ALBERT

Description:    Sediments from Xuanwu Lake have been dredged in the past 3 years to improve the water quality, but methanogenesis should still exist in the newly settled sediment. Methane production, methanogens, and physiochemical parameters were detected in the surface sediments (0–5 cm) and/or vertical sediments (0–21 cm, segmented at interval of 3 cm). Methane flux at water–air interface varied among five detected sites. Principal component analysis showed that CH 4 flux, content of water and the concentration of total nitrogen (TN), CH 4 and organic matters (OM) weighed most heavily on the component I in surface sediments while different patterns were observed for vertical sediments. The copy number of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria was lower in the surface sediment (0–6 cm) than that in deeper sediments (12–21 cm), while 16S rRNA genes of Archaea were almost evenly distributed in the vertical sediments. Representatives belonging to the orders Methanobacteriales , Methanomicrobiales , and Methanosarcinales were detected in all samples of the vertical sediments, except that no members of the Methanococcales were detected in the samples at 0–6 cm. The level of Methanobacteriales reached a highest density at 18.1 × 10 4  copies g −1  dry weight (dw) at 6–9 cm; for Methanosarcinales (76.89 × 10 6  copies g −1  dw) and Methanococcales (82.70 × 10 3  copies g −1  dw) at 12–15 cm, whereas for Methanomicrobiales (43.37 × 10 6  copies g −1  dw) at 9–12 cm. Methanosarcinaceae and Methanosaetaceae reached to their highest densities at 6–9 and 9–12 cm, respectively. These data provided useful information for better understanding the methanogenesis in the newly settled sediments of a recently dredged lake. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0103-x Authors Dong-Lin Zhu, The State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210046 Jiangsu, China Cheng Sun, The State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210046 Jiangsu, China Huan He, The State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210046 Jiangsu, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Hexazinone, a triazine herbicide that is often detected as a ground and surface water contaminant, inhibits electron transport in photosynthetic organisms and is toxic to primary producers that serve as the base of the food chain. This laboratory study evaluated the ability of two types of microbial reactors, i.e., a vegetable oil-based nitrogen-limiting biobarrier and an aerobic slow sand filter, as methods for removing hexazinone from simulated groundwater. The N-limiting biobarriers degraded hexazinone, but did so with a 52 week incubation period and a removal efficiency that varied greatly among replicates, with one biobarrier showing a removal efficiency of ~95% and the other an efficiency of ~50%. More consistent degradation was obtained with the aerobic sand biobarriers. Four aerobic biobarriers were evaluated and all behaved in a similar manner degrading hexazinone with removal efficiencies of ~97%; challenging two of the aerobic biobarriers with large amounts of influent hexazinone showed that these barriers are capable of efficiently remediating large amounts (〉100 mg L −1 ) of hexazinone at high efficiency. The remediation process was due to biological degradation rather than abiotic processes. The long lag phase observed in both types of reactors suggests that an acclimation process, where microorganisms capable of degrading hexazinone increased in numbers, was required. Also, the isolation of bacteria that show a positive growth response to the presence of hexazinone in their growth media suggests biological degradation. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0086-7 Authors William J. Hunter, USDA–ARS, 2150-D Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119, USA Dale L. Shaner, USDA–ARS, 2150-D Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Little is known about the association among the transcription, post-transcription, and protein production of the fumA gene. This study demonstrates that increasing growth rate ( k ) from 0.24/h to 0.96/h causes a marked eightfold reduction in fumA transcription as assessed using the β-galactosidase activity from fumA promoter fused with a lacZ reporter. It was further confirmed using Northern blot analysis. Most interestingly, the FumA protein levels remained unchanged over the growth rate, as indicated by Western blot analysis. Therefore, whether the reduced fumA mRNA expression under the high growth rate can be overcome by increasing the stability of the fumA mRNA was tested. The half-life of fumA mRNA was established to significantly increase by fivefold when the growth rate was increased to 0.96/h. This finding suggests that the cells could turn down the expression of fumA mRNA because of increased stability of its mRNA under the high growth rate. This notion indicates that mRNA stability plays an essential role in maintaining a critical cellular level of a given protein when the mRNA transcript is downregulated by a metabolic event. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0087-6 Authors Hsiao-Hsien Lin, Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, 75 Po-Ai Street, Hsinchu, 30050 Taiwan, ROC Ching-Hsueh Lin, Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, 75 Po-Ai Street, Hsinchu, 30050 Taiwan, ROC Shiaw-Min Hwang, Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC Ching-Ping Tseng, Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, 75 Po-Ai Street, Hsinchu, 30050 Taiwan, ROC Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Mycoplasma mobile, a pathogen of freshwater fish, glides easily across surfaces, colonizes on the fish gill, and causes necrosis. The cell surface is differentiated into three parts: the head, neck, and body. Mobile variable surface proteins (Mvsps) localizing at each of these parts may be involved in surface variation including phase variation and antigenic variation, although no proof exists. In this study, we examined this possibility by focusing on MvspI, the largest Mvsp. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that MvspI is expressed on the surfaces of all cells. When anti-MvspI antibody was added at concentrations over 0.8 nM, MvspI was observed to decrease over time. After 72 h of cultivation with the antibody, the fluorescence intensity and amount of MvspI decreased up to 13 and 39%, respectively, compared to those of cells grown without antibody. These changes were reversed by the removal of the antibody. Such effects were not observed when another antibody targeting other Mvsps was used, suggesting that the decrease is specific to the relationship between MvspI and the antibody. Cell growth was also inhibited by the antibody, but the decrease in MvspI could not be explained by the selective growth of MvspI-negative variants or by the inhibition of growth with other conditions. The decrease in MvspI caused by the antibody binding may suggest a novel type of surface variation, designated here as “mycoplasmal antigen modulation.” Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0090-y Authors Heng Ning Wu, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan Chie Kawaguchi, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan Daisuke Nakane, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan Makoto Miyata, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    A Gram-positive aerobic rod-shaped non-motile bacterium designated A23 T was isolated from bamboo extract that had been used to remove odor and was characterized to determine its taxonomic position. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain A23 T belongs to the phylum Actinobacteria. The highest degree of sequence similarities was determined to be with Leucobacter salsicius M1-8 T (96.7%), Leucobacter exalbidus K-540B T (96.4%), Leucobacter chromiireducens subsp. chromiireducens L-1 T (96.4%), Leucobacter komagatae IFO 15245 T (96.4%) and Leucobacter aerolatus Sj10 T (96.4%). Chemotaxonomic data revealed that strain A23 T possesses menaquinone MK11, and its cell wall peptidoglycan contained 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid. The polar lipid profile of strain A23 T contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and an unknown glycolipid. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C 16:0 (31.5%), anteiso-C 15:0 (43.2%) and anteiso-C 17:0 (13.9%), all of which corroborated the assignment of the strain to the genus Leucobacter. Based on these data, A23 T (=KEMC 551-022 T  = JCM 17538 T ) should be classified as the type strain for a novel Leucobacter species, for which the name Leucobacter margaritiformis sp. nov. is proposed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0089-4 Authors Jin-Ha Lee, Division of Natural Science, Department of Bioengineering, Kyonggi University, 94-6 Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 433-760 Republic of Korea Sang-Seob Lee, Division of Natural Science, Department of Life Science, Kyonggi University, 94-6 Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 433-760 Republic of Korea Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    We report the characterization of a small cryptic plasmid unlike any previously described from Moraxella bovis ATCC 10900, a Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the family Moraxellaceae. The complete nucleotide sequence of the plasmid pMbo4.6 was determined. The plasmid was analyzed and found to be 4658 in size with a G+C content of 38.6 mol %. Computer analysis of the sequence data revealed four major open reading frames encoding putative proteins of 10.1 (ORF1), 64.2 (ORF2), 45.7 (ORF3), and 12.1 kDa (ORF4). ORF1 and ORF2 encode proteins that show a high level of amino acid sequence similarity (44 %) with some mobilization proteins. ORF3 encodes a protein showing a relatively high amino acid sequence similarity (about 40 %) with several plasmid replication initiator proteins. Upstream of ORF3, a 320-bp intergenic region, constituting the putative origin of replication that contained an AT-rich region followed by four direct repeats, was identified. This set of repeated sequences resembles iteron structures and plays an important role in the control of plasmid replication by providing a target site for the initiation of transcription and replication factors (IHF and RepA). Several palindromic sequences, inverted repeats, and hairpin-loop structures, which might confer regulatory effects on the replication of the plasmid, were also noted. ORF4 encodes an uncharacterized protein, conserved in bacteria, belonging to the DUF497 family. Sequence analysis and structural features indicate that pMbo4.6 replicates by a theta mechanism. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0257-6 Authors Beata Furmanek-Blaszk, Department of Microbiology, University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland Natalia Kurpiewska, Department of Microbiology, University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland Robert Boratynski, Department of Microbiology, University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland Marian Sektas, Department of Microbiology, University of Gdansk, Kladki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Klebsiella bacteria have emerged as an increasingly important cause of community-acquired nosocomial infections. Extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in hospitalised patients has led to both increased carriage of Klebsiella and the development of multidrug-resistant strains that frequently produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases and/or other defences against antibiotics. Many of these strains are highly virulent and exhibit a strong propensity to spread. In this study, six lytic Klebsiella bacteriophages were isolated from sewage-contaminated river water in Georgia and characterised as phage therapy candidates. Two of the phages were investigated in greater detail. Biological properties, including phage morphology, nucleic acid composition, host range, growth phenotype, and thermal and pH stability were studied for all six phages. Limited sample sequencing was performed to define the phylogeny of the K. pneumoniae - and K. oxytoca -specific bacteriophages vB_Klp_5 and vB_Klox_2, respectively. Both of the latter phages had large burst sizes, efficient rates of adsorption and were stable under different adverse conditions. Phages reported in this study are double-stranded DNA bacterial viruses belonging to the families Podoviridae and Siphoviridae . One or more of the six phages was capable of efficiently lysing ~63 % of Klebsiella strains comprising a collection of 123 clinical isolates from Georgia and the United Kingdom. These phages exhibit a number of properties indicative of potential utility in phage therapy cocktails. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0264-7 Authors Natia Karumidze, Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia Ia Kusradze, Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia Sophio Rigvava, Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia Marine Goderdzishvili, Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia Kumar Rajakumar, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN UK Zemphira Alavidze, Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Currently the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection is largely limited due to the prevalence of multidrug resistance strains. Over-expressing the efflux pumps such as the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter has been reported to significantly contribute to its resistance to several antibiotics. This study investigated the expression profile of one important ABC efflux pump, Rv1217c–Rv1218c, by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) in clinical isolates from China, which also revealed its association with the multidrug resistance of M. tuberculosis . Significantly increased expressions of Rv1217c and Rv1218c at transcriptional level have been observed in multidrug-resistant TB group (MDR-TB) compared to those of the drug-susceptible group ( P  〈 0.05), when H37Rv strain was used as the control. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that the over-expression of both Rv1217c and Rv1218c resulted in the higher minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of rifampicin (RIF) (OR = 1.01, P  〈 0.05 of Rv1217c; OR = 1.23, P  〈 0.05 of Rv1218c), while the over-expression of Rv1218c only led to the higher MICs of isoniazid (INH) (OR = 1.17, P  〈 0.05). Our findings contributed to the better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ABC efflux pumps, in particular Rv1217c–Rv1218c, in M. tuberculosis and will assist in developing new antibiotic treatments for multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis in the future. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0215-3 Authors Ke Wang, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Hao Pei, Wuxi Hospital of Infectious Disease, Wuxi, 214005 Jiangsu Province, China Biao Huang, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Xue Zhu, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Jue Zhang, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Bin Zhou, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Lan Zhu, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Yi Zhang, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, 214063 Jiangsu Province, China Fan-Fan Zhou, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006 Australia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The potential for the transport and diffusion of some pathogenic microorganisms by migratory birds is of concern. Migratory birds may be involved in the dispersal of microorganisms and may play a role of mechanical and biological vectors. The efficiency of dispersal of pathogenic microorganisms depends on a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors that influence the survival or disappearance of a given agent in a geographical area. In the present study, 349 migratory birds were captured in four sites (Mazara del Vallo, Lampedusa, Ustica and Linosa), representing the main stop-over points during spring and autumnal migration, and analyzed for the presence of filamentous fungi. A total of 2,337 filamentous fungi were isolated from 216 birds and identified by a combined phenotypic-genotypic approach to species level. Twelve species were identified in the study, with Cladosporium cladosporioides , Alternaria alternata , and Aspergillus niger as the most abundant. The transport of these fungal species isolated in this study is of considerable importance because some of these species can create dangers to human health. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0262-9 Authors Antonio Alfonzo, DEMETRA Department, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy Nicola Francesca, DEMETRA Department, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy Ciro Sannino, DEMETRA Department, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy Luca Settanni, DEMETRA Department, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy Giancarlo Moschetti, DEMETRA Department, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In this study, more than 150 bacteria showing antagonistic properties against bacterial and fungal pathogens of the tomato plant were isolated and characterized. The most efficient agents against these phytopathogenic microorganisms belong to the genus Bacillus : the best biocontrol isolates were representatives of Bacillus subtilis , B. mojavensis and B. amyloliquefaciens species. They intensively produced fengycin or/and surfactin depsipeptide antibiotics and also proved to be excellent protease secretors. It was proved, that the selected strains were able to use ethylenethiourea (ETU) as sole nitrogen source. These antagonistic and ETU-degrading Bacillus strains can be applied as biocontrol and also as bioremediation agents. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0263-8 Authors Csaba Vágvölgyi, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Enikő Sajben-Nagy, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Bettina Bóka, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Mónika Vörös, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Adrienn Berki, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Andrea Palágyi, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Judit Krisch, Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Food Engineering, University of Szeged, Mars tér 7, Szeged, 6724 Hungary Biljana Škrbić, Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia N. Đurišić-Mladenović, Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia László Manczinger, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged, 6726 Hungary Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Heavy metal resistance microorganism plays an important role on polluted soil bioremediation. To obtain further knowledge of the resistant mechanism employed by cadmium-resistant bacteria, some gene expression profiles at transcription level were investigated in P. aeruginosa E 1 subjected to cadmium stress using real-time PCR. Exposure to cadmium for 1 h, the expression of czc A, czc B, and czc C all reached the peak of up-regulation 8.82-, 4.83-, and 7.43-fold, respectively. The response of czc D was earlier and stronger than czc ABC. Cys M contributed to cysteine synthesis kept up-regulation within the beginning 2 h. The expression of mgt AE genes related to Mg 2+ influx was up-regulated all the while, znuB responsible for Zn 2+ transportation kept up-regulation from 30 min to 4 h. The result support the two cadmium-resistance mechanisms including effluxing and inactive the heavy metal ions. The mechanism was brought that increase of Mg 2+ and Zn 2+ in cytoplasm would prevent Cd 2+ -binding enzymes to decrease the harm to cell. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0224-2 Authors Xiaoxi Zeng, Hunan Key Lab of Green Packaging and Biological Nanotechnology, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007 People’s Republic of China Jianxin Tang, Hunan Key Lab of Green Packaging and Biological Nanotechnology, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007 People’s Republic of China Xueduan Liu, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083 People’s Republic of China Pei Jiang, Hunan Key Lab of Green Packaging and Biological Nanotechnology, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular bacterium responsible for listeriosis in both humans and animals. Infected livestock is believed to be one source of this pathogen. Vaccination is an optimal approach to control the occurrence of this disease in livestock. However, inactivated vaccines have been reported to be insufficient to offer immune protection against L. monocytogenes . Here we evaluated the immune protection capacity of a combination of recombinant p60 and LLO. Mice immunized with p60 and LLO generated a high level of anti- L. monocytogenes antibodies. In addition, the elevated levels of IFN-γ and the decreased levels of IL-4 were also observed in these treated mice. Consistent with the colonization of L. monocytogenes post infection, all mice in the control group died within 5 days after infection of L. monocytogenes , while 40, 40, 80, and 100 % of animals immunized with inactivated L. monocytogenes vaccine (ILMV), LLO + ILMV, p60 + ILMV, and p60 + LLO + ILMV, respectively, survived for 2 weeks. Collectively, the results presented in this study demonstrate the capacity of a combination of LLO and p60 to elicit high protective immune responses against L. monocytogenes infection. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0238-9 Authors Xuenong Luo, Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Xujiaping 1, Yanchangbu, Lanzhou, 730046 Gansu, China Xuepeng Cai, Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Xujiaping 1, Yanchangbu, Lanzhou, 730046 Gansu, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Glycerol and glucose fermentation redox routes by Escherichia coli and their regulation by oxidizing and reducing reagents were investigated at different pHs. Cell growth was followed by decrease of pH and redox potential ( E h ). During glycerol utilization at pH 7.5 ∆pH, the difference between initial and end pH, was lower compared with glucose fermentation. After 8 h growth, during glycerol utilization E h dropped down to negative values (−150 mV) but during glucose fermentation it was positive (+50 mV). In case of glycerol H 2 was evolved at the middle log phase while during glucose fermentation H 2 was produced during early log phase. Furthermore, upon glycerol utilization, oxidizer potassium ferricyanide (1 mM) inhibited both cell growth and H 2 formation. Reducing reagents dl -dithiothreitol (3 mM) and dithionite (1 mM) inhibited growth but stimulated H 2 production. The findings point out the importance of reductive conditions for glycerol fermentation and H 2 production by E. coli . