Paracoccus aerius sp. nov., isolated from air.

Strain 011410T, isolated from air at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain, Beijing, China, was Gram-reaction-negative, facultatively anaerobic, oval-shaped, motile with two flagella and catalase- and oxidase-positive. Growth of strain 011410T was observed at 4-41 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 4.5-10.0 (optimum, pH 8.0) and at salinities of 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0-2 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 011410T was a member of the genus Paracoccus and was related most closely to Paracoccus aestuarii B7T (96.62 % similarity) and Paracoccus sediminis CMB17T (96.48 % similarity). The major fatty acid was identified as C18 : 1ω7c, with smaller amounts of C18 : 0, C10 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 2 (C14 : 0 3-OH and/or iso-C16 : 1 I). The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10), with Q-9 as a minor component. Polar lipid analysis indicated the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, one unknown phosphoglycolipid, five unknown phospholipids, one unknown aminolipid, one unknown glycolipid and two unknown polar lipids. The DNA G+C content of the strain was 63.5 mol%. On the basis of the data from this polyphasic characterization, strain 011410T represents a novel species, for which the name Paracoccus aerius sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 011410T (=CFCC 14285T=KCTC 42845T).

Leucobacter corticis sp. nov., isolated from symptomatic bark of Populus × euramericana canker.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated 2C-7T, was isolated from symptomatic bark of a Populus × euramericana canker. Growth occurred between 10 and 37 °C and between pH 6 and 10, with optimal growth at 30 °C and pH 7.0-8.0. Growth was present under 0-8 % (w/v) salinity conditions (optimum 1-2 %). Growth occurred in the presence of 10 mM chromium (Cr6+). The major fatty acids (≥10 %) of the novel strain were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid, glycolipid and two unknown lipids. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-11. The cell wall amino acids were 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine. Strain 2C-7T was most similar to Leucobacter celer subsp. celer NAL101T (97.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), 'Leucobacter kyeonggiensis' F3-P9T (97.1 %) and Leucobacter chromiireducens L-1T (97.1 %). In the phylogenetic tree, the isolate formed a single distinct branch separate from those of L. celer subsp. celer NAL101T, 'L. kyeonggiensis' F3-P9T and Leucobacter chironomi DSM 19883T. The DNA-DNA hybridization values between the novel strain and the reference strains were lower than the accepted bacterial threshold level of 70 % for species delineation. The DNA G+C content of strain 2C-7T was 70.0 mol%. Based on the data, strain 2C-7T represents a novel species in the genus Leucobacter, for which the name Leucobacter corticis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 2C-7T (=CFCC 11901T=KCTC 39643T).

Wohlfahrtiimonas populi sp. nov., isolated from symptomatic bark of a Populus × euramericana canker.

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, bacterial strain, 34C10-3-10T, was isolated from symptomatic bark tissue of a Populus ×euramericana canker. The isolate could grow between 10 and 37 °C, at pH 5 to 11, and in 0-3 % (w/v) NaCl. The strain was oxidase and catalase positive. The ubiquinone of strain 34C10-3-10T was Q-8. The polar lipid profile of strain 34C10-3-10T included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phospholipid, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine; the major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C14 : 0 and C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain 34C10-3-10T and the type strains of reference species Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica S5T and Wohlfahrtiimonas larvae KBL006T were lower than the proposed species boundary cut-off for ANI. The DNA G+C content was 37.1 mol%. Based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain 34C10-3-10T represents a novel species of genus Wohlfahrtiimonas; the name Wohlfahrtiimonas populi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 34C10-3-10T (=CFCC 12747T=KCTC 52796T).

Sphingobacterium populi sp. nov., isolated from bark of Populus × euramericana.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile bacterial strain, 7Y-4T, was isolated from bark tissue of Populus × euramericana. The isolate was able to grow between 10 and 37 °C, with optimal growth occurring at 28-30 °C. Strain 7Y-4T was positive for oxidase and catalase activities, but did not reduce nitrite from nitrate. Positive reactions were observed for the activities of ß-galactosidase, urease and ß-glucosidase, but negative reactions for the activities of gelatinase and the production of indole, acetoin and H2S. Citrate was not utilized. The major fatty acids of strain 7Y-4T are iso-C15 : 0 (28.6 %), C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c (31.8 %) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (23.3 %).The major polar lipids of the novel isolate include phosphatidylethanolamine, three unknown phospholipids (PL1-3) and six unknown lipids (L1-6), and the predominant menaquinone is MK-7. The DNA G+C content is 41.7 mol%. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the novel isolate shared the greatest sequence similarity with Sphingobacterium hotanense XH4T (93.50 %). On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain 7Y-4T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium populi is proposed. The type strain is 7Y-4T (=CFCC 11742T=KCTC 42247T).

