Amount Of 14C Research Articles

Effects of castration and zeranol on fatty acid composition and cholesterol content of hair lamb meat

Hair lambs (n=72, crosses of Blackbelly, Dorper, and Katahdin breeds) with an average age of 90 days (21.4±2.3 kg of BW) were used to investigate the effects of sex class (CLASS: ram vs. wether) and zeranol implant (IMP: control vs. 12 mg) on fat and cholesterol content, and fatty acids (FAs) composition of intramuscular longissimus dorsi (LD) and biceps femoris (BF) and subcutaneous fat (SBC) depots of the loin area. Animals were assigned to one of four treatments with a factorial arrangement (n=18): (1) rams (R), (2) rams implanted with 12 mg zeranol (IR), (3) wether lambs (W), and (4) wether lambs implanted with 12 mg zeranol (IW). FAs C12:0 and C15:0 FAs were significantly higher in the wether's LD. The amount of C22:1 n-9 and C24:1 in rams’ LD was higher than those of wethers. Wethers had a higher content of C18:1 cis 9 than R group, and the content of this cis isomer was significantly lower in the implanted group. LD of rams contained a higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and a higher PUFA/saturated fatty acid ratio. Cholesterol content in the three tissues (LD, BF, and SBC) was affected significantly by the CLASS×IMP interaction and was higher in wethers without implant. The sex class was the most important factor affecting lipid composition in hair lambs. The higher PUFA content in meat from rams may suggest a nutritional advantage in comparison to meat from wethers.

Effects of pistachio by-products in replacement of alfalfa hay on ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, and milk fatty acid composition in Saanen dairy goats fed a diet containing fish oil

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of pistachio by-products (PBP) in replacement of alfalfa hay (AH) on ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, and milk fatty acid composition in Saanen dairy goats fed a diet containing fish oil. For this purpose, 15 multiparous lactating Saanen goats (on day 25 postpartum, 38.15±1.2 kg) were randomly assigned to three treatment diets in a completely randomized design with five goats per treatment. The treatment consisted of feeding the following diets: (1) control (AH), (2) 30% PBP, and (3) 30% PBP + polyethylene glycol (PEG, 1 g/Kg of dry matter [DM]). The experiment lasted 21 days, including 16 days of adaptation to the experimental diets followed by a five-day sampling period for determining milk yield and composition, dry matter intake (DMI), and blood metabolites. The results showed that DMI was affected (P<0.05) by using PBP in the diets. The goats fed PBP had a lower (P<0.05) DMI than those in other treatments. No differences were observed in milk yield and composition among the dietary treatments. The goats fed PBP (with and without PEG) had higher (P<0.05) amounts of C16:0 and trans-C18:1 isomer in their milk fat than those fed AH. C24:0 was detected at higher (P<0.05) concentrations in goats fed AH than those in other treatments. Overall, different treatments had no significant effects on the concentrations of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in milk fat. Trans fatty acids (TFA) in milk fat exhibited higher (P<0.05) concentrations in PBP and PBP-PEG treatments than in AH. However, no differences were detected in the concentrations of short, medium, and long chain fatty acids among the treatments. No differences were observed in rumen pH among the treatments, while rumen ammonia-N concentrations were lower (P<0.01) in goats fed PBP than those in the other treatments. Treatments showed no differences with regard to blood metabolites (i.e., cholesterol, triglyceride, blood urea nitrogen, total protein, albumin, and glucose). These findings indicate that the inclusion of PBP in replacement of AH in the diet of dairy Saanen goats have no adverse effects on ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites. Moreover, PBP is capable of modifying the fatty acid profile of milk in dairy goat.

