Pedobacter rhodius sp. nov. and Pedobacter punctiformis sp. nov., isolated from soil.

Two Gram-staining negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, pinkish-colored and rod-shaped strains, designated SJ11T and HCMS5-2 T, were isolated from soil in South Korea. The growth of strain SJ11T was observed from 15℃ to 35℃ (optimum, 30℃), from pH 6.0 to 11.0 (optimum, pH 6.0-7.0) and with NaCl 0-1% (w/v) (optimum, 0%) and that of strain HCMS5-2 T was observed from 4℃ to 40℃ (optimum, 25℃), from pH 6.0 to pH 8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with NaCl 0-5% (w/v) (optimum, 0-1%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that both strains belonged to the genus Pedobacter. Strain SJ11T had the highest 16S rRNA similarities with Pedobacter jejuensis THG-DR3T (98.5%) and strain HCMS5-2 T had the highest similarities with Pedobacter nototheniae 36B243T (98.7%). The digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of strain SJ11T with Pedobacter jejuensis THG-DR3T was 23.6%, with an average nucleotide identity value of 79.6%, and that of strain HCMS5-2 T with Pedobacter nototheniae 36B243T was 26.4%, with an average nucleotide identity value of 83.1%. The predominant cellular fatty acids (> 10%) of SJ11T and HCMS5-2 T were iso-C15:0, summed feature 3 (comprising C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c) and iso-C17:0 3-OH. The genome size of strain SJ11T was approximately 4.7 Mb with a G + C content of 37.7% and that of strain HCMS5-2 T was approximately 4.1 Mb with a G + C content of 36.4%. The major polar lipid and respiratory quinone of SJ11T and HCMS5-2 T were phosphatidylethanolamine and menaquinone NK-7, respectively. Results of this study showed that strains SJ11T and HCMS5-2 T belonged to the genus Pedobacter as novel species, of which the name Pedobacter rhodius sp. nov., with the type strain SJ11T (= KACC 22884 T = TBRC 16597 T) and Pedobacter punctiformis sp. nov., with the type strain HCMS5-2 T (= KACC 22863 T = TBRC 16598 T) were respectively proposed.

Draft Genome Sequence Analyses of Two Novel Marinobacter suadae sp. nov. and Wenyingzhuangia gilva sp. nov. Isolated from the Root of Suaeda japonica Makino.

Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and aerobic bacteria designated chi1T and chi5T were isolated from the root of Suaeda japonica Makino. Phylogenetics utilizing 16S rRNA and whole-genome sequences of the two novel strains chi1T and chi5T confirmed that they were related to the genera Marinobacter and Wenyingzhuangia, respectively. For the novel strains chi1T and chi5T, the digital DNA-DNA hybridization values (19-20% and 22.1-36.6%, respectively) and average nucleotide identity values (74.4-76.5% and 79.1-88.9%, respectively) fell within the range for the genera Marinobacter and Wenyingzhuangia, respectively. Pangenome analyses of the novel strains chi1T and chi5T revealed 357 and 368 singletons genes, respectively. The genomic DNA G + C contents of the strains chi1T and chi5T were 57.2% and 31.5%, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain chi1T were C12:0, C16:0, and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω6c and/or C16:1ω7c), while those of the strain chi5T were iso-C15:0 3OH, iso-C17:0 3OH, and iso-C15:0. Data from the phylogenetic, phylogenomic, pangenome, genomic, physiological, and biochemical analyses indicated that the novel strains were distinct. Therefore, we propose the names Marinobacter suadae (type strain chi1T = KACC 23259T = TBRC 17652T) and Wenyingzhangia gilva (type strain chi5T = KACC 23262T = TBRC 17900T) for the studied bacterial strains.

Micro/nanoengineered agricultural by-products for biomedical and environmental applications.

