Lysis of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (Cyanobacterium) by a bacterium Bacillus cereus

A phytoplankton-lytic (PL) bacterium, Bacillus cereus, capable of lysing the bloom-forming cyanobacterium. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae was isolated from Lake Dianchi of Yunnan province, China. This bacterium showed lytic activities against a wide range of cyanobacteria/algae, including A. flos-aquae, Microcystis viridis, Microcystis wesenbergi, Microcystis aeruginosa, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Oscillatoria tenuis, Nostoc punctiforme, Anabaena flos-aquae, Spirulina maxima, and Selenastrum capricornutum. Chlorophyll a contents, phycocyanin contents, and photosynthetic activities of the A. flos-aquae decreased evidently in an infected culture for a period. Bacterium B. cereus attacked rapidly A. flos-aquae cells by cell-to-cell contact mechanism. It was shown that the lysis of A. flos-aquae began with the breach of the cyanobacterial cell wall, and the cyanobacterial cell appeared abnormal in the presence of the PL bacterium. Moreover, transmission electron microscope examinations revealed that a close contact between the bacterium and the cyanobacterium was necessary for lysis. Some slime extrusions produced from B. cereus assisted the bacterial cells to be in close association with and lyse the cyanobacterial cells. These findings suggested that this bacterium could play an important role in controlling the Aphanizomenon blooms in freshwaters. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Establishment and characterization of dual-species biofilms formed between a 3,5-dinitrobenzoic-degrading strain and bacteria with high biofilm-forming capabilities

In this study, the possibility of establishing a dual-species biofilm from a bacterium with a high biofilm-forming capability and a 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (3,5-DNBA)-degrading bacterium, Comamonas testosteroni A3, was investigated. Our results showed that the combinations of strain A3 with each of five strains with a high biofilm-forming capability (Pseudomonas sp. M8, Pseudomonas putida M9, Bacillus cereus M19, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida M21 and Aeromonas hydrophila M22) presented different levels of enhancement regarding biofilm-forming capability. Among these culture combinations, the 24-h dual-species biofilms established by C. testosteroni A3 with P. putida M9 and A. hydrophila M22 showed the strongest resistance to 3,5-DNBA shock loading, as demonstrated by six successive replacements with DMM2 synthetic wastewater. The degradation rates of 3,5-DNBA by these two culture combinations reached 63.3-91.6% and 70.7-89.4%, respectively, within 6 h of every replacement. Using the gfp-tagged strain M22 and confocal laser scanning microscopy, the immobilization of A3 cells in the dual-species biofilm was confirmed. We thus demonstrated that, during wastewater treatment processes, it is possible to immobilize degrader bacteria with bacteria with a high biofilm-forming capability and to enable them to develop into the mixed microbial flora. This may be a simple and economical method that represents a novel strategy for effective bioaugmentation.

Aspergillus sp136抗细菌耐药活性成分研究

基于广谱抗细菌耐药性这一思路，本研究中心建立了一套抗细菌耐药性化合物的筛选方法。由此从3000多种西南地区特殊生境的微生物和植物样品提取物中筛选获得17个抗细菌耐药性活性样品。对其中一株来自峨嵋山土样的微生物（Aspergillus sp136）进行了深入研究。通过TLC自显影等方法从其发酵产物中追踪分离得到抗耐药有效成分，并鉴定为烟曲霉酸。 采用多种方法对烟曲霉酸的体外抗细菌耐药活性进行评价。在平板扩散法中，烟曲霉酸表现出对青霉素（β-内酰氨抗生素）的协同抗耐药能力，其活性大约3倍于克拉维酸。在MIC的测试实验中，烟曲霉酸表现出对青霉素（β-内酰氨抗生素）以及非β-内酰氨抗生素如红霉素、四环素、氯霉素、链霉素、卡那霉素、庆大霉素的抗耐药能力。在棋盘格杀菌以及时间致死曲线的研究中，烟曲霉酸也表现出对青霉素、红霉素、四环素的协同抗细菌耐药活性。 在广泛的活性筛选中发现烟曲霉酸对LDLR基因具有上调活性，表明烟曲霉酸可能具有降血脂的活性。 在研究中发现，同空白对照相比，烟曲霉酸使耐药菌（Bacillus cereus NCPF63509）细胞外β-内酰胺酶酶活大幅度下降，而细胞内β-内酰胺酶酶活仅略有上升，这表明烟曲霉酸对β-内酰胺酶分泌过程具有抑制作用。 综述了β-内酰胺酶的研究进展。 A two-step agar diffusion method was established to screen wide spectrum synergistic antibacterial agents. By using this method, 17 active samples against antibiotic resistance were discovered from more than 3000 plants and microbes, which were collected from southwest china. One isolate Aspergillus sp136 collected from E-mei mountain area was selected for further studies. From the metabolites of this strain, a synergistic antibacterial compound was isolated by bioautographic TLC assay-guided fractionation and identified as helvolic acid. The synergistic effect of helvolic acid was confirmed by several methods in vitro. The synergistic effect of helvolic acid with penicillin (β-lactam antibiotics) was about 3 times as that of clavulanic acid with penicillin in agar diffusion assay. In MIC studies, helvolic acid exhibited synergistic effects with β-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin and non β-lactam antibiotics such as erythromycin, tetracycline, kanamycin, streptomycin and gentamycin. In checkerboard and time-kill studies, helvolic acid also exhibited synergistic effects with penicillin, erythromycin and tetracycline. In general screen of bioactivities, helvolic acid upregulate LDLR gene, which was indirectly determined by the activity of fluorescent enzyme. Therefore, helvolic acid might have the ability to lower lipid in blood. Compared with blank control, the extracellular β-lactamase activity decrease significantly and the intracellular β-lactamase activity increase slightly in Bacillus cereus NCPF63509 in the presence of helvolic acid, indicating that the secretion of β-lactamase was inhibited by helvolic acid. The research of β-lactamase was reviewed.

