Spatio-temporal patterns of Synechococcus oligotypes in Moroccan lagoonal environments.

Synechococcus are unicellular cyanobacteria susceptible to environmental fluctuations and can be used as bioindicators of eutrophication in marine ecosystems. We examined their distribution in two Moroccan lagoons, Marchica on the Mediterranean coast and Oualidia on the Atlantic, in the summers of 2014 and 2015 using 16S rRNA amplicon oligotyping. Synechococcus representatives recruited a higher number of reads from the 16S rRNA in Marchica in comparison to Oualidia. We identified 31 Synechococcus oligotypes that clustered into 10 clades with different distribution patterns. The Synechococcus community was mainly represented by oligotype 1 (clade III) in Marchica. Cooccurring clades IV and I had an important relative abundance in Marchica in the summer of 2014, which is unusual, as these clades are widespread in cold waters. Moreover, Clades VII and subcluster "5.3" formed a sizeable percentage of the Synechococcus community in Marchica. Notably, we found low Synechococcus sequence counts in the Atlantic Lagoon. These results showed that the relative abundance of Synechococcus reads is not constant over space and time and that rare members of the Synechococcus community did not follow a consistent pattern. Further studies are required to decipher Synechococcus dynamics and the impact of environmental parameters on their spatial and temporal distributions.

Gut Microbiome 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Taxonomic Profiling of Hospitalized Moroccan COVID-19 Patients.

We explored the gut microbiome composition in four Moroccan patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during hospitalization and treatment, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon metataxonomic profiling, and compared it with that in four healthy severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-free control subjects.

Plant genomics in Africa: present and prospects.

Plants are the world's most consumed goods. They are of high economic value and bring many health benefits. In most countries in Africa, the supply and quality of food will rise to meet the growing population's increasing demand. Genomics and other biotechnology tools offer the opportunity to improve subsistence crops and medicinal herbs in the continent. Significant advances have been made in plant genomics, which have enhanced our knowledge of the molecular processes underlying both plant quality and yield. The sequencing of complex genomes of African plant species, facilitated by the continuously evolving next-generation sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics approaches, has provided new opportunities for crop improvement. This review summarizes the achievements of genome sequencing projects of endemic African plants in the last two decades. We also present perspectives and challenges for future plant genomic studies that will accelerate important plant breeding programs for African communities. These challenges include a lack of basic facilities, a lack of sequencing and bioinformatics facilities, and a lack of skills to design genomics studies. However, it is imperative to state that African countries have become key players in the plant genome revolution and genome derived-biotechnology. Therefore, African governments should invest in public plant genomics research and applications, establish bioinformatics platforms and training programs, and stimulate university and industry partnerships to fully deploy plant genomics, particularly in the fields of agriculture and medicine.

A review on current diagnostic techniques for COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: SARS-Cov-2 first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and spread all over the world soon after that. Given the infectious nature ofSARS-CoV-2, fast and accurate diagnosis tools are important to detect the virus. In this review, we discuss the different diagnostic tests that are currently being implemented in laboratories and provide a description of various COVID-19 kits. AREAS COVERED: We summarize molecular techniques that target the viral load, serological methods used for SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies detection as well as newly developed faster assays for the detection of SARS-COV 2 in various biological samples. EXPERT OPINION: In the light of the widespread pandemic, the massive diagnosis of COVID-19, using various detection techniques, appears to be the most effective strategy for monitoring and containing its propagation.

Thermostable Cellulases from the Yeast Trichosporon sp.

OBJECTIVES: Identification of cellulolytic microorganisms is of great interest to the hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass. This study focuses on the identification of cellulolytic yeasts and the optimization of cellulase activities produced by the best performing isolate. RESULTS: 30 cellulolytic yeast isolates were selected. Enzymes produced by an isolate from the Trichosporon genus showed the property to hydrolyze different substrates: carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), cellulose fiber, and filter paper (FP). The optimum measured temperature was 55°C for CMCase and 60°C for FPase. The optimal pH was 5 for CMCase and 4 to 6 for FPase. The effect of the substrates concentration showed that the best activities were obtained at 100 mg/mL CMC or FP. The highest activities were 0.52 for the CMCase and 0.56 for the cellulase fiber at 10 min incubation, 0.44 IU/mL at 15 min incubation, and 24 h FPase preincubation. CONCLUSION: Cellulases produced by the studied yeast are capable of hydrolyzing soluble and insoluble substrates at elevated temperatures and at a wide pH range. They are considerable interest in the production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic substrates.

First draft genome assembly of the Argane tree ( Argania spinosa).

Background: The Argane tree ( Argania spinosa L. Skeels) is an endemic tree of southwestern Morocco that plays an important socioeconomic and ecologic role for a dense human population in an arid zone. Several studies confirmed the importance of this species as a food and feed source and as a resource for both pharmaceutical and cosmetic compounds. Unfortunately, the argane tree ecosystem is facing significant threats from environmental changes (global warming, over-population) and over-exploitation. Limited research has been conducted, however, on argane tree genetics and genomics, which hinders its conservation and genetic improvement. Methods: Here, we present a draft genome assembly of A. spinosa. A reliable reference genome of  A. spinosa was created using a hybrid  de novo assembly approach combining short and long sequencing reads. Results: In total, 144 Gb Illumina HiSeq reads and 7.2 Gb PacBio reads were produced and assembled. The final draft genome comprises 75 327 scaffolds totaling 671 Mb with an N50 of 49 916 kb. The draft assembly is close to the genome size estimated by k-mers distribution and covers 89% of complete and 4.3 % of partial Arabidopsis orthologous groups in BUSCO. Conclusion: The A. spinosa genome will be useful for assessing biodiversity leading to efficient conservation of this endangered endemic tree. Furthermore, the genome may enable genome-assisted cultivar breeding, and provide a better understanding of important metabolic pathways and their underlying genes for both cosmetic and pharmacological purposes.