Strain T1 Research Articles

Selected Actinomycetes as Potential Biostimulant of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L) in Mali

Aims: This study aims to formulate at least one efficient biostimulant based on actinomycetes that promotes good eggplant growth in Mali. Study Design: The experimental design was a completely randomized block design with three replications and four treatments randomly distributed. The treatments were three Actinomycete strains (Act, S1 and St1) and a non inoculated control and the mode of application (inoculation or spraying) of these treatments were considered as blocking factor. Place and Duration of Study: The trials were conducted in Bamako, in the Greenhouse of the LaboREM-Biotech situated on the colline of Badalabougou. Methodology: Eggplant seeds inoculated or not with Actinomyces sp. Ts1, Actinomyces sp. S1 and Actinomyces sp. Act; were randomly sown in plastic pots filled with approximately 2.50 kg of air-dried soil. The first block sown with coated seeds and the second with non-inoculated seeds and seedlings from them pulverized. Leaf length, leaf area, leaf diameter, leaf area, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, plant height and root length were determined. Results: Eggplant seed inoculated with all the tested Actinomycetes strains had significantly enhanced leaf length, leaf diameter, leaf area, leaves fresh weight. The highest results were obtained with the strain Act, followed by strain St1. Sprayed treatment improved eggplant leaf length, leaf diameter, leaf area, leaves fresh weight, leaves dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight; compared to the coated treatment Conclusion: Field application of actinomyctes may reduce production cost, by increasing eggplant growth and fruit yield while reducing production cost. The present work showed that Act and Ts1 using spray method were best suited for eggplant. Actinomyces sp. Act produced the highest leaf length, leaf diameter, leaf area, leaves fresh weight. Therefore, Actinomyces sp. Act is suggested as bioinoculant for eggplant.

The association between periodontal disease and coronary artery disease: insights from imaging, observational and genome-wide data

Abstract Background Periodontal disease is the sixth most common disease worldwide. It has been suggested that it may be a contributory risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). From a public health perspective, prevention of periodontal disease is relatively straightforward and cost-effective: daily brushing, flossing and, where applicable, smoking cessation. Purpose This study utilises imaging, longitudinal and genomic data to characterise the association between periodontal disease and CAD. Methods 481,915 individuals from the UK Biobank were included in this study, 18.9% (n = 91,022) of whom had self-reported periodontal disease. For the imaging analysis, a maximum of 59,019 had paired cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) data. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to examine the association of periodontal disease on CMR outcomes with LV end-diastolic volume, LV mass, LV mass:volume ratio (MVR), LV ejection fraction, LV global longitudinal strain and native T1 values considered as prognostically important phenotypes. The relationship between periodontal disease and incident CAD was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. To examine the relationship of genetically-determined periodontal disease on CAD, a de novo GWAS for periodontal disease was performed and a genome-wide polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed. Results Periodontal disease was associated with a significantly higher LV MVR (effect size = 0.00233, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.0006, 0.004) and significantly lower LV native global T1 value (effect size = -0.86 ms, 95% CI = -1.63, -0.09). The presence of periodontal disease was independently associated with a significantly increased hazard of incident CAD (HR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.13) at a median follow-up time of 13.8 years (Figure 1). Each standard deviation increase in the periodontal disease PRS was associated with increased odds of CAD (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.05) (Figure 2). Conclusion Using an integrated approach across imaging, observational and genomic data, periodontal disease is independently associated with biomarkers of subclinical remodelling as well as incident CAD. These findings highlight the potential importance of periodontal disease in the broader context of cardiovascular disease prevention.

