Genomic insights revealed the environmental adaptability of Planococcus halotolerans Y50 isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The Tibetan Plateau niche provides unprecedented opportunities to find microbes that are functional and commercial significance. The present study investigated the physiological and genomic characteristics of Planococcus halotolerans Y50 that was isolated from a petroleum-contaminated soil sample from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and it displayed psychrotolerant, antiradiation, and oil-degraded characteristics. Whole genome sequencing indicated that strain Y50 has a 3.52 Mb genome and 44.7% G + C content, and it possesses 3377 CDSs. The presence of a wide range of UV damage repair genes uvrX and uvsE, DNA repair genes radA and recN, superoxide dismutase, peroxiredoxin and dioxygenase genes provided the genomic basis for the adaptation of the plateau environment polluted by petroleum. Related experiments also verified that the Y50 strain could degrade n-alkanes from C11-C23, and approximately 30% of the total petroleum at 25 °C within 7 days. Meanwhile, strain Y50 could withstand 5 × 103 J/m2 UVC and 10 KGy gamma ray radiation, and it had strong antioxidant and high radical scavengers for superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and DPPH. In addition, pan-genome analysis and horizontal gene transfers revealed that strains with different niches have obtained various genes through horizontal gene transfer in the process of evolution, and the more similar their geographical locations, the more similar their members are genetically and ecologically. In conclusion, P. halotolerans Y50 possesses high potential of applications in the bioremediation of alpine hydrocarbons contaminated environment.

The wild-type flagellar filament of the Firmicute Kurthia at 2.8 Å resolution in vivo.

Bacteria swim and swarm by rotating the micrometers long, helical filaments of their flagella. They change direction by reversing their flagellar rotation, which switches the handedness of the filament's supercoil. So far, all studied functional filaments are composed of a mixture of L- and R-state flagellin monomers. Here we show in a study of the wild type Firmicute Kurthia sp., that curved, functional filaments can adopt a conformation in vivo that is closely related to a uniform, all-L-state. This sheds additional light on transitions of the flagellar supercoil and uniquely reveals the atomic structure of a wild-type flagellar filament in vivo, including six residues showing clearly densities of O-linked glycosylation.

Bacterial Growth in Chloride and Perchlorate Brines: Halotolerances and Salt Stress Responses of Planococcus halocryophilus.

Extraterrestrial environments encompass physicochemical conditions and habitats that are unknown on Earth, such as perchlorate-rich brines that can be at least temporarily stable on the martian surface. To better understand the potential for life in these cold briny environments, we determined the maximum salt concentrations suitable for growth (MSCg) of six different chloride and perchlorate salts at 25°C and 4°C for the extremotolerant cold- and salt-adapted bacterial strain Planococcus halocryophilus. Growth was measured through colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, while cellular and colonial phenotypic stress responses were observed through visible light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Our data show the following: (1) The tolerance to high salt concentrations can be increased through a stepwise inoculation toward higher concentrations. (2) Ion-specific factors are more relevant for the growth limitation of P. halocryophilus in saline solutions than single physicochemical parameters like ionic strength or water activity. (3) P. halocryophilus shows the highest microbial sodium perchlorate tolerance described so far. However, (4) MSCg values are higher for all chlorides compared to perchlorates. (5) The MSCg for calcium chloride was increased by lowering the temperature from 25°C to 4°C, while sodium- and magnesium-containing salts can be tolerated at 25°C to higher concentrations than at 4°C. (6) Depending on salt type and concentration, P. halocryophilus cells show distinct phenotypic stress responses such as novel types of colony morphology on agar plates and biofilm-like cell clustering, encrustation, and development of intercellular nanofilaments. This study, taken in context with previous work on the survival of extremophiles in Mars-like environments, suggests that high-concentrated perchlorate brines on Mars might not be habitable to any present organism on Earth, but extremophilic microorganisms might be able to evolve thriving in such environments.

The stimulatory effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and plant growth regulators on wheat physiology grown in sandy soil.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth regulators (PGRs) on the physiology and yield of wheat grown in less fertile sandy soil. The isolated PGPR strains were identified by 16S-rRNA gene sequencing as Planomicrobium chinense (P1), Bacillus cereus (P2) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (P3). Wheat varieties (Galaxy-13 and Pak-2013) differing in sensitivity to drought were soaked in fresh cultures of bacterial isolates and the PGRs (salicylic acid and putrescine) were sprayed at 150 mg/L on seedlings at three leaf stage. PGPR and PGRs treated plants showed significant increase in the contents of chlorophyll, sugar and protein even under harsh environmental conditions. Drought stress enhanced the production of proline, antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation but a decrease was noted in the biochemical content (i.e. chlorophyll, protein and sugar) of inoculated plants. PGPR inoculation also significantly enhanced the yield parameters (i.e. plant height, spike length, grain yield and weight) and improved the fertility status of sandy soil. The accumulation of macronutrient, total NO3-N and P concentration and soil moisture content of rhizosphere soil was also enhanced by PGPRs inoculation. It is concluded that the combined effects of PGPR and PGRs have profound effects on the biochemical responses and drought tolerance of wheat grown in sandy soils.