高效石油烃降解菌的分离鉴定及降解特性

为获得更为丰富的石油降解微生物资源,从沈抚污灌区石油污染土壤和实验室高浓度柴油胁迫土壤中筛选出了4株高效石油烃降解菌SF-422、SF-428、SF-433和SYS-1.这4株菌总石油烃(Total petroleum hydrocarbon/TPH)生物降解率为67.4%~73.6%.经过16项生理生化特性实验和16S rDNA序列分析鉴定,SF-433,SF-428,SF-422和SYS-1分别为蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus),木糖氧化无色杆菌(Achromobacter xylosoxidans),施氏假单胞菌(Pseudomonas stutzeri)和洋葱伯克霍尔德氏菌(Burkholderia cepacia).纯烃降解定性实验表明所筛选出的4株高效降解菌均能够利用正十六烷、苯、菲和环己烷为唯一碳源生长,其中菌株SF-428和SYS-1显示了对芳烃及环烷烃较强的利用能力.

Identification and characterization of Bacillus anthracis by multiplex PCR on DNA chip

Bacillus anthracis can be identified by detecting virulence factor genes located on two plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2. Combining multiplex PCR with arrayed anchored primer PCR and biotin-avidin alkaline phosphatase indicator system, we developed a qualitative DNA chip method for characterization of B. anthracis, and simultaneous confirmation of the species identity independent of plasmid contents. The assay amplifies pag gene (in pXO1), cap gene (in pXO2) and Ba813 gene (a B. anthracis specific chromosomal marker), and the results were indicated by an easy-to-read profile based on the color reaction of alkaline phosphatase. About 1 pg of specific DNA fragments on the chip wells could be detected after PCR. With the proposed method, the avirulent (pXO1(+)/2(-), pXO1(-)/2(+) and pXO1(-)/2(-)) strains of B. anthracis and distinguished 'anthrax-like' strains from other B. cereus group bacteria were unambiguously identified, while the genera other than Bacillus gave no positive signal. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacillus pallidus sp nov., isolated from forest soil

A Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain CW 7(T), was isolated from forest soil in Anhui Province, south-east China. Cells were strictly aerobic, motile with peritrichous flagella and rod-shaped. The strain grew optimally at 30-37 degrees C and pH 7.0-8.0. The major fatty acids of strain CW 7(T) were anteiso-C-15:0, iso-C-15:0 and anteiso-C-17:0. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 42.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain CW 7(T) belonged to a monophyletic cluster within the genus Bacillus and showed 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of less than 96.5% to recognized species of the genus Bacillus. The results of the polyphasic taxonomic study, including phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, showed that strain CW 7(T) represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus pallidus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CW 7(T) (=KCTC 13200(T)=CCTCC AB 207188(T)=LMG 24451(T)).

Bacillus solisalsi sp nov., a halotolerant, alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from soil around a salt lake

A novel Gram-positive, motile, rod-shaped bacterium isolated from a saline soil in China was characterized by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The strain, designated YC1(T), was halotolerant [tolerating up to 15 % (w/v) NaCl] and alkaliphilic (growing at

Effects of microcystin-RR on the antioxidant system of Bacillus subtilis

Microcystins are a kind of cyclic hepatotoxins produced by many cyanobacterial species. Many works have been done concerning, the toxic effects of microcystins on animals and plants. However, the reports about their effects on microbial cells are very limited. In the present paper, Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) was used to determine the dose- and time-effect of microcystin-RR, and the results showed that the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) was significantly increased to that of control, when exposed to 5 or 10 mu g/ml microcystin-RR for 1 h. The contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive sub-stances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) as well as glu-tathione reductase (GR) activity were obviously increased only when exposed to 10 mu g/ml microcystin-RR. For the time-effect of microcystin-RR on B. subtilis, the activities of antioxidant enzymes including SOD and CAT as well as GR activity and TBARS, GSH contents in B. subtilis were at first significantly increased, and then subsequently de-creased. These results suggested that microcystin-RR could induce the oxidative stress of B. subtilis for a short period. The antioxidant system protects B. subtilis from oxidative damage.