Residual post-infarct myocardial inflammation detected by 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/MRI predicts long-term adverse cardiac remodelling

Abstract Background Maladaptive inflammatory responses are associated with adverse cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction (MI), but clinical methods for detecting residual myocardial inflammation post-MI are lacking. Purpose To investigate somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SST2) positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using 68Ga-DOTATATE after MI. Methods In a prospective observational cohort study, infarct-related myocardial inflammation detected by 68Ga-DOTATATE PET at 2wk and 3mo post-MI was compared with MRI characteristics including left ventricular (LV) volumetric changes at 1yr, as well circulating immune cell phenotyping and serum proteomic markers. Patients with a prior history of MI or heart failure were excluded. Histological SST2 expression was assessed in myocardial biopsies. Results 38 participants (mean age 60 [SD 9] years; 84% male) with recent MI were enrolled, of whom 58% had an ST-segment elevation MI. Mean peak Troponin I was 16,665 (range 408 to >25,000) ng/L and mean post-infarct LV ejection fraction was 51 (SD 9) %. 68Ga-DOTATATE maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) at 10 (SD 4) days accurately localised infarcted myocardial segments defined by late-gadolinium enhancement MRI (LGE; Fig. 1); were 14.2% higher in akinetic/hypokinetic vs. normo-kinetic segments (p<0.0001); and were correlated both with peak segmental strain (r=0.47, p=0.003) and segmental T1 values (r=0.51, p=0.02). Mean infarct SUVmax was 19.7% lower on repeat PET/MRI after a mean 102 (SD 22) days (p<0.0001), and this change was in keeping with parallel reductions in T2-weighted oedema signal on MRI and serum biomarkers of cardiac injury and systemic inflammation. Residual inflammation assessed by mean infarct SUVmax at 3mo was correlated with ΔLV indexed end-diastolic volume at 369 (SD 14) days, after adjustment for baseline infarct size and other clinical variables (p=0.038). The 3mo:2wk ratio of mean infarct SUVmax was an even stronger predictor of adverse myocardial remodelling (p=0.0025). Circulating SST2+ classical monocytes were correlated with infarct 68Ga-DOTATATE signal (r=0.47, p=0.02), and SST2 was co-expressed with CD68+ macrophages in inflamed myocardial specimens of patients with recent MI and ischaemic heart failure. After statistical feature selection and multiple comparisons adjustments, among the blood markers associated with 3mo:2wk infarct SUVmax was CCL25, a chemokine involved in macrophage recruitment which has been implicated in adverse cardiac remodelling. Conclusions Here, in the first prospective clinical study of serial SST2 PET/MRI after MI, we show that 68Ga-DOTATATE can identify and track resolving infarct-related myocardial inflammation. Moreover, residual inflammation detected by 68Ga-DOTATATE is associated with long-term adverse myocardial remodelling and could provide a potential future imaging biomarker to help stratify high-risk patients for emerging immunomodulatory therapies.Figure 1.68Ga-DOTATATE PET-MRI after MI

Non-lipid metabolomic biomarkers are associated with adverse cardiac remodelling and cardiovascular outcomes

Abstract Background Metabolomics is the detailed profiling of circulating metabolites including carbohydrates, lipids, amino and fatty acids, and ketones, all of which are substrates used in energy metabolism by cardiomyocytes. Purpose The role of cholesterol fractions with cardiovascular risk is well-established. This novel study examines the association between non-lipid circulating metabolites and markers of cardiac remodelling as assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Metabolites associated with adverse remodelling were taken forward to examine their impact on incident cardiovascular disease (CVD); ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF). Methods This study used data from the UK Biobank. After exclusions (prevalent IHD, HF; outliers), there were a maximum of 34,727 individuals for CMR analyses and 262,536 individuals for incident CVD analysis. For CMR analyses, outcome variables were LV end-diastolic volume (EDV), LV mass, LV mass:volume ratio (MVR), LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and native T1. Separate regression models were built for each of the 40 scaled metabolite biomarkers. Each model incorporated one metabolite at a time with additional covariates: age, sex, ethnicity, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol medication use, type 2 diabetes, dietary intake, smoking status, fasting time, and time between recruitment and CMR examination. A Bonferroni-corrected significance threshold of 2.4x10-4 was used. To account for correlation between metabolites, Lasso regression with 10 fold cross-validation to identify the most important predictors was performed for LV MVR, LV GLS and native T1 whereby all metabolites and above covariates were included in the model. Metabolite predictors of adverse remodelling were included in an adjusted logistic regression model with incident CVD as an outcome. Results Metabolites demonstrating significant (p < 2.4x10-4) associations with CMR parameters are presented in Fig 1. For higher LV MVR and more positive LV GLS, the metabolites with the largest effect were monounsaturated fatty acids and glycoprotein acetyls. Higher omega-6:omega-3 ratio was associated with higher T1 values. The Lasso model identified 8 important predictors for adverse cardiac remodelling. Of these, two were routine biomarkers (creatinine, glucose). Of the remainder, monounsaturated fatty acids, glycoprotein acetyls and apolipoprotein B:apolipoprotein A1 ratio were significantly associated with increased risk of incident CVD (Fig 2). Current evidence regarding monounsaturated fatty acids in CVD is mixed. Glycoprotein acetyls are implicated in vascular inflammation. Apolipoproteins are thought to be a potential therapeutic target for CVD risk reduction. Conclusion This study demonstrates a role of non-lipid metabolites on subclinical CVD as assessed by adverse remodelling with CMR as well as associations with incident CVD. We highlight potential novel biomarkers for identification of CVD.Metabolite association with LV MVR/GLSMetabolite association with incident CVD

