An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis.

Cyanobacterial taxonomy is facing a period of rapid changes thanks to the ease of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and established workflows for description of new taxa. Since the last comprehensive review of the cyanobacterial system in 2014 until 2021, at least 273 species in 140 genera were newly described. These taxa were mainly placed into previously defined orders and families although several new families were proposed. However, the classification of most taxa still relied on hierarchical relationships inherited from the classical morphological taxonomy. Similarly, the obviously polyphyletic orders such as Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales were left unchanged. In this study, the rising number of genomic sequences of cyanobacteria and well-described reference strains allowed us to reconstruct a robust phylogenomic tree for taxonomic purposes. A less robust but better sampled 16S rRNA gene phylogeny was mapped to the phylogenomic backbone. Based on both these phylogenies, a polyphasic classification throughout the whole phylum of Cyanobacteria was created, with ten new orders and fifteen new families. The proposed system of cyanobacterial orders and families relied on a phylogenomic tree but still employed phenotypic apomorphies where possible to make it useful for professionals in the field. It was, however, confirmed that morphological convergence of phylogenetically distant taxa was a frequent phenomenon in cyanobacteria. Moreover, the limited phylogenetic informativeness of the 16S rRNA gene, resulting in ambiguous phylogenies above the genus level, emphasized the integration of genomic data as a prerequisite for the conclusive taxonomic placement of a vast number of cyanobacterial genera in the future.

Effect of Humic Substances as Feed Additive on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Status, and Health Condition of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822).

In the present study, a possible nature immunostimulant and growth promoter-humic substances (HS) originating from Siberian leonardite mineraloid-were tested on juvenile Clarias gariepinus performance. Feed additive was applied onto commercial pelleted feed at four HS levels-0, 1, 3, and 6% w/w (HS0, HS1, HS3, HS6, respectively). Diets were tested in five repetitions (in total, n = 1800 individuals, mean body weight 28.1 ± 6.2 g) for 56 days. Growth and production parameters, fish condition and somatic indices, and overall mortality were evaluated after 14, 28, 42, and 56 days of exposure. Whereas, plasma samples were collected only after 0, 28, and 56 days, when fish health status was assessed with biochemical parameters (total proteins, TP; alanine aminotransferase, ALT; aspartate aminotransferase, AST; lactate dehydrogenase, LDH; cholesterol, CHOL; triglycerides, TAG) and fish antioxidant status with glutathione (reduced glutathione, GSH; oxidized glutathione, GSSG; glutathione ratio GSH/GSSG). Although a significantly positive effect of HS feed additive on growth performance was not found in the present study, moderately positive effects were found regarding biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, LDH, CHOL, and TAG) and antioxidants (GSH/GSSG ratio) that were improved especially in the HS3 group.

Diversity of cyanobacteria at the Alaska North Slope with description of two new genera: Gibliniella and Shackletoniella.

The diversity of cyanobacteria along the Alaskan North Slope was investigated. We isolated and cultivated 57 strains of cyanobacteria and sequenced a section of their rRNA operon containing a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Here, we describe 17 found species belonging mainly to families Coleofasciculaceae, Microcoleaceae, Oculatellaceae, Leptolyngbyaceae and to the order Synechococcales. In pursuing a conservative polyphasic approach, we utilized suggested thresholds in 16S rRNA gene differences in parallel with morphological differences between new and already described taxa for the description of new species and genera. Based on a combination of morphological, molecular and ecological analysis of collected and cultured strains we describe two genera Gibliniella and Shackletoniella as well as six cyanobacterial species; Cephalothrix alaskaensis, Tildeniella alaskaensis, Pseudophormidium americanum, Leptodesmis alaskaensis, Albertania alaskaensis and Nodosilinea alaskaensis. Here, a polyphasic approach was used to identify eight novel and nine established cyanobacterial taxa from a previously non-investigated region that uncovered a high degree of biodiversity in extreme polar environments.