Analysis of expression of the binary toxin genes from Bacillus sphaericus in Anabaena and the potential in mosquito control

Anabaena strains expressing the binary toxin genes of Bacillus sphaericus produce high larvicidal activity with living cells. Western blot analysis showed that the 51-kDa and 42-kDa toxin proteins were stable in Anabaena. When a DNA fragment upstream of the 51-kDa protein gene was deleted, the toxicity was reduced by over a hundred-fold, whereas deletions at the coding regions showed that the cooperation of the two proteins expressed in Anabaena is essential for the larvicidal activity. Outdoor tests showed that the genetically altered Anabaena could keep containers with natural water from being inhabited by Culex larvae for over 2 months.

杉木连栽致害真菌拮抗菌Bacillus subtilis3728的研究

杉木是我国重要的速生丰产树种，分布在北纬21°41′到33°41′，东经102°到122°的广大地区，杉木人工林面积约占我国人工林总面积的1/4，随着连栽代数的增加，土壤中毒和生产力下降程度日趋严重。 本论文以分离自与红树林、珍珠贝、海兔子、海绵、软珊瑚等与海洋动、植物共栖或共生存的106株海洋微生物(54株放线菌，52株细菌)为资源，以杉木连栽致害真菌尖孢镰刀菌萎蔫专化型(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.vasinfectum)菌株SF2为靶菌，通过平板对峙试验和土壤原位定殖试验，筛选到一株分离自红树林木榄(Bruguiera gymnorrhizo)根际土壤的海洋细菌3728菌株；该菌对SF2具有很强抑菌活性，能够高密度在杉木根际土壤中定殖，对杉木幼苗的生长有一定的促进作用。采用传统的细菌学和分子生物学的鉴定方法对其进行了菌种鉴定，为枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)。 通过对抗菌谱的研究，发现海洋细菌3728除了对杉木连栽主要致害真菌尖孢镰刀菌萎蔫专化型菌株SF2有很强的抑菌活性外，对大豆连作致害菌 (Penicillium purpurogenum)，棉花枯萎病菌(Fusarium oxysporum)，棉花立枯病菌(Rhizoctonia solani)，大豆根腐病菌(Fusarium solani)以及小麦赤霉病菌(Fusarium graminerum)等也有较强的抑制作用。室内模拟试验还表明，在土壤中接种海洋细菌3728后，能够明显增加土壤中氨化细菌和氨化真菌的数量，能够增加土壤中功能性微生物——纤维素分解细菌和纤维素分解真菌的数量和种类，增强了纤维素分解能力。再添加C/N比较低的白三叶草凋落物，土壤中氨化细菌、氨化真菌的数量继续增加，土壤纤维素分解能力更显著提高。这为进一步开展对杉木连栽障碍的生物调控试验，提供了一定的科学依据。

长白山阔叶红松林土壤氮转化微生物作用的研究

自长白山北坡自然保护区采集阔叶红松林 A_0 和 A_1 层土壤。进行了微生物数量、土壤酶活性、微生物生物量、土壤速效氮及土壤中群体微生物氮转化测定；分离并鉴定了芽孢杆菌36株、产荧光假单胞菌34株，并对各优势菌株进行了氮转化活性的测定。A_0 层土壤在微生物数量、土壤酶活性、微生物生物量、土壤速效氮 (NH_4~+-N) 等方面明显高于A_1层。氨化作用、硝化作用速率也得到同样的结果；硝酸盐还原、固氮作用及同化作用速率两次采样测定的结果不同。而土壤速效氮 (NO_3~－N)是 A_1 高于 A_0层。芽孢杆菌的优势种是 B. megaterium 和B. cereus，产荧光假单胞菌的优势种是 P. fluorescens－F。所有分离到的芽孢杆菌及产荧光假单胞菌均能活跃地进行氨化作用。所有芽孢杆菌都能进行反硝化作用。而能进行反硝化作用的 P. fluorescens－F及 P. fluorescens－C其作用能力均高于 Bacillus S的20倍以上，同化作用是这两类菌的共同特征。不同种之间以及同种异株间进行氮转化速率的比较。有的差异很大。讨论了这两类菌的数量分布与土壤氮转化速率的关系。建立了反映土壤内部氮转化的模型。