Leaching and antimicrobial properties of silver nanoparticles loaded onto natural zeolite clinoptilolite by ion exchange and wet impregnation.

This study aimed to compare the leaching and antimicrobial properties of silver that was loaded onto the natural zeolite clinoptilolite by ion exchange and wet impregnation. Silver ions were reduced using sodium borohydride (NaBH4). The leaching of silver from the prepared silver-clinoptilolite (Ag-EHC) nanocomposite samples and their antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli Epi 300 were investigated. It was observed that the percentage of silver loaded onto EHC depended on the loading procedure and the concentration of silver precursor used. Up to 87% of silver was loaded onto EHC by wet impregnation. The size of synthesized silver nanoparticles varied between 8.71-72.67 nm and 7.93-73.91 nm when silver was loaded by ion exchange and wet impregnation, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the prepared nanocomposite samples was related to the concentration of silver precursor used, the leaching rate and the size of silver nanoparticles obtained after reduction. However, only in the case of the nanocomposite sample (Ag-WEHC) obtained after loading 43.80 ± 1.90 µg of Ag per gram zeolite through wet impregnation was the leaching rate lower than 0.1 mg L-1 limit recommended by WHO, with an acceptable microbial killing effect.

Metagenomic analysis of the viral community in Namib Desert hypoliths.

Hypolithic microbial communities are specialized desert communities inhabiting the underside of translucent rocks. Here, we present the first study of the viral fraction of these communities isolated from the hyperarid Namib Desert. The taxonomic composition of the hypolithic viral communities was investigated and a functional assessment of the sequences determined. Phylotypic analysis showed that bacteriophages belonging to the order Caudovirales, in particular the family Siphoviridae, were most prevalent. Functional analysis and comparison with other metaviromes revealed a relatively high frequency of cell wall-degrading enzymes, ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) and phage-associated genes. Phylogenetic analyses of terL and phoH marker genes indicated that many of the sequences were novel and distinct from known isolates, and the class distribution of the RNRs suggests that this is a novel environment. The composition of the viral hypolith fraction containing many Bacillus-infecting phages was not completely consistent with Namib hypolith phylotypic surveys of the bacterial hosts, in which the cyanobacterial genus Chroococcidiopsis was found to be dominant. This could be attributed to the lack of sequence information about hypolith viruses/bacteria in public databases or the possibility that hypolithic communities incorporate viruses from the surrounding soil.

Evidence of novel plant-species specific ammonia oxidizing bacterial clades in acidic South African fynbos soils.

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are essential in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen as they catalyze the rate-limiting oxidation of ammonia into nitrite. Since their first isolation in the late 19th century, chemolithoautotrophic AOBs have been identified in a wide range of natural (e.g., soils, sediments, estuarine, and freshwaters) and man created or impacted habitats (e.g., wastewater treatment plants and agricultural soils). However, little is known on the plant-species association of AOBs, particularly in the nutrient-starved fynbos terrestrial biome. In this study, we evaluated the diversity of AOBs in the plant canopy of three South African fynbos-specific plant species, namely Leucadendron xanthoconus, Leucospermum truncatulum and Leucadendron microcephalum, through the construction of amoA-gene clone libraries. Our results clearly demonstrate that plant-species specific and monophyletic AOB clades are present in fynbos canopy soils.

Structure and functional characterization of pyruvate decarboxylase from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial pyruvate decarboxylases (PDC) are rare. Their role in ethanol production and in bacterially mediated ethanologenic processes has, however, ensured a continued and growing interest. PDCs from Zymomonas mobilis (ZmPDC), Zymobacter palmae (ZpPDC) and Sarcina ventriculi (SvPDC) have been characterized and ZmPDC has been produced successfully in a range of heterologous hosts. PDCs from the Acetobacteraceae and their role in metabolism have not been characterized to the same extent. Examples include Gluconobacter oxydans (GoPDC), G. diazotrophicus (GdPDC) and Acetobacter pasteutrianus (ApPDC). All of these organisms are of commercial importance. RESULTS: This study reports the kinetic characterization and the crystal structure of a PDC from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (GdPDC). Enzyme kinetic analysis indicates a high affinity for pyruvate (K M 0.06 mM at pH 5), high catalytic efficiencies (1.3 • 10(6) M(-1) • s(-1) at pH 5), pHopt of 5.5 and Topt at 45°C. The enzyme is not thermostable (T½ of 18 minutes at 60°C) and the calculated number of bonds between monomers and dimers do not give clear indications for the relatively lower thermostability compared to other PDCs. The structure is highly similar to those described for Z. mobilis (ZmPDC) and A. pasteurianus PDC (ApPDC) with a rmsd value of 0.57 Å for Cα when comparing GdPDC to that of ApPDC. Indole-3-pyruvate does not serve as a substrate for the enzyme. Structural differences occur in two loci, involving the regions Thr341 to Thr352 and Asn499 to Asp503. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study of the PDC from G. diazotrophicus (PAL5) and lays the groundwork for future research into its role in this endosymbiont. The crystal structure of GdPDC indicates the enzyme to be evolutionarily closely related to homologues from Z. mobilis and A. pasteurianus and suggests strong selective pressure to keep the enzyme characteristics in a narrow range. The pH optimum together with reduced thermostability likely reflect the host organisms niche and conditions under which these properties have been naturally selected for. The lack of activity on indole-3-pyruvate excludes this decarboxylase as the enzyme responsible for indole acetic acid production in G. diazotrophicus.