Bacillus pervagus sp. nov. and Bacillus andreesenii sp. nov., isolated from a composting reactor

Two strains, 8-4-E12(T) and 8-4-E13(T), were isolated from a biowaste composting reactor. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, both strains belong to the genus Bacillus. Strain 8-4-E12(T) was most closely related to the type strains of Bacillus shackletonii, B. acidicola, B. sporothermodurans and B. oleronius (96.4, 96.3, 96.0 and 95.6 % 16S rRNA gene similarity, respectively), whereas strain 8-4-E13(T) was most closely related to the type strain of Bacillus humi (96.5 % sequence similarity). Strains 8-4-E12(T) and 8-4-E13(T) shared 94 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The fatty acid profile of strain 8-4-E12(T) was dominated by saturated iso- and anteiso-branched fatty acids (iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0), and also contained considerable amounts of C16 : 0. The fatty acid profile of strain 8-4-E13(T) showed a predominance of iso-C15 : 0 (65 %), with smaller amounts of other saturated branched-chain fatty acids along with an unsaturated alcohol. Both strains contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine as major polar lipids. Additionally, strain 8-4-E12(T) contained an unknown lipid and strain 8-4-E13(T) two unknown (amino-)phospholipids. The diagnostic diamino acid found in the cell-wall peptidoglycan of 8-4-E12(T) and 8-4-E13(T) was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The results of physiological and biochemical tests also allowed phenotypic differentiation of the two strains from each other and from related Bacillus species. On the basis of their phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties, strains 8-4-E12(T) and 8-4-E13(T) represent novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the names Bacillus pervagus sp. nov. (type strain 8-4-E12(T) = DSM 23947(T) = LMG 27601(T)) and Bacillus andreesenii sp. nov. (type strain 8-4-E13(T) = DSM 23948(T) = LMG 27602(T)) are proposed.

Sorption of Simazine andS-Metolachlor to Soils from a Chronosequence of Turfgrass Systems

Pesticide sorption by soil is among the most sensitive input parameters in many pesticide-leaching models. For many pesticides, organic matter is the most important soil constituent influencing pesticide sorption. Increased fertility, irrigation, and mowing associated with highly maintained turfgrass areas result in constant deposition of organic material, creating a soil system that can change drastically with time. Changes in soil characteristics could affect the environmental fate of pesticides applied to turfgrass systems of varying ages. Sorption characteristics of simazine andS-metolachlor were determined on five soils from bermudagrass systems of increasing ages (1, 4, 10, 21, and 99 yr) and compared to adjacent native pine and bare-ground areas. Surface soil (0 to 5 cm) and subsurface soil (5 to 15 cm) from all sites were air-dried and passed through a 4-mm sieve for separation from plant material. Using a batch-equilibrium method, sorption isotherms were determined for each soil. Data were fit to the Freundlich equation, andKd(soil sorption coefficient) andKoc(organic carbon sorption coefficient) values were determined. Sorption and soil system age were directly related to organic matter content in the soil. Sorption of both herbicides increased with age of the soil system and was greatest on the surface soil from the oldest bermudagrass soil system. Herbicide sorption decreased at greater soil depths with lower organic matter. Greater amount of14C–simazine sorbed to subsurface soil of the oldest turfgrass system compared to14C–S-metolachlor. Results indicate that as bermudagrass systems age and accumulate higher organic matter levels increased herbicide sorption may decrease the leaching potential and bioavailability of simazine andS-metolachlor.

Cosmogenic nuclide enhancement via deposition from long-period comets as a test of the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis

We explore the idea that detectable excursions in 26Al may arise from direct deposition by any bolide, and excursions in 14C and 10Be abundances in the atmosphere may result from long-period comet impacts. This is very different from the usual processes of production by cosmic rays within Earthʼs atmosphere. Long-period comets experience greatly increased cosmic ray flux beyond the protection of the sunʼs magnetic field. We report the computed amount of 14C, 10Be, and 26Al present on long-period comets as a function of comet mass. We find that the amount of nuclide mass on large long-period comets entering the Earthʼs atmosphere may be sufficient for creating anomalies in the records of 14C and 10Be from past impacts. In particular, the estimated mass of the proposed Younger Dryas comet is consistent with its having deposited sufficient isotopes to account for recorded 14C and 10Be increases at that time. The 26Al/10Be ratio is much larger in extraterrestrial objects than in the atmosphere, and so, we note that measuring this ratio in ice cores is a suitable definitive test for the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis, even if the hypothetical bolide is not a long-period comet and/or did not contribute to the 14C and 10Be increases.