High keratinase and other types of hydrolase activity of the new strain of Bacillus paralicheniformis.

Keratinases, a subclass of proteases, are used to degrade keratin thereby forming peptones and free amino acids. Bacillus paralicheniformis strain T7 was isolated from soil and exhibited high keratinase, protease, collagenase, amylase, xylanase, lipase, and phosphatase activities. Keratinases of the strain showed maximum activity at 70°C and pH 9.0 as well as high thermal stability. A mass-spectrometric analysis identified seven peptidases with molecular masses of 26.8-154.8 kDa in the secretory proteome. These peptidases are members of S8 and S41 serine peptidase families and of M14, M42, and M55 metallopeptidase families. Additionally, α-amylase (55.2 kDa), alkaline phosphatase (59.8 kDa), and esterase (26.8 kDa) were detected. The strong keratinolytic properties of the strain were confirmed by degradation of chicken and goose feathers, which got completely hydrolyzed within 4 days. Submerged fermentation by strain B. paralicheniformis T7 was carried out in a pilot bioreactor, where the highest keratinase production was noted after 19 h of cultivation. After the fermentation, in the culture fluid, the keratinase activity toward keratin azure was 63.6 ± 5.8 U/mL. The protease activity against azocasein was 715.7 ± 40.2 U/mL. The possibility of obtaining enzyme preparations in liquid and powder form was demonstrated, and their comparative characteristics are given. In the concentrate, the keratinase, protease, α-amylase, phosphatase, and esterase/lipase activities were 2,656.7 ± 170.4, 29,886.7 ± 642.9, 176.1 ± 16.3, 23.9 ± 1.8, and 510.9 ± 12.2 U/mL, respectively. In the lyophilizate, these activities were 57,733.3 ± 8,911.4, 567,066.7 ± 4,822.2, 2,823.0 ± 266.8, 364.2 ± 74.8, and 17,618.0 ± 610.3 U/g, respectively. In the preparation obtained by air flow drying at 55°C, these activities were 53,466.7 ± 757.2, 585,333.3 ± 4,277.1, 2,395.8 ± 893.7, 416.7 ± 52.4, and 15,328.1 ± 528.6 U/g, respectively. The results show high potential of B. paralicheniformis strain T7 as a producer of keratinases and other enzymes for applications in agricultural raw materials and technologies for processing of keratin-containing animal waste.

Genomic insight on Klebsiella variicola isolated from wastewater treatment plant has uncovered a novel bacteriophage

Klebsiella variicola is considered an emerging pathogen, which may colonize a variety of hosts, including environmental sources. Klebsiella variicola investigated in this study was obtained from an influent wastewater treatment plant in the North-West Province, South Africa. Whole genome sequencing was conducted to unravel the genetic diversity and antibiotic resistance patterns of K. variicola. Whole genome core SNP phylogeny was employed on publicly available 170 genomes. Furthermore, capsule types and antibiotic resistance genes, particularly beta-lactamase and carbapenems genes were investigated from the compared genomes. A 38 099 bp bacteriophage was uncovered alongside with K. variicola genome. Whole genome sequencing revealed that the extended beta-lactamase blaLEN (75.3%) of the beta-lactamase is dominant among compared K. variicola strains. The identified IncF plasmid AA035 confers resistance genes of metal and heat element subtypes, i.e., silver, copper, and tellurium. The capsule type KL107-D1 is a predominant capsule type present in 88.2% of the compared K. variicola genomes. The phage was determined to be integrase-deficient consisting of a fosB gene associated with fosfomycin resistance and clusters with the Wbeta genus Bacillus phage group. In silico analysis showed that the phage genome interacts with B. cereus as opposed to K. variicola strain T2. The phage has anti-repressor proteins involved in the lysis-lysogeny decision. This phage will enhance our understanding of its impact on bacterial dissemination and how it may affect disease development and antibiotic resistance mechanisms in wastewater treatment plants. This study highlights the need for ongoing genomic epidemiological surveillance of environmental K. variicola isolates.