High-level diversity of tailed phages, eukaryote-associated viruses, and virophage-like elements in the metaviromes of antarctic soils.

The metaviromes of two distinct Antarctic hyperarid desert soil communities have been characterized. Hypolithic communities, cyanobacterium-dominated assemblages situated on the ventral surfaces of quartz pebbles embedded in the desert pavement, showed higher virus diversity than surface soils, which correlated with previous bacterial community studies. Prokaryotic viruses (i.e., phages) represented the largest viral component (particularly Mycobacterium phages) in both habitats, with an identical hierarchical sequence abundance of families of tailed phages (Siphoviridae > Myoviridae > Podoviridae). No archaeal viruses were found. Unexpectedly, cyanophages were poorly represented in both metaviromes and were phylogenetically distant from currently characterized cyanophages. Putative phage genomes were assembled and showed a high level of unaffiliated genes, mostly from hypolithic viruses. Moreover, unusual gene arrangements in which eukaryotic and prokaryotic virus-derived genes were found within identical genome segments were observed. Phycodnaviridae and Mimiviridae viruses were the second-most-abundant taxa and more numerous within open soil. Novel virophage-like sequences (within the Sputnik clade) were identified. These findings highlight high-level virus diversity and novel species discovery potential within Antarctic hyperarid soils and may serve as a starting point for future studies targeting specific viral groups.

Balancing redox cofactor generation and ATP synthesis: key microaerobic responses in thermophilic fermentations.

Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius is a Gram-positive, thermophilic bacterium capable of ethanologenic fermentation of both C5 and C6 sugars and may have possible use for commercial bioethanol production [Tang et al., 2009; Taylor et al. (2009) Trends Biotechnol 27(7): 398-405]. Little is known about the physiological changes that accompany a switch from aerobic (high redox) to microaerobic/fermentative (low redox) conditions in thermophilic organisms. The changes in the central metabolic pathways in response to a switch in redox potential were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR and proteomics. During low redox (fermentative) states, results indicated that glycolysis was uniformly up-regulated, the Krebs (tricarboxylic acid or TCA) cycle non-uniformly down-regulated and that there was little to no change in the pentose phosphate pathway. Acetate accumulation was accounted for by strong down-regulation of the acetate CoA ligase gene (acs) in addition to up-regulation of the pta and ackA genes (involved in acetate production), thus conserving ATP while reducing flux through the TCA cycle. Substitution of an NADH dehydrogenase (down-regulated) by an up-regulated NADH:FAD oxidoreductase and up-regulation of an ATP synthase subunit, alongside the observed shifts in the TCA cycle, suggested that an oxygen-scavenging electron transport chain likely remained active during low redox conditions. Together with the observed up-regulation of a glyoxalase and down-regulation of superoxide dismutase, thought to provide protection against the accumulation of toxic phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates and reactive oxygen species, respectively, the changes observed in G. thermoglucosidasius NCIMB 11955 under conditions of aerobic-to-microaerobic switching were consistent with responses to low pO(2) stress.

Hypolithic and soil microbial community assembly along an aridity gradient in the Namib Desert.