Leucobacter populi sp. nov. isolated from a symptomatic bark of Populus × euramericana canker.

A Gram-stain positive, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive bacterial strain, designated 06C10-3-11T, was isolated from the symptomatic bark of a Populus × euramericana canker. Growth occurred at 10-45 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 6-11 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.0), 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0-1 %) and in the presence of 20 mM Cr (VI). The major fatty acids (≥10 %) of the novel strain were identified as anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0 and iso-C16:0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid, glycolipid and two unknown lipids. The strain contained the respiratory quinone MK-10 (71 %) as a major component and MK-11 (29 %) in lesser amounts. The cell wall amino acids were 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine. The genomic DNA G+C content of the type strain was 69.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, indicated that strain 06C10-3-11T belongs to the genus Leucobacter, showing the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Leucobacter celer NAL101T (96.19 %), 'Leucobacter kyeonggiensis' F3-P9T (96.18 %), Leucobacter denitrificans M1T8B10T (96.10 %) and Leucobacter aridicollis CIP 108388T (96.06 %). The DNA G+C content of strain 06C10-3-11T was 69.8 mol%. Based on the molecular data and physiological and biochemical characteristics, strain 06C10-3-11T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Leucobacter, for which the name Leucobacterpopuli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 06C10-3-11T (= CFCC 12199T = KCTC 39685T).

Description of Altererythrobacter aerius sp. nov., isolated from air, and emended description of the genus Altererythrobacter.

A Gram-stain-negative, yellow-pigmented, ovoid to rod-shaped, strictly aerobic bacterial strain, designated 100921-2T, was isolated from air at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain. Phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis of the organism revealed that the isolate belongs to the genus Altererythrobacter. Strain 100921-2T showed high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (96.01-94.70 %) to other type strains of the genus Altererythrobacter, with the highest similarity to Altererythrobactermarensis MSW-14T. Growth of strain 100921-2T was observed at 4-50 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 4.5-10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and at salinities of 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0-0.5 %). The major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c (27.8 %), C17 : 1ω6c (23.1 %), 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c(11.9 %), summed feature 3 (9.1 %) and C15 : 0 2-OH (7.9 %). The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). Polar lipid analysis indicated the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, two unknown phospholipids, five unknown polar lipids and two unknown glycolipids. The DNA G+C content of the type strain was 67.5 mol%. On the basis of the data from the polyphasic characterization, strain 100921-2T represents a novel species, for which the name Altererythrobacter aerius sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 100921-2T (=CFCC 14287T=KCTC 42844T).

Multilocus sequence analysis of the genus Kurthia, and a description of Kurthia populi sp. nov.

Four novel bacterial strains belonging to the genus Kurthia were isolated from the surface of a weevil of the family Curculionidae (strain 10y-14T), and from bark samples of hybrid poplar, Populus × euramericana (strains 6-3, 2-5 and 06C10-3-14), in Puyang, Henan Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) data showed that the four strains form a distinct cluster in the genus Kurthia, indicating that they all belong to a single taxon within the genus. DNA-DNA hybridization levels between strain 10y-4T and Kurthia huakuii LAM0618T and Kurthia massiliensis DSM 24639T were 58.31 and 53.92 %, respectively. This indicates that the four novel strains represent a species distinct from these two closely related species. The DNA G+C content of the novel strains was 42.1-42.6 %. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0.The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unknown phospholipid and unidentified aminophospholipids. The predominant menaquinones were MK-7 (90 %) and MK-6 (10 %). The major cell-wall amino acids were lysine, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine. On the basis of the MLSA and 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogenetic analyses, DNA-DNA reassociation values, DNA base composition, and biochemical and phenotypic characteristics, the four strains are considered to represent a novel species within the genus Kurthia, for which the name Kurthia populi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 10y-14T ( = CFCC 11600T = KCTC 33522T).

Brenneria populi sp. nov., isolated from symptomatic bark of Populus×euramericana canker.

Five Gran-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, bacterial strains were isolated from symptomatic bark tissue of Populus×euramericana canker. Strains grew at 4-41 °C, pH 4-10 and 0-6 % (w/v) salinity. They were positive with respect to catalase activity and negative for oxidase activity, nitrate reduction and the Voges-Proskauer reaction. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that these five poplar isolates belong to the genus Brenneria, having highest sequence similarity of 95.98 % with Brenneria goodwinii LMG 26270(T). These five isolates formed a single cluster based on multilocus sequence analysis, indicating that they all belong to a single taxon within the genus Brenneria, which was confirmed by DNA-DNA hybridization. The DNA G+C content was 54.9-55.7 mol%, and the main fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω7c, C17 : 0 cyclo and C16 : 1ω7c/iso-C15 : 0 2-OH. Based on these results, we describe a novel species of the genus Brenneria with the proposed name Brenneria populi sp. nov. The type strain is D9-5(T) ( = CFCC 11963(T) = KCTC 42088(T)).