Evaluating Native Bacillus Strains as Potential Biocontrol Agents against Tea Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum fructicola

Anthracnose of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), caused by Colletotrichum spp., poses a significant threat to both the yield and quality of tea production. To address this challenge, researchers have looked to the application of endophytic bacteria as a natural alternative to the use chemical pesticides, offering potential for enhancing disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance in tea plants. This study focused on identifying effective microbial agents to combat tea anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum fructicola. A total of 38 Bacillus-like strains were isolated from the tea rhizosphere, with 8 isolates showing substantial inhibitory effects against the mycelial growth of C. fructicola, achieving an average inhibition rate of 60.68%. Among these, strain T3 was particularly effective, with a 69.86% inhibition rate. Through morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization, along with 16S rRNA gene phylogenetics analysis, these strains were identified as B. inaquosorum (T1 and T2), B. tequilensis (T3, T5, T7, T8, and T19), and B. spizizenii (T6). Biological and molecular assays confirmed that these strains could induce the expression of genes associated with antimicrobial compounds like iturin, fengycin, subtilosin, and alkaline protease, which effectively reduced the disease index of tea anthracnose and enhanced tea plant growth. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that B. inaquosorum, B. tequilensis, and B. spizizenii strains are promising biocontrol agents for managing tea anthracnose.

Production of anti-rM14 and anti-rM42 antibodies and their application in the stidy of expression of metalloproteases M14 and M42 of keratinolytic strain of Bacillus paralicheniformis

In the present study, two metalloproteases M14 and M42 from a Kazakh strain of Bacillus paralicheniformis T7 with high proteolytic activity were successfully cloned, expressed and purified. Protease genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers selected on the basis of full genome sequencing data of B. paralicheniformis strain N7 (GenBank accession #CP124861). The amplified fragments were cloned in the expression vector pET-28c(+). Recombinant analogs of the metalloproteases M14 and M42 were obtained by plasmid expression in Escherichia coli cells of the strain ArcticExpressRP(DE3). Using metal affinity chromatography, rM14 and rM42 proteins were purified and polyclonal antibodies were produced by immunization of rabbits. Using anti-rM14 and anti-rM42 antibodies, the expression level of native metalloproteases M14 and M42 in cell lysate and culture fluid of B. paralicheniformis T7 strain was examined after culturing the strain on keratin-containing media: chicken feather, horn, hoof, hide and wool of cattle. Substrate-dependent expression of metalloprotease genes of B. paralicheniformis strain T7 was established. The obtained results indicate the prospective use B. paralicheniformis strain T7 as a producer of metalloproteases M14 and M42.

Transcriptomic profiling reveals the effect of amino acid metabolism on the production capacity of Volvariella volvacea during repeated subculture