Screening for novel cell adhesive regions in bovine Achilles tendon collagen peptides

Collagen, a major structural protein of the ECM, is known for its high cell adherence capacity. This study was conducted to identify regions in collagen that harbour such bioactivity. Collagen from tendon was hydrolysed and the peptides fractionated using ion-exchange chromatography (IEC). Isolated peptide fractions were coated onto disposable dishes and screened for cell adherence and proliferative abilities. Active IEC fractions were further purified by chromatography, and two peptides, C2 and E1 with cell adhesion ability, were isolated. A cell adhesion assay done with different amounts of C2 coated onto disposable dishes revealed the maximum adhesion to be 94.6%, compared with 80% for collagen coated dishes and an optimum peptide coating density of 0.507 nmoles per cm(2) area of the dish. Growth of cells on C2, collagen, and E1 revealed a similar pattern and a reduction in the doubling time compared with cells grown on uncoated dishes. C2 had a mass of 2.046 kDa with 22 residues, and sequence analysis revealed a higher percentage occurrence of hydrophilic residues compared with other regions in collagen. Docking studies revealed GDDGEA in C2 as the probable site of interaction with integrins α2β1 and α1β1, and stability studies proved C2 to be mostly protease-resistant.

Resting Egg Production and Fatty Acid Enhancement in the Waterflea, Ceriodaphnia quadrangula, by Using Combination of Light Regime and Food

AbstractCombined effects of different light regimes, 6L:6D and 12L:12D (hours light : hours dark, L:D) and algal foods of Scenedesmus quadricauda (S) and Chlorella vulgaris (C) on ephippia production and fatty acid (FA) profile of Ceriodaphnia quadrangula were investigated. The highest resting egg production, density, and specific growth rate were obtained with 6L:6D+S; followed by 12L:12D+S treatment. The C16:0 varied from 16.2 to 22.16 mg/g dry weight (d.w.); C18:1n−9 from 11.03 to 14.94 mg/g d.w; C18:2n−6 from 9.79 to 20.24 mg/g d.w; and C18:3n−3 from 6.98 to 16.02 mg/g d.w. The amounts of C20:4n−6 (4.36 mg/g d.w) and C20:5n−3 (3.35 mg/g d.w) at 6L:6D+S were highest compared to other treatments. The maximum saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were obtained at 6L:6D+C while maximum polyunsaturated fatty acids observed at 6L:6D+S and 12L:12D+C. The resting egg production and FAs profile could be improved when the frequency of changes from light to dark were increased. Our findings also indicate a significant increase in the quantity of C18:3n−3 in C. quadrangula populations during resting egg formation, hence, implying that manipulation of light regime and algal food can improve performance of C. quadrangula as a live food in aquaculture industries, especially for larval feeding.

Investigation of photosynthate-C allocation 27 days after 13C-pulse labeling of Zea mays L. at different growth stages

AimsPulse labeling of crops using 13C is often employed to trace photosynthesized carbon (C) within crop-soil systems. However, few studies have compared the C distribution for different labeling periods. The overall aim of this study was to determine the length of the monitoring interval required after 13C-pulse labeling to quantify photosynthate C allocation into plant, soil and rhizosphere respiration pools for the entire growing season of maize (Zea mays L.).MethodsPot grown maize was pulse-labeled with 13CO2 (98 at. %) at the beginning of emergence, elongation, heading and grainfilling growth stages. The routing of 13C into shoot and root biomass, soil CO2 flux and soil organic carbon (SOC) pools was monitored for 27 days after 13C-pulse labeling at the beginning of each growth stage.ResultsThe majority of the 13C was recovered after 27 d in the maize shoots, i.e., 57 %, 53 %, 70 % and 80 %, at the emergence, elongation, heading, and grainfilling stages, respectively. More 13C was recovered in the root biomass at elongation (27 %) compared to the least at the grainfilling stage (3 %). The amount recovered in the soil was the smallest pool of 13C at emergence (2.3 %), elongation (3.8 %), heading and grainfilling (less than 2 %). The amount of 13C recovered in rhizosphere respiration, i.e. 13CO2, was greatest at emergence (26 %), and similar at the elongation, heading and grainfilling stages (~16 %).ConclusionsAt least 24 days is required to effectively monitor the recovery of 13C after pulse labeling with 13CO2 for maize in plant and soil pools. The recovery of 13C differed between growth stages and corresponded to the changing metabolic requirements of the plant, which indicated labeling for the entire growth season would more accurately quantify the C budget in plant-soil system.