The Namib Desert is considered the oldest desert in the world and hyperarid for the last 5 million years. However, the environmental buffering provided by quartz and other translucent rocks supports extensive hypolithic microbial communities. In this study, open soil and hypolithic microbial communities have been investigated along an East-West transect characterized by an inverse fog-rainfall gradient. Multivariate analysis showed that structurally different microbial communities occur in soil and in hypolithic zones. Using variation partitioning, we found that hypolithic communities exhibited a fog-related distribution as indicated by the significant East-West clustering. Sodium content was also an important environmental factor affecting the composition of both soil and hypolithic microbial communities. Finally, although null models for patterns in microbial communities were not supported by experimental data, the amount of unexplained variation (68-97 %) suggests that stochastic processes also play a role in the assembly of such communities in the Namib Desert.

Selection of diazotrophic bacterial communities in biological sand filter mesocosms used for the treatment of phenolic-laden wastewater.

Agri effluents such as winery or olive mill wastewaters are characterized by high phenolic concentrations. These compounds are highly toxic and generally refractory to biodegradation. Biological sand filters (BSFs) represent inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and sustainable wastewater treatment systems which rely vastly on microbial catabolic processes. Using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism, this study aimed to assess the impact of increasing concentrations of synthetic phenolic-rich wastewater, ranging from 96 mg L(-1) gallic acid and 138 mg L(-1) vanillin (i.e., a total chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 234 mg L(-1)) to 2,400 mg L(-1) gallic acid and 3,442 mg L(-1) vanillin (5,842 mg COD L(-1)), on bacterial communities and the specific functional diazotrophic community from BSF mesocosms. This amendment procedure instigated efficient BSF phenolic removal, significant modifications of the bacterial communities, and notably led to the selection of a phenolic-resistant and less diverse diazotrophic community. This suggests that bioavailable N is crucial in the functioning of biological treatment processes involving microbial communities, and thus that functional alterations in the bacterial communities in BSFs ensure provision of sufficient bioavailable nitrogen for the degradation of wastewater with a high C/N ratio.

Biogeography of bacterial communities in hot springs: a focus on the actinobacteria.

Actinobacteria are ubiquitous in soil, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Although various studies have focused on the microbial ecology of this phylum, data are scant on the ecology of actinobacteria endemic to hot springs. Here, we have investigated the molecular diversity of eubacteria, with specific focus on the actinobacteria in hot springs in Zambia, China, New Zealand and Kenya. Temperature and pH values at sampling sites ranged between 44.5 and 86.5 °C and 5-10, respectively. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis of 16S rRNA gene T-RFLP patterns showed that samples could be separated by geographical location. Multivariate analysis showed that actinobacterial community composition was best predicted by changes in pH and temperature, whereas temperature alone was the most important variable explaining differences in bacterial community structure. Using 16S rRNA gene libraries, 28 major actinobacterial OTUs were found. Both molecular techniques indicated that many of the actinobacterial phylotypes were unique and exclusive to the respective sample. Collectively, these results support the view that both actinobacterial diversity and endemism are high in hot spring ecosystems.

A novel, extremely alkaliphilic and cold-active esterase from Antarctic desert soil.

A novel, cold-active and highly alkaliphilic esterase was isolated from an Antarctic desert soil metagenomic library by functional screening. The 1,044 bp gene sequence contained several conserved regions common to lipases/esterases, but lacked clear classification based on sequence analysis alone. Moderate (<40%) amino acid sequence similarity to known esterases was apparent (the closest neighbour being a hypothetical protein from Chitinophaga pinensis), despite phylogenetic distance to many of the lipolytic "families". The enzyme functionally demonstrated activity towards shorter chain p-nitrophenyl esters with the optimal activity recorded towards p-nitrophenyl propionate (C3). The enzyme possessed an apparent T(opt) at 20°C and a pH optimum at pH 11. Esterases possessing such extreme alkaliphily are rare and so this enzyme represents an intriguing novel locus in protein sequence space. A metagenomic approach has been shown, in this case, to yield an enzyme with quite different sequential/structural properties to known lipases. It serves as an excellent candidate for analysis of the molecular mechanisms responsible for both cold and alkaline activity and novel structure-function relationships of esterase activity.

Extremophiles in biofuel synthesis.