Agriculturally derived by-products generated during the growth cycles of living organisms as secondary products have attracted increasing interest due to their wide range of biomedical and environmental applications. These by-products are considered promising candidates because of their unique characteristics including chemical stability, profound biocompatibility and offering a green approach by producing the least impact on the environment. Recently, micro/nanoengineering based techniques play a significant role in upgrading their utility, by controlling their structural integrity and promoting their functions at a micro and nano scale. Specifically, they can be used for biomedical applications such as tissue regeneration, drug delivery, disease diagnosis, as well as environmental applications such as filtration, bioenergy production, and the detection of environmental pollutants. This review highlights the diverse role of micro/nano-engineering techniques when applied on agricultural by-products with intriguing properties and upscaling their wide range of applications across the biomedical and environmental fields. Finally, we outline the future prospects and remarkable potential that these agricultural by-products hold in establishing a new era in the realms of biomedical science and environmental research.

Diagnosis of posterior staphyloma using the radius of steepest curvature among retinal pigment epithelium segmentation line measured by optic coherent tomography.

PURPOSE: To investigate a novel marker to diagnose posterior staphylomas by measuring the radius of the steepest curvature on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) segmentation line using optical coherence tomography (OCT). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Cross-sectional Study. METHODS: The authors developed a prototype software to measure the radius of curvature on the RPE segmentation line of OCT. Twelve images of 9-mm radial OCT scans were used. The radius of curvature was measured at the steepest area of the RPE segmentation line, and the macular curvature (MC) index was calculated based on its reciprocal. Based on the wide-field fundus findings, the study sample was divided into three groups: definite posterior staphyloma, no posterior staphyloma, and undetermined. The differences of MC index among the groups and the correlation between the MC index, age, and axial length were analyzed. RESULTS: The present study analyzed 268 eyes, with 54 (20.1%) with definite posterior staphyloma, 202 (75.4%) with no posterior staphyloma, and 12 (4.5%) with undetermined disease status. A maximum MC index of 37.5 was observed in the group with no posterior staphyloma, which was less than the minimum MC index of 42.7 observed in the group with definite posterior staphyloma. The MC index had strong correlations with the axial length and age in eyes with high myopia. CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with posterior staphyloma have a steeper curvature than those with radius 8.44 mm, while eyes without posterior staphyloma do not. MC index 40 (radius 8.44 mm) might act as a reference to distinguish between those with and those without posterior staphyloma.

Graphene Hybrid Tough Hydrogels with Nanostructures for Tissue Regeneration.

Over the past few decades, hydrogels have attracted considerable attention as promising biomedical materials. However, conventional hydrogels require improved mechanical properties, such as brittleness, which significantly limits their widespread use. Recently, hydrogels with remarkably improved toughness have been developed; however, their low biocompatibility must be addressed. In this study, we developed a tough graphene hybrid hydrogel with nanostructures. The resultant hydrogel exhibited remarkable mechanical properties while representing an aligned nanostructure that resembled the extracellular matrix of soft tissue. Owing to the synergistic effect of the topographical properties, and the enhanced biochemical properties, the graphene hybrid hydrogel had excellent stretchability, resilience, toughness, and biocompatibility. Furthermore, the hydrogel displayed outstanding tissue regeneration capabilities (e.g., skin and tendons). Overall, the proposed graphene hybrid tough hydrogel may provide significant insights into the application of tough hydrogels in tissue regeneration.

Piezoelectrically and Topographically Engineered Scaffolds for Accelerating Bone Regeneration.

Bone regeneration remains a critical concern across diverse medical disciplines, because it is a complex process that requires a combinatorial approach involving the integration of mechanical, electrical, and biological stimuli to emulate the native cellular microenvironment. In this context, piezoelectric scaffolds have attracted considerable interest owing to their remarkable ability to generate electric fields in response to dynamic forces. Nonetheless, the application of such scaffolds in bone tissue engineering has been limited by the lack of a scaffold that can simultaneously provide both the intricate electromechanical environment and the biocompatibility of the native bone tissue. Here, we present a pioneering biomimetic scaffold that combines the unique properties of piezoelectric and topographical enhancement with the inherent osteogenic abilities of hydroxyapatite (HAp). Notably, the novelty of this work lies in the incorporation of HAp into polyvinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoro ethylene in a freestanding form, leveraging its natural osteogenic potential within a piezoelectric framework. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo investigations, we demonstrate the remarkable potential of these scaffolds to accelerate bone regeneration. Moreover, we demonstrate and propose three pivotal mechanisms─(i) electrical, (ii) topographical, and (iii) paracrine─that collectively contribute to the facilitated bone healing process. Our findings present a synergistically derived biomimetic scaffold design with wide-ranging prospects for bone regeneration as well as various regenerative medicine applications.

