Articles

Shifts in microbial community composition in tannery-contaminated soil in response to increased gamma radiation

Contaminated sites from man-made activities such as old-fashioned tanneries are inhabited by virulent microorganisms that exhibit more resistance against extreme and toxic environmental conditions. We investig...

Authors: Mohammad A. A. Al-Najjar and Majed M. Albokari

Biomass and nutritive value of Spirulina (Arthrospira fusiformis) cultivated in a cost-effective medium

Cultivation of spirulina at commercial-scales relies on analytical grade–based media, which are expensive and so are the product.

Authors: Angelina Michael, Margareth Serapio Kyewalyanga and Charles Venance Lugomela

Soil pH is the primary factor driving the distribution and function of microorganisms in farmland soils in northeastern China

To understand which environmental factors influence the distribution and ecological functions of bacteria in agricultural soil.

Authors: Cheng-yu Wang, Xue Zhou, Dan Guo, Jiang-hua Zhao, Li Yan, Guo-zhong Feng, Qiang Gao, Han Yu and Lan-po Zhao

In vitro probiotic characterization of high GABA producing strain Lactobacilluas brevis DSM 32386 isolated from traditional “wild” Alpine cheese

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is recognised as a potential metabolic bioactive food ingredient with increasing evidence of its effects on the gut-brain axis and systemic metabolic health. Different lactic acid ba...

Authors: Andrea Mancini, Ilaria Carafa, Elena Franciosi, Tiziana Nardin, Benedetta Bottari, Roberto Larcher and Kieran M. Tuohy

Environmental factors driving arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities associated with endemic woody plant Picconiaazorica on native forest of Azores

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play important key roles in the soil ecosystems as they link plants to the root-inaccessible part of soil. The aims of this study were to investigate which environmental fact...

Authors: Catarina Drumonde Melo, Christopher Walker, Claudia Krüger, Paulo A.V. Borges, Sara Luna, Duarte Mendonça, Henrique M. A. C. Fonseca and Artur Câmara Machado

Quorum sensing involvement in response surface methodology for optimisation of sclerotiorin production by Penicillium sclerotiorum in shaken flasks and bioreactors

Sclerotiorin, an azaphilone produced by some filamentous fungi including Penicillium sclerotiorum, is a pigment with variety of biological activities including lipoxygenase inhibition, reduction of cholesterol le...

Authors: Rana Amache, Sirisha Yerramalli, Sannia Giovanni and Tajalli Keshavarz

Soil and entomopathogenic fungi with potential for biodegradation of insecticides: degradation of flubendiamide in vivo by fungi and in vitro by laccase

Flubendiamide is a highly toxic and persistent insecticide that causes loss of insect muscle functions leading to paralysis and death. The objective was to screen for filamentous fungi in soils where insectici...

Authors: George M. Yada Jr, Igor S. Shiraishi, Robert F. H. Dekker, Jéseka G. Schirmann, Aneli M. Barbosa-Dekker, Isabela C. de Araujo, Lucas M. Abreu and Juliana F. S. Daniel

Screening of lactic starter from Tunisian fermented vegetables and application for the improvement of caper (Capparis spinosa) fermentation through an experimental factorial design

This study aims at designing a lactic starter for caper fermentation isolated from Tunisian fermented vegetables to improve the process and produce consistent and high-quality product.

Authors: Manel Ziadi, Taroub Bouzaiene, Samia Lakhal, Kaouther Zaafouri, Soumaya Massoudi, Xavier Dousset and Mokhtar Hamdi

Lactic acid bacteria diversity in corn silage produced in Minas Gerais (Brazil)

The diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in silages produced in warm climate countries is not well known. This study aimed to identify and characterise the metabolic and genotypic aspects of autochthonous L...

Authors: Andréia de Oliveira dos Santos, Carla Luiza da Silva Ávila, Célia Soares, Beatriz Ferreira Carvalho, Rosane Freitas Schwan and Nelson Lima

Evaluation of in vitro alpha-glucosidase inhibitory, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of secondary metabolites from the endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sphaerica, isolated from Helianthus annuus

This study aimed to evaluate alpha-glucosidase inhibition and antimicrobial activity as well as cytotoxic activity of extracts from the endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sp., isolated from leaves of Helianthus annuus

Authors: Preuttiporn Supaphon and Sita Preedanon

Analysis of the influence of cyclo (L-phenylalanine-L-proline) on the proteome of Staphylococcus aureus using iTRAQ

Cyclo (L-phenylalanine-L-proline) (cFP) is an extracellular quorum sensing (QS) signal molecule that coordinates communication between Gram-negative bacteria. Some studies have also reported QS in Gram-positiv...

