Egicoccus halophilus EGI 80432T, a halotolerant bacterium isolated from a saline-alkaline soil, belongs to a member of the class Nitriliruptoria, which exhibits high adaptability to salt environments. At present, the detailed knowledge of the salinity adaptation strategies of Nitriliruptoria was limited except for one research by using comparative genomics analysis. Here, we investigated the salinity

Abstract The development of new anticancer agents with a selective action mechanism has become a significant scientific challenge, especially as cancers remain the world’s leading cause of death. Actinobacteria and its bioactive compounds have recently become a promising perspective alternative to cancer therapy. In this study, some extracted metabolites of Micromonospora exhibited potent antimicrobial

Abstract Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) has become the major challenge for kidney transplantation, and the efficacy of existing therapies was limited to prevent AMR. Increasing evidences have demonstrated the link between gut microbiota alterations and allograft outcome. However, there has been no comprehensive analysis to profile the gut microbiota associated with AMR after kidney transplantation

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11185-2

Abstract Cancer treatments continue to have many disadvantages. Reactive oxygen species, such as H2O2, in high concentrations, can cause cytotoxicity to cells, being even greater in cancer cells. One of the H2O2-producing enzymes is glucose oxidase; its application in cancer treatment should be explored. In this work, the extracellular expression of the mutated recombinant enzyme glucose oxidase was

Abstract There is an increasing public awareness about the danger of dietary sugars with respect to their caloric contribution to the diet and the rise of overweight throughout the world. Therefore, low-calorie sugar substitutes are of high interest to replace sugar in foods and beverages. A promising alternative to natural sugars and artificial sweeteners is the fructose derivative 5-keto-D-fructose

Abstract Butanol inhibits bacterial activity by destroying the cell membrane of Clostridium acetobutylicum strains and altering functionality. Butanol toxicity also results in destruction of the phosphoenolpyruvate-carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS), thereby preventing glucose transport and phosphorylation and inhibiting transmembrane transport and assimilation of sugars, amino acids, and

Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) spore can serve as an ideal vehicle for expressing heterologous antigens, and elicit specific immune responses by oral administration. In previous studies, we successfully constructed the recombinant B. subtilis spores expressing cysteine protease of Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis, B.s-CsCP), and confirmed that oral administration of B.s-CsCP could elicit good protective

Abstract Overexpression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli results in misfolded and non-active protein aggregates in the cytoplasm, so-called inclusion bodies (IB). In recent years, a change in the mindset regarding IBs could be observed: IBs are no longer considered an unwanted waste product, but a valid alternative to produce a product with high yield, purity, and stability in short process

Abstract Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) by harnessing the natural abilities of plant secondary metabolites has advantages over routine physical and chemical synthetic approaches due to their one-step experimental setup to reduce and stabilize the bulk silver into SNPs, biocompatible nature, and therapeutic significance. The unique size, shape, and biochemical functional corona of SNPs

Abstract Acetic acid fermentation involves the oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid via acetaldehyde as the intermediate and is catalyzed by the membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) of acetic acid bacteria. Although ADH depends on pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), the prosthetic group associated with ALDH remains a matter of debate. This study aimed to address the

Abstract In mollusk aquaculture, a large number of Vibrio species are considered major pathogens. Conventional methods based on DNA amplification and sequencing used to accurately identify Vibrio species are unsuitable for monitoring programs because they are time-consuming and expensive. The aim of this study was, therefore, to develop the MALDI-TOF MS method in order to establish a rapid identification

Abstract Intramammary bacterial infection, the most common cause of mastitis, is the most costly disease in dairy cattle in the US and reason for antibiotic usage. Ceftiofur, a third-generation cephalosporin, is generally used to treat such disease, but it has a high treatment failure rate. Though the reason is not known clearly, it is hypothesized that multiple factors are associated with the treatment

Abstract The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, has infested over ~16 Mha of pine forests in British Columbia killing >50% of mature lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta, trees in affected stands. At present, it is functionally an invasive species in Alberta, killing and reproducing in evolutionarily naïve populations of lodgepole pine (P. contorta), novel jack pine (P. banksiana), and their

Abstract Histoplasmosis is a worldwide-distributed systemic mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Its clinical manifestations range from subclinical or mild respiratory illness to progressive disseminated histoplasmosis (PDH), a life-threatening disease, whose accurate diagnosis is still challenging and limited in many countries, where this disease is highly endemic. In this

Abstract Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) devices generate an ionized gas with highly reactive species and electric fields at ambient air pressure and temperature. A flexible dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was developed as an alternative antimicrobial treatment for chronic wounds. Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus in collagen-elastin matrices with CAP for 2 min resulted in a 4 log reduction. CAP

Abstract Phenylobacterium immobile strain E is a soil bacterium with a striking metabolism relying on xenobiotics, such as the herbicide pyrazon, as sole carbon source instead of more bioavailable molecules. Pyrazon is a heterocyclic aromatic compound of environmental concern and its biodegradation pathway has only been reported in P. immobile. The multicomponent pyrazon oxygenase (PPO), a Rieske non-heme

