Genome and Compound Analysis of Sioxanthin-Producing Marine Actinobacterium Micromonospora sp. nov. Strain SH-82 Isolated from Sponge Scopalina hapalia.

Pigments and other secondary metabolites originating from marine microbes have been a promising natural colorants and drugs for multifaceted applications. However, marine actinobacteria producing such natural molecules are least investigated in terms of their taxonomy, chemical diversity and applications in biomedical, textile, and food industries. In this study, sioxanthin pigment-producing Gram-positive actinobacteria, Micromonospora sp. strain SH-82 was isolated from a marine sponge, Scopalina hapalia, and its whole genome was analyzed. Strain SH-82is a prolific producer of diverse chemical molecules as it produced more compounds on A1 medium with different culture conditions. The genome size of SH-82 is 6.24 Mb (6,246,890 bp) carrying 23 identified biosynthetic gene clusters. A total of 5415 CDS, 60 tRNA, 9 rRNA, and 1 tmRNA are identified from SH-82 genome. The GC content (%) of whole genome was 71.6%. Strain SH-82 harbors genes encoding type I, type II, and type III polyketide synthases. Based on the multi-locus sequence analysis and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition, strain SH-82 is confirmed as a novel species. The genetic information of Micromonospora sp. SH-82 has been deposited to NCBI under the BioProject ID PRJNA1087320, with corresponding identifiers in the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) as SAMN40439676 and the Genome accession as CP148049.

Study of oxidation products in aged olive oils by GC and HPLC techniques coupled to mass spectrometry to discriminate olive oil lipid substances in archaeological artifacts from ancient Taormina (Italy).

The identification of archaeological biomarkers is one of the main objectives of analytical chemistry in the archaeological field. However, no information is currently available on biomarkers able to unambiguously indicate the presence of olive oil, a cornerstone of Mediterranean ancient societies lifestyle, in an organic residue. This study aims to bridge this gap by a thorough characterization of the degradation products of extra-virgin olive oils (EVOOs) resulting from in-lab thermal oxidative treatments, with the primary goal of revealing potential archaeological biomarkers for olive oil. Thirty-three EVOOs sourced from eleven different monocultivars across five Italian regions (Sicily, Apulia, Lazio, Tuscany, and Liguria) and Spain, were analyzed before and after thermal oxidation. In addition, an identical thermal treatment was employed on pure triglyceride standards (triolein, trilinolein, and tristearin), due to the high concentration of their fatty acids in EVOO discerning their degradation patterns. A combination of analytical strategies was employed, including HPLC-MS and HPLC-ELSD for the complete evaluation of the intact lipids (triglycerides, diglycerides, and their oxidative species) in olive oils before and after oxidation, and HS-SPME-GC-MS and GC-FID for the characterization of secondary oxidation products formed by the thermal treatment. In addition, to elucidate the fatty acid distribution in the oxidized EVOOs by GC-MS and GC-FID techniques a derivatization step was performed to convert lipid compounds into trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. A chemometric approach was used to thoroughly interpret the data obtained from intact and oxidized samples. This comprehensive investigation sheds light on the chemical transformations of EVOOs under thermal oxidative conditions and indicates mono-carboxylic acids such as pentanoic, hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic, nonanoic, and decanoic acids as potential archaeological biomarkers for the presence of lipid substances coming from olive oil in archaeological organic residues. Finally, lipid contents from twenty-four real archaeological samples, grouped in amphorae (10), unguentaria (5), and lamps (9), excavated from the Roman domus of Villa San Pancrazio in Taormina (Italy), were determined. The analytical results obtained from amphorae samples revealed the presence of the selected olive oil-specific archaeological biomarkers, an information extremely interesting considering that this type of amphorae have so far been solely associated with the storage of wine.

Profiling of seized Cannabis sativa L. flowering tops by means of microwave-assisted hydro distillation and gas chromatography analyses.

This research aimed to support police forces in their battle against illicit drug trafficking by means of a multi-technique approach, based on gas chromatography. In detail, this study was focused on the profiling of volatile substances in narcotic Cannabis sativa L. flowering tops. For this purpose, the Scientific Investigation Department, RIS Carabinieri of Messina, provided 25 seized samples of Cannabis sativa L. The content of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), useful to classify cannabis plant as hemp (≤ 0.2 %) or as marijuana (> 0.2 %), was investigated. Essential oils of illicit drug samples were extracted using a microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MAHD) system; GC-MS and GC-FID analytical techniques were used for the characterization of the terpenes and terpenoids fingerprint. Furthermore, the enantiomeric and carbon isotopic ratios of selected chiral compounds were investigated using a heart-cutting multidimensional GC (MDGC) approach. The latter exploited a combination of an apolar column in the first dimension, and a chiral cyclodextrin-based column in the second one, prior to parallel isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (C-IRMS) and MS detection. Finally, all the data were gathered into a statistical model, to demonstrate the existence of useful parameters to be used for the classification of seized samples.

Measurement of short-chain fatty acids in human plasma by means of fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A rapid and practicable analytical method for the measurement of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in human plasma was developed. The extraction procedure involved the use of acidified water and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), while the separation and detection of SCFAs, including acetic, propionic, and butyric acids was carried out by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The novelty of the research involves reducing the analysis time (less than 7 min) by using the novel fast GC-MS method. A narrow-bore GC capillary column of dimensions 30 m × 0.25 mm ID × 0.25 µm df with acid-modified poly(ethylene glycol) stationary phase was employed for the chromatographic separation. The signals of target compounds were acquired in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode monitoring a quantifier ion (Q) and two qualifier ions (q1 and q2). Linearity of the method, limits of detection (LoD) and quantification (LoQ) were evaluated. In detail, regression coefficients of the calibration curves were between 0.9960 and 0.9933; LoDs ranged from 0.02 µM to 0.03 µM, while LoQs from 0.06 µM to 0.10 µM.

Lipids in Archaeological Pottery: A Review on Their Sampling and Extraction Techniques.

Several studies have been performed so far for the effective recovery, detection and quantification of specific compounds and their degradation products in archaeological materials. According to the literature, lipid molecules are the most durable and widespread biomarkers in ancient pottery. Artificial ageing studies to simulate lipid alterations over time have been reported. In this review, specific lipid archaeological biomarkers and well-established sampling and extraction methodologies are discussed. Although suitable analytical techniques have unraveled archaeological questions, some issues remain open such as the need to introduce innovative and miniaturized protocols to avoid extractions with organic solvents, which are often laborious and non-environmentally friendly.