Identification of non-canonical antagonistic bacteria via interspecies contact-dependent killing.

BACKGROUND: Canonical biocontrol bacteria were considered to inhibit pathogenic bacteria mainly by secreting antibiotic metabolites or enzymes. Recent studies revealed that some biocontrol bacteria can inhibit pathogenic bacteria through contact-dependent killing (CDK) mediated by contact-dependent secretion systems. The CDK was independent of antibiotic metabolites and often ignored in normal biocontrol activity assay. RESULTS: In this study, we aimed to use a pathogen enrichment strategy to isolate non-canonical bacteria with CDK ability. Rhizosphere soil samples from Chinese cabbage showing soft rot symptom were collected and Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc), the pathogen of cabbage soft rot, were added into these samples to enrich bacteria which attached on Pcc cells. By co-culture with Pcc, four bacteria strains (named as PcE1, PcE8, PcE12 and PcE13) showing antibacterial activity were isolated from Chinese cabbage rhizosphere. These four bacteria strains showed CDK abilities to different pathogenic bacteria of horticultural plants. Among them, PcE1 was identified as Chryseobacterium cucumeris. Genome sequencing showed that PcE1 genome encoded a type VI secretion system (T6SS) gene cluster. By heterologous expression, four predicted T6SS effectors of PcE1 showed antibacterial activity to Escherichia coli. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study isolated four bacteria strains with CDK activity to various horticultural plant pathogens, and revealed possible involvement of T6SS of Chryseobacterium cucumeris in antibacterial activity. These results provide valuable insight for potential application of CDK activity in biocontrol bacteria. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Persistent organochlorine residues in sediments of Haihe River and Dagu Drainage River in Tianjin, China.

Persistent organochlorine compounds were analyzed by means of GC-ECD in surface sediment samples from two selected rivers in Tianjin, Haihe River and Dagu Drainage River. A total of 16 surface sediment sites were selected along the both rivers. The frequency of detection of T-HCH and T-DDT in sediment samples both was up to 100%, which illustrated that the contamination of HCH and DDT was widespread in Haihe and Dagu Drainage Rivers. Results indicated that the concentrations of various pesticides in sediments from Haihe River were in the range of 3.30-75.96 ng/g dw for T-HCH and 1.57-211.57 ng/g dw for T-DDT. Compared with Haihe River, Dagu Drainage River was contaminated by HCHs and DDTs along the all locations and the values of T-HCH and T-DDT residues in sediments ranged from 2.30 to 124.61 ng/g dw and from 11.28 to 237.30 ng/g dw, respectively. The possible pollution sources were analyzed through monitoring results of organochlorine pesticides(OCPs) residues in sediments from the two rivers. The investigation also indicated that HCH was still used as pesticide in Tianjin partial area.