Cellulomonas alba sp. nov. and Cellulomonas edaphi sp. nov., isolated from wetland soils.

Two novel strains were isolated from wetland soils in Goyang, Republic of Korea. The two Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterial-type strains were designated MW4T and MW9T. Phylogenomic analysis based on whole-genome sequences suggested that both strains belonged to the genus Cellulomonas. The cells of strain MW4T were non-motile and grew at 20-40 °C (optimum, 35 °C), at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 8.0) and in the presence of 0-1.0% NaCl (optimum, 0 %). The cells of strain MW9T were non-motile and grew at 20-40 °C (optimum, 35 °C), at pH 5.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 8.0) and in the presence of 0-1.0% NaCl (optimum, 0 %). The average nucleotide identity (77.1-88.1 %) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values (21.0-34.8 %) between the two novel strains and with their closely related strains fell within the range for the genus Cellulomonas. The novel strains MW4T and MW9T and reference strains possessed alkane synthesis gene clusters (oleA, oleB, oleC and oleD). Phylogenomic, phylogenetic, average nucleotide identity, digital DNA-DNA hybridization, physiological and biochemical data indicated that the novel strains were distinct from other members of the family Cellulomonadaceae. We propose the names Cellulomonas alba sp. nov. (type strain MW4T=KACC 23260T=TBRC 17645T) and Cellulomons edaphi sp. nov. (type strain MW9T=KACC 23261T=TBRC 17646T) for the two strains.

Engineering Considerations on Large-Scale Cultured Meat Production.

In recent decades, cultured meat has received considerable interest as a sustainable alternative to traditional meat products, showing promise for addressing the inherent problems associated with conventional meat production. However, current limitations on the scalability of production and extremely high production costs have prevented their widespread adoption. Therefore, it is important to develop novel engineering strategies to overcome the current limitations in large-scale cultured meat production. Such engineering considerations have the potential for advancements in cultured meat production by providing innovative and effective solutions to the prevailing challenges. In this review, we discuss how engineering strategies have been utilized to advance cultured meat technology by categorizing the production processes of cultured meat into three distinct steps: (1) cell preparation; (2) cultured meat fabrication; and (3) cultured meat maturation. For each step, we provide a comprehensive discussion of the recent progress and its implications. In particular, we focused on the engineering considerations involved in each step of cultured meat production, with specific emphasis on large-scale production.

Graphene-encapsulated yeast cells in harsh conditions.

Yeast, as a versatile microorganism, holds significant importance in various industries and research fields due to its remarkable characteristics. In the pursuit of biotechnological applications, cell-surface engineering including encapsulation has been proposed as a new strategy to interface with individual living yeast cells. While previous researches of yeast encapsulation with materials have shown promise, it often involves complex processes and lacks confirmation of condition-dependent yeast viability under harsh conditions. To address these issues, we present a rational and facile design for graphene-encapsulated yeast cells. Through a straightforward blending technique, yeast cells are encapsulated with graphene layers, demonstrating the unique properties of yeast cells in structural and functional aspects with graphene. We show graphene layer-dependent functions of yeast cells under various conditions, including pH and temperature-dependent conditions. The layer of graphene can induce the delayed lag time without the transfer of graphene-layered membrane. Our findings highlight the high potential of graphene-encapsulated yeast cells for various industrial applications, offering new avenues for exploration in biotechnology.