Authors: Duiyuan Ai, Weibing Zhang, Jianmin Yun and Yingying Cao

Correction to: Phylogenetics and antibacterial properties of exopolysaccharides from marine bacteria isolated from Mauritius seawater

In the above-mentioned paper, the wrong figure was provided for figure 6.

Authors: Aadil Ahmad Aullybux, Daneshwar Puchooa, Theeshan Bahorun and Rajesh Jeewon

Numerical analysis of phenotypic properties, genomic fingerprinting, and multilocus sequence analysis of Bradyrhizobium strains isolated from root nodules of Lembotropis nigricans of the tribe Genisteae

The aim of this study was to estimate the level of genomic and phenotypic diversity as well as the genus and species position of bacterial strains isolated from root nodules of Lembotropis nigricans (family Fabac...

Authors: Magdalena Wójcik, Michał Kalita and Wanda Małek

Correction to: Novel qPCR probe systems for the characterization of subaerial biofilms on stone monuments

The term ‘subaerial biofilm’ (SAB) has been introduced for microbial communities that develop on solid mineral surfaces exposed to the atmosphere.

Authors: Angelo del Mondo, Antonino de Natale, Gabriele Pinto and Antonino Pollio

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Phytobacter nematintestini sp. nov., isolated from the intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans and conferring resistance to Bacillus nematocida infection

Authors: Lin Zhang, Xilei Song, Wenpeng Li, Suya Zhao, Ling Yang, Min Xia and Qiuhong Niu

Diversity of β-lactam resistance genes in gram-negative rods isolated from a municipal wastewater treatment plant

Urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs) are considered hot spots for the accumulation and transfer of antibiotic resistant bacteria and their genes. We investigated the prevalence, diversity, and genomic loc...

Authors: Marta Piotrowska, Sylwia Kowalska and Magdalena Popowska

A time travel story: metagenomic analyses decipher the unknown geographical shift and the storage history of possibly smuggled antique marble statues

In this study, three possibly smuggled marble statues of an unknown origin, two human torsi (a female and a male) and a small head, were subjected to molecular analyses. The aim was to reconstruct the history ...

Authors: Guadalupe Piñar, Caroline Poyntner, Hakim Tafer and Katja Sterflinger

Characterization and comparisons of microbiota in different intestinal segments between adult Chinese Shanxi Black Pigs and Large White Pigs

The carcass weight of Chinese Shanxi Black Pigs is relatively lower in comparison with that of the counterparts, i.e., Large White Pigs, although the former are resistant to harsh conditions. Since gut microfl...

Authors: Pengfei Gao, Yulong Guo, Ningfang Zhang, Wanfeng Zhang, Hejie Wang, Xiaohong Guo, Zhibian Duan, Min Du, Qiyuan Yang, Bugao Li, Yaping Li and Guoqing Cao

IgY antibodies of chicken do not bind staphylococcal binder of immunoglobulin (Sbi) from Staphylococcus aureus

The immunoglobulin (Ig) binding proteins of Staphylococcus aureus namely staphylococcal protein A (SpA) and staphylococcal binder of immunoglobulin (Sbi) are responsible for false positives during immunoassays. A...

Authors: Rohini Krishna Kota, Krupanidhi Srirama and Prakash Narayana Reddy

Correction to: Diversity and symbiotic divergence of endophytic and non-endophytic rhizobia of Medicago sativa

The authors wish to clarify that the right Fund No. of National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is 31560666. The Fund No. in the original article was wrong. The authors apologise for this error.

Authors: Wenjuan Kang, Shangli Shi and Lin Xu

Phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from fish and fish processing plants

The aim of this study was to perform the phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from fish and equipment used in fish processing plants. The prevalence of selected gene-enco...

Authors: Krzysztof Skowron, Natalia Wiktorczyk, Katarzyna Grudlewska, Ewa Wałecka-Zacharska, Zbigniew Paluszak, Stefan Kruszewski and Eugenia Gospodarek-Komkowska

Genome sequence analysis of the Indian strain Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A2 from ovine pneumonic pasteurellosis

Mannheimia haemolytica is a leading causative agent of pasteurellosis in ruminants. Genome of M. haemolytica strains from different hosts has been sequenced worldwide to understand its pathogenesis. There are onl...