Incineration – Variant of Handling Irradiated Reactor Graphite

The problems of handling irradiated reactor graphite are discussed and salvaging variants are compared. Incineration is chosen as a possible variant. The amounts of 14C entering the environment by natural pathways during the operation of NPP and as a result of incineration of irradiated reactor graphite are compared. It is shown that the incineration of graphite with 14C entering the atmosphere is possible within the framework of the maximum admissible emissions.

Selective pseudosolubilization capability of Pseudomonas sp. DG17 on n-alkanes and uptake mechanisms analysis

Pseudosolubilized ability of Pseudomonas sp. DG17 on n-alkanes, role of biosurfactants in n-octadecane uptake and trans-membrane transport mechanism of n-octadecane were studied by analyzing amount of pseudosolubilized oil components in water phase, and the fraction of radiolabeled 14C n-octadecane in the broth and cell pellet. GC-MS results showed that pseudosolubilized oil components were mainly C12 to C28 of n-alkanes. In n-octadecane broth, pseudosolubilized n-octadecane could be accumulated as long as pseudosolubilized rate was faster than mineralization rate of substrate, and the maximum concentration of pseudosolubilized n-octadecane achieved to 45.37 mg·L−1. All of these results showed that Pseudomonas sp. DG17 mainly utilized alkanes by directly contacting with pseudosolubilized small oil droplets in the water phase. Analysis of 14C amount in cell pellet revealed that an energy-dependent system mainly controlled the trans-membrane transport of n-octadecane.

Transfer of conjugated linoleic acids into different tissues of dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the transfer of supplemented trans-10,cis-12 (t10,c12) and cis-9, trans-11 (c9,t11) conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) into the body of dairy cows during the first 105 days in milk (DIM). Therefore, five out of 25 first lactation German Holstein cows were slaughtered at 1 DIM without previous CLA or fat supplementation. The remaining animals received daily 6.0 g t10,c12 CLA and 5.7 g c9,t11 CLA as feed supplement (Group CLA, 10 cows) or a stearic acid-based control fat supplement (Group CON, 10 cows). From both groups, five cows were slaughtered at 42 and 105 DIM, respectively. During the slaughter process, the empty body mass of the cow was partitioned into nine fractions (retroperitoneal fat, omental fat, mesenteric fat, subcutaneous fat, meat, bone, offal, hide and mammary gland). The fat content and the fatty acid composition of these fractions were determined. The c9,t11 CLA isomer was detected in all fractions across all groups, but the amount of c9,t11 CLA was not changed because of CLA supplementation. Except for the retroperitonealfat depot, no t10,c12 CLA was detected in the fractions of Group CON. After CLA supplementation, the amount of t10,c12 CLA in the retroperitoneal, mesenteric, subcutaneous, offal and mammary gland fractions was increased. The transfer of t10,c12 CLA into the fractions was more pronounced from 42 until 105 DIM. However, the transfer efficiency of consumed t10,c12 CLA into the fat depot fractions and all fractions was <0.1% and <0.2%, respectively. Overall, the transfer of supplemented CLA isomers into the dairy cow's body was only marginal during the first 105 DIM.

The fate of soyabean photosynthetic carbon varies in Mollisols differing in organic carbon

SummaryThe fate of photosynthetically‐fixed carbon (C) in the plant–soil–microbe continuum has received much interest because of its relevance to soil C and the global C cycle. However, information on the flow of this plant C below ground and its contribution to soil C sequestration in soils with contrasting organic C (Corg) is limited. In this study, soyabean (Glycine max L. Merr.) was grown in three Mollisols with low (1.04%), medium (2.90%) and high (5.05%) Corg, respectively. Plants were labelled with 13CO2 to trace the photosynthetic C dynamics in the plant–soil system for up to 288 hours. The total amount of net fixed 13C by plants ranged from 66 to 78 mg pot−1, and there was no difference between soils. The amount of 13C in soil organic matter (SOM) increased from 1.9 to 6.1 mg pot−1 over time in the high‐Corg soil, while it showed a non‐significant change with 2.2 mg pot−1 (on average) in the medium‐Corg soil, and decreased from 2.9 to 0.1 mg pot−1 in the low‐Corg soil. In the low‐Corg soil, the amount of 13C in soil microbes decreased markedly over time, showing a fast turnover, and had a significant correlation (P ≤ 0.01) with 13C in the SOM pool. However, such a relationship was not significant in the soil with high or medium Corg. These results indicate that most of the root‐derived C in the low‐Corg soil is degraded quickly by microbial activity, while the greater input of the photosynthetic C to SOM in the high‐ and/or medium‐Corg soil can probably be attributed to physical sorption of root‐derived C by SOM and minerals, thus protecting it against microbial decomposition.