Biodetoxification of Phenolic Inhibitors from Lignocellulose Pretreatment using Kurthia huakuii LAM0618T and Subsequent Lactic Acid Fermentation.

Phenolic inhibitors generated during alkaline pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomasses significantly hinder bacterial growth and subsequent biofuel and biochemical production. Water rinsing is an efficient method for removing these compounds. Nevertheless, this method often generates a great amount of wastewater, and leads to the loss of solid fiber particles and fermentable sugars. Kurthia huakuii LAM0618T, a recently identified microorganism, was herein shown to be able to efficiently transform phenolic compounds (syringaldehyde, hydroxybenzaldehyde, and vanillin) into less toxic acids. Taking advantage of these properties, a biodetoxification method was established by inoculating K. huakuii LAM0618T into the NH3/H2O2-pretreated unwashed corn stover to degrade phenolic inhibitors and weak acids generated during the pretreatment. Subsequently, 33.47 and 17.91 g/L lactic acid was produced by Bacillus coagulans LA204 at 50 °C through simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) from 8% (w/w) of NH3/H2O2-pretreated corn stover with or without K. huakuii LAM0618T-biodetoxification, indicating biodetoxification significantly increased lactic acid titer and yield. Importantly, using 15% (w/w) of the NH3/H2O2-pretreated K. huakuii LAM0618T-biodetoxified corn stover as a substrate through fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, high titer and high yield of lactic acid (84.49 g/L and 0.56 g/g corn stover, respectively, with a productivity of 0.88 g/L/h) were produced by Bacillus coagulans LA204. Therefore, this study reported the first study on biodetoxification of alkaline-pretreated lignocellulosic material, and this biodetoxification method could replace water rinsing for removal of phenolic inhibitors and applied in biofuel and biochemical production using the alkaline-pretreated lignocellulosic bioresources.

Characterization of AiiK, an AHL lactonase, from Kurthia huakui LAM0618T and its application in quorum quenching on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

N-Acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) act as the key quorum sensing (QS) signal molecules in gram-negative bacteria, which coordinates gene expression and then activates various processes, including biofilm formation and production of virulence factors in some pathogens. Quorum quenching (QQ), which is the inactivation of the signal molecules by means of enzymatic degradation or modification, inhibits the processes of QS rather than killing the pathogens and is a promising antipathogenic strategy to control the bacterial pathogens. In this study, an AHL lactonase gene (named aiiK) was cloned from Kurthia huakuii LAM0618T and the AHL lactonase AiiK was expressed by Escherichia coli. AiiK exhibits a variable substrate spectrum and efficient degradation of the AHL compounds. The enzyme assays demonstrated that AiiK behaves as an AHL lactonase that can hydrolyze the lactone bond of the AHLs. The total hydrolytic efficiency of AiiK for C10-HSL is 3.9 s-1·mM-1. AiiK can also maintain 20% activity after 12 h incubation at 37 °C and demonstrate great resistance to α-chymotrypsin, trypsin, and protease K. Furthermore, AiiK significantly inhibits the biofilm formation and attenuates extracellular proteolytic activity and pyocyanin production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which indicates the potential application of AiiK as a biocontrol agent or an anti-pathogenic drug.

A phytobeneficial strain Planomicrobium sp. MSSA-10 triggered oxidative stress responsive mechanisms and regulated the growth of pea plants under induced saline environment.

AIMS: The study was planned to characterize Planomicrobium sp. MSSA-10 for plant-beneficial traits and to evaluate its inoculation impact on physiology of pea plants under different salinity levels. METHODS AND RESULTS: Strain MSSA-10 was isolated from pea rhizosphere and identified by the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence. The strain demonstrated phosphate solubilization and auxin production up to 2 mol l-1 NaCl and exhibited 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity up to 1·5 mol l-1 salt. In an inoculation experiment under different salinity regimes, a significant increase in growth was observed associated with decreased levels of reactive oxygen species and enhanced antioxidative enzyme activities. The strain also promoted the translocation of nutrients in plants with subsequent increase in chlorophyll and protein contents as compared to noninoculated plants. It has been observed that rifampicin-resistant derivatives of MSSA-10 were able to survive for 30 days at optimum cell density with pea rhizosphere. CONCLUSION: Growth-stimulating effect of MSSA-10 on pea plants may be attributed to its rhizosphere competence, nutrient mobilization and modulation of plant oxidative damage repair mechanisms under saline environment. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Planomicrobium sp. MSSA-10 might be used as potent bioinoculant to relieve pea plants from deleterious effects of salinity.

Bioemulsifier (BE-AM1) produced by Solibacillus silvestris AM1 is a functional amyloid that modulates bacterial cell-surface properties.

