The microbial biofilms are ubiquitous in nature and represent important biological entities that affect various aspects of human life. As such, they attracted considerable attention during last decades, with the factors affecting the biofilm development being among the frequently studied topics. In our work, the biofilm was cultivated on the surface of polypropylene fibers in a nutrient medium inoculated

Mineral nutrition of crop plants is one of the major challenges faced by modern agriculture, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In alkaline calcareous soils, the availability of phosphorus and zinc is critically less due to their fixation and precipitation as complexes. Farmers use fertilizers to fulfill crop requirements, but their efficacy is less, which increases production costs. Plant

Klebsiella pneumoniae (family Enterobacteriaceae) is a gram-negative bacterium that has strong pathogenicity to humans and can cause sepsis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. In recent years, the unreasonable use of antibacterial drugs has led to an increase in drug-resistant strains of K. pneumoniae, a serious threat to public health. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are ubiquitous

Soils play an important role in the ecosystem of karstic landscapes both as a buffer zone and as a source of acidity to belowground water. Although the microbiota of karstic soils is known to have a great effect on karstification processes, the activity and composition of these communities are largely unknown. This study gives a comparative analysis of soil microbial profiles from different parts of

Tularemia is a bacterial disease of humans, wild, and domestic animals. Francisella tularensis, which is a Gram-negative coccobacillus-shaped bacterium, is the causative agent of tularemia. Recently, an increase in the number of human tularemia cases has been noticed in several countries around the world. It has been reported mostly from North America, several Scandinavian countries, and certain Asian

The potential of the culturable bacterial community from an Alpine coniferous forest site for the degradation of organic polymers and pollutants at low (5 °C) and moderate (20 °C) temperatures was evaluated. The majority of the 68 strains belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria (77%). Other strains were related to Bacteroidetes (12%), Alphaproteobacteria (4%), Actinobacteria (3%), and Firmicutes (3%)

Tuberculosis is a dreaded disease, which causes innumerable death worldwide. The emergence of drug resistance strains makes the situation devastating. Therefore, for better management of public health, it is mandatory to search for new anti-mycobacterial agents. In this context, the current study investigated two edible marine algae, Ulva lactuca and Ulva intestinalis, for the probable source of new

Human gut microbiota exists in a complicated symbiotic relationship which postulates to impact health and disease conditions on the host. Interestingly, the gut microbiome shows different mechanisms to regulate host physiology and metabolism including cell-to-cell communications. But microbiota imbalance is characterized to change in the host normal functioning and lead to the development and progression

Heterologously expressed and purified azoreductase enzyme from facultative Klebsiella pneumoniae was used to degrade sulphonated azo dye. Methyl orange (MO) was used as the model dye to study the azo dye decolorization potential of the purified enzyme at different conditions. The enzyme had maximum activity at 40 °C and pH 8.0. The enzyme was observed to be thermo-stable as some enzyme activity was

Due to insufficient amount of soluble phosphate and poor persistence of traditional chemical phosphate fertilizers in agricultural soils, the eco-friendly and sustainable phosphorus sources for crops are urgently required. The efficient phosphate-releasing fungal strain designated y2 was isolated and identified by the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA as Penicillium oxalicum y2. When lecithin, Ca3(PO4)2

Ecosystems worldwide are exposed to pollutants connected to the industrial production of pharmaceuticals. The objective of this study was to study the composition and characteristics of the soil microbial communities that had been exposed to long-term selection pressure caused by the industrial production of penicillin G. Soil samples from four sites among the penicillin G production plant were analysed

α-Terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, and δ-terpineol, isomers of terpineol, are among the compounds that give Cinnamomum longepaniculatum leaf oil its distinguished pleasant smell. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of these three isomeric terpineols. The determination of antibacterial activity was based on the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericide

Shared bicycle is an emerging form of public transportation in China and around the world. However, the bacterial community and drug-resistant microbiome on these bicycles have not been reported. Samples from 10 shared bicycles were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nine samples collected from 90 shared bicycles in three different kinds of location (hospital, metro station, shopping mall)

A batch culture technique was used to evaluate dry matter (DM) digestibility of corn stover (Zea mays L.) and kudzu, Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. after solid-state fermentation (SSF) with a white-rot fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm. Five dietary treatments consisting of mixtures of corn stover (C) and kudzu (K) in varying ratios, (1) 100C:0K, (2) 75C:25K, (3) 50C:50K, (4) 25C:75K

Due to the inappropriate use of florfenicol in agricultural practice, florfenicol resistance has become increasingly serious. In this work, we studied the novel florfenicol resistance mechanism of an animal-derived Leclercia adecarboxylata strain R25 with high-level florfenicol resistance. A random genomic DNA library was constructed to screen the novel florfenicol resistance gene. Gene cloning, gene

