 145 and 150a from Cuatrociénegas, Mexico. We detected genes codifying for proteins potentially involved in antagonism (bacteriocins) and defense mechanisms (abortive infection bacteriophage proteins and 4-azaleucine resistance). Both strains harbored prophage sequences. Our results provide insights into understanding the establishment of microbial interactions. PMID:29700165

  6. Complete Genome Sequences of Two Bacillus pumilus Strains from Cuatrociénegas, Coahuila, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Zarza, Eugenia; Alcaraz, Luis D; Aguilar-Salinas, Bernardo; Islas, Africa; Olmedo-Álvarez, Gabriela

    2018-04-26

    We assembled the complete genome sequences of Bacillus pumilus strains 145 and 150a from Cuatrociénegas, Mexico. We detected genes codifying for proteins potentially involved in antagonism (bacteriocins) and defense mechanisms (abortive infection bacteriophage proteins and 4-azaleucine resistance). Both strains harbored prophage sequences. Our results provide insights into understanding the establishment of microbial interactions. Copyright © 2018 Zarza et al.

  7. Genetic diversity of Bacillus sp producers of amylase isolated from the soil.

    PubMed

    Xavier, A R E O; Lima, E R; Oliveira, A M E; Cardoso, L; Santos, J; Cangussu, C H C; Leite, L N; Quirino, M C L; Júnior, I G C; Oliveira, D A; Xavier, M A S

    2017-09-27

    The microorganisms are the best source of extracellular enzymes since they allow an economical technology with low-resource consumption compared to animals and plants. The amylases are among the most important enzymes being the genus Bacillus one of the most investigated due to its ability to produce this enzyme. The objective of this study was to isolate and analyze the genetic diversity among bacteria of the genus Bacillus sp producer of amylase originated from the soil. To this end, soil samples were collected and submitted to the condition of extreme temperature. The serial dilution procedure followed by seeding on solid medium containing starch was used for isolation of strains that produce amylase. The microorganisms isolated were subjected to standard morphological methods for presumptive identification of the genus Bacillus. The PCR assay with the universal genetic marker 16S rDNA was used for confirmation of bacterial strain. All the 10 isolates presumptively identified as bacteria amplified a fragment of 370 bp corresponding to the 16S rDNA gene. The enzymatic activity was expressed as an enzymatic index (EI), after 24 h of incubation. All isolate producers of amylase exhibited EI ≥ 2.0. The determination of the genetic profile and the clonal relationship among the isolates were performed by the method of ERIC-PCR polymorphism. The isolates of Bacillus spp were divided into 2 groups (I and II). Through this method, the discriminatory capacity of this analysis of polymorphisms was verified in differing producer strains from those not producing amylase.

  8. Detection of CDT toxin genes in Campylobacter spp. strains isolated from broiler carcasses and vegetables in São Paulo, Brazil

    PubMed Central

    de Carvalho, Aline Feola; da Silva, Daniela Martins; Azevedo, Sergio Santos; Piatti, Rosa Maria; Genovez, Margareth Elide; Scarcelli, Eliana

    2013-01-01

    Campylobacteriosis is a worldwide distributed zoonosis. One of the main virulence factors related to Campylobacter spp. in animals and humans is the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), encoded by three adjacent genes (cdtA, cdtB, cdtC). The occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in samples of vegetables has not been reported in Brazil yet, and has seldom been described in the international literature. The detection of CDT in these strains has not been reported, either. The objectives of the present study were to determine the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. strains carrying virulence factors in samples of poultry and vegetables (lettuce and spinach) from different points of sale, thus verifying if vegetables are as an important vehicle for potentially virulent Campylobacter spp. strains as poultry. Twenty four strains were identified as Campylobacter jejuni by phenotypic and genotypic methods: 22 from broiler carcasses and two from lettuce samples. Three strains were identified as Campylobacter coli: two from broiler carcasses and one from lettuce. The presence of the cdt genes were detected in 20/24 (83.3%) C. jejuni strains, and 3/3 (100%) C. coli strains. The isolation of Campylobacter spp. strains with the cdt gene cluster in lettuce samples points to a new possible source of contamination, which could have an impact in the vegetable production chain and risk to public health. Results show that potentially virulent C. jejuni and C. coli strains remain viable in samples of broiler carcasses and vegetables at the points of sale. PMID:24516435

  9. Bacillus safensis FO-36b and Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032: a whole genome comparison of two spacecraft assembly facility isolates.

    PubMed

    Tirumalai, Madhan R; Stepanov, Victor G; Wünsche, Andrea; Montazari, Saied; Gonzalez, Racquel O; Venkateswaran, Kasturi; Fox, George E

    2018-06-08

    Bacillus strains producing highly resistant spores have been isolated from cleanrooms and space craft assembly facilities. Organisms that can survive such conditions merit planetary protection concern and if that resistance can be transferred to other organisms, a health concern too. To further efforts to understand these resistances, the complete genome of Bacillus safensis strain FO-36b, which produces spores resistant to peroxide and radiation was determined. The genome was compared to the complete genome of B. pumilus SAFR-032, and the draft genomes of B. safensis JPL-MERTA-8-2 and the type strain B. pumilus ATCC7061 T . Additional comparisons were made to 61 draft genomes that have been mostly identified as strains of B. pumilus or B. safensis. The FO-36b gene order is essentially the same as that in SAFR-032 and other B. pumilus strains. The annotated genome has 3850 open reading frames and 40 noncoding RNAs and riboswitches. Of these, 307 are not shared by SAFR-032, and 65 are also not shared by MERTA and ATCC7061 T . The FO-36b genome has ten unique open reading frames and two phage-like regions, homologous to the Bacillus bacteriophage SPP1 and Brevibacillus phage Jimmer1. Differing remnants of the Jimmer1 phage are found in essentially all B. safensis / B. pumilus strains. Seven unique genes are part of these phage elements. Whole Genome Phylogenetic Analysis of the B. pumilus, B. safensis and other Firmicutes genomes, separate them into three distinct clusters. Two clusters are subgroups of B. pumilus while one houses all the B. safensis strains. The Genome-genome distance analysis and a phylogenetic analysis of gyrA sequences corroborated these results. It is not immediately obvious that the presence or absence of any specific gene or combination of genes is responsible for the variations in resistance seen. It is quite possible that distinctions in gene regulation can alter the expression levels of key proteins thereby changing the organism

  10. Bacillus beijingensis sp. nov. and Bacillus ginsengi sp. nov., isolated from ginseng root.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Fubin; Zhang, Xiaoxia; Liu, Lin; Sun, Lei; Schumann, Peter; Song, Wei

    2009-04-01

    Four alkaligenous, moderately halotolerant strains, designated ge09, ge10(T), ge14(T) and ge15, were isolated from the internal tissue of ginseng root and their taxonomic positions were investigated by using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the four strains were Gram-positive-staining, non-motile, short rods. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains ge09 and ge10(T) formed one cluster and strains ge14(T) and ge15 formed another separate cluster within the genus Bacillus. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with type strains of other Bacillus species were less than 97 %. Levels of DNA-DNA relatedness among the four strains showed that strains ge09 and ge10(T) and strains ge14(T) and ge15 belonged to two separate species; the mean level of DNA-DNA relatedness between ge10(T) and ge14(T) was only 28.7 %. Their phenotypic and physiological properties supported the view that the two strains represent two different novel species of the genus Bacillus. The DNA G+C contents of strains ge10(T) and ge14(T) were 49.9 and 49.6 mol%, respectively. Strains ge10(T) and ge14(T) showed the peptidoglycan type A4alpha l-Lys-d-Glu. The lipids present in strains ge10(T) and ge14(T) were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, a minor amount of phosphatidylcholine and two unknown phospholipids. Their predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The fatty acid profiles of the four novel strains contained large quantities of branched and saturated fatty acids. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) (42.5 %), anteiso-C(15 : 0) (22.2 %), anteiso-C(17 : 0) (7.3 %) and C(16 : 1)omega7c alcohol (5.7 %) in ge10(T) and iso-C(15 : 0) (50.7 %) and anteiso-C(15 : 0) (20.1 %) in ge14(T). On the basis of their phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, two novel species of the genus Bacillus are proposed, Bacillus beijingensis sp. nov. (type strain ge10(T) =DSM 19037(T) =CGMCC 1.6762(T)) and Bacillus ginsengi sp. nov. (type strain ge14

  11. Characterization of the synergistic interaction between Beauveria bassiana strain GHA and Bacillus thuringiensis morrisoni strain tenebrionis applied against Colorado potato beetle

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Studies were undertaken to further characterize the previously identified synergistic activity of Bacillus thuringiensis- and Beauveria bassiana-based biopesticides against Colorado potato beetle (CPB). A flowable concentrate of B. thuringiensis morrisoni strain tenebrionis (Bt) (Novodor® FC) and a ...

  12. Molecular characterization of the probiotic strain Bacillus cereus var. toyoi NCIMB 40112 and differentiation from food poisoning strains.

    PubMed

    Klein, Günter

    2011-07-01

    Bacillus cereus var. toyoi strain NCIMB 40112 (Toyocerin), a probiotic authorized in the European Union as feed additive for swine, bovines, poultry, and rabbits, was characterized by DNA fingerprinting applying pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing and was compared with reference strains (of clinical and environmental origins). The probiotic strain was clearly characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using the restriction enzymes Apa I and Sma I resulting in unique DNA patterns. The comparison to the clinical reference strain B. cereus DSM 4312 was done with the same restriction enzymes, and again a clear differentiation of the two strains was possible by the resulting DNA patterns. The use of the restriction enzymes Apa I and Sma I is recommended for further studies. Furthermore, multilocus sequence typing analysis revealed a sequence type (ST 111) that was different from all known STs of B. cereus strains from food poisoning incidents. Thus, a strain characterization and differentiation from food poisoning strains for the probiotic strain was possible. Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection

  13. Mini review: Recombinant production of tailored bio-pharmaceuticals in different Bacillus strains and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Lakowitz, Antonia; Godard, Thibault; Biedendieck, Rebekka; Krull, Rainer

    2018-05-01

    Bio-pharmaceuticals like antibodies, hormones and growth factors represent about one-fifth of commercial pharmaceuticals. Host candidates of growing interest for recombinant production of these proteins are strains of the genus Bacillus, long being established for biotechnological production of homologous and heterologous proteins. Bacillus strains benefit from development of efficient expression systems in the last decades and emerge as major industrial workhorses for recombinant proteins due to easy cultivation, non-pathogenicity and their ability to secrete recombinant proteins directly into extracellular medium allowing cost-effective downstream processing. Their broad product portfolio of pharmaceutically relevant recombinant proteins described in research include antibody fragments, growth factors, interferons and interleukins, insulin, penicillin G acylase, streptavidin and different kinases produced in various cultivation systems like microtiter plates, shake flasks and bioreactor systems in batch, fed-batch and continuous mode. To further improve production and secretion performance of Bacillus, bottlenecks and limiting factors concerning proteases, chaperones, secretion machinery or feedback mechanisms can be identified on different cell levels from genomics and transcriptomics via proteomics to metabolomics and fluxomics. For systematical identification of recurring patterns characteristic of given regulatory systems and key genetic targets, systems biology and omics-technology provide suitable and promising approaches, pushing Bacillus further towards industrial application for recombinant pharmaceutical protein production. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Draft Whole-Genome Sequence of Bacillus altitudinis Strain B-388, a Producer of Extracellular RNase.

    PubMed

    Shah Mahmud, Raihan; Ulyanova, Vera; Malanin, Sergey; Dudkina, Elena; Vershinina, Valentina; Ilinskaya, Olga

    2015-01-29

    Here, we present a draft genome sequence of Bacillus altitudinis strain B-388, including a putative plasmid. The strain was isolated from the intestine of Indian meal moth, a common pest of stored grains, and it is characterized by the production of extracellular RNase, similar to binase, which is of interest for comparative studies and biotechnology. Copyright © 2015 Shah Mahmud et al.

  15. Bacillus oryzisoli sp. nov., isolated from rice rhizosphere.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiao-Xia; Gao, Ju-Sheng; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Cai-Wen; Ma, Xiao-Tong; Zhang, Jun

    2016-09-01

    The taxonomy of strain 1DS3-10T, a Gram-staining-positive, endospore-forming bacterium isolated from rice rhizosphere, was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that the novel strain was grouped with established members of the genus Bacillus and appeared to be closely related to the type strains Bacillus benzoevorans DSM 5391T (97.9 %), Bacillus circulans DSM 11T (97.7 %), Bacillus novalis JCM 21709T (97.3 %), Bacillus soli JCM 21710T (97.3 %), Bacillus oceanisediminis CGMCC 1.10115T (97.3 %) and BacillusnealsoniiFO-92T (97.1 %). The fatty acid profile of strain 1DS3-10T, which showed a predominance of iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0, supported the allocation of the strain to the genus Bacillus. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7 (100 %). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and unknown aminolipids. Cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 1DS3-10T and the type strains of closely related species were 25-33 %, which supported that 1DS3-10T represented a novel species in the genus Bacillus. The results of some physiological and biochemical tests also allowed the phenotypic differentiation of strain 1DS3-10T from the most closely related recognized species. On the basis of the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, strain 1DS3-10T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus oryzisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the novel species is 1DS3-10T (=ACCC 19781T=DSM 29761T).

  16. 40 CFR 180.1325 - Heat-killed Burkholderia spp. strain A396 cells and spent fermentation media exemption from the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... A396 cells and spent fermentation media exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. 180.1325 Section...-killed Burkholderia spp. strain A396 cells and spent fermentation media exemption from the requirement of...-killed Burkholderia spp. strain A396 cells and spent fermentation media in or on all food commodities...

  17. Evaluation of Bacillus spp. as dough starters for Adhirasam - A traditional rice based fermented food of Southern India.

    PubMed

    Anisha, Anvar Hussain Noorul; Anandham, Rangasamy; Kwon, Soon Woo; Gandhi, Pandiyan Indira; Gopal, Nellaiappan Olaganathan

    2015-01-01

    Adhirasam is a cereal based, doughnut shaped, deep fried dessert consumed in the southern regions of India. The dough used to prepare adhirasam is fermented and contains rice flour and jaggery. The aim of the present study was to characterize the cultivable bacteria associated with this fermented dough and to identify a suitable starter culture for the production of quality adhirasam. In total, one hundred and seventy bacterial isolates were recovered from de Man Rogosa Sharp (MRS) agar, nutrient agar, lysogeny agar and tryptic soy agar media. Out of the 170 bacterial isolates, sixteen isolates were selected based on their ability to tolerate glucose and sucrose. All the bacterial isolates tolerated 15% glucose and 30% sucrose. Analyses of 16S rDNA gene sequences of the bacterial isolates showed that the dominant cultivable bacteria were members of the genus Bacillus. These strains were further used as starters and tested for their ability to ferment rice flour with jaggery to produce adhirasam dough. Organoleptic evaluation was carried out to choose the best starter strain. Adhirasam prepared from Bacillus subtilis isolates S4-P11, S2-G2-A1 and S1-G15, Bacillus tequilensis isolates S2-H16, S3-P9, S3-G10 and Bacillus siamensis isolate S2-G13 were highly acceptable to consumers. Adhirasam prepared using these starter cultures had superior product characteristics such as softness in texture, flavor and enhanced aroma and sweet taste.

  18. Evaluation of Bacillus spp. as dough starters for Adhirasam - A traditional rice based fermented food of Southern India

    PubMed Central

    Anisha, Anvar Hussain Noorul; Anandham, Rangasamy; Kwon, Soon Woo; Gandhi, Pandiyan Indira; Gopal, Nellaiappan Olaganathan

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Adhirasam is a cereal based, doughnut shaped, deep fried dessert consumed in the southern regions of India. The dough used to prepare adhirasam is fermented and contains rice flour and jaggery. The aim of the present study was to characterize the cultivable bacteria associated with this fermented dough and to identify a suitable starter culture for the production of quality adhirasam. In total, one hundred and seventy bacterial isolates were recovered from de Man Rogosa Sharp (MRS) agar, nutrient agar, lysogeny agar and tryptic soy agar media. Out of the 170 bacterial isolates, sixteen isolates were selected based on their ability to tolerate glucose and sucrose. All the bacterial isolates tolerated 15% glucose and 30% sucrose. Analyses of 16S rDNA gene sequences of the bacterial isolates showed that the dominant cultivable bacteria were members of the genus Bacillus. These strains were further used as starters and tested for their ability to ferment rice flour with jaggery to produce adhirasam dough. Organoleptic evaluation was carried out to choose the best starter strain. Adhirasam prepared from Bacillus subtilis isolates S4-P11, S2-G2-A1 and S1-G15, Bacillus tequilensis isolates S2-H16, S3-P9, S3-G10 and Bacillus siamensis isolate S2-G13 were highly acceptable to consumers. Adhirasam prepared using these starter cultures had superior product characteristics such as softness in texture, flavor and enhanced aroma and sweet taste. PMID:26691480

  19. A Bacillus sp. strain with antagonistic activity against Fusarium graminearum kills Microcystis aeruginosa selectively.

    PubMed

    Xuan, Huanling; Dai, Xianzhu; Li, Jing; Zhang, Xiaohui; Yang, Caiyun; Luo, Feng

    2017-04-01

    Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) cause severe environmental problems, economic losses and threaten human health seriously. In the present study, a Bacillus sp. strain, designated as AF-1, with strong antagonistic activity against plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum was isolated from purple soil. Bacillus sp. AF-1 selectively killed Microcystis aeruginosa at low cell density (1.6×10 3 cfu/mL), and showed the strongest bactericidal activity against M. aeruginosa NIES-843 (A e =93%, t=6d). The algicidal substances originated from strain AF-1 were stable in the temperature range of 35-100°C, and pH range of 3-11. Cell-free filtrate of AF-1 culture caused excessive accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell death and the efflux of intracellular components of M. aeruginosa NIES-843 cells. The expression of genes recA, psbA1, psbD1, rbcL and mcyB, involved in DNA repair, photosynthesis and microcystin synthesis of NIES 843, were significantly influenced by the cell-free filtrate of AF-1 culture. Bacillus sp. AF-1 has the potential to be developed as a bifunctional biocontrol agent to control CyanoHABs and F. graminearum caused plant disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Evaluation and Selection of Bacillus Species Based on Enzyme Production, Antimicrobial Activity, and Biofilm Synthesis as Direct-Fed Microbial Candidates for Poultry

    PubMed Central

    Latorre, Juan D.; Hernandez-Velasco, Xochitl; Wolfenden, Ross E.; Vicente, Jose L.; Wolfenden, Amanda D.; Menconi, Anita; Bielke, Lisa R.; Hargis, Billy M.; Tellez, Guillermo

    2016-01-01

    Social concern about misuse of antibiotics as growth promoters (AGP) and generation of multidrug-resistant bacteria have restricted the dietary inclusion of antibiotics in livestock feed in several countries. Direct-fed microbials (DFM) are one of the multiple alternatives commonly evaluated as substitutes of AGP. Sporeformer bacteria from the genus Bacillus have been extensively investigated because of their extraordinary properties to form highly resistant endospores, produce antimicrobial compounds, and synthesize different exogenous enzymes. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and select Bacillus spp. from environmental and poultry sources as DFM candidates, considering their enzyme production profile, biofilm synthesis capacity, and pathogen-inhibition activity. Thirty-one Bacillus isolates were screened for in vitro relative enzyme activity of amylase, protease, lipase, and phytase using a selective media for each enzyme, with 3/31 strains selected as superior enzyme producers. These three isolates were identified as Bacillus subtilis (1/3), and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (2/3), based on biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. For evaluation of biofilm synthesis, the generation of an adherent crystal violet-stained ring was determined in polypropylene tubes, resulting in 11/31 strains showing a strong biofilm formation. Moreover, all Bacillus strains were evaluated for growth inhibition activity against Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (26/31), Escherichia coli (28/31), and Clostridioides difficile (29/31). Additionally, in previous in vitro and in vivo studies, these selected Bacillus strains have shown to be resistant to different biochemical conditions of the gastrointestinal tract of poultry. Results of the present study suggest that the selection and consumption of Bacillus-DFM, producing a variable set of enzymes and antimicrobial compounds, may contribute to enhanced performance through improving nutrient digestibility

  1. Bacillus odysseyi isolate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    La Duc, Myron Thomas (Inventor); Venkateswaran, Kasthuri (Inventor)

    2007-01-01

    The present invention relates to discovery and isolation of a biologically pure culture of a Bacillus odysseyi isolate with high adherence and sterilization resistant properties. B. odysseyi is a round spore forming Bacillus species that produces an exosporium. This novel species has been characterized on the basis of phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization. According to the results of these analyses, this strain belongs to the genus Bacillus and the type strain is 34hs-1.sup.T (=ATCC PTA-4993.sup.T=NRRL B-30641.sup.T=NBRC 100172.sup.T). The GenBank accession number for the 16S rDNA sequence of strain 34hs-1.sup.T is AF526913.

  2. Urease-positive thermophilic strains of Campylobacter isolated from seagulls (Larus spp.).

    PubMed

    Kaneko, A; Matsuda, M; Miyajima, M; Moore, J E; Murphy, P G

    1999-07-01

    Three strains of urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC), designated A1, A2 and A3, were identified by biochemical characterization after isolation from faeces of seagulls in Northern Ireland in 1996. The biochemical characteristics of the strains were identical to those of strains described previously. Analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) after separate digestion with ApaI and SmaI demonstrated that the respective PFGE profiles were indistinguishable. The PFGE analysis also suggested that the genomes were approximately 1810 kb in length. This is the first example of the isolation of UPTC from flying homoiothermal animals, i.e. from seagulls (Larus spp.).

  3. Screening and characterization of extracelluar L-asparaginase producing Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88, isolated from Taptapani hotspring of Odisha, India

    PubMed Central

    Pradhan, Biswaprakash; Dash, Sashi K; Sahoo, Sabuj

    2013-01-01

    Objective To screen and isolate an eco-friendly, a thermophilic and potent L-asparaginase producing bacterium, with novel immunological properties that may obviates hypersensitivity reactions. Methods In the present study bacterial strain isolated for extracellular L-asparaginase production from hotspring, identified by morphological, biochemical and physiological tests followed by 16S rDNA technology and the L-asparaginase production ability was tested by both semi quantitative and quantitative enzymatic assay. Result The bacterial strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88 (GenBank Accession Number: JQ237656.1). The extracellular enzyme yielding capacity isolate Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88 (23.8 IU/mL) was found to be 1.7 and 14.5 times higher than the reference organism Pectobacterium carotovorum MTCC 1428 (14.2 IU/mL) and Bacillus sp. BCCS 034 (1.64 IU/mL). Conclusion The isolate is eco-friendly and useful to produce bulk quantity of extracellular, thermophilic L-asparaginase for the treatment of various tumor cases and for preparation of acrylamide free fry food preparation. PMID:24093783

  4. Isolation of a novel alginate lyase-producing Bacillus litoralis strain and its potential to ferment Sargassum horneri for biofertilizer.

    PubMed

    Wang, Mingpeng; Chen, Lei; Liu, Zhengyi; Zhang, Zhaojie; Qin, Song; Yan, Peisheng

    2016-12-01

    Algae have long been used to augment plant productivity through their beneficial effects. Alginate oligosaccharide is believed to be one of the important components to enhance growth and crop yield. In this study, we isolated and characterized a Bacillus litoralis strain, named Bacillus M3, from decayed kelps. We further demonstrated that the M3 strain could secrete alginate lyase to degrade alginate. The crude enzyme exhibited the highest activity (33.74 U/mg) at pH 7.0 and 50°C. The M3 strain was also able to ferment the brown alga Sargassum horneri. Fermentation results revealed that a fermentation period of 8-12 hr was the best harvest time with the highest level of alginate oligosaccharides. Plant growth assay showed that the seaweed fermentation extract had an obvious promotion effect on root and seedling growth of Lycopersicon eseulentum L. Our results suggest that fermentation extract of Sargassum horneri by the novel strain of Bacillus litoralis M3 has significant development potential for biofertilizer production and agriculture application. © 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Iodine from bacterial iodide oxidization by Roseovarius spp. inhibits the growth of other bacteria.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Dan; Lim, Choon-Ping; Miyanaga, Kazuhiko; Tanji, Yasunori

    2013-03-01

    Microbial activities in brine, seawater, or estuarine mud are involved in iodine cycle. To investigate the effects of the microbiologically induced iodine on other bacteria in the environment, a total of 13 bacteria that potentially participated in the iodide-oxidizing process were isolated from water or biofilm at a location containing 131 μg ml(-1) iodide. Three distinct strains were further identified as Roseovarius spp. based on 16 S rRNA gene sequences after being distinguished by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Morphological characteristics of these three Roseovarius spp. varied considerably across and within strains. Iodine production increased with Roseovarius spp. growth when cultured in Marine Broth with 200 μg ml(-1) iodide (I(-)). When 10(6) CFU/ml Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus pumilus were exposed to various concentrations of molecular iodine (I(2)), the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 0.5, 1.0, and 1.0 μg ml(-1), respectively. However, fivefold increases in the MICs for Roseovarius spp. were obtained. In co-cultured Roseovarius sp. IOB-7 and E. coli in Marine Broth containing iodide (I(-)), the molecular iodine concentration was estimated to be 0.76 μg ml(-1) after 24 h and less than 50 % of E. coli was viable compared to that co-cultured without iodide. The growth inhibition of E. coli was also observed in co-cultures with the two other Roseovarius spp. strains when the molecular iodine concentration was assumed to be 0.52 μg ml(-1).

  6. [Investigation of some virulence factors in Trichosporon spp. strains].

    PubMed

    Demir, Feyza; Kuştimur, Semra

    2014-10-01

    The frequency of fungal infections have increased recently in parallel to prolonged survival of patients with chronical infections, common use of the broad-spectrum antibiotics and cytotoxic drugs and surgical interventions. Fungi such as Trichosporon, Fusarium and Geotrichum that were previously evaluated as contaminant/colonization, become important causes of morbidity and mortality especially in neutropenic patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of virulence factors such as acid proteinase, phospholipase, esterase, coagulase and hemolytic activity among Trichosporon species. A total of 40 Trichosporon strains, of them 24 (60%) were T.asahii, 6 (15%) were T.inkin and 10 (25%) were the other species (one of each of T.aquatile, T.asteroides, T.coremiiforme, T.cutaneum, T.dermatis, T.faecale, T.japonicum, T.montevideense, T.mucoides, T.ovoides) were included in the study. Identification of the isolates was performed according to microscopic morphology (blastospores, arthrospores, pseudohyphae and true hyphae) on corn meal agar media, and carbohydrate assimilation patterns (API ID32C; bioMérieux, France). Secretory acid proteinase, phospholipase and esterase activities of the strains were evaluated by 1% bovine serum albumin containing agar, by egg yolk containing solid medium, and by Tween 80 containing solid medium, respectively. Hemolytic activity of the isolates were evaluated by 5-10% sheep blood Sabouraud dextrose agar. Coagulase enzyme activity was determined by using human and rabbit plasma. In our study, all of the 40 Trichosporon spp. strains were found negative in terms of acid proteinase and phospholipase enzyme activity, however all were positive for esterase enzyme activity. Hemolytic enzyme activity were identified in a total of 15 (37.5%) strains, being "+++" in three strains (2 T.asahii, 1 T.japonicum), and "++" in 12 isolates (9 T.asahii, 1 T.inkin, 1 T.asteroides, 1 T.mentevideense). Although 11 of those 15 positive

  7. Pumilacidin-Like Lipopeptides Derived from Marine Bacterium Bacillus sp. Strain 176 Suppress the Motility of Vibrio alginolyticus

    PubMed Central

    Xiu, Pengyuan; Liu, Rui

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Bacterial motility is a crucial factor during the invasion and colonization processes of pathogens, which makes it an attractive therapeutic drug target. Here, we isolated a marine bacterium (Vibrio alginolyticus strain 178) from a seamount in the tropical West Pacific that exhibits vigorous motility on agar plates and severe pathogenicity to zebrafish. We found that V. alginolyticus 178 motility was significantly suppressed by another marine bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain 176, isolated from the same niche. We isolated, purified, and characterized two different cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) from Bacillus sp. 176 using high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The two related CLPs have a pumilacidin-like structure and were both effective inhibitors of V. alginolyticus 178 motility. The CLPs differ by only one methylene group in their fatty acid chains. In addition to motility suppression, the CLPs also induced cell aggregation in the medium and reduced adherence of V. alginolyticus 178 to glass substrates. Notably, upon CLP treatment, the expression levels of two V. alginolyticus flagellar assembly genes (flgA and flgP) dropped dramatically. Moreover, the CLPs inhibited biofilm formation in several other strains of pathogenic bacteria without inducing cell death. This study indicates that CLPs from Bacillus sp. 176 show promise as antimicrobial lead compounds targeting bacterial motility and biofilm formation with a low potential for eliciting antibiotic resistance. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic bacteria often require motility to establish infections and subsequently spread within host organisms. Thus, motility is an attractive therapeutic target for the development of novel antibiotics. We found that cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) produced by marine bacterium Bacillus sp. strain 176 dramatically suppress the motility of the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus strain 178, reduce biofilm formation, and

  8. Pumilacidin-Like Lipopeptides Derived from Marine Bacterium Bacillus sp. Strain 176 Suppress the Motility of Vibrio alginolyticus.

    PubMed

    Xiu, Pengyuan; Liu, Rui; Zhang, Dechao; Sun, Chaomin

    2017-06-15

    Bacterial motility is a crucial factor during the invasion and colonization processes of pathogens, which makes it an attractive therapeutic drug target. Here, we isolated a marine bacterium ( Vibrio alginolyticus strain 178) from a seamount in the tropical West Pacific that exhibits vigorous motility on agar plates and severe pathogenicity to zebrafish. We found that V. alginolyticus 178 motility was significantly suppressed by another marine bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain 176, isolated from the same niche. We isolated, purified, and characterized two different cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) from Bacillus sp. 176 using high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The two related CLPs have a pumilacidin-like structure and were both effective inhibitors of V. alginolyticus 178 motility. The CLPs differ by only one methylene group in their fatty acid chains. In addition to motility suppression, the CLPs also induced cell aggregation in the medium and reduced adherence of V. alginolyticus 178 to glass substrates. Notably, upon CLP treatment, the expression levels of two V. alginolyticus flagellar assembly genes ( flgA and flgP ) dropped dramatically. Moreover, the CLPs inhibited biofilm formation in several other strains of pathogenic bacteria without inducing cell death. This study indicates that CLPs from Bacillus sp. 176 show promise as antimicrobial lead compounds targeting bacterial motility and biofilm formation with a low potential for eliciting antibiotic resistance. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic bacteria often require motility to establish infections and subsequently spread within host organisms. Thus, motility is an attractive therapeutic target for the development of novel antibiotics. We found that cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) produced by marine bacterium Bacillus sp. strain 176 dramatically suppress the motility of the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus strain 178, reduce biofilm formation, and promote

  9. Bacteriocin-like inhibitor substances produced by Mexican strains of Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Barboza-Corona, J Eleazar; Vázquez-Acosta, Herminia; Bideshi, Dennis K; Salcedo-Hernández, Rubén

    2007-02-01

    Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides synthesized and secreted by bacteria and could potentially be used as natural food preservatives. Here, we report the production of bacteriocin-like inhibitor substances (Bt-BLIS) by five Mexican strains of Bacillus thuringiensis. Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni (LBIT 269), B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (LBIT 287), B. thuringiensis subsp kenyae (LBIT 404), B. thuringiensis subsp. entomocidus (LBIT 420) and B. thuringiensis subsp. tolworthi (LBIT 524) produced proteinaceous Bt-BLIS with high levels of activity against Bacillus cereus and other gram-positive bacteria. Although none was active against the gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Shigella species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the five Bt-BLIS demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Vibrio cholerae, the etiologic agent of cholera. Biochemical and biophysical studies demonstrated that the five Bt-BLIS could be categorized into two groups, those produced by LBIT 269 and 287 (Group A) and LBIT 404, 420, 524 (Group B), based on relative time of peptide synthesis, distinctive bacterial target specificity and stability in a wide range of temperatures and pH. Because of their stability and bactericidal activities against B. cereus and V. cholerae agents of emetic, diarrheal and lethal syndromes in humans, these Bt-BLIS could potentially be used as biodegradable preservatives in the food industry.

  10. [Antagonism against Beauveria bassiana by lipopeptide metabolites produced by entophyte Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain SWB16].

    PubMed

    Wang, Jingjie; Zhao, Dongyang; Liu, Yonggui; Ao, Xiang; Fan, Rui; Duan, Zhengqiao; Liu, Yanping; Chen, Qianqian; Jin, Zhixiong; Wan, Yongji

    2014-07-04

    We screened bacterial strains that have strong antagonism against Beauveria bassiana, an important pathogen of silkworm industry, and detected the antagonistic activity of lipopeptide metabolites. We identified bacterium SWB16 by morphological observation, physiological and biochemical experiments, 16SrRNA, and gyrA gene sequence analysis, tested antagonistic activity of strain SWB16 against Beauveria bassiana by measuring the inhibition zone diameter using filter paper diffusion method (Kirby-Bauer method), obtained lipopeptide metabolites of the strain using methanol extraction and observed the antagonism of strain SWB16 lipopeptide extracts against the conidia and hyphae of Beauveria bassiana, detected main ingredients and genes of lipopeptide metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and PCR amplification. SWB16 isolated from tissue of plant Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright belongs to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and showed high antagonistic activity to Beauveria bassiana, and the lipopeptide extracts of isolate SWB16 exhibited significant inhibition to conidial germination and mycelial growth of Beauveria bassiana. The result of mass spectrometric detection indicated main component of the lipopeptide metabolites were fengcin and iturin, and genes fenB, ituA involved in the synthesis of them were amplified in the genome. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain SWB16 could produce lipopeptide antibiotics with strong antagonism to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, and the results suggested that strain SWB16 has potential application value for controlling white muscardine of economic insects including silkworm.

  11. Screening and characterization of extracelluar L-asparaginase producing Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88, isolated from Taptapani hotspring of Odisha, India.

    PubMed

    Pradhan, Biswaprakash; Dash, Sashi K; Sahoo, Sabuj

    2013-12-01

    To screen and isolate an eco-friendly, a thermophilic and potent L-asparaginase producing bacterium, with novel immunological properties that may obviates hypersensitivity reactions. In the present study bacterial strain isolated for extracellular L-asparaginase production from hotspring, identified by morphological, biochemical and physiological tests followed by 16S rDNA technology and the L-asparaginase production ability was tested by both semi quantitative and quantitative enzymatic assay. The bacterial strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88 (GenBank Accession Number: JQ237656.1). The extracellular enzyme yielding capacity isolate Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88 (23.8 IU/mL) was found to be 1.7 and 14.5 times higher than the reference organism Pectobacterium carotovorum MTCC 1428 (14.2 IU/mL) and Bacillus sp. BCCS 034 (1.64 IU/mL). The isolate is eco-friendly and useful to produce bulk quantity of extracellular, thermophilic L-asparaginase for the treatment of various tumor cases and for preparation of acrylamide free fry food preparation. Copyright © 2013 Asian Pacific Tropical Biomedical Magazine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Genome Sequence of Salt-Tolerant Bacillus safensis Strain VK, Isolated from Saline Desert Area of Gujarat, India.

    PubMed

    Kothari, V V; Kothari, R K; Kothari, C R; Bhatt, V D; Nathani, N M; Koringa, P G; Joshi, C G; Vyas, B R M

    2013-09-05

    Bacillus safensis strain VK was isolated from the rhizosphere of a cumin plant growing in the saline desert of Radhanpar, Gujarat, India. Here, we provide the 3.68-Mb draft genome sequence of B. safensis VK, which might provide information about the salt tolerance and genes encoding enzymes for the strain's plant growth-promoting potential.

  13. Bacillus odysseyi sp. nov., a round-spore-forming bacillus isolated from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    La Duc, Myron T.; Satomi, Masataka; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

    2004-01-01

    A round-spore-forming Bacillus species that produces an exosporium was isolated from the surface of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. This novel species has been characterized on the basis of phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization. According to the results of these analyses, this strain belongs to the genus Bacillus and is a Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped, endospore-forming eubacterium. Ultrathin sections of the spores showed the presence of an exosporium, spore coat, cortex and core. 16S rDNA sequence similarities between this strain, Bacillus fusiformis and Bacillus silvestris were approximately 96% and DNA-DNA reassociation values with these two bacilli were 23 and 17%, respectively. Spores of the novel species were resistant to desiccation, H2O2 and UV and gamma radiation. Of all strains tested, the spores of this strain were the most consistently resistant and survived all of the challenges posed, i.e. exposure to conditions of desiccation (100% survival), H2O2 (26% survival), UV radiation (10% survival at 660 J m(-2)) and gamma radiation (0.4% survival). The name proposed for this novel bacterium is Bacillus odysseyi sp. nov.; the type strain is 34hs-1T (=ATCC PTA-4993T=NRRL B-30641T=NBRC 100172T).

  14. Draft Genome Sequence of the Spore-Forming Probiotic Strain Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2

    PubMed Central

    Upadrasta, Aditya; Pitta, Swetha

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2 is a potential spore-forming probiotic that is commercially available on the market. The draft genome sequence presented here provides deep insight into the beneficial features of this strain for its safe use as a probiotic for various human and animal health applications. PMID:27103709

  15. Comprehensive update of dalbavancin activity when tested against uncommonly isolated streptococci, Corynebacterium spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Micrococcus spp. (1357 strains).

    PubMed

    Jones, Ronald N; Stilwell, Matthew G

    2013-06-01

    Dalbavancin is an investigational lipoglycopeptide having an extended serum elimination half-life allowing once-weekly dosing. Data from testing 1357 strains of uncommonly isolated species expand the dalbavancin spectrum details as follows (MIC50/90): β-haemolytic streptococcal serogroups C, F, and G (≤0.03/≤0.03 μg/mL), 7 viridans group of streptococci (≤0.03/≤0.03-0.06 μg/mL), 5 Corynebacterium spp. (0.06/0.12 μg/mL), Listeria monocytogenes (0.06/0.12 μg/mL), and Micrococcus spp. (≤0.03/≤0.03 μg/mL). Among all reported isolates, 99.8% of tested strains were inhibited at dalbavancin MIC values at ≤0.12 μg/mL. Dalbavancin remains very potent against rarer Gram-positive pathogens, using in vitro test experience with organisms cultured through 2011. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Cation dependence, pH tolerance, and dosage requirement of a bioflocculant produced by Bacillus spp. UPMB13: flocculation performance optimization through kaolin assays.

    PubMed

    Zulkeflee, Zufarzaana; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Shamsuddin, Zulkifli H; Yusoff, Mohd Kamil

    2012-01-01

    A bioflocculant-producing bacterial strain with highly mucoid and ropy colony morphological characteristics identified as Bacillus spp. UPMB13 was found to be a potential bioflocculant-producing bacterium. The effect of cation dependency, pH tolerance and dosage requirement on flocculating ability of the strain was determined by flocculation assay with kaolin as the suspended particle. The flocculating activity was measured as optical density and by flocs formation. A synergistic effect was observed with the addition of monovalent and divalent cations, namely, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺, while Fe²⁺ and Al³⁺ produced inhibiting effects on flocculating activity. Divalent cations were conclusively demonstrated as the best cation source to enhance flocculation. The bioflocculant works in a wide pH range, from 4.0 to 8.0 with significantly different performances (P < 0.05), respectively. It best performs at pH 5.0 and pH 6.0 with flocculating performance of above 90%. A much lower or higher pH would inhibit flocculation. Low dosage requirements were needed for both the cation and bioflocculant, with only an input of 50 mL/L for 0.1% (w/v) CaCl₂ and 5 mL/L for culture broth, respectively. These results are comparable to other bioflocculants produced by various microorganisms with higher dosage requirements.

  17. Complete Genome Sequences of Three Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strains That Inhibit the Growth of Listeria monocytogenes In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Tran, Thao D; Huynh, Steven; Parker, Craig T; Hnasko, Robert; Gorski, Lisa; McGarvey, Jeffery A

    2018-06-21

    Here, we report the complete genome sequences of three Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains isolated from alfalfa, almond drupes, and grapes that inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes strain 2011L-2857 in vitro We also report multiple gene clusters encoding secondary metabolites that may be responsible for the growth inhibition of L. monocytogenes . Copyright © 2018 Tran et al.

  18. Bacillus spp. from rainforest soil promote plant growth under limited nitrogen conditions.

    PubMed

    Huang, X-F; Zhou, D; Guo, J; Manter, D K; Reardon, K F; Vivanco, J M

    2015-03-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of PGPR (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) isolated from rainforest soil on different plants under limited nitrogen conditions. Bacterial isolates from a Peruvian rainforest soil were screened for plant growth-promoting effects on Arabidopsis (Col-0). Four selected isolates including one Bacillus subtilis, two B. atrophaeus and one B. pumilus significantly promoted growth of Zea mays L. and Solanum lycopersicum under greenhouse conditions. Moreover, the PGPRs significantly promoted growth of S. lycopersicum in both low and nitrogen-amended soil conditions. These PGPR strains were further studied to obtain insights into possible mechanisms of plant growth promotion. Volatile chemicals from those isolates promoted Arabidopsis growth, and the expression of genes related to IAA production was induced in the Arabidopsis plants treated with PGPRs. Further, selected PGPR strains triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 in Arabidopsis. PGPR strains isolated from the rainforest soil promoted the plant growth of Arabidopsis, corn and tomato. New PGPR that have wider adaptability to different crops, soils and environmental conditions are needed to decrease our reliance on agricultural amendments derived from fossil-based fuels. The PGPRs isolated from a nonagricultural site constitute new plant growth-promoting strains that could be developed for agricultural uses. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  19. Genomic Diversity of Biocontrol Strains of Pseudomonas spp. Isolated from Aerial or Root Surfaces of Plants

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The striking ecological, metabolic, and biochemical diversity of Pseudomonas has intrigued microbiologists for many decades. To explore the genomic diversity of biocontrol strains of Pseudomonas spp., we derived high quality draft sequences of seven strains known to suppress plant disease. The str...

  20. Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 isolate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri J. (Inventor)

    2007-01-01

    The present invention relates to discovery and isolation of a biologically pure culture of a Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 isolate with UV sterilization resistant properties. This novel strain has been characterized on the basis of phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization. According to the results of these analyses, this strain belongs to the genus Bacillus. The GenBank accession number for the 16S rDNA sequence of the Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 isolate is AY167879.

  1. Cereulide production by Bacillus weihenstephanensis strains during growth at different pH values and temperatures.

    PubMed

    Guérin, Alizée; Rønning, Helene Thorsen; Dargaignaratz, Claire; Clavel, Thierry; Broussolle, Véronique; Mahillon, Jacques; Granum, Per Einar; Nguyen-The, Christophe

    2017-08-01

    Besides Bacillus cereus, some strains of the psychrotolerant, potentially foodborne pathogen Bacillus weihenstephanensis can produce the emetic toxine (cereulide). This toxin is a heat- and acid-stable cyclic dodecadepsipeptide that causes food intoxication with vomiting. However, some severe clinical cases with lethal outcomes have been described. If cereulide can be produced during refrigerated storage, it will not be inactivated by reheating food, representing an important risk of food intoxication for consumers. In this paper, we determined the capacity of the B. weihenstephanensis strains BtB2-4 and MC67 to grow and produce cereulide on agar media at temperatures from 8 °C to 25 °C and at a pH from 5.4 to 7.0. At 8 °C, strain BtB2-4 produced quantifiable amounts of cereulide, whereas the limit of detection was reached for strain MC67. For BtB2-4, cereulide production increased 5-fold between 8 °C and 10-15 °C and by more than 100-fold between 15 °C and 25 °C. At temperatures of 10 °C and higher, cereulide concentrations were within the range of those reported by previous works in foods implicated in emetic poisoning. At 25 °C, decreasing the pH to 5.4 reduced cereulide production by strain BtB2-4 by at least 20-fold. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Bacillus spp. as direct-fed microbial antibiotic alternatives to enhance growth, immunity, and gut health in poultry.

    PubMed

    Grant, Ar'Quette; Gay, Cyril G; Lillehoj, Hyun S

    2018-05-02

    The increasing occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria combined with regulatory pressure and consumer demands for foods produced without antibiotics has caused the agricultural industry to restrict its practice of using antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in food animals. The poultry industry is not immune to this trend, and has been actively seeking natural alternatives to AGP that will improve the health and growth performance of commercial poultry flocks. Bacillus probiotics have been gaining in popularity in recent years as an AGP alternative because of their health-promoting benefits and ability to survive the harsh manufacturing conditions of chicken feed production. This review provides an overview of several modes of action of some Bacillus direct-fed microbials as probiotics. Among the benefits of these direct-fed microbials are their production of naturally synthesized antimicrobial peptides, gut flora modulation to promote beneficial microbiota along the gastrointestinal tract, and various immunological and gut morphological alterations. The modes of action for increased performance are not well defined, and growth promotion is not equal across all Bacillus species or within strains. Appropriate screening and characterization of Bacillus isolates prior to commercialization are necessary to maximize poultry growth to meet the ultimate goal of eliminating AGP usage in animal husbandry.

  3. Yield and protein quality of thermophilic Bacillus spp. biomass related to thermophilic aerobic digestion of agricultural wastes for animal feed supplementation.

    PubMed

    Ugwuanyi, J Obeta

    2008-05-01

    Bacillus spp. responsible for thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of agricultural wastes were studied for their growth rate, yield and protein quality (amino acid profile) under conditions that approximate full-scale waste digestion as pointers to the capacity of TAD to achieve protein enrichment of wastes for reuse in animal feeding. Specific growth rates of the thermophiles varied with temperature and aeration rates. For Bacillus coagulans, the highest specific growth rate was 1.98 muh(-1); for Bacillus licheniformis 2.56 muh(-1) and for Bacillus stearothermophilus 2.63 muh(-1). Molar yield of B. stearothermophilus on glucose increased with temperature to a peak of 0.404 g g(-1) at 50 degrees C before declining. Peak concentration of overflow metabolite (acetate) increased from 10 mmol at 45 degrees C to 34 mmol at 65 degrees C before declining. Accumulation of biomass in all three isolates decreased with increase in temperature while protein content of biomass increased. Highest biomass protein (79%) was obtained in B. stearothermophilus at 70 degrees C. Content of most essential amino acids of the biomass improved with temperature. Amino acid profile of the biomass was comparable to or superior to the FAO standard for SCP intended for use in animal feeding. Culture condition (waste digestion condition) may be manipulated to optimize protein yield and quality of waste digested by TAD for recycling in animal feed.

  4. [Bacillus isolates from rhizosphere of cacti improve germination and bloom in Mammillaria spp. (Cactaceae)].

    PubMed

    Chávez-Ambriz, Lluvia A; Hernández-Morales, Alejandro; Cabrera-Luna, José A; Luna-Martínez, Laura; Pacheco-Aguilar, Juan R

    Cacti are the most representative vegetation of arid zones in Mexico where rainfall is scarce, evapotranspiration is high and soil fertility is low. Plants have developed physiological strategies such as the association with microorganisms in the rhizosphere zone to increase nutrient uptake. In the present work, four bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere of Mammillaria magnimamma and Coryphantha radians were obtained and named as QAP3, QAP19, QAP22 and QAP24, and were genetically identified as belonging to the genus Bacillus, exhibiting in vitro biochemical properties such as phosphate solubilization, indoleacetic acid production and ACC deaminase activity related to plant growth promotion, which was tested by inoculating M. magnimamma seeds. It was found that all isolates increased germination from 17 to 34.3% with respect to the uninoculated control seeds, being QAP24 the one having the greatest effect, accomplishing the germination of viable seeds (84.7%) three days before the control seeds. Subsequently, the inoculation of Mammillari zeilmanniana plants with this isolate showed a positive effect on bloom, registering during two months from a one year period, an increase of up to 31.0% in the number of flowering plants compared to control plants. The characterized Bacillus spp. isolates have potential to be used in conservation programs of plant species from arid zones. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. β-Lactamase Genes of the Penicillin-Susceptible Bacillus anthracis Sterne Strain

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yahua; Succi, Janice; Tenover, Fred C.; Koehler, Theresa M.

    2003-01-01

    Susceptibility to penicillin and other β-lactam-containing compounds is a common trait of Bacillus anthracis. β-lactam agents, particularly penicillin, have been used worldwide to treat anthrax in humans. Nonetheless, surveys of clinical and soil-derived strains reveal penicillin G resistance in 2 to 16% of isolates tested. Bacterial resistance to β-lactam agents is often mediated by production of one or more types of β-lactamases that hydrolyze the β-lactam ring, inactivating the antimicrobial agent. Here, we report the presence of two β-lactamase (bla) genes in the penicillin-susceptible Sterne strain of B. anthracis. We identified bla1 by functional cloning with Escherichia coli. bla1 is a 927-nucleotide (nt) gene predicted to encode a protein with 93.8% identity to the type I β-lactamase gene of Bacillus cereus. A second gene, bla2, was identified by searching the unfinished B. anthracis chromosome sequence database of The Institute for Genome Research for open reading frames (ORFs) predicted to encode β-lactamases. We found a partial ORF predicted to encode a protein with significant similarity to the carboxy-terminal end of the type II β-lactamase of B. cereus. DNA adjacent to the 5′ end of the partial ORF was cloned using inverse PCR. bla2 is a 768-nt gene predicted to encode a protein with 92% identity to the B. cereus type II enzyme. The bla1 and bla2 genes confer ampicillin resistance to E. coli and Bacillus subtilis when cloned individually in these species. The MICs of various antimicrobial agents for the E. coli clones indicate that the two β-lactamase genes confer different susceptibility profiles to E. coli; bla1 is a penicillinase, while bla2 appears to be a cephalosporinase. The β-galactosidase activities of B. cereus group species harboring bla promoter-lacZ transcriptional fusions indicate that bla1 is poorly transcribed in B. anthracis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis. The bla2 gene is strongly expressed in B. cereus and B

  6. Laser-induced speckle scatter patterns in Bacillus colonies

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Huisung; Singh, Atul K.; Bhunia, Arun K.; Bae, Euiwon

    2014-01-01

    Label-free bacterial colony phenotyping technology called BARDOT (Bacterial Rapid Detection using Optical scattering Technology) provided successful classification of several different bacteria at the genus, species, and serovar level. Recent experiments with colonies of Bacillus species provided strikingly different characteristics of elastic light scatter (ELS) patterns, which were comprised of random speckles compared to other bacteria, which are dominated by concentric rings and spokes. Since this laser-based optical sensor interrogates the whole volume of the colony, 3-D information of micro- and macro-structures are all encoded in the far-field scatter patterns. Here, we present a theoretical model explaining the underlying mechanism of the speckle formation by the colonies from Bacillus species. Except for Bacillus polymyxa, all Bacillus spp. produced random bright spots on the imaging plane, which presumably dependent on the cellular and molecular organization and content within the colony. Our scatter model-based analysis revealed that colony spread resulting in variable surface roughness can modify the wavefront of the scatter field. As the center diameter of the Bacillus spp. colony grew from 500 to 900 μm, average speckles area decreased two-fold and the number of small speckles increased seven-fold. In conclusion, as Bacillus colony grows, the average speckle size in the scatter pattern decreases and the number of smaller speckle increases due to the swarming growth characteristics of bacteria within the colony. PMID:25352840

  7. A Strain of Bacillus sphaericus Causes Slower Development of Resistance in Culex quinquefasciatus

    PubMed Central

    Pei, Guofeng; Oliveira, Cláudia M. F.; Yuan, Zhiming; Nielsen-LeRoux, Christina; Silva-Filha, Maria Helena; Yan, Jianpin; Regis, Lêda

    2002-01-01

    Two field-collected Culex quinquefasciatus colonies were subjected to selection pressure by three strains of Bacillus sphaericus, C3-41, 2362, and IAB59, under laboratory conditions. After 13 and 18 generations of exposure to high concentrations of C3-41 and IAB59, a field-collected low-level-resistant colony developed >144,000- and 46.3-fold resistance to strains C3-41 and IAB59, respectively. A field-collected susceptible colony was selected with 2362 and IAB59 for 46 and 12 generations and attained >162,000- and 5.7-fold resistance to the two agents, respectively. The pattern of resistance evolution in mosquitoes depended on continuous selection pressure, and the stronger the selection pressure, the more quickly resistance developed. The resistant colonies obtained after selection with B. sphaericus C3-41 and 2362 showed very high levels of cross-resistance to B. sphaericus 2362 and C3-41, respectively, but they displayed only low-level cross-resistance to IAB59. On the other hand, the IAB59-selected colonies had high cross-resistance to both strains C3-41 and 2362. Additionally, the slower evolution of resistance against strain IAB59 may be explained by the presence of another larvicidal factor. This is in agreement with the nontoxicity of the cloned and purified binary toxin (Bin1) of IAB59 for 2362-resistant larvae. We also verified that all the B. sphaericus-selected colonies showed no cross-resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, suggesting that it would be a promising alternative in managing resistance to B. sphaericus in C. quinquefasciatus larvae. PMID:12039761

  8. In Situ Biosurfactant Production by Bacillus Strains Injected into a Limestone Petroleum Reservoir▿

    PubMed Central

    Youssef, N.; Simpson, D. R.; Duncan, K. E.; McInerney, M. J.; Folmsbee, M.; Fincher, T.; Knapp, R. M.

    2007-01-01

    Biosurfactant-mediated oil recovery may be an economic approach for recovery of significant amounts of oil entrapped in reservoirs, but evidence that biosurfactants can be produced in situ at concentrations needed to mobilize oil is lacking. We tested whether two Bacillus strains that produce lipopeptide biosurfactants can metabolize and produce their biosurfactants in an oil reservoir. Five wells that produce from the same Viola limestone formation were used. Two wells received an inoculum (a mixture of Bacillus strain RS-1 and Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii NRRL B-23049) and nutrients (glucose, sodium nitrate, and trace metals), two wells received just nutrients, and one well received only formation water. Results showed in situ metabolism and biosurfactant production. The average concentration of lipopeptide biosurfactant in the produced fluids of the inoculated wells was about 90 mg/liter. This concentration is approximately nine times the minimum concentration required to mobilize entrapped oil from sandstone cores. Carbon dioxide, acetate, lactate, ethanol, and 2,3-butanediol were detected in the produced fluids of the inoculated wells. Only CO2 and ethanol were detected in the produced fluids of the nutrient-only-treated wells. Microbiological and molecular data showed that the microorganisms injected into the formation were retrieved in the produced fluids of the inoculated wells. We provide essential data for modeling microbial oil recovery processes in situ, including growth rates (0.06 ± 0.01 h−1), carbon balances (107% ± 34%), biosurfactant production rates (0.02 ± 0.001 h−1), and biosurfactant yields (0.015 ± 0.001 mol biosurfactant/mol glucose). The data demonstrate the technical feasibility of microbial processes for oil recovery. PMID:17172458

  9. Photoreactivation of Ultraviolet-Irradiated, Plasmid-Bearing and Plasmid-Free Strains of Bacillus anthracis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-12-19

    positive bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is a virulent and highly contagious disease to which most warm-blooded animals, including man, are susceptible... Virulent strains of B. anthracis produce a capsule composed of poly-0-glutamic acid and an exotoxin. The toxin is composed of three proteins identified...as ederma factor (EF), protective antigen (PA), and lethal factor (LF) (17). Anthrax toxin and capsule production are associated with two separate

  10. Survival of diverse bacillus thuringiensis strains in gypsy moth (Lepidotera: Lymantriidae) is correlated with urease production

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus thuringiensis is an entomopathogenic bacterium that can kill a variety of pest insects, but seldom causes epizootics because it replicates poorly in insects. By attempting to repeatedly pass lepidopteran-active B. thuringiensis strains through gypsy moth larvae, we found that only those str...

  11. Influence of Bacillus spp. isolated from maize agroecosystem on growth and aflatoxin B(1) production by Aspergillus section Flavi.

    PubMed

    Bluma, Romina V; Etcheverry, Miriam G

    2006-03-01

    A total of 59 bacteria of the Bacillus genus were isolated from different components of a maize agroecosystem and their antifungal activity against Aspergillus section Flavi was evaluated. Thirty-three and 46% of these bacteria were able to inhibit Aspergillus flavus Link and A. parasiticus Speare respectively at water activity (a(w)) 0.982; however, when a(w) was 0.955, these percentages were decreased and only three isolates were able to inhibit Aspergillus section Flavi. The majority of bacilli acted as contact antagonists, while a small number of isolates were able to form inhibition zones. In maize meal extract agar, Aspergillus section Flavi growth rate and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) production were significantly reduced when these strains were paired at a(w) 0.982 with bacilli at all inoculum levels studied. However, two bacilli isolated were able to reduce growth rate and aflatoxin production when a(w) was 0.955. Lag phase increase followed the same general pattern as growth rate reduction. When Aspergillus section Flavi was grown in sterile maize in the presence of three Bacillus strains at a(w) 0.982, the reduction in count (colony-forming units (cfu) g(-1) maize) was less than 30%, except when Aspergillus section Flavi grew with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens UNRCLR. However, levels of detectable AFB(1) were significantly reduced in these interactions at a(w) 0.982.

  12. Biodegradation of Diesel, Crude Oil and Spent Lubricating Oil by Soil Isolates of Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Raju, Maddela Naga; Leo, Rodriguez; Herminia, Sanaguano Salguero; Morán, Ricardo Ernesto Burgos; Venkateswarlu, Kadiyala; Laura, Scalvenzi

    2017-05-01

    Two species of Bacillus, B. thuringiensis B3 and B. cereus B6, isolated from crude oil-contaminated sites in Ecuador, were tested for their capability in degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in diesel (shake-flask), and to remove total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) from crude oil- or spent lubricating oil-polluted soils (plot-scale). TPHs and PAHs were analyzed by Gas chromatography-Flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. Degradation percentages of PAHs by strain B6 were in the range of 11-83 after 30 days. A mixed culture of both the strains removed 84% and 28% of TPHs from crude oil- and spent lubricating oil-polluted soils, respectively. Reduction in the abundance of total n-alkane fractions (C 8 -C 40 ) of spent lubricating oil was 94%, which was 18% higher than the control. Our results clearly indicate that the selected strains have great potential in degrading petroleum hydrocarbons at both laboratory- and field-scales.

  13. Draft genome sequence of a thermostable, alkaliphilic α-amylase and protease producing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain KCP2.

    PubMed

    Prajapati, Vimalkumar S; Ray, Sanket; Narayan, Jitendra; Joshi, Chaitanya C; Patel, Kamlesh C; Trivedi, Ujjval B; Patel, R M

    2017-12-01

    Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain KCP2 was isolated from municipal food waste samples collected in Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India. Strain KCP2 is noteworthy due to its ability to produce a thermostable, alkaliphilic α-amylase and a protease. These enzymes have importance in several industrial processes including bread making, brewing, starch processing, pharmacy, and textile industries. Whole genome sequencing of strain KCP2 showed that the estimated genome size was 3.9 Mb, the G + C content was 46%, and it coded for 4113 genes.

  14. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086, a Widely Used Spore-Forming Probiotic Strain

    PubMed Central

    Orrù, Luigi; Salvetti, Elisa; Cattivelli, Luigi; Lamontanara, Antonella; Michelotti, Vania; Capozzi, Vittorio; Spano, Giuseppe; Keller, David; Cash, Howard; Martina, Alessia; Felis, Giovanna E.

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 is a safe strain, already available on the market, and characterized by certified beneficial effects. The draft genome sequence presented here constitutes the first pillar toward the identification of the molecular mechanisms responsible for its positive features and safety. PMID:25377698

  15. Genomic analysis of thermophilic Bacillus coagulans strains: efficient producers for platform bio-chemicals.

    PubMed

    Su, Fei; Xu, Ping

    2014-01-29

    Microbial strains with high substrate efficiency and excellent environmental tolerance are urgently needed for the production of platform bio-chemicals. Bacillus coagulans has these merits; however, little genetic information is available about this species. Here, we determined the genome sequences of five B. coagulans strains, and used a comparative genomic approach to reconstruct the central carbon metabolism of this species to explain their fermentation features. A novel xylose isomerase in the xylose utilization pathway was identified in these strains. Based on a genome-wide positive selection scan, the selection pressure on amino acid metabolism may have played a significant role in the thermal adaptation. We also researched the immune systems of B. coagulans strains, which provide them with acquired resistance to phages and mobile genetic elements. Our genomic analysis provides comprehensive insights into the genetic characteristics of B. coagulans and paves the way for improving and extending the uses of this species.

  16. Genomic analysis of thermophilic Bacillus coagulans strains: efficient producers for platform bio-chemicals

    PubMed Central

    Su, Fei; Xu, Ping

    2014-01-01

    Microbial strains with high substrate efficiency and excellent environmental tolerance are urgently needed for the production of platform bio-chemicals. Bacillus coagulans has these merits; however, little genetic information is available about this species. Here, we determined the genome sequences of five B. coagulans strains, and used a comparative genomic approach to reconstruct the central carbon metabolism of this species to explain their fermentation features. A novel xylose isomerase in the xylose utilization pathway was identified in these strains. Based on a genome-wide positive selection scan, the selection pressure on amino acid metabolism may have played a significant role in the thermal adaptation. We also researched the immune systems of B. coagulans strains, which provide them with acquired resistance to phages and mobile genetic elements. Our genomic analysis provides comprehensive insights into the genetic characteristics of B. coagulans and paves the way for improving and extending the uses of this species. PMID:24473268

  17. The Efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis spp. galleriae Against Rice Water Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for Integrated Pest Management in California Rice.