Decay and vertical reallocation of organic C, and its incorporation into carbonates, in agricultural soil horizons at two different depths and rewetting frequencies

Drying–rewetting phenomena influence key processes for soil C cycling, such as organic matter (SOM) decomposition and leaching, or pedogenic carbonate formation. Soil moisture is in turn modulated by horizon position, creating different pedoclimatic conditions through depth. However, the way these conditions affect C dynamics is still unclear. We conducted an annual field mesocosm experiment in which homogenous agricultural horizons enriched with 14C-labeled wheat straw were incubated in columns in conjunction with mineral subsoil, at two depths (surface or subsurface) and under two contrasting rewetting frequencies. We performed destructive samplings along the annual period to i) assess the evolution of the organic C within the agricultural horizon, and ii) its vertical reallocation into the mineral subsoil, which was assumed to occur by means of dissolved organic C (DOC) leaching. Our results showed that a lower number of soil rewetting events prompted an initial reduction in total (bulk SOM) and labeled (fresh straw) organic C decay rates, although this effect did not extend over time. Subsurface level induced higher fresh straw-14C decomposition after one year, due to lower soil moisture limitations. Contrary to expectations, the reduction of rewetting events increased the reallocation of organic C downwards in the profile, but it prompted the contrary effect regarding upward reallocation. Further, subsurface pedoclimatic conditions selectively hampered downward reallocation of straw-14C. The amount of 14C incorporated as carbonate after the first rewetting corresponded to 1.3% of the initial litter-14C, evidencing the link between organic and inorganic C cycles. This content declined over time at subsurface but not at surface horizons. In summary, our results underline the importance of depth as a factor modulating the effects of water regime on soil C dynamics.

Responses of belowground carbon allocation dynamics to extended shading in mountain grassland.

Carbon (C) allocation strongly influences plant and soil processes. Short-term C allocation dynamics in ecosystems and their responses to environmental changes are still poorly understood.Using in situ 13CO2 pulse labeling, we studied the effects of 1 wk of shading on the transfer of recent photoassimilates between sugars and starch of above- and belowground plant organs and to soil microbial communities of a mountain meadow.C allocation to roots and microbial communities was rapid. Shading strongly reduced sucrose and starch concentrations in shoots, but not roots, and affected tracer dynamics in sucrose and starch of shoots, but not roots: recent C was slowly incorporated into root starch irrespective of the shading treatment. Shading reduced leaf respiration more strongly than root respiration. It caused no reduction in the amount of 13C incorporated into fungi and Gram-negative bacteria, but increased its residence time.These findings suggest that, under interrupted C supply, belowground C allocation (as reflected by the amount of tracer allocated to root starch, soil microbial communities and belowground respiration) was maintained at the expense of aboveground C status, and that C source strength may affect the turnover of recent plant-derived C in soil microbial communities.

The anus as a second mouth: anal suspension feeding by an oral deposit‐feeding sea cucumber