A novel estuarine bacterial strain, Solibacillus silvestris AM1, produces an extracellular, thermostable and fibrous, glycoprotein bioemulsifier (BE-AM1). The amyloid nature of the bioemulsifier (BE-AM1) was confirmed by biophysical techniques (Congo red based polarization microscopy, ThioflavinS based fluorescent microscopy, fibrous arrangement in transmission electron microscopy and secondary structure measurement by FTIR and CD spectrum analysis). Cell-bound BE-AM1 production by S. silvestris AM1 during the mid-logarithmic phase of growth coincided with a decrease in cell surface hydrophobicity, and an increase in cell autoaggregation and biofilm formation. It was observed that the total interfacial interaction energy ([Formula: see text]) for the surface of the bioemulsifier producing S. silvestris AM1 and different derivatized surfaces of polystyrene (silanized and sulfonated) was found to support biofilm formation. This study has revealed that the BE-AM1, a bacterial bioemulsifier, is a functional amyloid and has a role in biofilm formation and cell surface modulation in S. silvestris AM1.

Draft genome sequence of Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain thermo-BF, isolated from Ramsar hot springs in Iran.

Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain Thermo-BF is an aerobic, thermophilic bacillus which has been characterized to biosynthesize gold nanoparticles. Here we present the draft genome sequence of Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain Thermo-BF which consists of a 2,864,162-bp chromosome. This is the first report of a shotgun sequenced draft genome of a species in the Ureibacillus genus.

Genome sequence of the Antarctic psychrophile bacterium Planococcus antarcticus DSM 14505.

Planococcus antarcticus DSM 14505 is a psychrophile bacterium that was isolated from cyanobacterial mat samples, originally collected from ponds in McMurdo, Antarctica. This orange-pigmented bacterium grows at 4°C and may possess interesting enzymatic activities at low temperatures. Here we report the first genomic sequence of P. antarcticus DSM 14505.

Jeotgalibacillus soli sp. nov., a Gram-stain-positive bacterium isolated from soil.

A Gram-staining-positive, motile, rod-shaped, spore-forming bacterium, designated P9(T), was isolated from soil in Portugal. This organism was aerobic and catalase- and oxidase-positive. It had an optimum growth temperature of about 35 °C and an optimum growth pH of about 8.0-8.5, and grew in medium with 0-9% (w/v) NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan was of the A1α type, with L-lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7) and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C(15:0) (45.4%), iso-C(15:0) (22.0%) and anteiso-C(17:0) (11.2%). The genomic DNA G+C content was about 39.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain P9(T) was most closely related to Jeotgalibacillus campisalis DSM 18983(T) (96.8%) and Jeotgalibacillus marinus DSM 1297(T) (96.5%). These two recognized species formed a coherent cluster with strain P9(T) that was supported by a bootstrap value of 99%. On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis and physiological and biochemical characteristics, strain P9(T) (=DSM 23228(T)=LMG 25523(T)) represents a novel species of the genus Jeotgalibacillus, for which the name Jeotgalibacillus soli sp. nov. is proposed.

The draft genome of Planococcus donghaensis MPA1U2 reveals nonsporulation pathways controlled by a conserved Spo0A regulon.

The Planococcaceae are extreme survivors, having been cultured from environments such as deep sea sediments, marine solar salterns, glaciers, permafrost, Antarctic deserts, and sea ice brine. The family contains both sporulating and nonsporulating genera. Here we present the unclosed, draft genome sequence of Planococcus donghaensis strain MPA1U2, a nonsporulating psychrotrophic bacterium isolated from surface coastal water of the Pacific Ocean.

Jeotgalibacillus soli sp. nov., isolated from non-saline forest soil, and emended description of the genus Jeotgalibacillus.

A Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming, motile, catalase- and oxidase-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain JSM 081008(T), was isolated from non-saline forest soil in China. Strain JSM 081008(T) was able to grow with 0-20% (w/v) NaCl, at pH 6.0-10.5 and at 10-45 degrees C; optimum growth was observed with 2-5% (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7.0-8.0 and at 30-35 degrees C. The peptidoglycan type was A1alpha linked directly through L-Lys. The major cellular fatty acids (>10% of the total) were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0 and C16:0. The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7 and the genomic DNA G + C content of the strain was 42.6 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain JSM 081008(T) should be assigned to the genus Jeotgalibacillus and was related most closely to the type strains of Jeotgalibacillus alimentarius (sequence similarity 99.4%) and Jeotgalibacillus salarius (97.0%), followed by Jeotgalibacillus campisalis (95.4%) and Jeotgalibacillus marinus (95.2%). The combination of phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA relatedness values, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic data supports the view that strain JSM 081008(T) represents a novel species of the genus Jeotgalibacillus, for which the name Jeotgalibacillus soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JSM 081008(T) (=DSM 22174(T) = KCTC 13528(T)). An emended description of the genus Jeotgalibacillus is also presented.