    PubMed

    Aghaee, Mohammad-Amir; Godfrey, Larry D

    2015-02-01

    Rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kushel) is the most damaging insect pest of rice in the United States. Larval feeding on the roots stunt growth and reduce yield. Current pest management against the weevil in California relies heavily on pyrethroids that can be damaging to aquatic food webs. Examination of an environmentally friendly alternative biopesticide based on Bacillus thuringiensis spp. galleriae chemistry against rice water weevil larvae showed moderate levels of activity in pilot studies. We further examined the performance of different formulations of Bt.galleriae against the leading insecticide used in California rice, λ-cyhalothrin. The granular formulation performed as well as the λ-cyhalothrin in use in California in some of our greenhouse and field studies. This is the first reported use of B. thuringiensis spp. galleriae against rice water weevil. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Phenotypic Microdiversity and Phylogenetic Signal Analysis of Traits Related to Social Interaction in Bacillus spp. from Sediment Communities.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Torres, María Dolores; Islas-Robles, África; Gómez-Lunar, Zulema; Delaye, Luis; Hernández-González, Ismael; Souza, Valeria; Travisano, Michael; Olmedo-Álvarez, Gabriela

    2017-01-01

    Understanding the relationship between phylogeny and predicted traits is important to uncover the dimension of the predictive power of a microbial composition approach. Numerous works have addressed the taxonomic composition of bacteria in communities, but little is known about trait heterogeneity in closely related bacteria that co-occur in communities. We evaluated a sample of 467 isolates from the Churince water system of the Cuatro Cienegas Basin (CCB), enriched for Bacillus spp. The 16S rRNA gene revealed a random distribution of taxonomic groups within this genus among 11 sampling sites. A subsample of 141 Bacillus spp. isolates from sediment, with seven well-represented species was chosen to evaluate the heterogeneity and the phylogenetic signal of phenotypic traits that are known to diverge within small clades, such as substrate utilization, and traits that are conserved deep in the lineage, such as prototrophy, swarming and biofilm formation. We were especially interested in evaluating social traits, such as swarming and biofilm formation, for which cooperation is needed to accomplish a multicellular behavior and for which there is little information from natural communities. The phylogenetic distribution of traits, evaluated by the Purvis and Fritz's D statistics approached a Brownian model of evolution. Analysis of the phylogenetic relatedness of the clusters of members sharing the trait using consenTRAIT algorithm, revealed more clustering and deeper phylogenetic signal for prototrophy, biofilm and swimming compared to the data obtained for substrate utilization. The explanation to the observed Brownian evolution of social traits could be either loss due to complete dispensability or to compensated trait loss due to the availability of public goods. Since many of the evaluated traits can be considered to be collective action traits, such as swarming, motility and biofilm formation, the observed microdiversity within taxonomic groups might be explained

  19. Biocontrol of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary on common bean by native lipopeptide-producer Bacillus strains.

    PubMed

    Sabaté, Daniela C; Brandan, Carolina Pérez; Petroselli, Gabriela; Erra-Balsells, Rosa; Audisio, M Carina

    2018-06-01

    Bacillus sp. B19, Bacillus sp. P12 and B. amyloliquefaciens B14 were isolated from soils of Salta province, and PGPR properties on the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. Alubia and antagonistic activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were studied. It was determined that B19 and P12 increased crop germination potential (GP) from the common bean by 14.5% compared to control seeds; these strains also increased root length (10.4 and 15%, respectively) and stem length (20.2 and 30%, respectively) compared to the control; however, as for the B14 strain, no increases in growth parameters were detected. In addition, all the treatments that combined two bacilli: B14 + B19, B14 + P12 and B19 + P12, generated beneficial effects on GP and seedling growth compared to control seeds, but not compared to a single inoculant. B19 and P12 strains synthesized auxins at concentrations of 5.71 and 4.90 mg/mL, respectively, and it was qualitatively determined that they synthesize siderophores. In addition, previous studies have determined that B14 produces auxins in a concentration of 10.10 mg/mL, and qualitatively synthesizes siderophores. The phytosanitary state of the white bean cv. Alubia control seeds revealed bacterial contamination in 87% of all the evaluated seeds and different fungi such as Cladosporium sp., Fusarium sp., and Rhizopus sp. Bean seeds treated with B14, B19 or P12 showed no growth of contaminating bacteria or of pathogenic fungi; in fact, bacilli inoculum development was observed in all seeds. Additionally, B19, P12 and B14 strains inhibited in vitro the development of 9 native S. sclerotiorum strains isolated from the Salta region, with FI ranging between 60 and 100%. The three Bacillus strains synthesized different isoforms of the lipopeptides: surfactin, iturin, and fengycin in the presence of S. sclerotiorum, as determined by MALDI-TOF. In the in vivo trials, when common bean seeds were grown in soils contaminated with S. sclerotiorum, an

  20. Survival of Bacillus thuringiensis strains in gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae is correlated with production of urease

    Treesearch

    Phyllis A.W. Martin; Robert R. Jr. Farrar; Michael B. Blackburn

    2011-01-01

    We tested 50 lepidopteran-toxic Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) strains with diverse phenotypes for the ability to survive repeated passages through larvae of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), without intervening growth on artificial media. These experiments have revealed a remarkable correlation...

  1. Molecular and enzymatic characterization of a subfamily I.4 lipase from an edible oil-degrader Bacillus sp. HH-01.

    PubMed

    Kamijo, Takashi; Saito, Akihiro; Ema, Sadaharu; Yoh, Inchi; Hayashi, Hiroko; Nagata, Ryo; Nagata, Yoshiho; Ando, Akikazu

    2011-02-01

    An edible-oil degrading bacterial strain HH-01 was isolated from oil plant gummy matter and was classified as a member of the genus Bacillus on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene. A putative lipase gene and its flanking regions were cloned from the strain based on its similarity to lipase genes from other Bacillus spp. The deduced product was composed of 214 amino acids and the putative mature protein, consisting of 182 amino acids, exhibited 82% amino acid sequence identity with the subfamily I.4 lipase LipA of Bacillus subtilis 168. The recombinant product was successfully overproduced as a soluble form in Escherichia coli and showed lipase activity. The gene was, therefore, designated as lipA of HH-01. HH-01 LipA was stable at pH 4-11 and up to 30°C, and its optimum pH and temperature were 8-9 and 30°C, respectively. The enzyme showed preferential hydrolysis of the 1(3)-position ester bond in trilinolein. The activity was, interestingly, enhanced by supplementing with 1 mM CoCl(2), in contrast to other Bacillus lipases. The lipA gene seemed to be constitutively transcribed during the exponential growth phase, regardless of the presence of edible oil.

  2. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EBL11, a New Strain of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium Isolated from Rice Rhizosphere

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yinghuan; Greenfield, Paul; Jin, Decai

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain EBL11 is a bacterium that can promote plant growth by inhibiting the growth of fungi on plant surfaces and providing nutrients as a nonchemical biofertilizer. The estimated genome of this strain is 4.05 Mb in size and harbors 3,683 coding genes (CDSs). PMID:25059875

  3. Isolation of a halophilic bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain NY-6 for organic contaminants removal in saline wastewater on ship

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Jie; Yu, Zhenjiang; Zhang, Xiaohui; Zhao, Dan; Zhao, Fangbo

    2013-06-01

    The objective of this research was to examine if certain strains of Bacillus bacteria, could survive in dry powder products and if so, could the bacteria degrade organic contaminants in saline wastewater on a ship. As part of the study, we isolated 7 domesticated strains named NY1, NY2,..., and NY7, the strain NY6 showed to have the best performance for organic matter degradation and could survive in dry powder more than 3 months. NY6 was identified as Bacillus aerius, based on the morphological and physic-chemical properties. Its optimal growth conditions were as follows: salinity was 2%; temperature was 37°C; pH was in 6.5-7.0; best ratio of C: N: P was 100:5:1. The capability of its dry powder for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal was 800mg COD/g in synthesized marine wastewater with 2% salinity. The spores in the dry powder were 1.972×108 g -1.

  4. [Screening and antibacterial function of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X030].

    PubMed

    He, Hao; Zhu, Yingling; Chi, Liqing; Zhao, Zizhao; Wang, Ting; Zuo, Mingxing; Zhang, Tong; Zhou, Fengjuan; Xia, Liqiu; Ding, Xuezhi

    2015-09-04

    We isolated 339 bacillus strains from 72 soil samples all over the country, then purified their antimicrobial compounds and studied the antibacterial activity, to enrich bacillus resources and explore their second metabolites. A bacillus strain with strong antibacterial activity was selected by dilution plate and water bath heating from a soil sample from a peanut plantation in Henan Province; this strain was identified according to morphological observation, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and consequences of 16S rRNA homologous analysis. Antibacterial compound from the identified strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X030, was separated and purified by acetone precipitation, Sephadex chromatography, C18 reverse phase column chromatography. Its molecular weight was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The antibacterial activity was characterized by disc diffusion and plate two-way cultivation. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was isolated that not only has antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albican and Saccharomycetes; but also against Pyriculariaoryzae, Chili pointed cell anthrax, Gloeosporium eriobotryae speg and Phytophthora parasitica. The compound was confirmed as polypeptide. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X030 can produce a polypeptide that inhibits pathogenic bacteria and plant pathogenic fungi.

  5. Structure of the detoxification catalyst mercuric ion reductase from Bacillus sp. strain RC607

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schiering, N.; Kabsch, W.; Moore, M. J.; Distefano, M. D.; Walsh, C. T.; Pai, E. F.

    1991-07-01

    SEVERAL hundred million tons of toxic mercurials are dispersed in the biosphere1. Microbes can detoxify organo-mercurials and mercury salts through sequential action of two enzymes, organomercury lyase2 and mercuric ion reductase (MerA) 3-5. The latter, a homodimer with homology to the FAD-dependent disulphide oxidoreductases6, catalyses the reaction NADPH + Hg(II) --> NADP+ + H+Hg(0), one of the very rare enzymic reactions with metal substrates. Human glutathione reductase7,8 serves as a reference molecule for FAD-dependent disulphide reductases and between its primary structure9 and that of MerA from Tn501 (Pseudomonas), Tn21 (Shigella), pI258 (Staphylococcus) and Bacillus, 25-30% of the residues have been conserved10,11. All MerAs have a C-terminal extension about 15 residues long but have very varied N termini. Although the enzyme from Streptomyces lividans has no addition, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Tn5Ol and Bacillus sp. strain RC607 it has one and two copies respectively of a domain of 80-85 residues, highly homologous to MerP, the periplasmic component of proteins encoded by the mer operon11. These domains can be proteolytically cleaved off without changing the catalytic efficiency3. We report here the crystal structure of MerA from the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus sp. strain RC607. Analysis of its complexes with nicotinamide dinucleotide substrates and the inhibitor Cd(II) reveals how limited structural changes enable an enzyme to accept as substrate what used to be a dangerous inhibitor. Knowledge of the mode of mercury ligation is a prerequisite for understanding this unique detoxification mechanism.

  6. Characterization of a highly toxic strain of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar kurstaki very similar to the HD-73 strain.

    PubMed

    Reinoso-Pozo, Yaritza; Del Rincón-Castro, Ma Cristina; Ibarra, Jorge E

    2016-09-01

    The LBIT-1200 strain of Bacillus thuringiensis was recently isolated from soil, and showed a 6.4 and 9.5 increase in toxicity, against Manduca sexta and Trichoplusia ni, respectively, compared to HD-73. However, LBIT-1200 was still highly similar to HD-73, including the production of bipyramidal crystals containing only one protein of ∼130 000 kDa, its flagellin gene sequence related to the kurstaki serotype, plasmid and RepPCR patterns similar to HD-73, no production of β-exotoxin and no presence of VIP genes. Sequencing of its cry gene showed the presence of a cry1Ac-type gene with four amino acid differences, including two amino acid replacements in domain III, compared to Cry1Ac1, which may explain its higher toxicity. In conclusion, the LBIT-1200 strain is a variant of the HD-73 strain but shows a much higher toxicity, which makes this new strain an important candidate to be developed as a bioinsecticide, once it passes other tests, throughout its biotechnological development. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Detoxification and anti-nutrients reduction of Jatropha curcas seed cake by Bacillus fermentation.

    PubMed

    Phengnuam, Thanyarat; Suntornsuk, Worapot

    2013-02-01

    Jatropha curcas seed cake is a by-product generated from oil extraction of J. curcas seed. Although it contains a high amount of protein, it has phorbol esters and anti-nutritional factors such as phytate, trypsin inhibitor, lectin and saponin. It cannot be applied directly in the food or animal feed industries. This investigation was aimed at detoxifying the toxic and anti-nutritional compounds in J. curcas seed cake by fermentation with Bacillus spp. Two GRAS (generally recognized as safe) Bacillus strains used in the study were Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis with solid-state and submerged fermentations. Solid-state fermentation was done on 10 g of seed cake with a moisture content of 70% for 7 days, while submerged fermentation was carried out on 10 g of seed cake in 100 ml distilled water for 5 days. The fermentations were incubated at the optimum condition of each strain. After fermentation, bacterial growth, pH, toxic and anti-nutritional compounds were determined. Results showed that B. licheniformis with submerged fermentation were the most effective method to degrade toxic and anti-nutritional compounds in the seed cake. After fermentation, phorbol esters, phytate and trypsin inhibitor were reduced by 62%, 42% and 75%, respectively, while lectin could not be eliminated. The reduction of phorbol esters, phytate and trypsin inhibitor was related to esterase, phytase and protease activities, respectively. J. curcas seed cake could be mainly detoxified by bacterial fermentation and the high-protein fermented seed cake could be potentially applied to animal feed. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Whole genome assembly of a natto production strain Bacillus subtilis natto from very short read data.

    PubMed

    Nishito, Yukari; Osana, Yasunori; Hachiya, Tsuyoshi; Popendorf, Kris; Toyoda, Atsushi; Fujiyama, Asao; Itaya, Mitsuhiro; Sakakibara, Yasubumi

    2010-04-16

    Bacillus subtilis natto is closely related to the laboratory standard strain B. subtilis Marburg 168, and functions as a starter for the production of the traditional Japanese food "natto" made from soybeans. Although re-sequencing whole genomes of several laboratory domesticated B. subtilis 168 derivatives has already been attempted using short read sequencing data, the assembly of the whole genome sequence of a closely related strain, B. subtilis natto, from very short read data is more challenging, particularly with our aim to assemble one fully connected scaffold from short reads around 35 bp in length. We applied a comparative genome assembly method, which combines de novo assembly and reference guided assembly, to one of the B. subtilis natto strains. We successfully assembled 28 scaffolds and managed to avoid substantial fragmentation. Completion of the assembly through long PCR experiments resulted in one connected scaffold for B. subtilis natto. Based on the assembled genome sequence, our orthologous gene analysis between natto BEST195 and Marburg 168 revealed that 82.4% of 4375 predicted genes in BEST195 are one-to-one orthologous to genes in 168, with two genes in-paralog, 3.2% are deleted in 168, 14.3% are inserted in BEST195, and 5.9% of genes present in 168 are deleted in BEST195. The natto genome contains the same alleles in the promoter region of degQ and the coding region of swrAA as the wild strain, RO-FF-1. These are specific for gamma-PGA production ability, which is related to natto production. Further, the B. subtilis natto strain completely lacked a polyketide synthesis operon, disrupted the plipastatin production operon, and possesses previously unidentified transposases. The determination of the whole genome sequence of Bacillus subtilis natto provided detailed analyses of a set of genes related to natto production, demonstrating the number and locations of insertion sequences that B. subtilis natto harbors but B. subtilis 168 lacks

  9. Differentiation of Bacillus Anthracis and Other Bacillus Species by Use of Lectins

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-07-18

    TITL9 fAnd Subtfitle) S.TypeO REPORT gi PZRCC rvt 4 DIFFERENTIATION OF BACIL-LUSg’ ANTHRAtgACIS D OTHER BACILLUS , SPECIES BY-USE OYLECTINS" Inter[im...Ricinus communis. Some strains of Bacillus cer-eus var. m-ycoides (B. Mycoides) were strongly reactive with the lectin from Helbi pomtia and weakly reacti...ve with the Glycine max lectin. The differential iCnteractions between Bacillus species and lectins af forded a means of distinguishing B. anthracis

  10. Unexpected genomic relationships between Bacillus anthracis strains from Bangladesh and Central Europe.

    PubMed

    Rume, Farzana Islam; Ahsan, Chowdhury Rafiqul; Biswas, Paritosh Kumar; Yasmin, Mahmuda; Braun, Peter; Walter, Mathias C; Antwerpen, Markus; Grass, Gregor; Hanczaruk, Matthias

    2016-11-01

    The zoonosis anthrax caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis has a broad geographical distribution. Active enzootic areas are typically located away from central and northern Europe where cases of the disease occur only sporadically and in limited numbers. In contrast, a few out of the 64 districts of Bangladesh are hyper-endemic for anthrax and there the disease causes major losses in live-stock. In this study we genotyped eight strains of B. anthracis collected from the districts of Sirajganj and Tangail in 2013. All these strains belonged to canSNP group A.Br.001/002 Sterne differing only in a few of 31 tandem-repeat (MLVA)-markers. Whole genome sequences were obtained from five of these strains and compared with genomic information of B. anthracis strains originating from various geographical locations. Characteristic signatures were detected defining two "Bangladesh" clusters potentially useful for rapid molecular epidemiology. From this data high-resolution PCR assays were developed and subsequently tested on additional isolates from Bangladesh and Central Europe. Remarkably, this comparative genomic analysis focusing on SNP-discovery revealed a close genetic relationship between these strains from Bangladesh and historic strains collected between 1991 and 2008 in The Netherlands and Germany, respectively. Possible explanations for these phylogenetic relationships are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Keratinase from newly isolated strain of thermophilic Bacillus for chicken feed modification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larasati, Ditya; Tsurayya, Nur; Koentjoro, Maharani Pertiwi; Prasetyo, Endry Nugroho

    2017-06-01

    Keratinase producing bacteria were isolated from Dieng crater and Mojokerto chicken farm. The screening was done by clear zone method. The strains were selected as they produced clear zones suggesting the presence of keratinolytic activity. The clear zone on FM media depended on both the source and activity of keratinase produced by keratinolytic bacteria. Based on keratinase production and activity, Bacillus sp. SLII-1 was selected for further studies. Keratinase produced by Bacillus sp. SLII-1 capable of producing crude keratinase with 2.08 (mg/second)/ml enzyme activity which able to increase digestibility of feather meal until 22.06% based on soluble protein level. Broiler chicken (Gallus domesticus) that consumed feed containing 5% feather meal indicated production performance of 1194.8 gram/head of feed consumption, 567 gram/head of addition of weight, and 2.1 of feed conversion ratio. An enzymatic engineered chicken feathers waste showed the performance of broiler chicken that is better than soybean meal as conventional sources of protein but could not yet substitute the use of conventional protein sources of fishmeal.

  12. Next-Generation Bacillus anthracis Live Attenuated Spore Vaccine Based on the htrA- (High Temperature Requirement A) Sterne Strain

    PubMed Central

    Chitlaru, Theodor; Israeli, Ma’ayan; Bar-Haim, Erez; Elia, Uri; Rotem, Shahar; Ehrlich, Sharon; Cohen, Ofer; Shafferman, Avigdor

    2016-01-01

    Anthrax is a lethal disease caused by the gram-positive spore-producing bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Live attenuated vaccines, such as the nonencapsulated Sterne strain, do not meet the safety standards mandated for human use in the Western world and are approved for veterinary purposes only. Here we demonstrate that disrupting the htrA gene, encoding the chaperone/protease HtrA (High Temperature Requirement A), in the virulent Bacillus anthracis Vollum strain results in significant virulence attenuation in guinea pigs, rabbits and mice, underlying the universality of the attenuated phenotype associated with htrA knockout. Accordingly, htrA disruption was implemented for the development of a Sterne-derived safe live vaccine compatible with human use. The novel B. anthracis SterneΔhtrA strain secretes functional anthrax toxins but is 10–104-fold less virulent than the Sterne vaccine strain depending on animal model (mice, guinea pigs, or rabbits). In spite of this attenuation, double or even single immunization with SterneΔhtrA spores elicits immune responses which target toxaemia and bacteremia resulting in protection from subcutaneous or respiratory lethal challenge with a virulent strain in guinea pigs and rabbits. The efficacy of the immune-protective response in guinea pigs was maintained for at least 50 weeks after a single immunization. PMID:26732659

  13. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus cereus CITVM-11.1, a Strain Exhibiting Interesting Antifungal Activities.

    PubMed

    Caballero, Javier; Peralta, Cecilia; Molla, Antonella; Del Valle, Eleodoro E; Caballero, Primitivo; Berry, Colin; Felipe, Verónica; Yaryura, Pablo; Palma, Leopoldo

    2018-01-01

    Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium possessing an important and historical record as a human-pathogenic bacterium. However, several strains of this species exhibit interesting potential to be used as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of B. cereus strain CITVM-11.1, which consists of 37 contig sequences, accounting for 5,746,486 bp (with a GC content of 34.8%) and 5,752 predicted protein-coding sequences. Several of them could potentially be involved in plant-bacterium interactions and may contribute to the strong antagonistic activity shown by this strain against the charcoal root rot fungus, Macrophomina phaseolina. This genomic sequence also showed a number of genes that may confer this strain resistance against several polluting heavy metals and for the bioconversion of mycotoxins. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Decolorization of sulfonated azo dye Metanil Yellow by newly isolated bacterial strains: Bacillus sp. strain AK1 and Lysinibacillus sp. strain AK2.

    PubMed

    Anjaneya, O; Souche, S Yogesh; Santoshkumar, M; Karegoudar, T B

    2011-06-15

    Two different bacterial strains capable of decolorizing a highly water soluble azo dye Metanil Yellow were isolated from dye contaminated soil sample collected from Atul Dyeing Industry, Bellary, India. The individual bacterial strains Bacillus sp. AK1 and Lysinibacillus sp. AK2 decolorized Metanil Yellow (200 mg L(-1)) completely within 27 and 12h respectively. Various parameters like pH, temperature, NaCl and initial dye concentrations were optimized to develop an economically feasible decolorization process. The maximum concentration of Metanil Yellow (1000 mg L(-1)) was decolorized by strains AK2 and AK1 within 78 and 84 h respectively. These strains could decolorize Metanil Yellow over a broad pH range 5.5-9.0; the optimum pH was 7.2. The decolorization of Metanil Yellow was most efficient at 40°C and confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, TLC, HPLC and GC/MS analysis. Further, both the strains showed the involvement of azoreductase in the decolorization process. Phytotoxicity studies of catabolic products of Metanil Yellow on the seeds of chick pea and pigeon pea revealed much reduction in the toxicity of metabolites as compared to the parent dye. These results indicating the effectiveness of strains AK1 and AK2 for the treatment of textile effluents containing azo dyes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. A Novel Multiplex PCR Discriminates Bacillus anthracis and Its Genetically Related Strains from Other Bacillus cereus Group Species

    PubMed Central

    Ogawa, Hirohito; Fujikura, Daisuke; Ohnuma, Miyuki; Ohnishi, Naomi; Hang'ombe, Bernard M.; Mimuro, Hitomi; Ezaki, Takayuki; Mweene, Aaron S.; Higashi, Hideaki

    2015-01-01

    Anthrax is an important zoonotic disease worldwide that is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming pathogenic bacterium. A rapid and sensitive method to detect B. anthracis is important for anthrax risk management and control in animal cases to address public health issues. However, it has recently become difficult to identify B. anthracis by using previously reported molecular-based methods because of the emergence of B. cereus, which causes severe extra-intestinal infection, as well as the human pathogenic B. thuringiensis, both of which are genetically related to B. anthracis. The close genetic relation of chromosomal backgrounds has led to complexity of molecular-based diagnosis. In this study, we established a B. anthracis multiplex PCR that can screen for the presence of B. anthracis virulent plasmids and differentiate B. anthracis and its genetically related strains from other B. cereus group species. Six sets of primers targeting a chromosome of B. anthracis and B. anthracis-like strains, two virulent plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2, a bacterial gene, 16S rRNA gene, and a mammalian gene, actin-beta gene, were designed. The multiplex PCR detected approximately 3.0 CFU of B. anthracis DNA per PCR reaction and was sensitive to B. anthracis. The internal control primers also detected all bacterial and mammalian DNAs examined, indicating the practical applicability of this assay as it enables monitoring of appropriate amplification. The assay was also applied for detection of clinical strains genetically related to B. anthracis, which were B. cereus strains isolated from outbreaks of hospital infections in Japan, and field strains isolated in Zambia, and the assay differentiated B. anthracis and its genetically related strains from other B. cereus group strains. Taken together, the results indicate that the newly developed multiplex PCR is a sensitive and practical method for detecting B. anthracis. PMID:25774512

  16. Comparative evaluation of extracellular β-D-fructofuranosidase in submerged and solid-state fermentation produced by newly identified Bacillus subtilis strain.

    PubMed

    Lincoln, Lynette; More, Sunil S

    2018-04-17

    To screen and identify a potential extracellular β-D-fructofuranosidase or invertase producing bacterium from soil, and comparatively evaluate the enzyme biosynthesis under submerged and solid-state fermentation. Extracellular invertase producing bacteria were screened from soil. Identification of the potent bacterium was performed based on microscopic examinations and 16S rDNA molecular sequencing. Bacillus subtilis LYN12 invertase secretion was surplus with wheat bran humidified with molasses medium (70%), with elevated activity at 48 h and 37 °C under solid-state fermentation, whereas under submerged conditions increased activity was observed at 24 h and 45 °C in the molasses medium. The study revealed a simple fermentative medium for elevated production of extracellular invertase from a fast growing Bacillus strain. Bacterial invertases are scarce and limited reports are available. By far, this is the first report on the comparative analysis of optimization of extracellular invertase synthesis from Bacillus subtilis strain by submerged and solid-state fermentation. The use of agricultural residues increased yields resulting in development of a cost-effective and stable approach. Bacillus subtilis LYN12 invertase possesses excellent fermenting capability to utilize agro-industrial residues under submerged and solid-state conditions. This could be a beneficial candidate in food and beverage processing industries. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  17. Biocontrol Potentials of Antimicrobial Peptide Producing Bacillus Species: Multifaceted Antagonists for the Management of Stem Rot of Carnation Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

    PubMed Central

    Vinodkumar, S.; Nakkeeran, S.; Renukadevi, P.; Malathi, V. G.

    2017-01-01

    Bacillus species are widely exploited as biocontrol agents because of their efficiency in impeding various plant pathogens with multifaceted approach. In this study, Bacillus species were isolated from rhizosphere of various plants viz., carnations, cotton, turmeric, and bananas in Tamil Nadu state of India. Their potential to control the mycelial growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was assessed in vitro by dual plate and partition plate techniques. B. amyloliquefaciens strain VB7 was much effective in inhibiting mycelial growth (45% inhibition of over control) and sclerotial production (100%). PCR detection of AMP genes revealed that B. amyloliquefaciens (VB7) had a maximum of 10 diverse antibiotic biosynthesis genes, namely, ituD, ipa14, bacA, bacD, bamC, sfP, spaC, spaS, alba, and albF, that resulted in production of the antibiotics iturin, bacilysin, bacillomycin, surfactin, subtilin, and subtilosin. Further, metabolites from B. amyloliquefaciens strains VB2 and VB7, associated with inhibition of S. sclerotiorum, were identified as phenols and fatty acids by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Delivery of bacterial suspension of the effective strains of Bacillus spp. as root dip was found promising for the management of stem rot of cultivated carnations. Minimal percent disease incidence (4.6%) and maximum plant growth promotion was observed in the plants treated with B. amyloliquefaciens (VB7). PMID:28392780

  18. Morphology and mycelial growth rate of Pleurotus spp. strains from the Mexican mixtec region

    PubMed Central

    Guadarrama-Mendoza, P.C.; del Toro, G. Valencia; Ramírez-Carrillo, R.; Robles-Martínez, F.; Yáñez-Fernández, J.; Garín-Aguilar, M.E.; Hernández, C.G.; Bravo-Villa, G.

    2014-01-01

    Two native Pleurotus spp. strains (white LB-050 and pale pink LB-051) were isolated from rotten tree trunks of cazahuate (Ipomoea murucoides) from the Mexican Mixtec Region. Both strains were chemically dedikaryotized to obtain their symmetrical monokaryotic components (neohaplonts). This was achieved employing homogenization time periods from 60 to 65 s, and 3 day incubation at 28 °C in a peptone-glucose solution (PGS). Pairing of compatible neohaplonts resulted in 56 hybrid strains which were classified into the four following hybrid types: (R1-nxB1-n, R1-nxB2-1, R2-nxB1-n and R2-nxB2-1). The mycelial growth of Pleurotus spp. monokaryotic and dikaryotic strains showed differences in texture (cottony or floccose), growth (scarce, regular or abundant), density (high, regular or low), and pigmentation (off-white, white or pale pink). To determine the rate and the amount of mycelium growth in malt extract agar at 28 °C, the diameter of the colony was measured every 24 h until the Petri dish was completely colonized. A linear model had the best fit to the mycelial growth kinetics. A direct relationship between mycelial morphology and growth rate was observed. Cottony mycelium presented significantly higher growth rates (p < 0.01) in comparison with floccose mycelium. Thus, mycelial morphology can be used as criterion to select which pairs must be used for optimizing compatible-mating studies. Hybrids resulting from cottony neohaplonts maintained the characteristically high growth rates of their parental strains with the hybrid R1-nxB1-n being faster than the latter. PMID:25477920

  19. Characterization of Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, and Paenibacillus polymyxa isolated from a Pinot noir wine from Western Washington State.

    PubMed

    von Cosmos, Nicolas H; Watson, Bruce A; Fellman, J K; Mattinson, D S; Edwards, Charles G

    2017-10-01

    This report provides the first confirmed evidence of Bacillus-like bacteria present in a wine from Washington State. These bacteria were isolated from a 2013 Pinot noir wine whose aroma was sensorially described as being 'dirty' or 'pond scum.' Based on physiological traits and genetic sequencing, three bacterial isolates were identified as Bacillus megaterium (strain NHO-1), Bacillus pumilus (strain NHO-2), and Paenibacillus polymyxa (strain NHO-3). These bacteria grew in synthetic media of low pH (pH 3.5) while some survived ethanol concentrations up to 15% v/v. However, none tolerated molecular SO 2 concentrations ≥0.4 mg/l. Growth of strains NHO-1 and NHO-3 in a Merlot grape juice resulted in increases of titratable and volatile acidities while decreases in titratable acidity were noted for NHO-2. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Isolation and characterization of Bacillus subtilis CH16 strain from chicken gastrointestinal tracts for use as a feed supplement to promote weight gain in broilers.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, A T V; Nguyen, D V; Tran, M T; Nguyen, L T; Nguyen, A H; Phan, T-N

    2015-06-01

    Spore-forming bacterial strains were isolated from chicken gastrointestinal tracts to develop a heat-stable feed supplement that promotes weight gain in broilers. Seven Bacillus strains having more than 90% sporulation were screened from the isolates and identified to be closely related with Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis. Of the seven strains, B. subtilis CH16 was selected to develop a feed supplement for broilers, because it formed 100% heat-stable spores, grew rapidly at 42°C and quickly formed a biofilm. In large-scale trials in broilers (n ≥ 1150 per group), the group fed CH16 (3 × 10(6) CFU g(-1) pellet) showed higher average daily gain (ADG = 61·16) and lower food conversion ratio (FCR = 1·696) than did the group fed B. licheniformis CH22 (ADG = 57·10 and FCR = 1·792), the group fed B. subtilis HU58 (ADG = 51·90 and FCR = 1·868), BioPlus group (ADG = 59·32 and FCR = 1·807) and the control group (ADG = 56·02 and FCR = 1·880). In conclusion, CH16 spores significantly increased ADG by 9·17% and reduced FCR by 9·79% in broilers. The result supports the use of B. subtilis CH16 of chicken intestinal origin as a feed supplement that promote weight gain in broilers. Significance and impact of the study: This study reports screening of Bacillus strains isolated from chicken gastrointestinal tracts for development of a feed supplement that promote weight gain in broilers. Of the seven Bacillus isolates with high sporulation efficiency (≥90%), Bacillus subtilis CH16 strain showed the best growth and biofilm formation at body temperature of broilers (42°C). In large-scale trials in broilers (n ≥ 1150 per group), CH16 spores induced a 9·17% increase in daily weight gain (ADG) and a 9·79% reduction in FCR while the commercial BioPlus(®) YC induced only a 5·89% increase in ADG and a 3·88% reduction in FCR. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. An in-depth characterization of the entomopathogenic strain Bacillus pumilus 15.1 reveals that it produces inclusion bodies similar to the parasporal crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Ramon, Diana C; Molina, C Alfonso; Osuna, Antonio; Vílchez, Susana

    2016-04-01

    In the present work, the local isolate Bacillus pumilus 15.1 has been morphologically and biochemically characterized in order to gain a better understanding of this novel entomopathogenic strain active against Ceratitis capitata. This strain could represent an interesting biothechnological tool for the control of this pest. Here, we report on its nutrient preferences, extracellular enzyme production, motility mechanism, biofilm production, antibiotic suceptibility, natural resistance to chemical and physical insults, and morphology of the vegetative cells and spores. The pathogen was found to be β-hemolytic and susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, kanamycin, rifampicin, tetracycline, and streptomycin. We also report a series of biocide, thermal, and UV treatments that reduce the viability of B. pumilus 15.1 by several orders of magnitude. Heat and chemical treatments kill at least 99.9 % of vegetative cells, but spores were much more resistant. Bleach was the only chemical that was able to completely eliminate B. pumilus 15.1 spores. Compared to the B. subtilis 168 spores, B. pumilus 15.1 spores were between 2.67 and 350 times more resistant to UV radiation while the vegetative cells of B. pumilus 15.1 were almost up to 3 orders of magnitude more resistant than the model strain. We performed electron microscopy for morphological characterization, and we observed geometric structures resembling the parasporal crystal inclusions synthesized by Bacillus thuringiensis. Some of the results obtained here such as the parasporal inclusion bodies produced by B. pumilus 15.1 could potentially represent virulence factors of this novel and potentially interesting strain.

  2. A multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus in Korean ready-to-eat food.

    PubMed

    Lee, Nari; Kwon, Kyung Yoon; Oh, Su Kyung; Chang, Hyun-Joo; Chun, Hyang Sook; Choi, Sung-Wook

    2014-07-01

    A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus in various Korean ready-to-eat foods. The six specific primer pairs for multiplex PCR were selected based on the O157 antigen (rfbE) gene of E. coli O157:H7, the DNA gyrase subunit B (gyrB) gene of B. cereus, the toxin regulatory protein (toxR) gene of V. parahaemolyticus, the invasion protein A (invA) gene of Salmonella spp., the hemolysin (hly) gene of L. monocytogenes, and the thermonuclease (nuc) gene of S. aureus. The 16S rRNA gene was targeted as an internal control gene in the presence of bacterial DNA. The specificity and sensitivity assays for multiplex primer pairs were investigated by testing different strains. When this multiplex PCR assay was applied to evaluate the validity of detecting six foodborne pathogens in artificially inoculated several ready-to-eat food samples, the assay was able to specifically simultaneously detect as few as 1 colony-forming unit/mL of each pathogen after enrichment for 12 h. Their presence in naturally contaminated samples also indicates that the developed multiplex PCR assay is an effective and informative supplement for practical use.

  3. Nano-Mechanical Properties of Heat Inactivated Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis Spores

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-01

    Scanner Laser Mirror Cantilever Sample Probe Tip 16 cereus strain 569, and Bacillus globigii var. niger . Zolock determined that there wer...been used to measure the surface elasticities of a variety of microbial organisms including Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus ...66:307-311 (2005). Zhao, Liming, David Schaefer, and Mark R. Marten. “Assessment of Elasticity and Topography of Aspergillus nidulans Spores via

  4. Bacillus nanhaiisediminis sp. nov., an alkalitolerant member of Bacillus rRNA group 6.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianli; Wang, Jiewei; Song, Fei; Fang, Caiyuan; Xin, Yuhua; Zhang, Yabo

    2011-05-01

    A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain NH3(T), was isolated from a sediment sample from the South China Sea and was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The isolate grew optimally at 37 °C and pH 9. Strain NH3(T) had cell-wall peptidoglycan based on meso-diaminopimelic acid and MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The cellular fatty acid profile included significant amounts of iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(14 : 0). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of strain NH3(T) was 40.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain NH3(T) was a member of rRNA group 6 of the genus Bacillus, which includes alkalitolerant, alkaliphilic and halotolerant species. The closest phylogenetic relatives were Bacillus akibai 1139(T) (96.82 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), B. pseudofirmus DSM 8715(T) (96.76 %), B. okhensis Kh10-101(T) (96.76 %) and B. alkalidiazotrophicus MS 6(T) (96.47 %). Strain NH3(T) could be distinguished from these phylogenetically close neighbours based on a number of phenotypic properties. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and phylogenetic data, we conclude that strain NH3(T) ( = CGMCC 1.10116(T)  = JCM 16507(T)) merits classification as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Bacillus nanhaiisediminis sp. nov. is proposed.

  5. The Hemolytic Enterotoxin HBL Is Broadly Distributed among Species of the Bacillus cereus Group

    PubMed Central

    Prüß, Birgit M.; Dietrich, Richard; Nibler, Birgit; Märtlbauer, Erwin; Scherer, Siegfried

    1999-01-01

    The prevalence of the hemolytic enterotoxin complex HBL was determined in all species of the Bacillus cereus group with the exception of Bacillus anthracis. hblA, encoding the binding subunit B, was detected by PCR and Southern analysis and was confirmed by partial sequencing of 18 strains. The sequences formed two clusters, one including B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis strains and the other one consisting of Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus pseudomycoides, and Bacillus weihenstephanensis strains. From eight B. thuringiensis strains, the enterotoxin gene hblA could be amplified. Seven of them also expressed the complete HBL complex as determined with specific antibodies against the L1, L2, and B components. Eleven of 16 B. mycoides strains, all 3 B. pseudomyoides strains, 9 of 15 B. weihenstephanensis strains, and 10 of 23 B. cereus strains carried hblA. While HBL was not expressed in the B. pseudomycoides strains, the molecular assays were in accordance with the immunological assays for the majority of the remaining strains. In summary, the hemolytic enterotoxin HBL seems to be broadly distributed among strains of the B. cereus group and relates neither to a certain species nor to a specific environment. The consequences of this finding for food safety considerations need to be evaluated. PMID:10584001

  6. The respiratory arsenate reductase from Bacillus selenitireducens strain MLS10

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Afkar, E.; Lisak, J.; Saltikov, C.; Basu, P.; Oremland, R.S.; Stolz, J.F.

    2003-01-01

    The respiratory arsenate reductase from the Gram-positive, haloalkaliphile, Bacillus selenitireducens strain MLS10 was purified and characterized. It is a membrane bound heterodimer (150 kDa) composed of two subunits ArrA (110 kDa) and ArrB (34 kDa), with an apparent Km for arsenate of 34 ??M and Vmax of 2.5 ??mol min-1 mg-1. Optimal activity occurred at pH 9.5 and 150 g l-1 of NaCl. Metal analysis (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) of the holoenzyme and sequence analysis of the catalytic subunit (ArrA; the gene for which was cloned and sequenced) indicate it is a member of the DMSO reductase family of molybdoproteins. ?? 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Bacillus horneckiae sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly clean room.

    PubMed

    Vaishampayan, Parag; Probst, Alexander; Krishnamurthi, Srinivasan; Ghosh, Sudeshna; Osman, Shariff; McDowall, Alasdair; Ruckmani, Arunachalam; Mayilraj, Shanmugam; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

    2010-05-01

    Five Gram-stain-positive, motile, aerobic strains were isolated from a clean room of the Kennedy Space Center where the Phoenix spacecraft was assembled. All strains are rod-shaped, spore-forming bacteria, whose spores were resistant to UV radiation up to 1000 J m(-2). The spores were subterminally positioned and produced an external layer. A polyphasic taxonomic study including traditional biochemical tests, fatty acid analysis, cell-wall typing, lipid analyses, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization studies was performed to characterize these novel strains. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and lipid analyses convincingly grouped these novel strains within the genus Bacillus as a cluster separate from already described species. The similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequences among the novel strains was >99 %, but the similarity was only about 97 % with their nearest neighbours Bacillus pocheonensis, Bacillus firmus and Bacillus bataviensis. DNA-DNA hybridization dissociation values were <24 % to the closest related type strains. The novel strains had a G+C content 35.6+/-0.5 mol% and could liquefy gelatin but did not utilize or produce acids from any of the carbon substrates tested. The major fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) and anteiso-C(15 : 0) and the cell-wall diamino acid was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic results, it is concluded that these strains represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus horneckiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1P01SC(T) (=NRRL B-59162(T) =MTCC 9535(T)).

  8. Bacillus swezeyi sp. nov. and Bacillus haynesii sp. nov., isolated from desert soil

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Two isolates of Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, motile, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacteria were identified during a survey of the diversity of Bacillus strains deposited in the Agriculture Research Service Culture Collection. These strains were originally isolated from soil in Evolution ...

  9. Bacillus siamensis sp. nov., isolated from salted crab (poo-khem) in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sumpavapol, Punnanee; Tongyonk, Linna; Tanasupawat, Somboon; Chokesajjawatee, Nipa; Luxananil, Plearnpis; Visessanguan, Wonnop

    2010-10-01

    A Gram-positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, strain PD-A10(T), was isolated from salted crab (poo-khem) in Thailand and subjected to a taxonomic study. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, including phylogenetic analyses, showed that the novel strain was a member of the genus Bacillus. The novel strain grew in medium with 0-14 % (w/v) NaCl, at 4-55°C and at pH4.5-9. The predominant quinone was a menaquinone with seven isoprene units (MK-7). The major fatty acids were anteiso-C₁₅:₀ and anteiso-C₁₇:₀. Polar lipid analysis revealed the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, lysylphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid and unknown lipids. The DNA G+C content was 41.4 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between strain PD-A10(T) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T), Bacillus subtilis DSM 10(T), Bacillus vallismortis DSM 11031(T) and Bacillus mojavensis IFO 15718(T) were 99.5, 99.4, 99.4 and 99.2 %, respectively. Strain PD-A10(T) showed a low degree similarity of rep-PCR fingerprints and low DNA-DNA relatedness with the above-mentioned species. On the basis of the data gathered in this study, strain PD-A10(T) should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus siamensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PD-A10(T) (=BCC 22614(T)=KCTC 13613(T)).

  10. Engineering of thermotolerant Bacillus coagulans for production of D(-)-lactic acid

    DOEpatents

    Wang, Qingzhao; Shanmugam, Keelnatham T; Ingram, Lonnie O

    2014-12-02

    Genetically modified microorganisms having the ability to produce D(-)-lactic acid at temperatures between 30.degree. C. and 55.degree. C. are provided. In various embodiments, the microorganisms may have the chromosomal lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) gene and/or the chromosomal acetolactate synthase (alsS) gene inactivated. Exemplary microorganisms for use in the disclosed methods are Bacillus spp., such as Bacillus coagulans.

  11. [A study of the mechanisms of probiotic effect of Bacillus subtilis 8130 strain].

    PubMed

    Ushakova, N A; Kotenkova, E V; Kozlova, A A; Nifatov, A V

    2006-01-01

    The wild-type Bacillus subtilis strain 8130 secreted metabolites that stimulated two to three times the growth of the test cultures of lactic acid bacteria. It exhibited endoglucanase activity that depended on the composition of nutrient medium. The addition of the product of two-stage culturing of B. subtilis 8130 to the diet of pigs (0.2% of fodder weight) made it possible to increase the daily weight gain by 19% and decrease the consumption of mixed fodder by 10%. Digestion of protein, fat, and other organic compounds increased by 3-4% and cellulose by 12%. It was shown that B. subtilis 8130 is a probiotic with targeted action stimulating digestion (primarily the digestion of cellulose). The enrichment of a dry-beer pellet with the product of solid-phase fermentation by bacillus (1 x 10(8) cells per gram dry pellet) allowed the pellet to entered into the diet of a calf (6% of the weight of fodder with probiotic), causing additional weight gain by 12% and a 10% economy of fodder consumption.

  12. Enhancement of the immune response and protection against Vibrio parahaemolyticus by indigenous probiotic Bacillus strains in mud crab (Scylla paramamosain).

    PubMed

    Wu, Hui-Juan; Sun, Ling-Bin; Li, Chuan-Biao; Li, Zhong-Zhen; Zhang, Zhao; Wen, Xiao-Bo; Hu, Zhong; Zhang, Yue-Ling; Li, Sheng-Kang

    2014-12-01

    In a previous study, bacterial communities of the intestine in three populations of crabs (wild crabs, pond-raised healthy crabs and diseased crabs) were probed by culture-independent methods. In this study, we examined the intestinal communities of the crabs by bacterial cultivation with a variety of media. A total of 135 bacterial strains were isolated from three populations of mud crabs. The strains were screened for antagonistic activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus using an agar spot assay. Antagonistic strains were then identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Three strains (Bacillus subtilis DCU, Bacillus pumilus BP, Bacillus cereus HL7) with the strongest antagonistic activity were further evaluated for their probiotic characteristics. The results showed that two (BP and DCU) of them were able to survive low pH and high bile concentrations, showed good adherence characteristics and a broad spectrum of antibiotic resistance. The probiotic effects were then tested by feeding juvenile mud crabs (Scylla paramamosain) with foods supplemented with 10(5) CFU/g of BP or DCU for 30 days before being subjected to an immersion challenge with V. parahaemolyticus for 48 h. The treated crabs showed significantly higher expression levels of immune related genes (CAT, proPO and SOD) and activities of respiratory burst than that in controlled groups. Crabs treated with BP and DCU supplemented diets exhibited survival rates of 76.67% and 78.33%, respectively, whereas survival rate was 54.88% in crabs not treated with the probiotics. The data showed that indigenous mud-associated microbiota, such as DCU and BP, have potential application in controlling pathogenic Vibriosis in mud crab aquaculture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Contrasting oxidative stress response mechanisms in novel strains of Bacillus isolated from the Mars-analog, Mojave Desert

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lera, M.; Marcu, O.

    2011-12-01

    Environmental conditions that limit the presence of life include ionizing radiation, extreme temperatures, and lack of water. These environments are common in our solar system and may contribute to the lack of apparent life. However, analogous environments here on Earth are host to a multitude of thriving microbial life. In order for microbes to survive in dry deserts, they must be must be able to adapt to transient diurnal and seasonal changes in the environment (water, temperature). To uncover response strategies to environmental stress that may prevent cellular damage and ensure adaptation and survival, two distinct, novel strains of Bacillus were isolated from the Mojave Desert (a Mars analog due to its arid conditions and high incidence of ultraviolet light) and classified by their partial 16S RNA gene sequences. These species, despite being closely related, exhibited radically different phenotypes and contrasting strategies for mitigating stress. The two strains had different growth rates, metabolic capacities and sporulation onset times when challenged by crowding and heat-shock. In response to hydrogen peroxide challenge, the intracellular levels of catalase activity, a peroxide-scavenging enzyme, differed for each strain, and were surprisingly lower than that of a non-desert control species of Bacillus. DNA repair mechanisms were more active in one strain than the other, and one isolate responded with an increase in expression of longevity gene orthologs involved in stress response. After multiple rounds of culturing, the peroxide degradation capacity, as well as the growth and sporulation rates remained constant for each strain, which suggests these are permanent features of each strain rather than transient responses. Taken together, these data uncover a diverse arsenal of response mechanisms employed by closely related species to combat stress. These adaptations may provide environmental-niche specificity and the diversity of life even in a scarce

  14. Enhancement of 2,3-butanediol production from Jerusalem artichoke tuber extract by a recombinant Bacillus sp. strain BRC1 with increased inulinase activity.

    PubMed

    Park, Jang Min; Oh, Baek-Rock; Kang, In Yeong; Heo, Sun-Yeon; Seo, Jeong-Woo; Park, Seung-Moon; Hong, Won-Kyung; Kim, Chul Ho

    2017-07-01

    A Bacillus sp. strain named BRC1 is capable of producing 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) using hydrolysates of the Jerusalem artichoke tuber (JAT), a rich source of the fructose polymer inulin. To enhance 2,3-BD production, we undertook an extensive analysis of the Bacillus sp. BRC1 genome, identifying a putative gene (sacC) encoding a fructan hydrolysis enzyme and characterizing the activity of the resulting recombinant protein expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli. Introduction of the sacC gene into Bacillus sp. BRC1 using an expression vector increased enzymatic activity more than twofold. Consistent with this increased enzyme expression, 2,3-BD production from JAT was also increased from 3.98 to 8.10 g L -1 . Fed-batch fermentation of the recombinant strain produced a maximal level of 2,3-BD production of 28.6 g L -1 , showing a high theoretical yield of 92.3%.

  15. Complete genome sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain Co1-6, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium of Calendula officinalis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Köberl, Martina; White, Richard A.; Erschen, Sabine

    The genome sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain Co1-6, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) with broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against plant-pathogenic fungi, bacteria, and nematodes, consists of a single 3.9-Mb circular chromosome. The genome reveals genes putatively responsible for its promising biocontrol and PGP properties.

  16. Complete genome sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain Co1-6, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium of Calendula officinalis

    DOE PAGES

    Köberl, Martina; White, Richard A.; Erschen, Sabine; ...

    2015-08-13

    The genome sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain Co1-6, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) with broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against plant-pathogenic fungi, bacteria, and nematodes, consists of a single 3.9-Mb circular chromosome. The genome reveals genes putatively responsible for its promising biocontrol and PGP properties.

  17. Strain Screening from Traditional Fermented Soybean Foods and Induction of Nattokinase Production in Bacillus subtilis MX-6.

    PubMed

    Man, Li-Li; Xiang, Dian-Jun; Zhang, Chun-Lan

    2018-02-06

    The plasminogen-free fibrin plate assay method was used to isolate Bacillus subtilis MX-6, a strain with high production of nattokinase from Chinese douchi. The presence of aprN, a gene-encoding nattokinase, was verified with PCR method. The predicted amino acid sequence was aligned with homologous sequences, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Nattokinase was sublimated with ammonium sulfate, using a DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow column, a CM-Sepharose Fast Flow column and a Sephadex G-75 gel filtration column. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that the molecular weight of the purified nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis MX-6 was about 28 kDa. Fermentation of Bacillus subtilis MX-6 nattokinase showed that nattokinase production was maximized after 72 h; the diameter of clear zone reached 21.60 mm on the plasminogen-free fibrin plate. Nattokinase production by Bacillus subtilis MX-6 increased significantly after supplementation with supernatant I, supernatant II and soy peptone but decreased substantially after the addition of amino acids. This result indicated that the nattokinase production by B. subtilis MX-6 might be induced by soybean polypeptides. The addition of MgSO 4 and CaCl 2 increased B. subtilis MX-6 nattokinase production.

  18. Toxigenic Strains of Bacillus licheniformis Related to Food Poisoning

    PubMed Central

    Salkinoja-Salonen, M. S.; Vuorio, R.; Andersson, M. A.; Kämpfer, P.; Andersson, M. C.; Honkanen-Buzalski, T.; Scoging, A. C.

    1999-01-01

    Toxin-producing isolates of Bacillus licheniformis were obtained from foods involved in food poisoning incidents, from raw milk, and from industrially produced baby food. The toxin detection method, based on the inhibition of boar spermatozoan motility, has been shown previously to be a sensitive assay for the emetic toxin of Bacillus cereus, cereulide. Cell extracts of the toxigenic B. licheniformis isolates inhibited sperm motility, damaged cell membrane integrity, depleted cellular ATP, and swelled the acrosome, but no mitochondrial damage was observed. The responsible agent from the B. licheniformis isolates was partially purified. It showed physicochemical properties similar to those of cereulide, despite having very different biological activity. The toxic agent was nonproteinaceous; soluble in 50 and 100% methanol; and insensitive to heat, protease, and acid or alkali and of a molecular mass smaller than 10,000 g mol−1. The toxic B. licheniformis isolates inhibited growth of Corynebacterium renale DSM 20688T, but not all inhibitory isolates were sperm toxic. The food poisoning-related isolates were beta-hemolytic, grew anaerobically and at 55°C but not at 10°C, and were nondistinguishable from the type strain of B. licheniformis, DSM 13T, by a broad spectrum of biochemical tests. Ribotyping revealed more diversity; the toxin producers were divided among four ribotypes when cut with PvuII and among six when cut with EcoRI, but many of the ribotypes also contained nontoxigenic isolates. When ribotyped with PvuII, most toxin-producing isolates shared bands at 2.8 ± 0.2, 4.9 ± 0.3, and 11.7 ± 0.5 or 13.1 ± 0.8 kb. PMID:10508100

  19. Gene cloning and characterization of arylamine N-acetyltransferase from Bacillus cereus strain 10-L-2.

    PubMed

    Takenaka, Shinji; Cheng, Minyi; Mulyono; Koshiya, Atsushi; Murakami, Shuichiro; Aoki, Kenji

    2009-01-01

    Bacillus cereus strain 10-L-2 synthesizes two arylamine N-acetyltransferases (Nat-a and Nat-b) with broad substrate specificities toward aniline and its derivatives. In southern blot analysis using probes encoding the NH2-terminus of Nat-b and a conserved region of N-acetyltransferases, digested total DNA of strain 10-L-2 showed one positive band. We cloned and sequenced the gene encoding Nat-b. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence predicted from the open reading frame (768 base pairs) corresponded to that of purified Nat-b. The cloned Nat-b gene was expressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed enzyme (BcNAT) from the recombinant strain was partially purified and characterized. Nat-b from strain 10-L-2 and BcNAT from the recombinant strain were slightly different from each others in substrate specificity and thermo-stability. We examined the biotransformations of 2-aminophenols and phenylenediamines by the whole cells of the recombinant strain. The cells converted these compounds into their corresponding acetanilides. Only one amino group of phenylenediamines was acetylated. The cells utilized 4-nitroacetanilide as an acetyl donor instead of acetyl-CoA. 4-Aminoacetanilide was produced and 4-nitroaniline was released almost stoichiometrically.

  20. Pathway and kinetics of cyhalothrin biodegradation by Bacillus thuringiensis strain ZS-19

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Shaohua; Deng, Yinyue; Chang, Changqing; Lee, Jasmine; Cheng, Yingying; Cui, Zining; Zhou, Jianuan; He, Fei; Hu, Meiying; Zhang, Lian-Hui

    2015-01-01

    Cyhalothrin is a common environmental pollutant which poses increased risks to non-target organisms including human beings. This study reported for the first time a newly isolated strain, Bacillus thuringiensis ZS-19 completely degraded cyhalothrin in minimal medium within 72 h. The bacterium transformed cyhalothrin by cleavage of both the ester linkage and diaryl bond to yield six intermediate products. Moreover, a novel degradation pathway of cyhalothrin in strain ZS-19 was proposed on the basis of the identified metabolites. In addition to degradation of cyhalothrin, this strain was found to be capable of degrading 3-phenoxybenzoic acid, a common metabolite of pyrethroids. Furthermore, strain ZS-19 participated in efficient degradation of a wide range of pyrethroids including cyhalothrin, fenpropathrinn, deltamethrin, beta-cypermethrin, cyfluthrin and bifenthrin. Taken together, our results provide insights into the mechanism of cyhalothrin degradation and also highlight the promising potentials of B.thuringiensis ZS-19 in bioremediation of pyrethroid-contaminated environment. This is the first report of (i) degradation of cyhalothrin and other pyrethroids by B.thuringiensis, (ii) identification of 3-phenoxyphenyl acetonitrile and N-(2-isoproxy-phenyl)-4-phenoxy-benzamide as the metabolites in the degradation pathway of pyrethroids, and (iii) a pathway of degradation of cyhalothrin by cleavage of both the ester linkage and diaryl bond in a microorganism. PMID:25740758

  1. Characterization of a bacteriocin-like substance produced from a novel isolated strain of Bacillus subtilis SLYY-3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Junfeng; Li, Hongfang; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Duan, Xiaohui; Liu, Jie

    2014-12-01

    In the present research, the strain SLYY-3 was isolated from sediments of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China. The strain SLYY-3, which produced a bacteriocin-like substance (BLS), was characterized to be a strain of Bacillus subtillis by biochemical profiling and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. It is the first time to report that Bacillus subtilis from Jiaozhou Bay sediments could produce a BLS. The BLS of B. subtillis SLYY-3 exhibited strong inhibitory activity against gram-positive bacteria (including Staphylococcus aureus and B. subtillis) and some fungi (including Penicillium glaucum, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus). The antimicrobial activity was detected from culture in the exponential growth phase and reached its maximum when culture entered into stationary growth phase. It was thermo-tolerant even when being kept at 100°C for 60 min without losing any activity and stable over a wide pH range from 1.0 to 12.0 while being inactivated by proteolytic enzyme and trypsin, indicating the proteinaceous nature of the BLS. The BLS was purified by precipitation with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and gel filteration (Sephadex G-100). SDS-PAGE analysis of the extracellular peptides of SLYY-3 revealed a bacteriocin-like protein with a molecular mass of 66 kDa. Altogether, these characteristics indicate the potential of the BLS for food industry as a protection against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.

  2. Morphological changes of Ganoderma boninense mycelia after challenged by Trichoderma and Bacillus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alexander, Arnnyitte; Chong, Khim-Phin, E-mail: chongkp@ums.edu.my; Dayou, Jedol

    Ganoderma boninense is a fungal pathogen that causes Basal Stem Rot (BSR) disease in oil palm. This deadly disease has caused major losses in the oil palm industry and no remedy is reported to date. The more promising control on G. boninense is the use of biological control agents (BCAs). Despite many attempts in using BCAs as a control agent but evidence on the colonization of BCAs and morphological changes of the pathogen is not well documented. We have investigated the effect of antagonist activity on the combination of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. on the morphology of G. boninense.more » The antagonist activity was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay. BCAs suppressed the mycelia growth of G. boninense up to 70%. Observation under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows these BCAs induced stripping of G. boninense hyphal structure by destroying the cellular structure. Highly disrupted, disaggerated, shrivelled and lysis of G. boninense hyphal were also observed. The antifungal activity of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. observed could be associated with the production of Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes (CWDE)« less

  3. Morphological changes of Ganoderma boninense mycelia after challenged by Trichoderma and Bacillus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexander, Arnnyitte; Dayou, Jedol; Chong, Khim-Phin

    2015-07-01

    Ganoderma boninense is a fungal pathogen that causes Basal Stem Rot (BSR) disease in oil palm. This deadly disease has caused major losses in the oil palm industry and no remedy is reported to date. The more promising control on G. boninense is the use of biological control agents (BCAs). Despite many attempts in using BCAs as a control agent but evidence on the colonization of BCAs and morphological changes of the pathogen is not well documented. We have investigated the effect of antagonist activity on the combination of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. on the morphology of G. boninense. The antagonist activity was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay. BCAs suppressed the mycelia growth of G. boninense up to 70%. Observation under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows these BCAs induced stripping of G. boninense hyphal structure by destroying the cellular structure. Highly disrupted, disaggerated, shrivelled and lysis of G. boninense hyphal were also observed. The antifungal activity of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. observed could be associated with the production of Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes (CWDE).

  4. Complete Genome Sequence of a thermotolerant sporogenic lactic acid bacterium, Bacillus coagulans strain 36D1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Xie, Gary; Dalin, Eileen; Tice, Hope

    Bacillus coagulans is a ubiquitous soil bacterium that grows at 50-55 C and pH 5.0 and fer-ments various sugars that constitute plant biomass to L (+)-lactic acid. The ability of this sporogenic lactic acid bacterium to grow at 50-55 C and pH 5.0 makes this organism an attractive microbial biocatalyst for production of optically pure lactic acid at industrial scale not only from glucose derived from cellulose but also from xylose, a major constituent of hemi-cellulose. This bacterium is also considered as a potential probiotic. Complete genome squence of a representative strain, B. coagulans strain 36D1, is presented and discussed.

  5. Study of the Bacillus flora of Nigerian spices.

    PubMed

    Antai, S P

    1988-05-01

    Bacteriological examination of 230 samples of five different unprocessed spices (aligator pepper, red pepper, black pepper, thyme and curry powder) collected randomly from Port Harcourt main markets revealed that the spices were highly contaminated, with bacterial counts ranging from 1.8 x 10(4) to 1.1 x 10(8) per gram. Bacillus cereus was isolated in high numbers in the majority of the 230 samples examined. It was also observed that other Bacillus spp. including B. subtilis, B. polymyxa and B. coagulans occurred in significant numbers.

  6. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus licheniformis Strain YNP1-TSU Isolated from Whiterock Springs in Yellowstone National Park

    PubMed Central

    O'Hair, Joshua A.; Li, Hui; Thapa, Santosh; Scholz, Matthew B.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Novel cellulolytic microorganisms can potentially influence second-generation biofuel production. This paper reports the draft genome sequence of Bacillus licheniformis strain YNP1-TSU, isolated from hydrothermal-vegetative microbiomes inside Yellowstone National Park. The assembled sequence contigs predicted 4,230 coding genes, 66 tRNAs, and 10 rRNAs through automated annotation. PMID:28254968

  7. Isolation, Identification and Partial Characterization of a Lactobacillus casei Strain with Bile Salt Hydrolase Activity from Pulque.