Lampropedia puyangensis sp. nov., isolated from symptomatic bark of Populus × euramericana canker and emended description of Lampropedia hyalina (Ehrenberg 1832) Lee et al. 2004.

A Gram-stain negative, Neisser-stain negative, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, slimy, glossy bacterial strain with single or clustered coccoid cells and white colony colour, designated as 2-bin(T), was isolated from cankered bark tissue of Populus × euramericana. The strain was found to grow at 15-40 °C and pH 5-10, with an optimum of 30 °C and pH 8.0. The strain was found to be negative with respect to catalase and positive for oxidase activity, nitrate reduction and Voges-Proskauer reaction. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence data indicated that the isolate belongs to the genus Lampropedia, having sequence similarity of 96.24 % with Lampropedia hyalina ATCC11041(T). DNA-DNA relatedness of strain 2-bin(T) with L. hyalina JCM 21380(T) was 26.7 ± 4.6 %. The DNA G+C content of strain 2-bin(T) was determined to be 57 % and the major cellular fatty acids were identified as C16:0, C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c and C18:1 ω7c. The polar lipid profile of strain 2-bin(T) was found to contain diphosphatidylglycerol, a glycolipid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, a phospholipid, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine and three unidentified lipids (L1, L2, L3). Based on molecular data and physiological and biochemical characteristics, strain 2-bin(T) is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Lampropedia, for which the name Lampropedia puyangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 2-bin(T) (= CFCC 10925(T) = KCTC 32235(T)).

Microglial activation in the medial prefrontal cortex after remote fear recall participates in the regulation of auditory fear extinction.

Excessive or inappropriate fear responses can lead to anxiety-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies have shown that microglial activation occurs after fear conditioning and that microglial inhibition impacts fear memory. However, the role of microglia in fear memory recall remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the activated profiles of microglia after the recall of remote-cued fear memory and the role of activated microglia in the extinction of remote-cued fear in adult male C57BL/6 mice. The results revealed that the expression of the microglia marker Iba1 increased in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) at 10 min and 1 h following remote-cued fear recall, which was accompanied by amoeboid morphology. Inhibiting microglial activation through PLX3397 treatment before remote fear recall did not affect recall, reconsolidation, or regular extinction but facilitated recall-extinction and mitigated spontaneous recovery. Moreover, our results demonstrated reduced co-expression of Iba1 and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) in the mPFC, along with decreases in the p-PI3K/PI3K ratio, p-Akt/Akt ratio, and KLF4 expression after PLX3397 treatment. Our results suggest that microglial activation after remote fear recall impedes fear extinction through the pruning of synapses in the mPFC, accompanied by alterations in the expression of the PI3K/AKT/KLF4 pathway. This finding can help elucidate the mechanism involved in remote fear extinction, contributing to the theoretical foundation for the intervention and treatment of PTSD.

CK2 negatively regulates the extinction of remote fear memory.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, rooted in exposure therapy, is currently the primary approach employed in the treatment of anxiety-related conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In laboratory settings, fear extinction in animals is a commonly employed technique to investigate exposure therapy; however, the precise mechanisms underlying fear extinction remain elusive. Casein kinase 2 (CK2), which regulates neuroplasticity via phosphorylation of its substrates, has a significant influence in various neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, as well as in the process of learning and memory. In this study, we adopted a classical Pavlovian fear conditioning model to investigate the involvement of CK2 in remote fear memory extinction and its underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that the activity of CK2 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice was significantly upregulated after extinction training of remote cued fear memory. Notably, administration of the CK2 inhibitor CX-4945 prior to extinction training facilitated the extinction of remote fear memory. In addition, CX-4945 significantly upregulated the expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB in the mPFC. Our results suggest that CK2 negatively regulates remote fear memory extinction, at least in part, by inhibiting the ERK-CREB pathway. These findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of remote cued fear extinction, thereby offering a theoretical foundation and identifying potential targets for the intervention and treatment of PTSD.

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus detection and analysis system based on CRISPR - Cas12.

Pine wilt disease is caused by the pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and leads to wilting and death of pines. It is one of the most damaging diseases of pines worldwide. Therefore, accurate and rapid detection methods are of great importance for the control of B. xylophilus. Traditional detection methods have some problems, such as being time-consuming and requiring expensive instruments. In this study, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) were used to establish a set of intelligent detection and analysis system for B. xylophilus, called LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a analysis, which integrated field sampling, rapid detection and intelligent control analysis. The process can be completed within 1 hour, from sample pretreatment and detection to data analysis. Compared with the single LAMP method, the LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a assay uses species-specific fluorescence cleavage to detect target amplicons. This process confirms the amplicon identity, thereby avoiding false-positive results from non-specific amplicons, and the large amounts of irrelevant background DNA do not interfere with the reaction. The LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a assay was applied to 46 pine wood samples and the samples carrying B. xylophilus nematodes were successfully identified. To meet the needs of different environments, we designed three methods to interpret the data: 1) naked eye interpretation; 2) lateral flow biosensor assay; and 3) integrated molecular analysis system to standardize and intellectualize the detection process. Application of the B. xylophilus detection and analysis system will reduce the professional and technical requirements for the operating environment and operators and help to ensure the accuracy of the detection results, which is important in grass-root B. xylophilus detection institutions.