Tissue separation is commonly employed for the purification and rejuvenation of edible mushroom species. However, repeated or continuous tissue separation can result in strain degradation. In this study, cultivation experiments were conducted in Volvariella volvacea V844 (T0). Tissue separation subculture was repeated 16 times to obtain the succession strains T1–T16. Of these, T4, T8, T12, and T16 were selected as experimental strains, and their production traits were evaluated. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing technology was used to analyze the transcription spectrum of these strains. The results showed that with the increase in subculture cycles, the colony diameter, mycelial growth rate, mycelial biomass, and biological efficiency of V. volvacea first increased and then decreased, and the growth cycle was gradually prolonged. Transcriptome sequencing revealed the presence of 1375, 1015, 651, and 1648 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in T4, T8, T12, and T16, respectively, versus T0. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis demonstrated that these DEGs were mainly involved in amino acid metabolic pathways. Further annotation analysis revealed that in V. volvacea subculture strains, the number of DEGs involved in histidine metabolism (Ko00340) and arginine and proline metabolism (Ko00330) was the highest. Amino acid analysis demonstrated that the proline and arginine content first rose and then fell across successive subculture strains, whereas the histidine content first decreased and then increased. The results indicated that the change in the production capacity of V. volvacea during repeated subculture may be due to the altered expression of DEGs involved in amino acid metabolism, leading to changes in the amino acid content of V. volvacea and further affecting the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, free radical scavenging, energy acquisition, nutrient absorption, and redox balance. These changes could result in the rejuvenation (<8) of the V. volvacea strain or cause its degradation (>12). The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for studying the mechanisms of rejuvenation and degradation in V. volvacea and also offer insights valuable for studying the molecular functions of genes involved in the growth of V. volvacea and other edible fungi.

Replacement of Soybean Meal with Rice Distiller’s Dried Grains with Soluble in Layer Diet on Chicken Egg Quality

The experiment was conducted on 144 layers of BV- 300 strain from age of 59th week and completed at 70th week for the period of 12 weeks to study the replacement of soybean meal with rice distiller’s dried grains with soluble (rDDGS) in layer diet on egg quality parameters. The egg weight, shape index, egg surface area, albumin index, yolk index, yolk color score, percent eggshell weight and eggshell thickness parameters were studied. The layer birds were randomly distributed into 4 equal treatments T1 (Control), T2, T3 and T4 with 36-layer birds in each group having 6 replicates of 6 layers each. The control group T1 fed basal layer ration as per the recommendation of BV-300-layer strain and treatment groups T2, T3 and T4 offered 5, 10 and 15% rDDGS inclusion levels replacing soybean meal in diet and recorded for egg quality parameters. It was observed that, the inclusion of rDDGS at 0, 5, 10 and 15% in treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively, in layer diets were non-significantly influenced on shape index, egg surface area, albumin index, yolk index, yolk colour score, percent eggshell weight and eggshell thickness. The egg weights were significantly (P&lt;0.05) decreased in treatment group T4 receiving diet at 15% rDDGS as compared to control group T1 and treatment group T2. However, there was non-significant differences for egg weight in groups T1, T2 and T3. Thus, it was concluded that the rice distiller’s dried grains with soluble (rDDGS) can be included up to 10% in layer diet with replacing soybean meal without affecting the body weights, external and internal egg quality parameters like eggshell weight, shape index, egg surface area, albumin index, yolk index, yolk colour score, egg surface area and eggshell thickness.

Potential of Trichoderma strains to positively modulate plant growth processes and bulb yield in Rabi onion

The use of beneficial microbes is hitherto known and constantly increasing in agriculture due to their positive impact on crop growth and yield, and their minimal negative impact on the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of eight Trichoderma strains of diverse origin on crop growth and yield of onion under field conditions. The identity of the strains used in the current study was confirmed by ITS and Tef1 gene sequencing. Field experiments were conducted in the Rabi season for 2 years (2020–21, and 2022–23) to evaluate the effect of the application of eight different Trichoderma strains that were applied individually and separately as eight different treatments (T1–T8) in experimental plots. In the plant growth promotion assay conducted in vitro, all strains showed the ability to produce IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), with levels ranging from 23.52 μg/mL (T6) to 45.54 μg/mL (T3). Our results revealed that Trichoderma treated experimental plots displayed better growth indices (plant height, pseudostem diameter), RWC (Relative water content), leaf chlorophyll content, and yield-attributing features like biomass (bulb and root dry mass), bulb diameter, and harvested bulb yield compared to the untreated control plants. In terms of yield, the T2 strain exhibited the highest bulb yield consistently for both the years (2020–21 and 2022–23) followed by T3 being statistically at par with T5. Among all the evaluated Trichoderma strains, the strain T2 (OGRDT2) and T3 (GRDT1), taxonomically identified as Trichoderma longibrachiatum, registered bulb yield of 32.24 t/ha and 30.76 t/ha, respectively while T5 (GRDT3), identified as Trichoderma asperellum, registered 30.55 t/ha average yield for 2 years compared to 24.08 t/ha average yield recorded for untreated control plants with an increase of 34, 28 and 27%, respectively. Based on our findings, it is concluded that the T. longibrachiatum strains OGRDT2 (T2) and GRDT1 (T3), T. asperellum strain GRDT3 (T5) are the best inducers of the onion crop growth and yield in the Rabi season and would be explored further for its commercial application in onion farming.