AbstractRespiratory trees of holothurians are blind‐ended evaginations of the posterior digestive system that are rhythmically inflated with seawater via the anus, and are considered to have respiratory and excretory functions. We tested the assimilatory capability of the respiratory tree epithelium by exposing adults of the oral deposit‐feeding aspidochirotid sea cucumber Parastichopus californicus to (1) 14C‐labeled unicellular algae and (2) iron‐containing macromolecules, and then following the distribution of the labels in various body regions. The abundance of the 14C (nmol 14C g wet weight−1) varied among body regions. The majority of the label was associated with the respiratory trees. The next greatest concentration was in the rete mirabile of the hemal system. The amount of 14C within samples of the anterior digestive system, posterior digestive system, and body wall muscle at each sampling time was lower than that of the respiratory trees. The presence and abundance of the 14C label in samples of the hemal system and the physical association between the respiratory tree and the rete mirabile suggest initial uptake by the respiratory tree and subsequent transfer to the hemal system. The iron label from the protein ferritin and the polysaccharide iron dextran entered cells of the respiratory tree luminal epithelium. The presence of the iron label in mesenchyme cells within the connective tissue compartment of the respiratory trees exposed to ferritin further suggests directional transfer of materials. Holothurians with respiratory trees are nutritionally bipolar; the anus serves as a second mouth.

Estimating the Amount of 14CO2 in the Atmosphere During the Holocene and Glacial Periods

Radiocarbon has been used to define parameters for modeling past, recent, and future CO2/carbon amounts in the atmosphere and in other environmental compartments. In the present paper, we estimate the amount of 14C in the atmosphere by calculating the molar activity of 14CO2 (quantity of 14CO2 molecules per mol of air). Data on the reconstruction of the past concentration of atmospheric CO2 from Antarctic ice cores and Δ14C activities from the IntCal09 calibration curve were applied. The results obtained indicate that cosmogenic production had a dominant influence on the 14C amount in the atmosphere between 50 and 20 ka BP, when the CO2 concentrations were relatively stable, with a slowly decreasing trend. The decreasing 14C activity (Δ14C) between 20 and 2 ka BP seems to be caused predominantly by a dilution of atmospheric 14CO2 by input of CO2 with a depleted amount of 14C (probably from deeper oceanic layers), which is evident from a comparison with the Δ14C and molar activity time series. A strong linear relation was found between the 14C activity and CO2 concentration in the air for the period 20–2 ka BP, which confirms a dominant influence of atmospheric dilution of 14CO2. The observed linear relation between the CO2 and Δ14C levels persists even in the prevailing part of the Holocene. Likewise, the quantity of 14CO2 in the atmosphere (calculated as molar activity) during the prevailing part of the deglacial period (20–11 ka BP) was surprisingly increasing, although a decreasing trend in the 14C cosmogenic production rate could be expected.

Similarities in Serum Acylcarnitine Patterns in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and in Metabolic Syndrome

Background/Aims: In type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), the associated complex metabolomic changes in the involvement of carnitine metabolism in total carnitine ester level has already been documented; here we extended the investigations to the individual acylcarnitines. Methods: The fasting serum acylcarnitine concentrations were determined in 49 T1D, 38 T2D and 38 MetS patients and 40 controls by isotope dilution electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Results: The acylcarnitine profiles of the 3patient groups shared elements with the controls. Considerably higher levels of almost all short-chain acylcarnitines (p < 0.05) and lower levels of some long-chain acylcarnitines were detected in T2D and MetS patients. The amounts of C3 and C4 carnitine were higher and most of the medium-chain and long-chain acylcarnitine levels were lower (p < 0.05) in T1D and MetS patients than in the controls. In T1D and T2D, the levels of C3 and C4 acylcarnitines were markedly elevated and some long-chain acylcarnitines were lower than the controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, significantly lower concentrations of free- and total carnitine were observed in T1D patients (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Profound alterations were detected in acylcarnitine profiles in the 3 patient groups. Similarities in the patterns suggest different degrees of involvement of the same metabolic systems in a systems biology approach.

Chryseomicrobium amylolyticum sp. nov., isolated from a semi-arid tropical soil, and emended descriptions of the genus Chryseomicrobium and Chryseomicrobium imtechense