    PubMed

    González-Vázquez, R; Azaola-Espinosa, A; Mayorga-Reyes, L; Reyes-Nava, L A; Shah, N P; Rivera-Espinoza, Y

    2015-12-01

    The aim of this study was to isolate, from pulque, Lactobacillus spp. capable of survival in simulated gastrointestinal stress conditions. Nine Gram-positive rods were isolated; however, only one strain (J57) shared identity with Lactobacillus and was registered as Lactobacillus casei J57 (GenBank accession: JN182264). The other strains were identified as Bacillus spp. The most significant observation during the test of tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions (acidity, gastric juice and bile salts) was that L. casei J57 showed a rapid decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in the viable population at 0 h. Bile salts were the stress condition that most affected its survival, from which deoxycholic acid and the mix of bile salts (oxgall) were the most toxic. L. casei J57 showed bile salt hydrolase activity over primary and secondary bile salts as follows: 44.91, 671.72, 45.27 and 61.57 U/mg to glycocholate, taurocholate, glycodeoxycholate and taurodeoxycholate. In contrast, the control strain (L. casei Shirota) only showed activity over tauroconjugates. These results suggest that L. casei J57 shows potential for probiotic applications.

  8. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin strain differences have an impact on clinical outcome in bladder cancer immunotherapy.

    PubMed

    Rentsch, Cyrill A; Birkhäuser, Frédéric D; Biot, Claire; Gsponer, Joël R; Bisiaux, Aurélie; Wetterauer, Christian; Lagranderie, Micheline; Marchal, Gilles; Orgeur, Mickael; Bouchier, Christiane; Bachmann, Alexander; Ingersoll, Molly A; Brosch, Roland; Albert, Matthew L; Thalmann, George N

    2014-10-01

    Whether the commonly used bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strains Connaught and Tice confer different treatment responses in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is unknown. To compare clinical efficacy, immunogenicity, and genetics of BCG Connaught and Tice. A prospective randomized single-institution trial with treatment of 142 high-risk NMIBC patients with BCG Connaught or Tice. Patients were randomized to receive six instillations of BCG Connaught or Tice. For experimental studies, BCG strains were compared in C57Bl/6 mice. Bladders and lymphoid tissues were analyzed by cytometry and the latter cultivated to detect live BCG. BCG genomic DNA was sequenced and compared with reference genomes. Recurrence-free survival was the primary end point of the clinical study. The Kaplan-Meier estimator was used for estimating survival and time-to-event end points. Nonparametric tests served for the analysis of the in vivo results. Treatment with BCG Connaught conferred significantly greater 5-yr recurrence-free survival compared with treatment with BCG Tice (p=0.0108). Comparable numbers of patients experienced BCG therapy-related side effects in each treatment group (p=0.09). In mice, BCG Connaught induced stronger T-helper cell 1-biased responses, greater priming of BCG-specific CD8(+) T cells, and more robust T-cell recruitment to the bladder than BCG Tice. Genome sequencing of the BCG strains revealed candidate genes potentially involved in the differential clinical responses. BCG strain may have an impact on treatment outcome in NMIBC immunotherapy. We compared the efficacy of two commonly used bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strains for the treatment of NMIBC and found that treatment with BCG Connaught prevented recurrences more efficiently than BCG Tice. Comparison of the immunogenicity of the two strains in mice indicated superior immunogenicity of BCG Connaught. We also identified genetic differences that may explain the differential efficacy of the Connaught

  9. Bacillus thuringiensis monogenic strains: screening and interactions with insecticides used against rice pests

    PubMed Central

    Pinto, Laura M.N.; Dörr, Natália C.; Ribeiro, Ana Paula A.; de Salles, Silvia M.; de Oliveira, Jaime V.; Menezes, Valmir G.; Fiuza, Lidia M.

    2012-01-01

    The screening of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry proteins with high potential to control insect pests has been the goal of numerous research groups. In this study, we evaluated six monogenic Bt strains (Bt dendrolimus HD-37, Bt kurstaki HD-1, Bt kurstaki HD-73, Bt thuringiensis 4412, Bt kurstaki NRD-12 and Bt entomocidus 60.5, which codify the cry1Aa, cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry1Ba, cry1C, cry2A genes respectively) as potential insecticides for the most important insect pests of irrigated rice: Spodoptera frugiperda, Diatraea saccharalis, Oryzophagus oryzae, Oebalus poecilus and Tibraca limbativentris. We also analyzed their compatibility with chemical insecticides (thiamethoxam, labdacyhalothrin, malathion and fipronil), which are extensively used in rice crops. The bioassay results showed that Bt thuringiensis 4412 and Bt entomocidus 60.5 were the most toxic for the lepidopterans, with a 93% and 82% mortality rate for S. frugiperda and D. saccharalis, respectively. For O. oryzae, the Bt kurstaki NRD-12 (64%) and Bt dendrolimus HD-37 (62%) strains were the most toxic. The Bt dendrolimus HD-37 strain also caused high mortality (82%) to O. poecilus, however the strains assessed to T. limbativentris caused a maximum rate of 5%. The assays for the Bt strains interaction with insecticides revealed the compatibility of the six strains with the four insecticides tested. The results from this study showed the high potential of cry1Aa and cry1Ba genes for genetic engineering of rice plants or the strains to biopesticide formulations. PMID:24031872

  10. Isolation of potential probiotic Bacillus spp. and assessment of their subcellular components to induce immune responses in Labeo rohita against Aeromonas hydrophila.

    PubMed

    Ramesh, Dharmaraj; Vinothkanna, Annadurai; Rai, Amit Kumar; Vignesh, Venkada Subramanian

    2015-08-01

    Bacillus species isolated from the gut of healthy Labeo rohita (Hamilton) were screened for antibacterial activity against selected fish pathogens. Among the isolates, KADR5 and KADR6 showed antibacterial activity, tolerated low pH and high bile concentrations and were susceptibility to various antibiotics. Based on morphological and biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene analysis the probiotic strains KADR5 and KADR6 were identified as Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus pumilus, respectively. The immune stimulatory effect of subcellular components of probiotic Bacillus licheniformis KADR5 and Bacillus pumilus KADR6 in L. rohita against Aeromonas hydrophila infection was studied. Fish were immunized intraperitoneally in case of subcellular components [cell wall proteins (CWPs), extracellular proteins (ECPs), whole cell proteins (WCPs)] and orally in case of live cells (10(8) CFU/g of feed). After 14th day of administration, fishes from each group were challenged intraperitoneally with 0.1 ml of A. hydrophila cell suspension in PBS (10(5) cells ml(-1)). Groups immunized with subcellular components and live cells had significantly lower mortalities of 20-40% and 23-33%, respectively in comparison to control (80% mortality). The non specific immune factors in the cellular components and viable cells of the probiotics increased the expression of lysozyme and respiratory burst. Use of WCPs and CWPs resulted in better protection against A. hydrophila in L. rohita. Our results clearly reflect the potential of cellular components of the probiotics Bacillus species for the protection of fish against A. hydrophila infection by enhancing the immune response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Avirulent Bacillus anthracis Strain with Molecular Assay Targets as Surrogate for Irradiation-Inactivated Virulent Spores.

    PubMed

    Plaut, Roger D; Staab, Andrea B; Munson, Mark A; Gebhardt, Joan S; Klimko, Christopher P; Quirk, Avery V; Cote, Christopher K; Buhr, Tony L; Rossmaier, Rebecca D; Bernhards, Robert C; Love, Courtney E; Berk, Kimberly L; Abshire, Teresa G; Rozak, David A; Beck, Linda C; Stibitz, Scott; Goodwin, Bruce G; Smith, Michael A; Sozhamannan, Shanmuga

    2018-04-01

    The revelation in May 2015 of the shipment of γ irradiation-inactivated wild-type Bacillus anthracis spore preparations containing a small number of live spores raised concern about the safety and security of these materials. The finding also raised doubts about the validity of the protocols and procedures used to prepare them. Such inactivated reference materials were used as positive controls in assays to detect suspected B. anthracis in samples because live agent cannot be shipped for use in field settings, in improvement of currently deployed detection methods or development of new methods, or for quality assurance and training activities. Hence, risk-mitigated B. anthracis strains are needed to fulfill these requirements. We constructed a genetically inactivated or attenuated strain containing relevant molecular assay targets and tested to compare assay performance using this strain to the historical data obtained using irradiation-inactivated virulent spores.

  12. Cyclic Lipopeptide Biosynthetic Genes and Products, and Inhibitory Activity of Plant-Associated Bacillus against Phytopathogenic Bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Mora, Isabel; Cabrefiga, Jordi; Montesinos, Emilio

    2015-01-01

    The antibacterial activity against bacterial plant pathogens and its relationships with the presence of the cyclic lipopeptide (cLP) biosynthetic genes ituC (iturin), bmyB (bacillomycin), fenD (fengycin) and srfAA (surfactin), and their corresponding antimicrobial peptide products have been studied in a collection of 64 strains of Bacillus spp. isolated from plant environments. The most frequent antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes were bmyB, srfAA and fenD (34-50% of isolates). Most isolates (98.4%) produced surfactin isoforms, 90.6% iturins and 79.7% fengycins. The antibacterial activity was very frequent and generally intense among the collection of strains because 75% of the isolates were active against at least 6 of the 8 bacterial plant pathogens tested. Hierarchical and correspondence analysis confirmed the presence of two clearly differentiated groups. One group consisted of Bacillus strains that showed a strong antibacterial activity, presented several cLPs genes and produced several isoforms of cLPs simultaneously, mainly composed of B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, although the last one was exclusive to this group. Another group was characterized by strains with very low or none antibacterial activity, that showed one or none of the cLP genes and produced a few or none of the corresponding cLPs, and was the most heterogenous group including B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. pumilus, B. cereus and B. thuringiensis, although the last two were exclusive to this group. This work demonstrated that the antagonistic capacity of plant-associated Bacillus against plant pathogenic bacteria is related to the presence of cLP genes and to the production of the corresponding cLPs, and it is mainly associated to the species B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens. Our findings would help to increase the yield and efficiency of screening methods to obtain candidate strains to biocontrol agents with a mechanism of action relaying on the production of

  13. Optimization of water absorbing exopolysaccharide production on local cheap substrates by Bacillus strain CMG1403 using one variable at a time approach.

    PubMed

    Muhammadi; Afzal, Muhammad

    2014-01-01

    Optimum culture conditions, and carbon and nitrogen sources for production of water absorbing exopolysaccharide by Bacillus strain CMG1403 on local cheap substrates were determined using one variable at a time approach. Carbon source was found to be sole substrate for EPS biosynthesis in the presence of yeast extract that supported the growth only and hence, indirectly enhanced the EPS yield. Whereas, urea only coupled with carbon source could enhance the EPS production but no effect on growth. The maximum yield of EPS was obtained when Bacillus strain CMG1403 was grown statically in neutral minimal medium with 25% volumetric aeration at 30°C for 10 days. Under these optimum conditions, a maximum yield of 2.71±0.024, 3.82±0.005, 4.33±0.021, 4.73±0.021, 4.85±0.024, and 5.52±0.016 g/L culture medium was obtained with 20 g (sugar) of sweet whey, glucose, fructose, sucrose, cane molasses and sugar beet the most efficient one respectively as carbon sources. Thus, the present study showed that under optimum culture conditions, the local cheap substrates could be superior and efficient alternatives to synthetic carbon sources providing way for an economical production of water absorbing EPS by indigenous soil bacterium Bacillus strain CMG1403.

  14. Construction of probe of the plant growth-promoting bacteria Bacillus subtilis useful for fluorescence in situ hybridization.

    PubMed

    Posada, Luisa F; Alvarez, Javier C; Hu, Chia-Hui; de-Bashan, Luz E; Bashan, Yoav

    2016-09-01

    Strains of Bacillus subtilis are plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) of many crops and are used as inoculants. PGPB colonization is an important trait for success of a PGPB on plants. A specific probe, based on the 16 s rRNA of Bacillus subtilis, was designed and evaluated to distinguishing, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), between this species and the closely related Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The selected target for the probe was between nucleotides 465 and 483 of the gene, where three different nucleotides can be identified. The designed probe successfully hybridized with several strains of Bacillus subtilis, but failed to hybridize not only with B. amyloliquefaciens, but also with other strains such as Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus gibsonii, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus; and with the external phylogenetic strains Azospirillum brasilense Cd, Micrococcus sp. and Paenibacillus sp. The results showed the specificity of this molecular probe for B. subtilis.

  15. Factors influencing production of lipase under metal supplementation by bacterial strain, Bacillus subtilis BDG-8.

    PubMed

    Dhevahi, B; Gurusamy, R

    2014-11-01

    Lipases are biocatalyst having wide applications in industries due to their versatile properties. In the present study, a lipolytic bacterial strain, Bacillus subtilis BDG-8 was isolated from an oil based industrial soil. The effect of selenium and nickel as a media supplement on enhancement of lipase production, was studied individually with the isolated strain by varying the concentration of selected metal. 60 μg l(-1) selenium enhanced lipase production to an enzyme activity measuring 7.8 U ml(-1) while 40 μgI(-1) nickel gave the maximum enzyme activity equivalent to 7.5 U ml(-1). However, nickel and selenium together at a range of concentration with an equal w/v ratio, at 60 μg l(-1) each, showed the maximum lipase activity of 8.5 U ml(-1). The effect of pH and temperature on lipase production showed maximum enzyme activity in the presence of each of the metals at pH 7 and 35°C among the other tested ranges. After optimisation of the parameters such as metal concentration, pH and temperature lipase production by Bacillus subtilis BDG-8 had increased several folds. This preliminary investigation may consequently lead as to various industrial applications such as treatment of wastewater contaminated with metal or oil with simultaneous lipase production.

  16. Optimal reduction of chemical oxygen demand and NH3-N from landfill leachate using a strongly resistant novel Bacillus salmalaya strain.

    PubMed

    Dadrasnia, Arezoo; Azirun, Mohd Sofian; Ismail, Salmah Binti

    2017-11-28

    When the unavoidable waste generation is considered as damaging to our environment, it becomes crucial to develop a sustainable technology to remediate the pollutant source towards an environmental protection and safety. The development of a bioengineering technology for highly efficient pollutant removal is this regard. Given the high ammonia nitrogen content and chemical oxygen demand of landfill leachate, Bacillus salmalaya strain 139SI, a novel resident strain microbe that can survive in high ammonia nitrogen concentrations, was investigated for the bioremoval of ammonia nitrogen from landfill leachate. The treatability of landfill leachate was evaluated under different treatment parameters, such as temperature, inoculum dosage, and pH. Results demonstrated that bioaugmentation with the novel strain can potentially improve the biodegradability of landfill leachate. B. salmalaya strain 139SI showed high potential to enhance biological treatment given its maximum NH 3 -N and COD removal efficiencies. The response surface plot pattern indicated that within 11 days and under optimum conditions (10% v/v inoculant, pH 6, and 35 °C), B. salmalaya strain139SI removed 78% of ammonia nitrogen. At the end of the study, biological and chemical oxygen demands remarkably decreased by 88% and 91.4%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that ammonia ions covered the cell surface of B. salmalaya strain139SI. Therefore, novel resistant Bacillus salmalaya strain139SI significantly reduces the chemical oxygen demand and NH 3 -N content of landfill leachate. Leachate treatment by B. salmalaya strain 139SI within 11 days.

  17. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis Strain BrMgv02-JM63, a Chitinolytic Bacterium Isolated from Oil-Contaminated Mangrove Soil in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Marcon, Joelma; Taketani, Rodrigo Gouvêa; Dini-Andreote, Francisco; Mazzero, Giulia Inocêncio; Soares, Fabio Lino; Melo, Itamar Soares; Azevedo, João Lúcio; Andreote, Fernando Dini

    2014-01-30

    Here, we report the draft genome sequence and the automatic annotation of Bacillus thuringiensis strain BrMgv02-JM63. This genome comprises a set of genes involved in the metabolism of chitin and N-acetylglucosamine utilization, thus suggesting the possible role of this strain in the cycling of organic matter in mangrove soils.

  18. Finished Genome Sequence of Bacillus cereus Strain 03BB87, a Clinical Isolate with B. anthracis Virulence Genes

    DOE PAGES

    Johnson, Shannon L.; Minogue, Timothy D.; Teshima, Hazuki; ...

    2015-01-15

    Bacillus cereus strain 03BB87, a blood culture isolate, originated in a 56-year-old male muller operator with a fatal case of pneumonia in 2003. Here we present the finished genome sequence of that pathogen, including a 5.46-Mb chromosome and two plasmids (209 and 52 Kb, respectively).

  19. Lipase-Secreting Bacillus Species in an Oil-Contaminated Habitat: Promising Strains to Alleviate Oil Pollution.

    PubMed

    Lee, Li Pin; Karbul, Hudzaifah Mohamed; Citartan, Marimuthu; Gopinath, Subash C B; Lakshmipriya, Thangavel; Tang, Thean-Hock

    2015-01-01

    Lipases are of great interest for different industrial applications due to their diversity and versatility. Among different lipases, microbial lipases are preferable due to their broad substrate specificity, and higher stability with lower production costs compared to the lipases from plants and animals. In the past, a vast number of bacterial species have been reported as potential lipases producers. In this study, the lipases-producing bacterial species were isolated from an oil spillage area in the conventional night market. Isolated species were identified as Bacillus species by biochemical tests which indicate their predominant establishment, and further screened on the agar solid surfaces using lipid and gelatin as the substrates. Out of the ten strains tested, four potential strains were subjected to comparison analysis of the lipolytic versus proteolytic activities. Strain 10 exhibited the highest lipolytic and proteolytic activity. In all the strains, the proteolytic activity is higher than the lipolytic activity except for strain 8, suggesting the possibility for substrate-based extracellular gene induction. The simultaneous secretion of both the lipase and protease is a mean of survival. The isolated bacterial species which harbour both lipase and protease enzymes could render potential industrial-based applications and solve environmental issues.

  20. Isolation and characterization of Bacillus subtilis strain BY-3, a thermophilic and efficient cellulase-producing bacterium on untreated plant biomass.

    PubMed

    Meng, F; Ma, L; Ji, S; Yang, W; Cao, B

    2014-09-01

    Bioconversion of biomass, particularly crop wastes, into biofuels is being developed as an alternative approach in meeting the high energy demand. In this study, a thermophilic bacterial strain BY-3 that exhibits cellulolytic potential was isolated from faecal samples of Tibetan pigs; this strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The strain can produce cellulase when grown on various substrates, including carboxymethyl cellulose, rice straw, corn stover, soluble starch and wheat bran. The maximum cellulase activity of the strain was up to 4·323 ± 0·065 U ml(-1) when cultivated in the medium containing corn stover (30 g l(-1) ) for 24 h. The results demonstrated that corn stover is the most suitable substrate for cellulase production by the strain BY-3. The crude cellulase of strain BY-3 was most active at pH 5·5 and 60°C, and the enzyme in acetate buffer (50 mmol l(-1) ) demonstrated a good stability at 60°C for at least 1 h. The crude cellulase exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The strain can be used in cost-efficient cellulase production for bioconversion of agricultural residual biomass into biofuels. The increased consumption of fossil fuels has caused serious energy crisis and environmental problem. Thus, an alternative energy source is necessary. Bioconversion of biomass, particularly agricultural residuals, into value-added bioproducts, such as biofuels and chemical solvents, has received considerable attention. In this study, the newly isolated thermophilic Bacillus subtilis strain BY-3 produces cellulase efficiently with the use of untreated corn stover as a sole carbon source. This strain possesses the thermostable cellulase that is active with diverse crop wastes with a broad pH range and is a highly promising candidate for agricultural waste management. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. Antagonistic Action of Bacillus subtilis Strain SG6 on Fusarium graminearum

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Yueju; Selvaraj, Jonathan Nimal; Xing, Fuguo; Zhou, Lu; Wang, Yan; Song, Huimin; Tan, Xinxin; Sun, Lichao; Sangare, Lancine; Folly, Yawa Minnie Elodie; Liu, Yang

    2014-01-01

    Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease that leads to extensive yield and quality loss of wheat and barley. Bacteria isolated from wheat kernels and plant anthers were screened for antagonistic activity against F. graminearum. Based on its in vitro effectiveness, strain SG6 was selected for characterization and identified as Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis SG6 exhibited a high antifungal effect on the mycelium growth, sporulation and DON production of F. graminearum with the inhibition rate of 87.9%, 95.6% and 100%, respectively. In order to gain insight into biological control effect in situ, we applied B. subtilis SG6 at anthesis through the soft dough stage of kernel development in field test. It was revealed that B. subtilis SG6 significantly reduced disease incidence (DI), FHB index and DON (P≤0.05). Further, ultrastructural examination shows that B. subtilis SG6 strain induced stripping of F. graminearum hyphal surface by destroying the cellular structure. When hypha cell wall was damaged, the organelles and cytoplasm inside cell would exude, leading to cell death. The antifungal activity of SG6 could be associated with the coproduction of chitinase, fengycins and surfactins. PMID:24651513

  2. Antagonistic action of Bacillus subtilis strain SG6 on Fusarium graminearum.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yueju; Selvaraj, Jonathan Nimal; Xing, Fuguo; Zhou, Lu; Wang, Yan; Song, Huimin; Tan, Xinxin; Sun, Lichao; Sangare, Lancine; Folly, Yawa Minnie Elodie; Liu, Yang

    2014-01-01

    Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease that leads to extensive yield and quality loss of wheat and barley. Bacteria isolated from wheat kernels and plant anthers were screened for antagonistic activity against F. graminearum. Based on its in vitro effectiveness, strain SG6 was selected for characterization and identified as Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis SG6 exhibited a high antifungal effect on the mycelium growth, sporulation and DON production of F. graminearum with the inhibition rate of 87.9%, 95.6% and 100%, respectively. In order to gain insight into biological control effect in situ, we applied B. subtilis SG6 at anthesis through the soft dough stage of kernel development in field test. It was revealed that B. subtilis SG6 significantly reduced disease incidence (DI), FHB index and DON (P ≤ 0.05). Further, ultrastructural examination shows that B. subtilis SG6 strain induced stripping of F. graminearum hyphal surface by destroying the cellular structure. When hypha cell wall was damaged, the organelles and cytoplasm inside cell would exude, leading to cell death. The antifungal activity of SG6 could be associated with the coproduction of chitinase, fengycins and surfactins.

  3. Isolation and characterization of a novel native Bacillus thuringiensis strain BRC-HZM2 capable of degrading chlorpyrifos.

    PubMed

    Wu, Songqing; Peng, Yan; Huang, Zhangmin; Huang, Zhipeng; Xu, Lei; Ivan, Gelbič; Guan, Xiong; Zhang, Lingling; Zou, Shuangquan

    2015-03-01

    Studies were carried out to isolate chlorpyrifos degrading Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains from chlorpyrifos-contaminated samples. Six Bt strains (isolation rate 2.7%) were isolated by modified sodium acetate antibiotic heat treatment, and one novel strain (BRC-HZM2) was selected for further analysis. Phenotype and phylogeny analysis of this strain was conducted on the basis of biochemical reactions, antibiotic sensitivity, 16s rRNA genes, plasmid profile, insecticidal crystal protein profiles, and PCR-RFLP for cry and cyt genes. The degradation rate of chlorpyrifos in liquid culture was estimated during 48 h of incubation for the isolate BRC-HZM2. More than 50% of the initial chlorpyrifos concentration degraded within 12 h, 88.9% after 48 h. These results highlight the potential of the Bt strain for biological control and the bioremediation of environments contaminated with chlorpyrifos. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Detection of Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., and other eubacteria in ticks from the Thai-Myanmar border and Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Parola, Philippe; Cornet, Jean-Paul; Sanogo, Yibayiri Osée; Miller, R Scott; Thien, Huynh Van; Gonzalez, Jean-Paul; Raoult, Didier; Telford III, Sam R; Wongsrichanalai, Chansuda

    2003-04-01

    A total of 650 ticks, including 13 species from five genera, were collected from animals, from people, or by flagging of the vegetation at sites on the Thai-Myanmar border and in Vietnam. They were tested by PCR to detect DNA of bacteria of the order RICKETTSIALES: Three Anaplasma spp. were detected in ticks collected in Thailand, including (i) Anaplasma sp. strain AnDa465, which was considered a genotype of Anaplasma platys (formerly Ehrlichia platys) and which was obtained from Dermacentor auratus ticks collected from dogs; (ii) Anaplasma sp. strain AnAj360, which was obtained from Amblyomma javanense ticks collected on a pangolin; and (iii) Anaplasma sp. strain AnHl446, which was closely related to Anaplasma bovis and which was detected in Haemaphysalis lagrangei ticks collected from a bear. Three Ehrlichia spp. were identified, including (i) Ehrlichia sp. strain EBm52, which was obtained from Boophilus microplus ticks collected from cattle from Thailand; (ii) Ehrlichia sp. strain EHh324, which was closely related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis and which was detected in Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks collected from wild pigs in Vietnam; and (iii) Ehrlichia sp. strain EHh317, which was closely related to Ehrlichia sp. strain EBm52 and which was also detected in H. hystricis ticks collected from wild pigs in Vietnam. Two Rickettsia spp. were detected in Thailand, including (i) Rickettsia sp. strain RDla420, which was detected in Dermacentor auratus ticks collected from a bear, and (ii) Rickettsia sp. strain RDla440, which was identified from two pools of Dermacentor larvae collected from a wild pig nest. Finally, two bacteria named Eubacterium sp. strain Hw124 and Eubacterium sp. strain Hw191 were identified in Haemaphysalis wellingtoni ticks collected from chicken in Thailand; these strains could belong to a new group of bacteria.

  5. Detection of Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., and Other Eubacteria in Ticks from the Thai-Myanmar Border and Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    Parola, Philippe; Cornet, Jean-Paul; Sanogo, Yibayiri Osée; Miller, R. Scott; Thien, Huynh Van; Gonzalez, Jean-Paul; Raoult, Didier; Telford III, Sam R.; Wongsrichanalai, Chansuda

    2003-01-01

    A total of 650 ticks, including 13 species from five genera, were collected from animals, from people, or by flagging of the vegetation at sites on the Thai-Myanmar border and in Vietnam. They were tested by PCR to detect DNA of bacteria of the order Rickettsiales. Three Anaplasma spp. were detected in ticks collected in Thailand, including (i) Anaplasma sp. strain AnDa465, which was considered a genotype of Anaplasma platys (formerly Ehrlichia platys) and which was obtained from Dermacentor auratus ticks collected from dogs; (ii) Anaplasma sp. strain AnAj360, which was obtained from Amblyomma javanense ticks collected on a pangolin; and (iii) Anaplasma sp. strain AnHl446, which was closely related to Anaplasma bovis and which was detected in Haemaphysalis lagrangei ticks collected from a bear. Three Ehrlichia spp. were identified, including (i) Ehrlichia sp. strain EBm52, which was obtained from Boophilus microplus ticks collected from cattle from Thailand; (ii) Ehrlichia sp. strain EHh324, which was closely related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis and which was detected in Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks collected from wild pigs in Vietnam; and (iii) Ehrlichia sp. strain EHh317, which was closely related to Ehrlichia sp. strain EBm52 and which was also detected in H. hystricis ticks collected from wild pigs in Vietnam. Two Rickettsia spp. were detected in Thailand, including (i) Rickettsia sp. strain RDla420, which was detected in Dermacentor auratus ticks collected from a bear, and (ii) Rickettsia sp. strain RDla440, which was identified from two pools of Dermacentor larvae collected from a wild pig nest. Finally, two bacteria named Eubacterium sp. strain Hw124 and Eubacterium sp. strain Hw191 were identified in Haemaphysalis wellingtoni ticks collected from chicken in Thailand; these strains could belong to a new group of bacteria. PMID:12682151

  6. Bacillus kyonggiensis sp. nov., isolated from soil of a lettuce field.

    PubMed

    Dong, Ke; Lee, Sangseob

    2011-10-01

    A Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming bacterial strain, designated NB22(T), was isolated from soil of a lettuce field in Kyonggi province, South Korea, and was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. This novel isolate grew optimally at 30-37°C and pH 8-9. It grew in the presence of 0-4% NaCl (optimum, 1-2%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain NB22(T) was closely related to members of the genus Bacillus and fell within a coherent cluster comprising B. siralis 171544(T) (98.1%) and B. korlensis ZLC-26(T) (97.3%). The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to other Bacillus species with validly published names were less than 96.4%. Strain NB22(T) had a genomic DNA G+C content of 36.3 mol% and the predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15:0), anteiso-C(15:0), C(14:0), and C(16:0). These chemotaxonomic results supported the affiliation of strain NB22(T) to the genus Bacillus, and the low DNA-DNA relatedness values and distinguishing phenotypic characteristics allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain NB22(T) from recognized Bacillus species. On the basis of the evidence presented, strain NB22(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus kyonggiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NB22(T) (=KEMB 5401-267(T) =JCM 17569(T)).

  7. Complete Genome Sequence of a thermotolerant sporogenic lactic acid bacterium, Bacillus coagulans strain 36D1

    PubMed Central

    Rhee, Mun Su; Moritz, Brélan E.; Xie, Gary; Glavina del Rio, T.; Dalin, E.; Tice, H.; Bruce, D.; Goodwin, L.; Chertkov, O.; Brettin, T.; Han, C.; Detter, C.; Pitluck, S.; Land, Miriam L.; Patel, Milind; Ou, Mark; Harbrucker, Roberta; Ingram, Lonnie O.; Shanmugam, K. T.

    2011-01-01

    Bacillus coagulans is a ubiquitous soil bacterium that grows at 50-55 °C and pH 5.0 and ferments various sugars that constitute plant biomass to L (+)-lactic acid. The ability of this sporogenic lactic acid bacterium to grow at 50-55 °C and pH 5.0 makes this organism an attractive microbial biocatalyst for production of optically pure lactic acid at industrial scale not only from glucose derived from cellulose but also from xylose, a major constituent of hemicellulose. This bacterium is also considered as a potential probiotic. Complete genome sequence of a representative strain, B. coagulans strain 36D1, is presented and discussed. PMID:22675583

  8. Proteomic profiling and identification of immunodominant spore antigens of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Delvecchio, Vito G; Connolly, Joseph P; Alefantis, Timothy G; Walz, Alexander; Quan, Marian A; Patra, Guy; Ashton, John M; Whittington, Jessica T; Chafin, Ryan D; Liang, Xudong; Grewal, Paul; Khan, Akbar S; Mujer, Cesar V

    2006-09-01

    Differentially expressed and immunogenic spore proteins of the Bacillus cereus group of bacteria, which includes Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis, were identified. Comparative proteomic profiling of their spore proteins distinguished the three species from each other as well as the virulent from the avirulent strains. A total of 458 proteins encoded by 232 open reading frames were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis for all the species. A number of highly expressed proteins, including elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), elongation factor G, 60-kDa chaperonin, enolase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and others exist as charge variants on two-dimensional gels. These charge variants have similar masses but different isoelectric points. The majority of identified proteins have cellular roles associated with energy production, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, posttranslational modifications, and translation. Novel vaccine candidate proteins were identified using B. anthracis polyclonal antisera from humans postinfected with cutaneous anthrax. Fifteen immunoreactive proteins were identified in B. anthracis spores, whereas 7, 14, and 7 immunoreactive proteins were identified for B. cereus and in the virulent and avirulent strains of B. thuringiensis spores, respectively. Some of the immunodominant antigens include charge variants of EF-Tu, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, Delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, and a dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. Alanine racemase and neutral protease were uniquely immunogenic to B. anthracis. Comparative analysis of the spore immunome will be of significance for further nucleic acid- and immuno-based detection systems as well as next-generation vaccine development.

  9. Proteomic Profiling and Identification of Immunodominant Spore Antigens of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis‡

    PubMed Central

    DelVecchio, Vito G.; Connolly, Joseph P.; Alefantis, Timothy G.; Walz, Alexander; Quan, Marian A.; Patra, Guy; Ashton, John M.; Whittington, Jessica T.; Chafin, Ryan D.; Liang, Xudong; Grewal, Paul; Khan, Akbar S.; Mujer, Cesar V.

    2006-01-01

    Differentially expressed and immunogenic spore proteins of the Bacillus cereus group of bacteria, which includes Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis, were identified. Comparative proteomic profiling of their spore proteins distinguished the three species from each other as well as the virulent from the avirulent strains. A total of 458 proteins encoded by 232 open reading frames were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis for all the species. A number of highly expressed proteins, including elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), elongation factor G, 60-kDa chaperonin, enolase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and others exist as charge variants on two-dimensional gels. These charge variants have similar masses but different isoelectric points. The majority of identified proteins have cellular roles associated with energy production, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, posttranslational modifications, and translation. Novel vaccine candidate proteins were identified using B. anthracis polyclonal antisera from humans postinfected with cutaneous anthrax. Fifteen immunoreactive proteins were identified in B. anthracis spores, whereas 7, 14, and 7 immunoreactive proteins were identified for B. cereus and in the virulent and avirulent strains of B. thuringiensis spores, respectively. Some of the immunodominant antigens include charge variants of EF-Tu, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, Δ-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, and a dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. Alanine racemase and neutral protease were uniquely immunogenic to B. anthracis. Comparative analysis of the spore immunome will be of significance for further nucleic acid- and immuno-based detection systems as well as next-generation vaccine development. PMID:16957262

  10. Proteomic Analysis of Bacillus thuringiensis Strain 4.0718 at Different Growth Phases

    PubMed Central

    Li, Xiaohui; Ding, Xuezhi; Xia, Liqiu; Sun, Yunjun; Yuan, Can; Yin, Jia

    2012-01-01

    The growth process of Bacillus thuringiensis Bt4.0718 strain was studied using proteomic technologies. The proteins of Bt whole cells at three phases—middle vegetative, early sporulation, and late sporulation—were extracted with lysis buffer, followed with separation by 2-DE and identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Bioactive factors such as insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) including Cry1Ac(3), Cry2Aa, and BTRX28, immune inhibitor (InhA), and InhA precursor were identified. InhA started to express at the middle vegetative phase, suggesting its contribution to the survival of Bt in the host body. At the early sporulation phase, ICPs started their expression. CotJC, OppA, ORF1, and SpoIVA related to the formation of crystals and spores were identified, the expression characteristics of which ensured the stable formation of crystals and spores. This study provides an important foundation for further exploration of the stable expression of ICPs, the smooth formation of crystals, and the construction of recombinant strains. PMID:22649324

  11. Bacillus ciccensis sp. nov., isolated from maize (Zea mays L.) seeds.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yang; Li, Nannan; Eom, Mi Kyung; Schumann, Peter; Zhang, Xin; Cao, Yanhua; Ge, Yuanyuan; Xiao, Ming; Zhao, Jiuran; Cheng, Chi; Kim, Song-Gun

    2017-11-01

    Two Gram-stain-positive bacterial strains, designated as 5L6 T and 6L6, isolated from seeds of hybrid maize (Zea mays L., Jingke 968) were investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells were aerobic, motile, endospore-forming and rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates were recognized as a species of the genus Bacillus, to which the five closest neighbours are Bacillus solani FJAT-18043 T (99.8 % similarity), Bacillus horneckiae DSM 23495 T (97.7 %), Bacillus eiseniae A1-2 T (97.4 %), Bacillus kochii WCC 4582 T (97.1 %) and Bacillus purgationiresistens DS22 T (97.0 %). The DNA G+C content of strain 5L6 T was 37.4 mol%. Its polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and C16 : 1 ω7c alcohol. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained ornithine, serine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine while diaminopimelic acid could not be detected. Strains 5L6 T and 6L6 were clearly distinguished from the type strains of related validly named species using phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, fatty acid analysis, peptidoglycan analysis and comparison of a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. The genotypic and phenotypic data show that strains 5L6 T and 6L6 represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillusciccensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 5L6 T (=KCTC 33663 T =CICC 23855 T =DSM 104513 T ).

  12. Comparison of atypical Brachyspira spp. clinical isolates and classic strains in a mouse model of swine dysentery.

    PubMed

    Burrough, Eric; Strait, Erin; Kinyon, Joann; Bower, Leslie; Madson, Darin; Schwartz, Kent; Frana, Timothy; Songer, J Glenn

    2012-12-07

    Multiple Brachyspira spp. can colonize the porcine colon, and the presence of the strongly beta-hemolytic Brachyspira hyodysenteriae is typically associated with clinical swine dysentery. Recently, several Brachyspira spp. have been isolated from the feces of pigs with clinical disease suggestive of swine dysentery, yet these isolates were not identified as B. hyodysenteriae by genotypic or phenotypic methods. This study used a mouse model of swine dysentery to compare the pathogenic potential of seventeen different Brachyspira isolates including eight atypical clinical isolates, six typical clinical isolates, the standard strain of B. hyodysenteriae (B204), and reference strains of Brachyspira intermedia and Brachyspira innocens. Results revealed that strongly beta-hemolytic isolates induced significantly greater cecal inflammation than weakly beta-hemolytic isolates regardless of the genetic identification of the isolate, and that strongly beta-hemolytic isolates identified as 'Brachyspira sp. SASK30446' and B. intermedia by PCR produced lesions indistinguishable from those caused by B. hyodysenteriae in this model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of Contamination with Perennial Permafrost Microorganisms on the Outcome of Closed Brain Neurotrauma.

    PubMed

    Malchevskii, V A; Subbotin, A M; Nemkov, A G; Petrov, S A

    2016-07-01

    We studied the effect of contamination with Bacillus genus microorganisms isolated from perennial permafrost samples on the outcome of closed brain neurotrauma in Wistar rats. It was found that contamination with different Bacillus strains produced different effects on the mortality of experimental animals with closed neurotrauma. The complex of metabolites from strain Ch2/9 - Bacillus spp. (pumilus) produced a protective effect in experimental closed brain neurotrauma.

  14. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus licheniformis Strain GB2, a Hydrocarbon-Degrading and Plant Growth-Promoting Soil Bacterium.

    PubMed

    Gkorezis, Panagiotis; Van Hamme, Jonathan; Bottos, Eric; Thijs, Sofie; Balseiro-Romero, Maria; Monterroso, Carmela; Kidd, Petra Suzan; Rineau, Francois; Weyens, Nele; Sillen, Wouter; Vangronsveld, Jaco

    2016-06-23

    We report the 4.39 Mb draft genome of Bacillus licheniformis GB2, a hydrocarbonoclastic Gram-positive bacterium of the family Bacillaceae, isolated from diesel-contaminated soil at the Ford Motor Company site in Genk, Belgium. Strain GB2 is an effective plant-growth promoter useful for diesel fuel remediation applications based on plant-bacterium associations. Copyright © 2016 Gkorezis et al.

  15. Identification of β-propeller phytase-encoding genes in culturable Paenibacillus and Bacillus spp. from the rhizosphere of pasture plants on volcanic soils.

    PubMed

    Jorquera, Milko A; Crowley, David E; Marschner, Petra; Greiner, Ralf; Fernández, María Teresa; Romero, Daniela; Menezes-Blackburn, Daniel; De La Luz Mora, María

    2011-01-01

    Phytate is one of the most abundant sources of organic phosphorus (P) in soils, but must be mineralized by phytase-producing bacteria to release P for plant uptake. Microbial inoculants based on Bacillus spp. have been developed commercially, but few studies have evaluated the ecology of these bacteria in the rhizosphere or the types of enzymes that they produce. Here, we studied the diversity of aerobic endospore-forming bacteria (EFB) with the ability to mineralize phytate in the rhizosphere of pasture plants grown in volcanic soils of southern Chile. PCR methods were used to detect candidate phytase-encoding genes and to identify EFB bacteria that carry these genes. This study revealed that the phytate-degrading EFB populations of pasture plants included species of Paenibacillus and Bacillus, which carried genes encoding β-propeller phytase (BPP). Assays of enzymatic activity confirmed the ability of these rhizosphere isolates to degrade phytate. The phytase-encoding genes described here may prove valuable as molecular markers to evaluate the role of EFB in organic P mobilization in the rhizosphere. © 2010 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. [Determination of in vitro susceptibilities of Brucella spp. strains against 11 different antibacterial gents isolated from blood cultures].

    PubMed

    Keşli, Recep; Bilgin, Hüseyin; Yılmaz, Halim

    2017-07-01

    Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease and still continuous to be a major public health problem. In this study, it was aimed to identify the Brucella strains to the species level isolated from blood cultures, and to determine the rate of antimicrobial susceptibility against eleven antibacterial agents. A total of 106 Brucella spp. strains were included in the study, which were isolated from blood cultures in University of Health Sciences, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Medical Microbiology Laboratory between January 2011 and June 2013. Identification of the isolated strains were mainly based on conventional methods. In vitro antibacterial susceptibilities of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, gentamicin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, rifampicin, streptomycin, tetracycline, tigecycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, were evaluated by using the gradient (E-test, bioMerieux, France) strip method. The bacterial suspensions adjusted to 0.5 McFarland turbidity was inoculated to Mueller Hinton agar plates, supplemented with 5% sheep blood, and E-test strips of selected antibacterial were applied. The plates were incubated in ambient air 48 hours at 37ºC and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 were used as quality control strains for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Minimum inhibitors concentration (MIC) values were interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for slow-growing bacteria such as Haemophilus spp. Of the 106 Brucella spp. strains included in to the study, 90 were identified as Brucella melitensis, and 16 were Brucella abortus. MIC90 values of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, gentamicin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, rifampicin, streptomycin, tetracycline, tigecycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole were determined as 1 µg/ml, 0.25 µg/ml, 0.19 µg/ml, 0.25 µg/ml, 0.19 µg/ml, 0.75 µg/ml, 0.25 µg/ml, 0.75 µg/ml, 0.38 µg/ml, 0.64 µg/ml, and 0

  17. Identification and Classification of bcl Genes and Proteins of Bacillus cereus Group Organisms and Their Application in Bacillus anthracis Detection and Fingerprinting▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Leski, Tomasz A.; Caswell, Clayton C.; Pawlowski, Marcin; Klinke, David J.; Bujnicki, Janusz M.; Hart, Sean J.; Lukomski, Slawomir

    2009-01-01

    The Bacillus cereus group includes three closely related species, B. anthracis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis, which form a highly homogeneous subdivision of the genus Bacillus. One of these species, B. anthracis, has been identified as one of the most probable bacterial biowarfare agents. Here, we evaluate the sequence and length polymorphisms of the Bacillus collagen-like protein bcl genes as a basis for B. anthracis detection and fingerprinting. Five genes, designated bclA to bclE, are present in B. anthracis strains. Examination of bclABCDE sequences identified polymorphisms in bclB alleles of the B. cereus group organisms. These sequence polymorphisms allowed specific detection of B. anthracis strains by PCR using both genomic DNA and purified Bacillus spores in reactions. By exploiting the length variation of the bcl alleles it was demonstrated that the combined bclABCDE PCR products generate markedly different fingerprints for the B. anthracis Ames and Sterne strains. Moreover, we predict that bclABCDE length polymorphism creates unique signatures for B. anthracis strains, which facilitates identification of strains with specificity and confidence. Thus, we present a new diagnostic concept for B. anthracis detection and fingerprinting, which can be used alone or in combination with previously established typing platforms. PMID:19767469

  18. Occurrence of Toxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxin Potential of Aspergillus spp. Strains Associated with Subsistence Farmed Crops in Haiti.

    PubMed

    Aristil, Junior; Venturini, Giovanni; Spada, Alberto

    2017-04-01

    Subsistence farming and poor storage facilities favor toxigenic fungal contamination and mycotoxin accumulation in staple foods from tropical countries such as Haiti. The present preliminary study was designed to evaluate the occurrence of toxigenic fungi in Haitian foodstuffs to define the mycotoxin risk associated with Haitian crops. The objectives of this research were to determine the distribution of toxigenic fungi in the Haitian crops maize, moringa, and peanut seeds and to screen Aspergillus section Flavi (ASF) isolates for production of aflatoxins B 1 and G 1 in vitro. Maize, moringa, and peanut samples were contaminated by potential toxigenic fungal taxa, mainly ASF and Fusarium spp. The isolation frequency of Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. was influenced by locality and thus by farming systems, storage systems, and weather conditions. Particularly for ASF in peanut and maize samples, isolation frequencies were directly related to the growing season length. The present study represents the first report of contamination by toxigenic fungi and aflatoxin in moringa seeds, posing concerns about the safety of these seeds, which people in Haiti commonly consume. Most (80%) of the Haitian ASF strains were capable of producing aflatoxins, indicating that Haitian conditions clearly favor the colonization of toxigenic ASF strains over atoxigenic strains. ASF strains producing both aflatoxins B 1 and G 1 were found. Understanding the distribution of toxigenic ASF in Haitian crops and foodstuffs is important for determining accurate toxicological risks because the toxic profile of ASF is species specific. The occurrence of toxigenic fungi and the profiles of the ASF found in various crops highlight the need to prevent formation of aflatoxins in Haitian crops. This study provides relevant preliminary baseline data for guiding the development of legislation regulating the quality and safety of crops in this low-income country.

  19. Biological indicators for low temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilization: the effect of defined media on sporulation, growth index and formaldehyde resistance of spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus strains.

    PubMed

    Wright, A M; Hoxey, E V; Soper, C J; Davies, D J

    1995-10-01

    Preliminary screening was carried out on spores of 29 strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus to determine their potential as biological indicator organisms for low temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilization. Each strain was sporulated on four chemically defined media. Fourteen strains produced satisfactory sporulation on one or more of the media but there was considerable variation in the extent of sporulation. The growth index of the spores, which was dependent on both the strain of organism and the sporulation medium, ranged from 1% to 90%. The spores were appraised on the basis of their resistance to inactivation by 0.5% w/v formaldehyde in aqueous solution at 70 degrees C. The survivor curves obtained could be characterized into five types on the basis of the shape of the curve. Only five strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus produced spores with the characteristics of high resistance, linear semi-logarithmic survivor curve and high growth index that would be required of a potential biological indicator organism.

  20. Immunization of Mice with Formalin-Inactivated Spores from Avirulent Bacillus cereus Strains Provides Significant Protection from Challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames

    PubMed Central

    Vergis, James M.; Cote, Christopher K.; Bozue, Joel; Alem, Farhang; Ventura, Christy L.; Welkos, Susan L.

    2013-01-01

    Bacillus anthracis spores are the infectious form of the organism for humans and animals. However, the approved human vaccine in the United States is derived from a vegetative culture filtrate of a toxigenic, nonencapsulated B. anthracis strain that primarily contains protective antigen (PA). Immunization of mice with purified spore proteins and formalin-inactivated spores (FIS) from a nonencapsulated, nontoxigenic B. anthracis strain confers protection against B. anthracis challenge when PA is also administered. To investigate the capacity of the spore particle to act as a vaccine without PA, we immunized mice subcutaneously with FIS from nontoxigenic, nonencapsulated B. cereus strain G9241 pBCXO1−/pBC210− (dcG9241), dcG9241 ΔbclA, or 569-UM20 or with exosporium isolated from dcG9241. FIS vaccination provided significant protection of mice from intraperitoneal or intranasal challenge with spores of the virulent B. anthracis Ames or Ames ΔbclA strain. Immunization with dcG9241 ΔbclA FIS, which are devoid of the immunodominant spore protein BclA, provided greater protection from challenge with either Ames strain than did immunization with FIS from BclA-producing strains. In addition, we used prechallenge immune antisera to probe a panel of recombinant B. anthracis Sterne spore proteins to identify novel immunogenic vaccine candidates. The antisera were variably reactive with BclA and with 10 other proteins, four of which were previously tested as vaccine candidates. Overall our data show that immunization with FIS from nontoxigenic, nonencapsulated B. cereus strains provides moderate to high levels of protection of mice from B. anthracis Ames challenge and that neither PA nor BclA is required for this protection. PMID:23114705

  1. Resistance of Bacillus Endospores to Extreme Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Environments

    PubMed Central

    Nicholson, Wayne L.; Munakata, Nobuo; Horneck, Gerda; Melosh, Henry J.; Setlow, Peter

    2000-01-01

    Endospores of Bacillus spp., especially Bacillus subtilis, have served as experimental models for exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the incredible longevity of spores and their resistance to environmental insults. In this review we summarize the molecular laboratory model of spore resistance mechanisms and attempt to use the model as a basis for exploration of the resistance of spores to environmental extremes both on Earth and during postulated interplanetary transfer through space as a result of natural impact processes. PMID:10974126

  2. Antibacterial activity and genotypic-phenotypic characteristics of bacteriocin-producing Bacillus subtilis KKU213: potential as a probiotic strain.

    PubMed

    Khochamit, Nalisa; Siripornadulsil, Surasak; Sukon, Peerapol; Siripornadulsil, Wilailak

    2015-01-01

    The antimicrobial activity and probiotic properties of Bacillus subtilis strain KKU213, isolated from local soil, were investigated. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) of a KKU213 culture containing crude bacteriocins exhibited inhibitory effects on Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activity of the CFS precipitated with 40% ammonium sulfate (AS) remained even after treatment at 60 and 100 °C, at pH 4 and 10 and with proteolytic enzymes, detergents and heavy metals. When analyzed by SDS-PAGE and overlaid with the indicator strains B. cereus and S. aureus, the 40% AS precipitate exhibited inhibitory activity on proteins smaller than 10 kDa. However, proteins larger than 25 kDa and smaller than 10 kDa were still observed on a native protein gel. Purified subtilosin A was prepared by Amberlite XAD-16 bead extraction and HPLC and analyzed by Nano-LC-QTOF-MS. Its molecular mass was found to be 3.4 kDa, and it retained its antibacterial activity. These results are consistent with the detection of the anti-listerial subtilosin A gene of the sbo/alb cluster in the KKU213 strain, which is 100% identical to that of B. subtilis subsp. subtilis 168. In addition to stable and cyclic subtilosin A, a mixture of many extracellular antibacterial peptides was also detected in the KKU213 culture. The KKU213 strain produced extracellular amylase, cellulase, lipase and protease, is highly acid-resistant (pH 2) when cultured in inulin and promotes health and reduces infection of intestinally colonized broiler chickens. Therefore, we propose that bacteriocin-producing B. subtilis KKU213 could be used as a potential probiotic strain or protective culture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  3. Biosorption Potential of Bacillus salmalaya Strain 139SI for Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution.

    PubMed

    Dadrasnia, Arezoo; Chuan Wei, Kelvin Swee; Shahsavari, Nasser; Azirun, Mohd Sofian; Ismail, Salmah

    2015-12-03

    The present study investigated the biosorption capacity of live and dead cells of a novel Bacillus strain for chromium. The optimum biosorption condition was evaluated in various analytical parameters, including initial concentration of chromium, pH, and contact time. The Langmuir isotherm model showed an enhanced fit to the equilibrium data. Live and dead biomasses followed the monolayer biosorption of the active surface sites. The maximum biosorption capacity was 20.35 mg/g at 25 °C, with pH 3 and contact time of 50 min. Strain 139SI was an excellent host to the hexavalent chromium. The biosorption kinetics of chromium in the dead and live cells of Bacillus salmalaya (B. salmalaya) 139SI followed the pseudo second-order mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy and fourier transform infrared indicated significant influence of the dead cells on the biosorption of chromium based on cell morphological changes. Approximately 92% and 70% desorption efficiencies were achieved using dead and live cells, respectively. These findings demonstrated the high sorption capacity of dead biomasses of B. salmalaya 139SI in the biosorption process. Thermodynamic evaluation (ΔG⁰, ΔH⁰, and ΔS⁰) indicated that the mechanism of Cr(VI) adsorption is endothermic; that is, chemisorption. Results indicated that chromium accumulation occurred in the cell wall of B. salmalaya 139SI rather than intracellular accumulation.

  4. Biosorption Potential of Bacillus salmalaya Strain 139SI for Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution

    PubMed Central

    Dadrasnia, Arezoo; Chuan Wei, Kelvin Swee; Shahsavari, Nasser; Azirun, Mohd Sofian; Ismail, Salmah

    2015-01-01

    The present study investigated the biosorption capacity of live and dead cells of a novel Bacillus strain for chromium. The optimum biosorption condition was evaluated in various analytical parameters, including initial concentration of chromium, pH, and contact time. The Langmuir isotherm model showed an enhanced fit to the equilibrium data. Live and dead biomasses followed the monolayer biosorption of the active surface sites. The maximum biosorption capacity was 20.35 mg/g at 25 °C, with pH 3 and contact time of 50 min. Strain 139SI was an excellent host to the hexavalent chromium. The biosorption kinetics of chromium in the dead and live cells of Bacillus salmalaya (B. salmalaya) 139SI followed the pseudo second-order mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy and fourier transform infrared indicated significant influence of the dead cells on the biosorption of chromium based on cell morphological changes. Approximately 92% and 70% desorption efficiencies were achieved using dead and live cells, respectively. These findings demonstrated the high sorption capacity of dead biomasses of B. salmalaya 139SI in the biosorption process. Thermodynamic evaluation (ΔG0, ΔH0, and ΔS0) indicated that the mechanism of Cr(VI) adsorption is endothermic; that is, chemisorption. Results indicated that chromium accumulation occurred in the cell wall of B. salmalaya 139SI rather than intracellular accumulation. PMID:26633454

  5. Screening of biosurfactant-producing Bacillus strains using glycerol from the biodiesel synthesis as main carbon source.

    PubMed

    Sousa, M; Melo, V M M; Rodrigues, S; Sant'ana, H B; Gonçalves, L R B

    2012-08-01

    Glycerol, a co-product of biodiesel production, was evaluated as carbon source for biosurfactant production. For this reason, seven non-pathogenic biosurfactant-producing Bacillus strains, isolated from the tank of chlorination at the Wastewater Treatment Plant at Federal University of Ceara, were screened. The production of biosurfactant was verified by determining the surface tension value, as well as the emulsifying capacity of the free-cell broth against soy oil, kerosene and N-hexadecane. Best results were achieved when using LAMI005 and LAMI009 strains, whose biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of the broth to 28.8 ± 0.0 and 27.1 ± 0.1 mN m(-1), respectively. Additionally, at 72 h of cultivation, 441.06 and 267.56 mg L(-1) of surfactin were produced by LAMI005 and LAMI009, respectively. The biosurfactants were capable of forming stable emulsions with various hydrocarbons, such as soy oil and kerosene. Analyses carried out with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that the biosurfactant produced by Bacillus subtilis LAMI009 and LAMI005 was compatible with the commercially available surfactin standard. The values of minimum surface tension and the CMC of the produced biosurfactant indicated that it is feasible to produce biosurfactants from a residual and renewable and low-cost carbon source, such as glycerol.

  6. [Isolation of Listeria spp., Aeromonas spp., and Vibrio spp. from seafood products].

    PubMed

    Scoglio, M E; Di Pietro, A; Mauro, A; Picerno, I; Laganà, P; Delia, S A

    2000-01-01

    Forty-one strains of Listeria, Aeromonas and Vibrio have been isolated in 71 samples of seafood, both raw and ready to eat and frozen. L. monocytogenes, detected by PCR also, is found in the smoked salmon only. Aeromonas spp. and Vibrio spp. are isolated in the raw products (shrimps and shellfish). No relationship is found between the presence of such microrganisms and the common indicator bacteria. Finally, the health hazard related to strong contamination and the need to diversify the food safety assurance programmes, for the various products, are underlined.

  7. Bacillus purgationiresistans sp. nov., isolated from a drinking-water treatment plant.

    PubMed

    Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; Figueira, Vânia; Lopes, Ana R; Lobo-da-Cunha, Alexandre; Spröer, Cathrin; Schumann, Peter; Nunes, Olga C; Manaia, Célia M

    2012-01-01

    A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile, endospore-forming rod, designated DS22(T), was isolated from a drinking-water treatment plant. Cells were catalase- and oxidase-positive. Growth occurred at 15-37 °C, at pH 7-10 and with <8% (w/v) NaCl (optimum growth: 30 °C, pH 7-8 and 1-3% NaCl). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7, the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 36.5 mol% and the cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain DS22(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus. Its closest phylogenetic neighbours were Bacillus horneckiae NRRL B-59162(T) (98.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Bacillus oceanisediminis H2(T) (97.9%), Bacillus infantis SMC 4352-1(T) (97.4%), Bacillus firmus IAM 12464(T) (96.8%) and Bacillus muralis LMG 20238(T) (96.8%). DNA-DNA hybridization, and biochemical and physiological characterization allowed the differentiation of strain DS22(T) from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. The data supports the proposal of a novel species, Bacillus purgationiresistans sp. nov.; the type strain is DS22(T) (=DSM 23494(T)=NRRL B-59432(T)=LMG 25783(T)).

  8. Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus subtilis Strain DKU_NT_03, Isolated from a Traditional Korean Food Using Soybean (Chung-gook-jang) for High-Quality Nattokinase Activity.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Hee-Won; Bang, Man-Seok; Lee, Yea-Jin; Lee, Su Ji; Lee, Sang-Cheol; Shin, Jang-In; Oh, Chung-Hun

    2018-06-21

    We present here the complete genome sequence of Bacillus subtilis strain DKU_NT_03 isolated from the traditional Korean food chung-gook-jang, which is made from soybeans. This strain was chosen to identify genetic factors with high-quality nattokinase activity. Copyright © 2018 Jeong et al.

  9. Effect of different additives on the persistence and insecticidal activity of native strains of Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Singh, A; Boora, K S; Chaudhary, K

    2007-03-01

    The persistence and insecticidal activity of native strains of Bacillus thuringiensis was evaluated in formulations containing different additives such as arrow-root powder, carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC), gum acacia, non-food grade (NFG) starch, and soluble starch. Persistence of B. thuringiensis varied with different additives used in the formulations. Among the different additives used, NFG starch provided maximum protection to B. thuringiensis and native strain 42 showed maximum persistence (83%) which was higher than that obtained in commercial formulation. In commercial formulation, the persistence of B. thuringiensis was 47% only after 3 d of spray. The feeding trials conducted on second instar larvae of H. armigera using leaves sprayed with NFG starch formulation revealed 70% larval mortality while commercial formulation showed 50% mortality during the same period.

  10. Lipase-Secreting Bacillus Species in an Oil-Contaminated Habitat: Promising Strains to Alleviate Oil Pollution

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Li Pin; Karbul, Hudzaifah Mohamed; Citartan, Marimuthu; Gopinath, Subash C. B.; Lakshmipriya, Thangavel; Tang, Thean-Hock

    2015-01-01

    Lipases are of great interest for different industrial applications due to their diversity and versatility. Among different lipases, microbial lipases are preferable due to their broad substrate specificity, and higher stability with lower production costs compared to the lipases from plants and animals. In the past, a vast number of bacterial species have been reported as potential lipases producers. In this study, the lipases-producing bacterial species were isolated from an oil spillage area in the conventional night market. Isolated species were identified as Bacillus species by biochemical tests which indicate their predominant establishment, and further screened on the agar solid surfaces using lipid and gelatin as the substrates. Out of the ten strains tested, four potential strains were subjected to comparison analysis of the lipolytic versus proteolytic activities. Strain 10 exhibited the highest lipolytic and proteolytic activity. In all the strains, the proteolytic activity is higher than the lipolytic activity except for strain 8, suggesting the possibility for substrate-based extracellular gene induction. The simultaneous secretion of both the lipase and protease is a mean of survival. The isolated bacterial species which harbour both lipase and protease enzymes could render potential industrial-based applications and solve environmental issues. PMID:26180812

  11. Identification of thermophilic bacteria in solid-waste composting.

    PubMed Central

    Strom, P F

    1985-01-01

    The thermophilic microbiota of solid-waste composting, with major emphasis on Bacillus spp., was examined with Trypticase soy broth (BBL Microbiology Systems) with 2% agar as the initial plating medium. Five 4.5-liter laboratory units at 49 to 69 degrees C were fed a mixture of dried table scraps and shredded newspaper. The composting plants treating refuse at Altoona, Pa., and refuse-sludge at Leicester, England, were also sampled. Of 652 randomly picked colonies, 87% were identified as Bacillus spp. Other isolates included two genera of unidentified nonsporeforming bacteria (one of gram-negative small rods and the other of gram-variable coccobacilli), the actinomycetes Streptomyces spp. and Thermoactinomyces sp., and the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Among the Bacillus isolates, the following, in order of decreasing frequency, were observed: B. circulans complex, B. stearothermophilus, B. coagulans types A and B, B. licheniformis, B. brevis, B. sphaericus, Bacillus spp. types i and ii, and B. subtilis. About 15% of the Bacillus isolates could be assigned to species only by allowing for greater variability in one or more characteristics than has been reported by other authors for their strains. In particular, growth at higher temperatures than previously reported was found for strains of several species. A small number of Bacillus isolates (less than 2%) could not be assigned to any recognized species. PMID:4083886

  12. Biotransformation of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol into 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole by a marine Bacillus sp. strain MW-1.

    PubMed

    Arora, Pankaj Kumar; Jain, Rakesh Kumar

    2012-04-01

    Decolourization, detoxification and biotransformation of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol (4C2NP) by Bacillus sp. strain MW-1 were studied. This strain decolorized 4C2NP only in the presence of an additional carbon source. On the basis of thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), 4-chloro-2-aminophenol, 4-chloro-2-acetaminophenol and 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole were identified as metabolites. Resting cells depleted 4C2NP with stoichiometric formation of 5-chloro-2-methyl benzoxazole. This is the first report of the formation of 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole from 4C2NP by any bacterial strain.

