Sphingobacterium siyangense sp nov., isolated from farm soil

The taxonomic position of a novel Gram-negative strain, designated Sy1(T), isolated from a farm-soil sample obtained from Jiangsu Province, PR China, was characterized by using a polyphasic approach. The cells were non-motile, non-spore-forming rods. The organism grew optimally at 30-37 degrees C and at pH 6.0-8.0. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain Sy1(T) is a member of the genus Sphingobacterium; Sphingobacterium multivorum JCM 21156(T) was the nearest relative (98.5% sequence similarity). The predominant fatty acids of strain Sy1T were isoC15:0 (32.90/o), C16:0 (10.9%) and summed feature 3 (iso-C-15:0 2-OH and/or C-16:1 omega 7c; 24.1%). The DNA G + C content was 38.5 mol%. The low level of DNA-DNA relatedness (2.2 %) to S. multivorum JCM 21156 T in combination with differential morphological and biochemical properties demonstrated that strain SY1(T) (=KCTC 22131(T)= CGMCC 1.6855(T)) should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium for which the name Sphingobacterium siyangense sp. nov. is proposed.

Sphingobacterium pakistanensis sp. nov., a novel plant growth promoting rhizobacteria isolated from rhizosphere of Vigna mungo

The taxonomic status of a bacterium, strain NCCP-246(T), isolated from rhizosphere of Vigna mungo, was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The strain NCCP-246(T) can grow at 16-37 °C (optimum 32 °C), at pH ranges of 6-8 (optimum growth occurs at pH 7) and in 0-4 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based upon on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that strain NCCP-246(T) belonged to genus Sphingobacterium. Strain NCCP-246(T) showed highest similarity to the type strain of Sphingobacterium canadense CR11(T) (97.67 %) and less than 97 % with other species of the genus. The DNA-DNA relatedness value of strain NCCP-246(T) with S. canadense CR11(T) and Sphingobacterium thalpophilum JCM 21153(T) was 55 and 44.4 %, respectively. The chemotaxonomic data revealed the major menaquinone as MK-7 and dominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 [C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c] (37.07 %), iso-C15:0 (28.03 %), C16:0 (11.85 %), C17:0 cyclo (8.84 %) and C14:0 (2.42 %). The G+C content of the strain was 39.2 mol%. On the basis of DNA-DNA hybridization, phylogenetic analyses, physiological and, biochemical data, strain NCCP-246(T) can be differentiated from the validly named members of genus Sphingobacterium and thus represents as a new species, for which the name, Sphingobacterium pakistanensis sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain NCCP-246(T) (= JCM18974 (T) = KCTC 23914(T)).

Characterisation of antibiotic-resistant psychrotrophic bacteria in raw milk

Dynamics of raw milk associated bacteria during cold storage of raw milk and their antibiotic resistance was reviewed, with focus on psychrotrophic bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the significance of cold storage of raw milk on antibiotic-resistant bacterial population and analyse the antibiotic resistance of the Gram-negative antibiotic-resistant psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from the cold-stored raw milk samples. Twenty-four raw milk samples, six at a time, were obtained from lorries that collected milk from Finnish farms and were stored at 4°C/4 d, 6°C/3 d and 6°C/4 d. Antibiotics representing four classes of antibiotics (gentamicin, ceftazidime, levofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) were used to determine the antibiotic resistance of mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria during the storage period. A representative number of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative isolates retrieved from the cold-stored raw milk samples were identified by the phenotypic API 20 NE system and a few isolates by the 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Some of the isolates were further evaluated for their antibiotic resistance by the ATB PSE 5 and HiComb system. The initial average mesophilic counts were found below 105 CFU/mL, suggesting that the raw milk samples were of good quality. However, the mesophilic and psychrotrophic population increased when stored at 4°C/4 d, 6°C/3 d and 6°C/4 d. Gentamicin- and levofloxacin-resistant bacteria increased moderately (P < 0.05) while there was a considerable rise (P < 0.05) of ceftazidime- and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-resistant population during the cold storage. Of the 50.9 % (28) of resistant isolates (total 55) identified by API 20 NE, the majority were Sphingomonas paucimobilis (8), Pseudomonas putida (5), Sphingobacterium spiritivorum (3) and Acinetobacter baumanii (2). The analysis by ATB PSE 5 system suggested that 57.1% of the isolates (total 49) were multiresistant. This study showed that the dairy environment harbours multidrug-resistant Gramnegative psychrotrophic bacteria and the cold chain of raw milk storage amplifies the antibioticresistant psychrotrophic bacterial population.

