Winogradskyella pelagia sp. nov., isolated from coastal sediment.

An orange-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-flagellated and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain DF17T, was isolated from coastal sediment collected from Jingzi Wharf, Weihai, PR China. The optimal growth conditions were determined to be at 30 °C, pH 7.5, and in 3 % (w/v) NaCl. According to phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain DF17T showed the highest sequence similarity of 96.9 % to Winogradskyella aquimaris KCTC 23502T. The DNA G+C content was 35.8 mol%, and the major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The major polar lipids were two aminoglycolipids, one phosphatidylethanolamine and four unidentified lipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6 (MK-6). The average nucleotide identity, digital DNA-DNA hybridization, and amino acid identity values between strain DF17T and other Winogradskyella species were below the species delineation thresholds of 69.35-72.95 %, 16.9-19.6 % and 71.25-78.93 %, respectively. On the basis of its phenotypic, genetic and physiological characteristics, strain DF17T is suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella, for which the name Winogradskyella pelagia sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DF17T (MCCC 1H00456T=KCTC 82421T).

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Marinobacterium weihaiense sp. nov. and Marinobacterium marinum sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment, and genomic properties of the genus Marinobacterium.

In this study, two novel bacterial strains were isolated from coastal sediment of Weihai, China. The two strains were Gram-stain-negative and facultatively aerobic, designated 3-1745T and A346T. Based on phenotypic, genetic and phylogenetic properties, strains 3-1745T and A346T represent two novel species of the genus Marinobacterium. The results of genome analysis revealed many central carbohydrate metabolism pathways such as gluconeogenesis, pyruvate oxidation, tricyclic acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway and PRPP biosynthesis in the genus Marinobacterium. The ability of strains 3-1745T and A346T to utilize volatile fatty acids was experimentally confirmed. Polyhydroxyalkanoate synthases (PhaA, PhaB and PhaC) for the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates were prevalent in the genus Marinobacterium. Multiple BGCs (biosynthetic gene clusters) including betalactone, ectoine, ranthipeptide, redox-cofactor, RiPPs (ribosomally synthesized post-translationally modified peptides) and T3PKS (polyketide synthases) in the genome of the genus Marinobacterium were found. Additional genome analyses suggested that the genus Marinobacterium contained diverse potential mechanisms of salt tolerance and mainly utilized oligosaccharides. This is the first report on broad genomic analyses of the genus Marinobacterium with the description of two novel species and potential ecological and biotechnological implications.

Fulvivirga sedimenti sp.nov, isolated from the sediment of oceanic tidal zone.

A yellow-orange, rod-shaped (0.3-0.4 × 2.2-3.8 µm), Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, atrichous bacterium, designated strain 1062T, was isolated from tidal zone sediment collected from Xiaoshi Island, Weihai, Shandong Province, China. Growth of strain 1062T occurred at 15-43 °C (optimum, 37 °C), pH 6.0-9.5 (optimum, pH 7.5) and with 0.5-7.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.0-3.0%). Nitrate was not reduced to nitrite or nitrogen. Positive for catalase and oxidase activity, as well as the hydrolysis of casein, DNA, starch and Tweens 20, 40, 60, but negative for hydrolysis of alginate, CM-cellulose, agar and Tweens 80. The 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons indicated that strain 1062T had a sequence similarity of 96.2% with Fulvivirga lutimaris KCTC 42720T and 94.3% with Fulvivirga kasyanovii KCTC 12832T. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain 1062T belonged to the genus Fulvivirga. The genomic DNA G + C content was 45.1 mol%. The ANI values of strain 1062T in comparison to F. kasyanovii KCTC 12832T and F. lutimaris KCTC 42720T were all lower than 70%. The dDDH values of strain 1062T in comparison to F. kasyanovii KCTC 12832T and F. lutimaris KCTC 42720T were all lower than 20%. The average amino acid identity values of strain 1062T in comparison to F. kasyanovii KCTC 12832T and F. lutimaris KCTC 42720T were all lower than 60%. The major fatty acids (> 5%) of strain 1062T were iso-C15:0, iso-C15:0 G, iso-C15:0 3OH, iso-C17:0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c/C16:1ω6c). The polar lipids consist of an aminolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidyglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. Based on the results of physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the strain 1062T (= KCTC 72868T = MCCC 1H00499T) was identified as a new species of the genus Fulvivirga and the name Fulvivirga sedimenti sp. nov, is proposed.

Description and Genomic Characterization of Oceaniferula flavus sp. nov., a Novel Potential Polysaccharide-Degrading Candidate of the Difficult-to-Cultivate Phylum Verrucomicrobiota Isolated from Seaweed.

A novel strain, isolate 5K15T, which belongs to difficult-to-cultivate phylum Verrucomicrobiota, was recovered from kelp collected from Li Island, Rongcheng, China. The genome sequence of the strain (genome size 3.95 Mbp) showed the presence of four putative biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), namely, two terpene biosynthetic gene clusters, one aryl polyene biosynthetic cluster, and one type III PKS cluster. Genomic analysis revealed 79 sulfatase-encoded genes, 24 sulfatase-like hydrolase/transferase-encoded genes, and 25 arylsulfatase-encoded genes, which indicated the great potential of 5K15T to degrade sulfated polysaccharides. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the novel strain was most closely related to Oceaniferula marina N1E253T (96.4%). On the basis of evidence from a polyphasic study, it is proposed that the strain 5K15T (= KCTC 82748T = MCCC 1H00442T = SDUM 810003T) be classified as Oceaniferula flavus sp. nov. The strain has the ability of carbohydrate transport and metabolism. This ability allows it to survive in carbohydrate-rich materials such as kelp. It has the potential to be used in the marine drug industry using seaweed.