Mesorhizobium liriopis sp. nov., isolated from the fermented fruit of Liriope platyphylla a medicinal plant.

A facultative anaerobic and Gram-negative strain, designated RP14T, was isolated from the fruit of Liriope platyphylla fermented for 60 days at 25°C. Strain RP14T showed 98.0 % 16S rRNA similarity to Mesorhizobium huakuii IFO 15243T, but in the phylogenetic tree, Mesorhizobium terrae NIBRBAC000500504T was its closest neighbour. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain RP14T and 15 genomes of type strains of Mesorhizobium, were 73.8-74.4% and 16.4-20.2 %, respectively, which were lower than the recommended thresholds for species delineation. The strain grew at 25-32°C (optimum, 28°C), at pH 7.0-12.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and with 0-2% NaCl (optimum, 0 %; w/v). Cells of strain RP14T were catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped and formed yellow-coloured colonies. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The major fatty acid were C16 : 0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c). The DNA G+C content was 62.8 mol%. Based on polyphasic evidence, we propose Mesorhizobium liriopis sp. nov as a novel species within the genus Mesorhizobium. The type strain is RP14T (=KACC 22720T=TBRC 16341T).

Nocardioides pini sp. nov. and Nocardioides pinisoli sp. nov., two novel actinomycetes isolated from Pinus densiflora.

Two novel Gram-positive bacteria designated as strains STR2T and STR3T were isolated from the rhizosphere of a Pinus densiflora sample collected from Goyang-si, Republic of Korea. Strains STR2T and STR3T were aerobic, rod shaped, non-sporulated, catalase negative, oxidase negative and non-motile bacteria. They grew at 15-37 °C (optimum, 25-30 °C), at pH 6.0-11.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0-2% NaCl (optimum, 0 %, w/v). The chemotaxonomic and morphological characteristics of the novel strains were consistent with those of the members of Nocardioides. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that STR2T was closely related to N. cavernae YIM A1136T (99.3 %) and N. flavus Y4T (99.1 %), and STR3T was closely related to N. exalbidus DSM 22017T (99.0 %), N. baculatus G10T (98.8 %) and N. hwasunensis HFW-21T (98.7 %). The average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of STR2T and STR3T with the most closely related strains that have publicly available whole genomes were 83.1-89.8 %, 80.9-89.6% and 26.2-39.1 %, respectively. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain STR2T and STR3T contained ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic amino acid. The major fatty acids in STR2T and STR3T were iso-C16 : 0 and C17 : 1 ω8c, and the predominant quinone was MK-8(H4). Their polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and other polar lipids. The draft genome sequences showed that the genomic DNA G+C content of STR2T and STR3T were both 72.2 mol%. Physiological and biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis clearly revealed that STR2T and STR3T could represent novel Nocardioides species. Their proposed names were as follows: Nocardioides pini sp. nov. for strain STR2T (=KACC 22784T=TBRC 16336T) and Nocardioides pinisoli sp. nov. for strain STR3T (= KACC 22785T=TBRC 16337T).

Roseateles albus sp. nov., Roseateles koreensis sp. nov. and Janthinobacterium fluminis sp. nov., isolated from freshwater at Jucheon River, and emended description of Roseateles aquaticus comb. nov.