石油污染土壤微生物多样性分析及芘降解菌的鉴定

石油污染是目前最严重的环境问题之一，我国有近千万亩的耕地受到程度不同的石油污染。沈抚灌区位于辽宁省沈阳市和抚顺市之间，全长70多千米，是我国最大的石油污染灌区之一，有四五十年的污灌历史，已对当地的生态环境造成了严重的影响。随着人们对污水灌溉危害的认识，从20世纪80年代起，逐步停止了污水灌溉，开始了清水灌溉和改为旱田耕作，但污染问题仍然存在。目前，由于对该地区污染土壤微生物类群、原位降解菌及它们对环境条件变化的响应等信息缺乏了解，限制了对该地区污染土壤的生物修复。 分子生物学研究手段及稳定同位素分析技术，为污染土壤微生物生态学研究提供了全新的研究手段，为突破当前石油污染土壤生物修复研究止步不前的局面指引了方向。本论文采用变性梯度凝胶电泳（Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, DGGE）和磷脂脂肪酸分析（Phospholipid Fatty-acid Analysis, PLFA）分析技术，对沈抚灌区水改旱田石油污染土壤的微生物多样性与环境指标的相关规律进行了分析；以PLFA为生物标示物，结合气相色谱-稳定同位素比率质谱（Gas Chromatography Combustion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry, GC-c-IRMS）分析技术，对石油污染土壤和相对清洁土壤中多环芳烃菲和芘的土著降解菌群进行了鉴定；并以不同的吸附性载体为介质，富集、筛选了芘的降解菌。 研究结果表明，石油污染土壤中的微生物群落结构主要与其相对地理位置有关，当污染物的浓度达到一定程度，土壤中的微生物群落结构会发生明显的改变。以13C标记的稳定同位素菲和芘为代谢底物，对污染土壤中菲和芘的土著降解菌群进行了鉴定。 13C-PLFA- GC-c-IRMS分析结果显示，参与菲降解的微生物有G-、G+细菌和放线菌，其中以G-细菌为主；污染土壤和相对清洁土壤两种土壤都未检出有真菌参与；参与芘降解的微生物有放线菌、G-细菌和真菌，其中以G-细菌为主，同时，也检测到有真菌的参与；污染土壤中的降解菌群较清洁土壤丰富。研究还发现，芘在土壤中的降解可能存在不经过菲为中间产物的代谢途径。采用不同的吸附性载体所富集的优势细菌显著不同。从不同的吸附性载体上最终得到8株芘的降解菌，其中鉴定出的三株菌中Sp-A56，Sp-A21为多食鞘氨醇杆菌（Sphingobacterium multivorum）；Sp-B05氨基杆菌属的一个亚种（Aminobacter sp.），未见有关该菌株芘降解能力的报道，可能是一株新的芘降解菌。

Sensitivity of ant (Cephalotes) colonies and individuals to antibiotics implies feeding symbiosis with gut microorganisms

Ants in the tribe Cephalotini are exceptional in that they maintain microorganisms in their digestive tract. To understand what these microorganisms mean to the ants, we observed the feeding habits of Cephalotes pusillus and Cephalotes atratus, finding that in nature they feed on extrafloral nectars, homopteran secretions, and bird droppings. Feeding the antibiotic kanamycin to colonies of C. pusillus in the laboratory kills them. Ants desiccate or starve rather than feed on liquids to which the antibiotics gentamycin and netilmycin have been added, but feed and survive on liquids containing nystatin, penicillin, and ampicillin. We identified over 10 microorganisms from the intestine of C. pusillus with different antibiotic-resistance patterns. The bacteria are from the genera Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Sphingobacterium, Ochrobactrum, Myroides, Brevundimonas, Alcaligenes, Stenotrophomonas, Moraxella, and Pseudomonas. We hypothesize that the microorganisms provide nutrients to the ants by synthesizing amino acids from carbohydrates and nitrates. We do not know whether the ants collect the bacteria from the environment, but they transmit them to their young. They culture them in their digestive tract, eventually feeding on them.