Hippocampal LASP1 ameliorates chronic stress-mediated behavioral responses in a mouse model of unpredictable chronic mild stress.

Substantial evidence has revealed that abnormalities in synaptic plasticity play important roles during the process of depression. LASP1 (LIM and SH3 domain protein 1), a member of actin-binding proteins, has been shown to be associated with the regulation of synaptic plasticity. However, the role of LASP1 in the regulation of mood is still unclear. Here, using an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) paradigm, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of LASP1 were decreased in the hippocampus of stressed mice and that UCMS-induced down-regulation of LASP1 was abolished by chronic administration of fluoxetine. Adenosine-associated virus-mediated hippocampal LASP1 overexpression alleviated the UCMS-induced behavioral results of forced swimming test and sucrose preference test in stressed mice. It also restored the dendritic spine density, elevated the levels of AKT (a serine/threonine protein kinase), phosphorylated-AKT, insulin-like growth factor 2, and postsynaptic density protein 95. These findings suggest that LASP1 alleviates UCMS-provoked behavioral defects, which may be mediated by an enhanced dendritic spine density and more activated AKT-dependent LASP1 signaling, pointing to the antidepressant role of LASP1.

The Role of miR-150 in Stress-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior in Mice.

Stress plays a crucial role in several psychiatric disorders, including anxiety. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we used acute stress (AS) and chronic restraint stress (CRS) models to develop anxiety-like behavior and investigate the role of miR-150 in the hippocampi of mice. Corticosterone levels as well as glutamate receptors in the hippocampus were evaluated. We found that anxiety-like behavior was induced after either AS or CRS, as determined by the open-field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze test (EPM). Increased corticosterone levels were observed in the blood of AS and CRS groups, while the expression of miR-150 mRNA in the hippocampus was significantly decreased. The expressions of GluN2A, GluR1, GluR2, and V-Glut2 in the hippocampus were decreased after either AS or CRS. Hippocampal GAD67 expression was increased by AS but not CRS, and GluN2B expression was decreased by CRS but not AS. Adult miR-150 knockout mice showed anxiety-like behavior, as assessed by the OFT and EPM. The expressions of GluN2A, GluN2B, GluR1, and GluR2 were also downregulated, but the expression of V-Glut2 was upregulated in the hippocampi of miR-150 knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. Interestingly, we found that the miR-150 knockout mice showed decreased dendrite lengths, dendrite branchings, and numbers of dendrite spines in the hippocampus compared with wild-type mice. These results suggest that miR-150 may influence the synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus and play a significant role in stress-induced anxiety-like behavior in adult mice.

Acute restraint stress alters food-foraging behavior in rats: Taking the easier Way while suffered.

Stress can influence decision-making in humans from many cognitive perspectives, while the underlying neurobiological mechanism remains incompletely understood. Food-foraging is a rodent behavior involving strategic possessing of nutritional supply in social context; experimental model of this behavior could help explore the effect of stress on decision-making and the brain mechanism thereof. In the present study, the influence of stress on food-foraging behavior was assessed in rats using an open field choosing paradigm wherein food collection (standard food or sweet food) were associated with social competition (with or without a rat in the cage). Acute restraint stress (ARS) was induced by placing the rat in a plastic restrainer for 2 h before food-foraging behavioral tests, with the effect of stress also determined biochemically and immunohistochemically. Restraint stressed rats showed anxiety-like behavior and elevation of serum corticosterone (CORT) and epinephrine (EPI) relative to controls. Both restraint and control animals preferred sugared food. However, the former group tended to forage food from a cage not occupied by a conspecific rat, whereas the control rats preferred to obtain food from the cage with a social competitor. Thus, the total amount of food foraged and eaten are reduced in the restrained rats than in controls. While the restraint animals had normal social interaction with other rats, they displayed enhanced social agonistic behavior. In brain examination, ARS attenuated the increase in immunolabeling and protein levels of c-fos, p-CREB, p-ERK1/2 in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) observed in control animals in association with food-foraging. These results indicate that restraint stressed rats tend to forage food by taking the advantage of a less competitive opportunity. Mechanistically, this decision-making alternative appears to be mediated through a neuronal deactivation in the ACC. The current findings provide novel insights into neuronal processing of decision-making behavior under the influence of stress.