Bifidobacterium longum, one of the main microorganisms in the human gut, is used as an adjunct to lactic acid starter cultures or sold as a probiotic product. Therefore, Bifidobacterium longum cell suspensions get freeze-dried with protective additives to prevent activity losses. To date, investigations covering growth and inactivation kinetics of Bifidobacterium longum during the whole process (cultivation

We evaluated the antifungal activity of benzylidene-carbonyl compounds (LINS03) based on the structure of gibbilimbol from Piper malacophyllum Linn. Five analogues (1–5) were synthetized following a classic aldol condensation between an aromatic aldehyde and a ketone, under basic conditions. These were tested against itraconazole-susceptible (n = 3) and itraconazole-resistant (n = 5) isolates of Sporothrix

Bradymyces oncorhynchi is a poorly known melanised fungal species that has been isolated only from a hyperaemic focus near the enlarged spleen of a rainbow trout. Although the pathogenicity of this species to fish is suspected, it has not been fully confirmed. Four laboratory experiments were conducted to test the effect of the fungus on the health of rainbow trout fingerlings. Mycelia were cultivated

The original version of the article unfortunately contained an error

In this study, a unicellular soil alga isolated from farmland in Germany was surveyed. The investigation of the hypervariable molecular markers ITS1 rDNA and ITS2 rDNA identified strain E71.10 as conspecific with Vischeria sp. SAG 51.91 (Eustigmatophyceae). The culture was tested for biomass generation and for the yield of fatty acids and amino acids. The survey included four different culture conditions

Electronic waste is an evolving source of harmful pollutants in our surrounding environments and considered to be perilous as it contains toxic metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, mercury, zinc, and nickel in huge quantities. Heavy metals are harmful contaminants and accumulated in the environment due to various anthropogenic activities. The present study was conducted to isolate and characterize

Proteins MiaA and MiaB catalyze sequential isopentenylation and methylthiolation, respectively, of adenosine residue in 37th position of tRNAXXA. The mia mutations were recently shown by us to affect secondary metabolism and morphology of Streptomyces. However, it remained unknown as to whether both or one of the aforementioned modifications is critical for colony development and antibiotic production

At present, the traditional methods for the screening of Clostridium butyricum are not sufficiently selective and efficient. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a targeted and efficient screening method for the detection of C. butyricum. Bioinformatics was used in this study to find C. butyricum specific genes, and species-specific primers were designed based on the conserved regions of the targeted

Cryptococcosis is a potentially fatal fungal disease which has aggrandized with the emergence of AIDS and antifungal resistance. The currently used antifungals lack the broad-spectrum activity and result in several toxicities during long treatment regimens. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the antifungal activity of cinnamaldehyde against Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, the etiological

Rapid identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is essential for proper initial antibiotic therapy and timely set up of hygienic measures. Recently, detection of MRSA using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer mediated by the peptide—phenol-soluble modulin (PSM-mec)—linked to the class A mec gene complex present in SCCmec cassettes types II, III, and VIII of MRSA strains, has been

The bacterium Azospirillum brasilense can swim and swarm owing to the work of polar and lateral flagella. Its major surface glycopolymers consist of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and Calcofluor-binding polysaccharides (Cal+ phenotype). Motility and surface glycopolymers are important for the interactions of plant-associated bacteria with plants. The facultative plant endophyte A. brasilense Sp245 produces

Plenty of metagenomic studies have suggested possible associations between microbiome composition and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, these techniques are not economic enough for routine use so far. Therefore, we explored the possibility to detect species associated with colorectal cancer by conventional culture from rectal swab. Fifty-two patients newly diagnosed for adenoma/CRC and 52 age-matched

Pediocin PA-1 is a bacteriocin that shows strongly anti-microbial activity against some Gram-positive pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. With the broad inhibitory spectrum as well as high-temperature stability, pediocin has a potential application in the food preservation and pharmaceutical industry. Pediocin has been studied to express in many

Biomass feedstock is an efficient and harmless source of energy. their are various sources of feedstock, such as plant, microbial, macro, and microalgae, and agricultural waste. The major component in biomass feedstock material is a polysaccharide, such as cellulose, cellobiose, starch, and alginate. Alginate is mainly found in macroalgae as one of the significant polysaccharide components. It is made

A systematic study on the lack of dissimilatory nitrate reductase (NAR) properties in Halomonas strains had been reported so far. The effects of different factors on Halomonas sp. B01 NAR activity were investigated. The salt tolerance of NAR was characterized. The denitrification process under high salt conditions was reported. Halomonas sp. B01 expressed membrane-bound NAR under induced culture by