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0240-2 Authors Anna Poladyan, Department of Biophysics, Biology Faculty, Yerevan State University, 1 A. Manoukian Street, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia Arev Avagyan, Department of Microbiology, Plants and Microbes Biotechnology, Biology Faculty, Yerevan State University, 1 A. Manoukian Street, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia Anait Vassilian, Department of Ecology and Nature Protection, Biology Faculty, Yerevan State University, 1 A. Manoukian Street, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia Armen Trchounian, Department of Biophysics, Biology Faculty, Yerevan State University, 1 A. Manoukian Street, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Photorhabdus are motile Gram-negative bacteria that have a mutualistic association with Heterorhabditis nematodes (Heterorhabditidae). These bacteria possess peculiar biochemical characteristics such as inability to reduce nitrates, and the capacity to ferment only a limited number of carbohydrates. Heterorhabditis nematodes vector the bacteria from one insect host to another and also provide shelter to the bacteria from soil stressors and antagonists. Once inside the insect host, the bacterial symbionts are released and produce toxins and secondary metabolites and broad-spectrum antibiotics, which kill the host by septicemia within 48 h. At present, three Photorhabdus spp. have been identified: P. luminescens , P. temperata , and P. asymbiotica , and many subspecies have also been described. Characterization of new species and subspecies has been based on sequence data, mostly of the 16S rDNA, and also of a selection of protein coding genes. In addition to this, phenotypic traits including temperature growth, colony morphology, color, light production, carbohydrate response, and assimilation, among others, have been considered. In this study, we characterize the bacterial symbiont of Heterorbabditis sonorensis , a recently discovered entomopathogenic nematode species form the Sonoran desert in Arizona, USA. A selection of classic biochemical and molecular methods including sequence data of six genes: 16s rDNA, and four protein coding genes: gyr B, recA, glt X, and dna N were considered. Evolutionary relationships of this new Photorhabdus subsp. were inferred considering maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0220-6 Authors Rousel A. Orozco, Department of Entomology, The University of Arizona, 1140 E. South Campus Dr., Tucson, AZ 85721-0036, USA Tara Hill, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, BSW 360, P.O. Box 210088, Tucson, AZ, USA S. Patricia Stock, Department of Entomology, The University of Arizona, 1140 E. South Campus Dr., Tucson, AZ 85721-0036, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The mechanisms for the enhancement of pristinamycin production in the high-yielding recombinants of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis obtained by genome shuffling were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) techniques. Q-PCR analysis showed that snaB and snbA involved, respectively, in the biosynthesis of pristinamycins II and I component had more extended high expression in the recombinant than that in the ancestor during fermentation process, indicating their expression changes might be key factors during the biosynthesis of the antibiotic. In addition, the antecedent establishment of the high self-resistance to pristinamycin, because ptr resistance gene started high-level expression ahead of the onset of the antibiotic production in the recombinant, might also lead to the increase of the antibiotics yield. AFLP analysis of these recombinants revealed genome variation of two novel genes, the homologs of AfsR regulatory gene and transposase gene, indicating these two gene variations were probably responsible for yield improvement of pristinamycin. This study provided several potential molecular clues for pristinamycin yield enhancement. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0233-1 Authors Qingchao Jin, Department of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China Zhihua Jin, Department of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China Lijing Zhang, Department of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China Shanjing Yao, Institute of Bioengineering, College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China Fuyong Li, Department of Internal Medicine, Weifang Municipal Hospital, Weifang, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    While much is known about the transcriptional regulation of the 12 gene alginate biosynthesis operon from the algD promoter in Pseudomonas aeruginosa , there has been little investigation into the possibility of other transcription starts within this operon, especially those genes dealing with the epimerization and acetylation of the alginate polymer. In this study, we utilized quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, a β-galactosidase reporter assay and sequence scanning to identify two putative promoters within the alginate biosynthesis operon upstream of the alginate epimerase gene algG and the alginate acetylation gene algI . These data support the possibility of differential regulation within the operon to alter polymer structure under varying environmental conditions. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0228-y Authors Janice L. Paletta, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, P.O. Box 980678, Richmond, VA 23298-0678, USA Dennis E. Ohman, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, P.O. Box 980678, Richmond, VA 23298-0678, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Helicobacter pylori able to express green fluorescent protein, as well as an ATCC strain, and a clinical isolate of this pathogen were evaluated for their ability to survive predation by Acanthamoeba polyphaga . Ingestion was evaluated by microscopic observation of the GFP- H. pylori and BacLight™-stained cells. Following phagocytosis, the fate of cells was assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization with an oligonucleotide targeting H. pylori 16S rRNA and by quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests with primers to 16S rDNA. Fluorescent in situ hybridization tests were inconclusive with only a small percentage of amoebae apparently containing active intracellular H. pylori . Furthermore, no increase in bacterial cells was detected by qPCR. Additional research is required to elucidate the mechanisms by which amoebae phagocytize this important bacterial pathogen. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0232-2 Authors Charlotte D. Smith, Charlotte Smith & Associates, Inc., PO Box 629, Orinda, CA 94563, USA Nicholas J. Ashbolt, National Exposure Research Laboratory (MD-593), U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Wireworms, the polyphagous larvae of click beetles belonging to the genus Agriotes (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are severe and widespread agricultural pests that affect numerous crops globally. A new bacterial specimen identified in diseased wireworms had previously been shown by microscopy and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-based phylogenetic reconstruction to belong to the taxonomic genus Rickettsiella ( Gammaproteobacteria ) that comprises intracellular bacteria associated with and typically pathogenic for a wide range of arthropods. Going beyond these earlier results obtained from rRNA phylogenies, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using a four marker scheme has been employed in the molecular taxonomic characterization of the new Rickettsiella pathotype, referred to as ‘ Rickettsiella agriotidis ’. In combination with likelihood-based significance testing, the MLSA approach demonstrated the close phylogenetic relationship of ‘ R. agriotidis ’ to the pathotypes ‘ Rickettsiella melolonthae ’ and ‘ Rickettsiella tipulae ’, i.e., subjective synonyms of the nomenclatural type species, Rickettsiella popilliae . ‘ R. agriotidis ’ forms, therefore, part of a Rickettsiella pathotype complex that most likely represents the species R. popilliae . As there are currently no genetic data available from the R. popilliae type strain, the respective assignment cannot be corroborated directly. However, an alternative taxonomic assignment to the species Rickettsiella grylli has been positively ruled out by significance testing. MLSA has been shown to provide a more powerful tool for taxonomic delineation within the genus Rickettsiella as compared to 16S rRNA phylogenetics. However, the limitations of the present MLSA scheme for the sub-species level classification of ‘ R. agriotidis ’ and further R. popilliae synonyms has been critically evaluated. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0219-z Authors Christina Schuster, Institut für Biologischen Pflanzenschutz, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Heinrichstraße 243, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany Regina G. Kleespies, Institut für Biologischen Pflanzenschutz, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Heinrichstraße 243, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany Claudia Ritter, Centre for Field Vegetable Production (GKZ), State Institute for Agriculture and Fishing Research Mecklenburg-West Pomerania (LFA), Dorfplatz 1, 18276 Gülzow, Germany Simon Feiertag, Institut für Biologischen Pflanzenschutz, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Heinrichstraße 243, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany Andreas Leclerque, Institut für Biologischen Pflanzenschutz, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Heinrichstraße 243, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Bacteria acquire new DNA in a process known as horizontal gene transfer (HGT). To investigate the evolutionary impact of this transfer of DNA, various methods have been developed to detect past HGT events. For example, codon usage-based methods detect the presence of transferred genes by identifying atypical patterns of codon usage. However, some inherited genes exhibit atypical codon usage and some transferred genes have codon usage patterns similar to those of the inherited genes. In this study, we used a comparative phylogenetic approach with Methylobacterium and Caulobacter species to demonstrate that even well-designed codon usage methods fail to detect many HGT events and generate a high rate of false positives (60–75 %) and false negatives (23–61 %). Therefore, we recommend caution when employing codon usage methods to identify transferred genes and suggest that the rapidly increasing availability of bacterial genome sequences makes the phylogenetic approach the method of choice. Content Type Journal Article Pages 639-642 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0205-5 Authors Robert Friedman, Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA Bert Ely, Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651 Journal Volume Volume 65 Journal Issue Volume 65, Number 5

Description:    The distribution and diversity of acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) producing bacteria in black, brown, red, and meadow soils were investigated using culture-dependent method. One out of seventy six and five out of fifty isolates from the black and the brown soil were AHL-biosensor active, respectively. They were affiliated to the genera Ensifer and Pseudomonas and the family Enterobacteriaceae . Thin layer chromatography showed that the most of them produced AHLs with acyl side chain of 6 or 8 carbons. No AHL-producer was found in red and meadow soils. A potential novel AHL-based quorum sensing and quenching system was identified by sequencing in the black soil isolate Ensifer adhaerens X097 that harbored two AHL synthetase-like proteins and one amidohydrolase-like protein. This is the first report of comparison of AHL-producers among different soils. Our data showed that composition of AHL-producers were niche specific and were not in proportion with community population. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0234-0 Authors Yili Huang, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, China Yanhua Zeng, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, China Zhiliang Yu, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China Jing Zhang, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    A Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile by gliding and yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain 6Alg 8 T , was isolated from the common Pacific green alga Ulva fenestrata . The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the novel strain within the genus Polaribacter , a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae , the phylum Bacteroidetes , with sequence similarities of 97.6 % to Polaribacter dokdonensis DSW-5 T and 92.8–96.1 % to other recognized Polaribacter species. The prevalent fatty acids of strain 6Alg 8 T were iso-C 15:0 , iso-C 15:1 , iso-C 15:0 2-OH, C 15:0 and C 15:1 ω6. The polar lipid profile consisted of the major lipids phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids and one unknown lipid. The DNA G+C content of the type strain is 31.6 mol%. The new isolate and the type strains of recognized species of the genus Polaribacter were readily distinguished based on a number of phenotypic characteristics. A combination of the genotypic and phenotypic data showed that the algal isolate represents a novel species of the genus Polaribacter , for which the name Polaribacter reichenbachii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 6Alg 8 T (= KCTC 23969 T  = KMM 6386 T  = LMG 26443 T ). Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0200-x Authors Olga I. Nedashkovskaya, G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. 100 Let Vladivostoku 159, 690022 Vladivostok, Russia Andrey D. Kukhlevskiy, A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pal’chevskogo St. 17, 690032 Vladivostok, Russia Natalia V. Zhukova, A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pal’chevskogo St. 17, 690032 Vladivostok, Russia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Leptospirosis is a globally prevalent zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp.; several serologic variants have reservoirs in synanthropic rodents. The capybara is the largest living rodent in the world, and it has a wide geographical distribution in Central and South America. This rodent is a significant source of Leptospira since the agent is shed via urine into the environment and is a potential public health threat. In this study, we isolated and identified by molecular techniques a pathogenic Leptospira from capybara in southern Brazil. The isolated strain was characterized by partial rpoB gene sequencing and variable-number tandem-repeats analysis as L. interrogans , serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae. In addition, to confirm the expression of virulence factors, the bacterial immunoglobulin-like proteins A and B expression was detected by indirect immunofluorescence using leptospiral specific monoclonal antibodies. This report identifies capybaras as an important source of infection and provides insight into the epidemiology of leptospirosis. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-4 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0169-5 Authors Sérgio Jorge, Laboratório de Vacinologia, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Leonardo G. Monte, Laboratório de Imunodiagnóstico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Marco Antonio Coimbra, Núcleo de Reabilitação da Fauna Silvestre, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Ana Paula Albano, Núcleo de Reabilitação da Fauna Silvestre, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Daiane D. Hartwig, Laboratório de Vacinologia, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Caroline Lucas, Laboratório de Genômica Funcional, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Fabiana K. Seixas, Laboratório de Genômica Funcional, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Odir A. Dellagostin, Laboratório de Vacinologia, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Cláudia P. Hartleben, Laboratório de Imunodiagnóstico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In Pseudomonas aeruginosa , quorum sensing (QS) autoinducer known as acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) acts as a key regulator in the expression of pathogenic characters. In this work, the efficiency of phenylacetic acid (PAA) in reducing the production of AHL-dependent factors in P. aeruginosa PAO1 was studied. PAA at a concentration of 200 μg ml −1 displayed significant reduction in QS-dependent pyocyanin, exopolysaccharide, and protease and elastase production in PAO1. In swimming inhibition assay, PAA-treated PAO1 cells exhibited poor motility in swimming agar plate. In in vivo analysis, PAO1-preinfected Caenorhabditis elegans showed enhanced survival when treated with PAA. PAA at the QS inhibitory concentration showed no growth inhibitory activity on PAO1. Results of the present study revealed the potential of PAA as antipathogenic compound to prevent QS-dependent pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0181-9 Authors Khadar Syed Musthafa, Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630 003 Tamil Nadu, India Bhagavathi Sundaram Sivamaruthi, Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630 003 Tamil Nadu, India Shunmugiah Karutha Pandian, Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630 003 Tamil Nadu, India Arumugam Veera Ravi, Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630 003 Tamil Nadu, India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description: Characterization of Plasmid pML21 of Enterococcus faecalis ML21 from Koumiss Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-3 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0255-8 Authors Fanglei Zuo, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy Science of Chinese Ministry of Education and Municipal Government of Beijing, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Xiujuan Feng, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy Science of Chinese Ministry of Education and Municipal Government of Beijing, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Xiaofei Sun, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy Science of Chinese Ministry of Education and Municipal Government of Beijing, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Chao Du, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy Science of Chinese Ministry of Education and Municipal Government of Beijing, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Shangwu Chen, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy Science of Chinese Ministry of Education and Municipal Government of Beijing, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, the pvdQ gene has been shown to have at least two functions. It encodes the acylase enzyme and hydrolyzes 3-oxo-C12-HSL, the key signaling molecule of quorum sensing system. In addition, pvdQ is involved in swarming motility. It is required and up-regulated during swarming motility, which is triggered by high cell densities. As high density bacterial populations also display elevated antibiotics resistance, studies have demonstrated swarm-cell differentiation in P. aeruginosa promotes increased resistance to various antibiotics. PvdQ acts as a signal during swarm-cell differentiation, and thus may play a role in P. aeruginosa antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to examine whether pvdQ was involved in modifying antibiotic susceptibility during swarming conditions and to investigate the mechanism by which this occurred. We constructed the PAO1pME pvdQ strain, which overproduces PvdQ. PAO1pME pvdQ promotes swarming motility, while PAO1Δ pvdQ abolishes swarming motility. In addition, both PAO1 and PAO1pME pvdQ acquired resistance to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, meropenem, polymyxin B, and gentamicin, though PAO1pME pvdQ exhibited a twofold to eightfold increase in antibiotic resistance compared to PAO1. These results indicate that pvdQ plays an important role in elevating antibiotic resistance via swarm-cell differentiation and possibly other mechanisms as well. We analyzed outer membrane permeability. Our data also suggest that pvdQ decreases P. aeruginosa outer membrane permeability, thereby elevating antibiotic resistance under swarming conditions. Our results suggest new approaches for reducing P. aeruginosa resistance. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0217-1 Authors Lili Wang, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Chunling Zhang, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Central Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao, 266042 Shandong Province, China Fengyun Gong, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Hongtao Li, Department of Oncology, Affiliated People’s 6th Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200233 China Xuhua Xie, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Chao Xia, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Jia Chen, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Ying Song, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Aixia Shen, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Jianxin Song, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 Hubei Province, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The bacteria Xenorhabdus spp. are entomopathogenic symbionts that can produce several toxic proteins that interfere the immune system of insects. We purified an insecticidal protein from Xenorhabdus ehlersii , and designated it as XeGroEL with an estimated molecular mass of ~58 kDa. Galleria mellonella larva injected with XeGroEL presented prophenoloxidase activation and hemocyte decrease. XeGroEL can kill G. mellonella larva in 48 h with an LD 50 of 0.76 ± 0.08 μg/larva. Our results demonstrate that X. ehlersii possesses a toxic XeGroEL protein acting as a potential factor to activate proPO in host insect, which also provides a meaningful hypothesis to understand the interaction between nematode-symbiotic bacteria and host. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0114-7 Authors Huaixing Shi, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China Hongmei Zeng, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China Xiufen Yang, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China Jing Zhao, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China Mingjia Chen, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China Dewen Qiu, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Anaerobic gram-negative oral bacteria such as Treponema denticola , Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , Porphyromonas gingivalis , Tannerella forsythia , Campylobacter rectus , and Fusobacterium nucleatum are closely associated with periodontal diseases. We measured the relative population (bacterial levels) of these oral pathogens in subgingival tissues of patients at different stages of Korean chronic periodontal diseases. We divided the individuals into those with chronic gingivitis (G), moderate periodontitis (P1), severe periodontitis (P2), and normal individuals (N) ( n  = 20 for each group) and subgingival tissue samples were collected. We used real-time PCR with TaqMan probes to evaluate the change of periodontal pathogens among different stages of periodontitis. Bacterial levels of A. actinomycetemcomitans and C. rectus are significantly increased in individuals with chronic gingivitis and moderate periodontitis, but unchanged in severe periodontitis patients. These results suggest that analyzing certain bacterial levels among total oral pathogens may facilitate understanding of the role of periodontal bacteria in the early stages of periodontitis. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0121-8 Authors Heon-Jin Lee, Department of Oral Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2-188-1 Samduk-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, 700-412 South Korea Jin-Kyoung Kim, Department of Oral Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2-188-1 Samduk-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, 700-412 South Korea Je-Yeol Cho, Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2-188-1 Samduk-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, 700-412 South Korea Jae-Mok Lee, Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2-188-1 Samduk-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, 700-412 South Korea Su-Hyung Hong, Department of Oral Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2-188-1 Samduk-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, 700-412 South Korea Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Six structurally related 3-keto-substituted macrolide antibiotics (ketolides) were compared for concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on growth rate, viable cell number, and protein synthesis rates in Staphylococcus aureus cells. Inhibitory effects on 50S ribosomal subunit formation were also examined, as this is a second target for these antibiotics. A concentration range of 0.01 to 0.1 μg/ml was tested. An IC 50 for inhibition of translation and 50S synthesis was measured for each compound, to relate structural features to inhibitory activity. ABT-773 was the most effective of the six compounds tested with an IC 50 = 0.035 μg/ml. HMR 3004 was almost as effective with an IC 50 = 0.05 μg/ml. Two 2-fluoroketolides (HMR 3562 and HMR 3787) were equivalent in their inhibitory activity with an IC 50 = 0.06 μg/ml. Telithromycin (HMR 3647) had an IC 50 = 0.08 μg/ml, and HMR 3832 was least effective with an IC 50 = 0.11 μg/ml. Each antibiotic had an equivalent inhibitory effect on translation and 50S subunit formation. These results indicate specific structural features of these antimicrobial agents, which contribute to defined inhibitory activities against susceptible organisms. Content Type Journal Article Pages 203-210 DOI 10.1007/PL00021055 Authors W. Scott Champney, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, J.H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University,, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA, US Craig L. Tober, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, J.H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University,, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA, US Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651 Journal Volume Volume 42 Journal Issue Volume 42, Number 3

Description:    Human liver was closely associated with gut through various biological mechanisms, such as bacterium–gut interactions. Alterations of gut microbiota seemed to play an important role in induction and promotion of liver damage progression. The aim of this study was to characterize the gut microbiota in liver cirrhosis patients and assess whether there are alterations in the diversity and similarity of intestinal flora in cirrhotic patients when compared with healthy individuals. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) with universal primers targeting V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene was employed to characterize the overall intestinal microbiota composition, and some excised gel bands were cloned for sequencing. Real-time PCR was further utilized to quantitatively analyze the subpopulation of microbiota using group-specific primers targeting the Enterobacteriaceae , Enterococcus and Bifidobacterium genus. The DGGE profiles of two groups demonstrated significant differences between cirrhotic and healthy groups ( P  〈 0.05). While real-time PCR revealed significant increase of Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus ( P  〈 0.05) in the cirrhotic group compared with the healthy group. The ratio of Bifidobacterium genus and Enterobacteriaceae decreased in the cirrhotic patients group, but no statistical significance. This study revealed strong relationship between alterations of gut microbiota and liver cirrhosis. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0105-8 Authors Jianjun Liu, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China Dachang Wu, Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044 China Ayaz Ahmed, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China Xinli Li, Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044 China Yufang Ma, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China Li Tang, Department of Microecology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China Dianjun Mo, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Chifeng Medical University, Chifeng, China Yue Ma, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China Yi Xin, Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Mercury pollution is a major environmental problem that arises as a result of natural processes as well as from anthropogenic sources. In response to toxic mercury compounds, microbes have developed astonishing array of resistance systems to detoxify them. To address this challenge, this study was aimed in screening bacterial isolates for their tolerance against varied concentrations of phenylmercuric acetate. Mercury transformation by bacteria being sensitive to factors such as available carbon source, etc. that affect mer -mediated transformation, screened mercury tolerant bacteria were also studied for their tolerance to different antimicrobials and carbon sources, followed by identification using biochemical as well as 16S rRNA approach. Following identification, gene encoding organomercurial lyase catalyzing protonolytic cleavage of C–Hg bond of organic mercury was amplified using gene specific primers, cloned in pGEMT ® easy vector and sequenced. Microbe-based approach using organomercurial lyase encoded by merB gene being potentially economic, provides foundation to facilitate genetic manipulation of this environmentally important enzyme to remove high concentrations of obstinate mercury using holistic, multifaceted approach for use in bioremediation through generation of transgenics or as catalyst for use in bioreactors. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0118-3 Authors Arif Tasleem Jan, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025 India Mudsser Azam, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025 India Arif Ali, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025 India Qazi Mohd. Rizwanul Haq, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025 India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The contribution of RecA, Dps, and RpoS to survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during desiccation and osmotic stress was determined in Luria–Bertani broth with 12 % NaCl (LB-12) at 30 and 37 °C, on filter disks at 23 and 30 °C, and in sterile bovine feces at 30 °C. RecA did not significantly contribute to survival in any condition or temperature. The contribution of Dps to survival was only significant in LB-12 at 37 °C. RpoS was necessary for survival during desiccation and osmotic stress, and survival of the RpoS mutant was significantly less than the parent in all conditions and temperatures. The RpoS mutant survived up to 21 days in bovine feces, 〈4 days on filter disks, and 〉8 and 〈4 days in LB-12 at 30 and 37 °C, respectively. The parent, ΔrecA , dps , and dps / ΔrecA mutant strains survived 〉8 days in LB-12, 〉28 days on filter disks, and 〉28 days in bovine feces. Increased incubation temperatures were associated with decreased survival. E. coli O157:H7 can persist in desiccating and osmotically challenging environments, especially sterile feces, for an extended period time. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0210-8 Authors Andrew J. Stasic, Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA Amy C. Lee Wong, Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA Charles W. Kaspar, Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Unlike dairy lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus brevis cannot ferment milk. We characterized the lactose utilization by L. brevis KB290. In a carbohydrate fermentation assay using API 50 CHL, we showed during 7 days L. brevis did not ferment lactose. L. brevis grew to the stationary phase in 2 weeks in MRS broth containing lactose as the carbon source. L. brevis slowly consumed the lactose in the medium. L. brevis hydrolyzed lactose and a lactose analog, o -nitrophenyl-β- d -galactopyranoside (ONPGal). This β-galactosidase activity for ONPGal was not repressed by glucose, galactose, fructose, xylose, or maltose showing the microorganism may not have carbon catabolite repression. We purified the L. brevis β-galactosidase using ammonium sulfate precipitation and several chromatographies. The enzyme’s molecular weight is estimated at 72 and 37 kDa using SDS-PAGE analysis. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the larger protein was 90 % similar to the sequence of the putative β-galactosidase (YP_796339) and the smaller protein was identical to the sequence of the putative β-galactosidase (YP_796338) in L. brevis ATCC367. This suggests the enzyme is a heterodimeric β-galactosidase. The specific activity of the purified enzyme for lactose is 55 U/mg. We speculate inhibition of lactose transport delays the lactose utilization in L. brevis KB290. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0216-2 Authors Hiroyuki Honda, Research Institute, Kagome Co., Ltd., 17 Nishitomiyama, Nasushiobara, 329-2762 Japan Nobuhiro Yajima, Research Institute, Kagome Co., Ltd., 17 Nishitomiyama, Nasushiobara, 329-2762 Japan Tadao Saito, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiyamachi, Aoba, Sendai, 981-8555 Japan Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Aspergillus niger LOCK 62 produces an antifungal chitinase. Different sources of chitin in the medium were used to test the production of the chitinase. Chitinase production was most effective when colloidal chitin and shrimp shell were used as substrates. The optimum incubation period for chitinase production by Aspergillus niger LOCK 62 was 6 days. The chitinase was purified from the culture medium by fractionation with ammonium sulfate and affinity chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was 43 kDa. The highest activity was obtained at 40 °C for both crude and purified enzymes. The crude chitinase activity was stable during 180 min incubation at 40 °C, but purified chitinase lost about 25 % of its activity under these conditions. Optimal pH for chitinase activity was pH 6–6.5. The activity of crude and purified enzyme was stabilized by Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ ions, but inhibited by Hg 2+ and Pb 2+ ions. Chitinase isolated from Aspergillus niger LOCK 62 inhibited the growth of the fungal phytopathogens: Fusarium culmorum , Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani . The growth of Botrytis cinerea , Alternaria alternata , and Fusarium oxysporum was not affected. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0208-2 Authors Maria Swiontek Brzezinska, Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Gagarina 9, Toruń, Poland Urszula Jankiewicz, Department of Biochemistry, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, Warsaw, Poland Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Wood-feeding termites live on cellulolytic materials that typically lack of nitrogen sources. It was reported that symbiotic microbes play important roles in the maintenance of a normal nitrogen contents in termite by different metabolisms including nitrogen fixation. In this study, the diversity of nitrogen-fixing organisms in the symbiotic intestinal microflora of Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder was investigated with culture independent method. Fragments of the nifH genes, which encode dinitrogenase reductase, were directly amplified from the DNA of the mixed microbial population in the termite gut with four sets of primers corresponding to the conserved regions of the genes. Clones were randomly selected and analyzed by RFLP. Sequence analysis revealed that a large number of nifH sequences retrieved from the termite gut were most closely related to strict anaerobic bacteria such as clostridia and spirochetes, some of the others were affiliated with proteobacteria, bacteroides, or methanogenic archaea. The results showed that there was a remarkable diversity of nitrogenase genes in the gut of Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0185-5 Authors Xin Du, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Avenue, Wuhan, 430079 People’s Republic of China Xiaojuan Li, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Avenue, Wuhan, 430079 People’s Republic of China Yin Wang, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Avenue, Wuhan, 430079 People’s Republic of China Jianxin Peng, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Avenue, Wuhan, 430079 People’s Republic of China Huazhu Hong, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Avenue, Wuhan, 430079 People’s Republic of China Hong Yang, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Avenue, Wuhan, 430079 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In the last few years, numerous cases of multidrug-resistant Achromobacter xylosoxidans infections have been documented in immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis patients. To gain insights into the molecular mechanisms and mobile elements related to multidrug resistance in this bacterium, we studied 24 non-epidemiological A. xylosoxidans clinical isolates from Argentina. Specific primers for plasmids, transposons, insertion sequences, bla ampC , intI1 , and intI2 genes were used in PCR reactions. The obtained results showed the presence of wide host range IncP plasmids in ten isolates and a high dispersion of class 1 integrons ( n  = 10) and class 2 integrons ( n  = 3). Four arrays in the variable region (vr) of class 1 integrons were identified carrying different gene cassettes as the aminoglycoside resistance aac(6′) - Ib and aadA1 , the trimethoprim resistance dfrA1 and dfrA16 , and the β-lactamase bla OXA-2 . In only one of the class 2 integrons, a vr was amplified that includes sat2 - aadA1 . The bla ampC gene was found in all isolates, confirming its ubiquitous nature. Our results show that A. xylosoxidans clinical isolates contain a rich variety of genetic elements commonly associated with resistance genes and their dissemination. This supports the hypothesis that A. xylosoxidans is becoming a reservoir of horizontal genetic transfer elements commonly involved in spreading antibiotic resistance. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0213-5 Authors German Matías Traglia, Laboratorio de Investigaciones de los Mecanismos de Resistencia a Antibióticos, Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155 Piso 12, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina Marisa Almuzara, Laboratorio de Bacteriología Clínica, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Andrea Karina Merkier, Laboratorio de Investigaciones de los Mecanismos de Resistencia a Antibióticos, Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155 Piso 12, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina Christina Adams, Laboratorio de Investigaciones de los Mecanismos de Resistencia a Antibióticos, Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155 Piso 12, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina Laura Galanternik, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina Carlos Vay, Laboratorio de Bacteriología Clínica, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Daniela Centrón, Laboratorio de Investigaciones de los Mecanismos de Resistencia a Antibióticos, Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155 Piso 12, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina María Soledad Ramírez, Laboratorio de Investigaciones de los Mecanismos de Resistencia a Antibióticos, Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155 Piso 12, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The antimicrobial properties of methyl (MTS) and ethyl (ETS) esters of thiosulfonic acid alone and in combination with rhamnolipid-biosurfactant (RL) have been characterized for their ability to disrupt the normal physiological functions of living pathogens. Bactericidal and fungicidal activities of MTS and ETS and their combination with rhamnolipid were demonstrated on strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Alcaligenes faecalis, and Rhizopus ngtricans . It was found that the combination of rhamnolipid and thiosulfonic esters has a synergistic effect leading to decreasing of bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations of MTS and ETS. More extensively was studied the effect of rhamnolipid on the lipid composition of B. subtilis bacterial membrane. To our knowledge, in this article is reported for the first time a remarkable increase of negatively charged phospholipid cardiolipin in the presence of rhamnolipid. The capacity of RL as a surface-active substance was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The occurrence of surface infolds and blebs on B. subtilis shown by SEM, was not accompanied by changes in membrane permeability tested by a live/dead viability staining for fluorescence microscopy. When RL was applied in combination with MTS, a dramatic permeability shift for propidium iodide was observed in vegetative cells. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0191-7 Authors Anna Sotirova, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria Tatyana Avramova, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria Stoyanka Stoitsova, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria Irina Lazarkevich, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria Vera Lubenets, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Bandera Str. 12, Lviv, Ukraine Elena Karpenko, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Bandera Str. 12, Lviv, Ukraine Danka Galabova, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The identification of Trichoderma genes whose expression is altered during early stages of interaction with developing roots of germinated seeds is an important step toward understanding the rhizosphere competency of Trichoderma spp. The potential of 13 Trichoderma strains to colonize tomato root and promote plant growth has been evaluated. All used strains successfully propagated in spermosphere and continued their growth in rhizoplane simultaneously root enlargement while the strains T6 and T7 were the most abundant in the apical segment of roots. Root colonization in most strains associated with promoting the roots and shoots growth while they significantly increased up to 43 and 40 % roots and shoots dry weights, respectively. Differential display reverse transcriptase-PCR (DDRT-PCR) has been developed to detect differentially expressed genes in the previously selected strain, Trichoderma harzianum T7, during colonization stages of tomato-germinating seeds and roots. Amplified DDRT-PCR products were analyzed on gel agarose and 62 differential bands excised, purified, cloned, and sequenced. Obtained ESTs were submit-queried to NCBI database by BLASTx search and gene ontology hierarchy. Most of transcripts (29 EST) corresponds to known and hypothetical proteins such as secretion-related small GTPase, 40S ribosomal protein S3a, 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase, DNA repair protein rad50, lipid phosphate phosphatase-related protein type 3, nuclear essential protein, phospholipase A2, fatty acid desaturase, nuclear pore complex subunit Nup133, ubiquitin-activating enzyme, and 60S ribosomal protein L40. Also, 13 of these sequences showed no homology ( E  〉 0.05) with public databases and considered as novel genes. Some of these ESTs corresponded to genes encodes enzymes potentially involved in nutritional support of microorganisms which have obvious importance in the establishment of Trichoderma in spermosphere and rhizosphere, via potentially functioning in acquisition of nutrients from energy-rich carbon compounds leaked from the germinating seeds and roots. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0189-1 Authors Mehdi Mehrabi-Koushki, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Hamid Rouhani, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Esmat Mahdikhani-Moghaddam, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    This study describe the use of a combination of two recently proposed typing approaches, multiple amplification of prophage locus typing (MAPLT) and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) for subdividing within Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg ( S. Heidelberg). The combined typing method was compared with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) by Simpson’s index of diversity (DI). PFGE was shown to have a DI = 0.84 and was poor at differentiation of the predominant PT1 (Phage Type 1) phenotype. In comparison, the combined MAPLT/MLVA method comprising 3 MLVA and 9 MAPLT primer pairs provided a higher differentiating ability DI = 0.92. More importantly, the combined methodology was found to be superior in the differentiation of the predominant PT1 isolates. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential of the rapid and simple amalgamated MAPLT/MLVA approach in determining transmission of isolates of clonal phage type groups from various environmental sources to humans. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0179-3 Authors Chun-Chun Young, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia Ian L. Ross, Public Health Unit, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology (at Women’s and Children’s Hospital), 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia Michael W. Heuzenroeder, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Rapid and accurate identification of mycobacteria isolates from primary culture is important due to timely and appropriate antibiotic therapy. Conventional methods for identification of Mycobacterium species based on biochemical tests needs several weeks and may remain inconclusive. In this study, a novel multiplex real-time PCR was developed for rapid identification of Mycobacterium genus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and the most common non-tuberculosis mycobacteria species including M. abscessus , M. fortuitum , M. avium complex, M. kansasii , and the M. gordonae in three reaction tubes but under same PCR condition. Genetic targets for primer designing included the 16S rDNA gene, the dnaJ gene, the gyrB gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Multiplex real-time PCR was setup with reference Mycobacterium strains and was subsequently tested with 66 clinical isolates. Results of multiplex real-time PCR were analyzed with melting curves and melting temperature ( T m ) of Mycobacterium genus, MTC, and each of non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium species were determined. Multiplex real-time PCR results were compared with amplification and sequencing of 16S-23S rDNA ITS for identification of Mycobacterium species. Sensitivity and specificity of designed primers were each 100 % for MTC, M. abscessus , M. fortuitum, M. avium complex, M. kansasii , and M. gordonae. Sensitivity and specificity of designed primer for genus Mycobacterium was 96 and 100 %, respectively. According to the obtained results, we conclude that this multiplex real-time PCR with melting curve analysis and these novel primers can be used for rapid and accurate identification of genus Mycobacterium , MTC, and the most common non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium species. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0188-2 Authors Bahram Nasr Esfahani, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahān, Iran Hadi Rezaei Yazdi, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahān, Iran Sharareh Moghim, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahān, Iran Hajieh Ghasemian Safaei, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahān, Iran Hamid Zarkesh Esfahani, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahān, Iran Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Two-hundred-and-thirty-six isolates were collected from fresh flowers, bees and bee-hives. Of these, 20 isolates preferred d -fructose as carbon source, produced lactic acid and acetic acid but trace amounts of ethanol and were classified as fructophilic. Poor growth was recorded when strains were incubated anaerobically in the presence of d -glucose as sole carbon source. Good growth was, however, recorded when d -glucose was metabolized in the presence of external electron acceptors such as fructose, pyruvate and oxygen. Nineteen of the strains were classified as Lactobacillus kunkeei and one as Lactobacillus brevis based on phenotypic characteristics, 16S rRNA sequences, recA sequences and DNA homology. This is the first description of a fructophilic strain of L. brevis . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0186-4 Authors Deon P. Neveling, Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7602 South Africa Akihito Endo, Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7602 South Africa Leon M. T. Dicks, Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7602 South Africa Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    This study sought to investigate the effect of sulfur levels on changes in the fungal community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) at the pod-setting stage and the relationship between the amount of applied sulfur and AM fungal diversity in different soybean cultivars. The objective of the research was to determine the optimal sulfur application level for different soybean cultivars and to improve soybean yield and quality from the perspective of AM fungal diversity. Three soybean cultivars, Heinong 44, Heinong 48, and Heinong 37, were selected as study materials. In addition to 0.033 g each of N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O per kg of soil, 0, 0.02, 0.04, or 0.06 g of elemental sulfur was applied to each kg of soil for the four treatment groups, S1, S2, S3, and S4, respectively. The AM fungal community structure was analyzed in the soil and root of different soybean cultivars using the PCR-DGGE technology. The results indicated a significant effect of sulfur on the AM fungal community structure in the roots and rhizospheric soil of different soybean cultivars. The three soybean cultivars in group S2 exhibited the highest diversity in AM fungus. Significant changes in the dominant fungal species were observed in the DGGE fingerprints of each sample, and Glomus , Funneliformis , Rhizophagus , and Claroideoglomus fungi were the dominant species of AM fungus in the roots and soil of soybean. The application of an appropriate amount of sulfur improved the diversity of AM fungi in roots and rhizospheric soil of different soybean cultivars. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0183-7 Authors Weiguang Jie, Key Laboratory of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China Baiyan Cai, Key Laboratory of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China Yong Zhang, Department of Food and Environment Engineering, Heilongjiang East University, Harbin, China Jin Li, Key Laboratory of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China Jingping Ge, Key Laboratory of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The ability of an antimicrobial, cationic polyethylenimine (PEI+) to induce the three known extracytoplasmic stress responses of Escherichia coli was quantified. Exposure of E . coli to PEI+ in solution revealed specific, concentration-dependent induction of the Cpx extracytoplasmic cellular stress response, ~2.0–2.5-fold at 320 μg/mL after 1.5 h without significant induction of the σ E or Bae stress responses. In comparison, exposure of E. coli to a non-antimicrobial polymer, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), resulted in no induction of the three stress responses. The antimicrobial small molecule vanillin, a known membrane pore-forming compound, was observed to cause specific, concentration-dependent induction of the σ E stress response, ~6-fold at 640 μg/mL after 1.5 h, without significant induction of the Cpx or Bae stress responses. The different stress response induction profiles of PEI+ and vanillin suggest that although both are antimicrobial compounds, they interact with the bacterial membrane and extracytoplasmic area by unique mechanisms. EPR studies of liposomes containing spin-labeled lipids exposed to PEI+, vanillin, and PEO reveal that PEI+ and PEO increased membrane stability, whereas vanillin was found to have no effect. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0182-8 Authors Blaine A. Lander, Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA Kyle D. Checchi, Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA Stephen A. Koplin, Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA Virginia F. Smith, Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA Tammy L. Domanski, Department of Biology, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD 21012, USA Daniel D. Isaac, Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA Shirley Lin, Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572 Holloway Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Wolbachia and Cardinium are maternally inherited intracellular bacteria that can manipulate the reproduction of their arthropod hosts, such as by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). Although the reproductive alteration induced by Wolbachia or Cardinium have been well investigated, the effects of these two endosymbionts co-infecting the same host are poorly understood. We found that Tetranychus piercei McGregor is naturally infected with Wolbachia and Cardinium . We performed all possible crossing combinations using naturally infected and cured strains, and the results show that Wolbachia induced a weak level of CI, while Cardinium -infected and doubly infected males caused severe CI. Wolbachia and Cardinium could not rescue CI each other; however, Wolbachia boosted the expression of Cardinium -induced CI. Quantitative PCR results demonstrated that CI was associated with the infection density of Wolbachia and Cardinium . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0190-8 Authors Lu-Yu Zhu, Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu, China Kai-Jun Zhang, Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu, China Yan-Kai Zhang, Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu, China Cheng Ge, Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu, China Tetsuo Gotoh, Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0393, Japan Xiao-Yue Hong, Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Vegetative cells of an ascomycetous yeast, morphologically consistent with published descriptions of Cyniclomyces guttulatus , were observed in large numbers in the feces and stomach washes of three dogs with a recurrent medical history characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. Nucleotide sequence analysis of an approximately 600 base pair fragment of the variable D1/D2 domain of large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA of a pure culture, isolated from a Siberian Husky, revealed 98–99 % homology to sequences deposited in the GenBank as C. guttulatus . These data represent the first observation of C. guttulatus in association with canine gastrointestinal illness in the southern hemisphere and add weight to the hypothesis that this yeast may act as an opportunistic pathogen of dogs. An extended examination of wet mounts and smears prepared from feces collected from 63 dogs with no clinical symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, identified C. gluttulatus in 14 (22.2 %) of the animals, albeit at lower numbers than in diseased dogs, indicating that this yeast species is widely distributed as a component of the normal microflora of the canine gastrointestinal tract. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0184-6 Authors Gilberto Flausino, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Paulo D. S. Leal, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Douglas McIntosh, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Luciana G. Amaral, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Walter L. Teixeira Filho, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Walter Flausino, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Carlos W. G. Lopes, Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of nosocomial infections due to its resistance to diverse antibiotics. This bacterium produces a large number of extracellular virulence factors that are closely associated with specific diseases. In this study, diverse plant flavonoids were investigated to identify a novel anti-virulence compound against two S. aureus strains. Flavone, a backbone compound of flavonoids, at subinhibitory concentration (50 μg/mL), markedly reduced the production of staphyloxanthin and α-hemolysin. This staphyloxanthin reduction rendered the S. aureus cells 100 times more vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide in the presence of flavone. In addition, flavone significantly decreased the hemolysis of human red blood by S. aureus , and the transcriptional level of α-hemolysin gene hla and a global regulator gene sae in S. aureus cells. This finding supported the usefulness of flavone as a potential antivirulence agent against antibiotic-resistant S. aureus . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0229-x Authors Jin-Hyung Lee, School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea Joo-Hyeon Park, School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea Moo Hwan Cho, School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea Jintae Lee, School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In this study, effects of antimony Sb(V) on growth, pigments content, oxygen evolution, and photosystem II (PSII) activity of Microcystis aeruginosa were investigated. JIP-test, Q A − reoxidation kinetic test and S-state test were used in this study to study the energy distribution and electron transport in PSII. Treatment with Sb(V) at various concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 mg/l had long-term effects on growth, pigments content, and oxygen evolution of M . aeruginosa . Low concentration of Sb(V) had no significant inhibition of the biomass production and PSII activity but inhibited the pigment synthesis. Growth, pigments content, oxygen evolution, and PSII activity were seriously inhibited when treated by high concentration of Sb(V) (100 mg/l). The target sites of Sb(V) toxic effect on the PSII of M . aeruginosa were mainly on the donor side and the apparatus in the light-dependent reaction. The quantum yield for photochemistry, density of reaction centers and photosynthesis performance index decreased, whereas the dissipated energy increased. PSII activity of M . aeruginosa was promoted when exposure to 50 mg/l Sb(V) by increasing the density of active reaction centers and electron transport after Q A − . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0221-5 Authors Shuzhi Wang, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China Xiangliang Pan, State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818, South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    This study was undertaken to determine whether cyclic AMP (cAMP) or cAMP-receptor protein (CRP) modulates the activity of the autoinducer (AI)-2-mediated quorum sensing (QS) system in response to glucose availability in Vibrio vulnificus. A mutation in crp impaired V. vulnificus growth, decreased AI-2 production, and repressed the expression of smcR encoding the master regulator SmcR (a Vibrio harveyi LuxR homolog) of the AI-2-QS system, and these changes were prevented by in trans complementation of wild-type crp . Furthermore, glucose repressed smcR expression in the presence of CRP but not in its absence. A mutation in cyaA encoding adenylate cyclase, which is required for cAMP synthesis, also impaired V. vulnificus growth and repressed smcR expression, and these changes were recovered by in trans complementation of wild-type cyaA . These results indicate that cAMP or CRP modulates the AI-2-QS system in response to glucose availability in V. vulnificus , demonstrating the presence of a connection between catabolite repression and quorum sensing in V. vulnificus . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0218-0 Authors Sun-Pyo Kim, Department of Emergency Medicine, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea Choon-Mee Kim, Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea Sung-Heui Shin, Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Genus Deinococcus is characterized by an increased resistance toward reactive oxygen species (ROS). The chromosome of five strains belonging to this genus has been sequenced and the presence of a luxS -like gene was deduced from their genome sequences. The aim of this study was to assess if a complete QS circuit is present in Deinococcus sp. and if this QS is associated with ROS. Primers for searching luxS -like gene and the putative receptor gene, namely ai2R , were designed. AI-2 signal production was evaluated by luminescence analysis using Vibrio harveyi BB170 as reporter strain. AI-2 signal was also evaluated by competitive assays using cinnamaldehyde, ascorbic acid, and 3-mercaptopropionic acid as interfering molecules. Potassium tellurite and metronidazole were used as oxidative stressors. A luxS -like gene as well as an ai2R gene was detected in strain UDEC-P1 by PCR. Cell-free supernatant of strain UDEC-P1 culture induced luminescence in V. harveyi BB170, and this property was inhibited with the three interfering molecules. The oxidative stressors metronidazole and potassium tellurite decreased Deinococcus sp. viability, but increased luminescence of the reporter strain. The results demonstrate that both a functional luxS -like gene and a putative receptor for AI-2 signal are present in Deinococcus sp. strain UDEC-P1. This finding also suggests that a complete QS circuit is present in this genus, which could be related to oxidative stress. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0225-1 Authors G. Fernandez-Bunster, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile C. Gonzalez, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile J. Barros, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile M. Martinez, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Heritable endosymbiotic bacteria associated with insects are ubiquitous and taxonomically diverse. Many of these endosymbionts influence the fitness of their hosts and/or manipulate their host reproduction. Exploiting the effects of endosymbionts on hosts for pest control is a growing research area, but requires knowledge of endosymbionts associated with the target pest population. In this study, we used molecular methods to screen southern Mexico populations of two species of tephritid fruit fly pests, Anastrepha ludens and A. striata , for heritable bacteria. The only heritable endosymbiont found was Wolbachia in A. striata . Based on multilocus sequence typing and phylogenetic analyses, this Wolbachia strain is new and belongs to the Wolbachia supergroup B. Wolbachia strains previously reported in members of the genus Anastrepha in South America belong to supergroup A. We discuss the potential implications for pest control of the presence of a different Wolbachia strain in southern Mexico. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0223-3 Authors Humberto Martínez, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA Jorge Toledo, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico Pablo Liedo, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico Mariana Mateos, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Bombyx mori Bidensovirus ( Bm BDV), a bipartite virus possesses two single-stranded linear DNAs (VD1 and VD2) and shows high pathogenic ability to Bombyx mori . Previous research found that the genes of nonstructural protein ns1 and ns2 were in the same transcript. To investigate the mechanism of transcriptional regulation of ns1 and ns2 genes, the 5′-flanking sequence (289 nt) of ns1 gene, encompasses the regions of the common terminal sequence (CTS) and the predicted P5 promoter from the 5′-terminus of the viral genome to the transcription initiation site of the ns1 gene was cloned and fused to the upstream of the luciferase reporter gene. The luciferase reporter assay showed that the 53 nt CTS of VD1 and VD2 can downregulate the activity of P5 by 13.3 %. The comparison in different cell lines showed that P5 possessed high promoter activity in Bm N and Hi5 cell lines. Interestingly, P5 also had high activity in Hela cells, a kind of cancer cell of human. Subsequent truncated promoter analysis showed that the 31 nt (−236 to −206 nt) sequence is very important to P5 for the activity down to 36.5 % after deletion of it. While the activity also remained 26.5 % after the deletion of the TATA box, suggesting that the promoter is TATA independent. Moreover, in order to further understand the activity intensity of P5, a comparison with other three promoters, B. mori actin3 ( Bm -actin3), B. mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus ( Bm NPV) immediate early 1 gene promoter ( Bm NPV-ie-1), and a synthetic promoter (3xP3) was carried out, the result indicated that the activity of P5 was weaker than that of anyone of them. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0199-z Authors Shoulin Zhu, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Guohui Li, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Zhaoyang Hu, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Keping Chen, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Guangtian Li, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Xuli Guo, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Ying Ma, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Qin Yao, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In the present study, using the murine monocyte/macrophage cell line RAW264.7 as a model system, we analyzed the phagocytosis rate and the bactericidal capacity of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched macrophages against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Rhodococcus equi . The P. aeruginosa strain ATCC 10145, the virulent R. equi strain ATCC 33701, and the non-virulent R. equi strain ATCC 6939 were examined. Flow cytometric detection of intracellular microorganisms in combination with viability assays were used to determine the impact of PUFA on the number of engulfed, surviving as well as replicating bacteria. Macrophage enrichment with PUFA resulted in an increase of the internalization rate of the microorganisms by the immune cells. Moreover, an impeding action of the unsaturated fatty acids on the intracellular survival rates of the virulent strains P. aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and R. equi ATCC 33701 could be observed. The n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well as the n-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) showed the most pronounced effects. Taken together, our data support the idea of supplementing PUFA to immunocompromised individuals as well as to people suffering from chronic infections with P. aeruginosa or R. equi to improve macrophage phagocytic and microbicidal activity. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0207-3 Authors Stephanie Adolph, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Herbert Fuhrmann, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Julia Schumann, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Four antagonists bacteria namely, Bacillus megaterium MB3, B. subtilis MB14, B. subtilis MB99 and B. amyloliquefaciens MB101 were able to produce chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease in different range with the presence of Rhizoctonia solani cell wall as a carbon source. Amplification of chitinase ( chiA ) gene of 270 bp and β-1, 3-glucanase gene of 415 bp was given supportive evidence at molecular level of antibiosis. After in vitro screening, all antagonists were tested against R. solani under greenhouse conditions. Root treatment of Bacillus strains showed superior defense during pathogen suppression in terms of chitinase, glucanase, peroxidase, poly phenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and total phenolic content in leaves of tomato. All these enzymes accumulated high in tomato leaves as compared to roots. Pathogenesis-related proteins and defense-related enzymes accumulation was directly correlated with plant protection and greenhouse results indicated that B. amyloliquefaciens MB101- and B. subtilis MB14-treated plants offered 69.76 and 61.51 % disease reductions, respectively, over the infected control. These results established that these organisms have the potential to act as biocontrol agents. This study could be highlighted a mutual importance of liquid formulation of antagonistic Bacillus spp. against root associated sclerotia former pathogen R. solani . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0160-1 Authors Manoj Kumar Solanki, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kusmaur, Mau, 275101 Uttar Pradesh, India Amrita Shalini Robert, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kusmaur, Mau, 275101 Uttar Pradesh, India Rajesh Kumar Singh, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kusmaur, Mau, 275101 Uttar Pradesh, India Sudheer Kumar, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kusmaur, Mau, 275101 Uttar Pradesh, India Akhilesh Kumar Pandey, Department of Bioscience, Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, 482 001 Madhya Pradesh, India Alok K. Srivastava, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kusmaur, Mau, 275101 Uttar Pradesh, India Dilip K. Arora, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kusmaur, Mau, 275101 Uttar Pradesh, India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The properties of bacterial isolates from polluted environments which are characterized by increased levels of oxidative stress do not reflect only the level of contaminants, but also arise as a consequence of many permanently changed conditions. The survival rate of Comamonas terrigena N3H isolates from an environment with elevated levels of H 2 O 2 is correlated with stimulation of catalase. The response of bacterial catalase to the effect of phenol in exogenous conditions was affected by the presence of an additional contaminant, Cd 2+ . An isolate of Aspergillus niger selected from river sediment containing 363 mg/kg As, 93 mg/kg Sb at pH 5.2–4.8 grew on Czapek-Dox agar ~1.6 times faster than an isolate of the same species from coal dust sediment with approximately the same level of pollution (400 mg/kg As) but somewhat lower pH (3.3–2.8). It also exhibited differences in the microscopic characteristics of its mycelial structures. Both isolates exhibited a higher tolerance to the exogenic toxic effects of metals (As 5+ , Cd 2+ , and Cu 2+ at 5, 25, or 50 mg/L) than a control culture, but the differences in tolerance between them were only slight. These laboratory results suggest that there are complicated relationships which may exist in the “in situ” environment. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0163-y Authors Bystrík Polek, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia Jana Godočíková, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Pleurotus eryngii (DC. Ex. Fr.) Quél is a rare precious edible fungus which belongs to the family Pleurotaceae. This mushroom has highly nutritional, pharmaceutical, economic and ecological values. In the present study, combined randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)/inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) was used to assess the genetic diversity of P. eryngii strains cultivated in China. For the RAPD and ISSR analyses, 404 and 392 polymorphic bands were obtained from 32 P . eryngii strains using 28 and 24 selected primers, respectively. A combined RAPD/ISSR dendrogram grouped the 32 strains into five clades with coefficient of 0.770. The comparison of RAPD and ISSR was also elucidated in the present study. The results of our study obtained by combined RAPD/ISSR analysis contributed to a better understanding of the genetic relationships among the P . eryngii strains and provide orientation for the strain improvement of P. eryngii species. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0177-5 Authors Shouxian Wang, Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, 9 Shuguanghuayuan Middle Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100097 China Yonggang Yin, Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, 9 Shuguanghuayuan Middle Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100097 China Yu Liu, Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, 9 Shuguanghuayuan Middle Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100097 China Feng Xu, Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, 9 Shuguanghuayuan Middle Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100097 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Pleurotus strains are the most important fungi used in the agricultural industry. The exact characterization and identification of Pleurotus species is fundamental for correct identification of the individuals and exploiting their full potential in food industry. The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method was applied for genomic fingerprinting of 21 Pleurotus isolates of Asian and European origin. Using one Pst I restriction endonuclease and four selective primers in an AFLP assay, 371 DNA fragments were generated, including 308 polymorphic bands. The AFLP profiles were found to be highly specific for each strain and they unambiguously distinguished 21 Pleurotus sp. fungi. The coefficient of Jaccard’s genome profile similarity between the analyzed strains ranged from 0.0 ( Pleurotus sp. I vs. P. sajor - caju 237 and P. eryngii 238) to 0.750 ( P. ostreatus 246 vs. P. ostreatus 248), and the average was 0.378. The AFLP-based dendrogram generated by the UPGMA method grouped all the Pleurotus fungi studied into two major clusters and one independent lineage located on the outskirt of the tree occupied by naturally growing Pleurotus species strain I. The results of the present study suggest the possible applicability of the AFLP- Pst I method in effective identification and molecular characterization of Pleurotus sp. strains. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0175-7 Authors Anna Pawlik, Department of Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland Grzegorz Janusz, Department of Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland Joanna Koszerny, Department of Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland Wanda Małek, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland Jerzy Rogalski, Department of Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produces insecticidal toxins active against insects. Cry4B, one of the major insecticidal toxins produced by Bt subsp. israelensis , is highly toxic to mosquitoes in the genus Aedes : the major vectors of dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya. Previous work has shown that Cry4B binds to several mid-gut membrane proteins in Aedes aegypti larvae including prohibitin, a protein recently identified as a receptor that also mediates entry of dengue virus into Aedes cells. This study confirms the interaction between Cry4B and prohibitin by co-immunoprecipitation analysis and demonstrates colocalization of prohibitin and Cry4B by confocal microscopy. While activated Cry4B toxin showed high larvicidal activity, it was not cytotoxic to two Aedes cell lines, allowing determination of its effect on dengue virus infectivity in the absence of Cry4B-induced cell lysis. Pre-exposure of Aedes cells to Cry4B resulted in a significant reduction in the number of infected cells compared to untreated cells. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0178-4 Authors Atichat Kuadkitkan, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand Duncan R. Smith, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand Colin Berry, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Enteric viruses are shed in the feces and may be present in environmental waters. Their detection in wastewater, even at low concentration, is a major challenge. In this study, recoveries of Echovirus 7 (EV7), virions and RNA in wastewater, using virus concentration methods were determined to evaluate the detection of infectious viruses and the possibility of recovering viral genomes. Two virus concentration methods, PEG precipitation method and two-phase separation method, were applied to recovery experiments of EV7–virions from wastewater, in parallel with recovery experiments of EV7 RNA. The titration of EV7 virions was carried out by cell culture using human rhabdomyosarcoma tumor tissue and the EV7 RNA quantification was performed by real-time PCR. The mean recovery yields of EV7 virions using the PEG precipitation method and the two-phase separation method were 78.5 ± 10.99 and 83.1 ± 0.28 %, respectively. Besides, EV7 RNA recoveries obtained using the PEG precipitation method were four times higher than those using the two-phase separation method. According to our results, the two methods enable to concentrate both infectious viruses and viral genomes. Moreover, considering the protocol time and cost together with the ratio of the EV7 virion recovery to the EV7 RNA recovery, the two-phase separation method (83.1/2.71 %, or 30.6) seems to be more appropriate for selective concentration of viral virions than the PEG precipitation method (78.5/10.33 %, or 7.6). Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0174-8 Authors Hasna Amdiouni, Medical Virology & BSL3 Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, 1, Place Louis Pasteur, 20360 Casablanca, Morocco Leena Maunula, Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland Kawtar Hajjami, Laboratory of Microbiology and Food Safety, 1, Place Louis Pasteur, 20360 Casablanca, Morocco Abdellah Faouzi, Medical Virology & BSL3 Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, 1, Place Louis Pasteur, 20360 Casablanca, Morocco Abdelaziz Soukri, Laboratory of Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Sciences, Aîn Chock, University Hassan II, Km 8 Road of Eljadida BP, 5366 Casablanca, Morocco Jalal Nourlil, Medical Virology & BSL3 Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, 1, Place Louis Pasteur, 20360 Casablanca, Morocco Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which remains a serious public health problem. The emergence of resistant bacterial strains has continuously increased and new treatment options are currently in need. In this work, we identified a new potential aldehyde–arylhydrazone–oxoquinoline derivative ( 4e ) with interesting chemical structural features that may be important for designing new anti-TB agents. This 1-ethyl- N ′-[(1E)-(5-nitro-2-furyl)methylene]-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carbohydrazide ( 4e ) presented an in vitro active profile against M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC = 6.25 μg/mL) better than other acylhydrazones described in the literature (MIC = 12.5 μg/mL) and close to other antitubercular agents currently on the market. The theoretical analysis showed the importance of several structural features that together with the 5-nitro-2-furyl group generated this active compound ( 4e ). This new compound and the analysis of its molecular properties may be useful for designing new and more efficient antibacterial drugs. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0176-6 Authors Fernanda da C. Santos, Departamento de Química Orgânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ 24020-141, Brazil Helena C. Castro, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal Fluminense, LABioMol, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ CEP 24020-150, Brazil Maria Cristina S. Lourenço, Instituto de Pesquisa Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 1040-030, Brazil Paula A. Abreu, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal Fluminense, LABioMol, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ CEP 24020-150, Brazil Pedro N. Batalha, Departamento de Química Orgânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ 24020-141, Brazil Anna C. Cunha, Departamento de Química Orgânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ 24020-141, Brazil Guilherme S. L. Carvalho, Instituto de Pesquisa Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 1040-030, Brazil Carlos R. Rodrigues, Departamento de Medicamentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ModMolQSAR, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-902, Brazil Cid A. Medeiros, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal Fluminense, LABioMol, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ CEP 24020-150, Brazil Simone D. Souza, Departamento de Medicamentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ModMolQSAR, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-902, Brazil Vitor F. Ferreira, Departamento de Química Orgânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ 24020-141, Brazil Maria C. B. V. de Souza, Departamento de Química Orgânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Baptista, Niterói, RJ 24020-141, Brazil Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Antibacterial agents are common in household cleaning and personal care products, but their long-range impacts on commensal and pathogenic household bacteria are largely unknown. In a one-time survey of 38 households from Boston, MA [ 19 ] and Cincinnati, OH [ 18 ], 13 kitchen and bathroom sites were sampled for total aerobic bacteria and screened for gram phenotype and susceptibility to six antibiotic drug families. The overall bacterial titers of both user (2 or more antibacterial cleaning or personal care products) and non - user (0 or 1 product) rooms were similar with sponges and sink drains consistently showing the highest overall titers and relatively high titers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The mean frequency of resistant bacteria ranged from ≤20 % to as high as 45 % and multi-drug resistance was common. However, no significant differences were noted between biocide users and non-users. The frequency of pathogen recovery was similar in both user and non - user groups. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0172-x Authors Bonnie M. Marshall, Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance and The Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA Eduardo Robleto, Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance and The Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA Theresa Dumont, Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance and The Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA Stuart B. Levy, Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance and The Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The heterodisulfide reductase complex HdrABC from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was predicted to have novel features that work in reverse to catalyse the sulfane sulfur of GSnH species ( n  〉 1) into sulfite in sulfur oxidation. There are two different highly upregulated genes potentially encoding the HdrC subunit in A.   ferrooxidans grown in sulfur-containing medium. An HdrC containing iron–sulfur cluster from A. ferrooxidans corresponding to one of the genes had been expressed and biophysically characterized. Comparatively, here we report the cloning, expression, and characterization of another HdrC from A.   ferrooxidans . This HdrC was expressed in inclusion bodies in all conditions tested. This purified HdrC displayed brown color and contained the [4Fe–4S] cluster confirmed by the UV-scanning and EPR spectra. This HdrC owned two identical motifs (Cx 2 Cx 2 Cx 3 C) including total of eight cysteine residues for [4Fe–4S] cluster binding. To our surprise, the site-directed mutagenesis results of these eight residues revealed that respective removal of the sulfhydryl group of Cys73, Cys76, Cys79, and Cys37 resulted in the cluster loss, but those of Cys27, Cys30, Cys33, and Cys83 had no influence, which demonstrated that this HdrC bound only one cluster, and it might be responsible for causing the HdrABC in A.   ferrooxidans working in reverse. Molecular modeling results also supported the above results and showed that this cluster was ligated by Cys73, Cys76, and Cys79 in one motif and Cys37, however, in another motif. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0173-9 Authors Yuandong Liu, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Biobuilding, Lushan South Road 932, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410083 Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China Jiaju Ji, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Biobuilding, Lushan South Road 932, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410083 Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China Runlan Yu, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Biobuilding, Lushan South Road 932, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410083 Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China Guanzhou Qiu, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Biobuilding, Lushan South Road 932, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410083 Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Environmental samples were taken from ground, cattle water troughs, and feeders from a dairy farm with different STEC prevalence between animal categories (weaning calves, rearing calves, and dairy cows). Overall, 23 % of samples were positive for stx genes, stx 2 being the most prevalent type. Isolates were analyzed by PCR monoplex to confirm generic E. coli and by two multiplex PCR to investigate the presence of stx 1 , stx 2 , eae , saa , ehxA , and other putative virulence genes encoded in STEC plasmids: katP , espP , subA , and stcE . The toxin genes were subtyped and the strains were serotyped. The ground and the environment of the rearing calves were the sites with the highest number of STEC-positive samples; however, cattle water troughs and the environment of cows were the places with the greater chance of finding stx 2EDL933 which is a subtype associated with serious disease in humans. Several non-O157 STEC serotypes were detected. The serotypes O8:H19; O26:H11; O26:H-; O118:H2; O141:H-; and O145:H- have been asociated with human illness. Furthermore, the emergent pathogen STEC O157:H- ( stx 1 – ehxA – eae ) was detected in the environment of the weaning calves. These results emphasize the risk that represents the environment as source of STEC, a potential pathogen for human and suggest the importance of developing control methods designed to prevent contaminations of food products and transmission from animal to person. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0161-0 Authors Rosana Polifroni, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Analía I. Etcheverría, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Marcelo E. Sanz, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Rosana E. Cepeda, Instituto de Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Alejandra Krüger, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Paula M. A. Lucchesi, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Daniel Fernández, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Alberto E. Parma, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Nora L. Padola, Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Dpto. SAMP, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide; the etiology of AGE includes viruses, bacteria, and parasites. A multiplex PCR assay to simultaneously identify human Astrovirus (HAstV), Calicivirus (HuCVs), Entamoeba histolytica ( E. histolytica ), and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) in stool samples is described. A total of 103 samples were individually analyzed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) and RT-PCR/PCR. HAstV and HuCVs were detected in four out of 103 samples (3.8 %) by RT-PCR, but ELISAs found only one sample as positive for HuCVs (2.5 %). E. histolytica was identified in two out of 19 samples (10.5 %) and EIEC in 13 out of 20 samples (70 %) by PCR, and all PCR products were sequenced to verify their identities. Our multiplex PCR results demonstrate the simultaneous amplification of different pathogens such as HAstV, EIEC, and E. histolytica in the same reaction, though the HuCVs signal was weak in every replicate. Regardless, this multiplex PCR protocol represents a novel tool for the identification of distinct pathogens and may provide support for the diagnosis of AGE in children. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0167-7 Authors R. Tolentino-Ruiz, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México D. Montoya-Varela, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México M. García-Espitia, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México M. Salas-Benito, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México A. Gutiérrez-Escolano, Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, 07320 México, México C. Gómez-García, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México P. Figueroa-Arredondo, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México J. Salas-Benito, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México M. De Nova-Ocampo, Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía-IPN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Guillermo Massieu Helguera No. 239, Col. Fracc “La Escalera-Ticomán”, 07320 México, DF, México Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In our present study, we investigated the mechanism of Cd(II) biosorption from aqueous solution by Pseudomonas plecoglossicida using different instrumental techniques. The adsorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo second-order model, suggesting that the Cd(II) adsorption by P. plecoglossicida consisted of a chemisorption and a physisorption process. Compared with the dead P. plecoglossicida cells, the live cells demonstrated the same adsorption capacity of Cd(II). Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis revealed that the main mechanism of adsorption was the combination of Cd(II) with the organic functional groups in the cell wall of P. plecoglossicida . Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis of the metal-loaded biosorbent confirmed the participation of –NH, –OH, –CH, and –CONH groups in the uptake of Cd(II). Moreover, cation transport test revealed that ionic exchange interactions were involved in the Cd(II) adsorption. However, it only played a minor role in the Cd(II) biosorption process. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0164-x Authors Jun Guo, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fujian, 350108 China Xiao-dan Zheng, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fujian, 350108 China Qi-bin Chen, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fujian, 350108 China Lu Zhang, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fujian, 350108 China Xu-ping Xu, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fujian, 350108 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    A culture-independent study of the bacterial diversity in Lake Dhanmondi, located in the central region of Dhaka city, Bangladesh, was carried out using deep sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicons. The results revealed the presence of a group of bacteria, termed LD11, phylogenetically unrelated to any previously cultivated bacteria at the phylum level. LD11 sequences comprised about 1.7 % of the total sequence reads after quality assessment. LD11 appears to constitute a novel division with a deep evolutionary lineage apparently branching between the Chloroflexi and Thermi-Deinococci phyla. Sequence similarity with molecular data from freshwater environments indicates that LD11 represents a widespread and novel clade of freshwater bacteria for which no cultivated representatives are yet available. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0165-9 Authors Nafisa Azmuda, Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh Mohammed Ziaur Rahman, Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh Marit Steine Madsen, Department of Biology and Centre for Geobiology, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7803, 5020 Bergen, Norway Sirajul Islam Khan, Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh Nils-Kåre Birkeland, Department of Biology and Centre for Geobiology, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7803, 5020 Bergen, Norway Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Challenges to the evidentiary value of morphometric determinations have led to a requirement for scientifically substantiated approaches to the forensic analysis of bite marks. Human teeth support genotypically distinctive populations of bacteria that could be exploited for forensic purposes. This study explored the feasibility of directly amplifying bacterial DNA from bite marks for comparison with that from teeth. Samples from self-inflicted experimental bite marks (n = 24) and human incisors were amplified by PCR using primers specific for streptococcal 16S ribosomal DNA. Amplicon profiles (resolved by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) from bite mark samples aligned significantly more closely with profiles generated from the teeth responsible than with those from other teeth. Streptococcal amplicons were generated from dental samples applied to excised porcine skin for up to 48 h. These findings indicate that streptococcal DNA can be amplified directly from bite marks, and have potential application in bite mark analysis. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0148-x Authors Lillian Hsu, University of Otago, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, 310, Great King St, Dunedin, 9016 New Zealand Daniel Power, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand Jenine Upritchard, University of Otago, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, 310, Great King St, Dunedin, 9016 New Zealand Jeremy Burton, Lawson Health Research Institute, Canadian Research and Development Centre for Probiotics, London, ON, Canada Rebekah Friedlander, University of Otago, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, 310, Great King St, Dunedin, 9016 New Zealand Jacqui Horswell, Environmental and Scientific Research Inc, Porirua, New Zealand Catriona MacDonald, Environmental and Scientific Research Inc, Porirua, New Zealand Jules Kieser, University of Otago, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, 310, Great King St, Dunedin, 9016 New Zealand Geoffrey Tompkins, University of Otago, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, 310, Great King St, Dunedin, 9016 New Zealand Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In recent years, Enterococcus faecalis has emerged as an important opportunistic nosocomial pathogen capable of causing dangerous infections. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel antibacterial agents to control this pathogen. Bacteriophages have very effective bactericidal activity and several advantages over other antimicrobial agents and so far, no serious or irreversible side effects of phage therapy have been described. The objective of this study was to characterize a novel virulent bacteriophage φ4D isolated from sewage. Electron microscopy revealed its resemblance to Myoviridae , with an isometric head (74 ± 4 nm) and a long contractile tail (164 ± 4 nm). The φ4D phage genome was tested using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and estimated to be 145 ± 2 kb. It exhibited short latent period (25 min) and a relatively small burst size (36 PFU/cell). Tests were conducted on the host range, multiplicities of infection (MOI), thermal stability, digestion of DNA by restriction enzymes, and proteomic analyses of this phage. The isolated phage was capable of infecting a wide spectrum of enterococcal strains. The results of these investigations indicate that φ4D is similar to other Myoviridae bacteriophages (for example φEF24C), which have been successfully used in phagotherapy. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0158-8 Authors Sylwia Parasion, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Lubelska Str. 2, 24-100 Puławy, Poland Magdalena Kwiatek, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Lubelska Str. 2, 24-100 Puławy, Poland Lidia Mizak, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Lubelska Str. 2, 24-100 Puławy, Poland Romuald Gryko, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Lubelska Str. 2, 24-100 Puławy, Poland Michał Bartoszcze, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Lubelska Str. 2, 24-100 Puławy, Poland Janusz Kocik, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Kozielska Str. 4, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri ( Xac ) is the causal agent of citrus bacterial canker, an economically important disease to world citrus industry. To monitor the infection process of Xac in different citrus plants, the enhanced green florescent protein (EGFP) visualizing system was constructed to visualize the propagation and localization in planta . First, the wild-type Xac was isolated from the diseased leaves of susceptible ‘Bingtang’ sweet orange, and then the isolated Xac was labeled with EGFP by triparental mating. After PCR identification, the growth kinetics and pathogenicity of the transformants were analyzed in comparison with the wild-type Xac . The EGFP-labeled bacteria were inoculated by spraying on the surface and infiltration in the mesophyll of ‘Bingtang’ sweet orange leaves. The bacterial cell multiplication and diffusion processes were observed directly under confocal laser scanning microscope at different intervals after inoculation. The results indicated that the EGFP-labeled Xac releasing clear green fluorescence light under fluorescent microscope showed the infection process and had the same pathogenicity as the wild type to citrus. Consequently, the labeled Xac demonstrated the ability as an efficient tool to monitor the pathogen infection. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0155-y Authors Li-Ping Liu, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Zi-Niu Deng, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Jin-Wang Qu, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Jia-Wen Yan, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Vittoria Catara, Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agrarie e Alimentari, Università degli Studi di Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95131 Catania, Italy Da-Zhi Li, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Gui-You Long, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Na Li, National Center for Citrus Improvement, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Sequencing the environmental rRNA genes of Microcystis populations, such as by internal transcribed spacer (ITS), has been proven to provide a new insight into the genetic diversity of Microcystis in freshwater. In this study, a 19-month monitoring of Microcystis populations in a hyper-eutrophic pond in Wuhan city, China was conducted through molecular method by sequencing ITS fragments from the environmental DNA library. Three hundred twenty ITS genotypes of Microcystis in this pond were identified from a total of 563 sequences, thus exhibiting high genetic diversity of Microcystis in the pond. Dramatic changes and succession in ITS genotypes were also found during the survey period. Despite the absence of significant dominant ITS genotypes in the pond, several main genotypes were found to have been dominated for a short term. However, Microcystis ITS genotype patterns from 2007 to 2008 presented a complicated situation in this pond. The parsimony network (TCS) analysis showed that two groups were formed based on ITS genotypes. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0146-z Authors Mengling Zhu, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 7 Donghu South Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072 China Yao Xu, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 7 Donghu South Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072 China Renhui Li, Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 7 Donghu South Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    We studied the effects of xylitol on biofilms containing xylitol-resistant (Xr) and xylitol-sensitive (Xs) Streptococcus mutans , Actinomyces naeslundii and S. sanguinis . The biofilms were grown for 8 and 24 h on hydroxyapatite discs. The viable microorganisms were determined by plate culturing techniques and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed using a S. mutans -specific probe. Extracellular cell-bound polysaccharides (EPS) were determined by spectrofluorometry from single-species S. mutans biofilms. In the presence of 5 % xylitol, the counts of the Xs S. mutans decreased tenfold in the young (8 h) biofilm ( p  〈 0.05) but no effect was seen in the mature (24 h) biofilm. No decrease was observed for the Xr strains, and FISH confirmed these results. No differences were detected in the EPS production of the Xs S. mutans grown with or without xylitol, nor between Xr and Xs S. mutans strains. Thus, it seems that xylitol did not affect the EPS synthesis of the S . mutans strains. Since the Xr S. mutans strains, not inhibited by xylitol, showed no xylitol-induced decrease in the biofilms, we conclude that growth inhibition could be responsible for the decrease of the counts of the Xs S.   mutans strains in the clinically relevant young biofilms. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0151-2 Authors Aino M. Marttinen, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520 Turku, Finland Patricia Ruas-Madiedo, Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IPLA-CSIC), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain Claudio Hidalgo-Cantabrana, Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IPLA-CSIC), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain Markku A. Saari, Cell Imaging Core, Turku Centre for Biotechnology, 20520 Turku, Finland Riikka A. Ihalin, Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland Eva M. Söderling, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520 Turku, Finland Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Vibrio anguillarum is part of the natural flora in the aquatic habitat, but under certain circumstances it can cause terminal hemorrhagic septicemia in marine fish due to the action of virulence-associated proteins. In our study, V. anguillarum MN and 3010 were identified as serotype O1 by AFLP analysis, and the virulence of V. anguillarum MN was shown 50-fold higher than that of the strain 3101 by LD 50 tests with Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus . Nine spots were noted as differentially expressed proteins by comparing the cellular and extracellular protein profiles of V. anguillarum MN and 3101. Mass spectrometry results showed OmpU and PrtV were highly expressed in the virulent strain MN but lowly expressed in the less virulent strain 3101. Expression level confirmed by semiquantitative RT-PCR showed that ompU and prtV were indeed highly expressed in the virulent strain MN. Together with similar amino acid sequences of both OmpU and PrtV in V. anguillarum MN and 3101, our study indicated that the expression level of OmpU and PrtV may be associated with the virulence of V. anguillarum . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0156-x Authors Pei Zhao, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China Jie Huang, Key Lab for Sustainable Utilization of Marine Fisheries Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China Xiu-Hua Wang, Key Lab for Sustainable Utilization of Marine Fisheries Resources of Ministry of Agriculture, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The fusant strain (F14), which produced by protoplast fusion between Sphingomonas sp. GY2B (GenBank DQ139343) and Pseudomonas sp. GP3A (GenBank EU233280), was tested for phenanthrene biodegradation at 30 °C and pH of 7.0. The kinetics of phenanthrene biodegradation by F14 was investigated over a wide range of initial concentration (15–1,000 mg l −1 ). The rate and the extent of phenanthrene degradation increased with the increase of concentration up to 230 mg l −1 , which indicated negligible inhibition effect at low concentrations. The non-competitive inhibition model was found to be fit for the process. GC–MS analysis showed that biodegradation of phenanthrene by F14 was via dioxygenation at both 1,2- and 3,4-positions and followed by 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid and 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid. The relative intensity of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid was approximately 3–4 times higher than that of 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, indicating the 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid was the predominant product in the phenanthrene degradation by fusant strain F14. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0147-y Authors Jing Lu, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006 China Zhi Dang, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006 China Guining Lu, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006 China Chen Yang, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006 China Xiaoyun Yi, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006 China Chuling Guo, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    A total of 48 water samples were collected from six water treatment plants in Wuhan and analyzed by real-time PCR assay for viral identification of enterovirus (EV), rotavirus group A (RVA), human adenovirus (HAdV) as well as human adenovirus subgroup F (HAdVF) during the period from December 2010 to October 2011. HAdV, HAdVF, and RVA were all positively detected in the samples of source water and treated drinking water. EV could be found in 46 % (11/24) of all the source water samples, but only 21 % (5/24) positive in treated drinking water. The concentrations of these three kinds of enteric viruses detected were as follows: HAdV 〉 RVA 〉 EV. The highest removal rate was EV (97 %), followed by RVA (82 %), HAdV (73 %), and HAdVF (72 %). HAdV and RVA have been abundant in untreated river water and finished water after conventional processes of water treatment plants, while bacterial indicators could not be detected in tap water, which met the standard of China for drinking water bacterial quality. Some factors that could affect the accuracy of qPCR detection are also discussed in this study. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0152-1 Authors Xiao Yan Ye, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Xing Ming, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Yong Lu Zhang, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Wen Qing Xiao, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Xia Ning Huang, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Yu Guang Cao, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Kang Ding Gu, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    A bacterial strain P2 capable of degrading 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) was isolated and characterized. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that it belonged to the genus of Cupriavidus , because it showed the highest sequence similarity to Cupriavidus pauculus LMG 3413 T (99.7 %) and DNA–DNA relatedness value between strain P2 and C. pauculus LMG 3413 T was 76.8 %. In combination with morphological, physiological and biochemical characters, strain P2 was identified as C. pauculus . It could use TCP as the sole carbon source and energy source for its growth. It showed a high average degradation rate of 10 mg/L h in mineral salt medium amended with TCP (50–800 mg/L). During TCP degradation, chloridion was released into the medium in two obvious discontinuous stages. Along with this, two colorful metabolites were produced. Finally, the molarity of the total released chloridion was three times that of the initial TCP in the medium. This is the first report of TCP-degrading strain from the genus of Cupriavidus and the detection of two colorful metabolites during TCP degradation. Strain P2 might be a promising candidate for its application in the bioremediation of TCP-polluted environments. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0150-3 Authors Li Cao, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Hongming Liu, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Hao Zhang, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Ke Huang, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Tao Gu, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Haiyan Ni, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Qing Hong, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Shunpeng Li, Key Lab of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Tuberculous pleurisy is one of the common extrapulmonary tuberculosis diseases. However, the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy still lacks a useful and effective tool, mainly due to paucity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms in pleural effusion. Previous studies have confirmed that the MPT64 protein is highly specific and is secreted only by M. tuberculosis (MTB) complex. Therefore, in this study, we developed ELISA based on recombinantly expressed MPT64 in combination with rabbit polyclonal antibodies. The ELISA-MPT64 method was validated using MTB strains and tested against clinical samples. Nested PCR, Löwenstein–Jensen (L–J) culture and smear microscopy were employed as the comparative tools for assessing the performance of the assay. Our results demonstrate that the newly established ELISA-MPT64 technique is a rapid and useful tool for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0157-9 Authors Zhonghua Liu, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Changtai Zhu, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Hua Yang, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Haili Hu, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Yonghong Feng, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Lianhua Qin, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Zhenling Cui, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Aixiao Bi, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Ruijuan Zheng, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Ruiliang Jin, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Lin Fan, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Zhongyi Hu, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Rd, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Ten phosphate solubilizing pseudomonads isolated from a partially recultivated potash tailings pile in Germany were characterized and tested for their potential to assist in the ongoing recultivation process. Despite fertilization, the plants which are grown for recultivation show phosphate deficiency symptoms, and therefore the isolates are intended to be used as biofertilizer inoculants. On agar plates incubated at five different temperatures, some of the strains showed a temperature-dependent ability to solubilize tricalcium phosphate, while others performed the same at any given temperature. In liquid medium, the isolates solubilized between 271 and 730 μg ml −1 of phosphate from tricalcium phosphate. Both the weakest (designated S10) and the strongest solubilizing strain (S06) were further tested for their viability during solubilization. In an assay over the course of 1 week, both strains released their maximum amount of phosphate after 2–4 days. At that later point of time, however, viable cells of isolate S06 were no longer detectable, whereas the weaker strain S10 could be cultured after 1 week in broth. Taking all in vitro observations into account, the usability of the isolates as biofertilizers is critically discussed regarding both the in situ conditions on the tailings pile and the lowered viability due to the excess production of organic acids. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0145-0 Authors Sebastian Koch, Department of Microbiology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany Elke Majewski, K+S Forschungsinstitut, In der Aue 1, 36266 Heringen, Germany Helge Schmeisky, Steinstr. 1a, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany Friedrich R. J. Schmidt, Department of Microbiology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In this study, the rumen was assessed for its potential to detoxify RDX using molecular microbial ecology as well as analytical chemistry techniques. Results indicated significant loss ( P  〈 0.05) of RDX in 〈8-h post incubation, and qualitative LC-MS/MS analysis showed evidence for the formation of 1-NO-RDX (M–O + HCOO) and methylenedinitramine metabolites. A total of 1106 16S rRNA-V3 clones were sequenced, and most sequences associated with either the phyla Bacteroidetes or Firmicutes. A LibCompare analysis for the RDX treatment showed an enrichment ( P  〈 0.01) of the genus Prevotella . From these results, it can be concluded that the rumen is capable of detoxifying RDX, and the members of the genus Prevotella are linked to this detoxification. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0144-1 Authors Sudeep Perumbakkam, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, 139 Oak Creek Building, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA A. Morrie Craig, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Lichens, algae and cyanobacteria have been detected growing endolithically in natural rock and in stone buildings in various countries of Australasia, Europe and Latin America. Previously these organisms had mainly been described in natural carbonaceous rocks in aquatic environments, with some reports in siliceous rocks, principally from extremophilic regions. Using various culture and microscopy methods, we have detected endoliths in siliceous stone, both natural and cut, in humid temperate and subtropical climates. Such endolithic growth leads to degradation of the stone structure, not only by mechanical means, but also by metabolites liberated by the cells. Using in vitro culture, transmission, optical and fluorescence microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy, both coccoid and filamentous cyanobacteria and algae, including Cyanidiales, have been identified growing endolithically in the facades of historic buildings built from limestone, sandstone, granite, basalt and soapstone, as well as in some natural rocks. Numerically, the most abundant are small, single-celled, colonial cyanobacteria. These small phototrophs are difficult to detect by standard microscope techniques and some of these species have not been previously reported within stone. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0123-6 Authors Christine C. Gaylarde, Microbiology Research Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, St. Michael’s Building, White Swan Rd, Portsmouth, PO1 2DT UK Peter M. Gaylarde, London, UK Brett A. Neilan, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Studies aimed at understanding Escherichia coli O157:H7 soil survival dynamics are paramount due to their inevitable introduction into the organic vegetable production systems via animal manure-based fertilizer. Therefore, a greenhouse study was conducted to determine the survival of E. coli O157:H7 in highly controlled soil matrices subjected to two variable environmental stressors: (1) soil volumetric water content (25 or 45 % VWC), and (2) the growth of clover (planted or unplanted). During the 7-week study, molecular-based qPCR analyses revealed that E. coli O157:H7 survival was significantly lower in soils maintained at either near water-holding capacity (45 % VWC) or under clover growth. The significant reduction under clover growth was only observed when E. coli populations were determined relative to all bacteria, indicating the need to further study the competition between E. coli O157:H7 and the total bacterial community in organic soils. Given the significant effect of clover on E. coli O157:H7 survival under different moisture conditions in this greenhouse-based study, this work highlights the antimicrobial potential of clover exudates in arable soils, and future work should concentrate on their specific mechanisms of inhibition; ultimately leading to the development of crop rotations/production systems to improve pre-harvest food safety and security in minimally processed, ready-to-eat and organic production systems. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0142-3 Authors Michael J. Rothrock Jr., Poultry Processing and Swine Physiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 950 College Station Rd., Athens, GA 30605, USA Jonathan M. Frantz, Greenhouse Production Research Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2801 W. Bancroft St., MS 604, Toledo, OH 43606, USA Stephanie Burnett, Department of Plant, Soil, & Environmental Sciences, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Detection of multiple viruses is important for global analysis of gene or protein content and expression, opening up new prospects in terms of molecular and physiological systems for pathogenic diagnosis. Early diagnosis is crucial for disease treatment and control as it reduces inappropriate use of antiviral therapy and focuses surveillance activity. This requires the ability to detect and accurately diagnose infection at or close to the source/outbreak with minimum delay and the need for specific, accessible point-of-care diagnosis able to distinguish causative viruses and their subtypes. None of the available viral diagnostic assays combine a point-of-care format with the complex capability to identify a large range of human and animal viruses. Microarray detection provides a useful, labor-saving tool for detection of multiple viruses with several advantages, such as convenience and prevention of cross-contamination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products, which is of foremost importance in such applications. Recently, real-time PCR assays with the ability to confirm the amplification product and quantitate the target concentration have been developed. Furthermore, nucleotide sequence analysis of amplification products has facilitated epidemiological studies of infectious disease outbreaks and monitoring of treatment outcomes for infections, in particular for viruses that mutate at high frequency. This review discusses applications of microarray technology as a potential new tool for detection and identification of acute encephalitis-causing viruses in human serum, plasma, and cell cultures. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0154-z Authors Desh Deepak Singh, Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, C. S. M. Medical University, Lucknow, UP 226003, India Amita Jain, Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, C. S. M. Medical University, Lucknow, UP 226003, India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Transcriptional regulation of genes encoding chitin synthases ( CHS ) and β-1,3-glucan synthase ( GLS ) from Ustilago maydis was studied. Transcript levels were measured during the growth curve of yeast and mycelial forms, in response to ionic and osmotic stress, and during infection of maize plants. Expression of the single GLS gene was constitutive. In contrast, CHS genes expression showed differences depending on environmental conditions. Transcript levels were slightly higher in the mycelial forms, the highest levels occurring at the log phase. Ionic and osmotic stress induced alterations in the expression of CHS genes, but not following a defined pattern, some genes were induced and others repressed by the tested compounds. Changes in transcripts were more apparent during the pathogenic process. At early infection stages, only CHS6 gene showed significant transcript levels, whereas at the period of tumor formation CHS7 and CHS8 genes were also were induced. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0129-0 Authors Mariana Robledo-Briones, Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, GTO, Mexico José Ruiz-Herrera, Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, GTO, Mexico Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The growth dynamics of bacterial populations are usually represented by the classical S-shaped profiles composed of lag, exponential and stationary growth phases. Although exceptions to this classical behavior occur, they are normally produced under non-standard conditions such as supply of two carbohydrates as sole carbon source. However, we here report variations in the classic S-shaped growth profiles of Escherichia coli under standard culturing conditions; explicitly, we found growth during transition to the stationary phase wherein the bacterial growth rate inversely depended on the volume-to-surface ratio of cultures ( V / S ); the reasons for this behavior were experimentally explored. To complement our experimental analysis, a theoretical model that rationalizes the bacterial response was developed; simulations based on the developed model essentially reproduced experimental growth curves. We consequently conclude that the effect of V / S on E. coli growth reflects an interplay between auto-catalytic bacterial growth, bacterial growth auto-inhibition, and, the relief of that inhibition. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0128-1 Authors Haydee Martínez, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, 62209 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico Thomas Buhse, Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, 62209 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico Marco Rivera, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, 62209 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico Guadalupe Ayala, Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, INSP, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico P. Parmananda, Department of Physics, IIT, Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076 India Joaquín Sánchez, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, 62209 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Orthorhombic (spherical; ~10 nm) and monoclinic (cylindrical; ~50 nm) sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized and examined for their effects on the total lipid content and desaturase enzymes of Aspergillus niger . Synthesized SNPs were characterized for size with transmission electron microscopy, elemental composition with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and allotropic nature with X-ray diffraction pattern. Both the SNPs considerably reduced total lipid content of the treated fungal isolates with significant down regulation of the expression of various desaturase enzymes (linoleoyl-CoA desaturase, stearoyl-CoA 9-desaturase and phosphatidylcholine desaturase). Unusual high accumulation of saturated fatty acids with depleted lipid layer can be inferred as one of the major reasons of SNPs mediated fungistasis. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0130-7 Authors Samrat Roy Choudhury, Biological Sciences Division, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, 700108 India Mahua Ghosh, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, 700009 India Arunava Goswami, Biological Sciences Division, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, 700108 India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    When stressed, bacteria can enter various nondividing states. In the present study, nondividing filamentous form in Helicobacter pylori was induced by a β-lactam antibiotic, aztreonam. In order to find possible cell division checkpoints in H. pylori , 2-DE was used to compare the proteomic profile of nondividing filamentous H. pylori with its spiral form. In total, 21 proteins involved in various cellular processes showed differential expression. One protein induced by aztreonam was a cell division inhibitor ( minD ), related to cell division. We then constructed the deletion mutant of minD in H. pylori 26695 . Scanning electron microscope observation showed that the deletion of this protein provoked some bacteria to change into a short rod-shape and the viability of the mutant is lower than that of the wild type. Moreover, sequence comparison showed that minD of H. pylori and that of Escherichia coli share 50 % amino acid identity. This suggested that this protein possibly plays the similar part in H. pylori as in E. coli . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0132-5 Authors Chunhong Shao, Clinical Laboratory, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021 People’s Republic of China Yabin Zhou, Department of Microbiology and Key Lab for Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Yundong Sun, Department of Microbiology and Key Lab for Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Hongyan Wang, Department of Microbiology and Key Lab for Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Wei Qu, Department of Microbiology and Key Lab for Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Han Yu, Department of Microbiology and Key Lab for Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Chunyan Chen, Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Jihui Jia, Department of Microbiology and Key Lab for Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are capable of synthesizing nano-sized, intracellular membrane-bound magnetosomes. To learn more about the genetic factors involved in magnetosome formation, transposon mutagenesis was carried out by conjugation using a hyperactive mariner transposon to obtain nonmagnetic mutants of Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1. A mutant with defect in uvrA gene encoding the DNA binding subunit of the UvrABC complex responsible for the process of nucleotide excision repair, was obtained. Growth, magnetosome formation and maintenance of magnetosome island (MAI) were further analyzed in the absence of UvrA. Interruption of uvrA led to decreased capacity to form magnetosome when cultured in the presence of oxygen. The deficiency in UvrA also resulted in an accelerated loss of the MAI under aerobic conditions indicating that the nucleotide excision repair system guards against the instability of the MAI. The incapacity of MTB to efficiently initiate recombination mediated by RecA rescued the instability of MAI observed in uvrA mutant. Elevated recombination activity resulting from the accumulation of unrepaired mutations may thus account for the instability of MAI in the absence of UvrA. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0131-6 Authors Tao Bo, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China Kuan Wang, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China Xin Ge, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China Guanjun Chen, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China Weifeng Liu, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Biofilm formation in Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of nosocomial infections in humans. Clinical devices and abiotic surfaces are important sites of colonization leading to formation of biofilms. Such infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotic therapies, and hence there is need for an effective mode of control. Herein, we describe the isolation, characterization of a new lytic bacteriophage of A.   baumannii and its effect on biofilm. The phage AB7-IBB2, with a genome size of about 170 kb was identified to be of family Podoviridae as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. It had an isometric head (35 nm) and a short tail (7 nm). It lysed 19/39 (49 %) clinical isolates of A.   baumannii. Rapid adsorption (〉99 % adsorbed in 4 min), a latency period of 25 min and a burst size 22 PFU/infected cell was observed. The phage could inhibit A.   baumannii biofilm formation and disrupt preformed biofilm as well. The phage has promising potential to be considered as a candidate biocontrol agent for A.   baumannii infections. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0127-2 Authors Nikhil D. Thawal, Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, University of Pune, Pune, 411007 India Ajinkya B. Yele, Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, University of Pune, Pune, 411007 India Praveen K. Sahu, Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, University of Pune, Pune, 411007 India Balu A. Chopade, Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, University of Pune, Pune, 411007 India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Fire blight has spread from North America to New Zealand, Europe, and the Mediterranean region. We were able to differentiate strains from various origins with a novel PCR method. Three Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Erwinia amylovora genome were characteristic of isolates from North America and could distinguish them from isolates from other parts of the world. They were derived from the galE , acrB , and hrpA genes of strains Ea273 and Ea1/79. These genes were analyzed by conventional PCR (cPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) with differential primer annealing temperatures. North-American E. amylovora strains were further differentiated according to their production of l -2,5-dihydrophenylalanine (DHP) as tested by growth inhibition of the yeast Rhodotorula glutinis . E. amylovora fruit tree ( Maloideae ) and raspberry (rubus) strains were also differentiated by Single Strand Conformational Polymorphism analysis. Strains from the related species Erwinia pyrifoliae isolated in Korea and Japan were all DHP positive, but were differentiated from each other by SNPs in the galE gene. Differential PCR is a rapid and simple method to distinguish E. amylovora as well as E. pyrifoliae strains according to their geographical origin. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0116-5 Authors I. Gehring, Julius Kühn Institut (JKI) für Pflanzenschutz in Obst- und Weinbau, 69221 Dossenheim, Germany K. Geider, Julius Kühn Institut (JKI) für Pflanzenschutz in Obst- und Weinbau, 69221 Dossenheim, Germany Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The biofilm formation by foodborne pathogens is known to increase the problem related with surface disinfection procedure in the food processing environment and consequent transmission of these pathogens into the population. Messenger RNA has been increasingly used to understand the action and the consequences of disinfectants in the virulence on such biofilms. RNA quality is an important requirement for any RNA-based analysis since the quality can impair the mRNA quantification. Therefore, we evaluated five different RNA extraction kits using biofilms of the foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli , and Salmonella enterica . The five kits yielded RNA with different quantities and qualities. While for E. coli the variability of RNA quality did not affect the quantification of mRNA, the same was not true for L. monocytogenes or S. enterica . Therefore, our results indicate that not all kits are suitable for RNA extraction from bacterial biofilms, and thus, the selection of RNA extraction kit is crucial to obtain accurate and meaningful mRNA quantification. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0124-5 Authors Angela França, Centre of Biological Engineering, IBB—Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal Joana C. Bento, Centre of Biological Engineering, IBB—Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal Nuno Cerca, Centre of Biological Engineering, IBB—Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the most common bacterial infections and poses a significant healthcare burden. Escherichia coli is the most common cause of UTI accounting for up to 70 % and a variable contribution from Proteus mirabilis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae . To establish a complete diagnostic system, we have developed a single-tube multiplex PCR assay (mPCR) for the detection of the above-mentioned four major uropathogens. The sensitivity of the assay was found to be as low as 10 2  cfu/ml of cells. The mPCR evaluated on 280 clinical isolates detected 100 % of E. coli , P. aeruginosa , P. mirabilis and 95 % of K. pneumonia . The assay was performed on 50 urine samples and found to be specific and sensitive for clinical diagnosis. In addition, the mPCR was also validated on spiked urine samples using 40 clinical isolates to demonstrate its application under different strain used in this assay. In total, mPCR reported here is a rapid and simple screening tool that can compete with conventional biochemical-based screening assays that may require 2–3 days for detection. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0126-3 Authors B. Padmavathy, AU-KBC Research Centre, M.I.T. Campus of Anna University, Chennai, 600 044 India R. Vinoth Kumar, AU-KBC Research Centre, M.I.T. Campus of Anna University, Chennai, 600 044 India Amee Patel, AU-KBC Research Centre, M.I.T. Campus of Anna University, Chennai, 600 044 India S. Deepika Swarnam, AU-KBC Research Centre, M.I.T. Campus of Anna University, Chennai, 600 044 India T. Vaidehi, Sundaram Medical Foundation and Dr. Rangarajan Memorial Hospital, Chennai, 600 040 India B. M. Jaffar Ali, AU-KBC Research Centre, M.I.T. Campus of Anna University, Chennai, 600 044 India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The 16S rRNA-based hierarchical system is considered to be the backbone of prokaryote taxonomy at the genus level and above. However, in the class Actinobacteria , the topology of the 16S rRNA-based tree is highly unsteady, and relationships between several families and orders are ambiguous. Recently, phylogenomic information was claimed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of prokaryotic systematics in the genomics era. In this article, a comparative phylogenetic analysis of the class Actinobacteria was carried out using 16S rRNA gene sequences and a set of 46 ribosomal proteins (RPs). Phylogenies based on concatenated RP sequences were generally congruent with 16S rRNA phylogenies, but higher bootstrap values supported the branching orders in the former trees. RP-based trees constructed by the maximum-likelihood and neighbor-joining algorithms provided better-defined phylogenetic relationships within the Actinobacteria and clarified the relationships and positions of several orders, such as Micrococcales and Frankiales . The RP-based phylogeny approach may thus provide a sound basis for assessing the Actinobacteria . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0120-9 Authors Zhitang Lu, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity Research and Application of Hebei Province, Baoding, 071002 People’s Republic of China Weiwei Zhang, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity Research and Application of Hebei Province, Baoding, 071002 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    The acidophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can resist exceptionally high cadmium (Cd) concentrations. This property is important for its use in biomining processes, where Cd and other metal levels range usually between 15 and 100 mM. To learn about the mechanisms that allow A . ferrooxidans cells to survive in this environment, a bioinformatic search of its genome showed the presence of that a Cd(II)/Pb(II)-responsive transcriptional regulator (CmtR) was possibly related to Cd homeostasis. The expression of the CmtR was studied by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR using A . ferrooxidans cells adapted for growth in the presence of high concentrations of Cd. The putative A . ferrooxidans Cd resistance determinant was found to be upregulated when this bacterium was exposed to Cd in the range of 15–30 mM. The CmtR from A . ferrooxidans was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli , the soluble protein was purified by one-step affinity chromatography to apparent homogeneity. UV–Vis spectroscopic measurements showed that the reconstruction CmtR was able to bind Cd(II) forming Cd(II)–CmtR complex in vitro. The sequence alignment and molecular modeling showed that the crucial residues for CmtR binding were likely to be Cys77, Cys112, and Cys121. The results reported here strongly suggest that the high resistance of the extremophilic A . ferrooxidans to Cd including the Cd(II)/Pb(II)-responsive transcriptional regulator. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0117-4 Authors Chunli Zheng, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620 People’s Republic of China Yanjun Li, School of Mathematics, Physics and Biological Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010 People’s Republic of China Li Nie, School of Environment and Energy, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010 People’s Republic of China Lin Qian, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620 People’s Republic of China Lu Cai, School of Mathematics, Physics and Biological Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010 People’s Republic of China Jianshe Liu, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    In this article, we investigated the effect of exogenous calcium on improving viability of Debaryomyces hansenii and Pichia membranaefaciens under heat stress, and evaluated the role of calcium in reducing oxidant damage of proteins in the yeast cells. The results indicated that high concentration of exogenous calcium in culture medium was beneficial for enhancing the tolerance of the biocontrol yeasts to heat stress. The possible mechanism of calcium improving the viability of yeasts was attributed to enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activities, decrease in ROS accumulation and reduction of oxidative damage of intracellular protein in yeast cells under heat stress. D. hansenii is more sensitive to calcium as compared to P. membranaefaciens . Our results suggest that application of exogenous calcium combined with biocontrol yeasts is a practical approach for the control of postharvest disease in fruit. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0133-4 Authors Bang An, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093 People’s Republic of China Boqiang Li, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093 People’s Republic of China Guozheng Qin, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093 People’s Republic of China Shiping Tian, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Phototrophic bacteria necessarily contain carotenoids for photosynthesis, and accumulate unusual carotenoids in some cases. The carotenoids in all established species of Rhodoplanes ( Rpl .), a representative of phototrophic genera, were identified using spectroscopic methods. The major carotenoid was spirilloxanthin in Rpl. roseus and Rpl. serenus , and rhodopin in “ Rpl. cryptolactis ”. Rpl. elegans contained rhodopin, anhydrorhodovibrin, and spirilloxanthin. Rpl. pokkaliisoli contained not only rhodopin but also 1,1′-dihydroxylycopene and 3,4,3′,4′-tetrahydrospirilloxanthin. These variations in carotenoid composition suggested that Rpl. roseus and Rpl. serenus had normal substrate specificity of the carotenogenesis enzymes of CrtC (acyclic carotene 1,2-hydratase), CrtD (acyclic carotenoid 3,4-desaturase), and CrtF (acyclic 1-hydroxycarotenoid methyltransferase). On the other hand, CrtC of Rpl. elegans , CrtD of “ Rpl. cryptolactis ”, and CrtC, CrtD, and CrtF of Rpl. pokkaliisoli might have different characteristics from the usual activity of these normal enzymes in the normal spirilloxanthin pathway. These results suggest that the variation of carotenoids among the species of Rhodoplanes results from modified substrate specificity of the carotenogenesis enzymes involved. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0139-y Authors Shinichi Takaichi, Department of Biology, Nippon Medical School, Kawasaki, Japan Ch. Sasikala, JNT University Centre for Environment, Hyderabad, India Ch. V. Ramana, University of Hyderabad, Plant Sciences, Hyderabad, India Keiko Okamura, Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Japan Akira Hiraishi, Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Japan Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Food borne diseases have a major impact on public health whose epidemiology is rapidly changing. The whole cells of pathogens involved or their toxins/metabolites affect the human health apart from spoiling sensory properties of the food products finally affecting the food industry as well as consumer health. With pathogens developing mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, there has been an increased need to replace antibiotics as well as chemical additives with naturally occurring bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are known to act mainly against Gram-positive pathogens and with little or no effect towards Gram-negative enteric bacteria. In the present study, combination effect of lipase and bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium NCIM5363, a highly lipolytic lactic acid bacterium against various food pathogens was assessed. The lipase in combination with enterocin exhibited a lethal effect against Gram-negative pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy studies carried out to ascertain the constitutive mode of action of lipase and enterocin revealed that the lipase degrades the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria and creates a pore through which enterocin enters thereby resulting in cell death. The novelty of this work is the fact that this is the first report revealing the synergistic effect of lipase with enterocin against Gram-negative bacteria. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0138-z Authors Vrinda Ramakrishnan, Department of Food Microbiology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysore, 570 020 Karnataka, India Bhaskar Narayan, Department of Meat, Fish and Poultry Technology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysore, 570 020 Karnataka, India Prakash M. Halami, Department of Food Microbiology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysore, 570 020 Karnataka, India Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Lactobacillus casei AST18 was screened as an antifungal lactic acid bacteria which we have reported before. In this research, the antifungal properties of cell-free culture filtrate (CCF) from L. casei AST18 were detected, and the antifungal compounds of CCF were prepared by ultrafiltration, and semi-preparative HPLC, and then determined by GC–MS. CCF was sensitive to pH and heat treatment but it was not affected by the treatment of trypsin and pepsin. Through the treatment of ultrafiltration and semi-preparative HPLC there were two parts of CCF which showed antifungal activities: part 1 and part 4. Lactic acid was identified as the main antifungal compound in part 1. In part 4, three small molecular substances were detected with GC–MS. The three potential antifungal substances were cyclo-(Leu-Pro), 2,6-diphenyl-piperidine, and 5,10-diethoxy-2,3,7,8-tetrahydro-1 H ,6 H -dipyrrolo[1,2-a;1′,2′-d]pyrazine. The antifungal activity of L. casei AST18 was a synergistic effect of lactic acid and cyclopeptides. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0135-2 Authors Hongjuan Li, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Processing and Quality Control, Institute of Agro-food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Haidian District, P. O. Box 5109, Beijing, 100094 People’s Republic of China Lu Liu, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Processing and Quality Control, Institute of Agro-food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Haidian District, P. O. Box 5109, Beijing, 100094 People’s Republic of China Shuwen Zhang, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Processing and Quality Control, Institute of Agro-food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Haidian District, P. O. Box 5109, Beijing, 100094 People’s Republic of China Wenming Cui, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Processing and Quality Control, Institute of Agro-food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Haidian District, P. O. Box 5109, Beijing, 100094 People’s Republic of China Jiaping Lv, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Processing and Quality Control, Institute of Agro-food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Haidian District, P. O. Box 5109, Beijing, 100094 People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Genome shuffling was applied to increase ABE production of the strict anaerobe C. acetobutylicum CICC 8012. By using physical and chemical mutagenesis, strains with superior streptomycin sulfate, 2-deoxy- d -glucose and butanol tolerance levels were isolated. These strains were used for genome shuffling. The best performing strain F2-GA was screened after two rounds of genome shuffling. With 55 g glucose/l as carbon source, F2-GA produced 22.21 g ABE/l in 72 h and ABE yield reached 0.42 g/g which was about 34.53 % improvement compared to the wild type. Fermentation parameters and gene expression of several key enzymes in ABE metabolic pathways were varied significantly between F2-GA and the wild type. These results demonstrated the potential use of genome shuffling to microbial breeding which were difficult to deal with traditional methods. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0134-3 Authors Xiaofeng Gao, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Hai Zhao, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Guohua Zhang, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Kaize He, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Yanling Jin, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi ( S. typhi ) evades from innate immunity by expression of a variety of pathogenic factors. The “pR ST98 ” plasmid of S. typhi is involved in multidrug-resistant and virulence of S. typhi . However, its exact effect on host cell function remains elusive. Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in shaping immune response against Salmonella . For the purpose of investigation whether pR ST98 might target DCs involved in adaptive immune response, murine DCs were infected with S. typhi wild type and mutant strains. S. typhi stimulation resulted in up-regulation of costimulatory molecules on DCs. S. typhi wild type resulted in decreased up-regulation of CD40, CD80, and CD86 expression. Experiments with S. typhi pR ST98 mutant ( S. typhi -Δ-pR ST98 ) and S. typhi -Δ-pR ST98 with a complemented plasmid encoding pR ST98 ( S. typhi -c-pR ST98 ) revealed that pR ST98 accounts for inhibition of surface molecule expression and functional maturity. S. typhi -Δ-pR ST98 gave maximal levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ release compared with wild type S. typhi or the complemented strains. In contrast to IL-12 and IFN-γ, IL-10 secretion by S. typhi -Δ-pR ST98 -infected DCs was significantly lower than induction by S. typhi wild type. This indicates that immunity in response to pR ST98 is skewed away from a protective Th1 response. Moreover, infection with S. typhi -Δ-pR ST98 induced autophagy in DCs. We herein demonstrate S. typhi pR ST98 plays essential roles in modulating DCs maturation, activation, inflammatory responses, and autophagy. Together, these data prove that pR ST98 targets functions of DCs that are required for T-cell activation. This might contribute to evasion of adaptive immune responses by S. typhi . Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0136-1 Authors Li Wei, Medical College of Soochow University, No. 199, Ren Ai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Shuyan Wu, Medical College of Soochow University, No. 199, Ren Ai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Yuanyuan Li, Medical College of Soochow University, No. 199, Ren Ai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Yuanyuan Chu, Medical College of Soochow University, No. 199, Ren Ai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Rui Huang, Medical College of Soochow University, No. 199, Ren Ai Road, Suzhou, 215123 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Microbial growth in heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems with the subsequent contamination of indoor air is of increasing concern. Microbes and the subsequent biofilms grow easily within heat exchangers. A comparative study where heat exchangers fabricated from antimicrobial copper were evaluated for their ability to limit microbial growth was conducted using a full-scale HVAC system under conditions of normal flow rates using single-pass outside air. Resident bacterial and fungal populations were quantitatively assessed by removing triplicate sets of coupons from each exchanger commencing the fourth week after their installation for the next 30 weeks. The intrinsic biofilm associated with each coupon was extracted and characterized using selective and differential media. The predominant organisms isolated from aluminum exchangers were species of Methylobacterium of which at least three colony morphologies and 11 distinct PFGE patterns we found; of the few bacteria isolated from the copper exchangers, the majority were species of Bacillus. The concentrations and type of bacteria recovered from the control, aluminum, exchangers were found to be dependent on the type of plating media used and were 11,411–47,257 CFU cm −2  per coupon surface. The concentration of fungi was found to average 378 CFU cm −2 . Significantly lower concentrations of bacteria, 3 CFU cm −2 , and fungi, 1 CFU cm −2 , were recovered from copper exchangers regardless of the plating media used. Commonly used aluminum heat exchangers developed stable, mixed, bacterial/fungal biofilms in excess of 47,000 organisms per cm 2  within 4 weeks of operation, whereas the antimicrobial properties of metallic copper were able to limit the microbial load affiliated with the copper heat exchangers to levels 99.97 % lower during the same time period. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0137-0 Authors Michael G. Schmidt, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA Hubert H. Attaway, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA Silva Terzieva, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA Anna Marshall, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA Lisa L. Steed, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA Deborah Salzberg, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA Hameed A. Hamoodi, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA Jamil A. Khan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA Charles E. Feigley, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA Harold. T. Michels, Copper Development Association, New York, NY, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Three strains of Gram-negative bacteria designated strains H2 T , H6, and H7 were isolated from bioreactors that degraded the herbicide hexazinone. Similar morphological characteristics, cellular fatty acid profiles, and 16S rRNA gene sequences show that the isolates are members of the same species. These characteristics also show that the isolates belong to the genus Pseudomonas with P. graminis, P. putida, and P. stutzeri as close relatives. The 16S rRNA gene of the H2 T strain differed from that of type strains for P. graminis, P. putida, and P. stutzeri by 1.9, 2.5, and 2.7 %, respectively, indicating that the H2 T , H6, and H7 strains are related to P. graminis, P. putida, and P. stutzeri but are different enough to represent a novel species. The G+C content of the three strains averaged 61.2 ± 0.8 mol% which is similar to the values reported for P. graminis (61), P. putida (61.6), and P. stutzeri (62.2–65.5) . The major cellular fatty acids present in the H2 T strain were C 18:1 ω7c/C 18:1 ω6c (34.3 %), C 16:1 ω 6 c /C 16:1 ω7c (27.4 %), C 16:0 (20.6 %), C 12:0 (7.9 %), C 12:0 3-OH (4.5 %), and C 10:0 3-OH (3.1 %). The name Pseudomonas kuykendallii sp. nov. is proposed for these bacteria. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0141-4 Authors William J. Hunter, USDA–ARS, 2150-D Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119, USA Daniel K. Manter, USDA–ARS, 2150-D Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119, USA Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Magnetotactic bacteria are a group of prokaryotes capable of sensing and navigating along the earth’s magnetic field. The linear alignment of magnetosomes, which acts as a compass needle for orientation, is dependent on the proteins MamJ (amb0964) & MamK (amb0965). We constructed Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 two-hybrid DNA libraries by fusing the random genomic fragments of AMB-1 to the N-terminal domain of the α-subunit of RNA polymerase in vector pTRG and used as preys. The genes mamJ & mamK were cloned in frame with the λ repressor protein (λ cI) in vector pBT and used as baits for screening the binding partners. After preliminary screening, we further confirmed the candidate interactions between selected protein pairs. The results showed that there were relatively strong interactions between MamK versus Amb3498 (flagella motor switch protein fliM), versus Amb0854 MCPs (signal domain of methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein) and versus Amb3568 (GGDEF domain-containing protein), respectively. MamJ versus Amb1722 (hypothetical protein), MamJ versus MamK, and MamK versus Amb1807 (cation transport ATPase) exhibited low level of interaction. Although the TPR repeat protein MamA (amb0971) showed no interaction with either MamJ or MamK, the TPR repeat protein Amb0024 with more motif sequences exhibited relatively strong interaction with MamK. Among the identified proteins, all categorized as signal transduction-related displayed interaction only with MamK and without MamJ, suggesting that magnetotaxis via MamK in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 might be somehow concerned with the widely accepted chemotaxis mechanism in bacteria. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0099-2 Authors Weidong Pan, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Chunlan Xie, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Jing Lv, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651

Description:    Alkaline phosphatases (APases) play a crucial role in phosphorus (P) metabolism and regulation, but their physiological functions largely remain unclear in cyanobacteria. Here, we identified four putative APase genes, designated as phoA - 709 , phoD1 - 709 , phoD2 - 709 , and phoS - 709 , in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. FACHB 709, and investigated their response to inorganic phosphate (P i ) starvation. With the exception of phoD2 - 709 , three other APase genes were expressed at a constant and relative low level in P i -replete medium, whereas the expression of all four APase genes was elevated in response to P i starvation but phoA - 709 significantly. However, disruption of phoA - 709 did not affect the total APase activity but caused the expressional up-regulation of phoD1 - 709 and phoS - 709 under P i -sufficient and P i -limiting conditions. These suggest that, the four APases of Anabaena sp. FACHB 709 are involved in P metabolism and regulation, and PhoA-709 is the main, yet dispensable, APase. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s00284-012-0101-z Authors Zhaoying Liu, Department of Environment Engineering, School of Environment, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China Chundu Wu, Department of Environment Engineering, School of Environment, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China Journal Current Microbiology Online ISSN 1432-0991 Print ISSN 0343-8651