Serine Rejuvenated Degenerated Volvariella volvacea by Enhancing ROS Scavenging Ability and Mitochondrial Function.

Serine is a functional amino acid that effectively regulates the physiological functions of an organism. This study investigates the effects of adding exogenous serine to a culture medium to explore a feasible method for the rejuvenation of V. volvacea degenerated strains. The tissue isolation subcultured strains T6, T12, and T19 of V. volvacea were used as test strains, and the commercially cultivated strain V844 (T0) was used as a control. The results revealed that the addition of serine had no significant effect on non-degenerated strains T0 and T6, but could effectively restore the production characteristics of degenerated strains T12 and T19. Serine increased the biological efficiency of T12 and even helped the severely degenerated T19 to regrow its fruiting body. Moreover, exogenous serine up-regulated the expression of some antioxidant enzyme genes, improved antioxidase activity, reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lowered malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and restored mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial morphology. Meanwhile, serine treatment increased lignocellulase and mycelial energy levels. These findings form a theoretical basis and technical support for the rejuvenation of V. volvacea degenerated strains and other edible fungi.

Sequence, structure and biophysical characterization of CsoR-like hypothetical protein from Geobacillus zalihae strain T1

Sequence, structure and biophysical characterization of CsoR-like hypothetical protein from Geobacillus zalihae strain T1

In planta ANALYSIS OF SALICYLIC ACID MEDIATED MANAGEMENT OF

Bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a catastrophic bacterial disease of rice, and researchers are facing difficulties in developing the management practices, whereas the continued use of bactericides viz, streptomycin, copper oxychloride leads to the development of resistant Xoo strains. As a consequence, the development of an environmentally safe bactericide for the management of this devastating disease is needed. The present study focused on identification of effective synthetic activators against bacterial leaf blight in rice during their interaction. Survey was conducted to collect different isolates of Xoo and their morphological characters and biochemical properties were determined. All the 10 isolates exhibited circular to flattened slimy yellow colour colonies of the pathogen and showed positive reaction for citrate utilization, lysine utilization and ornithine utilization test. All the ten isolates showed negative reaction for sorbitol utilization. The collected isolates were subjected to PCR for the amplification of 16S-23S intergenic region with the species specific primer and obtained amplicon at ⁓470 bp for the confirmation at molecular level. The virulent isolate was identified by measuring biofilm formation and xanthomonadin pigment which revealed that the isolate ADT 53 strain T3 with the accession number OR121377 recorded maximum OD value of 0.356 for biofilm formation at 570 nm and 0.686 for xanthomonadin pigment at 445 nm. In planta studies revealed that salicylic acid at 100 ppm has the maximum inhibitory effect against bacterial leaf blight disease with the minimal lesion size of 0.7 cm compared to negative control (water). Keywords: Activators, BLB, Biofilm, Characterization, in planta, Xanthomonadin.

Chromosome Doubling Enhances Biomass and Carotenoid Content in Lycium chinense

Lycium chinense, a type of medicinal and edible plant, is rich in bioactive compounds beneficial to human health. In order to meet the market requirements for the yield and quality of L. chinense, polyploid induction is usually an effective way to increase plant biomass and improve the content of bioactive components. This study established the most effective tetraploid induction protocol by assessing various preculture durations, colchicine concentrations, and exposure times. The peak tetraploid induction efficacy, 18.2%, was achieved with a 12-day preculture and 24-h exposure to 50 mg L–1 colchicine. Compared to diploids, tetraploids exhibited potentially advantageous characteristics such as larger leaves, more robust stems, and faster growth rates. Physiologically, tetraploids demonstrated increased stomatal size and chloroplast count in stomata but reduced stomatal density. Nutrient analysis revealed a substantial increase in polysaccharides, calcium, iron, and zinc in tetraploid leaves. In addition, seventeen carotenoids were identified in the leaves of L. chinense. Compared to the diploid, lutein, β-carotene, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and (E/Z)-phytoene exhibited higher levels in tetraploid strains T39 and T1, with T39 demonstrating a greater accumulation than T1. The findings suggest that the generated tetraploids harbor potential for further exploitation and lay the foundation for the selection and breeding of novel genetic resources of Lycium.