Abstract Adaptations of animal cells to growth in suspension culture concern in particular viral vaccine production, where very specific aspects of virus-host cell interaction need to be taken into account to achieve high cell specific yields and overall process productivity. So far, the complexity of alterations on the metabolism, enzyme, and proteome level required for adaptation is only poorly understood

Abstract Almost all bacteria synthesize two types of toxins—one for its survival by regulating different cellular processes and another as a strategy to interact with host cells for pathogenesis. Usually, “bacterial toxins” are contemplated as virulence factors that harm the host organism. However, toxins produced by bacteria, as a survival strategy against the host, also hamper its cellular processes

Abstract Monascus pigments (MPs) are widely used natural colorants in Asian countries. The problems of low extracellular red pigment (ERP) and high citrinin remain to be solved in Monascus pigment production. The effect of lanthanum(III) ion (LaCl3) on Monascus purpureus fermentation was investigated in this study. The yields of ERP and biomass respectively reached maxima of 124.10 U/mL and 33.10 g/L

Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with metabolic disorders, although the underlying mechanisms are poorly defined. This study aimed to investigate the interaction among H. pylori, a high-fat diet (HFD), and the gut microbiota with glucose regulation and alterations in microbial metabolites. Mice were randomly allocated to H. pylori-infected and noninfected

Abstract Black rot and bacterial spots threaten the cultivation of cruciferous vegetables worldwide, and the development of a method that can easily detect, identify, and distinguish their respective pathogens Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) and X. campestris pv. raphani (Xcr) is required. Multiple whole-genome sequences of Xcc and Xcr were aligned to identify specific regions and subsequently

Abstract The efficiency of microalgal biomass production is a determining factor for the economic competitiveness of microalgae-based industries. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and pluronic block polymers are two compounds of interest as novel culture media constituents because of their respective protective properties against oxidative stress and shear-stress-induced cell damage. Here we quantify the effect

Abstract Milbemycins are used commercially as insect repellents and acaricides; however, their high cost remains a significant challenge to commercial production. Hence, improving the titer of milbemycins for commercial application is an urgent priority. The present study aimed to effectively increase the titer of milbemycins using a combination of genome re-sequencing and metabolic engineering. First

Abstract There is growing interest in attached algae cultivation systems because they could provide a more cost- and energy-efficient alternative to planktonic (suspended algae) cultivation systems for many applications. However, attached growth systems have been far less studied than planktonic systems and have largely emphasized algae strains of most interest for biofuels. New algal biorefinery pathways

Abstract The bacteria of the genus Streptomyces are among the most important producers of biologically active secondary metabolites. Moreover, recent genomic sequence data have shown their enormous genetic potential for new natural products, although many new biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are silent. Therefore, efficient and stable genome modification techniques are needed to activate their production

Abstract The multienzyme complex system has become a research focus in synthetic biology due to its highly efficient overall catalytic ability and has been applied to various fields. Multienzyme complexes are formed by cascading complexes, which are multiple functionally related enzymes that continuously and efficiently catalyze the production of substrates. Compared with current mainstream microbial

Abstract Pollution with the heavy metal cadmium (Cd2+) is a global problem. Cadmium adversely affects living organisms, highlighting the need to develop new methods for removal of this pollutant from the environment. In this study, we used a novel biomaterial based on calcium-crosslinked alginate-encapsulated bacteria to precipitate Cd2+ in polluted water. Our results show that calcium-crosslinked

Abstract The sn-1,3 extracellular lipase from Aspergillus niger GZUF36 (EXANL1) has important potential applications. The cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA) of purified EXANL1 (CLEA-EXANL1) achieved optimum activity recovery (148.5 ± 0.9%), immobilization yield (100 ± 0%), and recovered activity (99.7 ± 0.6%) with 80% tert-butanol as the precipitant, glutaraldehyde (GA) concentration of 30 mM, GA

Seed coating is a technique to cover seeds with external agents to upgrade their performance, handling, and plant establishment. Plant beneficial microbes (PBMs), such as plant growth-promoting bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and other fungi (e.g., Trichoderma spp.), decrease agrochemical inputs, enhance tolerance to biotic-abiotic stresses, and increase essential plant nutrition. The demand for pre-treated

Abstract In the present study, the complete mitogenome of Turbinellus floccosus was sequenced, assembled, and compared with other basidiomycete mitogenomes. The mitogenome of T. floccosus consists of a circular DNA molecule, with a size of 62,846 bp. Gene arrangement analysis indicated that large-scale gene rearrangements occurred in the levels of family and genus of basidiomycete species, and the

Abstract Intensively managed agriculture land is a significant contributor to nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, which adds to global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. Recent studies have suggested that fungal dominant N2O production may be promoted by pathogenic fungi under high nitrogen fertilization and continuous cropping. Here, we measured the contribution of fungal communities to N2O