Three Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative bacterial strains were designated as hw1T, hw8T and hw3T. Strains hw1T, hw8T and hw3T grew at 15-28 °C (optimum, 25 °C), 15-35 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and 4-28 °C (optimum, 20 °C), respectively, and at pH 7.0-12.0 (optimum, pH 9.0), pH 6.0-11.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and 5.0-12.0 (optimum, pH 7.0), respectively. Additionally, strains hw1T and hw8T only grew when the NaCl concentration was 0 %, while strain hw3T grew at between 0 and 0.5 % (w/v; optimum, 0 %). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strains hw1T, hw8T and the Roseateles type strains ranged from 73.8 to 84.2 %, while the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values ranged from 19.7 to 27.5 %. The ANI values between strain hw3T and the Janthinobacterium type strains ranged from 78.7 to 80.7 %, while dDDH values ranged from 22.3 to 23.0 %. The draft genomes of strains hw1T, hw8T and hw3T consisted of 5.5, 4.4 and 5.9 Mbp, with DNA G+C contents of 61.7, 61.8 and 66.0 mol%, respectively. The results of the dDDH, ANI, phylogenetic, biochemical and physiological analyses indicated that the novel strains were distinct from other members of their genera. Thus, we proposed the names Roseateles albus sp. nov. (type strain hw1T= KACC 22887T= TBRC 16613T), Roseateles koreensis sp. nov. (type strain hw8T= KACC 22885T= TBRC 16614T) and Janthinobacterium fluminis sp. nov. (type strain hw3T= KACC 22886T= TBRC 16615T).

Alteromonas gilva sp. nov. and Erythrobacter fulvus sp. nov., isolated from a tidal mudflat.

Strains chi3T and sf7T were collected from a tidal mudflat around Dongmak beach in Ganghwa, Republic of Korea. Both strains were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic or facultatively anaerobic, and rod-shaped. Results of phylogenetic tree analysis based on 16S rRNA and whole-genome sequences suggested that strains chi3T and sf7T belong to the genera Alteromonas and Erythrobacter, respectively. The cells of strain chi3T were non-motile and grew at 15-45 °C (optimum, 38 °C), at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 8.0) and in the presence of 0-9.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.0 %). The cells of strain sf7T were motile as they had flagella and grew at 20-48 °C (optimum, 38 °C), at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and in the presence of 0-5.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1.0 %). Strains chi3T and sf7T have average nucleotide identity values (70.0-70.4% and 78.9-81.7 %) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values (21.8-22.3% and 21.0-25.6 %) with reference strains in the genera Alteromonas and Erythrobacter, respectively. Data from digital DNA-DNA hybridization, as well as phylogenetic, biochemical and physiological analyses, indicated the distinction of the two strains from the genera Alteromonas and Erythrobacter, respectively, and we thus propose the names Alteromonas gilva sp. nov. (type strain chi3T=KACC 22866T=TBRC 16612T) and Erythrobacter fulvus sp. nov. (type strain sf7T=KACC 22865T=TBRC 16611T).

Planobacterium oryzisoli sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from roots of rice plant.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, short rod-shaped, non-motile, non-spore forming bacterium, designated strain GCR5T, was isolated from soil of paddy field. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain GCR5T belongs to the genus Planobacterium and is related to Planobacterium taklimakanense NCTC 13490 T (96.1%, 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Colonies on R2A were white but they turn into bright yellow after exponential growth. They produce carotenoid pigment after 5-6 days of incubation, before that carotenoid pigment was not found. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6, and major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C17:0 3OH. Polar lipids include phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified phosphoglycolipids, three unidentified glycolipids, one unidentified aminophosphoglycolipid and five unidentified polar lipids. The strain GCR5T was found to have a 2,106,200 bp linear genome with G + C content of 43.7%. The ANI, dDDH and AAI values between the strain GCR5T and the type strains of phylogenetically related species were 60.2-71.1%, 19-24.3%, and 60.2-69.6%, respectively. The strain designated GCR5T produced indole acetic acid (IAA) in the presence of tryptophan only, and auxin responsive genes and tryptophan biosynthesis genes were found in its genome. Based on its polyphasic characteristics, strain GCR5T represents a novel species within the genus Planobacterium, for which the name Planobacterium oryzisoli sp. nov. was proposed. The type strain is GCR5T (= KCTC 82713 T = TISTR 2996 T = TBRC 15746 T).Repositories: The draft genome and 16S rRNA gene sequences of strain GCR5T have been deposited at GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ under accession numbers JADKYY000000000 and MN955408, respectively.

Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Exopolysaccharides Produced by Lysobacter soyae sp. nov Isolated from the Root of Glycine max L.

