Streptomyces camelliae sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere soil of Camellia oleifera Abel.

A novel actinobacterium strain, designated HUAS 2-6 T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Camellia oleifera Abel collected from Taoyuan County, Northwestern Hunan Province, South China. This strain was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain HUAS 2-6 T is characterized by morphology typical of members of the genus Streptomyces, with deep purplish vinaceous aerial mycelia and deep dull lavender substrate mycelia. Strain HUAS 2-6 T, based on the full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, exhibited the highest similarities to S. puniciscabiei S77T (99.31%), S. filipinensis NBRC 12860 T (99.10%), S. yaanensis CGMCC 4.7035 T (99.09%), S. fodineus TW1S1T (99.08%), S. broussonetiae CICC 24819 T (98.76%), S. achromogenes JCM 4121 T (98.69%), S. barringtoniae JA03T (98.69%), and less than 98.70% with other validly species. In phylogenomic tree, strain HUAS 2-6 T was clustered together with S. broussonetiae CICC 24819 T, suggesting that they were closely related to each other. However, average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (dDDH) between them were much less than the species cutoff values (ANI 96.7% and dDDH 70%). Moreover, in phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain HUAS 2-6 T is distinct from S. broussonetiae CICC 24819 T. On the basis of the polyphasic data, strain HUAS 2-6 T is proposed to represent a novel species, Streptomyces camelliae sp. nov. (= MCCC 1K04729T = JCM 35918 T).

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Sedum bulbiferum (Crassulaceae).

Sedum bulbiferum is a traditional medicinal plant in China, with few reports on its chloroplast genome. In this study, the chloroplast genome of Sedum bulbiferum was characterized, and its phylogenetic position among other closely related species was studied. The results showed that the full length of the chloroplast genome was 150,074 bp, containing a large single-copy (LSC) region and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 81,730 and 16,726 bp, respectively, as well as two inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 25,809 bp like other plants. A total of 128 genes were found, including 83 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Sedum bulbiferum is closely related to Sedum emarginatum, Sedum alfredii, Sedum tricarpum, Sedum plumbizincicola, and Sedum sarmentosum.

Proposal of Lentzea deserti (Okoro et al. 2010) Nouioui et al. 2018 as a later heterotypic synonym of Lentzea atacamensis (Okoro et al. 2010) Nouioui et al. 2018 and an emended description of Lentzea atacamensis.

The taxonomic relationship of Lentzea atacamensis and Lentzea deserti were re-evaluated using comparative genome analysis. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the type strains of L. atacamensis and L. deserti shared 99.7% sequence similarity. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between the genomes of two type strains were 88.6% and 98.8%, respectively, greater than the two recognized thresholds values of 70% dDDH and 95-96% ANI for bacterial species delineation. These results suggested that L. atacamensis and L. deserti should share the same taxonomic position. And this conclusion was further supported by similar phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features between them. Therefore, we propose that L. deserti is a later heterotypic synonym of L. atacamensis.

A novel method for estimating the focal size of two confocal high-intensity focused ultrasound transducers.

Estimating the focal size and position of a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer remains a challenge since traditional methods, such as hydrophone scanning or schlieren imaging, cannot tolerate high pressures, are directional, or provide low resolution. The difficulties increase when dealing with the complex beam pattern of a multielement HIFU transducer array, e.g., two transducers facing each other. In the present study we show a novel approach to the visualization of the HIFU focus by using shockwave-generated bubbles and a diagnostic B-mode scanner. Bubbles were generated and pushed by shock waves toward the HIFU beam, and were trapped in its pressure valleys. These trapped bubbles moved along the pressure valleys and thereby delineated the shape and size of the HIFU beam. The main and sidelobes of 1.1- and 3.5 MHz HIFU beams were clearly visible, and could be measured with a millimeter resolution. The combined foci could also be visualized by observing the generation of sustained inertial cavitation and enhanced scattering. The results of this study further demonstrate the possibility of reducing the inertial cavitation threshold by the local introduction of shock wave-generated bubbles, which might be useful when bubble generation and cavitation-related bioeffects are intended within a small region in vivo.