  13. Inhibitory activity of surfactin, produced by different Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis strains, against Listeria monocytogenes sensitive and bacteriocin-resistant strains.

    PubMed

    Sabaté, Daniela C; Audisio, M Carina

    2013-03-30

    Three surfactin-producing Bacillus subtilis strains, C4, M1 and G2III, previously isolated from honey and intestines from the Apis mellifera L. bee, were phylogenetically characterized at sub-species level as B. subtilis subsp. subtilis using gyrA gene sequencing. The antagonistic effect of surfactin was studied against seven different Listeria monocytogenes strains, 6 of which were resistant to bacteriocins. Surfactin showed anti-Listeria activity against all 7 strains and a dose of 0.125 mg/mL of surfactin was enough to inhibit this pathogen. Surfactin sintetized by B. subtilis subsp. subtilis C4 inhibited the pathogen in lower concentrations, 0.125 mg/mL, followed by G2III and M1 with 0.25 and 1mg/mL, respectively. In particular, a dose of 0.125 mg/mL reduced the viability of L. monocytogenes 99/287 RB6, a bacteriocin-resistant strain, to 5 log orders. Surfactin assayed maintained anti-Listeria activity within a pH range of between 2 and 10, after heat treatment (boiling for 10 min and autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 min) and after treatment with proteolytic enzymes. These results suggest that surfactin can be used as a new tool for prevention and the control of L. monocytogenes in different environments, for example, in the food industry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  14. A recombinant Bacillus anthracis strain producing the Clostridium perfringens Ib component induces protection against iota toxins.

    PubMed

    Sirard, J C; Weber, M; Duflot, E; Popoff, M R; Mock, M

    1997-06-01

    The Bacillus anthracis toxinogenic Sterne strain is currently used as a live veterinary vaccine against anthrax. The capacity of a toxin-deficient derivative strain to produce a heterologous antigen by using the strong inducible promoter of the B. anthracis pag gene was investigated. The expression of the foreign gene ibp, encoding the Ib component of iota toxin from Clostridium perfringens, was analyzed. A pag-ibp fusion was introduced by allelic exchange into a toxin-deficient Sterne strain, thereby replacing the wild-type pag gene. This recombinant strain, called BAIB, was stable and secreted large quantities of Ib protein in induced culture conditions. Mice given injections of live BAIB spores developed an antibody response specific to the Ib protein. The pag-ibp fusion was therefore functional both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the immunized animals were protected against a challenge with C. perfringens iota toxin or with the homologous Clostridium spiroforme toxin. The protective immunity was mediated by neutralizing antibodies. In conclusion, B. anthracis is promising for the development of live veterinary vaccines.

  15. A recombinant Bacillus anthracis strain producing the Clostridium perfringens Ib component induces protection against iota toxins.

    PubMed Central

    Sirard, J C; Weber, M; Duflot, E; Popoff, M R; Mock, M

    1997-01-01

    The Bacillus anthracis toxinogenic Sterne strain is currently used as a live veterinary vaccine against anthrax. The capacity of a toxin-deficient derivative strain to produce a heterologous antigen by using the strong inducible promoter of the B. anthracis pag gene was investigated. The expression of the foreign gene ibp, encoding the Ib component of iota toxin from Clostridium perfringens, was analyzed. A pag-ibp fusion was introduced by allelic exchange into a toxin-deficient Sterne strain, thereby replacing the wild-type pag gene. This recombinant strain, called BAIB, was stable and secreted large quantities of Ib protein in induced culture conditions. Mice given injections of live BAIB spores developed an antibody response specific to the Ib protein. The pag-ibp fusion was therefore functional both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the immunized animals were protected against a challenge with C. perfringens iota toxin or with the homologous Clostridium spiroforme toxin. The protective immunity was mediated by neutralizing antibodies. In conclusion, B. anthracis is promising for the development of live veterinary vaccines. PMID:9169728

  16. Endophytic bacterial flora in root and stem tissues of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) genotype: isolation, identification and evaluation against Phytophthora capsici.

    PubMed

    Aravind, R; Kumar, A; Eapen, S J; Ramana, K V

    2009-01-01

    To isolate and identify black pepper (Piper nigrum L) associated endophytic bacteria antagonistic to Phytophthora capsici causing foot rot disease. Endophytic bacteria (74) were isolated, characterized and evaluated against P. capsici. Six genera belong to Pseudomonas spp (20 strains), Serratia (1 strain), Bacillus spp. (22 strains), Arthrobacter spp. (15 strains), Micrococcus spp. (7 strains), Curtobacterium sp. (1 strain) and eight unidentified strains were isolated from internal tissues of root and stem. Three isolates, IISRBP 35, IISRBP 25 and IISRBP 17 were found effective for Phytophthora suppression in multilevel screening assays which recorded over 70% disease suppression in greenhouse trials. A species closest match (99% similarity) of IISRBP 35 was established as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas EF568931), IISRBP 25 as P. putida (Pseudomonas EF568932), and IISRBP 17 as Bacillus megaterium (B. megaterium EU071712) based on 16S rDNA sequencing. Black pepper associated P. aeruginosa, P. putida and B. megaterium were identified as effective antagonistic endophytes for biological control of Phytophthora foot rot in black pepper. This work provides the first evidence for endophytic bacterial diversity in black pepper stem and roots, with biocontrol potential against P. capsici infection.

  17. Bacillus spp. produce antibacterial activities against lactic acid bacteria that contaminate fuel ethanol plants.

    PubMed

    Manitchotpisit, Pennapa; Bischoff, Kenneth M; Price, Neil P J; Leathers, Timothy D

    2013-05-01

    Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) frequently contaminate commercial fuel ethanol fermentations, reducing yields and decreasing profitability of biofuel production. Microorganisms from environmental sources in different geographic regions of Thailand were tested for antibacterial activity against LAB. Four bacterial strains, designated as ALT3A, ALT3B, ALT17, and MR1, produced inhibitory effects on growth of LAB. Sequencing of rRNA identified these strains as species of Bacillus subtilis (ALT3A and ALT3B) and B. cereus (ALT17 and MR1). Cell mass from colonies and agar samples from inhibition zones were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The spectra of ALT3A and ALT3B showed a strong signal at m/z 1,060, similar in mass to the surfactin family of antimicrobial lipopeptides. ALT3A and ALT3B were analyzed by zymogram analysis using SDS-PAGE gels placed on agar plates inoculated with LAB. Cell lysates possessed an inhibitory protein of less than 10 kDa, consistent with the production of an antibacterial lipopeptide. Mass spectra of ALT17 and MR1 had notable signals at m/z 908 and 930 in the whole cell extracts and at m/z 687 in agar, but these masses do not correlate with those of previously reported antibacterial lipopeptides, and no antibacterial activity was detected by zymogram. The antibacterial activities produced by these strains may have application in the fuel ethanol industry as an alternative to antibiotics for prevention and control of bacterial contamination.

  18. Distribution of phenotypes among Bacillus thuringiensis strains

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    An extensive collection of Bacillus thuringiensis isolates from around the world were phenotypically profiled using standard biochemical tests. Six phenotypic traits occurred in 20-86% of the isolates and were useful in distinguishing isolates: production of urease (U; 20.5% of isolates), hydrolysis...

  19. Whole Genome-Sequencing and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Historical Collection of Bacillus anthracis Strains from Danish Cattle

    PubMed Central

    Derzelle, Sylviane; Girault, Guillaume; Kokotovic, Branko; Angen, Øystein

    2015-01-01

    Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is known as one of the most genetically monomorphic species. Canonical single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing and whole-genome sequencing were used to investigate the molecular diversity of eleven B. anthracis strains isolated from cattle in Denmark between 1935 and 1988. Danish strains were assigned into five canSNP groups or lineages, i.e. A.Br.001/002 (n = 4), A.Br.Ames (n = 2), A.Br.008/011 (n = 2), A.Br.005/006 (n = 2) and A.Br.Aust94 (n = 1). The match with the A.Br.Ames lineage is of particular interest as the occurrence of such lineage in Europe is demonstrated for the first time, filling an historical gap within the phylogeography of the lineage. Comparative genome analyses of these strains with 41 isolates from other parts of the world revealed that the two Danish A.Br.008/011 strains were related to the heroin-associated strains responsible for outbreaks of injection anthrax in drug users in Europe. Eight novel diagnostic SNPs that specifically discriminate the different sub-groups of Danish strains were identified and developed into PCR-based genotyping assays. PMID:26317972

  20. Engineering of baker's yeasts, E. coli and Bacillus hosts for the production of Bacillus subtilis Lipase A.

    PubMed

    Sánchez, Marta; Prim, Núria; Rández-Gil, Francisca; Pastor, F I Javier; Diaz, Pilar

    2002-05-05

    Lipases are versatile biocatalists showing multiple applications in a wide range of biotechnological processes. The gene lipA coding for Lipase A from Bacillus subtilis was isolated by PCR amplification, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis strains, using pBR322, YEplac112 and pUB110-derived vectors, respectively. Lipase activity analysis of the recombinant strains showed that the gene can be properly expressed in all hosts assayed, this being the first time a lipase from bacterial origin can be expressed in baker's S. cerevisiae strains. An important increase of lipase production was obtained in heterologous hosts with respect to that of parental strains, indicating that the described systems can represent a useful tool to enhance productivity of the enzyme for biotechnological applications, including the use of the lipase in bread making, or as a technological additive. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. delta-Endotoxin proteins associated with spherical parasporal inclusions of the four Lepidoptera-specific Bacillus thuringiensis strains.

    PubMed

    Wasano, N; Kim, K H; Ohba, M

    1998-04-01

    Four Lepidoptera-specific reference strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, belonging to serovars sumiyoshiensis (H3a:3d), fukuokaensis (H3a:3d:3e), darmstadiensis (H10a:10b) and japonensis (H23), which produce spherical parasporal inclusions, were examined for comparative characterization of delta-endotoxins. SDS-PAGE profiles of the alkali-solubilized parasporal inclusions revealed the presence of single major protein bands of 130 kDa in the four strains. Chymotrypsin and trypsin treatment of the proteins gave profiles different from those of the strains HD-1 (serovar kurstaki, H3a:3b:3c) and T84 A1 (serovar sotto, H4a:4b). Also, minor variations were observed in proteolysis profiles among the four strains. The LC50 values of purified parasporal inclusions for the silkworm (Bombyx mori) larvae were 7.35, 6.45, 3.08 and 2.63 micrograms g-1 diet, respectively, showing that their toxicity levels were 5-15 times lower than that of the strain HD-1 (0.49 microgram g-1 diet). Analysis by immunodiffusion and immunoblotting with polyclonal antisera revealed that parasporal inclusion proteins of the four strains are highly related, whereas they shared few or no common antigens with those of the strains HD-1, T84 A1 and Buibui (serovar japonensis).

  2. Genome Sequence of Bacillus cereus Strain TG1-6, a Plant-Beneficial Rhizobacterium That Is Highly Salt Tolerant

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT The complete genome sequence of Bacillus cereus strain TG1-6, which is a highly salt-tolerant rhizobacterium that enhances plant tolerance to drought stress, is reported here. The sequencing process was performed based on a combination of pyrosequencing and single-molecule sequencing. The complete genome is estimated to be approximately 5.42 Mb, containing a total of 5,610 predicted protein-coding DNA sequences (CDSs). PMID:29748401

  3. Sequence and expression of two cry8 genes from Bacillus thuringiensis INTA Fr7-4, a native strain from Argentina.

    PubMed

    Navas, Laura E; Berretta, Marcelo F; Pérez, Melisa P; Amadio, Ariel F; Ortiz, Elio M; Sauka, Diego H; Benintende, Graciela B; Zandomeni, Rubén O

    2014-01-01

    We found and characterized two cry8 genes from the Bacillus thuringiensis strain INTA Fr7-4 isolated in Argentina. These genes, cry8Kb3 and cry8Pa3, are located in a tandem array within a 13,200-bp DNA segment sequenced from a preparation of total DNA. They encode 1,169- and 1,176-amino-acid proteins, respectively. Both genes were cloned with their promoter sequences and the proteins were expressed separately in an acrystalliferous strain of B. thuringiensis leading to the formation of ovoid crystals in the recombinant strains. The toxicity against larvae of Anthonomus grandis Bh. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) of a spore-crystal suspension from the recombinant strain containing cry8Pa3 was similar to that of the parent strain INTA Fr7-4. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Purification and characterization of a fibrinolytic enzyme produced from Bacillus sp. strain CK 11-4 screened from Chungkook-Jang.

    PubMed Central

    Kim, W; Choi, K; Kim, Y; Park, H; Choi, J; Lee, Y; Oh, H; Kwon, I; Lee, S

    1996-01-01

    Bacillus sp. strain CK 11-4, which produces a strongly fibrinolytic enzyme, was screened from Chungkook-Jang, a traditional Korean fermented-soybean sauce. The fibrinolytic enzyme (CK) was purified from supernatant of Bacillus sp. strain CK 11-4 culture broth and showed thermophilic, hydrophilic, and strong fibrinolytic activity. The optimum temperature and pH were 70 degrees C and 10.5, respectively, and the molecular weight was 28,200 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The first 14 amino acids of the N-terminal sequence of CK are Ala-Gin-Thr-Val-Pro-Tyr-Gly-Ile-Pro-Leu-Ile-Lys-Ala-Asp. This sequence is identical to that of subtilisin Carlsberg and different from that of nattokinase, but CK showed a level of fibrinolytic activity that was about eight times higher than that of subtilisin Carlsberg. The amidolytic activity of CK increased about twofold at the initial state of the reaction when CK enzyme was added to a mixture of plasminogen and substrate (H-D-Val-Leu-Lys-pNA). A similar result was also obtained from fibrin plate analysis. PMID:8779587

  5. In vitro antimicrobial effect of Satureja wiedemanniana against Bacillus species isolated from raw meat samples.

    PubMed

    Yucel, Nihal; Aslim, Belma; Ozdoğan, Hakan

    2009-08-01

    In this study a total of 30 raw meat samples obtained from Ankara, Turkey were screened for the presence of Bacillus species. Among the meat samples analyzed, the predominant species isolated was Bacillus circulans; other Bacillus species were identified as Bacillus firmus, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus sphaericus, and Bacillus cereus. Minced meat samples were more contaminated with Bacillus species than sliced beef sample. From these samples, 242 Bacillus species isolates were obtained, which were investigated for proteolytic and lipolytic activity, associated with meat spoilage. Interestingly, some Bacillus strains produced the highest values of proteolytic/lipolytic activities. Nineteen Bacillus strains were selected among the 242 isolates according to their proteolytic/lipolytic activity with a clear zone diameter of > or =6 mm. The essential oil of Satureja wiedemanniana (Lalem) Velen was also tested against these 19 Bacillus species that had proteolytic and lipolytic activity. The essential oil yield obtained from the aerial parts of the plant was 0.35% (vol/wt). The inhibition zones of the essential oil obtained against all the Bacillus species were in the range of 5.0-12.0 mm. The oil showed high antimicrobial activities against B. licheniformis M 6(26), M 11(16), and M 12(1) strains. B. licheniformis 12(1) showed high lipolytic activity (18.0 mm). Also, B. licheniformis M 6(26) and M 11(16) showed high proteolytic activity (16.0 and 14.0 mm). These results may suggest that an essential oil of S. wiedemanniana can be used as a natural preservative in meat against spoilage bacteria.

  6. Draft Genome Sequences of Two Bacillus thuringiensis Strains and Characterization of a Putative 41.9-kDa Insecticidal Toxin

    PubMed Central

    Palma, Leopoldo; Muñoz, Delia; Berry, Colin; Murillo, Jesús; Caballero, Primitivo

    2014-01-01

    In this work, we report the genome sequencing of two Bacillus thuringiensis strains using Illumina next-generation sequencing technology (NGS). Strain Hu4-2, toxic to many lepidopteran pest species and to some mosquitoes, encoded genes for two insecticidal crystal (Cry) proteins, cry1Ia and cry9Ea, and a vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) gene, vip3Ca2. Strain Leapi01 contained genes coding for seven Cry proteins (cry1Aa, cry1Ca, cry1Da, cry2Ab, cry9Ea and two cry1Ia gene variants) and a vip3 gene (vip3Aa10). A putative novel insecticidal protein gene 1143 bp long was found in both strains, whose sequences exhibited 100% nucleotide identity. The predicted protein showed 57 and 100% pairwise identity to protein sequence 72 from a patented Bt strain (US8318900) and to a putative 41.9-kDa insecticidal toxin from Bacillus cereus, respectively. The 41.9-kDa protein, containing a C-terminal 6× HisTag fusion, was expressed in Escherichia coli and tested for the first time against four lepidopteran species (Mamestra brassicae, Ostrinia nubilalis, Spodoptera frugiperda and S. littoralis) and the green-peach aphid Myzus persicae at doses as high as 4.8 µg/cm2 and 1.5 mg/mL, respectively. At these protein concentrations, the recombinant 41.9-kDa protein caused no mortality or symptoms of impaired growth against any of the insects tested, suggesting that these species are outside the protein’s target range or that the protein may not, in fact, be toxic. While the use of the polymerase chain reaction has allowed a significant increase in the number of Bt insecticidal genes characterized to date, novel NGS technologies promise a much faster, cheaper and efficient screening of Bt pesticidal proteins. PMID:24784323

  7. Selection of Bacillus thuringiensis strains toxic to cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis, Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae.

    PubMed

    Pérez, Melisa P; Sauka, Diego H; Onco, María I; Berretta, Marcelo F; Benintende, Graciela B

    Preliminary bioassays with whole cultures (WC) of 124 Bacillus thuringiensis strains were performed with neonate larvae of Anthonomus grandis, a major cotton pest in Argentina and other regions of the Americas. Three exotic and four native strains were selected for causing more than 50% mortality. All of them were β-exotoxin producers. The native strains shared similar morphology of parasporal crystals, similar protein pattern and identical insecticidal gene profiles. These features resembled Lepidoptera-toxic strains. Furthermore, these strains showed a Rep-PCR pattern identical to lepidoptericidal strain HD-1, suggesting that these strains may belong to serovar kurstaki. However, some differences were observed in the plasmid profiles and in the production of β-exotoxin. To determine the culture fractions where the insecticidal metabolites were present, bioassays including resuspended spore-crystal pellets, filtered supernatants (FS) were compared with those of WC. Both fractions tested showed some level of insecticidal activity. The results may suggest that the main toxic factors can be found in FS and could be directly correlated with the presence of β-exotoxin. Based on the bioassays with FS and autoclaved FS, the participation of thermolabile virulence factors such as Cry1I in toxicity is neither discarded. In the selected strains, β-exotoxin would be the major associated virulence factor; therefore, their use in biological control of A. grandis should be restricted. Nevertheless, these strains could be the source of genes (e.g., cry1Ia) to produce transgenic cotton plants resistant to this pest. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  8. Identification and characterization of a new Bacillus atrophaeus strain B5 as biocontrol agent of postharvest anthracnose disease in soursop (Annona muricata) and avocado (Persea americana).

    PubMed

    Guardado-Valdivia, Lizeth; Tovar-Pérez, Erik; Chacón-López, Alejandra; López-García, Ulises; Gutiérrez-Martínez, Porfirio; Stoll, Alexandra; Aguilera, Selene

    2018-05-01

    Anthracnose is a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum species that is detrimental to numerous fruit, including soursop and avocado. The use of fungicides to maintain the high quality of fruit creates a potential health risk. One alternative to this problem is the biological control, which has been applied successfully during postharvest. The Bacillus species are one of the most studied biological agents against postharvest pathogens because accomplish their biocontrol performance by producing a variety of metabolites. In this study, we evaluated the activity of metabolites contained in the cell free supernatant, obtained from Bacillus strain B5 culture, against micelial growth and spore germination of two virulent strains of C. gloeosporioides isolated from soursop and avocado. On the basis of 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, this strain was identified as Bacillus atrophaeus. A preventive treatment using cell free supernatant, reduced severity and incidence of anthracnose disease on harvested soursop and avocado fruit. B. atrophaeus strain B5 harbors genes involved in the production of antibiotics such as surfactin, bacillomycin and iturin, which could be contributing to the efficiency of the preventive treatment during postharvest. The antagonistic role of metabolites contained in the cell free supernatant against anthracnose disease, provide a new approach by which to attack this problem and can help reduce the use of chemical pesticides, environmental pollution, leading to the safer fruit preservation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. NprR-NprX Quorum-Sensing System Regulates the Algicidal Activity of Bacillus sp. Strain S51107 against Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Wu, Lishuang; Guo, Xingliang; Liu, Xianglong; Yang, Hong

    2017-01-01

    Harmful cyanobacterial blooms have severely impaired freshwater quality and threatened human health worldwide. Here, a Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, which exhibits strong algicidal activity against Microcystis aeruginosa , was isolated from Lake Taihu. We found that the algicidal activity of strain S51107 was regulated primarily by NprR-NprX quorum sensing (QS), in which the mature form of the signaling peptide NprX was identified as the SKPDIVG heptapeptide. Disruption of the nprR-nprX cassette markedly decreased the algicidal activity, and complemented strains showed significantly recovered algicidal activity. Strain S51107 produced low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds [indole-3-carboxaldehyde and cyclo(Pro-Phe)] and high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) (>3 kDa). Moreover, the production of high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) was regulated by NprR-NprX QS, but the production of low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds was not. High-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) played a more important role than low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds in the algicidal activity of strain S51107. The results of this study could increase our knowledge about algicidal characteristics of a potential algicidal bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, and provide the first evidence that the algicidal activity of Gram-positive algicidal bacteria is regulated by QS, which will greatly enhance our understanding of the interactions between algae and indigenous algicidal bacteria, thereby providing aid in the design and optimization of strategies to control harmful algae blooms.

  10. NprR-NprX Quorum-Sensing System Regulates the Algicidal Activity of Bacillus sp. Strain S51107 against Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Lishuang; Guo, Xingliang; Liu, Xianglong; Yang, Hong

    2017-01-01

    Harmful cyanobacterial blooms have severely impaired freshwater quality and threatened human health worldwide. Here, a Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, which exhibits strong algicidal activity against Microcystis aeruginosa, was isolated from Lake Taihu. We found that the algicidal activity of strain S51107 was regulated primarily by NprR-NprX quorum sensing (QS), in which the mature form of the signaling peptide NprX was identified as the SKPDIVG heptapeptide. Disruption of the nprR-nprX cassette markedly decreased the algicidal activity, and complemented strains showed significantly recovered algicidal activity. Strain S51107 produced low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds [indole-3-carboxaldehyde and cyclo(Pro-Phe)] and high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) (>3 kDa). Moreover, the production of high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) was regulated by NprR-NprX QS, but the production of low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds was not. High-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) played a more important role than low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds in the algicidal activity of strain S51107. The results of this study could increase our knowledge about algicidal characteristics of a potential algicidal bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, and provide the first evidence that the algicidal activity of Gram-positive algicidal bacteria is regulated by QS, which will greatly enhance our understanding of the interactions between algae and indigenous algicidal bacteria, thereby providing aid in the design and optimization of strategies to control harmful algae blooms. PMID:29075240

  11. [Screening strains for Trichoderma spp. for strong antagonism against ginseng root pathogens and study on their biological characters].

    PubMed

    Zhao, A-Na; Ding, Wan-Long; Zhu, Dian-Long

    2006-10-01

    To screen the Trichodenna spp. for strong antagonist against ginseng root pathogens. The biological characters of ten Trichoderma strains were compared by culturing on different media. And their antagonistic activity against Phytophthora cactorum, Cylindrocarpon destructans and Rhizoctonia solani were measured on PDA. Tv04-2 and Th3080 showed a good growth on soil solution medium and PDA, and also showed high inhibitory efficacy to the three pathogens. The two Trichoderma strains showed different growth rate under light conditions and pH. Trichoderma strains were sensitive to most fungicides used in ginseng root disease controlling, however Tv04-2 was not sensitive to the fungicide Junchong Jueba.

  12. Evaluation of a Stochastic Inactivation Model for Heat-Activated Spores of Bacillus spp. ▿

    PubMed Central

    Corradini, Maria G.; Normand, Mark D.; Eisenberg, Murray; Peleg, Micha

    2010-01-01

    Heat activates the dormant spores of certain Bacillus spp., which is reflected in the “activation shoulder” in their survival curves. At the same time, heat also inactivates the already active and just activated spores, as well as those still dormant. A stochastic model based on progressively changing probabilities of activation and inactivation can describe this phenomenon. The model is presented in a fully probabilistic discrete form for individual and small groups of spores and as a semicontinuous deterministic model for large spore populations. The same underlying algorithm applies to both isothermal and dynamic heat treatments. Its construction does not require the assumption of the activation and inactivation kinetics or knowledge of their biophysical and biochemical mechanisms. A simplified version of the semicontinuous model was used to simulate survival curves with the activation shoulder that are reminiscent of experimental curves reported in the literature. The model is not intended to replace current models to predict dynamic inactivation but only to offer a conceptual alternative to their interpretation. Nevertheless, by linking the survival curve's shape to probabilities of events at the individual spore level, the model explains, and can be used to simulate, the irregular activation and survival patterns of individual and small groups of spores, which might be involved in food poisoning and spoilage. PMID:20453137

  13. Bacillus wiedmannii sp. nov., a psychrotolerant and cytotoxic Bacillus cereus group species isolated from dairy foods and dairy environments

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Rachel A.; Beno, Sarah M.; Kent, David J.; Carroll, Laura M.; Martin, Nicole H.; Boor, Kathryn J.

    2016-01-01

    A facultatively anaerobic, spore-forming Bacillus strain, FSL W8-0169T, collected from raw milk stored in a silo at a dairy powder processing plant in the north-eastern USA was initially identified as a Bacillus cereus group species based on a partial sequence of the rpoB gene and 16S rRNA gene sequence. Analysis of core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms clustered this strain separately from known B. cereus group species. Pairwise average nucleotide identity blast values obtained for FSL W8-0169T compared to the type strains of existing B. cereus group species were <95 % and predicted DNA–DNA hybridization values were <70 %, suggesting that this strain represents a novel B. cereus group species. We characterized 10 additional strains with the same or closely related rpoB allelic type, by whole genome sequencing and phenotypic analyses. Phenotypic characterization identified a higher content of iso-C16 : 0 fatty acid and the combined inability to ferment sucrose or to hydrolyse arginine as the key characteristics differentiating FSL W8-0169T from other B. cereus group species. FSL W8-0169T is psychrotolerant, produces haemolysin BL and non-haemolytic enterotoxin, and is cytotoxic in a HeLa cell model. The name Bacillus wiedmannii sp. nov. is proposed for the novel species represented by the type strain FSL W8-0169T (=DSM 102050T=LMG 29269T). PMID:27520992

  14. Rock weathering by indigenous heterotrophic bacteria of Bacillus spp. at different temperature: a laboratory experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Štyriaková, I.; Štyriak, I.; Oberhänsli, H.

    2012-07-01

    The bio-weathering of basalt, granite and gneiss was experimentally investigated in this study. These rock-forming minerals weathered more rapidly via the ubiquitous psychrotrophic heterotrophic bacteria . With indigenous bacteria of Bacillus spp. from sediments of Lake Baikal, we traced the degradation process of silicate minerals to understand the weathering processes occurring at the change temperature in the subsurface environment with organic input. The bacteria mediated dissolution of minerals was monitored with solution and solid chemistry, X-ray analyses as well as microscopic techniques. We determined the impact of the bacteria on the mineral surface and leaching of K, Ca, Mg, Si, Fe, and Al from silicate minerals. In the samples the release of major structural elements of silicates was used as an overall indicator of silicate mineral degradation at 4°C and 18°C from five medium exchanges over 255 days of rock bioleaching. The increase of temperature importantly affected the efficiency of Fe extraction from granite and basalt as well as Si extraction from granite and gneiss. In comparison with elemental extraction order at 4°C, Ca was substituted first by Fe or Si. It is evident that temperature influences rock microbial weathering and results in a change of elements extraction.

  15. Characterization of endophytic Bacillus strains from tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum) displaying antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea Pers.

    PubMed

    Kefi, Asma; Ben Slimene, Imen; Karkouch, Ines; Rihouey, Christophe; Azaeiz, Sana; Bejaoui, Marwa; Belaid, Rania; Cosette, Pascal; Jouenne, Thierry; Limam, Ferid

    2015-12-01

    Eighty endophytic bacteria were isolated from healthy tissues of roots, stems, leaves and fruits of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum). Four strains, named BL1, BT5, BR8 and BF11 were selected for their antagonism against Botrytis cinerea, a phytopathogenic fungus responsible of gray mold in several important crops, with growth inhibitory activity ranging from 27 to 53%. Morphological, biochemical, and molecular parameters as 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated that the selected bacterial strains were related to Bacillus species which are known to produce and secrete a lot of lipopeptides with strong inhibitory effect against pathogen mycelial growth. Electrospray mass spectrometry analysis showed that these strains produced heterogeneous mixture of antibiotics belonging to fengycin and surfactin for BL1 and BT5, to iturin and surfactin for BR8, to bacillomycin D, fengycin and surfactin for BF11. Furthermore, these bacteria exhibited biocontrol potential by reducing the disease severity when tested on detached leaflets. Based on their antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, these strains could be used for biological control of plant diseases.

  16. Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus sp. GZT, a 2,4,6-Tribromophenol-Degrading Strain Isolated from the River Sludge of an Electronic Waste-Dismantling Region

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Zhishu; Li, Guiying; Das, Ranjit

    2016-01-01

    Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Bacillus sp. strain GZT, a 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP)-degrading bacterium previously isolated from an electronic waste-dismantling region. The draft genome sequence is 5.18 Mb and has a G+C content of 35.1%. This is the first genome report of a brominated flame retardant-degrading strain. PMID:27257197

  17. Draft Genome Sequences of Three Cellulolytic Bacillus licheniformis Strains Isolated from Imperial Geyser, Amphitheater Springs, and Whiterock Springs inside Yellowstone National Park

    PubMed Central

    O' Hair, Joshua A.; Li, Hui; Thapa, Santosh; Scholz, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Novel cellulolytic microorganisms are becoming more important for rapidly growing biofuel industries. This paper reports the draft genome sequences of Bacillus licheniformis strains YNP2-TSU, YNP3-TSU, and YNP5-TSU. These cellulolytic isolates were collected from several hydrothermal features inside Yellowstone National Park. PMID:28360181

  18. Distribution of phenotypes among Bacillus thuringiensis strains.

    PubMed

    Martin, Phyllis A W; Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn E; Blackburn, Michael B

    2010-06-01

    An extensive collection of Bacillus thuringiensis isolates from around the world were phenotypically profiled using standard biochemical tests. Six phenotypic traits occurred in 20-86% of the isolates and were useful in distinguishing isolates: production of urease (U; 20.5% of isolates), hydrolysis of esculin (E; 32.3% of isolates), acid production from salicin (A; 37.4% of isolates), acid production from sucrose (S; 34.0% of isolates), production of phospholipase C or lecithinase (L; 79.7% of isolates), and hydrolysis of starch (T; 85.8% of isolates). With the exception of acid production from salicin and hydrolysis of esculin, which were associated, the traits assorted independently. Of the 64 possible combinations of these six phenotypic characteristics, 15 combinations accounted for ca. 80% of all isolates, with the most common phenotype being TL (23.6% of isolates). Surprisingly, while the biochemical traits generally assorted independently, certain phenotypic traits associated with the parasporal crystal were correlated with certain combinations of biochemical traits. Crystals that remained attached to spores (which tended to be non-toxic to insects) were highly correlated with the phenotypes that included both L and S. Among the 15 most abundant phenotypes characterizing B. thuringiensis strains, amorphous crystals were associated with TLE, TL, T, and Ø (the absence of positive tested biochemical traits). Amorphous crystal types displayed a distinct bias toward toxicity to dipteran insects. Although all common phenotypes included B. thuringiensis isolates producing bipyramidal crystals toxic to lepidopteran insects, those with the highest abundance of these toxic crystals displayed phenotypes TLU, TLUA, TLUAE, and TLAE.

  19. Characterization of Bacillus phage-K2 isolated from chungkookjang, a fermented soybean foodstuff.

    PubMed

    Kim, Eun Ju; Hong, Jeong Won; Yun, Na-Rae; Lee, Young Nam

    2011-01-01

    An investigation of a virulent Bacillus phage-K2 (named Bp-K2) isolated from chungkookjang (a fermented soybean foodstuff) was made. Bp-K2 differed in infectivity against a number of Bacillus subtilis strains including starter strains of chungkookjang and natto, being more infectious to Bacillus strains isolated from the chungkookjang, but much less active against a natto strain. Bp-K2 is a small DNA phage whose genome size is about 21 kb. Bp-K2 is a tailed bacteriophage with an isometric icosahedral head (50 nm long on the lateral side, 80 nm wide), a long contractile sheath (85-90 nm × 28 nm), a thin tail fiber (80-85 nm long, 10 nm wide), and a basal plate (29 nm long, 47 nm wide) with a number of spikes, but no collar. The details of the structures of Bp-K2 differ from natto phage ϕBN100 as well as other known Bacillus phages such as SPO1-like or ϕ 29-like viruses. These data suggest that Bp-K2 would be a new member of the Myoviridae family of Bacillus bacteriophages.

  20. Draft Genome Sequence of Plant Growth-Promoting Drought-Tolerant Bacillus sp. Strain CMAA 1363 Isolated from the Brazilian Caatinga Biome.

    PubMed

    Kavamura, Vanessa Nessner; Santos, Suikinai Nobre; Taketani, Rodrigo Gouvêa; Vasconcellos, Rafael Leandro Figueiredo; Melo, Itamar Soares

    2017-02-02

    The strain of Bacillus sp. CMAA 1363 was isolated from the Brazilian Caatinga biome and showed plant growth-promoting traits and ability to promote maize growth under drought stress. Sequencing revealed genes involved in stress response and plant growth promotion. These genomic features might aid in the protection of plants against the negative effects imposed by drought. Copyright © 2017 Kavamura et al.

  1. Draft Genome Sequence of Plant Growth-Promoting Drought-Tolerant Bacillus sp. Strain CMAA 1363 Isolated from the Brazilian Caatinga Biome

    PubMed Central

    Santos, Suikinai Nobre; Taketani, Rodrigo Gouvêa; Vasconcellos, Rafael Leandro Figueiredo; Melo, Itamar Soares

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The strain of Bacillus sp. CMAA 1363 was isolated from the Brazilian Caatinga biome and showed plant growth-promoting traits and ability to promote maize growth under drought stress. Sequencing revealed genes involved in stress response and plant growth promotion. These genomic features might aid in the protection of plants against the negative effects imposed by drought. PMID:28153893

  2. Purification and characterization of two polyhydroxyalcanoates from Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Zribi-Maaloul, Emna; Trabelsi, Imen; Elleuch, Lobna; Chouayekh, Hichem; Ben Salah, Riadh

    2013-10-01

    This work aimed to study the potential of 155 strains of Bacillus sp., isolated from a collection of Tunisian microorganisms, for polyhydroxyalcanoates production. The strains were submitted to a battery of standard tests commonly used for determining bioplastic properties. The findings revealed that two of the isolates, namely Bacillus US 163 and US 177, provided red excitations at a wavelength of approximately 543 nm. The polyhydroxyalcanoates produced by the two strains were purified. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to characterize the two biopolymers. Bacillus US 163 was noted to produce a poly methyl-3-hydroxy tetradecanoic acid (P-3HTD) with an average molecular weight of 455 kDa, a completely amorphous homopolymer without crystallinity. The US 177 strain produced a homopolymer of methyl-3-hydroxy octadecanoic acid (P3-HOD) with an average molecular weight of 555 kDa. Exhibiting the highest performance, US 163 and US 177 were submitted to 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the results revealed that they belonged to the Bacillus cereus species. Overall, the findings indicated that the Bacilli from petroleum soil have a number of promising properties that make them promising candidates for bioplastic production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Whole-Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genome Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Strains Isolated from Non-Salted Fermented Soybean Foods.

    PubMed

    Kamada, Mayumi; Hase, Sumitaka; Fujii, Kazushi; Miyake, Masato; Sato, Kengo; Kimura, Keitarou; Sakakibara, Yasubumi

    2015-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis is the main component in the fermentation of soybeans. To investigate the genetics of the soybean-fermenting B. subtilis strains and its relationship with the productivity of extracellular poly-γ-glutamic acid (γPGA), we sequenced the whole genome of eight B. subtilis stains isolated from non-salted fermented soybean foods in Southeast Asia. Assembled nucleotide sequences were compared with those of a natto (fermented soybean food) starter strain B. subtilis BEST195 and the laboratory standard strain B. subtilis 168 that is incapable of γPGA production. Detected variants were investigated in terms of insertion sequences, biotin synthesis, production of subtilisin NAT, and regulatory genes for γPGA synthesis, which were related to fermentation process. Comparing genome sequences, we found that the strains that produce γPGA have a deletion in a protein that constitutes the flagellar basal body, and this deletion was not found in the non-producing strains. We further identified diversity in variants of the bio operon, which is responsible for the biotin auxotrophism of the natto starter strains. Phylogenetic analysis using multilocus sequencing typing revealed that the B. subtilis strains isolated from the non-salted fermented soybeans were not clustered together, while the natto-fermenting strains were tightly clustered; this analysis also suggested that the strain isolated from "Tua Nao" of Thailand traces a different evolutionary process from other strains.

  4. Whole-Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genome Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Strains Isolated from Non-Salted Fermented Soybean Foods

    PubMed Central

    Kamada, Mayumi; Hase, Sumitaka; Fujii, Kazushi; Miyake, Masato; Sato, Kengo; Kimura, Keitarou; Sakakibara, Yasubumi

    2015-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis is the main component in the fermentation of soybeans. To investigate the genetics of the soybean-fermenting B. subtilis strains and its relationship with the productivity of extracellular poly-γ-glutamic acid (γPGA), we sequenced the whole genome of eight B. subtilis stains isolated from non-salted fermented soybean foods in Southeast Asia. Assembled nucleotide sequences were compared with those of a natto (fermented soybean food) starter strain B. subtilis BEST195 and the laboratory standard strain B. subtilis 168 that is incapable of γPGA production. Detected variants were investigated in terms of insertion sequences, biotin synthesis, production of subtilisin NAT, and regulatory genes for γPGA synthesis, which were related to fermentation process. Comparing genome sequences, we found that the strains that produce γPGA have a deletion in a protein that constitutes the flagellar basal body, and this deletion was not found in the non-producing strains. We further identified diversity in variants of the bio operon, which is responsible for the biotin auxotrophism of the natto starter strains. Phylogenetic analysis using multilocus sequencing typing revealed that the B. subtilis strains isolated from the non-salted fermented soybeans were not clustered together, while the natto-fermenting strains were tightly clustered; this analysis also suggested that the strain isolated from “Tua Nao” of Thailand traces a different evolutionary process from other strains. PMID:26505996

  5. Activity of a Brazilian strain of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis against the cotton Boll Weevil Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

    PubMed

    Monnerat, R; Martins, E; Praça, L; Dumas, V; Berry, C

    2012-02-01

    A Brazilian Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis, toxic to Diptera, including mosquitoes, was found also to show toxicity to the coleopteran boll weevil Anthonomus grandis Boheman at an equivalent level to that of the standard coleopteran-active B. thuringiensis subspecies tenebrionis T08017. Recombinant B. thuringiensis strains expressing the individual Cyt1Aa, Cry4Aa, Cry4Ba and Cry11Aa toxins from this strain were assessed to evaluate their potential contribution to the activity against A. grandis, either alone or in combination. Whilst individual toxins produced mortality, none was sufficiently potent to allow calculation of LC50 values. Combinations of toxins were unable to attain the same potency as the parental B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, suggesting a major role for other factors produced by this strain.

  6. Isolation and characterization of a furfural-degrading bacterium Bacillus cereus sp. strain DS1.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Dan; Bao, Jianguo; Lu, Jueming; Gao, Chunlei

    2015-02-01

    Furfural was found to be the main organic pollutant in the wastewater coming from the Diosgenin factory. This substance is derived from acidic pentosan in Dioscorea zingiberensis and is also found in a variety of agricultural byproducts, including corncobs, oat, wheat bran, and sawdust. It is regarded as a toxicant and an inhibitor to the growth of microorganism in both sewage disposal and biological fermentation. A furfural-degrading strain (DS1) was isolated from activated sludge of wastewater treatment plant in a diosgenin factory by continuous enrichment culture. The strain was identified as Bacillus cereus based on morphological, physiological tests, as well as on 16S rDNA sequence and Biolog analyses. The capacity of this strain to grow on a mineral salt medium, utilizing furfural as the sole carbon and energy source to degrade furfural, was investigated in this study. Under the condition of pH 9.0, temperature 35 °C, with rotating speed of 150 rpm, and an inoculum of 6 %, the strain showed that the furfural degradation capacity reaches 35 % in 7 days, as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The addition of inorganic carbon sources could bring down the biodegradation efficiency of the furfural. The strain DS1 showed better furfural removal capacity, as compared to other inorganic carbon sources in the media. Furthermore, a furfural concentration of as high as 4,000 mg L(-1) was tolerated by the culture. The capacity to degrade furfural was demonstrated for the first time by using the genus B. cereus. This study suggests the possible application in biodegradation strategies.

  7. Reclassification of Bacillus beijingensis Qiu et al. 2009 and Bacillus ginsengi Qiu et al. 2009 as Bhargavaea beijingensis comb. nov. and Bhargavaea ginsengi comb. nov. and emended description of the genus Bhargavaea.

    PubMed

    Verma, Pankaj; Pandey, Prashant Kumar; Gupta, Arvind Kumar; Seong, Chi Nam; Park, Seong Chan; Choe, Han Na; Baik, Keun Sik; Patole, Milind Shivaji; Shouche, Yogesh Shreepad

    2012-10-01

    We have carried out a polyphasic taxonomic characterization of Bacillus beijingensis DSM 19037(T) and Bacillus ginsengi DSM 19038(T), which are closely related phylogenetically to Bhargavaea cecembensis LMG 24411(T). All three strains are Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, moderately halotolerant and non-spore-forming. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the strains constituted a coherent cluster, with sequence similarities between 99.7 and 98.7 %. The percentage similarity on the basis of amino acid sequences deduced from partial gyrB gene nucleotide sequences of these three type strains was 96.1-92.7 %. Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene and GyrB amino acid sequences, obtained by using three different algorithms, were consistent and showed that these three species constituted a deeply rooted cluster separated from the clades represented by the genera Bacillus, Planococcus, Planomicrobium, Sporosarcina, Lysinibacillus, Viridibacillus, Kurthia and Geobacillus, supporting their placement in the genus Bhargavaea. All three type strains have menaquinone MK-8 as the major respiratory quinone and showed similar fatty acid profiles. The main polar lipids present in the three type strains were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol, and the three strains showed peptidoglycan type A4α with L-lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The DNA G+C contents of Bacillus beijingensis DSM 19037(T), Bacillus ginsengi DSM 19038(T) and Bhargavaea cecembensis LMG 24411(T) were 53.1, 50.2 and 53.7 mol%, respectively. The level of DNA-DNA hybridization among the three strains was 57-39 %, indicating that they are members of different species of the genus Bhargavaea. The phenotypic data are consistent with the placement of these three species in a single genus and support their differentiation at the species level. On the basis of these data, we have emended the description of the genus Bhargavaea and propose the reclassification of Bacillus beijingensis

  8. Detection of toxigenic Bacillus cereus strains isolated from vegetables in Mexico City.

    PubMed

    Flores-Urbán, Karen A; Natividad-Bonifacio, Iván; Vázquez-Quiñones, Carlos R; Vázquez-Salinas, Carlos; Quiñones-Ramírez, Elsa Irma

    2014-12-01

    Bacillus cereus can cause diarrhea and emetic syndromes after ingestion of food contaminated with it. This ability is due to the production of enterotoxins by this microorganism, these being the hemolysin BL complex, which is involved in the diarrheal syndrome, and cereulide, which is responsible for the emetic syndrome. The detection of genes associated with the production of these toxins can predict the virulence of strains isolated from contaminated food. In this paper, we analyzed 100 samples of vegetables, 25 of each kind (broccoli, coriander, carrot, and lettuce) obtained from different markets in Mexico City and its metropolitan area. B. cereus was isolated in 32, 44, 84, and 68% of the samples of broccoli, carrot, lettuce, and coriander, respectively. The hblA gene (encoding one of the three subunits of hemolysin BL) was amplified in 100% of the B. cereus isolates, and the ces gene (encoding the cereulide) could not be amplified from any of them. This is the first report of B. cereus isolation from the vegetables analyzed in this work and, also, the first report in Mexico of the isolation from vegetables of strains with potential virulence. The results should serve as evidence of the potential risk of consuming these foods without proper treatment.

  9. [Development and comparative evaluation of up-converting phosphor technology based lateral flow assay for rapid detection of Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis spore and Brucella spp].

    PubMed

    Li, Chunfeng; Zhang, Pingping; Wang, Xiaoying; Liu, Xiao; Zhao, Yong; Sun, Chongyun; Wang, Chengbin; Yang, Ruifu; Zhou, Lei

    2015-01-01

    To develop an up-converting phosphor technology based lateral flow (UPT-LF) assay for rapid and quantitative detection of Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis spore and Brucella spp.and make the comparison with BioThreat Alert (BTA) test strips (Tetracore Inc., USA). Using up-converting phosphor nano-particles (UCP-NPs) as the bio-marker, three double-antibody-sandwich model based UPT-LF strips including Plague-UPT-LF, Anthrax-UPT-LF, Brucella-UPT-LF were prepared and its sensitivity, accuracy, linearity and specificity were determined by detecting 10(10), 10(9), 10(8), 10(7), 10(6), 10(5) and 0 CFU/ml series of concentrations of Y.pestis, B.anthracis, Brucella standards and other 27 kinds of 10(9) CFU/ml series of contrations of bacteria strains.Furthermore, the speed, sensitivity and accuracy of bacteria standards and simulated sample detection were compared between UPT-LF and BTA system. The detection limit of Plague-UPT-LF, Anthrax-UPT-LF and Brucella-LF was 10(5) CFU/ml. The CV of series of bacteria concentrations was ≤ 15%, and the r between lg (T/C-cut-off) and lg (concentration) was 0.996,0.998 and 0.999 (F values were 1 647.57, 743.51 and 1 822.17. All the P values were <0.001), respectively. The specificity of Plague-UPT-LF and Brucella-LF were excellent, while that of Anthrax-UPT-LF was a little bit regretful because of non-specific reaction with two isolates of B. subtilis and one B.cereus. On-site evaluation showed the detection time of UPT-LF for all Y.pestis, B.anthracis spore and Brucella spp.was 33, 36 and 37 min, while BTA was 115, 115 and 111 min, which revealed the higher detection speed and sensitivity of UPT-LF comparing with BTA. The negative rate of two methods for blank standard was both 5/5, the sensitivity of UPT-LF for Y.pestis,B.anthracis spore and Brucella spp. was all 10(5) CFU/ml, then BTA was 10(6), 10(6) and 10(5) CFU/ml, respectively. The detection rate of UPT-LF for all three bacteria analog positive samples was 16/16, while BTA

  10. [Maxillary sinus infection by Bacillus licheniformis: a case report from Djibouti].

    PubMed

    Garcia Hejl, C; Sanmartin, N; Samson, T; Soler, C; Koeck, J-L

    2015-01-01

    Aerobic, spore-forming gram-positive Bacillus spp infections are rare and reported mainly in immunocompromised hosts. We report a case of acute unilateral maxillary sinusitis, caused by Bacillus licheniformis, in a 35-year-old French soldier stationed in Djibouti. It was easily identifiable due to its typical culture and resistance profile. This case is interesting for two reasons: first, it is, to our knowledge, the first case of sinusitis attributed to this microbe, and second, it has rarely been described in immunocompetent patients without altered skin or mucous membranes.

  11. Bacillus galliciensis sp. nov., isolated from faeces of wild seahorses (Hippocampus guttulatus).

    PubMed

    Balcázar, José Luis; Pintado, José; Planas, Miquel

    2010-04-01

    A Gram-positive-staining, motile, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium (BFLP-1( T)) was isolated from faeces of wild long-snouted seahorses ( Hippocampus guttulatus) captured in north-west Spain (Toralla, Galicia). Strain BFLP-1(T) grew at 10-30 degrees C and pH 5.5-9 (optimally at 20 degrees C and pH 7.2) and with 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally with 2 % NaCl). The G+C content of the DNA was 48.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BFLP-1(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus and was most closely related to Bacillus herbersteinensis D-1,5a(T) (96.6 %), B. shackletonii LMG 18435(T) (96.0 %) and B. isabeliae CVS-8(T) (95.9 %). Chemotaxonomic data (peptidoglycan type, meso-diaminopimelic acid; major menaquinone, MK-7; predominant fatty acids, anteiso-C(15 : 0 ), anteiso-C(17 : 0) and C(16 : 1 )omega11c; major polar lipids, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unknown aminoglycophospholipid) supported the affiliation of strain BFLP-1(T) to the genus Bacillus . Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and chemotaxonomic and phenotypic features indicated that strain BFLP-1(T) represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus galliciensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BFLP-1( T) (=DSM 21539(T) =LMG 24668(T)).

  12. Application of statistical experimental design for optimisation of bioinsecticides production by sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain on cheap medium.

    PubMed

    Ben Khedher, Saoussen; Jaoua, Samir; Zouari, Nabil

    2013-01-01

    In order to overproduce bioinsecticides production by a sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain, an optimal composition of a cheap medium was defined using a response surface methodology. In a first step, a Plackett-Burman design used to evaluate the effects of eight medium components on delta-endotoxin production showed that starch, soya bean and sodium chloride exhibited significant effects on bioinsecticides production. In a second step, these parameters were selected for further optimisation by central composite design. The obtained results revealed that the optimum culture medium for delta-endotoxin production consists of 30 g L(-1) starch, 30 g L(-1) soya bean and 9 g L(-1) sodium chloride. When compared to the basal production medium, an improvement in delta-endotoxin production up to 50% was noted. Moreover, relative toxin yield of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis S22 was improved markedly by using optimised cheap medium (148.5 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch) when compared to the yield obtained in the basal medium (94.46 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch). Therefore, the use of optimised culture cheap medium appeared to be a good alternative for a low cost production of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides at industrial scale which is of great importance in practical point of view.

  13. Application of statistical experimental design for optimisation of bioinsecticides production by sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain on cheap medium

    PubMed Central

    Ben Khedher, Saoussen; Jaoua, Samir; Zouari, Nabil

    2013-01-01

    In order to overproduce bioinsecticides production by a sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain, an optimal composition of a cheap medium was defined using a response surface methodology. In a first step, a Plackett-Burman design used to evaluate the effects of eight medium components on delta-endotoxin production showed that starch, soya bean and sodium chloride exhibited significant effects on bioinsecticides production. In a second step, these parameters were selected for further optimisation by central composite design. The obtained results revealed that the optimum culture medium for delta-endotoxin production consists of 30 g L−1 starch, 30 g L−1 soya bean and 9 g L−1 sodium chloride. When compared to the basal production medium, an improvement in delta-endotoxin production up to 50% was noted. Moreover, relative toxin yield of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis S22 was improved markedly by using optimised cheap medium (148.5 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch) when compared to the yield obtained in the basal medium (94.46 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch). Therefore, the use of optimised culture cheap medium appeared to be a good alternative for a low cost production of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides at industrial scale which is of great importance in practical point of view. PMID:24516462

  14. The efficacy and safety of nine South African medicinal plants in controlling Bacillus anthracis Sterne vaccine strain.

    PubMed

    Elisha, Ishaku Leo; Dzoyem, Jean-Paul; Botha, Francien S; Eloff, Jacobus Nicolaas

    2016-01-08

    Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium. The presence of the bacteria and the toxins in the blood of infected hosts trigger a cascade of pathological events leading to death. Nine medicinal plants with good activities against other bacteria were selected to determine their in vitro antibacterial activity against Bacillus anthracis Sterne strain. The cytotoxicity of the extracts on Vero kidney cells was also determined. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the extracts against Bacillus anthracis Sterne strain ranged from 0.02 to 0.31 mg/ml. Excellent MIC values were observed for the following plant species: Maesa lanceolata (0.02 mg/ml), Bolusanthus speciosus, Hypericum roeperianum, Morus mesozygia (0.04 mg/ml) and Pittosporum viridiflorum (0.08 mg/ml). The total antibacterial activity of the extracts ranged from 92 to 5562 ml/g. Total activity presents the volume to which the extract from 1 g of plant material can be diluted and still inhibit microbial growth. Maesa lanceolata and Hypericum roeperianum had the highest total activity with values of 5562 and 2999 ml/g respectively. The extracts of Calpurnia aurea had the lowest total activity (92 ml/g). The cytotoxicity determined on Vero cells indicated that most of the extracts were relatively non-toxic compared to doxorubicin (LC50 8.3 ± 1.76 μg/ml), except for the extracts of Maesa lanceolata, Elaeodendron croceum and Calpurnia aurea with LC50 values at 2.38 ± 0.25, 5.20 ± 0.24 and 13 ± 2.26 μg/ml respectively. The selectivity index (SI) ranged from 0.02 to 1.66. Hypericum roeperianum had the best selectivity index, (SI = 1.66) and Elaeodendron croceum had lowest value (SI = 0.02). The crude acetone extracts of the selected plant species had promising antibacterial activity against Bacillus anthracis. Maesa lanceolata extracts could be useful as a disinfectant and Hypericum roeperianum could be

  15. Functional Feed Assessment on Litopenaeus vannamei Using 100% Fish Meal Replacement by Soybean Meal, High Levels of Complex Carbohydrates and Bacillus Probiotic Strains

    PubMed Central

    Olmos, Jorge; Ochoa, Leonel; Paniagua-Michel, Jesus; Contreras, Rosalia

    2011-01-01

    Functional feed supplemented with alternative-economic nutrient sources (protein, carbohydrates, lipids) and probiotics are being considered in shrimp/fish aquaculture production systems as an option to increase yield and profits and to reduce water pollution. In this study the probiotic potential to formulate functional feeds have been evaluated using four dietary treatments: Treatment 1 (B + Bs); Bacillus subtilis potential probiotic strain was supplemented to a soybeanmeal (SBM)—carbohydrates (CHO) basal feed. Treatment 2 (B + Bm); Bacillus megaterium potential probiotic strain was supplemented to the same SBM-CHO basal feed. In Treatment 3 (B); SBM-CHO basal feed was not supplemented with probiotic strains. Treatment 4 (C); fishmeal commercial feed (FM) was utilized as positive control. Feeding trials evaluated the survival, growth, and food conversion ratio and stress tolerance of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) Pacific white shrimp. Best overall shrimp performance was observed for animals fed with Treatment 1 (B+Bs); additionally, stress tolerance and hemolymph metabolites also showed the best performance in this treatment. SBM-CHO basal feed not supplemented with probiotic strains (B) presented smaller growth and lower feed conversion ratio (FCR). Shrimps fed with the fishmeal commercial feed (C) presented the lowest stress tolerance to high ammonia and low oxygen levels. Specifically selected B. subtilis strains are recommended to formulate functional and economical feeds containing high levels of vegetable; protein and carbohydrates as main dietary sources in L. vannamei cultures. PMID:21747750

  16. Functional feed assessment on Litopenaeus vannamei using 100% fish meal replacement by soybean meal, high levels of complex carbohydrates and Bacillus probiotic strains.

    PubMed

    Olmos, Jorge; Ochoa, Leonel; Paniagua-Michel, Jesus; Contreras, Rosalia

    2011-01-01

    Functional feed supplemented with alternative-economic nutrient sources (protein, carbohydrates, lipids) and probiotics are being considered in shrimp/fish aquaculture production systems as an option to increase yield and profits and to reduce water pollution. In this study the probiotic potential to formulate functional feeds have been evaluated using four dietary treatments: Treatment 1 (B + Bs); Bacillus subtilis potential probiotic strain was supplemented to a soybeanmeal (SBM)-carbohydrates (CHO) basal feed. Treatment 2 (B + Bm); Bacillus megaterium potential probiotic strain was supplemented to the same SBM-CHO basal feed. In Treatment 3 (B); SBM-CHO basal feed was not supplemented with probiotic strains. Treatment 4 (C); fishmeal commercial feed (FM) was utilized as positive control. Feeding trials evaluated the survival, growth, and food conversion ratio and stress tolerance of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) Pacific white shrimp. Best overall shrimp performance was observed for animals fed with Treatment 1 (B+Bs); additionally, stress tolerance and hemolymph metabolites also showed the best performance in this treatment. SBM-CHO basal feed not supplemented with probiotic strains (B) presented smaller growth and lower feed conversion ratio (FCR). Shrimps fed with the fishmeal commercial feed (C) presented the lowest stress tolerance to high ammonia and low oxygen levels. Specifically selected B. subtilis strains are recommended to formulate functional and economical feeds containing high levels of vegetable; protein and carbohydrates as main dietary sources in L. vannamei cultures.

  17. Characterization of lipoteichoic acid structures from three probiotic Bacillus strains: involvement of D-alanine in their biological activity.

    PubMed

    Villéger, Romain; Saad, Naima; Grenier, Karine; Falourd, Xavier; Foucat, Loïc; Urdaci, Maria C; Bressollier, Philippe; Ouk, Tan-Sothea

    2014-10-01

    Probiotics represent a potential strategy to influence the host's immune system thereby modulating immune response. Lipoteichoic Acid (LTA) is a major immune-stimulating component of Gram-positive cell envelopes. This amphiphilic polymer, anchored in the cytoplasmic membrane by means of its glycolipid component, typically consists of a poly (glycerol-phosphate) chain with D-alanine and/or glycosyl substitutions. LTA is known to stimulate macrophages in vitro, leading to secretion of inflammatory mediators such as Nitric Oxide (NO). This study investigates the structure-activity relationship of purified LTA from three probiotic Bacillus strains (Bacillus cereus CH, Bacillus subtilis CU1 and Bacillus clausii O/C). LTAs were extracted from bacterial cultures and purified. Chemical modification by means of hydrolysis at pH 8.5 was performed to remove D-alanine. The molecular structure of native and modified LTAs was determined by (1)H NMR and GC-MS, and their inflammatory potential investigated by measuring NO production by RAW 264.7 macrophages. Structural analysis revealed several differences between the newly characterized LTAs, mainly relating to their D-alanylation rates and poly (glycerol-phosphate) chain length. We observed induction of NO production by LTAs from B. subtilis and B. clausii, whereas weaker NO production was observed with B. cereus. LTA dealanylation abrogated NO production independently of the glycolipid component, suggesting that immunomodulatory potential depends on D-alanine substitutions. D-alanine may control the spatial configuration of LTAs and their recognition by cell receptors. Knowledge of molecular mechanisms behind the immunomodulatory abilities of probiotics is essential to optimize their use.

  18. Rapid Aggregation of Biofuel-Producing Algae by the Bacterium Bacillus sp. Strain RP1137

    PubMed Central

    Powell, Ryan J.

    2013-01-01

    Algal biofuels represent one of the most promising means of sustainably replacing liquid fuels. However, significant challenges remain before alga-based fuels become competitive with fossil fuels. One of the largest challenges is the ability to harvest the algae in an economical and low-energy manner. In this article, we describe the isolation of a bacterial strain, Bacillus sp. strain RP1137, which can rapidly aggregate several algae that are candidates for biofuel production, including a Nannochloropsis sp. This bacterium aggregates algae in a pH-dependent and reversible manner and retains its aggregation ability after paraformaldehyde fixation, opening the possibility for reuse of the cells. The optimal ratio of bacteria to algae is described, as is the robustness of aggregation at different salinities and temperatures. Aggregation is dependent on the presence of calcium or magnesium ions. The efficiency of aggregation of Nannochloropsis oceanica IMET1 is between 70 and 95% and is comparable to that obtained by other means of harvest; however, the rate of harvest is fast, with aggregates forming in 30 s. PMID:23892750

  19. Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase production by new Bacillus sp. strains isolated from brazilian soil

    PubMed Central

    Menocci, Vivian; Goulart, Antonio José; Adalberto, Paulo Roberto; Tavano, Olga Luisa; Marques, Daniela Parreira; Contiero, Jonas; Monti, Rubens

    2008-01-01

    Three strains of Bacillus sp. (BACRP, BACNC-1 and BACAR) were isolated from soil adhered to cassava husk. CGTase specific activity for the three isolated strains was higher when cultivated at 40°C. Potato starch, cassava starch, maltodextrin and glucose were used as carbon source and growth temperatures varied from 25 to 55°C. The three isolates presented higher CGTase specific activity when cultivated with potato starch at 40°C. Isolated BACRP and BACAR presented specific activity of 4.0×10–3 and 2.2×10–3 U/mg prot at pH 7.0, respectively, when cultivated in mediums added with NaCl 2%; at pH 10,0 their activities were of 3.4×10–3 and 3.0×10–3 U/mg prot, respectively, in the same concentration of NaCl. On the other hand, the isolated BACNC-1 presented activity specific of 2.4×10–3 U/mg prot when cultivated at pH 7.0 added of NaCl 1%, and at pH 10.0 the specific activity was of 3.4×10–3 U/mg prot without NaCl addition. This work also showed the presence of cyclodextrins formed during fermentation process and that precipitation with acetone or lyophilization followed by dialysis was efficient at removing CDs (cyclodextrins), thus, eliminating interference in the activity assays. The enzyme produced by the BACAR strain was partially purified and β-CD was liberated as a reaction product. PMID:24031289

  20. Biofilm and metallo beta-lactamase production among the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.

    PubMed

    Baniya, Bandana; Pant, Narayan Dutt; Neupane, Sanjeev; Khatiwada, Saroj; Yadav, Uday Narayan; Bhandari, Nisha; Khadka, Rama; Bhatta, Sabita; Chaudhary, Raina

    2017-11-02

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. are found to be associated with biofilm and metallo-β-lactamase production and are the common causes of serious infections mainly in hospitalized patients. So, the main aims of this study were to determine the rates of biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production (MBL) among the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. isolated from hospitalized patients. A total of 85 P. aeruginosa isolates and 50 Acinetobacter spp. isolates isolated from different clinical specimens from patients admitted to Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from July 2013 to May 2014 were included in this study. The bacterial isolates were identified with the help of biochemical tests. Modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Combined disc diffusion technique was used for the detection of MBL production, while Congo red agar method and tube adherence method were used for detection of biofilm production. Around 16.4% of P. aeruginosa isolates and 22% of the strains of Acinetobacter spp. were metallo β-lactamase producers. Out of 85 P. aeruginosa isolates, 23 (27.05%) were biofilm producers according to tube adherence test while, only 13 (15.29%) were biofilm producers as per Congo red agar method. Similarly, out of 50 Acinetobacter spp. 7 (14%) isolates were biofilm producers on the basis of tube adherence test, while only 5 (10%) were positive for biofilm production by Congo red agar method. Highest rates of susceptibility of P. aeruginosa as well as Acinetobacter spp. were seen toward colistin. In our study, biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production were observed among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. However, no statistically significant association could be established between biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production.