Abstract Thiamine or vitamin B1, an essential micronutrient mainly involved in energy production, has a beneficial impact on the nervous system, and its deficiency can be associated with the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this work was to select thiamine-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and study their physiological effects using neuron cell cultures. In this

Abstract In recent years, extracellular vesicles have gained more attention. However, studies on membrane vesicles in Gram-positive bacteria were carried out relatively late because of the thick bacterial wall and the low production of membrane vesicles. Thanks to the research in recent years, the cognition of the composition and function of the membrane vesicles of Gram-positive bacteria has made

Abstract River-bay systems are transitional areas that hold important roles in biogeochemical processes between continents and oceans. However, composition and structure of microbial communities shaped by such environments have not been clear yet. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes to analyze the diversity and composition of sediment bacterial communities from the Shenzhen

Abstract D-Mannitol (hereinafter as mannitol) is a six-carbon sugar alcohol with diverse applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. To overcome the drawbacks of the chemical hydrogenation method commonly used for mannitol production at present, there is a need to search for novel prospective mannitol production strategies that are of high yield and low cost. In this study, we present a novel

Abstract The yeast Dekkera bruxellensis is well-known for its adaptation to industrial ethanol fermentation processes, which can be further improved if nitrate is present in the substrate. To date, the assimilation of nitrate has been considered inefficient because of the apparent energy cost imposed on cell metabolism. Recent research, however, has shown that nitrate promotes growth rate and ethanol

Abstract Streptococcus dysgalactiae, considered one of the main pathogens that causes bovine mastitis, is a serious threat to humans and animals. However, the excessive use of antibiotics and the characteristic of S. dysgalactiae forming biofilms in mastitic teat canal have serious clinical implications. In this study, in vivo and in vitro multiple mechanisms of action of P2, a mutant of fungal defensin

Abstract Due to their potent immune stimulation, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) variants with tumor-homing activity are attractive as novel antitumor drugs. The promising antitumor effect of NGR-TNFα in clinical trials triggered extensive interest in developing novel tumor-homing TNFα variants in recent years. Owing to its promising antitumor effect, NGR-TNFα is usually used as a control for newly

Abstract The heat-stable peptidase AprX, secreted by psychrotolerant Pseudomonas species in raw milk, is a major cause of destabilization and premature spoilage of ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and milk products. To enable rapid detection and quantification of seven frequent and proteolytic Pseudomonas species (P. proteolytica, P. gessardii, P. lactis, P. fluorescens, P. protegens, P. lundensis

Abstract The incorporation of nanomaterials (NMs), including metal(loid) oxide (MOx) nanoparticles (NPs), in the most diversified consumer products, has grown enormously in recent decades. Consequently, the contact between humans and these materials increased, as well as their presence in the environment. This fact has raised concerns and uncertainties about the possible risks of NMs to human health

Abstract The thermostable endo-processive xyloglucanase MtXgh74 from Myceliophthora thermophila was used to study the influence of aromatic amino acids in the catalytic cleft on the mode of action and the ability of enzyme to reduce xyloglucan viscosity. The enzyme derivative Mut I with mutations W64A/W67A in the “negative” subsites of the catalytic cleft resulted in a 5.5-fold increase of the Km value

Abstract As a primary cause of food contamination and human diseases, Salmonella Typhimurium can easily form a biofilm that is difficult to remove from food surfaces, and often causes significant invisible threats to food safety. Although berberine has been widely used as an anti-infective drug in traditional medicine, some basic principles underlying its mechanism, especially the interaction between

Abstract The gut microbiota plays an important role in multifaceted physiological functions in the host. Previous studies have assessed the probiotic effects of Lactobacillus salivarius LI01. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential effects and putative mechanism of L. salivarius LI01 in immune modulation and metabolic regulation through the monocolonization of germ-free (GF) Sprague-Dawley

Abstract Cyclophilin A (CypA), a key member of the immunophilin family, is the most abundantly expressed isozyme of the 18 known human cyclophilins. Besides acting as an intracellular receptor for cyclosporine A, CypA plays a vital role in microorganismal infections, cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, kidney diseases, neurodegeneration, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontitis, sepsis, asthma

Currently, increasing attention cancer treatment has focused on molecularly targeted therapies and more recently on immunotherapies targeting immune checkpoints. However, even such advanced treatment may be ineffective. The reasons for this are sought, inter alia, in the human microbiome. In our intestines, there are bacteria that are beneficial to us, but pathogenic microorganisms may also be present

Abstract In this study, we applied metabolic engineering and bioprocessing strategies to enhance heterologous production of an important biodegradable copolymer, i.e., poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), with a modulated 3-hydroxyvalerate (3-HV) monomeric fraction from structurally unrelated carbon of glycerol in engineered Escherichia coli under different oxygenic conditions. We used