The evolutionary “success” of the genus Brucella depends on the ability to persist both in the environment as well as inside of even activated macrophages of the animal host. For that, the Brucellae produce catalase and superoxide dismutase to defend against oxidative stress. Since the deletion of the mglA gene in the B. abortus S19 vaccine strain resulted not only in an increased tolerance to H2O2

Infectious diseases are the significant global health problem because of drug resistance to most classes of antimicrobials. Interest is growing in the development of new antimicrobials in pharmaceutical discovery. For that reason, the urgency for scientists to find and/or develop new important molecules is needed. Many natural active molecules that exhibit various biological activities have been isolated

The influence of non-thermal plasma (NTP) treatment on the prevention of antibiotic resistance of microbial biofilms was studied. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli bacteria and a yeast Candida albicans, grown on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloy used in the manufacture of prosthetic implants, were employed. Their biofilms were exposed to NTP produced by DC cometary discharge and subsequently

Microbial and enzymatic degradation of keratin waste is more preferred over various conventional approaches which are costly and not environmentally suitable. Diverse niches are auspicious for the discovery of new microorganisms. To discover novel keratinolytic bacteria, 60 isolates from different poultry dumping sites were initially screened, and among these found a potent keratinolytic isolate (NKSP-7)

The aim of the study was to identify the optimum cultivation conditions for the microalgal growth and lipid production of the oleaginous microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick (IPPAS C2). Moreover, an appropriate NO3- concentration in the cultivation medium for maximized lipid accumulation was determined. The experimental design involved a biphasic cultivation strategy with an initial biomass accumulating

Halophilic bacterias from saline soil from former Lake Texcoco were isolated, identified based on 16 rRNA and tested to produce glucolytic, nucleolytic, proteolytic and lipolytic exoenzymes. The Bacillus, Virgibacillus, Kocuria, Salinicoccus, Gracilibacillus, Halobacillus, Tenuibacillus and Nesterekonia genera where identified. Lipase/eserases and proteases from Nesterenkonia sp. and Nesterenkonia

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite with domestic or free-living members of family Felidae known as the only definitive hosts of the parasite. The study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in selected population groups in Slovakia and to analyse the infection risk factors. Totally 1536 serum samples of voluntary respondents were examined by EIA Toxoplasma

A new β-galactosidase-producing bacterium KGP, isolated from the Bay of Bengal, was identified as Paracoccus marcusii through morphology, biochemistry and 16S rRNA sequencing. This study is the first report on the production of β-galactosidase from P. marcusii. The medium components for the high yield of β-galactosidase were optimised using response surface methodology (RSM). A set of 17 experiments

Q fever is a zoonosis. Humans are infected through the inhalation of Coxiella burnetii particles that are dispersed into the air from the birth products or faeces of ruminants. Major outbreaks can occur in association with farming activities. C. burnetii can be disseminated by wind up to several tens of kilometres and infect humans far from its zoonotic source. As a result, the sources of sporadic

Endosulfan, an organochlorine insecticide, is known to cause detrimental effects to the environment and human health due to its excessive usage. Its highly toxic nature calls for an environmental-friendly approach for its detoxification. Environmental transformation of Endosulfan was assessed through biodegradation by isolated and cultured soil microbes (Bacillus subtilis (BS), Aspergillus niger (AN)

Fungi can improve stover digestibility due to their ability to secrete oxidative enzymes that depolymerize lignin, allowing the rumen microorganisms to access the polysaccharides of the plant cell wall. Some ascomycetes have shown good delignification capability; however, they have been scarcely evaluated for their ability to improve corn stover (CS) ruminal digestibility. We evaluated the laccase

Pot marigold and tickseed are ornamental plants with many medicinal and cosmetic uses and for landscape, respectively. During a survey in 2018, phyllody symptoms were observed in high percentages in these plants in some regions of the Razavi Khorasan province (northeastern Iran). Total DNA was extracted from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants and polymerase chain reaction was carried on using universal

Abamectin (ABA) constitutes a big commodity for pharmaceutical companies because it generates about one billion dollar annual sale. Avermectins (AVMs) and their naturally occurring analogues, milbemycins (MILs), meilingmycins (MEIs), ivermectin (IVE), abamectin (ABA), and nemadectin (NEM), represent one of the most developed antiparasitic agents. Abamectin is a mixture of avermectin B1a and avermectin

The strain Raoultella sp. KDF8 was cultivated on three sources of carbon and energy, glycerol, ethanol and diclofenac, for periods of time ranging from 24 to 72 h. Using thin-layer chromatography, nine classes of phospholipids were detected and the amount of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) decreased with increasing cultivation time. Conversely, the ratio of phospholipids having three or four acyls