  1. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TSBSO 3.8, a biosurfactant-producing strain with biotechnological potential for microbial enhanced oil recovery.

    PubMed

    Alvarez, Vanessa Marques; Jurelevicius, Diogo; Marques, Joana Montezano; de Souza, Pamella Macedo; de Araújo, Livia Vieira; Barros, Thalita Gonçalves; de Souza, Rodrigo Octavio Mendonça Alves; Freire, Denise Maria Guimarães; Seldin, Lucy

    2015-12-01

    A screening for biosurfactant-producing bacteria was conducted with 217 strains that were isolated from environmental samples contaminated with crude oil and/or petroleum derivatives. Although 19 promising biosurfactant producers were detected, strain TSBSO 3.8, which was identified by molecular methods as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, drew attention for its production of a high-activity compound that presented an emulsification activity of 63% and considerably decreased surface (28.5 mN/m) and interfacial (11.4 mN/m) tensions in Trypticase Soy Broth culture medium. TSBSO 3.8 growth and biosurfactant production were tested under different physical and chemical conditions to evaluate its biotechnological potential. Biosurfactant production occurred between 0.5% and 7% NaCl, at pH values varying from 6 to 9 and temperatures ranging from 28 to 50 °C. Moreover, biosurfactant properties remained the same after autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 min. The biosurfactant was also successful in a test to simulate microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). Mass spectrometry analysis showed that the surface active compound was a surfactin, known as a powerful biosurfactant that is commonly produced by Bacillus species. The production of a high-efficiency biosurfactant, under some physical and chemical conditions that resemble those experienced in an oil production reservoir, such as high salinities and temperatures, makes TSBSO 3.8 an excellent candidate and creates good expectations for its application in MEOR. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Study of strains of Candida spp. Isolated from catheters in UHC of Oran (Algeria): Identification and antifungal susceptibility.

    PubMed

    Bendjelloul, M; Boucherit-Otmani, Z; Boucherit, K

    2016-09-01

    The increasing incidence of Candida spp., and the vital prognosis often compromise for patients with Candida species make urgent the exact knowledge of their distribution worldwide and exhaust action antifungals currently used in clinical. That why we carry out an epidemiological study of Candida species and testing their susceptibility against two antifungals: amphotericin B and caspofungin. Samplings of peripheral venous catheters (PVC) were carried out from during 8months on the services of Internal medicine, Surgery A and Neonatology of Oran's University Hospital Center (UHC). The study of the susceptibility of Candida species to antifungal agents was performed according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI 2008). From 300 samples, 25 yeasts were isolated. The rate of colonization PVC was 8.33% by Candida spp. The most isolated strains were Candida parapsilosis with 64% of cases, followed by Candida albicans (12%) then 8% for Candida glabrata and Candida krusei. However, only 4% of isolates were Candida famata or Candida lusitaniae. Furthermore all isolated strains were susceptible to amphotericin B with Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) ranging from 0.25 to 1μg/mL. MIC obtained with caspofungin vary from 0.0625 to 2μg/mL for all strains. Moreover, one strain of C. krusei is resistant to caspofungin with a MIC superior to 8μg/mL. All though caspofungin is at least as effective as amphotericin B, it is better tolerated for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  3. A probiotic Bacillus strain containing amorphous poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) stimulates the innate immune response of Penaeus monodon postlarvae.

    PubMed

    Laranja, Joseph Leopoldo Q; Amar, Edgar C; Ludevese-Pascual, Gladys L; Niu, Yufeng; Geaga, Mary Joy; De Schryver, Peter; Bossier, Peter

    2017-09-01

    In this study, the PHB-accumulating Bacillus sp. JL47 strain (capable of accumulating 55% PHB on cell dry weight) was investigated for its effects on the immune response of giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) postlarvae (PL) before and after the Vibrio campbellii challenge. Briefly, shrimp PL were cultured and fed with Artemia nauplii enriched with Bacillus sp. JL47. Shrimp receiving the Artemia nauplii without JL47 enrichment were used as control. After 15 days of feeding, the shrimp were challenged with pathogenic V. campbellii LMG 21363 at 10 6  cells mL -1 by immersion. Relative expression of the immune related genes encoding for prophenoloxidase (proPO), transglutaminase (TGase) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in the shrimp were measured before (0 h) and after (3, 6, 9, 12, 24 h) the Vibrio challenge by quantitative real-time PCR using β-actin as the reference gene. The expressions of TGase and proPO were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) within 9 h and 12 h, respectively after challenge in shrimp receiving the Bacillus sp. JL47 as compared to the challenged and non-challenged controls. Hsp70 expression was significantly increased (p < 0.05) at 3 h post-challenge in all challenged shrimp. Interestingly, proPO and TGase genes were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) in Bacillus sp. JL47 treated shrimp even before the Vibrio challenge was applied. No up-regulation in the Hsp70 gene, however, was observed under these conditions. The data suggest that the protective effect of the PHB-accumulating Bacillus sp. JL47 in shrimp was due to its capacity to stimulate the innate immune related genes of the shrimp, specifically the proPO and TGase genes. The application of probiotic Bacillus species, capable of accumulating a significant amount of PHB, is suggested as potential immunostimulatory strategy for aquaculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Sporulation boundaries and spore formation kinetics of Bacillus spp. as a function of temperature, pH and a(w).

    PubMed

    Baril, Eugénie; Coroller, Louis; Couvert, Olivier; El Jabri, Mohammed; Leguerinel, Ivan; Postollec, Florence; Boulais, Christophe; Carlin, Frédéric; Mafart, Pierre

    2012-10-01

    Sporulation niches in the food chain are considered as a source of hazard and are not clearly identified. Determining the sporulation environmental boundaries could contribute to identify potential sporulation niches. Spore formation was determined in a Sporulation Mineral Buffer. The effect of incubation temperature, pH and water activity on time to one spore per mL, maximum sporulation rate and final spore concentration was investigated for a Bacillus weihenstephanensis and a Bacillus licheniformis strain. Sporulation boundaries of B. weihenstephanensis and of B. licheniformis were similar to, or included within, the range of temperatures, pH and water activities supporting growth. For instance, sporulation boundaries of B. weihenstephanensis were evaluated at 5°C, 35°C, pH 5.2 and a(w) 0.960 while growth boundaries were observed at 5°C, 37°C, pH 4.9 and a(w) 0.950. Optimum spore formation was determined at 30°C pH 7.2 for B. weihenstephanensis and at 45°C pH 7.2 for B. licheniformis. Lower temperatures and pH delayed the sporulation process. For instance, the time to one spore per mL was tenfold longer when sporulation occurred at 10°C and 20°C, for each strain respectively, than at optimum sporulation temperature. The relative effect of temperature and pH on sporulation rates and on growth rates is similar. This work suggests that the influence of environmental factors on the quantitative changes in sporulation boundaries and rates was similar to their influence on changes in growth rate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Activation of bovine neutrophils by Brucella spp.

    PubMed

    Keleher, Lauren L; Skyberg, Jerod A

    2016-09-01

    Brucellosis is a globally important zoonotic infectious disease caused by gram negative bacteria of the genus Brucella. While many species of Brucella exist, Brucella melitensis, Brucella abortus, and Brucella suis are the most common pathogens of humans and livestock. The virulence of Brucella is largely influenced by its ability to evade host factors, including phagocytic killing mechanisms, which are critical for the host response to infection. The aim of this study was to characterize the bovine neutrophil response to virulent Brucella spp. Here, we found that virulent strains of smooth B. abortus, B. melitensis, B. suis, and virulent, rough, strains of Brucella canis possess similar abilities to resist killing by resting, or IFN-γ-activated, bovine neutrophils. Bovine neutrophils responded to infection with a time-dependent oxidative burst that varied little between Brucella spp. Inhibition of TAK1, or SYK kinase blunted the oxidative burst of neutrophils in response to Brucella infection. Interestingly, Brucella spp. did not induce robust death of bovine neutrophils. These results indicate that bovine neutrophils respond similarly to virulent Brucella spp. In addition, virulent Brucella spp., including naturally rough strains of B. canis, have a conserved ability to resist killing by bovine neutrophils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Bacillus niabensis sp. nov., isolated from cotton-waste composts for mushroom cultivation.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Soon-Wo; Lee, Seon-Young; Kim, Byung-Yong; Weon, Hang-Yeon; Kim, Jung-Bong; Go, Seung-Joo; Lee, Gil-Bok

    2007-08-01

    A group of five bacilli, designated strains 4T12, 4T19(T), 5M45, 5M53 and 5T52, isolated from cotton-waste composts for mushroom cultivation, were examined. These strains were Gram-positive, aerobic, motile, spore-forming rods. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses revealed that the isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus, showing the highest levels of similarity (approx. 96.6-96.9 %) with respect to Bacillus herbersteinensis DSM 16534(T). The values for DNA-DNA hybridization (approx. 85-96 %) among these five strains revealed that they belong to the same species. The major menaquinone present was MK-7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0) (approx. 24.5-33.9 %) and C(16 : 0) (approx. 15.1-34.1 %). The DNA G+C contents were 37.7-40.9 mol%. On the basis of physiological, biochemical, chemotaxonomic and comparative genomic analyses, the five isolates represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus niabensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 4T19(T) (=KACC 11279(T) =DSM 17723(T)).

  7. Evaluation of Genetic Diversity of Candida spp. and Klebsiella spp. Isolated from the Denture Plaque of COPD Patients.

    PubMed

    Przybyłowska, D; Piskorska, K; Gołaś, M; Sikora, M; Swoboda-Kopeć, E; Kostrzewa-Janicka, J; Mierzwińska-Nastalska, E

    2017-01-01

    Yeast-like fungi and gram-negative bacilli are the most frequent potential pathogens of the respiratory tract isolated from the denture plaque of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Dominant species among yeast-like fungi are Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Significant frequency is also exhibited by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca. The purpose of this study was to analyze genetic diversity of the strains of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and Klebsiella spp. present in patients in stable phases of COPD. The analysis was conducted by the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method on clinical strains isolated from patients with COPD and control patients in overall good health. Forty one strains of Candida albicans, 12 of Candida tropicalis, as well as 9 strains of K. pneumoniae and 7 of K. oxytoca were scrutinized. The dominant species in clinical material from COPD patients was Candida albicans with a substantial degree of variations of genetic profiles. On the basis of affinity analysis, 19 genetic types were identified within this strain. An analysis of the banding patterns among C. tropicalis strains indicated the existence of 6 genetic types. A considerable diversity of genetic profiles among Klebsiella spp. also was established. The genotype diversity of Klebsiella spp. strains may indicate the endogenic character of the majority of infections, regardless of the therapy applied for the underlying condition.

  8. Diversity of Secondary Metabolites from Marine Bacillus Species: Chemistry and Biological Activity

    PubMed Central

    Mondol, Muhammad Abdul Mojid; Shin, Hee Jae; Islam, Mohammad Tofazzal

    2013-01-01

    Marine Bacillus species produce versatile secondary metabolites including lipopeptides, polypeptides, macrolactones, fatty acids, polyketides, and isocoumarins. These structurally diverse compounds exhibit a wide range of biological activities, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and antialgal activities. Some marine Bacillus strains can detoxify heavy metals through reduction processes and have the ability to produce carotenoids. The present article reviews the chemistry and biological activities of secondary metabolites from marine isolates. Side by side, the potential for application of these novel natural products from marine Bacillus strains as drugs, pesticides, carotenoids, and tools for the bioremediation of heavy metal toxicity are also discussed. PMID:23941823

  9. Bacillus cereus Biofilms—Same, Only Different

    PubMed Central

    Majed, Racha; Faille, Christine; Kallassy, Mireille; Gohar, Michel

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus cereus displays a high diversity of lifestyles and ecological niches and include beneficial as well as pathogenic strains. These strains are widespread in the environment, are found on inert as well as on living surfaces and contaminate persistently the production lines of the food industry. Biofilms are suspected to play a key role in this ubiquitous distribution and in this persistency. Indeed, B. cereus produces a variety of biofilms which differ in their architecture and mechanism of formation, possibly reflecting an adaptation to various environments. Depending on the strain, B. cereus has the ability to grow as immersed or floating biofilms, and to secrete within the biofilm a vast array of metabolites, surfactants, bacteriocins, enzymes, and toxins, all compounds susceptible to act on the biofilm itself and/or on its environment. Within the biofilm, B. cereus exists in different physiological states and is able to generate highly resistant and adhesive spores, which themselves will increase the resistance of the bacterium to antimicrobials or to cleaning procedures. Current researches show that, despite similarities with the regulation processes and effector molecules involved in the initiation and maturation of the extensively studied Bacillus subtilis biofilm, important differences exists between the two species. The present review summarizes the up to date knowledge on biofilms produced by B. cereus and by two closely related pathogens, Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus anthracis. Economic issues caused by B. cereus biofilms and management strategies implemented to control these biofilms are included in this review, which also discuss the ecological and functional roles of biofilms in the lifecycle of these bacterial species and explore future developments in this important research area. PMID:27458448

  10. Draft Genome Sequence of the Entomopathogenic Bacterium Bacillus pumilus 15.1, a Strain Highly Toxic to the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata

    PubMed Central

    García-Ramón, Diana C.; Palma, Leopoldo; Berry, Colin; Osuna, Antonio

    2015-01-01

    We present the draft whole-genome sequence of the entomopathogenic Bacillus pumilus 15.1 strain that consists of 3,795,691 bp and 3,776 predicted protein-coding genes. This genome sequence provides the basis for understanding the potential mechanism behind the toxicity and virulence of B. pumilus 15.1 against the Mediterranean fruit fly. PMID:26404596

  11. ResDE Two-Component Regulatory System Mediates Oxygen Limitation-Induced Biofilm Formation by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xuan; Zhang, Nan; Xia, Liming; Li, Qing; Shao, Jiahui; Shen, Qirong; Zhang, Ruifu

    2018-04-15

    Efficient biofilm formation and root colonization capabilities facilitate the ability of beneficial plant rhizobacteria to promote plant growth and antagonize soilborne pathogens. Biofilm formation by plant-beneficial Bacillus strains is triggered by environmental cues, including oxygen deficiency, but the pathways that sense these environmental signals and regulate biofilm formation have not been thoroughly elucidated. In this study, we showed that the ResDE two-component regulatory system in the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain SQR9 senses the oxygen deficiency signal and regulates biofilm formation. ResE is activated by sensing the oxygen limitation-induced reduction of the NAD + /NADH pool through its PAS domain, stimulating its kinase activity, and resulting in the transfer of a phosphoryl group to ResD. The phosphorylated ResD directly binds to the promoter regions of the qoxABCD and ctaCDEF operons to improve the biosynthesis of terminal oxidases, which can interact with KinB to activate biofilm formation. These results not only revealed the novel regulatory function of the ResDE two-component system but also contributed to the understanding of the complicated regulatory network governing Bacillus biofilm formation. This research may help to enhance the root colonization and the plant-beneficial efficiency of SQR9 and other Bacillus rhizobacteria used in agriculture. IMPORTANCE Bacillus spp. are widely used as bioinoculants for plant growth promotion and disease suppression. The exertion of their plant-beneficial functions is largely dependent on their root colonization, which is closely related to their biofilm formation capabilities. On the other hand, Bacillus is the model bacterium for biofilm study, and the process and molecular network of biofilm formation are well characterized (B. Mielich-Süss and D. Lopez, Environ Microbiol 17:555-565, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12527; L. S. Cairns, L. Hobley, and

  12. Formulation development of the biocontrol agent Bacillus subtilis strain CPA-8 by spray-drying.

    PubMed

    Yánez-Mendizábal, V; Viñas, I; Usall, J; Torres, R; Solsona, C; Abadias, M; Teixidó, N

    2012-05-01

    To prepare commercially acceptable formulations of Bacillus subtilis CPA-8 by spray-drying with long storage life and retained efficacy to control peach and nectarine brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. CPA-8 24-h- and 72-h-old cultures were spray dried using 10% skimmed milk, 10% skimmed milk plus 10% MgSO(4) , 10% MgSO(4) and 20% MgSO(4) as carriers/protectants. All carriers/protectants gave good percentages of powder recovery (28-38%) and moisture content (7-13%). CPA-8 survival varied considerably among spray-dried 24-h- and 72-h-old cultures. Seventy-two hours culture spray dried formulations showed the highest survival (28-32%) with final concentration products of 1·6-3·3 × 10(9) CFU g(-1) , while viability of 24-h-old formulations was lower than 1%. Spray-dried 72-h-old formulations were selected to subsequent evaluation. Rehydration of cells with water provided a good recovery of CPA-8 dried cells, similar to other complex rehydration media tested. Spray-dried formulations stored at 4 ± 1 and 20 ± 1°C showed good shelf life during 6 months, and viability was maintained or slightly decreased by 0·2-0·3-log. CPA-8 formulations after 4- and 6 months storage were effective in controlling brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. on nectarines and peaches resulting in a 90-100% reduction in disease incidence. Stable and effective formulations of biocontrol agent B. subtilis CPA-8 could be obtained by spray-drying. New shelf-stable and effective formulations of a biocontrol agent have been obtained by spray-drying to control brown rot on peach. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  13. Formulations of Bacillus subtilis BY-2 suppress Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on oilseed rape in the field

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We are developing a collection of Bacillus strains, isolated from different environments, for use in controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on oilseed rape in China and elsewhere. Strain BY-2, isolated from internal tissues of an oilseed rape root, was demonstrated to be Bacillus subtilis based on bi...

  14. Growth inhibition of Listeria spp. on Camembert cheese by bacteria producing inhibitory substances.

    PubMed

    Sulzer, G; Busse, M

    1991-12-01

    Bacterial strains exhibiting antimicrobial activity towards other bacteria are quite common in nature. During the past few years several genera have been shown to exert inhibitory action against Listeria. spp. In the present work strains of Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were tested for their influence on the development of Listeria spp. on Camembert cheese. Partial or complete inhibition of growth of Listeria spp. was observed using various inhibitory bacteria. Complete inhibition occurred when the inhibitory strain was used as a starter culture and there was a low level of contamination with Listeria spp. during the first stage of ripening. Very little inhibition occurred if the inhibitory strain was added together with the starter culture.

  15. Mentha spicata Essential Oil: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities against Planktonic and Biofilm Cultures of Vibrio spp. Strains.

    PubMed

    Snoussi, Mejdi; Noumi, Emira; Trabelsi, Najla; Flamini, Guido; Papetti, Adele; De Feo, Vincenzo

    2015-08-07

    Chemical composition, antioxidant and anti-Vibrio spp. activities of the essential oil isolated from the aerial parts of Mentha spicata L. (spearmint) are investigated in the present study. The effect of the essential oil on Vibrio spp. biofilm inhibition and eradication was tested using the XTT assay. A total of 63 chemical constituents were identified in spearmint oil using GC/MS, constituting 99.9% of the total identified compounds. The main components were carvone (40.8% ± 1.23%) and limonene (20.8% ± 1.12%). The antimicrobial activity against 30 Vibrio spp. strains (16 species) was evaluated by disc diffusion and microdilution assays. All microorganisms were strongly affected, indicating an appreciable antimicrobial potential of the oil. Moreover, the investigated oil exhibited high antioxidant potency, as assessed by four different tests in comparison with BHT. The ability of the oil, belonging to the carvone chemotype, to inhibit or reduce Vibrio spp. biofilm warrants further investigation to explore the use of natural products in antibiofilm adhesion and reinforce the possibility of its use in the pharmaceutical or food industry as a natural antibiotic and seafood preservative against Vibrio contamination.

  16. Comparative analysis of genes encoding key steroid core oxidation enzymes in fast-growing Mycobacterium spp. strains.

    PubMed

    Bragin, E Yu; Shtratnikova, V Yu; Dovbnya, D V; Schelkunov, M I; Pekov, Yu A; Malakho, S G; Egorova, O V; Ivashina, T V; Sokolov, S L; Ashapkin, V V; Donova, M V

    2013-11-01

    A comparative genome analysis of Mycobacterium spp. VKM Ac-1815D, 1816D and 1817D strains used for efficient production of key steroid intermediates (androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, AD, androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione, ADD, 9α-hydroxy androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, 9-OH-AD) from phytosterol has been carried out by deep sequencing. The assembled contig sequences were analyzed for the presence putative genes of steroid catabolism pathways. Since 3-ketosteroid-9α-hydroxylases (KSH) and 3-ketosteroid-Δ(1)-dehydrogenase (Δ(1) KSTD) play key role in steroid core oxidation, special attention was paid to the genes encoding these enzymes. At least three genes of Δ(1) KSTD (kstD), five genes of KSH subunit A (kshA), and one gene of KSH subunit B of 3-ketosteroid-9α-hydroxylases (kshB) have been found in Mycobacterium sp. VKM Ac-1817D. Strains of Mycobacterium spp. VKM Ac-1815D and 1816D were found to possess at least one kstD, one kshB and two kshA genes. The assembled genome sequence of Mycobacterium sp. VKM Ac-1817D differs from those of 1815D and 1816D strains, whereas these last two are nearly identical, differing by 13 single nucleotide substitutions (SNPs). One of these SNPs is located in the coding region of a kstD gene and corresponds to an amino acid substitution Lys (135) in 1816D for Ser (135) in 1815D. The findings may be useful for targeted genetic engineering of the biocatalysts for biotechnological application. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Algicidal metabolites produced by Bacillus sp. strain B1 against Phaeocystis globosa.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ling; Chen, Lina; Yin, Pinghe

    2014-03-01

    The bloom of Phaeocystis globosa has broken out frequently in the coastal areas of China in recent years, which has led to substantial economic losses. This study shows that Bacillus sp. strain B1, which was previously identified by our group, is effective in regulating P. globosa by excreting active metabolites. Heat stability, pH stability and molecular weight range of the algicidal compounds from strain B1 were measured and the results demonstrated that the algicidal activities of these compounds were not affected by pH or temperature variation. The algicidal compounds extracted with methanol were isolated and purified by ODS-A column chromatography and HPLC. The algicidal compounds corresponding to peaks 2-5 eluted from HPLC were further analysed by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS). PeakView™ Software determined the compounds corresponding to peaks 2-5 to be L-histidine, o-tyrosine, N-acetylhistamine and urocanic acid on the basis of the accurate mass information, the isotopic pattern and MS-MS spectra. Furthermore, these compounds were also able to eliminate Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum donghaiense and Heterosigma akashiwo. This is the first report of bacteria-derived algicidal compounds being identified only by Q-TOF-MS and PeakView™ Software, and these compounds may be used as the constituents of algicides in the future.

  18. A patented strain of Bacillus coagulans increased immune response to viral challenge.

    PubMed

    Baron, Mira

    2009-03-01

    Viral respiratory tract infection is the most common illness among humans. Probiotics have been known to enhance the immune system and, therefore, may represent a significant therapeutic advancement for treating viral respiratory tract infections. A controlled study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the patented GanedenBC30 probiotic (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086, marketed as Sustenex [Ganeden Biotech, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH]) on the immune system when exposed to adenovirus and influenza in otherwise healthy adults. Ten healthy men and women (average age, 44 years) were instructed to consume 1 capsule of GanedenBC30 with water once a day for 30 days. At baseline and after completion of the 30-day treatment, blood levels of cytokines were measured in vitro after T-cell exposure to adenovirus and influenza A. Each participant served as his/her own control with baseline blood draw. The use of GanedenBC30 significantly increased T-cell production of TNF-alpha in response to adenovirus exposure (P = 0.027) and influenza A (H3N2 Texas strain) exposure (P = 0.004), but it did not have a significant effect on the response to other strains of influenza. No serious adverse events were reported throughout the study. The patented GanedenBC30 probiotic may be a safe and effective therapeutic option for enhancing T-cell response to certain viral respiratory tract infections.

  19. [Comparative Sensitivity of the Luminescent Photobacterium phosphoreum, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis Strains to Toxic Effects of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials and Metal Nanoparticles].

    PubMed

    Deryabina, D G; Efremova, L V; Karimov, I F; Manukhov, I V; Gnuchikh, E Yu; Miroshnikov, S A

    2016-01-01

    A comparative analysis of the four commercially available and laboratory luminescent sensor strains to the toxic effect of 10 carbon-based nanomatherials (CBNs) and 10 metal nanoparticles (MNPs) was carried out in this study. The bioluminescence inhibition assays with marine Photobacterium phosphoreum and recombinant Escherichia coli strains were varied in minimal toxic concentrations and EC50 values but led to well correlated biotoxicity evaluation for the most active compounds were ranked as Cu > (MgO, CuO) > (fullerenol, graphene oxide). The novel sensor strain Bacillus subtilis EG 168-1 exhibited the highest sensitivity to CBNs and MNPs that increased significantly number of toxic compounds causing the bacterial bioluminescence inhibition effect.

  20. Occurrence of Natural Bacillus thuringiensis Contaminants and Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis-Based Insecticides on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

    PubMed Central

    Frederiksen, Kristine; Rosenquist, Hanne; Jørgensen, Kirsten; Wilcks, Andrea

    2006-01-01

    A total of 128 Bacillus cereus-like strains isolated from fresh fruits and vegetables for sale in retail shops in Denmark were characterized. Of these strains, 39% (50/128) were classified as Bacillus thuringiensis on the basis of their content of cry genes determined by PCR or crystal proteins visualized by microscopy. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and plasmid profiling indicated that 23 of the 50 B. thuringiensis strains were of the same subtype as B. thuringiensis strains used as commercial bioinsecticides. Fourteen isolates were indistinguishable from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 present in the products Dipel, Biobit, and Foray, and nine isolates grouped with B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai present in Turex. The commercial strains were primarily isolated from samples of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. A multiplex PCR method was developed to simultaneously detect all three genes in the enterotoxin hemolysin BL (HBL) and the nonhemolytic enterotoxin (NHE), respectively. This revealed that the frequency of these enterotoxin genes was higher among the strains indistinguishable from the commercial strains than among the other B. thuringiensis and B. cereus-like strains isolated from fruits and vegetables. The same was seen for a third enterotoxin, CytK. In conclusion, the present study strongly indicates that residues of B. thuringiensis-based insecticides can be found on fresh fruits and vegetables and that these are potentially enterotoxigenic. PMID:16672488

  1. Bacillus pumilus strain YSPMK11 as plant growth promoter and bicontrol agent against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

    PubMed

    Kaushal, Manoj; Kumar, Ajay; Kaushal, Rajesh

    2017-06-01

    A study was executed in a direction to attenuate Sclerotinia stalk rot (SSR) disease through biocontrol agent and also to enhance crop productivity. Culture filtrate of bacterial strain YSPMK11 inhibited growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in vitro which also exhibited higher plant growth promoting attributes. Interaction studies revealed maximum (81.50%) growth inhibition at 35 °C and pH 7.0 after 72 h incubation period with 15% culture filtrate. Based upon 16S rRNA gene sequence strain, YSPMK11 was identified as Bacillus pumilus. Furthermore, the genome of this isolate was searched for antimicrobial lipopeptide, i.e., ItuD and SrfC genes. The PCR amplification results showed the presence of both these lipopeptide genes in isolate YSPMK11. Iturin A as antifungal compound was identified as major components of fraction through GC/MS. In field experiments, the application of strain YSPMK11 cell suspension (10 8 CFU/ml) suppressed disease severity by 93% and increased curd yield by 36% which was more that of commercially used fungicide in farmer practices under mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. Conclusively, our study is first to demonstrate the effect of B. pumilus strain YSPMK11 in suppression of SSR under field conditions and would be employed as an efficient biocontrol agent to replace commercial fungicides in cauliflower cropping system. In addition, the presence of both lipopeptide genes (ItuD and SrfC) and iturin A in this isolate makes him potent strain for biological control application in agriculture.

  2. Current research efforts with Bacillus thuringiensis

    Treesearch

    Normand R. Dubois

    1991-01-01

    The bioassay of 260 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and 70 commercial preparations show that regression coefficient estimates may be as critical as LC5O estimates when evaluating them for future consideration.

  3. Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter spp isolated from broiler flocks

    PubMed Central

    Kuana, Suzete Lora; dos Santos, Luciana Ruschel; Rodrigues, Laura Beatriz; Borsoi, Anderlise; Moraes, Hamilton Luis do Souza; Salle, Carlos Tadeu Pippi; do Nascimento, Vladimir Pinheiro

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of 62 Campylobacter spp. strains obtained from broiler flocks using the agar diffusion method. The Campylobacter spp strains were isolated from 22 flocks aged between 3 and 5 weeks of life, isolated from cloacae swabs, stools and cecal droppings in the farm and from the carcass rinsing in the slaughterhouse. Campylobacter spp strains were tested on Mueller-Hilton (MH) agar (27 samples) and MH plus TTC agar (35 samples). The antimicrobial susceptibility test revealed a 62.5% resistance to at least one drug, especially to enrofloxacin (71%), neomycin (50%), lincomycin (50%), tetracycline (43%), penicillin (42%), ceftiofur (33%) amoxicillin (27%), spiramycin (20%), ampicillin (18%) and norfloxacin (14%), whereas a lower percentage of strains was resistant to erythromycin (10%) and doxycycline (10%). All strains were sensitive to gentamicin and lincomycin-spectinomycin and 80% of them to colistin. These results indicate that it is necessary to reduce the use of antimicrobials in veterinary and human medicine. PMID:24031299

  4. Survival of Campylobacter spp. in bovine faeces on pasture.

    PubMed

    Gilpin, B J; Robson, B; Scholes, P; Nourozi, F; Sinton, L W

    2009-02-01

    To determine the survival on pasture of Campylobacter spp. naturally present in bovine faeces and compare this with a previously published study using laboratory-cultured Campylobacter spp. Ten freshly collected cow pats were deposited on pasture during summer, and Campylobacter spp. were enumerated by enrichment broth culture. The counts in three pats were below detection limits. Counts of Campylobacter spp. in the other seven pats fell below detection limits within 14 days. The geometric means of the counts up to 7 days produced a T(90) of 2.2 days. Characterization of Campylobacter spp. by PCR and pulsed field gel electrophoresis indicated the presence of at least six genotypes of Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter lari. Campylobacter spp. naturally present in cow faeces exhibited a similar survival rate to that previously determined using laboratory-cultured strains. The highly variable counts of naturally occurring Campylobacter spp., and the predominance of lower counts, also support the earlier decision to use laboratory-cultured strains in survival experiments. This study reaffirms the short survival of Campylobacter spp. in cow faeces deposited on pasture. This information will be incorporated into a 'reservoir model' for Campylobacter spp. in cow pats on New Zealand pastures.

  5. Lactic Acid Production from Pretreated Hydrolysates of Corn Stover by a Newly Developed Bacillus coagulans Strain.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Ting; Qiao, Hui; Zheng, Zhaojuan; Chu, Qiulu; Li, Xin; Yong, Qiang; Ouyang, Jia

    2016-01-01

    An inhibitor-tolerance strain, Bacillus coagulans GKN316, was developed through atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutation and evolution experiment in condensed dilute-acid hydrolysate (CDH) of corn stover. The fermentabilities of other hydrolysates with B. coagulans GKN316 and the parental strain B. coagulans NL01 were assessed. When using condensed acid-catalyzed steam-exploded hydrolysate (CASEH), condensed acid-catalyzed liquid hot water hydrolysate (CALH) and condensed acid-catalyzed sulfite hydrolysate (CASH) as substrates, the concentration of lactic acid reached 45.39, 16.83, and 18.71 g/L by B. coagulans GKN316, respectively. But for B. coagulans NL01, only CASEH could be directly fermented to produce 15.47 g/L lactic acid. The individual inhibitory effect of furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), vanillin, syringaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (pHBal) on xylose utilization by B. coagulans GKN316 was also studied. The strain B. coagulans GKN316 could effectively convert these toxic inhibitors to the less toxic corresponding alcohols in situ. These results suggested that B. coagulans GKN316 was well suited to production of lactic acid from undetoxified lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

  6. Lactic Acid Production from Pretreated Hydrolysates of Corn Stover by a Newly Developed Bacillus coagulans Strain

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Ting; Qiao, Hui; Zheng, Zhaojuan; Chu, Qiulu; Li, Xin; Yong, Qiang; Ouyang, Jia

    2016-01-01

    An inhibitor-tolerance strain, Bacillus coagulans GKN316, was developed through atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutation and evolution experiment in condensed dilute-acid hydrolysate (CDH) of corn stover. The fermentabilities of other hydrolysates with B. coagulans GKN316 and the parental strain B. coagulans NL01 were assessed. When using condensed acid-catalyzed steam-exploded hydrolysate (CASEH), condensed acid-catalyzed liquid hot water hydrolysate (CALH) and condensed acid-catalyzed sulfite hydrolysate (CASH) as substrates, the concentration of lactic acid reached 45.39, 16.83, and 18.71 g/L by B. coagulans GKN316, respectively. But for B. coagulans NL01, only CASEH could be directly fermented to produce 15.47 g/L lactic acid. The individual inhibitory effect of furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), vanillin, syringaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (pHBal) on xylose utilization by B. coagulans GKN316 was also studied. The strain B. coagulans GKN316 could effectively convert these toxic inhibitors to the less toxic corresponding alcohols in situ. These results suggested that B. coagulans GKN316 was well suited to production of lactic acid from undetoxified lignocellulosic hydrolysates. PMID:26863012

  7. Phylogenetic Analysis of Polygalacturonase-Producing Bacillus and Pseudomonas Isolated From Plant Waste Material

    PubMed Central

    Sohail, Muhammad; Latif, Zakia

    2016-01-01

    Background: Keeping in mind the commercial application of polygalacturonase (PG) in juice and beverages industry, bacterial strains were isolated from rotten fruits and vegetables to screen for competent producers of PG. Objectives: In this study, the plate method was used for preliminary screening of polygalacturonase-producing bacteria, while the Dinitrosalicylic Acid (DNS) method was used for quantifications of PG. Materials and Methods: Biochemically-identified polygalacturonase-producing Bacillus and Pseudomonas species were further characterized by molecular markers. The genetic diversity among these selected strains was analyzed by investigating microsatellite distribution in their genome. Out of 110 strains, 17 competent strains of Bacillus and eight strains of Pseudomonas were selected, identified and confirmed biochemically. Selected strains were characterized by 16S rRNA sequencing and data was submitted to the national center for biotechnology information (NCBI) website for accession numbers. Results: Among the Bacillus, Bacillus vallismortis (JQ990307) isolated from mango was the most competent producer of PG; producing up to 4.4 U/µL. Amongst Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (JQ990314) isolated from oranges was the most competent PG producer equivalent to B. vallismortis (JQ990307). To determine genetic diversity of different strains of Pseudomonas and Bacillus varying in PG production, fingerprinting was done on the basis of Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) or microsatellites. The data was analyzed and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Minitab 3 software for comparison of bacterial isolates producing different concentrations of PG. Fingerprinting showed that presence or absence of certain microsatellites correlated with the ability of PG production. Conclusions: Bacteria from biological waste were competent producers of PG and must be used on an industrial scale to cope with the demand of PG in the food industry. PMID:27099686

  8. Characterization of Pectinase from Bacillus subtilis Strain Btk 27 and Its Potential Application in Removal of Mucilage from Coffee Beans.

    PubMed

    Oumer, Oliyad Jeilu; Abate, Dawit

    2017-01-01

    The demand for enzymes in the global market is projected to rise at a fast pace in recent years. There has been a great increase in industrial applications of pectinase owing to their significant biotechnological uses. For applying enzymes at industrial scale primary it is important to know the features of the enzyme. Thus, this study was undertaken with aims of characterizing the pectinase enzyme from Bacillus subtilis strain Btk27 and proving its potential application in demucilisation of coffee. In this study, the maximum pectinase activity was achieved at pH 7.5 and 50°C. Also, the enzyme activity was found stimulated with Mg2+ and Ca2+ metal ions. Moreover, it was stable on EDTA, Trixton-100, Tween 80, and Tween 20. Since Bacillus subtilis strain Btk27 was stable in most surfactants and inhibitors it could be applicable in various industries whenever pectin degradation is needed. The enzyme K m and V max values were identified as 1.879 mg/ml and 149.6 U, respectively. The potential application of the enzyme for coffee processing was studied, and it is found that complete removal of mucilage from coffee beans within 24 hours of treatment indicates the potential application in coffee processing.

  9. Characterization of Pectinase from Bacillus subtilis Strain Btk 27 and Its Potential Application in Removal of Mucilage from Coffee Beans

    PubMed Central

    Abate, Dawit

    2017-01-01

    The demand for enzymes in the global market is projected to rise at a fast pace in recent years. There has been a great increase in industrial applications of pectinase owing to their significant biotechnological uses. For applying enzymes at industrial scale primary it is important to know the features of the enzyme. Thus, this study was undertaken with aims of characterizing the pectinase enzyme from Bacillus subtilis strain Btk27 and proving its potential application in demucilisation of coffee. In this study, the maximum pectinase activity was achieved at pH 7.5 and 50°C. Also, the enzyme activity was found stimulated with Mg2+ and Ca2+ metal ions. Moreover, it was stable on EDTA, Trixton-100, Tween 80, and Tween 20. Since Bacillus subtilis strain Btk27 was stable in most surfactants and inhibitors it could be applicable in various industries whenever pectin degradation is needed. The enzyme Km and Vmax values were identified as 1.879 mg/ml and 149.6 U, respectively. The potential application of the enzyme for coffee processing was studied, and it is found that complete removal of mucilage from coffee beans within 24 hours of treatment indicates the potential application in coffee processing. PMID:29085675

  10. An efficient process for lactic acid production from wheat straw by a newly isolated Bacillus coagulans strain IPE22.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yuming; Chen, Xiangrong; Luo, Jianquan; Qi, Benkun; Wan, Yinhua

    2014-04-01

    A thermophilic lactic acid (LA) producer was isolated and identified as Bacillus coagulans strain IPE22. The strain showed remarkable capability to ferment pentose, hexose and cellobiose, and was also resistant to inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Based on the strain's promising features, an efficient process was developed to produce LA from wheat straw. The process consisted of biomass pretreatment by dilute sulfuric acid and subsequent SSCF (simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation), while the operations of solid-liquid separation and detoxification were avoided. Using this process, 46.12 g LA could be produced from 100g dry wheat straw with a supplement of 10 g/L corn steep liquid powder at the cellulase loading of 20 FPU (filter paper activity units)/g cellulose. The process by B. coagulans IPE22 provides an economical route to produce LA from lignocellulose. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Secretion of laccase and manganese peroxidase by Pleurotus strains cultivate in solid-state using Pinus spp. sawdust

    PubMed Central

    Camassola, Marli; da Rosa, Letícia O.; Calloni, Raquel; Gaio, Tamara A.; Dillon, Aldo J.P.

    2013-01-01

    Pleurotus species secrete phenol oxidase enzymes: laccase (Lcc) and manganese peroxidase (MnP). New genotypes of these species show potential to be used in processes aiming at the degradation of phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dyes. Hence, a screening of some strains of Pleurotus towards Lcc and MnP production was performed in this work. Ten strains were grown through solid-state fermentation on a medium based on Pinus spp. sawdust, wheat bran and calcium carbonate. High Lcc and MnP activities were found with these strains. Highest Lcc activity, 741 ± 245 U gdm−1 of solid state-cultivation medium, was detected on strain IB11 after 32 days, while the highest MnP activity occurred with strains IB05, IB09, and IB11 (5,333 ± 357; 4,701 ± 652; 5,999 ± 1,078 U gdm−1, respectively). The results obtained here highlight the importance of further experiments with lignocellulolytic enzymes present in different strains of Pleurotus species. Such results also indicate the possibility of selecting more valuable strains for future biotechnological applications, in soil bioremediation and biological biomass pre-treatment in biofuels production, for instance, as well as obtaining value-added products from mushrooms, like phenol oxidase enzymes. PMID:24159307

  12. Bacillus caseinilyticus sp. nov., an alkali- and thermotolerant bacterium isolated from a soda lake.

    PubMed

    Vishnuvardhan Reddy, Sultanpuram; Thirumala, Mothe; Farooq, Mohammed

    2015-08-01

    A novel Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming and proteolytic bacterial strain, SPT, was isolated from Lonar soda lake, in India. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis it was identified as belonging to the class Firmibacteria and was most closely related to Bacillus cellulosilyticus DSM 2522T (96.7%) and other members of the genus Bacillus ( < 95.9%). Strain SPT was catalase- and oxidase-positive. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain SPT contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three phospholipids, two aminolipids and two unknown lipids. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. Anteiso-C15 : 0 (26.8%) was the predominant fatty acid and significant proportions (>5%) of iso-C15 : 0 (20.9%), C16 : 1ω7c alcohol (6.3%), iso-C16 : 0 (6.3%) and anteiso-C17 : 0 (5.3  %) were also detected in strain SPT. The DNA G+C content of strain SPT was 38.9 mol%. The results of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and biochemical tests allowed a clear differentiation of strain SPT from all other members of the genus Bacillus. Strain SPT represents a novel member of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacilluscaseinilyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SPT ( = MCC 2612T = JCM 30246T).

  13. Biological interactions to select biocontrol agents against toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides from maize.

    PubMed

    Etcheverry, Miriam G; Scandolara, Andrea; Nesci, Andrea; Vilas Boas Ribeiro, Marta Sofia; Pereira, Paola; Battilani, Paola

    2009-05-01

    Biological control represent an alternative to the use of pesticides in crop protection. A key to progress in biological control to protect maize against Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus maize pathogens are, to select in vitro, the best agent to be applied in the field. The aim of this study was to examine the antagonistic activity of bacterial and yeast isolates against F.verticillioides and A. flavus toxigenic strains. The first study showed the impact of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BA-S13, Microbacterium oleovorans DMS 16091, Enterobacter hormomaechei EM-562T, and Kluyveromyces spp. L14 and L16 isolates on mycelial growth of two strains of A. flavus MPVPA 2092, 2094 and three strains of F. verticillioides MPVPA 285, 289, and 294 on 3% maize meal extract agar at different water activities (0.99, 0.97, 0.95, and 0.93). From this first assay antagonistics isolates M. oleovorans, B. amyloliquefaciens and Kluyveromyces sp. (L16) produced an increase of lag phase of growth and decreased a growth rate of all fungal strains. These isolates were selected for futher studies. In vitro non-rhizospheric maize soil (centrally and sprayed inoculated) and in vitro maize (ears apex and base inoculated) were treated with antagonistics and pathogenic strains alone in co-inoculated cultures. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens significantly reduced F. verticillioides and A. flavus count in maize soil inoculated centrally. Kluyveromyces sp. L16 reduced F. verticillioides and A. flavus count in maize soil inoculated by spray. Kluyveromyces sp. L16 was the most effective treatment limiting percent infections by F. verticillioides on the maize ears.

  14. Mass spectrometry data from label-free quantitative proteomic analysis of harmless and pathogenic strains of infectious microalgae, Prototheca spp.

    PubMed

    Murugaiyan, Jayaseelan; Eravci, Murat; Weise, Christoph; Roesler, Uwe

    2017-06-01

    Here, we provide the dataset associated with our research article 'label-free quantitative proteomic analysis of harmless and pathogenic strains of infectious microalgae, Prototheca spp.' (Murugaiyan et al., 2017) [1]. This dataset describes liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based protein identification and quantification of a non-infectious strain, Prototheca zopfii genotype 1 and two strains associated with severe and mild infections, respectively, P. zopfii genotype 2 and Prototheca blaschkeae . Protein identification and label-free quantification was carried out by analysing MS raw data using the MaxQuant-Andromeda software suit. The expressional level differences of the identified proteins among the strains were computed using Perseus software and the results were presented in [1]. This DiB provides the MaxQuant output file and raw data deposited in the PRIDE repository with the dataset identifier PXD005305.

  15. Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis on agarose gel as an aid to the identification of entomopathogenic Bacillus sphaericus strains.

    PubMed

    Zahner, V; Rabinovitch, L; Cavados, C F; Momen, H

    1994-04-01

    Sixty strains of Bacillus sphaericus, including 31 insect pathogens were studied by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and were classified into 44 zymovars (electrophoretic types). Among the entomopathogenic strains, 11 belong to the same zymovar (Z59) indicating a widespread frequent genotype. Bands of enzyme activity were not detected among the strains for the loci GPI (E.C.5.3.1.9), G6P (E.C.1.1.1.49), 6PG (E.C.1.1.1.44) and ME (E.C.1.1.1.40). The enzymatic loci NP (E.C.2.4.2.1) and ACON (E.C.4.2.1.3) were monomorphic while the other enzymes, MDH (E.C.1.1.1.37), LeDH (E.C.1.4.1.9), ADH (E.C.1.4.1.1), EST (E.C.3.1.1.1), PEP-2 (E.C.3.4.11.1), PEP-3 (E.C.3.4.11) and PEP-D (E.C. 3.4.13.9) were polymorphic. The genetic variation in the non-insect pathogenic group seemed to be greater than in the entomopathogenic group. This latter group appears to be distinct from other strains of these species. All insect pathogens were recovered in the same phenetic cluster and a diagnostic allele is reported for the identification of entomopathogenic strains.

  16. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 colonizing Curcuma longa L.: isolation, characterization, and evaluation of their biocontrol and plant-growth-promoting activities.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Ankit Kumar; Maheshwari, Dinesh Kumar; Kim, Kangmin; Bajpai, Vivek K

    2016-10-01

    Bacillus strains were isolated from termitarium soil and screened for their antifungal activity through the production of diffusible and volatile metabolites. Further, the bacterial strains that showed antifungal activity were evaluated for their biocontrol potential on the basis of their plant-growth-promoting attributes. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus strains TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the growth of pathogenic fungus Fusarium solani, controlled the symptoms of rhizome rot in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and demonstrated various plant-growth-promoting traits in different in vitro assays. On the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA characteristics, isolates TSH42 and TSH77 were identified as Bacillus endophyticus (KT379993) and Bacillus cereus (KT379994), respectively. Through liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry analysis, acidified cell-free culture filtrate (CFCF) of B. cereus TSH77 was shown to contain surfactin and fengycin, while CFCF of B. endophyticus TSH42 contained iturin in addition to surfactin and fengycin. Treatment of the turmeric (C. longa L.) plants with TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the percentage incidence of rhizome rot disease caused by F. solani. The same treatment also increased the fresh rhizome biomass and plant growth in greenhouse conditions.

  17. The CasKR Two-Component System Is Required for the Growth of Mesophilic and Psychrotolerant Bacillus cereus Strains at Low Temperatures

    PubMed Central

    Diomandé, Sara Esther; Chamot, Stéphanie; Antolinos, Vera; Vasai, Florian; Guinebretière, Marie-Hélène; Bornard, Isabelle; Nguyen-the, Christophe; Broussolle, Véronique

    2014-01-01

    The different strains of Bacillus cereus can grow at temperatures covering a very diverse range. Some B. cereus strains can grow in chilled food and consequently cause food poisoning. We have identified a new sensor/regulator mechanism involved in low-temperature B. cereus growth. Construction of a mutant of this two-component system enabled us to show that this system, called CasKR, is required for growth at the minimal temperature (Tmin). CasKR was also involved in optimal cold growth above Tmin and in cell survival below Tmin. Microscopic observation showed that CasKR plays a key role in cell shape during cold growth. Introducing the casKR genes in a ΔcasKR mutant restored its ability to grow at Tmin. Although it was first identified in the ATCC 14579 model strain, this mechanism has been conserved in most strains of the B. cereus group. We show that the role of CasKR in cold growth is similar in other B. cereus sensu lato strains with different growth temperature ranges, including psychrotolerant strains. PMID:24509924

  18. Subtilomycin: A New Lantibiotic from Bacillus subtilis Strain MMA7 Isolated from the Marine Sponge Haliclona simulans

    PubMed Central

    Phelan, Robert W.; Barret, Matthieu; Cotter, Paul D.; O’Connor, Paula M.; Chen, Rui; Morrissey, John P.; Dobson, Alan D. W.; O’Gara, Fergal; Barbosa, Teresa M.

    2013-01-01

    Bacteriocins are attracting increased attention as an alternative to classic antibiotics in the fight against infectious disease and multidrug resistant pathogens. Bacillus subtilis strain MMA7 isolated from the marine sponge Haliclona simulans displays a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, which includes Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, as well as several pathogenic Candida species. This activity is in part associated with a newly identified lantibiotic, herein named as subtilomycin. The proposed biosynthetic cluster is composed of six genes, including protein-coding genes for LanB-like dehydratase and LanC-like cyclase modification enzymes, characteristic of the class I lantibiotics. The subtilomycin biosynthetic cluster in B. subtilis strain MMA7 is found in place of the sporulation killing factor (skf) operon, reported in many B. subtilis isolates and involved in a bacterial cannibalistic behaviour intended to delay sporulation. The presence of the subtilomycin biosynthetic cluster appears to be widespread amongst B. subtilis strains isolated from different shallow and deep water marine sponges. Subtilomycin possesses several desirable industrial and pharmaceutical physicochemical properties, including activity over a wide pH range, thermal resistance and water solubility. Additionally, the production of the lantibiotic subtilomycin could be a desirable property should B. subtilis strain MMA7 be employed as a probiotic in aquaculture applications. PMID:23736764

  19. Genome Sequence of Bacillus megaterium Strain YC4-R4, a Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Isolated from a High-Salinity Environment.

    PubMed

    Vílchez, Juan Ignacio; Tang, Qiming; Kaushal, Richa; Wang, Wei; Lv, Suhui; He, Danxia; Chu, Zhaoqing; Zhang, Heng; Liu, Renyi; Zhang, Huiming

    2018-06-21

    Here, we report the complete genome sequence for Bacillus megaterium strain YC4-R4, a highly salt-tolerant rhizobacterium that promotes growth in plants. The sequencing process was performed by combining pyrosequencing and single-molecule sequencing techniques. The complete genome is estimated to be approximately 5.44 Mb, containing a total of 5,673 predicted protein-coding DNA sequences (CDSs). Copyright © 2018 Vílchez et al.

  20. Molecular characterization of an unauthorized genetically modified Bacillus subtilis production strain identified in a vitamin B2 feed additive.

    PubMed

    Paracchini, Valentina; Petrillo, Mauro; Reiting, Ralf; Angers-Loustau, Alexandre; Wahler, Daniela; Stolz, Andrea; Schönig, Birgit; Matthies, Anastasia; Bendiek, Joachim; Meinel, Dominik M; Pecoraro, Sven; Busch, Ulrich; Patak, Alex; Kreysa, Joachim; Grohmann, Lutz

    2017-09-01

    Many food and feed additives result from fermentation of genetically modified (GM) microorganisms. For vitamin B2 (riboflavin), GM Bacillus subtilis production strains have been developed and are often used. The presence of neither the GM strain nor its recombinant DNA is allowed for fermentation products placed on the EU market as food or feed additive. A vitamin B 2 product (80% feed grade) imported from China was analysed. Viable B. subtilis cells were identified and DNAs of two bacterial isolates (LHL and LGL) were subjected to three whole genome sequencing (WGS) runs with different devices (MiSeq, 454 or HiSeq system). WGS data revealed the integration of a chloramphenicol resistance gene, the deletion of the endogenous riboflavin (rib) operon and presence of four putative plasmids harbouring rib operons. Event- and construct-specific real-time PCR methods for detection of the GM strain and its putative plasmids in food and feed products have been developed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Characterization of a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain for reduction of citrulline accumulation during soy sauce fermentation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jiran; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian; Fang, Fang

    2016-10-01

    To reduce the amount of citrulline produced by arginine-consuming bacteria in the moromi mash during soy sauce production. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JY06, a salt-tolerant strain with high arginine consumption ability and low citrulline accumulation capacity, was isolated from moromi mash. The concentration of citrulline was decreased from 26.8 to 5.1 mM and ethyl carbamate in soy sauce, after sterilization, decreased from 97 to 17 μg kg(-1) when B. amyloliquefaciens JY06 was added during fermentation. The aroma of the sauce was improved by increasing the ester content. B. amyloliquefaciens JY06 is a beneficial bacterium that can be used in soy sauce fermentation to eliminate ethyl carbonate and enhance the flavor of the sauce.

  2. Screening of Bacillus coagulans strains in lignin supplemented minimal medium with high throughput turbidity measurements.

    PubMed

    Glaser, Robert; Venus, Joachim

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this study was to extend the options for screening and characterization of microorganism through kinetic growth parameters. In order to obtain data, automated turbidimetric measurements were accomplished to observe the response of strains of Bacillus coagulans . For the characterization, it was decided to examine the influence of varying concentrations of lignin with respect to bacterial growth. Different mathematical models are used for comparison: logistic, Gompertz, Baranyi and Richards and Stannard. The growth response was characterized by parameters like maximum growth rate, maximum population, and the lag time. In this short analysis we present a mathematical approach towards a comparison of different microorganisms. Furthermore, it can be demonstrated that lignin in low concentrations can have a positive influence on the growth of B. coagulans .

  3. Influence of temperature shifts on survival, growth, and toxin production by psychrotrophic and mesophilic strains of Bacillus cereus in potatoes and chicken gravy.

    PubMed

    Mahakarnchanakul, W; Beuchat, L R

    1999-03-15

    A study was done to determine the influence of temperature on growth and toxin production characteristics of psychrotrophic and mesophilic strains of Bacillus cereus when inoculated into mashed potatoes and chicken gravy containing various concentrations of sodium chloride and held at temperatures different from those at which cells had been cultured. Logarithmic growth phase cells (10 h, 30 degrees C) of psychrotrophic (F3802A/84) and mesophilic (B4ac-1) strains of Bacillus cereus were inoculated into rehydrated commercially processed instant mashed potatoes and chicken gravy supplemented with 0, 2, or 4% sodium chloride. Growth, survival, and diarrheal toxin production in potatoes and gravy held at 30, 37, and 10 degrees C (strain F3802A/84) or 30, 40, and 10 degrees C (strain B4ac-1) were monitored. Both strains grew in both foods containing no added sodium chloride or 2% sodium chloride when held at 30, 37, or 40 degrees C for 2 days. Strain B4ac-1 grew better than strain F3802A/84 in foods containing 4% sodium chloride. Maximum amounts of enterotoxin (1024 ng/g) were produced by strain B4ac-1 in chicken gravy held at 30 and 40 degrees C. Strain F3802A/84 grew to populations of 7 log10 CFU/g in foods containing no added sodium chloride or 2% sodium chloride at 10 degrees C. Strain F3802A/84 produced the highest amount of enterotoxin (1024 ng/g) at 30 degrees C in chicken gravy containing 0.7 or 2% sodium chloride; however, little or low amounts of toxin (4-16 ng/g) were produced in chicken gravy at 10 degrees C. Compared to strain B4ac-1, cells of strain F3802A/84 subjected to a downward shift in incubation temperature (10 degrees C) grew more rapidly in chicken gravy. Strain B4ac-1 produced the highest amount of toxin (1024 ng/g) at 30 degrees C in gravy containing 4% sodium chloride and at 40 degrees C in gravy containing 0.7% sodium chloride. Toxin was not detected in inoculated mashed potatoes. Results of this study indicate that shifts in incubation

  4. Bacteriocinogenic potential of a probiotic strain Bacillus coagulans [BDU3] from Ngari.

    PubMed

    Abdhul, Kaja; Ganesh, Mohan; Shanmughapriya, Santhanam; Vanithamani, Shanmugam; Kanagavel, Murugesan; Anbarasu, Kumarasamy; Natarajaseenivasan, Kalimuthusamy

    2015-08-01

    Bacteriocin producing strain BDU3 was isolated from a traditional fermented fish of Manipur Ngari. The strain BDU3 was identified as Bacillus coagulans by phenotypic and genotypic characterization. The BDU3 produced novel bacteriocin, which showed an antimicrobial spectrum toward a wide spectrum of food borne, and closely related pathogens with a MIC that ranged between 0.5 and 2.5 μg/mL. The isolate was able to tolerate pH as low as 2.0 and up to 0.2% bile salt concentration. Three step purification was employed to increase the specific activity of the antimicrobial compound. The fractions were further chromatographed by Rp-HPLC C-18 column and the purified bacteriocin had a specific activity of ∼8500 AU/mg. However, the potency of bacteriocin was susceptible to digestion with Proteinase K, Pepsin, SDS, EDTA and Urea. Molecular mass of purified bacteriocin was found to be 1.4 kDa using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF). The functional group was revealed by FTIR analysis. The cytotoxicity assay (MTT) using purified bacteriocin showed 2 times lower EC50 values compared to SDS. This is the smaller bacteriocin ever reported before from B. coagulans with greater antimicrobial potency with lower cytotoxicity. This bacteriocin raises the possibilities to be used as a biopreservative in food industries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Genetic analysis of Bacillus stearothermophilus by protoplast fusion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Z.; Wojcik, S.F.; Welker, N.E.

    1986-03-01

    Efficient and reliable protoplasting, regeneration, and fusion techniques were established for the prototrophic strain Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB36. Auxotrophic mutants were isolated, and protoplast fusion was used to construct isogenic mutant strains and for chromosomal mapping. Markers were mapped using two-, three-, and four-factor crosses. The order of the markers was hom-1-thr-1-his-1-(gly-1 or gly-2)-pur-1-pur-2. These markers may be analogous to hom, thrA, hisA, glyC, and purA markers on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome. No analogous pur-1 marker has been reported in B. subtilis. The relative order of three of the markers (hom-1-thr-1-gly-1) was independently confirmed by transduction.

  6. Specific PCR primers directed to identify cryI and cryIII genes within a Bacillus thuringiensis strain collection.

    PubMed Central

    Cerón, J; Ortíz, A; Quintero, R; Güereca, L; Bravo, A

    1995-01-01

    In this paper we describe a PCR strategy that can be used to rapidly identify Bacillus thuringiensis strains that harbor any of the known cryI or cryIII genes. Four general PCR primers which amplify DNA fragments from the known cryI or cryIII genes were selected from conserved regions. Once a strain was identified as an organism that contains a particular type of cry gene, it could be easily characterized by performing additional PCR with specific cryI and cryIII primers selected from variable regions. The method described in this paper can be used to identify the 10 different cryI genes and the five different cryIII genes. One feature of this screening method is that each cry gene is expected to produce a PCR product having a precise molecular weight. The genes which produce PCR products having different sizes probably represent strains that harbor a potentially novel cry gene. Finally, we present evidence that novel crystal genes can be identified by the method described in this paper. PMID:8526493

  7. Bacillus vanillea sp. nov., Isolated from the Cured Vanilla Bean.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yong-gan; Gu, Feng-lin; Li, Ji-hua; Xu, Fei; He, Shu-zhen; Fang, Yi-ming

    2015-02-01

    A Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain XY18(T), was isolated from a cured vanilla bean in Hainan province, China. Cells were rod-shaped, endospore producing, and peritrichous flagella. Strain XY18(T) grew at salinities of 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally 1-4 %), pH 4.0-8.0 (optimally 5.0-7.0 %) and temperature range 20-45 °C (optimally 28-35 °C). The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, and iso-C17:0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain XY18(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus, and closely related to B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) and B. siamensis PD-A10(T), with 99.1 and 99.2 % sequence similarity, respectively. However, the DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain XY18(T) and B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) was 35.7 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain XY18(T) was 46.4 mol%, significantly differed from B. siamensis PD-A10(T) (41.4 %), which was higher than the range of 4 % indicative of species. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic study, including phenotypic features, chemotaxonomy, and phylogenetic analyses, strain XY18(T) represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus vanillea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY18(T) (=CGMCC 8629 = NCCB 100507).