Maribellus maritimus sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment.

A novel facultatively anaerobic and Gram-stain-negative bacterial strain, designated 5E3T, was isolated from intertidal sediments of Xiaoshi Island of Weihai, People's Republic of China. Cells of strain 5E3T were long rod-shaped with widths of 0.3-0.5 µm and lengths of 4.0-6.0 µm. Optimum growth of strain 5E3T occurred at 33 °C, pH 6.5-7.0 and with 3% (w/v) NaCl. Oxidase activity was negative but catalase activity was weakly positive. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain 5E3T was most closely related to 'Maribellus comscasis' WC007 (99.5%), followed by M. sediminis MCCC 1K04285T (95.9%) and M. luteus XSD2T (95.6%). Genome comparisons between strain 5E3T and strain 'M. comscasis' WC007, using average nucleotide identity (ANI) value (93.0%) and DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) value (50.1%), confirmed low genome relatedness. The major cellular fatty acids (≥ 10%) were iso-C15:0 and iso-C17:0 3-OH. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-7. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), one unidentified aminolipid (AL) and three unidentified lipids (L1, L2, L3). The DNA G + C content was 37.9 mol%. According to the integrated results of phylogenetic, physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, we propose that strain 5E3T represents a novel species of the genus Maribellus, for which the name Maribellus maritimus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 5E3T (= KCTC 82744T = MCCC 1H00473T).

Genome-wide transcriptome profiling provides insights into panicle development of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Panicle architecture is an important component of agronomic trait in rice, which is also a key ingredient that could influence yield and quality of rice. In the panicle growth and development process, there are a series of complicated molecular and cellular events which are regulated by many interlinking genes. In this study, to explore the potential mechanism and identify genes and pathways involved in the formation of rice panicle, we compared the transcriptional profile of rice panicles (NIL-GW8 and NIL-gw8Amol) at three different stages of panicle development: In5 (formation of higher-order branches), In6 (differentiation of glumes) and In7 (differentiation of floral organs). A range of 40.5 to 54.1 million clean reads was aligned to 31,209 genes in our RNA-Seq analysis. In addition, we investigated transcriptomic changes between the two rice lines during different stages. A total of 726, 1121 and 2584 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at stages 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Based on an impact analysis of the DEGs, we hypothesize that MADS-box gene family, cytochrome P450 (CYP) and pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein and various transcription factors may be involved in regulation of panicle development. Further, we also explored the functional properties of DEGs by gene ontology analysis, and the results showed that different numbers of DEGs genes were associated with 53 GO groups. In KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, many DEGs related to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and plant hormone signal transduction, suggesting their important roles during panicle development. This study provides the first examination of changes in gene expression between different panicle development stages in rice. Our results of transcriptomic characterization provide important information to elucidate the complex molecular and cellular events about the panicle formation in rice or other cereal crops. Also, the findings will be helpful for the further identification of the genes related to panicle development.

Microhemorrhage identified on 3.0 T MR susceptibility-weighted imaging for prognosis of viral encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship of microhemorrhage on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) with the severity of clinical symptoms and the prognosis of viral encephalitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with clinically diagnosed viral encephalitis were divided into three groups according to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the condition of recovery namely, Group I (n = 12): Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)≥13 and recovered with no sequelae; Group II (n = 11): GCS 9-12 and recovered with some sequelae; Group III (n = 7): GCS 3-8 and recovered with more severe sequelae. The microhemorrhage detectability on SWI and conventional MR imaging in these three groups was compared and their correlations with different seriousness of clinical symptoms and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in microhemorrhage volume among different MR sequences (p < 0.05). SWI was more sensitive to detect microhemorrhage than conventional MR imaging techniques. Microhemorrhages on SWI were significantly different among the three groups (p < 0.01). The volume of microhemorrhage on SWI was well correlated with the degree of clinical symptoms and the prognosis of viral encephalitis. CONCLUSION: SWI can be used to detect microhemorrhage in patients with viral encephalitis. Assessment of microhemorrhage with SWI can provide useful information for the prognosis evaluation of viral encephalitis.

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome: clinical diagnostic value of dynamic enhanced MSCT.

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the clinical diagnostic value of dynamic enhanced multislice computed tomography (MSCT) for Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome (FHCS). [Subjects and Methods] This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical features and manifestations of scanning and dynamic enhanced MSCT in 19 patients with FHCS. [Results] MSCT scans showed different degrees of liver capsule thickness in the lesion area: seven cases of sub-capsular effusion and three cases with a small amount of pleural effusion; thickness of the liver capsular arterial phase showing significant enhancement in 17 cases, and slight enhancement in two; portal venous and delayed phase enhancement decreased with no clear boundary of the liver parenchyma; and adjacent hepatic parenchymal involvement in five cases, in which the arterial phase appeared to have patchy or triangular enhancement, and unclear portal vein and delayed phase imaging findings. MSCT revealed pelvic inflammatory disease in 14 cases, peritonitis in two, endometritis combined with bilateral ovarian abscesses in two, and a tube-ovarian abscess in one. [Conclusion] Dynamic enhanced MSCT can accurately display liver capsule lesions and possible pelvic inflammatory diseases related to FHCS, suggest the infection source, and have high application value for making early, accurate diagnoses and improved prognosis.