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Phenotypic Variations of Oleispira antarctica RB-8(T) in Different Growth Conditions

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Abstract

The peculiar biotechnological applications of Oleispira spp. in the natural cleansing of oil-polluted marine systems stimulated the study of the phenotypic characteristics of the Oleispira antarctica RB-8(T) strain and modifications of these characteristics in relation to different growth conditions. Bacterial abundance, cell size and morphology variations (by image analysis) and hydrocarbon degradation (by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection, GC-FID) were analysed in different cultures of O. antarctica RB-8(T). The effects of six different hydrocarbon mixtures (diesel, engine oil, naval oil waste, bilge water, jet fuel and oil) used as a single carbon source combined with two different growth temperatures (4° and 15 °C) were analysed (for 22 days). The data obtained showed that the mean cell volume decreased with increasing experimental temperature. Three morphological bacterial shapes were identified: spirals, rods and cocci. Morphological transition from spiral to rod and coccoid shapes in relation to the different substrates (oil mixtures) and/or growth temperatures was observed, except for one experimental condition (naval oil waste) in which spiral bacteria were mostly dominant. Phenotypic traits and physiological status of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria showed important modifications in relation to culture conditions. These findings suggest interesting potential for strain RB-8(T) for ecological and applicative purposes.

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Material described in the manuscript, including all relevant raw data, will be freely available to any researcher wishing to use them for non-commercial purposes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful the project P.O.FSE—SICILIA 2014–2020 “SANi – Salute e Ambiente – Fattori di rischio da contaminanti nei disordini del Neurosviluppo”.

Funding

This work was supported by grants of the National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, by (i) PNRA2013 B4.01 “STRANgE” and (ii) PNRA2015_00090 Plastic in Antarctic Environment (PLANET Project); (iii) PNRA2016 NANOparticelle Polimeriche nell'ambiente marino e negli organismi Antartici (nanoPANTA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Biological Resource and Marine Biotechnology (IRBIM), CNR of Messina, Spianata S. Raineri 86, 98122, Messina, Italy

    Gabriella Gentile, Maurizio Catalfamo, Maria Genovese, Santina Santisi, Angela Macrì & Simone Cappello

  2. Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP), CNR of Messina, Spianata S. Raineri 86, 98122, Messina, Italy

    Giovanna Maimone, Rosabruna La Ferla & Maurizio Azzaro

  3. Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Eduardo Caianello” (ISASI), CNR of Messina, 98122, Messina, Italy

    Santina Santisi

  4. Environment & Soil Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco

    Mohamed Maldani

  5. Faculty of Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Angela Macrì

Authors
  1. Gabriella Gentile
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  2. Giovanna Maimone
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  3. Rosabruna La Ferla
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  4. Maurizio Azzaro
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  5. Maurizio Catalfamo
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  6. Maria Genovese
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  7. Santina Santisi
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  8. Mohamed Maldani
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  9. Angela Macrì
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  10. Simone Cappello
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Contributions

G.G. and S.C. designed the research. G.G., G.M., M.A., M.C., M.G., S.S., M.M. and A.M. performed lab experiments and data analyses. G.G., G.M. and S.C. wrote the first draft of the manuscript. R.L. revised and improved the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Giovanna Maimone.

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Gentile, G., Maimone, G., La Ferla, R. et al. Phenotypic Variations of Oleispira antarctica RB-8(T) in Different Growth Conditions. Curr Microbiol 77, 3414–3421 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-020-02143-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-020-02143-8

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