  8. Complete Genome Sequence of a thermotolerant sporogenic lactic acid bacterium, Bacillus coagulans strain 36D1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rhee, Mun Su; Moritz, Brelan E.; Xie, Gary

    Bacillus coagulans is a ubiquitous soil bacterium that grows at 50-55 C and pH 5.0 and fer- ments various sugars that constitute plant biomass to L (+)-lactic acid. The ability of this spo- rogenic lactic acid bacterium to grow at 50-55 C and pH 5.0 makes this organism an attrac- tive microbial biocatalyst for production of optically pure lactic acid at industrial scale not only from glucose derived from cellulose but also from xylose, a major constituent of hemi- cellulose. This bacterium is also considered as a potential probiotic. Complete genome se- quence of a representative strain, B. coagulans strainmore » 36D1, is presented and discussed.« less

  9. New inhibitors of colony spreading in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus anthracis.

    PubMed

    Hao, Xin; Nguyen, Tam; Kearns, Daniel B; Arpin, Carolynn C; Fall, Ray; Sammakia, Tarek

    2011-09-15

    We have recently characterized sliding motility in Bacillus subtilis strains that lack functional flagella, and here describe the discovery of inhibitors of colony spreading in these strains as well as the aflagellate pathogen, Bacillus anthracis. Aflagellate B. subtilis strains were used to screen for new types of antibacterials that might inhibit colony spreading on semi-solid media. From a diverse set of organic structures, p-nitrophenylglycerol (NPG), an agent used primarily in clinical laboratories to control Proteus swarming, was found to inhibit colony spreading. The four stereoisomers of NPG were synthesized and tested, and only the 1R,2S-(1R-anti) and 1R,2R-(1R-syn) NPG isomers had significant activity in a quantitative colony-spreading assay. Twenty-six NPG analogs and related structures were synthesized and tested to identify more active inhibitors. p-Methylsulfonylphenylglycerol (p-SPG), but not its ortho or meta analogs, was found to be the most effective of these compounds, and synthesis and testing of all four p-SPG stereoisomers showed that the 1R-anti-isomer was the most active with an average IC(50) of 16 μM (3-5 μg mL(-1)). For B. anthracis, the colony-spreading IC(50) values for 1R-anti-SPG and 1R-anti-NPG are 12 μM (2-4 μg mL(-1)) and >150 μM, respectively. For both Bacillus species tested, 1R-anti-SPG inhibits colony spreading of surface cultures on agar plates, but is not bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal in liquid cultures. Work is in progress to find the cellular target(s) of the NPG/SPG class of compounds, since this could lead to an understanding of the mechanism(s) of colony spreading as well as design and development of more potent inhibitors for the control of B. anthracis surface cultures. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Isolation and characterization of new facultative alkaliphilic Bacillus flexus strains from maize processing waste water (nejayote).

    PubMed

    Sanchez-Gonzalez, M; Blanco-Gamez, A; Escalante, A; Valladares, A G; Olvera, C; Parra, R

    2011-04-01

    This work describes the isolation and characterization of two new alkaliphilic micro-organisms present in nejayote. Samples of fresh industrial nejayote were plated on nejayote medium and incubated for 4 days at 37 °C. Isolates were identified based on morphological and physiological characteristics, as well as 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Two gram-positive strains, NJY2 and NJY4, able to hydrolyse starch, xylan, and gelatin were isolated from nejayote. Comparative sequence analysis of 16S rDNA and phylogenetic studies indicate that the micro-organisms studied were closely related to members of the Bacillus flexus species. The strains were identified as facultative alkaliphilic salt tolerant bacteria. Isolate NJY2 produced cell associated phenolic acid esterases, able to release ferulic acid from nixtamalised corn bran and ethyl and methyl esters. The isolated strains of B. flexus NJY2 and NJY4 showed important physiological properties to produce high-value molecules from agroindustrial by-products. This is the first report about the isolation of alkaliphilic micro-organisms from nejayote and the first report of phenolic acid esterases synthesised by alkaliphiles. The new alkaliphilic micro-organisms have potential application in the treatment and transformation of tortilla industry residues. © 2011 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  11. Development of a selective agar plate for the detection of Campylobacter spp. in fresh produce.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Jin-Hee; Choi, Na-Young; Bae, Young-Min; Lee, Jung-Su; Lee, Sun-Young

    2014-10-17

    This study was conducted to develop a selective medium for the detection of Campylobacter spp. in fresh produce. Campylobacter spp. (n=4), non-Campylobacter (showing positive results on Campylobacter selective agar) strains (n=49) isolated from fresh produce, indicator bacteria (n=13), and spoilage bacteria isolated from fresh produce (n=15) were plated on four Campylobacter selective media. Bolton agar and modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) exhibited higher sensitivity for Campylobacter spp. than did Preston agar and Hunt agar, although certain non-Campylobacter strains isolated from fresh produce by using a selective agar isolation method, were still able to grow on Bolton agar and mCCDA. To inhibit the growth of non-Campylobacter strains, Bolton agar and mCCDA were supplemented with 5 antibiotics (rifampicin, polymyxin B, sodium metabisulfite, sodium pyruvate, ferrous sulfate) and the growth of Campylobacter spp. (n=7) and non-Campylobacter strains (n=44) was evaluated. Although Bolton agar supplemented with rifampicin (BR agar) exhibited a higher selectivity for Campylobacter spp. than did mCCDA supplemented with antibiotics, certain non-Campylobacter strains were still able to grow on BR agar (18.8%). When BR agar with various concentrations of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim were tested with Campylobacter spp. (n=8) and non-Campylobacter (n=7), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim was inhibitory against 3 of 7 non-Campylobacter strains. Finally, we validated the use of BR agar containing 50mg/L sulfamethoxazole (BRS agar) or 0.5mg/L ciprofloxacin (BRCS agar) and other selective agars for the detection of Campylobacter spp. in chicken and fresh produce. All chicken samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. when tested on mCCDA, BR agar, and BRS agar. In fresh produce samples, BRS agar exhibited the highest selectivity for Campylobacter spp., demonstrating its suitability for the detection of Campylobacter spp. in fresh produce. Copyright

  12. Bacillus alkalilacus sp. nov., isolated from a sediment sample from a lake in India.

    PubMed

    Singh, Harjodh; Kaur, Manpreet; Sharma, Shivani; Kaur, Lakhwinder; Mishra, Sunita; Tanuku, Naga Radha Srinivas; Pinnaka, Anil Kumar

    2018-05-01

    An aerobic, endospore-forming, haloalkali-tolerant, Gram-stain-positive, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain AK73 T , was isolated from a sediment sample collected from Sambhar lake, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Colonies were circular, 1-2 mm in diameter, glossy, smooth, yellowish and convex with an entire margin after 48 h growth on marine agar at pH 9 and 37 °C. Growth occurred at 15-42 °C, 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl and at a pH range of 7-12. Strain AK73 T was positive for catalase and arginine dihydrolase 2 activities, hydrolysis of Tweens 20, 40 and 80, and negative for esculinase, caseinase, gelatinase, β-galactosidase, lipase (Tween 60) and urease activities. The fatty acids were dominated by branched iso-, anteiso-, saturated fatty acids with a high abundance of iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0; MK-7 was the major menaquinone. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminophospholipid, four unidentified phospholipids and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain AK73 T was 54 mol%. Analysis based on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that Bacillus alcalophilus was the nearest phylogenetic neighbour, with a pair-wise sequence similarity of 96.0 %. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain AK73 T formed a separate lineage but was loosely associated with a peripheral cluster of organisms that contained Bacillus gibsonii, Bacillus murimartini and Bacillus plakortidis with similarity values of 93.6, 93.5 and 93.4 %, respectively. Based on its phenotypic characteristics and on phylogenetic inference, strain AK73 T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus alkalilacus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AK73 T (=JCM 32184 T =MTCC 12637 T =KCTC 33880 T ).

  13. Sequence comparison of phoR, gyrB, groEL, and cheA genes as phylogenetic markers for distinguishing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis and for identifying Bacillus strain B29.

    PubMed

    Yu, C; Jin, J; Meng, L-Q; Xia, H-H; Yuan, H-F; Wang, J; Yu, D-S; Zhao, X-Y; Sha, C-Q

    2017-05-20

    Given the close genetic relationship between Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis, distinguishing the two solely based on their physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA sequences is difficult. Molecular identification was used to discover suitable genes for distinguishing the two bacteria, and to identify the bio-controlling strain B29, due to molecular identification has been paid more and more attention. The similarity of four genes, cheA, gyrB, groEL and phoR, of the two species was compared by the software BLASTN and MAGA, and phylogenetic tree was constructed. The B29 strain was re-identified by using the screened genes. The similarities of the four genes, gyrB, groEL, cheA and phoR, of the two species were 93-95%, 82-84%, 76-78% and 76-77%, respectively. The homologies of the four genes of the strain B29 and the strains of B. amyloliquefaciens strains were more than 95%. We determined how well the phoR and cheA genes could be used to differentiate B. amyloliquefacien and B. subtilis. The previously isolated biological control strain B29, initially classified as B. subtilis, was re-classified as B. amyloliquefaciens. Our data indicate that other than the phoR gene, the cheA gene might be a useful phylogenetic marker for differentiating B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens.

  14. Complete genome sequence of the thermophilic, hydrogen-oxidizing Bacillus tusciae type strain (T2) and reclassification in the new genus, Kyrpidia gen. nov. as Kyrpidia tusciae comb. nov. and emendation of the family Alicyclobacillaceae da Costa and Rainey, 2010.

    PubMed

    Klenk, Hans-Peter; Lapidus, Alla; Chertkov, Olga; Copeland, Alex; Del Rio, Tijana Glavina; Nolan, Matt; Lucas, Susan; Chen, Feng; Tice, Hope; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Han, Cliff; Bruce, David; Goodwin, Lynne; Pitluck, Sam; Pati, Amrita; Ivanova, Natalia; Mavromatis, Konstantinos; Daum, Chris; Chen, Amy; Palaniappan, Krishna; Chang, Yun-Juan; Land, Miriam; Hauser, Loren; Jeffries, Cynthia D; Detter, John C; Rohde, Manfred; Abt, Birte; Pukall, Rüdiger; Göker, Markus; Bristow, James; Markowitz, Victor; Hugenholtz, Philip; Eisen, Jonathan A

    2011-10-15

    Bacillus tusciae Bonjour & Aragno 1994 is a hydrogen-oxidizing, thermoacidophilic spore former that lives as a facultative chemolithoautotroph in solfataras. Although 16S rRNA gene sequencing was well established at the time of the initial description of the organism, 16S sequence data were not available and the strain was placed into the genus Bacillus based on limited chemotaxonomic information. Despite the now obvious misplacement of strain T2 as a member of the genus Bacillus in 16S rRNA-based phylogenetic trees, the misclassification remained uncorrected for many years, which was likely due to the extremely difficult, analysis-hampering cultivation conditions and poor growth rate of the strain. Here we provide a taxonomic re-evaluation of strain T2T (= DSM 2912 = NBRC 15312) and propose its reclassification as the type strain of a new species, Kyrpidia tusciae, and the type species of the new genus Kyrpidia, which is a sister-group of Alicyclobacillus. The family Alicyclobacillaceae da Costa and Rainey, 2010 is emended. The 3,384,766 bp genome with its 3,323 protein-coding and 78 RNA genes is part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

  15. Role of mechanical vs. chemical action in the removal of adherent Bacillus spores during CIP procedures.

    PubMed

    Faille, C; Bénézech, T; Blel, W; Ronse, A; Ronse, G; Clarisse, M; Slomianny, C

    2013-04-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the respective roles of mechanical and chemical effects on the removal of Bacillus spores during cleaning-in-place. This analysis was performed on 12 strains belonging to the Bacillus cereus group (B. cereus, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis) or to less related Bacillus species (Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus sporothermodurans, Bacillus subtilis). Adherent spores were subjected to rinsing-in-place (mechanical action) and cleaning-in-place (mechanical and chemical actions) procedures, the latter involving NaOH 0.5% at 60°C. Results revealed that mechanical action alone only removed between 53 and 89% of the attached spores at a shear stress of 500 Pa. This resistance to shear was not related to spore surface properties. Conversely, in the presence of NaOH at a shear stress of 4 Pa, spores were readily detached, with between 80 and 99% of the adherent spores detached during CIP and the chemical action greatly depended on the strain. This finding suggests that chemical action plays the major role during CIP, whose efficacy is significantly governed by the spore surface chemistry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Complete Genome Sequences for 35 Biothreat Assay-Relevant Bacillus Species

    DOE PAGES

    Johnson, Shannon L.; Daligault, Hajnalka E.; Davenport, Karen W.; ...

    2015-04-30

    In 2011, the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) International released a list of Bacillus strains relevant to biothreat molecular detection assays. Presented in this document are the complete and annotated genome assemblies for the 15 strains listed on the inclusivity panel, as well as the 20 strains listed on the exclusivity panel.

  17. Bacillus subtilis DNA polymerases, PolC and DnaE, are required for both leading and lagging strand synthesis in SPP1 origin-dependent DNA replication

    PubMed Central

    Seco, Elena M.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Firmicutes have two distinct replicative DNA polymerases, the PolC leading strand polymerase, and PolC and DnaE synthesizing the lagging strand. We have reconstituted in vitro Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPP1 θ-type DNA replication, which initiates unidirectionally at oriL. With this system we show that DnaE is not only restricted to lagging strand synthesis as previously suggested. DnaG primase and DnaE polymerase are required for initiation of DNA replication on both strands. DnaE and DnaG synthesize in concert a hybrid RNA/DNA ‘initiation primer’ on both leading and lagging strands at the SPP1 oriL region, as it does the eukaryotic Pol α complex. DnaE, as a RNA-primed DNA polymerase, extends this initial primer in a reaction modulated by DnaG and one single-strand binding protein (SSB, SsbA or G36P), and hands off the initiation primer to PolC, a DNA-primed DNA polymerase. Then, PolC, stimulated by DnaG and the SSBs, performs the bulk of DNA chain elongation at both leading and lagging strands. Overall, these modulations by the SSBs and DnaG may contribute to the mechanism of polymerase switch at Firmicutes replisomes. PMID:28575448

  18. Complete sequence of the first chimera genome constructed by cloning the whole genome of Synechocystis strain PCC6803 into the Bacillus subtilis 168 genome.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Satoru; Shiwa, Yuh; Itaya, Mitsuhiro; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi

    2012-12-01

    Genome synthesis of existing or designed genomes is made feasible by the first successful cloning of a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis PCC6803, in Gram-positive, endospore-forming Bacillus subtilis. Whole-genome sequence analysis of the isolate and parental B. subtilis strains provides clues for identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 2 complete bacterial genomes in one cell.

  19. Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis strains virulent to Varroa destructor on larvae and adults of Apis mellifera.

    PubMed

    Alquisira-Ramírez, Eva Vianey; Peña-Chora, Guadalupe; Hernández-Velázquez, Víctor Manuel; Alvear-García, Andrés; Arenas-Sosa, Iván; Suarez-Rodríguez, Ramón

    2017-08-01

    The sublethal effects of two strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, which were virulent in vitro to Varroa destructor, were measured on Apis mellifera. The effects of five concentrations of total protein (1, 5, 25, 50 and 100μg/mL) from the EA3 and EA26.1 strains on larval and adult honey bees were evaluated for two and seven days under laboratory conditions. Based on the concentrations evaluated, total protein from the two strains did not affect the development of larvae, the syrup consumption, locomotor activity or proboscis extension response of adults. These same parameters were also tested for the effects of three concentrations (1, 10 and 15μg/kg) of cypermethrin as a positive control. Although no significant differences were observed after two days of treatment with cypermethrin, a dose-response relationship in syrup consumption and locomotor activity was observed. A significant reduction in the proboscis extension response of the bees treated with cypermethrin was also observed. Therefore, in contrast to cypermethrin, our results indicate that the EA3 and EA26.1 strains of B. thuringiensis can be used in beehives to control V. destructor and reduce the negative effects of this mite on colonies without adverse effects on the larvae and adults of A. mellifera. Additionally, the overuse of synthetic miticides, which produce both lethal and sublethal effects on bees, can be reduced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Correlation of 16S Ribosomal DNA Signature Sequences with Temperature-Dependent Growth Rates of Mesophilic and Psychrotolerant Strains of the Bacillus cereus Group

    PubMed Central

    Prüß, Birgit M.; Francis, Kevin P.; von Stetten, Felix; Scherer, Siegfried

    1999-01-01

    Sequences of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) from psychrotolerant and mesophilic strains of the Bacillus cereus group revealed signatures which were specific for these two thermal groups of bacteria. Further analysis of the genomic DNA from a wide range of food and soil isolates showed that B. cereus group strains have between 6 and 10 copies of 16S rDNA. Moreover, a number of these environmental strains have both rDNA operons with psychrotolerant signatures and rDNA operons with mesophilic signatures. The ability of these isolates to grow at low temperatures correlates with the prevalence of rDNA operons with psychrotolerant signatures, indicating specific nucleotides within the 16S rRNA to play a role in psychrotolerance. PMID:10198030

  1. Evaluation of the endophytic nature of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 and its efficacy in the control of anthracnose.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jeong Do; Jeon, Byeong Jun; Han, Jae Woo; Park, Min Young; Kang, Sin Ae; Kim, Beom Seok

    2016-08-01

    Endophytic bacteria are viewed as a potential new source of biofungicides because they have beneficial characteristics as control agents for plant disease. This study was performed to examine the endophytic feature and disease control efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 and to identify the antifungal compounds produced by this strain. B. amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 was isolated from leaf tissue of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.). Anthracnose symptoms were markedly reduced in the leaves of pepper plants colonised by GYL4. An egfp-expressing strain of GYL4 (GYL4-egfp) was constructed and reintroduced into pepper plants, which confirmed its ability to colonise the internal tissues of pepper plants. GYL4-egfp was observed in the root and stem tissues 4 days after treatment and abundantly found in the internal leaf tissue 9 days after treatment. Bacillomycin derivatives purified from the culture extract of GYL4 displayed control efficacy on anthracnose development in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Chunsim). The present study is the first report on evaluation of the endophytic and systemic nature of B. amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 and its potential as a biocontrol agent for anthracnose management. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Antimicrobial activity of commercial marinades against multiple strains of Salmonella spp.

    PubMed

    Pathania, A; McKee, S R; Bilgili, S F; Singh, M

    2010-05-15

    Marination of poultry meat is widely done for value addition, enhancing shelf life, and increasing consumer acceptance. This study was conducted to determine in vitro the efficacy of commercially available teriyaki and lemon pepper marinades on the survivability of multiple strains of nalidixic acid (NAL) resistant Salmonella spp. S. Typhimurium and S. Heidelberg resistant to 60 microg of NAL and S. Seftenberg resistant to 35 microg of NAL were individually inoculated into the marinades (ca. 10(8) CFU/ml) and maintained at 4 and 25 degrees C for up to 32 h. Teriyaki marinade significantly (p<0.05) reduced the populations of all three strains of Salmonella over the 32 h period as compared to lemon pepper, irrespective of the storage temperature. Following the 32 h storage, irrespective of the storage temperature, surviving populations of S. Heidelberg, Typhimurium, and Senftenberg were reduced (p<0.05) by 3.55, 4.62 and 2.27 log(10) CFU/ml respectively at 0 h and subsequently were reduced (p<0.05) below detectable limits after 32 h whereas no significant reductions (p>0.05) were observed in the lemon pepper marinade. These findings suggest that, in addition to the potential for improving the sensory attributes of poultry products, marination can enhance their safety irrespective of the storage temperature. The findings from this study suggest a promising approach in developing antimicrobial systems for poultry products. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Differentiation of Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin and comparison with Alcaligenes spp. reference strains.

    PubMed Central

    Berkhoff, H A; Riddle, G D

    1984-01-01

    Although standard biochemical tests used for the identification of Alcaligenes spp. revealed only minor differences, the oxidative low-peptone technique clearly differentiated between Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin and Alcaligenes spp. reference strains. Based on their colonial morphology, biochemical profiles, and hemagglutination, the Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin were further divided into two subgroups, C1-T1 and C2-T2. Colonies of subgroup C1-T1 were nondescript, round, raised, glistening, translucent, greyish, and about 2 mm in diameter. Colonies of subgroup C2-T2 were off-white, flat, dry and wrinkled, generally round, and resembled tiny lily pads. Biochemical profiles by the oxidative low-peptone method showed the C1-T1 subgroup alkalinizing only three substrates (citrate, acetate, and succinate), whereas the C2-T2 subgroup alkalinized eight substrates (citrate, acetate, butyrate, itaconate, malonate, saccharate, succinate, and M-tartrate). Subgroup C1-T1 agglutinated human, chicken, and turkey erythrocytes, whereas subgroup C2-T2 did not. The recognition of these two subgroups within the Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin is important, since it may explain the differences seen in pathogenicity among isolates. Images PMID:6715517

  4. Differentiation of Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin and comparison with Alcaligenes spp. reference strains.

    PubMed

    Berkhoff, H A; Riddle, G D

    1984-04-01

    Although standard biochemical tests used for the identification of Alcaligenes spp. revealed only minor differences, the oxidative low-peptone technique clearly differentiated between Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin and Alcaligenes spp. reference strains. Based on their colonial morphology, biochemical profiles, and hemagglutination, the Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin were further divided into two subgroups, C1-T1 and C2-T2. Colonies of subgroup C1-T1 were nondescript, round, raised, glistening, translucent, greyish, and about 2 mm in diameter. Colonies of subgroup C2-T2 were off-white, flat, dry and wrinkled, generally round, and resembled tiny lily pads. Biochemical profiles by the oxidative low-peptone method showed the C1-T1 subgroup alkalinizing only three substrates (citrate, acetate, and succinate), whereas the C2-T2 subgroup alkalinized eight substrates (citrate, acetate, butyrate, itaconate, malonate, saccharate, succinate, and M-tartrate). Subgroup C1-T1 agglutinated human, chicken, and turkey erythrocytes, whereas subgroup C2-T2 did not. The recognition of these two subgroups within the Alcaligenes-like bacteria of avian origin is important, since it may explain the differences seen in pathogenicity among isolates.

  5. Isolation, Identification and Antibacterial Susceptibility of Staphylococcus spp. Associated with the Mobile Phones of University Students.

    PubMed

    Furuhata, Katsunori; Ishizaki, Naoto; Sogawa, Kazuyuki; Kawakami, Yasushi; Lee, Shin-Ichi; Sato, Masahiro; Fukuyama, Masafumi

    2016-01-01

    From May 2014 to February 2015, 319 university students (male, n=173; female n=146) of 18 to 24 years of age who carried mobile phones or computer tablets were selected as subjects. Staphylococcus spp. were detected in 101 of 319 samples (31.7%). In the present study, 11 strains of S. aureus were isolated and identified, not all of which were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Overall, 14 species were identified, with 11 strains (10.9%) of S. xylosus being isolated at the highest frequency. Following this were eight strains (7.9%) of S. cohnii and seven strains (6.9%) each of S. capitis and S. haemolyticus. Staphylococcus spp. isolation was performed with bacterial samples obtained from the mobile phones of 22 specific subjects (males, n=12; females, n=10). Staphylococcus spp. isolation was performed on days -1, 7 and 30 of the experiment. Staphylococcus spp. were positively detected one or more times in 12 subjects (54.5%). In one subject (8.3%), all three tests were positive. Furthermore, two tests were positive in three (25.0%). In the eight remaining subjects (66.7%) Staphylococcus spp. were detected only once. For the three abovementioned tests, we investigated the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of the strains derived from the mobile phone and from the fingers of three subjects in whom the same bacterial species were isolated twice. From the cases with similarities between strains derived from the fingers and the mobile phones and cases, with consistency in the strains derived from the mobile phone at different times, commonality was observed in the strains derived from the fingers and mobile phones along with chronological uniformity in the strains derived from the mobile phones. A total of 101 Staphylococcus spp. strains were isolated from mobile phones. According to drug susceptibility tests, 99 strains (98.0%) were found to have some degree of resistance to drugs (excluding one strain each of S. aureus and S. haemolyticus

  6. Evaluation of in situ valine production by Bacillus subtilis in young pigs.

    PubMed

    Nørgaard, J V; Canibe, N; Soumeh, E A; Jensen, B B; Nielsen, B; Derkx, P; Cantor, M D; Blaabjerg, K; Poulsen, H D

    2016-11-01

    Mutants of Bacillus subtilis can be developed to overproduce Val in vitro. It was hypothesized that addition of Bacillus subtilis mutants to pig diets can be a strategy to supply the animal with Val. The objective was to investigate the effect of Bacillus subtilis mutants on growth performance and blood amino acid (AA) concentrations when fed to piglets. Experiment 1 included 18 pigs (15.0±1.1 kg) fed one of three diets containing either 0.63 or 0.69 standardized ileal digestible (SID) Val : Lys, or 0.63 SID Val : Lys supplemented with a Bacillus subtilis mutant (mutant 1). Blood samples were obtained 0.5 h before feeding and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h after feeding and analyzed for AAs. In Experiment 2, 80 piglets (9.1±1.1 kg) were fed one of four diets containing 0.63 or 0.67 SID Val : Lys, or 0.63 SID Val : Lys supplemented with another Bacillus subtilis mutant (mutant 2) or its parent wild type. Average daily feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio were measured on days 7, 14 and 21. On day 17, blood samples were taken and analyzed for AAs. On days 24 to 26, six pigs from each dietary treatment were fitted with a permanent jugular vein catheter, and blood samples were taken for AA analysis 0.5 h before feeding and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h after feeding. In experiment 1, Bacillus subtilis mutant 1 tended (P<0.10) to increase the plasma levels of Val at 2 and 3 h post-feeding, but this was not confirmed in Experiment 2. In Experiment 2, Bacillus subtilis mutant 2 and the wild type did not result in a growth performance different from the negative and positive controls. In conclusion, results obtained with the mutant strains of Bacillus subtilis were not better than results obtained with the wild-type strain, and for both strains, the results were not different than the negative control.

  7. A novel Bacillus pumilus-related strain from tropical landfarm soil is capable of rapid dibenzothiophene degradation and biodesulfurization.

    PubMed

    Buzanello, Elizandra Bruschi; Rezende, Rachel Passos; Sousa, Fernanda Maria Oliveira; Marques, Eric de Lima Silva; Loguercio, Leandro Lopes

    2014-10-08

    The presence of organic sulfur-containing compounds in the environment is harmful to animals and human health. The combustion of these compounds in fossil fuels tends to release sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere, which leads to acid rain, corrosion, damage to crops, and an array of other problems. The process of biodesulfurization rationally exploits the ability of certain microorganisms in the removal of sulfur prior to fuel burning, without loss of calorific value. In this sense, we hypothesized that bacterial isolates from tropical landfarm soils can demonstrate the ability to degrade dibenzothiophene (DBT), the major sulfur-containing compound present in fuels. Nine bacterial isolates previously obtained from a tropical landfarm soil were tested for their ability to degrade dibenzothiophene (DBT). An isolate labeled as RR-3 has shown the best performance and was further characterized in the present study. Based on physiological aspects and 16 s rDNA sequencing, this isolate was found to be very closely related to the Bacillus pumillus species. During its growth, high levels of DBT were removed in the first 24 hours, and a rapid DBT degradation within the first hour of incubation was observed when resting cells were used. Detection of 2-hydroxybiphenyl (HBP), a marker for the 4S pathway, suggests this strain has metabolical capability for DBT desulfurization. The presence of MgSO4 in growth medium as an additional sulfur source has interfered with DBT degradation. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that a Bacillus strain can metabolize DBT via the 4S pathway. However, further evidences suggest RR-3 can also use DBT (and/or its derivative metabolites) as carbon/sulfur source through another type of metabolism. Compared to other reported DBT-degrading strains, the RR-3 isolate showed the highest capacity for DBT degradation ever described in quantitative terms. The potential application of this isolate for the biodesulfurization of this sulfur

  8. Bacillus thermotolerans sp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium capable of reducing humus.

    PubMed

    Yang, Guiqin; Zhou, Xuemei; Zhou, Shungui; Yang, Dehui; Wang, Yueqiang; Wang, Dingmei

    2013-10-01

    A novel thermotolerant bacterium, designated SgZ-8(T), was isolated from a compost sample. Cells were non-motile, endospore-forming, Gram-staining positive, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. The isolate was able to grow at 20-65 °C (optimum 50 °C) and pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 6.5-7.0), and tolerate up to 9.0 % NaCl (w/v) under aerobic conditions. Anaerobic growth occurred with anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate (AQDS), fumarate and NO3(-) as electron acceptors. Phylogenetic analysis based on the16S rRNA and gyrB genes grouped strain SgZ-8(T) into the genus Bacillus, with the highest similarity to Bacillus badius JCM 12228(T) (96.2 % for 16S rRNA gene sequence and 83.5 % for gyrB gene sequence) among all recognized species in the genus Bacillus. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.3 mol%. The major isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7) and the polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unidentified phospholipid. The major cellular fatty acid was iso-C16 : 0. On the basis of its phenotypic and phylogenetic properties, chemotaxonomic analysis and the results of physiological and biochemical tests, strain SgZ-8(T) ( = CCTCC AB 2012108(T) = KACC 16706(T)) was designated the type strain of a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus thermotolerans sp. nov. is proposed.

  9. Novel Routes for Improving Biocontrol Activity of Bacillus Based Bioinoculants

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Liming; Wu, Hui-Jun; Qiao, Junqing; Gao, Xuewen; Borriss, Rainer

    2015-01-01

    Biocontrol (BC) formulations prepared from plant-growth-promoting bacteria are increasingly applied in sustainable agriculture. Especially inoculants prepared from endospore-forming Bacillus strains have been proven as efficient and environmental-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides due to their long shelf life, which is comparable with that of agrochemicals. However, these formulations of the first generation are sometimes hampered in their action and do not fulfill in each case the expectations of the appliers. In this review we use the well-known plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens type strain FZB42 as example for the successful application of different techniques offered today by comparative, evolutionary and functional genomics, site-directed mutagenesis and strain construction including marker removal, for paving the way for preparing a novel generation of BC agents. PMID:26696998

  10. Biodegradation of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) by a novel endophytic Bacillus megaterium strain YJB3.

    PubMed

    Feng, Nai-Xian; Yu, Jiao; Mo, Ce-Hui; Zhao, Hai-Ming; Li, Yan-Wen; Wu, Bing-Xiao; Cai, Quan-Ying; Li, Hui; Zhou, Dong-Mei; Wong, Ming-Hung

    2018-03-01

    Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are a group of recalcitrant and hazardous organic compounds that pose a great threat to both ecosystem and human beings. A novel endophytic strain YJB3 that could utilize a wide range of PAEs as the sole carbon and energy sources for cell growth was isolated from Canna indica root tissue. It was identified as Bacillus megaterium based on morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence homology analysis. The degradation capability of the strain YJB3 was investigated by incubation in mineral salt medium containing di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP), one of important PAEs under different environmental conditions, showing 82.5% of the DBP removal in 5days of incubation under the optimum conditions (acetate 1.2g·L -1 , inocula 1.8%, and temperature 34.2°C) achieved by two-step sequential optimization technologies. The DBP metabolites including mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), phthalic acid (PA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), etc. were determined by GC-MS. The PCA catabolic genes responsible for the aromatic ring cleavage of PCA in the strain YJB3 were excavated by whole-genome sequencing. Thus, a degradation pathway of DBP by the strain YJB3 was proposed that MBP was formed, followed by PA, and then the intermediates were further utilized till complete degradation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show the biodegradation of PAEs using endophyte. The results in the present study suggest that the strain YJB3 is greatly promising to act as a competent inoculum in removal of PAEs in both soils and crops. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Dehalogenation of chlorobenzenes, dichlorotoluenes, and tetrachloroethene by three Dehalobacter spp.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Jennifer L; Jiang, Jiandong; Zinder, Stephen H

    2014-04-01

    Three enrichment cultures containing Dehalobacter spp. were developed that dehalogenate each of the dichlorobenzene (DCB) isomers to monochlorobenzene (MCB), and the strains using 1,2-DCB (12DCB1) or 1,3-DCB (13DCB1) are now considered isolated, whereas the strain using 1,4-DCB (14DCB1) is considered highly enriched. In this study, we examined the dehalogenation capability of each strain to use chlorobenzenes with three or more chlorines, tetrachloroethene (PCE), or dichlorotoluene (DCT) isomers. Strain 12DCB1 preferentially dehalogenated singly flanked chlorines, but not doubly flanked or unflanked chlorines. It dehalogenated pentachlorobenzene to MCB with little buildup of intermediates. Strain 13DCB1, which could use either 1,3-DCB or 1,2-DCB, demonstrated the widest dehalogenation spectrum of electron acceptors tested, and dehalogenated every chlorobenzene isomer except 1,4-DCB. Notably, strain 13DCB1 dehalogenated the recalcitrant 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene isomer to MCB, and qPCR of 16S rRNA genes indicated that strain 13DCB1 grew. Strain 14DCB1 exhibited the narrowest range of substrate utilization, but was the only strain to dehalogenate para-substituted chlorines. Strains 12DCB1 and 13DCB1 dehalogenated PCE to cis-dichloroethene, and all strains dehalogenated 3,4-DCT to monochlorotoluene. These findings show that Dehalobacter spp., like Dehalococcoides spp., are versatile dehalogenators and should be considered when determining the fate of chlorinated organics at contaminated sites.

  12. Evaluation of genetic and phenotypic consistency of Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856: a commercial probiotic strain.

    PubMed

    Majeed, Muhammed; Nagabhushanam, Kalyanam; Natarajan, Sankaran; Sivakumar, Arumugam; Eshuis-de Ruiter, Talitha; Booij-Veurink, Janine; de Vries, Ynte P; Ali, Furqan

    2016-04-01

    Commercial probiotics preparation containing Bacillus coagulans have been sold in the market for several decades. Due to its high intra-species genomic diversity, it is very likely that B. coagulans strain may alter in different ways over multiple years of production. Therefore, the present study focuses to evaluate the genetic consistency and probiotic potential of B. coagulans MTCC 5856. Phenotypic and genotypic techniques including biochemical profiling, 16S rRNA sequencing, GTG 5″, BOX PCR fingerprinting, and Multi-Locus-Sequence typing (MLST) were carried out to evaluate the identity and consistency of the B. coagulans MTCC 5856. Further, in vitro probiotic potential, safety and stability at ambient temperature conditions of B. coagulans MTCC 5856 were evaluated. All the samples were identified as B. coagulans by biochemical profiling and 16S rRNA sequencing. GTG 5″, BOX PCR fingerprints and MLST studies revealed that the same strain was present over 3 years of commercial production. B. coagulans MTCC 5856 showed resistance to gastric acid, bile salt and exhibited antimicrobial activity in in-vitro studies. Additionally, B. coagulans MTCC 5856 was found to be non-mutagenic, non-cytotoxic, negative for enterotoxin genes and stable at ambient temperature (25 ± 2 °C) for 36 months. The data of the study verified that the same strain of B. coagulans MTCC 5856 was present in commercial preparation over multiple years of production.

  13. Characterization of genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis strains and their application for the production of guanosine and thymidine.

    PubMed

    Li, Yang; Zhu, Xujun; Zhang, Xueyu; Fu, Jing; Wang, Zhiwen; Chen, Tao; Zhao, Xueming

    2016-06-03

    Genome streamlining has emerged as an effective strategy to boost the production efficiency of bio-based products. Many efforts have been made to construct desirable chassis cells by reducing the genome size of microbes. It has been reported that the genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis strain MBG874 showed clear advantages for the production of several heterologous enzymes including alkaline cellulase and protease. In addition to enzymes, B. subtilis is also used for the production of chemicals. To our best knowledge, it is still unknown whether genome reduction could be used to optimize the production of chemicals such as nucleoside products. In this study, we constructed a series of genome-reduced strains by deleting non-essential regions in the chromosome of B. subtilis 168. These strains with genome reductions ranging in size from 581.9 to 814.4 kb displayed markedly decreased growth rates, sporulation ratios, transformation efficiencies and maintenance coefficients, as well as increased cell yields. We re-engineered the genome-reduced strains to produce guanosine and thymidine, respectively. The strain BSK814G2, in which purA was knocked out, and prs, purF and guaB were co-overexpressed, produced 115.2 mg/L of guanosine, which was 4.4-fold higher compared to the control strain constructed by introducing the same gene modifications into the parental strain. We also constructed a thymidine producer by deleting the tdk gene and overexpressing the prs, ushA, thyA, dut, and ndk genes from Escherichia coli in strain BSK756, and the resulting strain BSK756T3 accumulated 151.2 mg/L thymidine, showing a 5.2-fold increase compared to the corresponding control strain. Genome-scale genetic manipulation has a variety of effects on the physiological characteristics and cell metabolism of B. subtilis. By introducing specific gene modifications related to guanosine and thymidine accumulation, respectively, we demonstrated that genome-reduced strains had greatly improved

  14. 3M™ Molecular detection system versus MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and molecular techniques for the identification of Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella spp. &Listeria spp.

    PubMed

    Loff, Marché; Mare, Louise; de Kwaadsteniet, Michele; Khan, Wesaal

    2014-06-01

    The aim of this study was to compare standard selective plating, conventional PCR (16S rRNA and species specific primers), MALDI-TOF MS and the 3M™ Molecular Detection System for the routine detection of the pathogens Listeria, Salmonella and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in wastewater and river water samples. MALDI-TOF MS was able to positively identify 20/21 (95%) of the E. coli isolates obtained at genus and species level, while 16S rRNA sequencing only correctly identified 6/21 (28%) as E. coli strains. None of the presumptive positive Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. isolates obtained by culturing on selective media were positively identified by MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA analysis. The species-specific E. coli 0157:H7 PCR described in this present study, was not able to detect any E. coli 0157:H7 strains in the wastewater and river water samples analysed. However, E. coli strains, Listeria spp., L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. were detected using species specific PCR. Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. were also sporadically detected throughout the sampling period in the wastewater and river water samples analysed by the 3M™ Molecular Detection System. MALDI-TOF MS, which is a simple, accurate and cost-effective detection method, efficiently identified the culturable organisms, while in the current study both species specific PCR (Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp.) and 3M™ Molecular Detection System could be utilised for the direct routine analysis of pathogens in water sources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. No adverse effects of transgenic maize on population dynamics of endophytic Bacillus subtilis strain B916-gfp.

    PubMed

    Sun, Chongsi; Geng, Lili; Wang, Meiling; Shao, Gaoxiang; Liu, Yongfeng; Shu, Changlong; Zhang, Jie

    2017-02-01

    Endophytic bacterial communities play a key role in promoting plant growth and combating plant diseases. However, little is known about their population dynamics in plant tissues and bulk soil, especially in transgenic crops. This study investigated the colonization of transgenic maize harboring the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cry1Ah gene by Bacillus subtilis strain B916-gfp present in plant tissues and soil. Bt and nontransgenic maize were inoculated with B916-gfp by seed soaking, or root irrigation under both laboratory greenhouse and field conditions. During the growing season, B916-gfp colonized transgenic as well as nontransgenic plants by both inoculation methods. No differences were observed in B916-gfp population size between transgenic and nontransgenic plants, except at one or two time points in the roots and stems that did not persist over the examination period. Furthermore, planting transgenic maize did not affect the number of B916-gfp in bulk soil in either laboratory or field trials. These results indicate that transgenic modification of maize with the cry1Ah gene has no influence on colonization by the endophytic bacteria B916-gfp present in the plant and in bulk soil. © 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpenpublished by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Chitinase producing Bt strains

    Treesearch

    Haim B. Gunner; Matthew Zimet; Sarah Berger

    1985-01-01

    Screening of 402 strains of more than 18 varieties of Bacillus thuringiensis showed chitinase to be inducible in virtually every serovar tested. Though the chitinase titre varied among strains, there was a strong correlation between enhanced lethality to spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), and an increase in...

  17. Molecular Identification and Susceptibility of Clinically Relevant Scedosporium spp. in China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Hong; Wan, Zhe; Li, Ruoyu; Lu, Qiaoyun

    2015-01-01

    As various new sibling species within the Scedosporium spp. have been described recently, this study was conducted to investigate distribution and antifungal susceptibility profiles of the different species of Scedosporium spp. in China. Twenty-one clinical strains of Scedosporium from China and two strains from Japan were reidentified by MLSA. The analysis included BT2, CAL, RPB, SOD, and ACT and the combination of the five loci. Pseudallescheria boydii complex (17 strains) and S. apiospermum (6 strains) were identified. P. boydii complex included four closely related subgroups: P. boydii (9 strains), P. ellipsoidea (6 strains), P. fusoidea (1 strain), and P. angusta (1 strain). There were no significant differences in MICs for neither VOR, POS, nor AMB over all the five species in study. For itraconazole, intraspecific diversity was evident. PMID:26550562

  18. Molecular identification and susceptibility of clinically relevant Scedosporium spp. in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hong; Wan, Zhe; Li, Ruoyu; Lu, Qiaoyun; Yu, Jin

    2015-01-01

    As various new sibling species within the Scedosporium spp. have been described recently, this study was conducted to investigate distribution and antifungal susceptibility profiles of the different species of Scedosporium spp. in China. Twenty-one clinical strains of Scedosporium from China and two strains from Japan were reidentified by MLSA. The analysis included BT2, CAL, RPB, SOD, and ACT and the combination of the five loci. Pseudallescheria boydii complex (17 strains) and S. apiospermum (6 strains) were identified. P. boydii complex included four closely related subgroups: P. boydii (9 strains), P. ellipsoidea (6 strains), P. fusoidea (1 strain), and P. angusta (1 strain). There were no significant differences in MICs for neither VOR, POS, nor AMB over all the five species in study. For itraconazole, intraspecific diversity was evident.

  19. Real-Time PCR Detection of Paenibacillus spp. in Raw Milk To Predict Shelf Life Performance of Pasteurized Fluid Milk Products

    PubMed Central

    Ranieri, Matthew L.; Ivy, Reid A.; Mitchell, W. Robert; Call, Emma; Masiello, Stephanie N.; Wiedmann, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Psychrotolerant sporeformers, specifically Paenibacillus spp., are important spoilage bacteria for pasteurized, refrigerated foods such as fluid milk. While Paenibacillus spp. have been isolated from farm environments, raw milk, processing plant environments, and pasteurized fluid milk, no information on the number of Paenibacillus spp. that need to be present in raw milk to cause pasteurized milk spoilage was available. A real-time PCR assay targeting the 16S rRNA gene was designed to detect Paenibacillus spp. in fluid milk and to discriminate between Paenibacillus and other closely related spore-forming bacteria. Specificity was confirmed using 16 Paenibacillus and 17 Bacillus isolates. All 16 Paenibacillus isolates were detected with a mean cycle threshold (CT) of 19.14 ± 0.54. While 14/17 Bacillus isolates showed no signal (CT > 40), 3 Bacillus isolates showed very weak positive signals (CT = 38.66 ± 0.65). The assay provided a detection limit of approximately 3.25 × 101 CFU/ml using total genomic DNA extracted from raw milk samples inoculated with Paenibacillus. Application of the TaqMan PCR to colony lysates obtained from heat-treated and enriched raw milk provided fast and accurate detection of Paenibacillus. Heat-treated milk samples where Paenibacillus (≥1 CFU/ml) was detected by this colony TaqMan PCR showed high bacterial counts (>4.30 log CFU/ml) after refrigerated storage (6°C) for 21 days. We thus developed a tool for rapid detection of Paenibacillus that has the potential to identify raw milk with microbial spoilage potential as a pasteurized product. PMID:22685148

  20. Introduction and expression of the cry1Ac gene of Bacillus thuringiensis in a cereal-associated bacterium, Bacillus polymyxa.

    PubMed

    Sudha, S N; Jayakumar, R; Sekar, V

    1999-03-01

    The abilities of Bacillus polymyxa and Bacillus thuringiensis to survive on the rice phyllospere were compared; it was found that B. polymyxa colonizes the crop better. This study also showed that B. polymyxa inoculation to rice plants increased the shoot and the root growth of the crop. Efforts were made to introduce the cry1Ac gene of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki into B. polymyxa so that the application of such transgenic B. polymyxa strains would prove to be dually beneficial to rice crops both as a biopesticide and as a biofertilizer. Immunoblot analysis of the recombinant organism containing the cry1Ac gene, strain BP113, indicated efficient expression of this gene in the heterologous host. Bioassays with the first instar larvae of the yellow stem borer of rice (Scirpophaga incertulas) revealed that the protein preparations from BP113 were toxic.

  1. Biosurfactants production potential of native strains of Bacillus cereus and their antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities.

    PubMed

    Basit, Madiha; Rasool, Muhammad Hidayat; Naqvi, Syed Ali Raza; Waseem, Muhammad; Aslam, Bilal

    2018-01-01

    Present study was designed to evaluate the biosurfactant production potential by native strains of Bacillus cereus as well as determine their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The strains isolated from garden soil were characterized as B. cereus MMIC 1, MMIC 2 and MMIC 3. Biosurfactants were extracted as grey white precipitates. Optimum conditions for biosurfactant production were 37°C, the 7th day of incubation, 0.5% NaCl, pH 7.0. Moreover, corn steep liquor was the best carbon source. Biuret test, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), agar double diffusion and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) characterized the biosurfactants as cationic lipopeptides. Biosurfactants exhibited significant antibacterial and antifungal activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, A. niger and C. albicans at 30 mg/ml. Moreover, they also possessed antiviral activity against NDV at 10 mg/ml. Cytotoxicity assay in BHK-21 cell lines revealed 63% cell survival at 10 mg/ml of biosurfactants and thus considered as safe. They also showed very good antioxidant activity by ferric-reducing activity and DPPH scavenging activity at 2 mg/ml. Consequently, the study offers an insight for the exploration of new bioactive molecules from the soil. It was concluded that lipopeptide biosurfactants produced from native strains of B. cereus may be recommended as safe antimicrobial, emulsifier and antioxidant agent.

  2. DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED ANAEROBIC GROWTH OF BACILLUS MOJAVENSIS STRAIN JF-2 FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVED ANAEROBIC BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCTION FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    M.J. McInerney; M. Folmsbee; D. Nagle

    2004-05-31

    Our work focuses on the use of microorganisms to recover petroleum hydrocarbons that remain entrapped after current recovery technologies reach their economic limit. Capillary forces between the hydrocarbon and aqueous phases are largely responsible for trapping the hydrocarbons in the pores of the rock and large reductions in the interfacial tension between the hydrocarbon and aqueous phases are needed for hydrocarbon mobilization (1-3, 10, 11). Microorganisms produce a variety of biosurfactants (4), several of which generate the ultra low interfacial tensions needed for hydrocarbon mobilization (4, 5, 8). In particular, the lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by Bacillus mojavensis strain JF-2 reducesmore » the interfacial tension between hydrocarbon and aqueous phases to very low levels (<0.016 mN/m) (8) (9). B. mojavensis JF-2 grows under the environmental conditions found in many oil reservoirs, i. e., anaerobic, NaCl concentrations up to 80 g l{sup -1}, and temperatures up to 45 C (6, 7), making it ideally suited for in situ applications. However, anaerobic growth of B. mojavensis JF-2 was inconsistent and difficult to replicate, which limited its use for in situ applications. Our initial studies revealed that enzymatic digests, such as Proteose Peptone, were required for anaerobic growth of Bacillus mojavensis JF-2. Subsequent purification of the growth-enhancing factor in Proteose Peptone resulted in the identification of the growth-enhancing factor as DNA or deoxyribonucleosides. The addition of salmon sperm DNA, herring sperm DNA, E. coli DNA or synthetic DNA (single or double stranded) to Medium E all supported anaerobic growth of JF-2. Further, we found that JF-2 required all four deoxyribonucleosides (deoxyadeonosine, deoxyguanosine, deoxycytidine and thymidine) for growth under strict anaerobic conditions. The requirement for the deoxyribonucleosides did not occur under aerobic growth conditions. DNA was not used as a sole energy source; sucrose was

  3. Biotechnological potential of Bacillus salmalaya 139SI: a novel strain for remediating water polluted with crude oil waste.

    PubMed

    Ismail, Salmah; Dadrasnia, Arezoo

    2015-01-01

    Environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons, mainly crude oil waste from refineries, is becoming prevalent worldwide. This study investigates the bioremediation of water contaminated with crude oil waste. Bacillus salamalaya 139SI, a bacterium isolated from a private farm soil in the Kuala Selangor in Malaysia, was found to be a potential degrader of crude oil waste. When a microbial population of 108 CFU ml-1 was used, the 139SI strain degraded 79% and 88% of the total petroleum hydrocarbons after 42 days of incubation in mineral salt media containing 2% and 1% of crude oil waste, respectively, under optimum conditions. In the uninoculated medium containing 1% crude oil waste, 6% was degraded. Relative to the control, the degradation was significantly greater when a bacteria count of 99 × 108 CFU ml-1 was added to the treatments polluted with 1% oil. Thus, this isolated strain is useful for enhancing the biotreatment of oil in wastewater.

  4. Biotechnological Potential of Bacillus salmalaya 139SI: A Novel Strain for Remediating Water Polluted with Crude Oil Waste

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons, mainly crude oil waste from refineries, is becoming prevalent worldwide. This study investigates the bioremediation of water contaminated with crude oil waste. Bacillus salamalaya 139SI, a bacterium isolated from a private farm soil in the Kuala Selangor in Malaysia, was found to be a potential degrader of crude oil waste. When a microbial population of 108 CFU ml-1 was used, the 139SI strain degraded 79% and 88% of the total petroleum hydrocarbons after 42 days of incubation in mineral salt media containing 2% and 1% of crude oil waste, respectively, under optimum conditions. In the uninoculated medium containing 1% crude oil waste, 6% was degraded. Relative to the control, the degradation was significantly greater when a bacteria count of 99 × 108 CFU ml-1 was added to the treatments polluted with 1% oil. Thus, this isolated strain is useful for enhancing the biotreatment of oil in wastewater. PMID:25875763

  5. [Screening and identification of low temperature-adapted antagonistic Bacillus isolated from Kekexili region of West China and the analysis of the isolates lipopeptide compounds].

    PubMed

    Xie, Yong-Li; Gao, Xue-Wen

    2013-01-01

    The research and exploitation of special microbial resources in extreme environment is of scientific significance and has broad applied prospect. In this paper, eight Bacillus strains isolated from the vegetation rhizospheres in Kekexili extreme region of Qinghai Province and presented good growth status at low temperature 4 and 10 degrees C were identified. Through physiological and biochemical analysis, rep-PCR fingerprinting, and 16S rDNA and gyrB partial sequence analyses, the eight strains were identified as Bacillus mojavensis (3 isolates), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (1 isolate), and Bacillus simplex (4 isolates). The agar plate antagonistic test showed that four of the isolates presented distinct antagonistic activity to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. The MALDI-TOF-MS analysis showed that the strain KKD1 (B. mojavensis) produced fengycin and surfactin, whereas the strain KKD2 (B. amyloliquefaciens) produced iturin A, surfactin and fengycin, suggesting that the bio-control efficacy of the Bacillus strains could be related to the synthesis and excretion of the antifungal lipopeptide compounds. This study provided the bacterial resources for the research and exploitation of low temperature-adapted Bacillus bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides.

  6. Molecular analysis of mercury-resistant Bacillus isolates from sediment of Minamata Bay, Japan.

    PubMed Central

    Nakamura, K; Silver, S

    1994-01-01

    Bacillus isolates from Minamata Bay sediment were selected for the ability to volatilize mercury from a range of organomercurials (including methylmercury). Chromosomal DNA from 74 of 78 such strains hybridized with the mer mercury resistance operon DNA from marine Bacillus sp. strain RC607 (Y. Wang, M. Moore, H. S. Levinson, S. Silver, C. Walsh, and I. Mahler, J. Bacteriol. 171:83-92, 1989). The most frequent classes with regard to restriction nuclease site maps of the mer operon for the new isolates were identical to or closely related to the mer determinant of strain RC607. PCR amplification analysis with primers designed from the strain RC607 mer operon gave products of precisely the predicted size with the 74 Minamata Bay isolates. Images PMID:7811095

  7. Isolation of nitrite-degrading strains from Douchi and their application to degrade high nitrite in Jiangshui.

    PubMed

    Guo, Xing; Liu, Bianfang; Gao, Lina; Zhou, Yuan; Shan, Yuanyuan; Lü, Xin

    2018-06-01

    Excessive nitrite in food is potentially harmful to human health because of its carcinogenic effects caused by nitroso-dervivatives. Douchi, which widely distributed throughout the country, is a traditional solid fermented soybean food with low nitrite content. In this study, bacterias which can degrade nitrite were isolated from Douchi and identified according to 16S rDNA sequence. Acinetobacter guillouiae, Acinetobacter bereziniae, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus tequilensis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus aryabhattai and Bacillus methylotrophicus were selected. It was shown that all strains have nitrite degradation capability, in which 99.41 % nitrite can be degraded by Bacillus subtilis NDS1. The enzyme activities of these strains were determined at 24 h and 48 h, which corresponded to their nitrite degradation rates. The strains were firstly tried to inoculate in Jiangshui, which is a kind of traditional fermented vegetable in northwest China and often has high nitrite content. It was found that Bacillus subtilis NDS1, Bacillus tequilensis NDS3, Acinetobacter bereziniae NDS4, Bacillus subtilis NDS6, Bacillus subtilis NDS12 can degrade nitrite in Jiangshui more quickly, among which Acinetobacter bereziniae NDS4 degraded almost all nitrite in 48 h while it took 180 h for control. These results indicated that the selected strains have potential to become nitrite degradition agent in food. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  8. Identification and Pathogenic Potential of Clinical Bacillus and Paenibacillus Isolates

    PubMed Central

    Celandroni, Francesco; Salvetti, Sara; Gueye, Sokhna Aissatou; Mazzantini, Diletta; Lupetti, Antonella; Senesi, Sonia; Ghelardi, Emilia

    2016-01-01

    The soil-related Bacillus and Paenibacillus species have increasingly been implicated in various human diseases. Nevertheless, their identification still poses problems in the clinical microbiology laboratory and, with the exception of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus, little is known on their pathogenicity for humans. In this study, we evaluated the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption—ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in the identification of clinical isolates of these genera and conducted genotypic and phenotypic analyses to highlight specific virulence properties. Seventy-five clinical isolates were subjected to biochemical and MALDI-TOF MS identification. 16S rDNA sequencing and supplemental tests were used to solve any discrepancies or failures in the identification results. MALDI-TOF MS significantly outperformed classical biochemical testing for correct species identification and no misidentification was obtained. One third of the collected strains belonged to the B. cereus species, but also Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis were isolated at high rate. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that all the B. cereus, B. licheniformis, B. simplex, B. mycoides, Paenibacillus glucanolyticus and Paenibacillus lautus isolates are resistant to penicillin. The evaluation of toxin/enzyme secretion, toxin-encoding genes, motility, and biofilm formation revealed that B. cereus displays the highest virulence potential. However, although generally considered nonpathogenic, most of the other species were shown to swim, swarm, produce biofilms, and secrete proteases that can have a role in bacterial virulence. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS appears useful for fast and accurate identification of Bacillus and Paenibacillus strains whose virulence properties make them of increasing clinical relevance. PMID:27031639

  9. Characterization of thermostable alkaline proteases from Bacillus infantis SKS1 isolated from garden soil.

    PubMed

    Saggu, Sandeep Kaur; Mishra, Prakash Chandra

    2017-01-01

    Proteases are one of the largest groups of hydrolytic enzymes constituting about 60% of total worldwide sales of industrial enzymes due to their wide applications in detergent, leather, textile, food and pharmaceutical industry. Microbial proteases have been preferred over animal and plant proteases because of their fundamental features and ease in production. Bacillus infantis SKS1, an alkaline protease producing bacteria has been isolated from garden soil of north India and identified using morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. 16S rDNA sequence amplified using universal primers has 99% sequence identity with corresponding gene sequence of Bacillus infantis strain FM 34 and Bacillus sp. Beige. The bacterial culture and its 16S rDNA gene sequence have been deposited to Microbial Culture Collection (Pune, India) with accession number MCC 3035 and GenBank with accession number KR092197 respectively. The partially purified extract of Bacillus infantis SKS1 was thermostable and active in presence of Mg2+, acetyl acetone and laundry detergents implicating its application in industry. Production of these enzymes using this strain was maximized by optimization of various parameters including temperature, pH, media components and other growth conditions. Our results show that fructose and dextrose serve as the best carbon sources for production of these enzymes, highlighting the use of this strain for enzyme production utilizing relatively inexpensive substrates like beet molasses and corn steep liquor. Additionally, this strain showed maximum production of enzymes at 40°C similar to bacterial species used for commercial production of alkaline proteases. Characterization of alkaline proteases from this strain of Bacillus infantis and optimization of parameters for its production would help in understanding its industrial application and large-scale production.

  10. Characterization of thermostable alkaline proteases from Bacillus infantis SKS1 isolated from garden soil

    PubMed Central

    Saggu, Sandeep Kaur

    2017-01-01

    Proteases are one of the largest groups of hydrolytic enzymes constituting about 60% of total worldwide sales of industrial enzymes due to their wide applications in detergent, leather, textile, food and pharmaceutical industry. Microbial proteases have been preferred over animal and plant proteases because of their fundamental features and ease in production. Bacillus infantis SKS1, an alkaline protease producing bacteria has been isolated from garden soil of north India and identified using morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. 16S rDNA sequence amplified using universal primers has 99% sequence identity with corresponding gene sequence of Bacillus infantis strain FM 34 and Bacillus sp. Beige. The bacterial culture and its 16S rDNA gene sequence have been deposited to Microbial Culture Collection (Pune, India) with accession number MCC 3035 and GenBank with accession number KR092197 respectively. The partially purified extract of Bacillus infantis SKS1 was thermostable and active in presence of Mg2+, acetyl acetone and laundry detergents implicating its application in industry. Production of these enzymes using this strain was maximized by optimization of various parameters including temperature, pH, media components and other growth conditions. Our results show that fructose and dextrose serve as the best carbon sources for production of these enzymes, highlighting the use of this strain for enzyme production utilizing relatively inexpensive substrates like beet molasses and corn steep liquor. Additionally, this strain showed maximum production of enzymes at 40°C similar to bacterial species used for commercial production of alkaline proteases. Characterization of alkaline proteases from this strain of Bacillus infantis and optimization of parameters for its production would help in understanding its industrial application and large-scale production. PMID:29190780

  11. Potential of Bacillus cereus strain RS87 for partial replacement of chemical fertilisers in the production of Thai rice cultivars.

    PubMed

    Jetiyanon, Kanchalee; Plianbangchang, Pinyupa

    2012-03-30

    There is increasing interest in the development of technologies which can reduce the requirement for chemical fertilisers in rice production. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of Bacillus cereus strain RS87 for the partial replacement of chemical fertiliser in rice production. A greenhouse experiment was designed using different fertiliser regimes, with and without strain RS87. Six Thai rice cultivars were tested separately. Maximum rice growth and yield were obtained in rice receiving the full recommended fertiliser rate in combination with the strain RS87. Interestingly, all rice cultivars which were treated with strain RS87 and 50% recommended fertiliser rate provided equivalent plant growth and yield to that receiving the full recommended fertiliser rate only. A paired comparison between rice treated with 50% of the recommended fertiliser rate with the bacterial inoculant and the full fertiliser rate alone was further examined in small experimental rice paddy fields. Growth and yield of all rice cultivars which received the 50% fertiliser rate supplemented with strain RS87 gave a similar yield to that receiving the full fertiliser rate alone. Bacterial strain RS87 showed the potential to replace 50% of the recommended fertiliser rate for yield production. Integration of plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial inoculants with reduced application rates of chemical fertiliser appears promising for future agriculture. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. Draft genome sequence for virulent and avirulent strains of Xanthomonas arboricola isolated from Prunus spp. in Spain.

    PubMed

    Garita-Cambronero, Jerson; Palacio-Bielsa, Ana; López, María M; Cubero, Jaime

    2016-01-01

    Xanthomonas arboricola is a species in genus Xanthomonas which is mainly comprised of plant pathogens. Among the members of this taxon, X. arboricola pv. pruni, the causal agent of bacterial spot disease of stone fruits and almond, is distributed worldwide although it is considered a quarantine pathogen in the European Union. Herein, we report the draft genome sequence, the classification, the annotation and the sequence analyses of a virulent strain, IVIA 2626.1, and an avirulent strain, CITA 44, of X. arboricola associated with Prunus spp. The draft genome sequence of IVIA 2626.1 consists of 5,027,671 bp, 4,720 protein coding genes and 50 RNA encoding genes. The draft genome sequence of strain CITA 44 consists of 4,760,482 bp, 4,250 protein coding genes and 56 RNA coding genes. Initial comparative analyses reveals differences in the presence of structural and regulatory components of the type IV pilus, the type III secretion system, the type III effectors as well as variations in the number of the type IV secretion systems. The genome sequence data for these strains will facilitate the development of molecular diagnostics protocols that differentiate virulent and avirulent strains. In addition, comparative genome analysis will provide insights into the plant-pathogen interaction during the bacterial spot disease process.

  13. High-Level Heat Resistance of Spores of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus licheniformis Results from the Presence of a spoVA Operon in a Tn1546 Transposon

    PubMed Central

    Berendsen, Erwin M.; Koning, Rosella A.; Boekhorst, Jos; de Jong, Anne; Kuipers, Oscar P.; Wells-Bennik, Marjon H. J.

