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Plant Microbiology | SpotlightSpecific Root Exudate Compounds Sensed by Dedicated Chemoreceptors Shape Azospirillum brasilense Chemotaxis in the RhizospherePlant root exudates play critical roles in shaping rhizosphere microbial communities, and the ability of motile bacteria to respond to these gradients mediates competitive colonization of root surfaces. Root exudates are complex chemical mixtures that are spatially and temporally dynamic. Identifying the exact chemical(s) that mediates the recruitment of soil bacteria to specific regions of the roots is thus challenging. Here, we...
BiodegradationThe 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydro-2-Naphthoyl-Coenzyme A Reductase Reaction in the Anaerobic Degradation of Naphthalene and Identification of Downstream MetabolitesAnaerobic degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is poorly investigated despite its significance in anoxic sediments. Using alternative electron donors for the 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthoyl-CoA reductase reaction, we observed intermediary metabolites of anaerobic naphthalene degradation via in vitro enzyme assays with cell extracts of anaerobic naphthalene degraders. The identified metabolites provide evidence that...
Biotechnology | SpotlightNisin M: a Bioengineered Nisin A Variant That Retains Full Induction Capacity but Has Significantly Reduced Antimicrobial ActivityThis study describes the generation of a nisin variant with superior characteristics for use in the NICE protein expression system. The variant, termed nisin M, retains an induction capacity comparable to that of wild-type nisin A but exhibits significantly reduced antimicrobial activity and can therefore be used at concentrations that are normally toxic to the expression host.
Biodegradation | SpotlightMicrobial Degradation of Pyridine: a Complete Pathway in Arthrobacter sp. Strain 68b DecipheredThe biodegradation pathway of pyridine, a notorious toxicant, is relatively unexplored, as no genetic data related to this process have ever been presented. In this paper, we describe the plasmid-borne pyr gene cluster, which includes the complete set of genes responsible for the degradation of pyridine. A key enzyme, the monooxygenase PyrA, which is responsible for the first step of the catabolic pathway, performs an oxidative...
Environmental MicrobiologyGlobal Regulator of Rubber Degradation in Gordonia polyisoprenivorans VH2: Identification and Involvement in the Regulation NetworkIn order to develop efficient microbial recycling strategies for rubber waste materials, it is required that we understand the degradation pathway of the polymer and how it is regulated. However, only little is known about the transcriptional regulation of the rubber degradation pathway, which seems to be upregulated in the presence of the polymer. We identified a novel key regulator of rubber degradation (CRPVH2) that...
Environmental MicrobiologyA Sulfoglycolytic Entner-Doudoroff Pathway in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii SRDI565Sulfonate sulfur is a major form of organic sulfur in soils but requires biomineralization before it can be utilized by plants. Very little is known about the biochemical processes used to mobilize sulfonate sulfur. We show that a rhizobial isolate from soil, Rhizobium leguminosarum SRDI565, possesses the ability to degrade the abundant phototroph-derived carbohydrate...
Public and Environmental Health MicrobiologyPrevalence of Cefotaxime-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates from Healthy Cattle and Sheep in Northern Spain: Phenotypic and Genome-Based Characterization of Antimicrobial SusceptibilityExtended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and AmpC β-lactamase (AmpC)-producing E. coli isolates have emerged in recent years as some of the fastest spreading antimicrobial resistance determinants in humans and food-producing animals, becoming a concern for animal and public health. This study provided insight into the prevalence of cefotaxime-resistant...
Public and Environmental Health Microbiology | SpotlightEnvironmental Surveillance Complements Case-Based Surveillance of Acute Flaccid Paralysis in Polio Endgame Strategy 2019–2023Interrupting wild poliovirus transmission and stopping circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) outbreaks have been proposed as two global goals by the World Health Organization in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). This analysis, based on the 28-year acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and 8-year environmental surveillance, provides continued high-quality surveillance performance in achieving the GPEI and...