The current global energy situation has demonstrated an urgent need for the development of alternative fuel sources to the continually diminishing fossil fuel reserves. Much research to address this issue focuses on the development of financially viable technologies for the production of biofuels. The current market for biofuels, defined as fuel products obtained from organic substrates, is dominated by bioethanol, biodiesel, biobutanol and biogas, relying on the use of substrates such as sugars, starch and oil crops, agricultural and animal wastes, and lignocellulosic biomass. This conversion from biomass to biofuel through microbial catalysis has gained much momentum as biotechnology has evolved to its current status. Extremophiles are a robust group of organisms producing stable enzymes, which are often capable of tolerating changes in environmental conditions such as pH and temperature. The potential application of such organisms and their enzymes in biotechnology is enormous, and a particular application is in biofuel production. In this review an overview of the different biofuels is given, covering those already produced commercially as well as those under development. The past and present trends in biofuel production are discussed, and future prospects for the industry are highlighted. The focus is on the current and future application of extremophilic organisms and enzymes in technologies to develop and improve the biotechnological production of biofuels.

Cloning, expression and characterization of thermostable YdaP from Bacillus licheniformis 9A.

The Bacillus licheniformis ydaP gene encodes for a pyruvate oxidase that catalyses the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetate and CO2. The YdaP form of this enzyme was purified about 48.6-folds to homogeneity in three steps. The enzyme was recovered in a soluble form and demonstrated significant activity on pyruvate using 2, 6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) as an artificial electron acceptor. HPLC analysis of the YdaP-enzyme catalysed conversion of pyruvate showed acetate as the sole product, confirming the putative identity of pyruvate oxidase. Analysis of the substrate specificity showed that the YdaP enzyme demonstrated preference for short chain oxo acids; however, it was activated by 1% Triton X-100. The YdaP substrate-binding pocket from the YdaP protein differed substantially from the equivalent site in all of the so far characterized pyruvate oxidases, suggesting that the B. licheniformis YdaP might accept different substrates. This could allow more accessibility of large substrates into the active site of this enzyme. The thermostability and pH activity of the YdaP enzyme were determined, with optimums at 50ºC and pH 5.8, respectively. The amino acid residues forming the catalytic cavity were identified as Gln460 to Ala480.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Antarctic Polyextremophile Nesterenkonia sp. Strain AN1.

Nesterenkonia sp. strain AN1 was isolated from Antarctic soil and is a polyextremophile, being tolerant of low temperatures, high salt concentrations, and high alkalinity. Here we report the draft genome sequence of this strain.

Selection of Clostridium spp. in biological sand filters neutralizing synthetic acid mine drainage.

In this study, three biological sand filter (BSF) were contaminated with a synthetic iron- [1500 mg L⁻¹ Fe(II), 500 mg L⁻¹ Fe(III)] and sulphate-rich (6000 mg L⁻¹ SO4²â») acid mine drainage (AMD) (pH = 2), for 24 days, to assess the remediation capacity and the evolution of autochthonous bacterial communities (monitored by T-RFLP and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries). To stimulate BSF bioremediation involving sulphate-reducing bacteria, a readily degradable carbon source (glucose, 8000 mg L⁻¹) was incorporated into the influent AMD. Complete neutralization and average removal efficiencies of 81.5 (±5.6)%, 95.8 (±1.2)% and 32.8 (±14.0)% for Fe(II), Fe(III) and sulphate were observed, respectively. Our results suggest that microbial iron reduction and sulphate reduction associated with iron precipitation were the main processes contributing to AMD neutralization. The effect of AMD on BSF sediment bacterial communities was highly reproducible. There was a decrease in diversity, and notably a single dominant operational taxonomic unit (OTU), closely related to Clostridium beijerinckii, which represented up to 65% of the total community at the end of the study period.

Niche-dependent genetic diversity in Antarctic metaviromes.

The metaviromes from 2 different Antarctic terrestrial soil niches have been analyzed. Both hypoliths (microbial assemblages beneath transluscent rocks) and surrounding open soils showed a high level diversity of tailed phages, viruses of algae and amoeba, and virophage sequences. Comparisons of other global metaviromes with the Antarctic libraries showed a niche-dependent clustering pattern, unrelated to the geographical origin of a given metavirome. Within the Antarctic open soil metavirome, a putative circularly permuted, ∼42kb dsDNA virus genome was annotated, showing features of a temperate phage possessing a variety of conserved protein domains with no significant taxonomic affiliations in current databases.

Micro-eukaryotic diversity in hypolithons from miers valley, antarctica.

The discovery of extensive and complex hypolithic communities in both cold and hot deserts has raised many questions regarding their ecology, biodiversity and relevance in terms of regional productivity. However, most hypolithic research has focused on the bacterial elements of the community. This study represents the first investigation of micro-eukaryotic communities in all three hypolith types. Here we show that Antarctic hypoliths support extensive populations of novel uncharacterized bryophyta, fungi and protists and suggest that well known producer-decomposer-predator interactions may create the necessary conditions for hypolithic productivity in Antarctic deserts.