    2016-01-01

    Bacterial endospore formers can produce spores that are resistant to many food processing conditions, including heat. Some spores may survive heating processes aimed at production of commercially sterile foods. Recently, it was shown that a spoVA operon, designated spoVA2mob, present on a Tn1546 transposon in Bacillus subtilis, leads to profoundly increased wet heat resistance of B. subtilis spores. Such Tn1546 transposon elements including the spoVA2mob operon were also found in several strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus licheniformis, and these strains were shown to produce spores with significantly higher resistances to wet heat than their counterparts lacking this transposon. In this study, the locations and compositions of Tn1546 transposons encompassing the spoVA2mob operons in B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis were analyzed. Introduction of these spoVA2mob operons into B. subtilis 168 (producing spores that are not highly heat resistant) rendered mutant 168 strains that produced high-level heat resistant spores, demonstrating that these elements in B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis are responsible for high level heat resistance of spores. Assessment of growth of the nine strains of each species between 5.2°C and 57.7°C showed some differences between strains, especially at lower temperatures, but all strains were able to grow at 57.7°C. Strains of B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis that contain the Tn1546 elements (and produce high-level heat resistant spores) grew at temperatures similar to those of their Tn1546-negative counterparts that produce low-level heat resistant spores. The findings presented in this study allow for detection of B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis strains that produce highly heat resistant spores in the food chain. PMID:27994575

  14. Transfer of Bacillus halodenitrificans Denariaz et al. 1989 to the genus Virgibacillus as Virgibacillus halodenitrificans comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jung-Hoon; Oh, Tae-Kwang; Park, Yong-Ha

    2004-11-01

    A Gram-variable, endospore-forming moderately halophilic rod, strain SF-121, was isolated from a marine solar saltern of the Yellow Sea in Korea. The result of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SF-121 has highest sequence similarity (99.7 %) with the type strain of Bacillus halodenitrificans. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) and strain SF-121 are more closely related to the genus Virgibacillus than to the genus Bacillus. Strain SF-121 and B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) exhibited 16S rRNA gene similarity levels of 95.3-97.5 % with the type strains of Virgibacillus species and 94.0 % with the type strain of Bacillus subtilis. DNA-DNA relatedness and phenotypic data indicated that B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) and strain SF-121 are members of the same species. B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) and strain SF-121 exhibited DNA-DNA relatedness values of 9-11 % with the type strains of Virgibacillus carmonensis and Virgibacillus marismortui. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genetic data, B. halodenitrificans should be reclassified in the genus Virgibacillus as Virgibacillus halodenitrificans comb. nov.

  15. Complete genome sequence of the thermophilic, hydrogen-oxidizing Bacillus tusciae type strain (T2T) and reclassification in the new genus, Kyrpidia gen. nov. as Kyrpidia tusciae comb. nov. and emendation of the family Alicyclobacillaceae da Costa and Rainey, 2010

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Klenk, Hans-Peter; Lapidus, Alla L.; Chertkov, Olga

    Bacillus tusciae Bonjour & Aragno 1994 is a hydrogen-oxidizing, thermoacidophilic spore former that lives as a facultative chemolithoautotroph in solfataras. Although 16S rRNA gene sequencing was well established at the time of the initial description of the organism, 16S se- quence data were not available and the strain was placed into the genus Bacillus based on limited chemotaxonomic information. Despite the now obvious misplacement of strain T2T as a member of the genus Bacillus in 16S rRNA-based phylogenetic trees, the misclassification remained uncorrected for many years, which was likely due to the extremely difficult, analy- sis-hampering cultivation conditions and poormore » growth rate of the strain. Here we provide a taxonomic re-evaluation of strain T2T (= DSM 2912 = NBRC 15312) and propose its reclassi- fication as the type strain of a new species, Kyrpidia tusciae, and the type species of the new genus Kyrpidia, which is a sister-group of Alicyclobacillus. The family Alicyclobacillaceae da Costa and Rainey, 2010 is emended. The 3,384,766 bp genome with its 3,323 protein-coding and 78 RNA genes is part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.« less

  16. Engineering genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis for acetoin production from xylose.

    PubMed

    Yan, Panpan; Wu, Yuanqing; Yang, Li; Wang, Zhiwen; Chen, Tao

    2018-02-01

    To investigate the capacity of a genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis strain as chassis cell for acetoin production from xylose. To endow the genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis strain BSK814 with the ability to utilize xylose, we inserted a native xyl operon into its genome and deleted the araR gene. The resulting strain BSK814A2 produced 2.94 g acetoin/l from 10 g xylose/l, which was 39% higher than control strain BSK19A2. The deletion of the bdhA and acoA genes further improved xylose utilization efficiency and increased acetoin production to 3.71 g/l in BSK814A4. Finally, BSK814A4 produced up to 23.3 g acetoin/l from 50 g xylose/l, with a yield of 0.46 g/g xylose. Both the titer and yield were 39% higher than those of control strain BSK19A4. As a chassis cell, genome-reduced B. subtilis showed significantly improved capacity for the production of the overflow product acetoin from xylose compared with wild-type strain.

  17. Phylogenomic analysis shows that ‘Bacillus vanillea’ is a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus siamensis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus vanillea’ XY18T (=CGMCC 8629 T =NCCB 100507 T) was isolated from cured vanilla beans and involved in the formation of vanilla aroma compounds. A draft genome of this type strain was assembled and yielded a length of 3.72 Mbp and a GC content of 46.3%. Comparative genomic analysis with its ...

  18. Screening of Bacillus strains isolated from mangrove ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia for microplastic degradation.

    PubMed

    Auta, H S; Emenike, C U; Fauziah, S H

    2017-12-01

    The continuous accumulation of microplastics in the environment poses ecological threats and has been an increasing problem worldwide. In this study, eight bacterial strains were isolated from mangrove sediment in Peninsular Malaysia to mitigate the environmental impact of microplastics and develop a clean-up option. The bacterial isolates were screened for their potential to degrade UV-treated microplastics from polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Only two isolates, namely, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus gottheilii, grew on a synthetic medium containing different microplastic polymers as the sole carbon source. A shake flask experiment was carried out to further evaluate the biodegradability potential of the isolates. Degradation was monitored by recording the weight loss of microplastics and the growth pattern of the isolates in the mineral medium. The biodegradation extent was validated by assessment of the morphological and structural changes through scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The calculated weight loss percentages of the microplastic particles by B. cereus after 40 days were 1.6%, 6.6%, and 7.4% for PE, PET, and PS, respectively. B. gottheilii recorded weight loss percentages of 6.2%, 3.0%, 3.6%, and 5.8% for PE, PET, PP, and PS, respectively. The designated isolates degraded the microplastic material and exhibited potential for remediation of microplastic-contaminated environment. Biodegradation tests must be conducted to characterize the varied responses of microbes toward pollutants, such as microplastics. Hence, a novel approach for biodegradation of microplastics must be developed to help mitigate the environmental impact of plastics and microplastic polymers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Comparison of Chromogenic Selective Media for the Detection of Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii).

    PubMed

    Teramura, Hajime; Fukuda, Noriko; Okada, Yumiko; Ogihara, Hirokazu

    2018-01-01

     The four types of chromogenic selective media that are commercially available in Japan were compared for establishing a Japanese standard method for detecting Cronobacter spp. based on ISO/TS 22964:2006. When assessed using 9 standard Cronobacter spp. strains and 29 non-Cronobacter strains, Enterobacter sakazakii isolation agar, Chromocult TM Enterobacter sakazakii agar, CHROMagar TM E. sakazakii, and XM-sakazakii agar demonstrated excellent inclusivity and exclusivity. Using the ISO/TS 22964:2006 method, the recovered numbers of 38 Cronobacter spp. strains, including 29 C. sakazakii isolates obtained from each medium, were equivalent, indicating that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) among the four types of chromogenic selective media. Thus, we demonstrated that these four chromogenic selective media are suitable alternatives when using the standard method for detecting Cronobacter spp. in Japan, based on the ISO/TS 22964:2006.

  20. Bacillus onubensis sp. nov., isolated from the air of two Andalusian caves.

    PubMed

    Dominguez-Moñino, Irene; Jurado, Valme; Gonzalez-Pimentel, Jose L; Miller, Ana Zelia; Hermosin, Bernardo; Saiz-Jimenez, Cesareo

    2018-05-01

    Two Gram-positive, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, motile, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria, designated as 0911MAR22V3T and 0911TES10J4, were isolated from air samples collected in two show caves, located in Andalusia, Southern Spain. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that both strains were indistinguishable and they were most closely related to Bacillus humi DSM 16318T (98%). DNA-DNA hybridization values of the strain 0911MAR22V3T with respect to strain 0911TES10J4 and B. humi DSM 16318T were 76.8% (73.9%, reciprocal) and 56.9% (63.3%, reciprocal analysis), respectively. Whole genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of both strains were in the threshold value for species delineation and less than 85% with B. humi. Strains 0911MAR22V3T and 0911TES10J4 grew at 10-47°C (optimum 37°C), at pH 6-9.5 and with 0-8% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1%). In both strains the dominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7, the major cellular polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and two more phospholipids, the predominant fatty acids were iso-C15:0 and anteiso-C15:0 and the DNA G+C content was 38mol%. On the basis of their phylogenetic relatedness and their phenotypic and genotypic features, the strains 0911MAR22V3T and 0911TES10J4 should be attributed to a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus onubensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 0911MAR22V3T (=LMG 27963T=CECT 8479T); and strain 0911TES10J4 (CECT 8478) is a reference strain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  1. Mob/oriT, a mobilizable site-specific recombination system for unmarked genetic manipulation in Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Wang, Pengxia; Zhu, Yiguang; Zhang, Yuyang; Zhang, Chunyi; Xu, Jianyi; Deng, Yun; Peng, Donghai; Ruan, Lifang; Sun, Ming

    2016-06-10

    Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus are two important species in B. cereus group. The intensive study of these strains at the molecular level and construction of genetically modified bacteria requires the development of efficient genetic tools. To insert genes into or delete genes from bacterial chromosomes, marker-less manipulation methods were employed. We present a novel genetic manipulation method for B. thuringiensis and B. cereus strains that does not leave selection markers. Our approach takes advantage of the relaxase Mob02281 encoded by plasmid pBMB0228 from Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition to its mobilization function, this Mob protein can mediate recombination between oriT sites. The Mob02281 mobilization module was associated with a spectinomycin-resistance gene to form a Mob-Spc cassette, which was flanked by the core 24-bp oriT sequences from pBMB0228. A strain in which the wild-type chromosome was replaced with the modified copy containing the Mob-Spc cassette at the target locus was obtained via homologous recombination. Thus, the spectinomycin-resistance gene can be used to screen for Mob-Spc cassette integration mutants. Recombination between the two oriT sequences mediated by Mob02281, encoded by the Mob-Spc cassette, resulted in the excision of the Mob-Spc cassette, producing the desired chromosomal alteration without introducing unwanted selection markers. We used this system to generate an in-frame deletion of a target gene in B. thuringiensis as well as a gene located in an operon of B. cereus. Moreover, we demonstrated that this system can be used to introduce a single gene or an expression cassette of interest in B. thuringiensis. The Mob/oriT recombination system provides an efficient method for unmarked genetic manipulation and for constructing genetically modified bacteria of B. thuringiensis and B. cereus. Our method extends the available genetic tools for B. thuringiensis and B. cereus strains.

  2. Screening the thermophilic and hyperthermophilic bacterial population of three Iranian hot-springs to detect the thermostable α-amylase producing strain

    PubMed Central

    Fooladi, J; Sajjadian, A

    2010-01-01

    Background Screening is a routine procedure for isolation of microorganisms which are able to produce special metabolites. Purified thermostable α-amylase from bacterial sources is widely used in different industries. In this study we analyzed samples collected from three different hot springs in Iran to detect any strains capable of producing thermostable α-amylase. Materials and Methods Hot water samples from Larijan (67°C, pH 6.5), Mahallat (46°C, pH 7), and Meshkinshahr (82°C, pH 6), were cultivated in screening starch agar plates and incubated at 65°C for 24 hours. Thereafter, the plates were stained with Gram's iodine solution. Results and Discussion The bacterial colonies from the Meshkinshahr hot-spring produced the largest haloforming zone. Based on the phenotypic tests, the strain was identified as Bacillus sp. The culture condition was optimized for biosynthesis of α-amylase. The enzyme was produced at maximum level when it was incubated at 70°C in the presence of soluble starch (1%) at pH 6. The addition of calcium (10 mM) and peptone (1%) to the mineral medium, shortened the lag period and improved the growth and α-amylase synthesis. The addition of glucose (1%) to the culture greatly diminished the syntheses of α -amylase. Importantly, the enzyme extract retained 100% activity when incubated for 45 minutes at 100°C. Conclusion The Meshkinshahr hot-spring is rich in the Bacillus spp thermostable α-amylase producing strain of the thermophilic bacterial population. Iranian hot-springs like Meshkinshahr, have large microbial storages and can be used as sources of different biological products like enzymes. The enzyme which was produced with Bacillus sp. could hydrolyse polymers like starch and was used at laboratory scale successfully. PMID:22347550

  3. Antagonistic activities of volatiles produced by two Bacillus strains against Monilinia fructicola in peach fruit.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chang; Yin, Xiaohui; Wang, Qingguo; Peng, Yong; Ma, Yurong; Liu, Pei; Shi, Jingying

    2018-05-13

    Brown rot caused by Monilinia fructicola is one of most serious diseases of postharvest peach fruit. The objective of this study was to select effective antagonistic bacteria against M. fructicola and evaluate the effects of these strains against brown rot. Four bacterial strains producing inhibitory volatile gas against M. fructicola were isolated from the peach rhizosphere soil. The volatiles produced by 12a (Bacillus vallismortis) and 14b (B. altitudinis) showed considerable antagonistic activities. M. fructicola showed 80.3 % and 68.4 % of mycelial growth inhibitions and cell damage in the presence of strains 12a and 14b. The inhibition rate of brown rot in peach fruit fumigated with the culture solution of 12a or 14b reached 77.1 % and 50.0 %. The volatile compounds produced by 12a and 14b were identified according to the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Among them, 6-methyl-2-heptanone and 2-pentylfuran completely inhibited mycelial growth at 100 μL L -1 concentration. Cedrol showed strong inhibitory activity against mycelial growth at 100 μg L -1 and isodecyl methacrylate inhibited growth at high concentration. The inhibition rate of the 50 μL L -1 artificial mixture of these four volatiles was 59.3 % in vitro. These results indicate the two antagonistic bacteria and some volatiles produced by them have potential value in controlling brown rot in harvested peach fruit. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  4. Class IV polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases and PHA-producing Bacillus.

    PubMed

    Tsuge, Takeharu; Hyakutake, Manami; Mizuno, Kouhei

    2015-08-01

    This review highlights the recent investigations of class IV polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases, the newest classification of PHA synthases. Class IV synthases are prevalent in organisms of the Bacillus genus and are composed of a catalytic subunit PhaC (approximately 40 kDa), which has a PhaC box sequence ([GS]-X-C-X-[GA]-G) at the active site, and a second subunit PhaR (approximately 20 kDa). The representative PHA-producing Bacillus strains are Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus; the nucleotide sequence of phaC and the genetic organization of the PHA biosynthesis gene locus are somewhat different between these two strains. It is generally considered that class IV synthases favor short-chain-length monomers such as 3-hydroxybutyrate (C4) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (C5) for polymerization, but can polymerize some unusual monomers as minor components. In Escherichia coli expressing PhaRC from B. cereus YB-4, the biosynthesized PHA undergoes synthase-catalyzed alcoholytic cleavage using endogenous and exogenous alcohols. This alcoholysis is thought to be shared among class IV synthases, and this reaction is useful not only for the regulation of PHA molecular weight but also for the modification of the PHA carboxy terminus. The novel properties of class IV synthases will open up the possibility for the design of new PHA materials.

  5. Strain-specific quantification of root colonization by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus firmus I-1582 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 in non-sterile soil and field conditions.

    PubMed

    Mendis, Hajeewaka C; Thomas, Varghese P; Schwientek, Patrick; Salamzade, Rauf; Chien, Jung-Ting; Waidyarathne, Pramuditha; Kloepper, Joseph; De La Fuente, Leonardo

    2018-01-01

    Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 and B. firmus I-1582 are bacterial strains which are used as active ingredients of commercially-available soil application and seed treatment products Serenade® and VOTiVO®, respectively. These bacteria colonize plant roots promoting plant growth and offering protection against pathogens/pests. The objective of this study was to develop a qPCR protocol to quantitate the dynamics of root colonization by these two strains under field conditions. Primers and TaqMan® probes were designed based on genome comparisons of the two strains with publicly-available and unpublished bacterial genomes of the same species. An optimized qPCR protocol was developed to quantify bacterial colonization of corn roots after seed treatment. Treated corn seeds were planted in non-sterile soil in the greenhouse and grown for 28 days. Specific detection of bacteria was quantified weekly, and showed stable colonization between ~104-105 CFU/g during the experimental period for both bacteria, and the protocol detected as low as 103 CFU/g bacteria on roots. In a separate experiment, streptomycin-resistant QST713 and rifampicin-resistant I-1582 strains were used to compare dilution-plating on TSA with the newly developed qPCR method. Results also indicated that the presence of natural microflora and another inoculated strain does not affect root colonization of either one of these strains. The same qPCR protocol was used to quantitate root colonization by QST713 and I-1582 in two corn and two soybean varieties grown in the field. Both bacteria were quantitated up to two weeks after seeds were planted in the field and there were no significant differences in root colonization in either bacteria strain among varieties. Results presented here confirm that the developed qPCR protocol can be successfully used to understand dynamics of root colonization by these bacteria in plants growing in growth chamber, greenhouse and the field.

  6. Phosphatase activity of aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria.

    PubMed

    Pácová, Z; Kocur, M

    1978-10-01

    1115 strains of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria were tested for phosphatase activity by a conventional plate method and a microtest. The microtest was devised to allow results to be read after 4 h cultivation. Phosphatase activity was found in wide range of species and strains. Besides staphylococci, where the test for phosphatase is successfully used, it may be applied as one of the valuable tests for the differentiation of the following species: Bacillus cereus, B. licheniformis, Aeromonas spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Actinobacillus spp., Pasteurella spp., Xanthomonas spp., Flavobacterium spp., Alteromonas putrefaciens, Pseudomonas maltophilia, Ps. cepacia, and some other species of Pseudomonas. The species which gave uniformly negative phosphatase reaction were as follows: Staph. saprophyticus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Alcaligenes faecalis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica.

  7. Recurrent isolation of hydrogen peroxide-resistant spores of Bacillus pumilus from a spacecraft assembly facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kempf, Michael J.; Chen, Fei; Kern, Roger; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

    2005-01-01

    While the microbial diversity of a spacecraft assembly facility at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) was being monitored, H2O2-resistant bacterial strains were repeatedly isolated from various surface locations. H2O2 is a possible sterilant for spacecraft hardware because it is a low-temperature process and compatible with various modern-day spacecraft materials, electronics, and components. Both conventional biochemical testing and molecular analyses identified these strains as Bacillus pumilus. This Bacillus species was found in both unclassified (entrance floors, anteroom, and air-lock) and classified (floors, cabinet tops, and air) locations. Both vegetative cells and spores of several B. pumilus isolates were exposed to 5% liquid H2O2 for 60 min. Spores of each strain exhibited higher resistance than their respective vegetative cells to liquid H2O2. Results indicate that the H2O2 resistance observed in both vegetative cells and spores is strain-specific, as certain B. pumilus strains were two to three times more resistant than a standard Bacillus subtilis dosimetry strain. An example of this trend was observed when the type strain of B. pumilus, ATCC 7061, proved sensitive, whereas several environmental strains exhibited varying degrees of resistance, to H2O2. Repeated isolation of H2O2-resistant strains of B. pumilus in a clean-room is a concern because their persistence might potentially compromise life-detection missions, which have very strict cleanliness and sterility requirements for spacecraft hardware.

  8. Identities of Arthrobacter spp. and Arthrobacter-Like Bacteria Encountered in Human Clinical Specimens▿

    PubMed Central

    Mages, Irene S.; Frodl, Reinhard; Bernard, Kathryn A.; Funke, Guido

    2008-01-01

    After the initial description of Arthrobacter spp. isolated from clinical specimens in the mid-1990s, very few further reports on Arthrobacter spp. have appeared in the clinical microbiology literature. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the distribution of Arthrobacter spp. and Arthrobacter-like bacteria encountered in clinical specimens by studying 50 consecutively isolated or received strains of large-colony-forming, whiteish-grayish, non-cheese-like-smelling, nonfermentative gram-positive rods by applying phenotypic methods as well as 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We observed a very heterogenous distribution, with the 50 strains belonging to 20 different taxa and each of 13 strains as a single representative of its particular taxon. Thirty-eight strains represented true Arthrobacter strains, 7 strains belonged to the genus Brevibacterium, 2 were Microbacterium species, and each of 3 single strains was a member of the rarely encountered genera Pseudoclavibacter, Leucobacter, and Brachybacterium, respectively. A. cumminsii (n = 14) and A. oxydans (n = 11) were the most frequently found species. The present report describes the first three A. aurescens strains isolated from human clinical specimens. Comprehensive antimicrobial susceptibility data are given for the 38 Arthrobacter isolates. PMID:18650355

  9. Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by a Bacillus sp. of marine origin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janardhanan, A.; Roshmi, T.; Varghese, Rintu T.; Soniya, E. V.; Mathew, Jyothis; Radhakrishnan, E. K.

    2013-04-01

    This study was aimed to explore the nanoparticle synthesizing properties of a silver resistant Bacillus sp. isolated from a marine water sample. The 16SrDNA sequence analysis of the isolate proved it as a Bacillus strain. Very interestingly, the isolate was found to have the ability to form intracellular silver nanoparticles at room temperature within 24 hours. This was confirmed by the UV-Vis absorption analysis which showed a peak at 430 nm corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of silver nanoparticles. Further characterization of the nanoparticles was carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The presence of silver nanoparticles with the size less than 100 nm was confirmed. These particles were found to be extremely stable as confirmed by the TEM analysis after three months of purification. So, the current study is the demonstration of an efficient synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles by a marine Bacillus strain.

  10. Transponson Tn916 Mutagenesis in Bacillus anthracis,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-11-10

    Tngla, is described. Tng1a was transferred from Streptococcus 1aJaji strain DS16C1 to f. a VNR-1 by conjugation in a standard filter mating procedure...transposon, Tn916, mutagenesis, Bacillus, anthracis, subtilis. , Streptococcus , faecalis, aro 2.AUSrN ACT (Cautious no reverse efho if nece.at7r sd ideratfy...transferred from Streptococcus : faecalis strain DS16CI to B. anthracis VNR-1 by conjugation in a standard filter mating procedure. Tetracycline

  11. Transmating: conjugative transfer of a new broad host range expression vector to various Bacillus species using a single protocol.

    PubMed

    Heinze, Simon; Kornberger, Petra; Grätz, Christian; Schwarz, Wolfgang H; Zverlov, Vladimir V; Liebl, Wolfgang

    2018-06-08

    The genus Bacillus includes a great variety of species with potential applications in biotechnology. While species such as B. subtilis or B. licheniformis are well-known and used to provide various products at industrial scale, other Bacillus species are less characterized and are not yet used in commercial processes. One reason for this is the fact that genetic manipulation of new isolates is usually complicated with conventional techniques which have to be adapted to each new strain. Even in well-established strains, the available transformation protocols often suffer from low efficiencies. In this paper, we provide a new broad host range E. coli/Bacillus shuttle vector, named pBACOV (Bacillus conjugation vector), that can be efficiently transferred to various Bacillus species using a single protocol. A variant of pBACOV carrying the sfGFP gene was successfully transferred to eight different species from the genus Bacillus and to one Paenibacillus species using triparental conjugation ("transmating"). This was achieved using a single protocol and worked for nine out of eleven tested acceptor species. The transmating procedure was used to test expression of the heterologous reporter gene sfGFP under control of the P aprE -promoter from B. subtilis in several Bacillus species in parallel. Expression of sfGFP was found in eight out of nine transmates. For several of the tested species, this is the first report of a method for genetic modification and heterologous gene expression. The expression level, analyzed by measuring the relative sfGFP-fluorescence normalized to the cell density of the cultures, was highest in B. mojavensis. The new shuttle vector pBACOV can be transferred to many different Bacillus and Paenibacillus species using a simple and efficient transmating protocol. It is a versatile tool facilitating the application of recombinant DNA technology in new as well as established strains, or selection of an ideal host for heterologous gene expression from

  12. The reporting of a Bacillus anthracis B-clade strain in South Africa after more than 20 years.

    PubMed

    Lekota, K E; Hassim, A; Rogers, P; Dekker, E H; Last, R; de Klerk-Lorist, L; van Heerden, H

    2018-05-02

    Anthrax is a disease with an age old history in Africa caused by the Gram-positive endospore forming soil bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Epizootics of wild ungulates occur annually in the enzootic region of Pafuri, Kruger National Park (KNP) in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Rigorous routine surveillance and diagnostics in KNP, has not revealed these rare isolates since the 1990s, despite unabated annual outbreaks. In 2011 a cheetah was diagnosed as anthrax positive from a private game reserve in Limpopo Province and reported to State Veterinary Services for further investigation. Isolation, molecular diagnostics, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics were carried out for B. anthracis KC2011. Bacteriological and molecular diagnostics confirmed the isolate as B. anthracis. Subsequent typing and whole genome single nucleotide polymorphisms analysis indicated it clustered alongside B. anthracis SA A0091 in the B.Br.010 SNP branch. Unlike B. anthracis KrugerB strain, KC2011 strain has unique SNPs and represents a new branch in the B-clade. The isolation and genotypic characterisation of KC2011 demonstrates a gap in the reporting of anthrax outbreaks in the greater Limpopo province area. The identification of vulnerable and susceptible cheetah mortalities due to this strain has implications for conservation measures and disease control.

  13. Effect of lipopeptides of antagonistic strains of Bacillus subtilis on the morphology and ultrastructure of the cucurbit fungal pathogen Podosphaera fusca.

    PubMed

    Romero, D; de Vicente, A; Olmos, J L; Dávila, J C; Pérez-García, A

    2007-10-01

    To analyse the morphological and ultrastructural effects of lipopeptides of cell-free liquid cultures from the antagonistic Bacillus subtilis strains, UMAF6614 and UMAF6639, on the cucurbit powdery mildew fungus, Podosphaera fusca, conidial germination. Butanolic extracts from cell-free supernatants of B. subtilis cultures were tested for their ability to arrest P. fusca conidial germination using the zucchini cotyledon disc method. Previously, the occurrence of lipopeptide antibiotics fengycin, iturin/bacillomycin and surfactin in the extracts was verified by diverse chromatographic approaches. Conidial germination was strongly reduced by antifungal extracts obtained from liquid cultures of both B. subtilis strains. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed morphological damage in conidia characterized by the presence of large depressions and loss of turgidness. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed severe modifications in the plasma membrane and disorganization of the P. fusca cell cytoplasm. The lipopeptides produced by the two strains of B. subtilis are able to reduce cucurbit powdery mildew disease by arresting conidial germination, which seems to result from the induction of important cytological alterations. We elucidated the mechanisms employed by these antagonistic strains of B. subtilis to suppress cucurbit powdery mildew disease and delineate the ultrastructural damages responsible for their suppressive effect.

  14. Isolation and expression of a Bacillus cereus gene encoding benzil reductase.

    PubMed

    Maruyama, R; Nishizawa, M; Itoi, Y; Ito, S; Inoue, M

    2001-12-20

    Benzil was reduced stereospecifically to (S)-benzoin by Bacillus cereus strain Tim-r01. To isolate the gene responsible for asymmetric reduction, we constructed a library consisting of Escherichia coli clones that harbored plasmids expressing Bacillus cereus genes. The library was screened using the halo formation assay, and one clone showed benzil reduction to (S)-benzoin. Thus, this clone seemed to carry a plasmid encoding a Bacillus cereus benzil reductase. The deduced amino acid sequence had marked homologies to the Bacillus subtilis yueD protein (41% identity), the yeast open reading frame YIR036C protein (31%), and the mammalian sepiapterin reductases (28% to 30%), suggesting that benzil reductase is a novel short-chain de-hydrogenases/ reductase. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  15. Role of Ni-tolerant Bacillus spp. and Althea rosea L. in the phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Khan, Waheed Ullah; Yasin, Nasim Ahmad; Ahmad, Sajid Rashid; Ali, Aamir; Ahmed, Shakil; Ahmad, Aqeel

    2017-05-04

    In our current study, four nickel-tolerant (Ni-tolerant) bacterial species viz, Bacillus thuringiensis 002, Bacillus fortis 162, Bacillus subtilis 174, and Bacillus farraginis 354, were screened using Ni-contaminated media. The screened microbes exhibited positive results for synthesis of indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophore production, and phosphate solubilization. The effects of these screened microbes on Ni mobility in the soil, root elongation, plant biomass, and Ni uptake in Althea rosea plants grown in Ni-contaminated soil (200 mg Ni kg -1 ) were evaluated. Significantly higher value for water-extractable Ni (38 mg kg -1 ) was observed in case of Ni-amended soils inoculated with B. subtilis 174. Similarly, B. thuringiensis 002, B. fortis 162, and B. subtilis 174 significantly enhanced growth and Ni uptake in A. rosea. The Ni uptake in the shoots and roots of B. subtilis 174-inoculated plants enhanced up to 1.7 and 1.6-fold, respectively, as compared to that in the un-inoculated control. Bacterial inoculation also significantly improved the root and shoot biomass of treated plants. The current study presents a novel approach for bacteria-assisted phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated areas.

  16. Enrichment of Acinetobacter spp. from food samples.

    PubMed

    Carvalheira, Ana; Ferreira, Vânia; Silva, Joana; Teixeira, Paula

    2016-05-01

    Relatively little is known about the role of foods in the chain of transmission of acinetobacters and the occurrence of different Acinetobacter spp. in foods. Currently, there is no standard procedure to recover acinetobacters from food in order to gain insight into the food-related ecology and epidemiology of acinetobacters. This study aimed to assess whether enrichment in Dijkshoorn enrichment medium followed by plating in CHROMagar™ Acinetobacter medium is a useful method for the isolation of Acinetobacter spp. from foods. Recovery of six Acinetobacter species from food spiked with these organisms was compared for two selective enrichment media (Baumann's enrichment and Dijkshoorn's enrichment). Significantly (p < 0.01) higher cell counts were obtained in Dijkshoorn's enrichment. Next, the Dijkshoorn's enrichment followed by direct plating on CHROMagar™ Acinetobacter was applied to detect Acinetobacter spp. in different foods. Fourteen different presumptive acinetobacters were recovered and assumed to represent nine different strains on the basis of REP-PCR typing. Eight of these strains were identified by rpoB gene analysis as belonging to the species Acinetobacter johnsonii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter guillouiae and Acinetobacter gandensis. It was not possible to identify the species level of one strain which may suggests that it represents a distinct species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Burkholderia and Cupriavidus spp. are the preferred symbionts of Mimosa spp. in southern China.

    PubMed

    Liu, XiaoYun; Wei, Shuang; Wang, Fang; James, Euan K; Guo, XiaoYe; Zagar, Catherine; Xia, Liu Gui; Dong, Xin; Wang, Yi Peng

    2012-05-01

    Rhizobia were isolated from invasive Mimosa spp. (M. diplotricha and M. pudica) in Dehong district of the province of Yunnan in subtropical southern China. Almost all of the 98 isolates were β-rhizobia in the genera Burkholderia and Cupriavidus. These strains were analysed for their distribution characteristics together with strains from a previous study from Sishuangbanna. The proportion of nodules containing each β-rhizobial genus varied between Mimosa species, with Cupriavidus being predominant in M. diplotricha nodules (63.3% compared to 36.7% occupation with Burkholderia), but with M. pudica showing a slight preference for Burkholderia over Cupriavidus, with them occupying 56.5% and 43.5% of nodules, respectively. The symbiosis-essential genes nodA and nifH were present in all the Burkholderia and Cupriavidus strains tested, and their phylogenies indicated that these Mimosa symbionts share symbiotic genes with native South American rhizobia. The evolutionary discrepancies among 16S rRNA genes, nodA and nifH of Mimosa spp. symbionts, suggests that the nod and nif genes of β-rhizobia evolved independently. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Influence of nutritional and physicochemical variables on PHB production from raw glycerol obtained from a Colombian biodiesel plant by a wild-type Bacillus megaterium strain.

    PubMed

    Moreno, Paalo; Yañez, Camilo; Cardozo, Nilo Sérgio Medeiros; Escalante, Humberto; Combariza, Marianny Y; Guzman, Carolina

    2015-12-25

    Biodegradable polymers are currently viable alternatives to traditional synthetic polymers. For instance, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is intracellularly produced and accumulated by Bacillus species, among others. This study reports several wild-type Bacillus strains with the ability to accumulate PHB using raw glycerol from biodiesel production as the sole carbon source. Out of 15 strains from different sources, B. megaterium B2 was selected as the most promising strain for further statistical optimization of the medium composition. Plackett-Burman and central composite designs were used to establish key variables and optimal culture conditions for PHB production using both 250-mL shake flasks and a 7.5-L bioreactor. Temperature and concentrations of glycerol and Na2HPO4 are the experimental variables with the most significant influence on PHB production by B2. After 14 hours of fermentation in shake flasks with optimized medium, B2 produced 0.43 g/L of PHB with a 34% accumulation in the cells. In contrast, under the same conditions, a maximum PHB concentration of 1.20 g/L in the bioreactor was reached at 11 hours. These values correspond to a 48% and 314% increase in PHB production compared to the initial culture conditions. These results suggest the potential of B2 as a PHB producer using raw glycerol, which is an inexpensive, abundant and readily available carbon source. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. An Alkalophilic Bacillus sp. Produces 2-Phenylethylamine

    PubMed Central

    Hamasaki, Nobuko; Shirai, Shinji; Niitsu, Masaru; Kakinuma, Katsumi; Oshima, Tairo

    1993-01-01

    A large amount of 2-phenylethylamine was produced in cells of alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain YN-2000. This amine is secreted in the medium during the cell growth. The amounts of 2-phenylethylamine in both cells and medium change upon changing the pH of the medium. PMID:16349025

  20. Efficient expression of nattokinase in Bacillus licheniformis: host strain construction and signal peptide optimization.

    PubMed

    Wei, Xuetuan; Zhou, Yinhua; Chen, Jingbang; Cai, Dongbo; Wang, Dan; Qi, Gaofu; Chen, Shouwen

    2015-02-01

    Nattokinase (NK) possesses the potential for prevention and treatment of thrombus-related diseases. In this study, high-level expression of nattokinase was achieved in Bacillus licheniformis WX-02 via host strain construction and signal peptides optimization. First, ten genes (mpr, vpr, aprX, epr, bpr, wprA, aprE, bprA, hag, amyl) encoding for eight extracellular proteases, a flagellin and an amylase were deleted to obtain B. licheniformis BL10, which showed no extracellular proteases activity in gelatin zymography. Second, the gene fragments of P43 promoter, Svpr, nattokinase and TamyL were combined into pHY300PLK to form the expression vector pP43SNT. In BL10 (pP43SNT), the fermentation activity and product activity per unit of biomass of nattokinase reached 14.33 FU/mL and 2,187.71 FU/g respectively, which increased by 39 and 156 % compared to WX-02 (pP43SNT). Last, Svpr was replaced with SsacC and SbprA, and the maximum fermentation activity (33.83 FU/mL) was achieved using SsacC, which was 229 % higher than that of WX-02 (pP43SNT). The maximum NK fermentation activity in this study reaches the commercial production level of solid state fermentation, and this study provides a promising engineered strain for industrial production of nattokinase, as well as a potential platform host for expression of other target proteins.

  1. High Milk-Clotting Activity Expressed by the Newly Isolated Paenibacillus spp. Strain BD3526.

    PubMed

    Hang, Feng; Liu, Peiyi; Wang, Qinbo; Han, Jin; Wu, Zhengjun; Gao, Caixia; Liu, Zhenmin; Zhang, Hao; Chen, Wei

    2016-01-12

    Paenibacillus spp. BD3526, a bacterium exhibiting a protein hydrolysis circle surrounded with an obvious precipitation zone on skim milk agar, was isolated from raw yak (Bos grunniens) milk collected in Tibet, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and whole genome sequence comparison indicated the isolate belong to the genus Paenibacillus. The strain BD3526 demonstrated strong ability to produce protease with milk clotting activity (MCA) in wheat bran broth. The protease with MCA was predominantly accumulated during the late-exponential phase of growth. The proteolytic activity (PA) of the BD3526 protease was 1.33-fold higher than that of the commercial R. miehei coagulant. A maximum MCA (6470 ± 281 SU mL(-1)) of the strain BD3526 was reached under optimal cultivation conditions. The protease with MCA was precipitated from the cultivated supernatant of wheat bran broth with ammonium sulfate and purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The molecular weight of the protease with MCA was determined as 35 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and gelatin zymography. The cleavage site of the BD3526 protease with MCA in κ-casein was located at the Met106-Ala107 bond, as determined by mass spectrometry analysis.

  2. Detection and Characterization of Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Yersinia Strains from Human, Animal, and Food Samples in San Luis, Argentina

    PubMed Central

    Favier, Gabriela Isabel; Lucero Estrada, Cecilia; Cortiñas, Teresa Inés; Escudero, María Esther

    2014-01-01

    Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Salmonella spp., and Yersinia species was investigated in humans, animals, and foods in San Luis, Argentina. A total of 453 samples were analyzed by culture and PCR. The antimicrobial susceptibility of all the strains was studied, the genomic relationships among isolates of the same species were determined by PFGE, and the potencial virulence of Y. enterocolitica strains was analyzed. Yersinia species showed higher prevalence (9/453, 2.0%, 95% CI, 0.7–3.3%) than STEC (4/453, 0.9%, 95% CI, 0–1.8%) and Salmonella spp. (3/453, 0.7%, 95% CI, 0–1.5%). Y. enterocolitica and Y. intermedia were isolated from chicken carcasses (6/80, 7.5%, 95% CI, 1.5–13.5%) and porcine skin and bones (3/10, 30%, 95% CI, 0–65%). One STEC strain was recovered from human feces (1/70, 1.4%, 95% CI, 0–4.2%) and STEC stx1/stx2 genes were detected in bovine stools (3/129, 2.3%, 95% CI, 0–5.0%). S. Typhimurium was isolated from human feces (1/70, 1.4%, 95% CI, 0–4.2%) while one S. Newport and two S. Gaminara strains were recovered from one wild boar (1/3, 33%, 95% CI, 0–99%). The knowledge of prevalence and characteristics of these enteropathogens in our region would allow public health services to take adequate preventive measures. PMID:25177351

  3. Non-Toxin-Producing Bacillus cereus Strains Belonging to the B. anthracis Clade Isolated from the International Space Station.

    PubMed

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Singh, Nitin K; Checinska Sielaff, Aleksandra; Pope, Robert K; Bergman, Nicholas H; van Tongeren, Sandra P; Patel, Nisha B; Lawson, Paul A; Satomi, Masataka; Williamson, Charles H D; Sahl, Jason W; Keim, Paul; Pierson, Duane; Perry, Jay

    2017-01-01

    In an ongoing Microbial Observatory investigation of the International Space Station (ISS), 11 Bacillus strains (2 from the Kibo Japanese experimental module, 4 from the U.S. segment, and 5 from the Russian module) were isolated and their whole genomes were sequenced. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates showed the highest similarity (>99%) to the Bacillus anthracis - B. cereus - B. thuringiensis group. The fatty acid composition, polar lipid profile, peptidoglycan type, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight profiles were consistent with the B. cereus sensu lato group. The phenotypic traits such as motile rods, enterotoxin production, lack of capsule, and resistance to gamma phage/penicillin observed in ISS isolates were not characteristics of B. anthracis . Whole-genome sequence characterizations showed that ISS strains had the plcR non- B. anthracis ancestral "C" allele and lacked anthrax toxin-encoding plasmids pXO1 and pXO2, excluding their identification as B. anthracis . The genetic identities of all 11 ISS isolates characterized via gyrB analyses arbitrarily identified them as members of the B. cereus group, but traditional DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) showed that the ISS isolates are similar to B. anthracis (88% to 90%) but distant from the B. cereus (42%) and B. thuringiensis (48%) type strains. The DDH results were supported by average nucleotide identity (>98.5%) and digital DDH (>86%) analyses. However, the collective phenotypic traits and genomic evidence were the reasons to exclude the ISS isolates from B. anthracis . Nevertheless, multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism analyses placed these isolates in a clade that is distinct from previously described members of the B. cereus sensu lato group but closely related to B. anthracis . IMPORTANCE The International Space Station Microbial Observatory (Microbial Tracking-1) study is generating a

  4. Non-Toxin-Producing Bacillus cereus Strains Belonging to the B. anthracis Clade Isolated from the International Space Station

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Nitin K.; Checinska Sielaff, Aleksandra; Pope, Robert K.; Bergman, Nicholas H.; van Tongeren, Sandra P.; Patel, Nisha B.; Lawson, Paul A.; Satomi, Masataka; Williamson, Charles H. D.; Sahl, Jason W.; Pierson, Duane; Perry, Jay

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT In an ongoing Microbial Observatory investigation of the International Space Station (ISS), 11 Bacillus strains (2 from the Kibo Japanese experimental module, 4 from the U.S. segment, and 5 from the Russian module) were isolated and their whole genomes were sequenced. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates showed the highest similarity (>99%) to the Bacillus anthracis-B. cereus-B. thuringiensis group. The fatty acid composition, polar lipid profile, peptidoglycan type, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight profiles were consistent with the B. cereus sensu lato group. The phenotypic traits such as motile rods, enterotoxin production, lack of capsule, and resistance to gamma phage/penicillin observed in ISS isolates were not characteristics of B. anthracis. Whole-genome sequence characterizations showed that ISS strains had the plcR non-B. anthracis ancestral “C” allele and lacked anthrax toxin-encoding plasmids pXO1 and pXO2, excluding their identification as B. anthracis. The genetic identities of all 11 ISS isolates characterized via gyrB analyses arbitrarily identified them as members of the B. cereus group, but traditional DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) showed that the ISS isolates are similar to B. anthracis (88% to 90%) but distant from the B. cereus (42%) and B. thuringiensis (48%) type strains. The DDH results were supported by average nucleotide identity (>98.5%) and digital DDH (>86%) analyses. However, the collective phenotypic traits and genomic evidence were the reasons to exclude the ISS isolates from B. anthracis. Nevertheless, multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism analyses placed these isolates in a clade that is distinct from previously described members of the B. cereus sensu lato group but closely related to B. anthracis. IMPORTANCE The International Space Station Microbial Observatory (Microbial Tracking-1) study is generating a

  5. Potential application in mercury bioremediation of a marine sponge-isolated Bacillus cereus strain Pj1.

    PubMed

    Santos-Gandelman, Juliana F; Cruz, Kimberly; Crane, Sharron; Muricy, Guilherme; Giambiagi-deMarval, Marcia; Barkay, Tamar; Laport, Marinella S

    2014-09-01

    Sponges are sessile marine invertebrates that can live for many years in the same location, and therefore, they have the capability to accumulate anthropogenic pollutants such as metals over a long period. Almost all marine sponges harbor a large number of microorganisms within their tissues. The Bacillus cereus strain Pj1 was isolated from a marine sponge, Polymastia janeirensis, and was found to be resistant to 100 μM HgCl(2) and to 10 μM methylmercury (MeHg). Pj1 was also highly resistant to other metals, including CdCl(2) and Pb(NO(3))(2), alone or in combination. The mer operon was located on the bacterial chromosome, and the volatilization test indicated that the B. cereus Pj1 was able to reduce Hg(2+)-Hg(0). Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry demonstrated that Pj1 volatilized 80 % of the total MeHg that it was exposed to and produced elemental Hg when incubated with 1.5 μM MeHg. Pj1 also demonstrated sensitivity to all antibiotics tested. In addition, Pj1 demonstrated a potential for biosurfactant production, presenting an emulsification activity better than synthetic surfactants. The results of this study indicate that B. cereus Pj1 is a strain that can potentially be applied in the bioremediation of HgCl(2) and MeHg contamination in aquatic environments.

  6. Bacillus cereus strain S2 shows high nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita by producing sphingosine

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Huijuan; Qi, Gaofu; Yin, Rong; Zhang, Hongchun; Li, Chenggang; Zhao, Xiuyun

    2016-01-01

    Plant-parasitic nematodes cause serious crop losses worldwidely. This study intended to discover the antagonistic mechanism of Bacillus cereus strain S2 against Meloidogyne incognita. Treatment with B. cereus strain S2 resulted in a mortality of 77.89% to Caenorhabditis elegans (a model organism) and 90.96% to M. incognita. In pot experiment, control efficiency of B. cereus S2 culture or supernatants were 81.36% and 67.42% towards M. incognita, respectively. In field experiment, control efficiency was 58.97% towards M. incognita. Nematicidal substances were isolated from culture supernatant of B. cereus S2 by polarity gradient extraction, silica gel column chromatography and HPLC. Two nematicidal compounds were identified as C16 sphingosine and phytosphingosine by LC-MS. The median lethal concentration of sphingosine was determined as 0.64 μg/ml. Sphingosine could obviously inhibit reproduction of C. elegans, with an inhibition rate of 42.72% for 24 h. After treatment with sphingosine, ROS was induced in intestinal tract, and genital area disappeared in nematode. Furthermore, B. cereus S2 could induce systemic resistance in tomato, and enhance activity of defense-related enzymes for biocontrol of M. incognita. This study demonstrates the nematicidal activity of B. cereus and its product sphingosine, as well provides a possibility for biocontrol of M. incognita. PMID:27338781

  7. The survivability of Bacillus anthracis (Sterne strain) in processed liquid eggs.

    PubMed

    Khan, Saeed A; Sung, Kidon; Nawaz, Mohamed S; Cerniglia, Carl E; Tamplin, Mark L; Phillips, Robert W; Kelley, Lynda Collins

    2009-04-01

    In this study, we investigated the survival and inactivation kinetics of a surrogate strain of Bacillus anthracis (Sterne strain) in whole egg (WE), egg white (EW), sugared egg yolk (YSU), and salted egg yolk (YSA) at low (-20, 0, and 5 degrees C), moderate (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 degrees C), and high storage temperatures (45, 50, 55, and 60 degrees C). Outgrowth of the spores was measured as lag phase duration (LPD). Replication of vegetative cells was measured in terms of growth rate (GR) and maximum population density (MPD). Spore inactivation was recorded as inactivation rate and percent reduction in viable count. In general, spore viability decreased at low and high temperatures and increased at moderate temperatures. At 0 and 5 degrees C, a 60-100% reduction in spore viability was seen within 2-3 weeks in WE and YSU, 0-30% in YSA, and 50-100% in EW. At -20 degrees C, however, no drop in spore titer was observed in YSU and EW but a 20% drop in titer was seen in YSA and 50% in WE within 2-3 weeks. At high temperatures, WE, EW, and YSA produced a 20-50% drop in the spore titer within 1-4h whereas YSU showed 100% inactivation within 0.75 h. At moderate storage temperatures, as the temperature increased from 15 to 40 degrees C, LPD decreased from 13.5 to 0.75 h and MPD reached 0.27-2.2 x1 0(9) CFU/ml in YSU and WE, respectively. Markedly lower growth was observed in YSA (LPD=24-270 h, MPD=9 x 10(5) CFU/ml) and spores were inactivated completely within 1-6h in EW. The survivability and inactivation data of B. anthracis in liquid egg products reported in this investigation will be helpful in developing risk assessment models on food biosecurity.

  8. Bacillus nealsonii sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly facility, whose spores are gamma-radiation resistant

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Kempf, Michael; Chen, Fei; Satomi, Masataka; Nicholson, Wayne; Kern, Roger

    2003-01-01

    One of the spore-formers isolated from a spacecraft-assembly facility, belonging to the genus Bacillus, is described on the basis of phenotypic characterization, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization studies. It is a Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped eubacterium that produces endospores. The spores of this novel bacterial species exhibited resistance to UV, gamma-radiation, H2O2 and desiccation. The 18S rDNA sequence analysis revealed a clear affiliation between this strain and members of the low G+C Firmicutes. High 16S rDNA sequence similarity values were found with members of the genus Bacillus and this was supported by fatty acid profiles. The 16S rDNA sequence similarity between strain FO-92T and Bacillus benzoevorans DSM 5391T was very high. However, molecular characterizations employing small-subunit 16S rDNA sequences were at the limits of resolution for the differentiation of species in this genus, but DNA-DNA hybridization data support the proposal of FO-92T as Bacillus nealsonii sp. nov. (type strain is FO-92T =ATCC BAAM-519T =DSM 15077T).

  9. Effect of organic fertilizers prepared from organic waste materials on the production of antibacterial volatile organic compounds by two biocontrol Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains.

    PubMed

    Raza, Waseem; Wei, Zhong; Ling, Ning; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

    2016-06-10

    Three organic fertilizers made of different animal and plant waste materials (BOFs) were evaluated for their effects on the production of antibacterial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by two Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains SQR-9 and T-5 against the tomato wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum (RS). Both strains could produce VOCs that inhibited the growth and virulence traits of RS; however, in the presence of BOFs, the production of antibacterial VOCs was significantly increased. The maximum inhibition of growth and virulence traits of RS by VOCs of T-5 and SQR-9 was determined at 1.5% BOF2 and 2% BOF3, respectively. In case of strain T-5, 2-nonanone, nonanal, xylene, benzothiazole, and butylated hydroxy toluene and in case of strain SQR-9, 2-nonanone, nonanal, xylene and 2-undecanone were the main antibacterial VOCs whose production was increased in the presence of BOFs. The results of this study reveal another significance of using organic fertilizers to improve the antagonistic activity of biocontrol agents against phytopathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Germination Requirements of Bacillus macerans Spores

    PubMed Central

    Sacks, L. E.; Thompson, P. A.

    1971-01-01

    2-Phenylacetamide is an effective germinant for spores of five strains of Bacillus macerans, particularly in the presence of fructose. Benzyl penicillin, the phenyl acetamide derivative of penicillin, and phenylacetic acid are also good germinants. l-Asparagine is an excellent germinant for four strains. α-Amino-butyric acid is moderately effective. Pyridoxine, pyridoxal, adenine, and 2,6-diaminopurine are potent germinants for NCA strain 7X1 only. d-Glucose is a powerful germinant for strain B-70 only. d-Fructose and d-ribose strongly potentiate germination induced by other germinants (except l-asparagine) but have only weak activity by themselves. Niacinamide and nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide, inactive by themselves, are active in the presence of fructose or ribose. Effects of pH, ion concentration, and temperature are described. PMID:4251279

  11. Genotype Analysis of Bacillus anthracis Strains Circulating in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Rume, Farzana Islam; Affuso, Alessia; Serrecchia, Luigina; Rondinone, Valeria; Manzulli, Viviana; Campese, Emanuele; Di Taranto, Pietro; Biswas, Paritosh Kumar; Ahsan, Chowdhury Rafiqul; Yasmin, Mahmuda; Fasanella, Antonio; Hugh-Jones, Martin

    2016-01-01

    In Bangladesh, anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is considered an endemic disease affecting ruminants with sporadic zoonotic occurrences in humans. Due to the lack of knowledge about risks from an incorrect removal of infected carcasses, the disease is not properly monitored, and because of the socio-economic conditions, the situation is under-reported and under-diagnosed. For sensitive species, anthrax represents a fatal outcome with sudden death and sometimes bleeding from natural orifices. The most common source of infection for ruminants is ingestion of spores during grazing in contaminated pastures or through grass and water contaminated with anthrax spores. Domestic cattle, sheep and goats can also become infected through contaminated bone meal (used as feed) originating from anthrax-infected carcasses. The present investigation was conducted to isolate B. anthracis organisms from 169 samples (73 soil, 1 tissue, 4 bone and 91 bone meal samples) collected from 12 different districts of Bangladesh. The sampling was carried out from 2012 to 2015. Twelve samples resulted positive for B. anthracis. Biomolecular analyses were conducted starting from the Canonical Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (CanSNP) to analyze the phylogenetic origin of strains. The analysis of genotype, obtained through the Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) with the analysis of 15 Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR), demonstrated four different genotypes: two of them were previously identified in the district of Sirajganj. The sub-genotyping, conducted with Single Nucleotide Repeats analysis, revealed the presence of eight subgenotypes. The data of the present study concluded that there was no observed correlation between imported cattle feed and anthrax occurrence in Bangladesh and that the remarkable genetic variations of B. anthracis were found in the soil of numerous outbreaks in this country.

  12. Genotype Analysis of Bacillus anthracis Strains Circulating in Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    Rume, Farzana Islam; Affuso, Alessia; Serrecchia, Luigina; Rondinone, Valeria; Manzulli, Viviana; Campese, Emanuele; Di Taranto, Pietro; Biswas, Paritosh Kumar; Ahsan, Chowdhury Rafiqul; Yasmin, Mahmuda; Fasanella, Antonio; Hugh-Jones, Martin

    2016-01-01

    In Bangladesh, anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is considered an endemic disease affecting ruminants with sporadic zoonotic occurrences in humans. Due to the lack of knowledge about risks from an incorrect removal of infected carcasses, the disease is not properly monitored, and because of the socio-economic conditions, the situation is under-reported and under-diagnosed. For sensitive species, anthrax represents a fatal outcome with sudden death and sometimes bleeding from natural orifices. The most common source of infection for ruminants is ingestion of spores during grazing in contaminated pastures or through grass and water contaminated with anthrax spores. Domestic cattle, sheep and goats can also become infected through contaminated bone meal (used as feed) originating from anthrax-infected carcasses. The present investigation was conducted to isolate B. anthracis organisms from 169 samples (73 soil, 1 tissue, 4 bone and 91 bone meal samples) collected from 12 different districts of Bangladesh. The sampling was carried out from 2012 to 2015. Twelve samples resulted positive for B. anthracis. Biomolecular analyses were conducted starting from the Canonical Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (CanSNP) to analyze the phylogenetic origin of strains. The analysis of genotype, obtained through the Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) with the analysis of 15 Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR), demonstrated four different genotypes: two of them were previously identified in the district of Sirajganj. The sub-genotyping, conducted with Single Nucleotide Repeats analysis, revealed the presence of eight subgenotypes. The data of the present study concluded that there was no observed correlation between imported cattle feed and anthrax occurrence in Bangladesh and that the remarkable genetic variations of B. anthracis were found in the soil of numerous outbreaks in this country. PMID:27082248

  13. In Vitro Assessment of Marine Bacillus for Use as Livestock Probiotics

    PubMed Central

    Prieto, Maria Luz; O’Sullivan, Laurie; Tan, Shiau Pin; McLoughlin, Peter; Hughes, Helen; Gutierrez, Montserrat; Lane, Jonathan A.; Hickey, Rita M.; Lawlor, Peadar G.; Gardiner, Gillian E.

    2014-01-01

    Six antimicrobial-producing seaweed-derived Bacillus strains were evaluated in vitro as animal probiotics, in comparison to two Bacillus from an EU-authorized animal probiotic product. Antimicrobial activity was demonstrated on solid media against porcine Salmonella and E. coli. The marine isolates were most active against the latter, had better activity than the commercial probiotics and Bacillus pumilus WIT 588 also reduced E. coli counts in broth. All of the marine Bacillus tolerated physiological concentrations of bile, with some as tolerant as one of the probiotics. Spore counts for all isolates remained almost constant during incubation in simulated gastric and ileum juices. All of the marine Bacillus grew anaerobically and the spores of all except one isolate germinated under anaerobic conditions. All were sensitive to a panel of antibiotics and none harbored Bacillus enterotoxin genes but all, except B. pumilus WIT 588, showed some degree of β-hemolysis. However, trypan blue dye exclusion and xCELLigence assays demonstrated a lack of toxicity in comparison to two pathogens; in fact, the commercial probiotics appeared more cytotoxic than the majority of the marine Bacillus. Overall, some of the marine-derived Bacillus, in particular B. pumilus WIT 588, demonstrate potential for use as livestock probiotics. PMID:24796302

  14. Indigenous Halomonas spp., the Potential Nitrifying Bacteria for Saline Ammonium Waste Water Treatment.

    PubMed

    Sangnoi, Yutthapong; Chankaew, Sunipa; O-Thong, Sompong

    2017-01-01

    Toxic nitrogen compounds are one cause decreasing of shrimp production and water pollution. Indigenous Halomonas spp., isolated from Pacific white shrimp farm are benefitted for saline ammonium waste water treatment. This study aimed to isolate the heterotrophic-halophilic Halomonas spp. and investigate their ammonium removal efficiency. Halomonas spp., were isolated by culturing of samples collected from shrimp farm into modified Pep-Beef-AOM medium. Ammonium converting ability was tested and monitored by nitrite reagent. Ammonium removal efficiency was measured by the standard colorimetric method. Identification and classification of Halomonas spp., were studied by morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics as well as molecular information. There were 5 strains of heterotrophic-halophilic nitrifying bacteria including SKNB2, SKNB4, SKNB17, SKNB20 and SKNB22 were isolated. The identification result based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis indicated that all 5 strains were Halomonas spp., with sequence similarity values of 91-99 %. Ammonium removal efficiency of all strains showed a range of 23-71%. The production of nitrite was low detected of 0.01-0.15 mg-N L-1, while the amount of nitrate was almost undetectable. This might suggest that the indigenous Halomonas spp., as nitrifying bacteria involved biological nitrification process for decreasing and transforming of ammonia. Due to being heterotrophic, halophilic and ammonium removing bacteria, these Halomonas spp., could be developed for use in treatment of saline ammonium waste water.

  15. Classification of Rhizomonas suberifaciens, an unnamed Rhizomonas species, and Sphingomonas spp. in rRNA superfamily IV.

    PubMed

    van Bruggen, A H; Jochimsen, K N; Steinberger, E M; Segers, P; Gillis, M

    1993-01-01

    Thermal melting profiles of hybrids between 3H-labeled rRNA of Rhizomonas suberifaciens, the causal agent of corky root of lettuce, and chromosomal DNAs from 27 species of gram-negative bacteria indicated that the genus Rhizomonas belongs to superfamily IV of De Ley. On the basis of the melting temperatures of DNA hybrids with rRNAs from the type strains of R. suberifaciens, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, and Sphingomonas capsulata, Rhizomonas strains constitute a separate branch in superfamily IV, which is closely related to but separate from branches containing Zymomonas mobilis, Sphingomonas spp., and S. capsulata. Sphingomonas yanoikuyae and Rhizomonas sp. strain WI4 are located toward the base of the Rhizomonas rRNA branch. DNA-DNA hybridization indicated that S. yanoikuyae is equidistant from Rhizomonas sp. strain WI4 and S. paucimobilis. Sequences of 270 bp of 16S ribosomal DNAs from eight strains of Rhizomonas spp., eight strains of Sphingomonas spp., and Agrobacterium tumefaciens indicated that S. yanoikuyae and Rhizomonas sp. strains WI4 and CA16 are genetically more closely related to R. suberifaciens than to Sphingomonas spp. Thus, S. yanoikuyae may need to be transferred to the genus Rhizomonas on the basis of the results of further study.

  16. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NJN-6-enriched bio-organic fertilizer suppressed Fusarium wilt and promoted the growth of banana plants.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Jun; Ruan, Yunze; Wang, Beibei; Zhang, Jian; Waseem, Raza; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

    2013-04-24

    Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain NJN-6 is an important plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) which can produce secondary metabolites antagonistic to several soil-borne pathogens. In this study, the ability of a bio-organic fertilizer (BIO) containing NJN-6 strain to promote the growth and suppress Fusarium wilt of banana plants was evaluated in a pot experiment. The results showed that the application of BIO significantly decreased the incidence of Fusarium wilt and promoted the growth of banana plants compared to that for the organic fertilizer (OF). To determine the beneficial mechanism of the strain, the colonization of NJN-6 strain on banana roots was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The plant growth-promoting hormones indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin A3 (GA3), along with antifungal lipopeptides iturin A, were detected when the NJN-6 strain was incubated in both Landy medium with additional l-tryptophan and in root exudates of banana plants. In addition, some antifungal volatile organic compounds and iturin A were also detected in BIO. In summary, strain NJN-6 could colonize the roots of banana plants after the application of BIO and produced active compounds which were beneficial for the growth of banana plants.

  17. Bacillus marismortui sp. nov., a new moderately halophilic species from the Dead Sea.

    PubMed

    Arahal, D R; Márquez, M C; Volcani, B E; Schleifer, K H; Ventosa, A

    1999-04-01

    A group of 91 moderately halophilic, Gram-positive, rod-shaped strains were isolated from enrichments prepared from Dead Sea water samples collected 57 years ago. These strains were examined for 117 morphological, physiological, biochemical, nutritional and antibiotic susceptibility characteristics. All strains formed endospores and were motile, strictly aerobic and positive for catalase and oxidase. They grew in media containing 5-25% (w/v) total salts, showing optimal growth at 10% (w/v). Eighteen strains were chosen as representative isolates and were studied in more detail. All these strains had mesodiaminopimelic acid in the cell wall and a DNA G + C content of 39.0-42.8 mol%; they constitute a group with levels of DNA-DNA similarity of 70-100%. The sequences of the 16S rRNA genes of three representative strains (strains 123T, 557 and 832) were almost identical (99.9%), and placed the strains in the low G + C content Gram-positive bacteria. On the basis of their features, these isolates should be regarded as members of a new species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus marismortui sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain 123T (= DSM 12325T = ATCC 700626T = CIP 105609T = CECT 5066T).