In our study, we focused on possible effects of supplementation with glucan and vitamin D on total numbers of NK cells in patients with diabetic retinopathy. We evaluated possible relations among nutritional state (BMI), leptin levels, and total numbers of NK cells in patients supplemented with (1) glucan and vitamin D, (2) vitamin D and placebo, and (3) vitamin D alone. Our results show that 3 months

Lower respiratory tract infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa has become increasingly challenging, resulting in a worse morbidity and mortality. Airway remodeling is a common phenomenon in this process, to which epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may contribute as an important promoter. Previous studies showed that epithelium-specific integrin αvβ6-mediated EMT was involved in pulmonary fibrosis

Due to the development of Marine aquaculture, infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus are common all over the world. Symptoms of V. vulnificus infection vary from gastrointestinal illness to septicemia. After infection with V. vulnificus, some patients showed gastrointestinal symptoms, including vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and so on. Others appeared wound infection at the site of contact with bacteria

The prebiotics and probiotics market is constantly growing due to the positive effects of its consumption on human health, which extends beyond the digestive system. In addition, the synbiotic products market is also expanding due to the synergistic effects between pre- and probiotics that provide additional benefits to consumers. Pre- and probiotics are being evaluated for their effectiveness to treat

Shigella flexneri is a leading etiologic agent of diarrhea in low socioeconomic countries. Notably, various serotypes in S. flexneri are reported from different regions of the world. The precise approximations of illness and death owing to shigellosis are missing in low socioeconomic countries, although it is widespread in different regions. The inadequate statistics available reveal S. flexneri to

Nosocomial infections are an important cause of morbi-mortality worldwide. The increase in the rate of resistance to conventional drugs in these microorganisms has stimulated the search for new therapeutic options. The nitro moiety (NO2) is an important pharmacophore of molecules with high anti-infective activity. We aimed to synthesize new nitro-derivates and to evaluate their antibacterial and anti-Candida

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria play an essential part in nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands. The objective of the present study was to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of anammox bacterial communities and the associated factors in a full-scale constructed wetland for the treatment of polluted surface water. The abundance and diversity of anammox bacterial communities were

Baker's yeast is a valuable model system for the study of biological aging as it can be utilized for the measurement of replicative and chronological life spans in response to interventions. Whereas replicative aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mirrors dividing mammalian cells, chronological aging is seen in non-dividing cells. Aging is strongly influenced by the cellular organelles, especially by

In the last two decades, microbiology laboratories have radically changed by the introduction of novel technologies, like Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Nevertheless, emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms represents a global threat of current medicine, being responsible for increasing mortality

Due to limitations in commercial diagnostic methods, this study aimed to develop a reliable real-time polymerase chain reaction (Rt-PCR) assay for early diagnosis of brucellosis. Optimization of the Rt-PCR method was performed on serum samples spiked by Brucella melitensis with different densities ranging from 101 to 108 colony-forming units (cfu)/mL; each density was prepared in ten samples. The limit

Flap endonuclease is a structure-specific nuclease which cleaves 5'-flap of bifurcated DNA substrates. Genome sequence of Thermococcus kodakarensis harbors an open reading frame, Tk1281, exhibiting high homology with archaeal flap endonucleases 1. The corresponding gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the gene product was purified to apparent homogeneity. Tk1281 was a monomer of 38

The antifouling, antimicrobial, elution behavior, skin irritant, and cytotoxicity properties of water-soluble phosphate glass on stainless steel were evaluated. Water-soluble phosphate glass samples with 35% Cu (mol/mol) were prepared by altering the network modifier (Na2O, K2O) and network former (P2O5, B2O3) compositions. The materials were melted at temperatures within the range of 850-950 °C. The

Mastitis in dairy cows is generally considered to be the most expensive disease for dairy farmers worldwide. The overuse of antibiotics is a major problem in the treatment of bovine mastitis, and bacteriophage therapy is expected to provide an alternative treatment. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a phage cocktail against mastitis in a mouse model. First, a Staphylococcus

Getting into a weakened organism, non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTMB) contact not only with the cells of the microorganism but also with the microflora of the human body; however, these interactions are poorly understood. The purpose of this work was to study the effect of NTMB supernatants on the properties of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms in their interaction with red blood cells. We used

Upsurge in the instances of antibiotic-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia .coli (UPECs) strains has repositioned the attention of researchers towards a century old antimicrobial approach popularly known as phage therapy. Rise of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) and biofilm producing strains has added another step of hurdle in treatment of uropathogens with conventional antibiotics, thus providing

Endophytic fungi live inside vegetal tissues without causing damage to the host plant and may provide lead compounds for drug discovery. The co-culture of two or more endophytic fungi can trigger silent gene clusters, which could lead to the isolation of bioactive compounds. In this study, two endophytic strains isolated from Handroanthus impetiginosus leaves, identified as Talaromyces purpurogenus