Evidence of species recruitment and development of hot desert hypolithic communities.

Hypoliths, photosynthetic microbial assemblages found underneath translucent rocks, are widely distributed within the western region of the Namib Desert and other similar environments. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis was used to assess the bacterial community structure of hypoliths and surrounding soil (below and adjacent to the hypolithic rock) at a fine scale (10 m radius). Multivariate analysis of T-RFs showed that hypolithic and soil communities were structurally distinct. T-RFLP-derived operational taxonomic units were linked to 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Applying the ecological concept of 'indicator species', six and nine indicator lineages were identified for hypoliths and soil, respectively. Hypolithic communities were dominated by cyanobacteria affiliated to Pleurocapsales, whereas actinobacteria were prevalent in the soil. These results are consistent with the concept of species sorting and suggest that the bottom of the quartz rocks provides conditions suitable for the development of discrete and demonstrably different microbial assemblages. However, we found strong evidence for neutral assembly processes, as almost 90% of the taxa present in the hypoliths were also detected in the soil. These results suggest that hypolithons do not develop independently from microbial communities found in the surrounding soil, but selectively recruit from local populations.

Understanding physiological responses to pre-treatment inhibitors in ethanologenic fermentations.

Alcohol-based liquid fuels feature significantly in the political and social agendas of many countries, seeking energy sustainability. It is certain that ethanol will be the entry point for many sustainable processes. Conventional ethanol production using maize- and sugarcane-based carbohydrates with Saccharomyces cerevisiae is well established, while lignocellulose-based processes are receiving growing interest despite posing greater technical and scientific challenges. A significant challenge that arises from the chemical hydrolysis of lignocellulose is the generation of toxic compounds in parallel with the release of sugars. These compounds, collectively termed pre-treatment inhibitors, impair metabolic functionality and growth. Their removal, pre-fermentation or their abatement, via milder hydrolysis, are currently uneconomic options. It is widely acknowledged that a more cost effective strategy is to develop resistant process strains. Here we describe and classify common inhibitors and describe in detail the reported physiological responses that occur in second-generation strains, which include engineered yeast and mesophilic and thermophilic prokaryotes. It is suggested that a thorough understanding of tolerance to common pre-treatment inhibitors should be a major focus in ongoing strain engineering. This review is a useful resource for future metabolic engineering strategies.

Abiotic factors influence microbial diversity in permanently cold soil horizons of a maritime-associated Antarctic Dry Valley.

The McMurdo Dry Valleys collectively comprise the most extensive ice-free region in Antarctica and are considered one of the coldest arid environments on Earth. In low-altitude maritime-associated valleys, mineral soil profiles show distinct horizontal structuring, with a surface arid zone overlying a moist and biologically active zone generated by seasonally melted permafrost. In this study, long-term microenvironmental monitoring data show that temperature and soil humidity regimes vary in the soil horizons of north- and south-facing slopes within the Miers Valley, a maritime valley in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. We found that soil bacterial communities varied from the north to the south. The microbial assemblages at the surface and shallow subsurface depths displayed higher metabolic activity and diversity compared to the permafrost soil interface. Multivariate analysis indicated that K, C, Ca and moisture influenced the distribution and structure of microbial populations. Furthermore, because of the large % RH gradient between the frozen subsurface and the soil surface we propose that water transported to the surface as water vapour is available to microbial populations, either as a result of condensation processes or by direct adsorption from the vapour phase.

Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks.

The Antarctic continent is frequently cited as the last pristine continent on Earth. However, this view is misleading for several reasons. First, there has been a rapid increase in visitors to Antarctica, with large increases at research bases and their environs and to sites of major tourist interest (e.g. historical sites and concentrations of megafauna). Second, although substantial efforts are made to avoid physical disturbance and contamination by chemical, human and other wastes at these sites, little has been done to prevent the introduction of non-indigenous microorganisms. Here, we analyse the extent and significance of anthropogenic introduction of microbial 'contaminants' to the Antarctic continent. We conclude that such processes are unlikely to have any immediate gross impact on microbiological community structure or function, but that increased efforts are required to protect the unique ecosystems of Antarctica from microbial and genetic contamination and homogenisation.