A rod-shaped, non-motile, Gram-stain-positive, catalase-positive, starch-hydrolysing strain, JC16(T), was isolated from a semi-arid tropical soil from India. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain JC16(T) clustered with the type species of the genus Chryseomicrobium, Chryseomicrobium imtechense MW 10(T), a member of the family Planococcaceae within the phylum Firmicutes with 99.3 % sequence similarity. Major (>10 %) fatty acids of strain JC16(T) were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. Minor (<10 and >1 %) amounts of C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C17 : 1ω10c and C16 : 1ω11c are present in strain JC16(T). Polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phospholipids (PL2-4), aminolipids (AL1, 2) and an unknown lipid. Cell wall peptidoglycan was of the type l-Orn-D-Glu. The quinone system was composed of MK-7, MK-8 and MK-6. Genomic DNA G+C content of strain JC16(T) was 57.6 mol%. Distinct physiological, chemotaxonomic and genotypic differences (37 % reassociation based on DNA-DNA hybridization) from Chryseomicrobium imtechense MW 10(T) support the classification of strain JC16(T) as a representative of a novel species in the genus Chryseomicobium, for which the name Chryseomicrobium amylolyticum sp. nov. (type strain JC16(T) = DSM 23442(T) = NBRC 105215(T)) is proposed.

Stable carbon isotopic composition of Brazilian beers—A comparison between large- and small-scale breweries

The carbon stable isotope ratio (δ13C) has become an important tool to determine the composition and quality of various beverages, indicating the amount of C3- and C4-sources used in brewing. Accordingly, we assessed the isotopic composition of beers produced in Brazil and abroad, in order to quantify the use of C4-sources as adjuncts. We also related the presence of such adjuncts to beer price, and compared the current results to similar studies, in order to assess any differences regarding beer composition over time. The mean δ13C value for Brazilian beers was around −22.0‰, indicating a high addition of C4-adjuncts during the brewing process. A dichotomy of beer isotopic signatures was observed: beers from large breweries had higher δ13C values (around −20.0‰) than beer from artisanal breweries (−25.0‰). Beer price per L was directly related to δ13C values in Brazil and abroad. This significant relationship, in addition to the 13C-enrichment observed in this study, may reflect a change in the Brazilian beer market, in which a greater variety of beverages are produced and marketed following traditional recipes regarding their purity.

Carbon uptake by a microbial community during 30-day treatment with 13C-glucose of a sandy loam soil fertilized for 20 years with NPK or compost as determined by a GC–C–IRMS analysis of phospholipid fatty acids

To investigate the uptake by the microbial community of easily decomposable exogenous organic C and the proportion of this organic C remaining in soils under long-term fertilization schemes, 13C-glucose was supplied to arable soils (aquic inceptisol) following a 20-year (1989–2009) application of compost (CM) or inorganic NPK (NPK), along with a control (no fertilizer). Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were used as biomarkers for actinobacteria, bacteria and fungi. Gas chromatography–combustion–stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–C–IRMS) was used to determine the incorporation of 13C into individual PLFAs. The concentrations of soil microbial PLFAs significantly (P < 0.05) increased in all three soils after the addition of 13C-glucose. Over a 30-day incubation period, the highest PLFA concentrations were on day 7 (control) or day 15 (NPK and CM) for bacteria, and on day 30 for both fungi and actinobacteria. The added 13C-glucose was incorporated into bacterial PLFAs first, whilst an increase of 13C in fungal and actinobacterial PLFAs was measured on day 7 and 15, respectively. The mean amounts of 13C in bacterial, actinobacterial and fungal PLFAs in CM-treated soil during the 30-day incubation period were 0.589, 0.030 and 0.056 μg g−1 soil, respectively, which were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than levels measured in the NPK and control soils. Among the bacterial groups, the amount of 13C in Gram-positive (G+) bacteria over the entire incubation ranged from 0.326 to 0.440 μg g−1 soil in the CM scheme, which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than levels detected in the NPK and control regimes. In contrast, 13C concentrations in monounsaturated PLFAs (aerobic microorganisms) in the CM-treated soil were 0.030–0.045 μg g−1 soil, which was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in the NPK schemes. The proportion of glucose-derived 13C remaining in soils was ranked as follows: CM (53%) > NPK (41%) > control (28%) after 30 days of incubation. Easily decomposable exogenous organic C was thus more effectively maintained under the CM regime, primarily because, after 20 years, CM had altered the microbial community by reducing the ratio of aerobic to anaerobic microorganisms whilst increasing levels of G+ bacteria in soil compared to the control and NPK soils. This study aids our understanding of the transformation and maintenance of easily decomposable organic C in soil over long-term fertilization regimes.