Subclinical cardiovascular remodelling in HIV-infection: A multimodal case study of 2 serodiscordant, monozygotic twins.

Cardiovascular abnormalities are increasingly recognised among people newly diagnosed with HIV, but subclinical pathology may be challenging to diagnose. We present a case study of subtle cardiovascular changes in identical twins, one without HIV-infection and the other recently diagnosed with HIV (serodiscordant). We hypothesise that cardiovascular parameters would be similar between the twins, unless non-genetic (environmental) factors are at play. These differences likely represent occult pathology secondary to the effects of early HIV-infection. A 25-year-old female incidentally diagnosed with HIV, and her HIV-uninfected identical twin, living with her since birth, underwent comprehensive cardiovascular assessments. The HIV-positive twin exhibited a globular left ventricle (LV), larger LV volumes, decreased LV strain, peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) and higher native T1 and T2 mapping values compared to her sister. Cardiac biomarkers high sensitivity cardiac troponin T and N-terminal proBNP, as well as the novel markers of fibrosis and remodelling, galectin-3 and soluble-ST2, were higher in the HIV-infected twin. Given the twins' shared environment and genetic makeup, these differences likely stem from HIV-infection. Our study supports previous findings and suggests potential screening markers for HIV-associated cardiovascular disease, including PALS. Further research is warranted to explore PALS' utility in this context.

Isolation, identification, and mechanism analysis of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in tobacco.

Plant growth, crop yield, and pest and disease control are enhanced by PGPR (Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria), which are beneficial microorganisms found in a close symbiosis with plant roots. Phytohormones are secreted, nutrient uptake is improved, and soil properties along with the microbiological environment are regulated by these microorganisms, making them a significant focus in agricultural research. In this study, the efficient PGPR strain T1 was isolated and screened from tobacco inter-root soil, and identified and confirmed by ITS sequencing technology. Tobacco growth indicators and soil property changes were observed and recorded through potting experiments. The activities of key enzymes (e.g., sucrase, catalase, urease) in soil were further determined. High-throughput sequencing technology was utilized to sequence the soil microbial community, and combined with macro-genomics analysis, the effects of T1 strain on soil microbial diversity and metabolic pathways were explored. Following the application of T1, significant improvements were observed in the height, leaf length, and width of tobacco plants. Furthermore, the physical and chemical properties of the soil were notably enhanced, including a 26.26% increase in phosphorus availability. Additionally, the activities of key soil enzymes such as sucrase, catalase, and urease were significantly increased, indicating improved soil health and fertility. Comprehensive joint microbiomics and macrogenomics analyses revealed a substantial rise in the populations of beneficial soil microorganisms and an enhancement in metabolic pathways, including amino acid metabolism, synthesis, and production of secondary metabolites. These increase in beneficial microorganisms and the enhancement of their metabolic functions are crucial for plant growth and soil fertility. This study provides valuable references for the development of innovative microbial fertilizers and offers programs for the sustainable development of modern agriculture.

Disentangling the Tissue-Specific Variations of Volatile Flavor Profiles of the Lentinula edodes Fruiting Body.