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have attracted attention from several fields due to their high industrial applicability. In the present study, rhizosphere strain CJ11T was isolated from the root of Glycine max L. in Goyang-si, Republic of Korea, and a novel exopolysaccharide was purified from the Lysobacter sp. CJ11T fermentation broth. The exopolysaccharide's average molecular weight was 0.93 × 105 Da. Its monosaccharide composition included 72.2% mannose, 17.2% glucose, 7.8% galactose, and 2.8% arabinose. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy identified the exopolysaccharide carbohydrate polymer functional groups, and the structural properties were investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance. In addition, a microstructure of lyophilized EPS was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Using thermogravimetric analysis, the degradation of the exopolysaccharide produced by strain CJ11T was determined to be 210 °C. The exopolysaccharide at a concentration of 4 mg/mL exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free-radical-scavenging activity of 73.47%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing results revealed that strain CJ11T was a novel isolate for which the name Lysobacter soyae sp. nov is proposed.

Neoroseomonas alba sp. nov., Neoroseomonas nitratireducens sp. nov., Paraoseomonas indoligenes sp. nov and Paraoseomonas baculiformis sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere of paddy soil.

Four novel Gram-stain negative bacteria, designated as HAJ6T, PWR1T, SG15T and SSH11T, were isolated from the soil sample of paddy fields from Goyang in the Republic of Korea. The isolated strains were aerobic, short-rod or rod shaped, non-sporulating. They grew optimally at 30 °C, pH 7 and without additional NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that they belong to the genus of Neoroseomonas and Pararoseomonas and closely relate to Neoroseomonas terrae DS-48T (97.5%; HJA6T), Neoroseomonas rubea MO17T (99.4%; PWR1T), Pararoseomonas pecuniae N75T (97.3%; SG15T) and Pararoseomonas rosea 173-96T (97.8%; SSH11T). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of the isolates with the most closely related strains were 72.9-90.9% and 19.1-42.5%, respectively. The major fatty acids in the isolates were C16:0, C19:0 cyclo ω8c, C18:1 2-OH and summed feature 8 (composed of C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c), and the predominant quinone was ubiquinone 10. The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and other unidentified polar lipids. Based on the draft genome sequences, the genomic DNA G + C content of HAJ6T, PWR1T, SG15T and SSH11T were 69.5%, 72.0%, 70.8% and 69.7%, respectively. All isolates produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a type of plant growth hormone in the presence of L-tryptophan. Physiological and biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis clearly revealed that the isolates were novel species belonging to the genus Neoroseomonas and Pararoseomonas. Their proposed names were as follows: Neoroseomonas alba sp. nov. for strain HJA6T (= KACC 21545T = NBRC 114316T), Neoroseomonas nitratireducens sp. nov. for strain PWR1T (= KCTC 82687T = NBRC 114490T), Pararoseomonas indoligenes sp. nov. for strain SG15T (= KCTC 82686T = NBRC 114481T) and Paraoseomonas baculiformis sp. nov. for strain SSH11T (= KCTC 82685T = NBRC 11482T).

Transplantable stem cell nanobridge scaffolds for accelerating articular cartilage regeneration.

Microfracture technique for treating articular cartilage defects usually has poor clinical outcomes due to critical heterogeneity and extremely limited in quality. To improve the effects of current surgical technique (i.e., microfracture technique), we propose the transplantable stem cell nanobridge scaffold, acting as a protective bridge between host tissue and defected cartilage as well as microfracture-derived cells. Nanobridge scaffolds have a sophisticated nanoaligned structure with freestanding and flexible shapes for imposing direct structural guidance to cells including transplanted stem cells and host cells, and it can induce not only chondrocyte migration but also stem cell differentiation, maturation, and growth factor secretion. The transplantable stem cell nanobridge scaffold is capable of reconstructing the defected cartilage with homogeneous architecture and highly enhanced adhesive stress similar with native cartilage tissue by the synergistic effects of stem cells-based chondro-induction and nanotopography-based chondro-conduction. Our findings demonstrate a significant advancement in the traditional treatment technique by using a nanoengineered tool for achieving successful cartilage regeneration.