  18. Characterization of the microbial flora in disinfecting footbaths with hypochlorite.

    PubMed

    Langsrud, Solveig; Seifert, Linn; Møretrø, Trond

    2006-09-01

    Change or disinfection of footwear are measures to prevent cross contamination between areas with low and high hygienic levels in the food industry. The efficacy of disinfecting footwear is not well documented. Samples of used disinfectant and from swabbing of corners after draining were taken from disinfecting footbaths containing chlorine in four Norwegian cheese factories. Bacteria were present in 9 of 12 footbaths and more positive samples were found from swab samples than from used disinfectant. The microbial flora in footbaths varied between the dairies. In two dairies, the flora was dominated by Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp., respectively. In the third dairy, both Bacillus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were present and in the fourth dairy, the flora was diverse (Acinetobacter sp., Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Bacillus sp.). The strains were not resistant to the recommended user concentration of chlorine in bactericidal suspension or surface tests. The degree of attachment to plastic varied between strains and species and bacteria attached to surfaces were in general more resistant than suspended bacteria. The results of the survey indicated that disinfecting footbaths containing chlorine may act as contamination sources in food factories and should not be used without regular hygienic monitoring.

  19. Differentiation between probiotic and wild-type Bacillus cereus isolates by antibiotic susceptibility test and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR).

    PubMed

    Mietke, Henriette; Beer, W; Schleif, Julia; Schabert, G; Reissbrodt, R

    2010-05-30

    Animal feed often contains probiotic Bacillus strains used as feed additives. Spores of the non-pathogenic B. cereus var. toyoi (product name Toyocerin) are used. Distinguishing between toxic wild-type Bacillus cereus strains and this probiotic strain is essential for evaluating the quality and risk of feed. Bacillus cereus CIP 5832 (product name Paciflor was used as probiotic strain until 2001. The properties of the two probiotic strains are quite similar. Differentiating between probiotic strains and wild-type B. cereus strains is not easy. ss-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin and cefamandole exhibit an inhibition zone in the agar diffusion test of probiotic B. cereus strains which are not seen for wild-type strains. Therefore, performing the agar diffusion test first may make sense before FT-IR testing. When randomly checking these strains by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the probiotic B. cereus strains were separated from wild-type B. cereus/B. thuringiensis/B. mycoides/B. weihenstephanensis strains by means of hierarchical cluster analysis. The discriminatory information was contained in the spectral windows 3000-2800 cm(-1) ("fatty acid region"), 1200-900 cm(-1) ("carbohydrate region") and 900-700 cm(-1) ("fingerprint region"). It is concluded that FT-IR spectroscopy can be used for the rapid quality control and risk analysis of animal feed containing probiotic B. cereus strains. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Bacillus methylotrophicus Strain NKG-1, Isolated from Changbai Mountain, China, Has Potential Applications as a Biofertilizer or Biocontrol Agent.

    PubMed

    Ge, Beibei; Liu, Binghua; Nwet, Thinn Thinn; Zhao, Wenjun; Shi, Liming; Zhang, Kecheng

    2016-01-01

    Chemical pesticides are widely used in agriculture, which endangers both environmental health and food safety. Biocontrol is an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective green technique in environmental protection and agricultural production; it generally uses selected bioresources, including beneficial microorganisms. We isolated a novel bacterial strain (NKG-1) from the rare dormant volcanic soils of Changbai Mountain in China's Jilin Province. The strain was identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus using morphological, biochemical, physiological, and phylogenetic 16S rDNA sequencing data. This strain was able to suppress mycelial growth and conidial germination of numerous plant pathogenic fungi on solid media. A greenhouse experiment showed that application of NKG-1 fermentation broth prior to inoculation of Botrytis cinerea, the cause of gray tomato mold, inhibited growth of the mold by 60%. Furthermore, application of a 100× dilution of NKG-1 fermentation broth to tomato seedlings yielded a significant increase in seedling fresh weight (27.4%), seedling length (12.5%), and root length (57.7%) compared to the control. When the same dosage was applied in the field, we observed increases in tomato plant height (14.7%), stem diameter (12.7%), crown width (16.3%), and maximum fruit diameter (11.5%). These results suggest that NKG-1 has potential commercial application as a biofertilizer or biocontrol agent.

  1. Isolation and characterization of phenol degrading bacterium strain Bacillus thuringiensis J20 from olive waste in Palestine.

    PubMed

    Ereqat, Suheir I; Abdelkader, Ahmad A; Nasereddin, Abedelmajeed F; Al-Jawabreh, Amer O; Zaid, Taher M; Letnik, Ilya; Abdeen, Ziad A

    2018-01-02

    This study aimed at isolation of phenol degrading bacteria from olive mill wastes in Palestine. The efficiency of phenol removal and factors affecting phenol degradation were investigated. A bacterial strain (J20) was isolated from solid olive mill waste and identified as Bacillus thuringiensis based on standard morphological, biochemical characteristics and 16SrRNA sequence analysis. The strain was able to grow in a phenol concentration of 700 mg/L as the sole carbon and energy source. The culture conditions showed a significant impact on the ability of these cells to remove phenol. This strain exhibited optimum phenol degradation performance at pH 6.57 and 30 °C . Under the optimized conditions, this strain could degrade 88.6% of phenol (700 mg/L) within 96 h when the initial cell density was OD 600 0.2. However, the degradation efficiency could be improved from about 88% to nearly 99% by increasing the cell density. Immobilization of J20 was carried out using 4% sodium alginate. Phenol degradation efficiency of the immobilized cells of J20 was higher than that of the free cells, 100% versus 88.6% of 700 mg/L of phenol in 120 h, indicating the improved tolerance of the immobilized cells toward phenol toxicity. The J20 was used in detoxifying crude OMWW, phenolic compounds levels were reduced by 61% compared to untreated OMWW after five days of treatment. Hence, B. thuringiensis-J20 can be effectively used for bioremediation of phenol-contaminated sites in Palestine. These findings may lead to new biotechnological applications for the degradation of phenol, related to olive oil production.

  2. Potential probiotic attributes of a new strain of Bacillus coagulans CGMCC 9951 isolated from healthy piglet feces.

    PubMed

    Gu, Shao-Bin; Zhao, Li-Na; Wu, Ying; Li, Shi-Chang; Sun, Jian-Rui; Huang, Jing-Fang; Li, Dan-Dan

    2015-06-01

    A new strain of Bacillus coagulans CGMCC 9551, which has a broad range of antibacterial activities against six main pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli O8, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar enteritidis, Streptococcus suis, Listeria monocytogenes and Pasteurella multocida, was isolated from healthy piglet feces. In adhesion assay, the isolate exhibited a stronger adhesion to pig intestinal mucus than that of B. subtilis JT143 and L. acidophilus LY24 respectively isolated from BioPlus(®)2B and FloraFIT(®) Probiotics (P < 0.05). The adhesion activity reached 44.5 ± 3.2, 48.9 ± 2.6, 42.6 ± 3.3 and 37.6 ± 2.4% to jejunum, ileum, transverse colon and sigmoid colon, separately. The survival rate of B. coagulans CGMCC 9551 was reduced by only 20% at 4 h exposure under 0.9% w/v bile salt. The strain was fully resistant to pH 2 for 2 h with 90.1 ± 3.5% survival and susceptible to 15 antibiotics commonly used in veterinary medicine. Additionally, the bacteria showed amylase, protease and cellulase activities. The safety assessment demonstrated the lack of toxicity potential in B. coagulans CGMCC 9551 by ligated rabbit ileal loop assay, acute and subchronic toxicity test. These results implied that that the new strain of B. coagulans CGMCC 9951 isolated from healthy piglet feces has promising probiotic characteristics and offers desirable opportunities for its successful commercialization as one excellent candidate probiotic.

  3. Bacillusin A, an antibacterial macrodiolide from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bioassay-guided fractionation of the organic extracts of a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain (AP183) led to the discovery of a new macrocyclic polyene antibiotic, bacillusin A (1). Its structure was assigned by interpretation of NMR and MS spectroscopic data as a novel macrodiolide composed of dimer...

  4. Integrate genome-based assessment of safety for probiotic strains: Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 as a case study.

    PubMed

    Salvetti, Elisa; Orrù, Luigi; Capozzi, Vittorio; Martina, Alessia; Lamontanara, Antonella; Keller, David; Cash, Howard; Felis, Giovanna E; Cattivelli, Luigi; Torriani, Sandra; Spano, Giuseppe

    2016-05-01

    Probiotics are microorganisms that confer beneficial effects on the host; nevertheless, before being allowed for human consumption, their safety must be verified with accurate protocols. In the genomic era, such procedures should take into account the genomic-based approaches. This study aims at assessing the safety traits of Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 integrating the most updated genomics-based procedures and conventional phenotypic assays. Special attention was paid to putative virulence factors (VF), antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and genes encoding enzymes responsible for harmful metabolites (i.e. biogenic amines, BAs). This probiotic strain was phenotypically resistant to streptomycin and kanamycin, although the genome analysis suggested that the AR-related genes were not easily transferrable to other bacteria, and no other genes with potential safety risks, such as those related to VF or BA production, were retrieved. Furthermore, no unstable elements that could potentially lead to genomic rearrangements were detected. Moreover, a workflow is proposed to allow the proper taxonomic identification of a microbial strain and the accurate evaluation of risk-related gene traits, combining whole genome sequencing analysis with updated bioinformatics tools and standard phenotypic assays. The workflow presented can be generalized as a guideline for the safety investigation of novel probiotic strains to help stakeholders (from scientists to manufacturers and consumers) to meet regulatory requirements and avoid misleading information.

  5. Potentially Toxic Element Uptake by Bacillus jeotgali Strain U3: A Natural Attenuation Mechanism in polluted sediments from Estero de Urías Coastal Lagoon (SE Gulf of California)?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Green-Ruiz, C. R.; Rodríguez-Tirado, V. A.; Carrasco-Valenzuela, A. C.; Gómez-Gil, B.

    2007-05-01

    In addition to an increased flux of potentially toxic elements (PTE's) into aquatic ecosystems, toxicity, bioavailability and persistency of these pollutants have led to critical localized pollution sites around the world, and the risk for the environment and the health of organism, including humans, has been increased. Clean-up technologies for the treatment of huge volumes of water, sediments and soils contaminated with these elements are needed. Use of bacteria as concentrators of PTE's can become a good tool for the remediation of man- impacted coastal ecosystems. A subtropical estuarine bacterium was isolate from surface sediments from Estero de Urías coastal lagoon, Mazatlán, Mexico, which is an aquatic ecosystem surrounded by several anthropogenic that release PTE's into the environment. This bacterial strain (U3) was ascertained (16s rRNA analysis) to belong to the Bacillus jeotgali specie. Batch experiments with different bacterial biomass and PTE (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) concentrations, pH and temperature were carried out in order to evaluate the biosorption capacity of Bacillus jeotgali strain U3. Except data from Zn experiments, all values were fitted to the adsorption Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) were 58 mg Cd g-1, 27 mg Cu g-1, 191 mg Hg g-1 (viable biomass), 21 mg Hg g-1 (non-viable biomass), 90 mg Pb g-1. Adsorption of Zn was 350 mg g-1, when equilibrium concentration in solution was 130 mg Zn l-1. According our data, Bacillus jeotgali strain U3 is considered as a suitable adsorbent and the presence of this microorganism in Estero de Urías coastal lagoon can produce a natural attenuation of potentially toxic elements pollution.

  6. Bacillus nitroreducens sp. nov., a humus-reducing bacterium isolated from a compost.

    PubMed

    Guo, Junhui; Wang, Yue Qiang; Yang, Guiqin; Chen, Yunqi; Zhou, Shungui; Zhao, Yong; Zhuang, Li

    2016-05-01

    A Gram-staining-positive, facultative anaerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated GSS08(T), was isolated from a windrow compost pile and characterized by means of a polyphasic approach. Growth occurred with 0-4 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1 %), at pH 6.5-9.5 (optimum pH 7.5) and at 20-45 °C (optimum 37 °C). Anaerobic growth occurred with anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate, fumarate and NO3 (-) as electron acceptor. The main respiratory quinone was MK-7. The predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C15:0 (43.1 %), anteiso-C15:0 (27.4 %) and iso-C16:0 (8.3 %). The DNA G + C content was 39.6 mol%. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain GSS08(T) formed a phyletic lineage with the type strain of Bacillus humi DSM 16318(T) with a high sequence similarity of 97.5 %, but it displayed low sequence similarity with other valid species in the genus Bacillus (<96.0 %). The DNA-DNA relatedness between strains GSS08(T) and B. humi DSM 16318(T) was 50.8 %. The results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analyses clearly indicated that strain GSS08(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Bacillus nitroreducens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GSS08(T) (=KCTC 33699(T) = MCCC 1K01091(T)).

  7. Comparative analysis of biofilm formation by Bacillus cereus reference strains and undomesticated food isolates and the effect of free iron.

    PubMed

    Hayrapetyan, Hasmik; Muller, Lisette; Tempelaars, Marcel; Abee, Tjakko; Nierop Groot, Masja

    2015-05-04

    Biofilm formation of Bacillus cereus reference strains ATCC 14579 and ATCC 10987 and 21 undomesticated food isolates was studied on polystyrene and stainless steel as contact surfaces. For all strains, the biofilm forming capacity was significantly enhanced when in contact with stainless steel (SS) as a surface as compared to polystyrene (PS). For a selection of strains, the total CFU and spore counts in biofilms were determined and showed a good correlation between CFU counts and total biomass of these biofilms. Sporulation was favoured in the biofilm over the planktonic state. To substantiate whether iron availability could affect B. cereus biofilm formation, the free iron availability was varied in BHI by either the addition of FeCl3 or by depletion of iron with the scavenger 2,2-Bipyridine. Addition of iron resulted in increased air-liquid interface biofilm on polystyrene but not on SS for strain ATCC 10987, while the presence of Bipyridine reduced biofilm formation for both materials. Biofilm formation was restored when excess FeCl3 was added in combination with the scavenger. Further validation of the iron effect for all 23 strains in microtiter plate showed that fourteen strains (including ATCC10987) formed a biofilm on PS. For eight of these strains biofilm formation was enhanced in the presence of added iron and for eleven strains it was reduced when free iron was scavenged. Our results show that stainless steel as a contact material provides more favourable conditions for B. cereus biofilm formation and maturation compared to polystyrene. This effect could possibly be linked to iron availability as we show that free iron availability affects B. cereus biofilm formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Construction of novel shuttle expression vectors for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus.

    PubMed

    Shao, Huanhuan; Cao, Qinghua; Zhao, Hongyan; Tan, Xuemei; Feng, Hong

    2015-01-01

    A native plasmid (pSU01) was detected by genome sequencing of Bacillus subtilis strain S1-4. Two pSU01-based shuttle expression vectors pSU02-AP and pSU03-AP were constructed enabling stable replication in B. subtilis WB600. These vectors contained the reporter gene aprE, encoding an alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus BA06. The expression vector pSU03-AP only possessed the minimal replication elements (rep, SSO, DSO) and exhibited more stability on structure, suggesting that the rest of the genes in pSU01 (ORF1, ORF2, mob, hsp) were unessential for the structural stability of plasmid in B. subtilis. In addition, recombinant production of the alkaline protease was achieved more efficiently with pSU03-AP whose copy number was estimated to be more than 100 per chromosome. Furthermore, pSU03-AP could also be used to transform and replicate in B. pumilus BA06 under selective pressure. In conclusion, pSU03-AP is expected to be a useful tool for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and B. pumilus.

  9. Reclassification of Bacillus marismortui as Salibacillus marismortui comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Arahal, D R; Márquez, M C; Volcani, B E; Schleifer, K H; Ventosa, A

    2000-07-01

    Recently, the features of a group of strains isolated from Dead Sea enrichments obtained in 1936 by one of us (B. E. Volcani) were described. They were gram-positive, moderately halophilic, spore-forming rods, and were placed in a new species, Bacillus marismortui. At the same time, the new genus Salibacillus was proposed for the halophilic species Bacillus salexigens. B. marismortui and Salibacillus salexigens have similar phenotypic characteristics and the same peptidoglycan type. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequence comparisons showed that they are sufficiently closely related (96.6% similarity) as to warrant placement in the same genus. However, DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed that they constitute two separate species (41% DNA similarity). Therefore the reclassification of Bacillus marismortui as Salibacillus marismortui comb. nov. is proposed.

  10. Global Microarray Analysis of Alkaliphilic Halotolerant Bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 Salt Stress Adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Liang; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe

    2015-01-01

    The alkaliphilic halotolerant bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 is often exposed to salt stress in its natural habitats. In this study, we used one-colour microarrays to investigate adaptive responses of Bacillus sp. N16-5 transcriptome to long-term growth at different salinity levels (0%, 2%, 8%, and 15% NaCl) and to a sudden salt increase from 0% to 8% NaCl. The common strategies used by bacteria to survive and grow at high salt conditions, such as K+ uptake, Na+ efflux, and the accumulation of organic compatible solutes (glycine betaine and ectoine), were observed in Bacillus sp. N16-5. The genes of SigB regulon involved in general stress responses and chaperone-encoding genes were also induced by high salt concentration. Moreover, the genes regulating swarming ability and the composition of the cytoplasmic membrane and cell wall were also differentially expressed. The genes involved in iron uptake were down-regulated, whereas the iron homeostasis regulator Fur was up-regulated, suggesting that Fur may play a role in the salt adaption of Bacillus sp. N16-5. In summary, we present a comprehensive gene expression profiling of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 cells exposed to high salt stress, which would help elucidate the mechanisms underlying alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. survival in and adaptation to salt stress. PMID:26030352

  11. Complete genome sequence of Bacillus velezensis LM2303, a biocontrol strain isolated from the dung of wild yak inhabited Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

    PubMed

    Chen, Liang

    2017-06-10

    Bacillus velezensis LM2303 is a biocontrol strain with a broad inhibitory spectrum against plant pathogens, isolated from the dung of wild yak inhabited Qinghai-Tibet plateau, China. Here we present its complete genome sequence, which consists of a single, circular chromosome of 3,989,393bp with a 46.68% G+C content. Genome analysis revealed genes encoding specialized functions for the biosynthesis of antifungal metabolites and antibacterial metabolites, the promotion of plant growth, the alleviation of oxidative stress and nutrient utilization. And the biosynthesis of antimicrobial metabolites in strain LM2303 was confirmed by biochemical analysis, while its plant growth promoting traits were confirmed by inoculation tests. Our results will establish a better foundation for further studies and biocontrol application of B. velezensis LM2303. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Extending the Bacillus cereus group genomics to putative food-borne pathogens of different toxicity.

    PubMed

    Lapidus, Alla; Goltsman, Eugene; Auger, Sandrine; Galleron, Nathalie; Ségurens, Béatrice; Dossat, Carole; Land, Miriam L; Broussolle, Veronique; Brillard, Julien; Guinebretiere, Marie-Helene; Sanchis, Vincent; Nguen-The, Christophe; Lereclus, Didier; Richardson, Paul; Wincker, Patrick; Weissenbach, Jean; Ehrlich, S Dusko; Sorokin, Alexei

    2008-01-30

    The Bacillus cereus group represents sporulating soil bacteria containing pathogenic strains which may cause diarrheic or emetic food poisoning outbreaks. Multiple locus sequence typing revealed a presence in natural samples of these bacteria of about 30 clonal complexes. Application of genomic methods to this group was however biased due to the major interest for representatives closely related to Bacillus anthracis. Albeit the most important food-borne pathogens were not yet defined, existing data indicate that they are scattered all over the phylogenetic tree. The preliminary analysis of the sequences of three genomes discussed in this paper narrows down the gaps in our knowledge of the B. cereus group. The strain NVH391-98 is a rare but particularly severe food-borne pathogen. Sequencing revealed that the strain should be a representative of a novel bacterial species, for which the name Bacillus cytotoxis or Bacillus cytotoxicus is proposed. This strain has a reduced genome size compared to other B. cereus group strains. Genome analysis revealed absence of sigma B factor and the presence of genes encoding diarrheic Nhe toxin, not detected earlier. The strain B. cereus F837/76 represents a clonal complex close to that of B. anthracis. Including F837/76, three such B. cereus strains had been sequenced. Alignment of genomes suggests that B. anthracis is their common ancestor. Since such strains often emerge from clinical cases, they merit a special attention. The third strain, KBAB4, is a typical facultative psychrophile generally found in soil. Phylogenic studies show that in nature it is the most active group in terms of gene exchange. Genomic sequence revealed high presence of extra-chromosomal genetic material (about 530kb) that may account for this phenomenon. Genes coding Nhe-like toxin were found on a big plasmid in this strain. This may indicate a potential mechanism of toxicity spread from the psychrophile strain community. The results of this genomic

  13. Fungal Competitors Affect Production of Antimicrobial Lipopeptides in Bacillus subtilis Strain B9-5.

    PubMed

    DeFilippi, Stefanie; Groulx, Emma; Megalla, Merna; Mohamed, Rowida; Avis, Tyler J

    2018-04-01

    Bacillus subtilis has shown success in antagonizing plant pathogens where strains of the bacterium produce antimicrobial cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) in response to microbial competitors in their ecological niche. To gain insight into the inhibitory role of these CLPs, B. subtilis strain B9-5 was co-cultured with three pathogenic fungi. Inhibition of mycelial growth and spore germination was assessed and CLPs produced by B. subtilis B9-5 were quantified over the entire period of microbial interaction. B. subtilis B9-5 significantly inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination of Fusarium sambucinum and Verticillium dahliae, but not Rhizopus stolonifer. LC-MS analysis revealed that B. subtilis differentially produced fengycin and surfactin homologs depending on the competitor. CLP quantification suggested that the presence of Verticillium dahliae, a fungus highly sensitive to the compounds, caused an increase followed by a decrease in CLP production by the bacterium. In co-cultures with Fusarium sambucinum, a moderately sensitive fungus, CLP production increased more gradually, possibly because of its slower rate of spore germination. With co-cultures of the tolerant fungus Rhizopus stolonifer, B. subtilis produced high amounts of CLPs (per bacterial cell) for the duration of the interaction. Variations in CLP production could be explained, in part, by the pathogens' overall sensitivities to the bacterial lipopeptides and/or the relative growth rates between the plant pathogen and B. subtilis. CLP production varied substantially temporally depending on the targeted fungus, which provides valuable insight concerning the effectiveness of B. subtilis B9-5 protecting its ecological niche against the ingress of these pathogens.

  14. Comparative genome analysis of Pseudogymnoascus spp. reveals primarily clonal evolution with small genome fragments exchanged between lineages.

    PubMed

    Leushkin, Evgeny V; Logacheva, Maria D; Penin, Aleksey A; Sutormin, Roman A; Gerasimov, Evgeny S; Kochkina, Galina A; Ivanushkina, Natalia E; Vasilenko, Oleg V; Kondrashov, Alexey S; Ozerskaya, Svetlana M

    2015-05-21

    Pseudogymnoascus spp. is a wide group of fungi lineages in the family Pseudorotiaceae including an aggressive pathogen of bats P. destructans. Although several lineages of P. spp. were shown to produce ascospores in culture, the vast majority of P. spp. demonstrates no evidence of sexual reproduction. P. spp. can tolerate a wide range of different temperatures and salinities and can survive even in permafrost layer. Adaptability of P. spp. to different environments is accompanied by extremely variable morphology and physiology. We sequenced genotypes of 14 strains of P. spp., 5 of which were extracted from permafrost, 1 from a cryopeg, a layer of unfrozen ground in permafrost, and 8 from temperate surface environments. All sequenced genotypes are haploid. Nucleotide diversity among these genomes is very high, with a typical evolutionary distance at synonymous sites dS ≈ 0.5, suggesting that the last common ancestor of these strains lived >50 Mya. The strains extracted from permafrost do not form a separate clade. Instead, each permafrost strain has close relatives from temperate environments. We observed a strictly clonal population structure with no conflicting topologies for ~99% of genome sequences. However, there is a number of short (~100-10,000 nt) genomic segments with the total length of 67.6 Kb which possess phylogenetic patterns strikingly different from the rest of the genome. The most remarkable case is a MAT-locus, which has 2 distinct alleles interspersed along the whole-genome phylogenetic tree. Predominantly clonal structure of genome sequences is consistent with the observations that sexual reproduction is rare in P. spp. Small number of regions with noncanonical phylogenies seem to arise due to some recombination events between derived lineages of P. spp., with MAT-locus being transferred on multiple occasions. All sequenced strains have heterothallic configuration of MAT-locus.

  15. Enterobacter Strains Might Promote Colon Cancer.

    PubMed

    Yurdakul, Dilşad; Yazgan-Karataş, Ayten; Şahin, Fikrettin

    2015-09-01

    Many studies have been performed to determine the interaction between bacterial species and cancer. However, there has been no attempts to demonstrate a possible relationship between Enterobacter spp. and colon cancer so far. Therefore, in the present study, it is aimed to investigate the effects of Enterobacter strains on colon cancer. Bacterial proteins were isolated from 11 Enterobacter spp., one Morganella morganii, and one Escherichia coli strains, and applied onto NCM460 (Incell) and CRL1790 (ATCC) cell lines. Cell viability and proliferation were determined in MTS assay. Flow Cytometry was used to detect CD24 level and apoptosis. Real-Time PCR studies were performed to determine NFKB and Bcl2 expression. Graphpad Software was used for statistical analysis. The results showed that proteins, isolated from the Enterobacter spp., have significantly increased cell viability and proliferation, while decreasing the apoptosis of the cell lines tested. The data in the present study indicated that Enterobacter strains might promote colon cancer. Moreover, Enterobacter spp. could be a clinically important factor for colon cancer initiation and progression. Studies can be extended on animal models in order to develop new strategies for treatment.

  16. Screening of Lactobacillus spp. and Pediococcus spp. for glycosidase activities that are important in oenology.

    PubMed

    Grimaldi, A; Bartowsky, E; Jiranek, V

    2005-01-01

    To assess glycosidase activities from a range of Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species and characterize these activities under conditions pertinent to the wine industry. Lactic acid bacteria were cultured in MRS broth supplemented with apple juice before being harvested, washed and assayed for glycosidase activity using p-nitrophenol-linked substrates. All strains exhibited a detectable capacity for the hydrolysis of the beta- and alpha-d-glucopyranosides. The magnitude of these activities and their response to the physico-chemical parameters investigated varied in a strain-dependent manner. The use of an assay buffer with a pH below 4 generally resulted in a reduced hydrolysis of both substrates while temperature optima ranged between 35 and 45 degrees C. The effect of the inclusion of ethanol in the assay buffer (up to 12%, v/v) ranged from near complete inhibition to increases in activity approaching 80%. With the clear exception of a single strain, glucose and fructose (0.1-20 g l(-1)) acted as inhibitors. An assessment of glycosidase activity during simultaneous exposure to glucose and ethanol at a pH of 3.5 suggested that ethanol decreased loss of activity under these wine-like conditions. Lactobacillus spp. and Pediococcus spp. possess varying degrees of beta- and alpha-d-glucopyranosidase activities, which in turn are influenced differently by exposure to ethanol and/or sugars, temperature and pH. Several strains appeared suited for further evaluation under winemaking conditions. This work highlights the fact that strains of Lactobacillus and Pediococcus have the potential to influence the glycoside composition of wine. Tailoring of wine may therefore be possible through selective application of strains or enzymatic extracts thereof.

  17. Genome Sequences of Apibacter spp., Gut Symbionts of Asian Honey Bees

    PubMed Central

    Kwong, Waldan K; Steele, Margaret I; Moran, Nancy A

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Honey bees have distinct gut microbiomes consisting almost entirely of several host-specific bacterial species. We present the genomes of three strains of Apibacter spp., bacteria of the Bacteroidetes phylum that are endemic to Asian honey bee species (Apis dorsata and Apis cerana). The Apibacter strains have similar metabolic abilities to each other and to Apibacter mensalis, a species isolated from a bumble bee. They use microaerobic respiration and fermentation to catabolize a limited set of monosaccharides and dicarboxylic acids. All strains are capable of gliding motility and encode a type IX secretion system. Two strains and A. mensalis have type VI secretion systems, and all strains encode Rhs or VgrG proteins used in intercellular interactions. The characteristics of Apibacter spp. are consistent with adaptions to life in a gut environment; however, the factors responsible for host-specificity and mutualistic interactions remain to be uncovered. PMID:29635372

  18. Biosorption of heavy metals by Bacillus thuringiensis strain OSM29 originating from industrial effluent contaminated north Indian soil

    PubMed Central

    Oves, Mohammad; Khan, Mohammad Saghir; Zaidi, Almas

    2012-01-01

    The study was navigated to examine the metal biosorbing ability of bacterial strain OSM29 recovered from rhizosphere of cauliflower grown in soil irrigated consistently with industrial effluents. The metal tolerant bacterial strain OSM29 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis following 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In the presence of the varying concentrations (25–150 mgl−1) of heavy metals, such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and nickel, the B. thuringiensis strain OSM29 showed an obvious metal removing potential. The effect of certain physico-chemical factors such as pH, initial metal concentration, and contact time on biosorption was also assessed. The optimum pH for nickel and chromium removal was 7, while for cadmium, copper and lead, it was 6. The optimal contact time was 30 min. for each metal at 32 ± 2 °C by strain OSM29. The biosorption capacity of the strain OSM29 for the metallic ions was highest for Ni (94%) which was followed by Cu (91.8%), while the lowest sorption by bacterial biomass was recorded for Cd (87%) at 25 mgl−1 initial metal ion concentration. The regression coefficients obtained for heavy metals from the Freundlich and Langmuir models were significant. The surface chemical functional groups of B. thuringiensis biomass identified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl, and carbonyl groups, which may be involved in the biosorption of heavy metals. The biosorption ability of B. thuringiensis OSM29 varied with metals and was pH and metal concentration dependent. The biosorption of each metal was fairly rapid which could be an advantage for large scale treatment of contaminated sites. PMID:24115905

  19. Inhibition of Bacillus cereus Strains by Antimicrobial Metabolites from Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1647 and Enterococcus faecium SM21.

    PubMed

    Soria, M Cecilia; Audisio, M Carina

    2014-12-01

    Bacillus cereus is an endospore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium able to cause foodborne diseases. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known for their ability to synthesize organic acids and bacteriocins, but the potential of these compounds against B. cereus has been scarcely documented in food models. The present study has examined the effect of the metabolites produced by Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1647 and Enterococcus faecium SM21 on the viability of select B. cereus strains. Furthermore, the effect of E. faecium SM21 metabolites against B. cereus strains has also been investigated on a rice food model. L. johnsonii CRL1647 produced 128 mmol/L of lactic acid, 38 mmol/L of acetic acid and 0.3 mmol/L of phenyl-lactic acid. These organic acids reduced the number of vegetative cells and spores of the B. cereus strains tested. However, the antagonistic effect disappeared at pH 6.5. On the other hand, E. faecium SM21 produced only lactic and acetic acid (24.5 and 12.2 mmol/L, respectively) and was able to inhibit both vegetative cells and spores of the B. cereus strains, at a final fermentation pH of 5.0 and at pH 6.5. This would indicate the action of other metabolites, different from organic acids, present in the cell-free supernatant. On cooked rice grains, the E. faecium SM21 bacteriocin(s) were tested against two B. cereus strains. Both of them were significantly affected within the first 4 h of contact; whereas B. cereus BAC1 cells recovered after 24 h, the effect on B. cereus 1 remained up to the end of the assay. The LAB studied may thus be considered to define future strategies for biological control of B. cereus.

  20. Development of a systematic feedback isolation approach for targeted strains from mixed culture systems.

    PubMed

    Poudel, Pramod; Tashiro, Yukihiro; Miyamoto, Hirokuni; Miyamoto, Hisashi; Okugawa, Yuki; Sakai, Kenji

    2017-01-01

    Elucidation of functions of bacteria in a mixed culture system (MCS) such as composting, activated sludge system is difficult, since the system is complicating with many unisolated bacteria. Here, we developed a systematic feedback isolation strategy for the isolation and rapid screening of multiple targeted strains from MCS. Six major strains (Corynebacterium sphenisci, Bacillus thermocloacae, Bacillus thermoamylovorans, Bacillus smithii, Bacillus humi, and Bacillus coagulans), which are detected by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis in our previous study on MCS for l-lactic acid production, were targeted for isolation. Based on information of suitable cultivation conditions (e.g., media, pH, temperature) from the literature, feedback isolation was performed to form 136 colonies. The following direct colony matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was optimised as the second screening to narrow down 20 candidate colonies from similar spectra patterns with six closest type strains. This step could distinguish bacteria at the species level with distance similarity scores ≥0.55 corresponding to 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity ≥98.2%, suggesting that this is an effective technique to minimize isolates close to targeted type strains. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that two targeted strains and one strain related to the target had successfully been isolated, showing high similarities (99.5-100%) with the sequences from the DGGE bands, and that the other candidates were affiliated with three strains that were closely related to the target species. This study proposes a new method for systematic feedback isolation that may be useful for isolating targeted strains from MCS for further investigation. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Label-Free Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Harmless and Pathogenic Strains of Infectious Microalgae, Prototheca spp.

    PubMed Central

    Murugaiyan, Jayaseelan; Eravci, Murat; Weise, Christoph; Roesler, Uwe

    2016-01-01

    Microalgae of the genus Prototheca (P.) spp are associated with rare algal infections of invertebrates termed protothecosis. Among the seven generally accepted species, P. zopfii genotype 2 (GT2) is associated with a severe form of bovine mastitis while P. blaschkeae causes the mild and sub-clinical form of mastitis. The reason behind the infectious nature of P. zopfii GT2, while genotype 1 (GT1) remains non-infectious, is not known. Therefore, in the present study we investigated the protein expression level difference between the genotypes of P. zopfii and P. blaschkeae. Cells were cultured to the mid-exponential phase, harvested, and processed for LC-MS analysis. Peptide data was acquired on an LTQ Orbitrap Velos, raw spectra were quantitatively analyzed with MaxQuant software and matching with the reference database of Chlorella variabilis and Auxenochlorella protothecoides resulted in the identification of 226 proteins. Comparison of an environmental strain with infectious strains resulted in the identification of 51 differentially expressed proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism, energy production and protein translation. The expression level of Hsp70 proteins and their role in the infectious process is worth further investigation. All mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD005305. PMID:28036087

  2. Evaluation of repetitive-PCR and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for rapid strain typing of Bacillus coagulans.

    PubMed

    Sato, Jun; Nakayama, Motokazu; Tomita, Ayumi; Sonoda, Takumi; Hasumi, Motomitsu; Miyamoto, Takahisa

    2017-01-01

    In order to establish rapid and accurate typing method for Bacillus coagulans strains which is important for controlling in some canned foods and tea-based beverages manufacturing because of the high-heat resistance of the spores and high tolerance of the vegetative cells to catechins and chemicals, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and repetitive-PCR (rep-PCR) were evaluated. For this purpose, 28 strains of B. coagulans obtained from various culture collections were tested. DNA sequence analyses of the genes encoding 16S rRNA and DNA gyrase classified the test strains into two and three groups, respectively, regardless of their phenotypes. Both MALDI-TOF MS and rep-PCR methods classified the test strains in great detail. Strains classified in each group showed similar phenotypes, such as carbohydrate utilization determined using API 50CH. In particular, the respective two pairs of strains which showed the same metabolic characteristic were classified into the same group by both MALDI-TOF MS and rep-PCR methods separating from the other strains. On the other hand, the other strains which have the different profiles of carbohydrate utilization were separated into different groups by these methods. These results suggested that the combination of MALDI-TOF MS and rep-PCR analyses was advantageous for the rapid and detailed typing of bacterial strains in respect to both phenotype and genotype.

  3. Comparative genome analysis of Bacillus velezensis reveals a potential for degrading lignocellulosic biomass.

    PubMed

    Chen, Long; Gu, Wei; Xu, Hai-Yan; Yang, Gui-Lian; Shan, Xiao-Feng; Chen, Guang; Kang, Yuan-Huan; Wang, Chun-Feng; Qian, Ai-Dong

    2018-05-01

    Genomes of 24 sequenced Bacillus velezensis strains were characterized to identity shared and unique genes of lignocellulolytic enzymes and predict potential to degrade lignocellulose. All 24 strains had genes that encoded lignocellulolytic enzymes, with potential to degrade cellulose and hemicelluloses. Several lignocellulosic genes related to cellulose degradation were universally present, including one GH5 (endo-1,4-β-glucanase), one GH30 (glucan endo-1,6-β-glucosidase), two GH4 (6-phospho-β-glucosidase, 6-phospho-α-glucosidase), one GH1 (6-phospho-β-galactosidase), one GH16 (β-glucanase) and three GH32 (two sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase and levanase). However, in the absence of gene(s) for cellobiohydrolase, it was predicted that none of the 24 strains would be able to directly hydrolyse cellulose. Regarding genes for hemicellulose degradation, four GH43 (1,4-β-xylosidase; except strain 9912D), one GH11 (endo-1,4-β-xylanase), three GH43 (two arabinan endo-1,5-α-L-arabinosidase and one arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase), two GH51 (α-N-arabinofuranosidase), one GH30 (glucuronoxylanase), one GH26 (β-mannosidase) and one GH53 (arabinogalactan endo-1,4-β-galactosidase) were present. In addition, two PL1 (pectate lyase) and one PL9 (pectate lyase) with potential for pectin degradation were conserved among all 24 strains. In addition, all 24 Bacillus velezensis had limited representation of the auxiliary activities super-family, consistent with a limited ability to degrade lignin. Therefore, it was predicted that for these bacteria to degrade lignin, pretreatment of lignocellulosic substrates may be required. Finally, based on in silico studies, we inferred that Bacillus velezensis strains may degrade a range of polysaccharides in lignocellulosic biomasses.

  4. The dtd gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens encodes a putative D-tyrosyl-tRNATyr deacylase and is a selectable marker for Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Geraskina, Natalia V; Butov, Ivan A; Yomantas, Yurgis A V; Stoynova, Nataliya V

    2015-02-01

    Genetically engineered microbes are of high practical importance due to their cost-effective production of valuable metabolites and enzymes, and the search for new selectable markers for genetic manipulation is of particular interest. Here, we revealed that the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens A50 is tolerant to the non-canonical amino acid D-tyrosine (D-Tyr), in contrast to the closely related Bacillus strain B. subtilis 168, which is a widely used "domesticated" laboratory strain. The gene responsible for resistance to D-Tyr was identified. The resistance was associated with the activity of a potential D-tyrosyl-tRNA(Tyr) deacylase. Orthologs of this enzyme are capable of hydrolyzing the ester bond and recycling misacetylated D-aminoacyl-tRNA molecules into free tRNAs and D-amino acids. This gene, yrvI (dtd), is applicable as a convenient, small selectable marker for non-antibiotic resistance selection in experiments aimed at genome editing of D-Tyr-sensitive microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  5. A marine sponge associated strain of Bacillus subtilis and other marine bacteria can produce anticholinesterase compounds.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Sony; Sree, Ayinampudi; Sethi, Dipti Priya; Kumar, Chityal Ganesh; Kakollu, Sudha; Chowdhury, Lipsa; Dash, Soumya Suchismita

    2014-02-15

    Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors or anticholinesterases reduce the activity of enzyme acetylcholinesterase that degrades the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain. The inhibitors have a significant pharmacological role in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's etc. Although plants have been a significant source of these compounds, there are very few sporadic reports of microorganisms producing such inhibitors. Anticholinesterase activity in bacterial associates of marine soft corals and sponges were not previously reported. We screened 887 marine bacteria for the presence of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, in a microplate based assay, and found that 140 (15.8%) of them inhibit the electric eel enzyme, acetylcholinesterase. Majority of the active isolates were bacterial associates of soft corals followed by sediment isolates while most of the potent inhibitors belonged to the bacterial associates of marine sponges. Maximum inhibition (54%) was exhibited by a bacterial strain M18SP4P (ii), isolated from the marine sponge Fasciospongia cavernosa. Based on phenotypic characterization and 16S rDNA sequencing, the strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis - revealing yet another activity in a strain of the model organism that is considered to be a cell factory. TLC bioautography of the methanol extract of this culture, showed the presence of two major components having this activity, when compared to Galanthamine, the positive control. From the results of our study, we conclude that acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are quite prevalent in marine bacteria, particularly the bacterial associates of marine invertebrates. Several potential AChE inhibitors in marine bacteria are waiting to be discovered to provide easily manipulable natural sources for the mass production of these therapeutic compounds.

  6. Characterization of Bacillus strains from apple and pear trees in South Africa antagonistic to Erwinia amylovora.

    PubMed

    Jock, Susanne; Völksch, Beate; Mansvelt, Lucienne; Geider, Klaus

    2002-06-04

    In order to find reasons for the absence of fire blight in most countries of the Southern hemisphere, bark samples from apple and pear trees in orchards of the Western Cape region in South Africa were extracted for bacteria which could be antagonistic to Erwinia amylovora. Screening was done in the late growth season and mainly Gram-positive bacteria were isolated. Approximately half of them produced growth inhibition zones on a lawn of E. amylovora. Most isolates were classified as Bacillus megaterium by microbiological assays and in API 50 test systems. They were visualized in the light microscope as non-motile large rods. These strains may not be responsible for the absence of fire blight in orchards, but they may indicate unfavourable climatic conditions for Gram-negative bacteria including E. amylovora. They may reduce the ability of E. amylovora to establish fire blight and could also be useful for application in biological disease control.

  7. Biodegradation of methyl red by Bacillus sp. strain UN2: decolorization capacity, metabolites characterization, and enzyme analysis.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ming; Sun, Peng-Fei; Du, Lin-Na; Wang, Guan; Jia, Xiao-Ming; Zhao, Yu-Hua

    2014-05-01

    Azo dyes are recalcitrant and refractory pollutants that constitute a significant menace to the environment. The present study is focused on exploring the capability of Bacillus sp. strain UN2 for application in methyl red (MR) degradation. Effects of physicochemical parameters (pH of medium, temperature, initial concentration of dye, and composition of the medium) were studied in detail. The suitable pH and temperature range for MR degradation by strain UN2 were respectively 7.0-9.0 and 30-40 °C, and the optimal pH value and temperature were respectively 8.0 and 35 °C. Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) (1 mM) were found to significantly accelerate the MR removal rate, while the enhancement by either Fe(3+) or Fe(2+) was slight. Under the optimal degradation conditions, strain UN2 exhibited greater than 98 % degradation of the toxic azo dye MR (100 ppm) within 30 min. Analysis of samples from decolorized culture flasks confirmed biodegradation of MR into two prime metabolites: N,N'dimethyl-p-phenyle-nediamine and 2-aminobenzoic acid. A study of the enzymes responsible for the biodegradation of MR, in the control and cells obtained during (10 min) and after (30 min) degradation, showed a significant increase in the activities of azoreductase, laccase, and NADH-DCIP reductase. Furthermore, a phytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that the germination inhibition was almost eliminated for both the plants Triticum aestivum and Sorghum bicolor by MR metabolites at 100 mg/L concentration, yet the germination inhibition of parent dye was significant. Consequently, the high efficiency of MR degradation enables this strain to be a potential candidate for bioremediation of wastewater containing MR.

  8. [Formation and function of the bean-rhizobium symbiosis in soy plants upon introduction of strains of Azotobacter and Bacillus species].

    PubMed

    Mel'nikova, N N; Bulavenko, L V; Kurdish, I K; Titova, L V; Kots', S Ia

    2002-01-01

    The effects of bacteria belonging to the genera Azotobacter and Bacillus in a mixed culture with Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains on formation and function of the legume-rhizobium symbiosis of soybean plants were studied. The data showed that the bacterial compositions B. japonicum 634b + B. subtilis 5, B. japonicum 634b + A. chroococcum 20, and B. japonicum 10k + A. vinelandii 56 with a cell ratio of 1:0.1 increased the number and weight of root nodules as well as the height and weight of the aboveground plant parts in almost all the cases by 22-105% compared with the control variants. These binary microbial cultures may be used for development of combined bacterial preparations for soybean.

  9. Effect of mixed-Bacillus spp isolated from pustulose ark Anadara tuberculosa on growth, survival, viral prevalence and immune-related gene expression in shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Ortiz, Ana Claudia; Angulo, Carlos; Luna-González, Antonio; Álvarez-Ruiz, Píndaro; Mazón-Suástegui, José Manuel; Campa-Córdova, Ángel Isidro

    2016-12-01

    The widespread overuse of antibiotics in aquaculture has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistance shrimp pathogens, the negative impact on shrimp gut microbiota, and the presence of antimicrobial residues in aquaculture products, with negative consequences on human health. Alternatively, probiotics have positive effects on immunological responses and productive performance of aquatic animals. In this study, three probiotic bacteria, (Bacillus licheniformis MAt32, B. subtilis MAt43 and B. subtilis subsp. subtilis GAtB1), isolated from the Anadara tuberculosa were included in diets for juvenile shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, to evaluate their effects on growth, survival, disease prevalence, and immune-related gene expression. Shrimp naturally infected with WSSV and IHHNV were fed with the basal diet (control, T1) and diets supplemented with four levels of bacilli probiotic mix (1:1:1) at final concentration of (T2) 1 × 10 6 , (T3) 2 × 10 6 , (T4) 4 × 10 6 , and (T5) 6 × 10 6  CFU g -1 of feed. The specific growth rate of shrimp was significantly higher in T2 than in T1 (control) treatment, and the final growth as well as the survival were similar among treated groups. The prevalence of WSSV and IHHNV infected shrimp was reduced in T2 and T4 treatments, respectively, compared with control. The mRNA expression of proPO gene was higher in treatment T4 than control. The LvToll1 gene was significantly up-regulated in treatments T4 and T5 compared to control. The SOD gene was up-regulated in treatment T5 compared to control. In contrast, the mRNA expression of the Hsp70 gene was down-regulated in treatments T4 and T5 respect to control, and the TGase gene remained unaffected by the level of bacillus probiotic mix. As conclusion, the bacilli probiotic mix (Bacillus spp.) enhanced immune-related gene expression in WSSV and IHHNV naturally infected shrimp. This is the first report of probiotic potential of bacteria isolated from A. tuberculosa on the

  10. Enterotoxins and emetic toxins production by Bacillus cereus and other species of Bacillus isolated from Soumbala and Bikalga, African alkaline fermented food condiments.

    PubMed

    Ouoba, Labia Irene I; Thorsen, Line; Varnam, Alan H

    2008-06-10

    The ability of various species of Bacillus from fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa known as African locust bean (Soumbala) and fermented seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Bikalga) was investigated. The study included screening of the isolates by haemolysis on blood agar, detection of toxins in broth and during the fermentation of African locust bean using the Bacillus cereus Enterotoxin Reverse Passive Latex Agglutination test kit (BCET-RPLA) and the Bacillus Diarrhoeal Enterotoxin Visual Immunoassay (BDEVIA). Detection of genes encoding cytotoxin K (CytK), haemolysin BL (Hbl A, Hbl C, Hbl D), non-hemolytic enterotoxin (NheA, NheB, NheC) and EM1 specific of emetic toxin producers was also investigated using PCR with single pair and multiplex primers. Of 41 isolates, 29 Bacillus belonging to the species of B. cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus pumilus showed haemolysis on blood agar. Using RPLA, enterotoxin production was detected for three isolates of B. cereus in broth and all B. cereus (9) in fermented seeds. Using BDEVIA, enterotoxin production was detected in broth as well as in fermented seeds for all B. cereus isolates. None of the isolates belonging to the other Bacillus species was able to produce enterotoxins either by RPLA or BDEVIA. Nhe genes were detected in all B. cereus while Hbl and CytK genes were detected respectively in five and six B. cereus strains. A weak presence of Hbl (A, D) and CytK genes was detected in two isolates of B. subtilis and one of B. licheniformis but results were inconsistent, especially for Hbl genes. The emetic specific gene fragment EM1 was not detected in any of the isolates studied.

  11. Control of Wilt and Rot Pathogens of Tomato by Antagonistic Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophic Delftia lacustris and Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Janahiraman, Veeranan; Anandham, Rangasamy; Kwon, Soon W; Sundaram, Subbiah; Karthik Pandi, Veeranan; Krishnamoorthy, Ramasamy; Kim, Kiyoon; Samaddar, Sandipan; Sa, Tongmin

    2016-01-01

    The studies on the biocontrol potential of pink pigmented facultative methylotrophic (PPFM) bacteria other than the genus Methylobacterium are scarce. In the present study, we report three facultative methylotrophic isolates; PPO-1, PPT-1, and PPB-1, respectively, identified as Delftia lacustris, Bacillus subtilis , and Bacillus cereus by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Hemolytic activity was tested to investigate the potential pathogenicity of isolates to plants and humans, the results indicates that the isolates PPO-1, PPT-1, and PPB-1 are not pathogenic strains. Under in vitro conditions, D. lacustris PPO-1, B . subtilis PPT-1, and B . cereus PPB-1 showed direct antagonistic effect by inhibiting the mycelial growth of fungal pathogens; Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (2.15, 2.05, and 1.95 cm), Sclerotium rolfsii (2.14, 2.04, and 1.94 cm), Pythium ultimum (2.12, 2.02, and 1.92 cm), and Rhizoctonia solani (2.18, 2.08, and 1.98 cm) and also produced volatile inhibitory compounds. Under plant growth chamber condition methylotrophic bacterial isolates; D . lacustris PPO-1, B . subtilis PPT-1, and B. cereus PPB-1 significantly reduced the disease incidence of tomato. Under greenhouse condition, D . lacustris PPO-1, B . subtilis PPT-1, and B . cereus PPB-1 inoculated tomato plants, when challenged with F . oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, S . rolfsii, P . ultimum , and R . solani , increased the pathogenesis related proteins (β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase) and defense enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase) on day 5 after inoculation. In the current study, we first report the facultative methylotrophy in pink pigmented D. lacustris, B . subtilis , and B . cereus and their antagonistic potential against fungal pathogens. Direct antagonistic and ISR effects of these isolates against fungal pathogens of tomato evidenced their possible use as a biocontrol agent.

  12. Control of Wilt and Rot Pathogens of Tomato by Antagonistic Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophic Delftia lacustris and Bacillus spp.

    PubMed Central

    Janahiraman, Veeranan; Anandham, Rangasamy; Kwon, Soon W.; Sundaram, Subbiah; Karthik Pandi, Veeranan; Krishnamoorthy, Ramasamy; Kim, Kiyoon; Samaddar, Sandipan; Sa, Tongmin

    2016-01-01

    The studies on the biocontrol potential of pink pigmented facultative methylotrophic (PPFM) bacteria other than the genus Methylobacterium are scarce. In the present study, we report three facultative methylotrophic isolates; PPO-1, PPT-1, and PPB-1, respectively, identified as Delftia lacustris, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Hemolytic activity was tested to investigate the potential pathogenicity of isolates to plants and humans, the results indicates that the isolates PPO-1, PPT-1, and PPB-1 are not pathogenic strains. Under in vitro conditions, D. lacustris PPO-1, B. subtilis PPT-1, and B. cereus PPB-1 showed direct antagonistic effect by inhibiting the mycelial growth of fungal pathogens; Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (2.15, 2.05, and 1.95 cm), Sclerotium rolfsii (2.14, 2.04, and 1.94 cm), Pythium ultimum (2.12, 2.02, and 1.92 cm), and Rhizoctonia solani (2.18, 2.08, and 1.98 cm) and also produced volatile inhibitory compounds. Under plant growth chamber condition methylotrophic bacterial isolates; D. lacustris PPO-1, B. subtilis PPT-1, and B. cereus PPB-1 significantly reduced the disease incidence of tomato. Under greenhouse condition, D. lacustris PPO-1, B. subtilis PPT-1, and B. cereus PPB-1 inoculated tomato plants, when challenged with F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, S. rolfsii, P. ultimum, and R. solani, increased the pathogenesis related proteins (β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase) and defense enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase) on day 5 after inoculation. In the current study, we first report the facultative methylotrophy in pink pigmented D. lacustris, B. subtilis, and B. cereus and their antagonistic potential against fungal pathogens. Direct antagonistic and ISR effects of these isolates against fungal pathogens of tomato evidenced their possible use as a biocontrol agent. PMID:27872630

  13. Evolution of Bacillus subtilis to enhanced hypobaric growth: global alterations in gene expression

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nicholson, Wayne; Robles-Martinez, Jose; Rivas-Castillo, Andrea; Schuerger, Andrew

    Much astrobiology research is concerned with defining the environmental limits for life in the universe. Because Mars currently is the primary target for life detection missions, it is important to understand how terrestrial microbes might survive, proliferate, and evolve in martian envi-ronments. This issue is relevant in three distinct but related contexts: (i) testing panspermia hypotheses [1], (ii) mitigating the forward contamination of Mars [2], and (iii) understanding the molecular mechanisms leading to microbial growth in extreme extraterrestrial environments [3]. Prime candidates for Earth-to-Mars transfer include bacteria of the genus Bacillus, spores of which are significant contaminants of Mars-bound spacecraft and which are considered good candidates for lithopanspermia [1-4]. It is thus relevant to assess the potential for such microbes to survive and proliferate in the martian environment. The martian atmosphere poses a significant barrier to growth of terrestrial microbes, due to its low pressure (1-10 mbar; average 7 mbar) and anoxic (˜95% CO2) composition. In an earlier study [5] we showed that low pressures approaching those found on the surface of Mars exhibited an inhibitory effect on the germination and vegetative growth of several Bacillus spp. isolated from spacecraft or their assembly facilities. Even in an Earth-like 80%N2/20%O2 atmosphere, growth of B. subtilis cells was nearly completely inhibited at pressures below 35 mbar, well above the highest pressure on the martian surface [5]. The purpose of the present investigation was to use low pressure as a selective agent to test the hypothesis that a terrestrial microorganism, Bacillus subtilis, could evolve the ability for enhanced growth under hypobaric conditions approaching those of Mars. B. subtilis wild-type strains WN624 (SpcR) and WN628 (CmR) have been described previously [6] and were used as ancestral strains. Strains were propagated in LB liquid medium containing the appropriate

  14. Genome Sequence of a Chromium-Reducing Strain, Bacillus cereus S612

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Dongping; Boukhalfa, Hakim; Ware, Doug S.; ...

    2015-12-10

    We report here the genome sequence of an effective chromium-reducing bacterium,Bacillus cereusstrain S612. We found that the size of the draft genome sequence is approximately 5.4 Mb, with a G+C content of 35%, and it is predicted to contain 5,450 protein-coding genes.

  15. Bacillus methylotrophicus Strain NKG-1, Isolated from Changbai Mountain, China, Has Potential Applications as a Biofertilizer or Biocontrol Agent

    PubMed Central

    Ge, Beibei; Liu, Binghua; Nwet, Thinn Thinn; Zhao, Wenjun; Shi, Liming; Zhang, Kecheng

    2016-01-01

    Chemical pesticides are widely used in agriculture, which endangers both environmental health and food safety. Biocontrol is an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective green technique in environmental protection and agricultural production; it generally uses selected bioresources, including beneficial microorganisms. We isolated a novel bacterial strain (NKG-1) from the rare dormant volcanic soils of Changbai Mountain in China’s Jilin Province. The strain was identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus using morphological, biochemical, physiological, and phylogenetic 16S rDNA sequencing data. This strain was able to suppress mycelial growth and conidial germination of numerous plant pathogenic fungi on solid media. A greenhouse experiment showed that application of NKG-1 fermentation broth prior to inoculation of Botrytis cinerea, the cause of gray tomato mold, inhibited growth of the mold by 60%. Furthermore, application of a 100× dilution of NKG-1 fermentation broth to tomato seedlings yielded a significant increase in seedling fresh weight (27.4%), seedling length (12.5%), and root length (57.7%) compared to the control. When the same dosage was applied in the field, we observed increases in tomato plant height (14.7%), stem diameter (12.7%), crown width (16.3%), and maximum fruit diameter (11.5%). These results suggest that NKG-1 has potential commercial application as a biofertilizer or biocontrol agent. PMID:27832162

  16. A STUDY OF BACILLUS PYOGENES

    PubMed Central

    Brown, J. Howard; Orcutt, Marion L.

    1920-01-01

    Bacillus pyogenes is probably quite common in this country, as it is known to be in Europe. A careful study of twelve strains from cattle and one from a hog has disclosed the following characteristics which have not been reported or have been in dispute. Bacillus pyogenes is Gram-positive and pleomorphic, producing forms ranging from short chains of streptococcoid elements to branching filaments. It is hemolytic, producing the beta type of hemolysis in blood agar. It is not hemoglobinophilic, though its growth is greatly favored by some higher protein material such as egg albumin, serum, or blood. It ferments xylose in addition to the substances previously reported. The coagulation of milk by Bacillus pyogenes is primarily an enzyme coagulation and the subsequent digestion of the curd takes place in an acid medium. The intravenous injection of rabbits was invariably fatal. The lesions most commonly developed were those of the bones. Paralysis was frequently produced, and in each case was caused by lesions in the vertebrae exerting pressure against the ventral columns of the spinal cord. Muscle abscesses were also frequently produced. The authors regard the organism as belonging to the Corynebacteria rather than to the influenza group. PMID:19868442

  17. Fermentation of Corn Fiber Hydrolysate to Lactic Acid by the Moderate Thermophile Bacillus coagulans

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Composted manure from a dairy farm in Texas was examined for thermophilic microorganisms by enrichment in xylose broth medium. Forty randomly picked isolates were identified as strains of Bacillus coagulans by sequence analysis of rRNA genes. One strain, designated as MXL-9, could convert mixed su...

  18. Assembly and Function of the Bacillus anthracis S-Layer.

    PubMed

    Missiakas, Dominique; Schneewind, Olaf

    2017-09-08

    Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax agent, is a member of the Bacillus cereus sensu lato group, which includes invasive pathogens of mammals or insects as well as nonpathogenic environmental strains. The genes for anthrax pathogenesis are located on two large virulence plasmids. Similar virulence plasmids have been acquired by other B. cereus strains and enable the pathogenesis of anthrax-like diseases. Among the virulence factors of B. anthracis is the S-layer-associated protein BslA, which endows bacilli with invasive attributes for mammalian hosts. BslA surface display and function are dependent on the bacterial S-layer, whose constituents assemble by binding to the secondary cell wall polysaccharide (SCWP) via S-layer homology (SLH) domains. B. anthracis and other pathogenic B. cereus isolates harbor genes for the secretion of S-layer proteins, for S-layer assembly, and for synthesis of the SCWP. We review here recent insights into the assembly and function of the S-layer and the SCWP.

  19. Endophytic Colletrotrichum spp. from Cinchona calisaya wedd. and it's potential quinine production as antibacterial and antimalaria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Radiastuti, Nani; Mutea, Dalli; Sumarlin, La Ode

    2017-02-01

    An endophytic fungus is microorganisms that live inside plant tissues without harming its host and is capable of producing the same secondary metabolites as its host plant. The endophytic fungus is very diverse and important group of microorganisms. The objectives of the study are to identify endophyte Colletotrichum spp. using ITS rDNA analyze, alkaloid cinchona and antibacterial characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS rDNA regions and morphology are used to identify the species. The Chloroform extracts of filtrate were analyzed using the High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to determine the production of quinine. There were 13 isolates of Colletotrichum spp as endophytes with associated with Cinchona calisaya Wedd. from fruit (6 isolates), leaf (5 isolates), twig (1 isolate) and root (1 isolate). This is the first report as endophytes are associated with C. calisaya. Based on ITS phylogenetic analysis are introduced of 7 strains Colletotrichum sp, 1 strain closely with C. aegnigma, 2 strains closely C. cordylinicola, 1 strains C arxii, 2 strains nested C. karstii. The Colletotrichum sp. M1 (leaf), M3 (bark), M8 (fruit) and C. karstii M5 (fruit) are potential alkaloid quinine. Five strains of Colletotrichum spp. have antibacterial activity are selected against Staphylococcus aureus and nine Colletotrichum spp. against Escherichia coli. The endophyte identification of Colletotrichum species needs another gene other than ITS rDNA.

  20. Construction and characterization of stable, constitutively expressed, chromosomal green and red fluorescent transcriptional fusions in the select agents, Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia mallei, and Burkholderia pseudomallei

    PubMed Central

    Su, Shengchang; Bangar, Hansraj; Saldanha, Roland; Pemberton, Adin; Aronow, Bruce; Dean, Gary E; Lamkin, Thomas J; Hassett, Daniel J

    2014-01-01

    Here, we constructed stable, chromosomal, constitutively expressed, green and red fluorescent protein (GFP and RFP) as reporters in the select agents, Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia mallei, and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Using bioinformatic approaches and other experimental analyses, we identified P0253 and P1 as potent promoters that drive the optimal expression of fluorescent reporters in single copy in B. anthracis and Burkholderia spp. as well as their surrogate strains, respectively. In comparison, Y. pestis and its surrogate strain need two chromosomal copies of cysZK promoter (P2cysZK) for optimal fluorescence. The P0253-, P2cysZK-, and P1-driven GFP and RFP fusions were first cloned into the vectors pRP1028, pUC18R6KT-mini-Tn7T-Km, pmini-Tn7-gat, or their derivatives. The resultant constructs were delivered into the respective surrogates and subsequently into the select agent strains. The chromosomal GFP- and RFP-tagged strains exhibited bright fluorescence at an exposure time of less than 200 msec and displayed the same virulence traits as their wild-type parental strains. The utility of the tagged strains was proven by the macrophage infection assays and lactate dehydrogenase release analysis. Such strains will be extremely useful in high-throughput screens for novel compounds that could either kill these organisms, or interfere with critical virulence processes in these important bioweapon agents and during infection of alveolar macrophages. PMID:25044501