For Lentinula edodes, its characteristic flavor is the key determinant for consumer preferences. However, the tissue-specific volatile flavor variations of the fruiting body have been overlooked. Here, we comprehensively investigated the volatile flavor profiles of different tissues, including the pileus skin, context, gill, and stipe of the fruiting body, of two widely cultivated L. edodes strains (T2 and 0912) using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique combined with a multivariate analysis. We show that the eight-carbon and sulfur compounds, which represented 43.2-78.0% and 1.4-42.9% of the total volatile emissions for strains 0912 and T2, respectively, dominated their volatile profiles. Compared with strain T2, strain 0912 had a higher total content of eight-carbon compounds but a lower total content of sulfur compounds in the fruiting body. The sulfur compounds represented 32.2% and 42.9% of the total volatile emissions for strains 0912 and T2, respectively. In contrast, they constituted only 1.4% in the stipes of strain 0912 and 9.0% in the skin of strain T2. The proportions of the predominant C8 compounds (1-octen-3-one, 1-octen-3-ol, and 3-octanone) and sulfur compounds (lenthionine, 1,2,4-trithiolane, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide) changed depending on the tissues and strains. Using machine learning, we show that the prediction accuracy for different strains and tissues using their volatile profiles could reach 100% based on the highly diverse strain- and tissue-derived volatile variations. Our results reveal and highlight for the first time the comprehensive tissue-specific volatile flavor variations of the L. edodes fruiting body. These findings underscore the significance of considering strain and tissue differences as pivotal variables when aiming to develop products with volatile flavor characteristics.

Records of pharmacologically valuable ascomycete fungus &lt;i&gt;Cordyceps militaris&lt;/i&gt; (L) Fr. in the Kirov region

Fungi of the genus Cordyceps Fr. (1818) (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) are widely distributed throughout the world, many species are cosmopolitan. Cordyceps are known as entomopathogenic fungi that infect caterpillars and pupae of insects. The fruit bodies of Chinese cordyceps Ophiocordyceps sinensis (synonym Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc) are also well known for their pharmacological effects and are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. This species has a limited distribution and, due to the huge demand, its resources are rapidly depleted in the wild due to uncontrolled fees. In addition, O. sinensis is difficult to cultivate artificially. Another entomopathogenic species of fungus, Cordyceps militaris, has a chemical composition and properties similar to those of O. sinensis, but, unlike O. sinensis, it is easier to be grown artificially in mycelial culture. In this regard, the study of the distribution and occurrence of the fungus Cordyceps militaris has now acquired exceptional relevance. The article presents data on the first sporadic records of Cordyceps militaris fungus, which has unique biological properties, in the Kirov region. The ecological strategy of the population of this species, the peculiarities of its distribution and population fluctuations in Russia are discussed. The question is considered why, with the wide distribution of this species, it is considered rare and even included in the Red Books of individual regions. C. militaris found in the northern part of the Kirov region was isolated into pure culture (strain T1) for artificial cultivation and study of physiological and biochemical properties. The expediency of including natural cordyceps isolates obtained by introduction into mycelial culture in mycological collection funds is substantiated, since artificial cultivation of the fungus is of obvious interest for the development of biotechnologies in medicine, veterinary medicine, crop production and plant protection.

Metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) reveals emerging infection induced by Klebsiella pneumoniaeniae

ObjectivesThe increasing emergence of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hv-Kp) and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CR-Kp) is a serious and substantial public health problem. The use of the last resort antimicrobials, tigecycline and polymyxin to combat infections is complicated by the expanding repertoire of newly-identified CR-hvKp. The transmission and co-occurrence of the corresponding antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the dissemination and dynamics of CR-Kp and its antibiotic resistance in a hospitalised patient. MethodsMetagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was conducted for different specimens collected from an elderly male hospitalised patient. CR-Kp strains were examined using antibiotic susceptibility and string testing. Antimicrobial and virulence genes were annotated using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). ResultsA clinical case of a patient infected with a variety of CR-Kp isolates was reported. The co-occurrence of KPC-2 and NDM-1 in the patient was revealed. The CR-Kp isolates, such as BALF2, and Sputum T1 and T3, were classified into ST11 and ST147, respectively. The genetic signature (iuc operon) of hypervirulence was identified in strain T1, although string testing indicated its intermediate virulence. ConclusionsIn this study, multiple infections of CR-Kp isolates were revealed by mNGS, and their dissemination was attributed to plasmid variations, mgrB inactivation and integrative conjugative elements (ICEs). Furthermore, the finding indicated one likely convergence to form CR-hvKp, different from acquisition of carbapenem-resistance determinants in hvKp. A combination of mNGS and WGS is beneficial for clinical diagnosis and anti-infection therapy, and facilitates a better understanding of genetic variants conferring antimicrobial and virulence properties.