Ideonella oryzae sp. nov., isolated from soil, and Spirosoma liriopis sp. nov., isolated from fruits of Liriope platyphylla.

Gram-negative, aerobic, motile by means of two or more polar or subpolar flagella, rod-shaped strain NS12-5T and Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, yellow-coloured, rod-shaped strain RP8T were isolated from rice rhizosphere soil and fermented fruits of Liriope platyphylla in the Republic of Korea, respectively. The result of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain NS12-5T was most closely related to Ideonella aquatica 4Y11T with 99.79 % sequence similarity. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain NS12-5T and species of the genus Ideonella were 75.6-91.7 % and 20.3-43.9 %, respectively. Growth occurred at 15-40 °C and pH 5-11, and NaCl was not needed for growth. The major fatty acids of strain NS12-5T were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) and C16 : 0, and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of strain NS12-5T was 69.03 mol%. The result of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain RP8T was most closely related to Spirosoma aureum BT328T with 96.01 % sequence similarity. The ANI and dDDH values between strain RP8T and reference strains of the genus Spirosoma were 72.9-76.4 % and 18.6-20.0 %, respectively. Growth occurred at 15-37 °C and pH 5-11, and NaCl was not needed for growth. The major fatty acids of strain RP8T were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C16 : 1 ω5c and iso-C15 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C contents of strain RP8T were 54.9 mol%. Based on phenotypic, genomic and phylogenetic results, strains NS12-5T and RP8T represent novel species in the genus Ideonella and Spirosoma, respectively, and the names Ideonella oryzae sp. nov. and Spirosoma liriopis sp. nov. are proposed. The type strain of I. oryzae sp. nov. is NS12-5T (=KACC 22691T=TBRC 16346T) and the type strain of S. liriopis is RP8T (=KACC 22688T=TBRC 16345T).

Chryseobacterium edaphi sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium gilvum sp. nov., isolated from soil.

Two Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, yellow and rod-shaped bacteria, designated as strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T, were isolated from soil samples collected in Goyang-si and Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T were both positive for catalase and oxidase. Strain PBS4-4T grew at 15-37 °C and pH 5.0-12.0. Strain GMJ5T grew at 15-37 °C and pH 5.0-11.0. Neither strain required NaCl for growth. 16S rRNA sequence analysis revealed that strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T form a closely related cluster with the genus Chryseobacterium. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain PBS4-4T and its closely related strains were 79.4-84.5% and 23.2-28.7 %, respectively. For GMJ5T, the values were 78.3-79.3% and 22.0-22.6 %, respectively. The major fatty acids shared by both novel strains were iso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c/C16 : 1 ω6c). Strain GMJ5T had one other major fatty acid: iso-C17 : 0 3OH. Based on phenotypic, genomic and phylogenetic results, strains PBS4-4T and GMJ5T represent novel species within the genus Chryseobacterium, and the names Chryseobacterium edaphi sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium gilvum sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The type strain of C. edaphi is PBS4-4T (=KACC 22882T=TBRC 17052T) and the type strain of C. gilvum is GMJ5T (=KACC 22883T=TBRC 17053T).

Probing the Ion Transport Properties of Ultrashort Carbon Nanotubes Integrated with Supported Lipid Bilayers via Electrochemical Analysis.

Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are commonly used to investigate interactions between cell membranes and their environment. These model platforms can be formed on electrode surfaces and analyzed using electrochemical methods for bioapplications. Carbon nanotube porins (CNTPs) integrated with SLBs have emerged as promising artificial ion channel platforms. In this study, we present the integration and ion transport characterization of CNTPs in in vivo environments. We combine experimental and simulation data obtained from electrochemical analysis to analyze the membrane resistance of the equivalent circuits. Our results show that carrying CNTPs on a gold electrode results in high conductance for monovalent cations (K+ and Na+) and low conductance for divalent cations (Ca2+).