Authors: Swati Sahay, Rajeswari Shome, Jagadesan Sankarasubramanian, Udayakumar S. Vishnu, Awadhesh Prajapati, Krithiga Natesan, Bibek Ranjan Shome, Habibur Rahman and Jeyaprakash Rajendhran

Obituary Dr. Valter Tandoi

Authors: Simona Rossetti

Isolation and characterization of a new fructophilic Lactobacillus plantarum FPL strain from honeydew

In the present study, a Lactobacillus plantarum FPL strain exhibiting fructophilic behavior has been isolated for the first time from honeydew. It is a probably syntrophic bacterium inhabiting the gastrointestina...

Authors: Klaudia Gustaw, Magdalena Michalak, Magdalena Polak-Berecka and Adam Waśko

Erratum to: Radio-protective and antioxidative activities of astaxanthin from newly isolated radio-resistant bacterium Deinococcus sp. strain WMA-LM9

Authors: Wasim Sajjad, Manzoor Ahmad, Salman Khan, Sunniya Ilyas, Fariha Hasan, Cem Celik, Kerry McPhail and Aamer Ali Shah

Erratum to: Identification and characterization of the rhizosphere phosphate-solubilizing bacterium Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis JW-SD2, and its plant growth-promoting effects on poplar seedlings

Authors: Qingwei Zeng, Xiaoqin Wu and Xinyi Wen

Erratum to: Expression of SOD and production of reactive oxygen species in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus caused by hydrocarbon oxidation

Authors: Ivan Sazykin, Marina Sazykina, Ludmila Khmelevtsova, Margarita Khammami, Shorena Karchava, Maria Zhuravleva and Elena Kudeevskaya

Erratum to: Identification of N-Hexadecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C16-AHL) as signal molecule in halophilic bacterium Halomonas smyrnensis AAD6

Authors: Gennaro Roberto Abbamondi, Salim Suner, Adele Cutignano, Laura Grauso, Barbara Nicolaus, Ebru Toksoy Oner and Giuseppina Tommonaro

Erratum to: Screening and characterization of a non-insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis strain producing parasporal protein with selective toxicity against human colon cancer cell lines

Authors: Periyasamy Abirami, Kkani Poornima, Chandrasekaran Binuramesh, Ponnusamy Suguna, Viswanathan Saranya, Selvanayagam Peter and Rajaiah Shenbagarathai

Erratum to: Biosurfactant production by AL 1.1, a Bacillus licheniformis strain isolated from Antarctica: production, chemical characterization and properties

Authors: Jonathan Coronel-León, Guillermo de Grau, Ariadna Grau-Campistany, Maribel Farfan, Francesc Rabanal, Angels Manresa and Ana María Marqués

Soil chemical properties affect the reaction of forest soil bacteria to drought and rewetting stress

Reaction of soil bacteria to drought and rewetting stress may depend on soil chemical properties. The objectives of this study were to test the reaction of different bacterial phyla to drought and rewetting st...

Authors: Marcin Chodak, Marcin Gołębiewski, Justyna Morawska-Płoskonka, Katarzyna Kuduk and Maria Niklińska

Antimicrobial activity of low-pressure plasma treatment against selected foodborne bacteria and meat microbiota

The effects of helium and argon plasma treatments on inactivation of both pure bacterial cultures inoculated onto the surface of agarized media and the surface microbiota of meat were investigated. Cold plasma...

Authors: Natalia Ulbin-Figlewicz, Andrzej Jarmoluk and Krzysztof Marycz

Assortment of carbon sources in medium for Yarrowia lipolytica lipase production: A statistical approach

Glycerol is considered an important renewable feedstock as well as an undesirable side-product of biodiesel production. The aim of this study was to determine whether supplementing a culture medium with a comb...

Authors: Agata Urszula Fabiszewska, Danuta Kotyrba and Dorota Nowak

Environmental scanning electron microscopy analysis of Proteus mirabilis biofilms grown on chitin and stainless steel

Proteus mirabilis is a human pathogen able to form biofilms on the surface of urinary catheters. Little is known about P. mirabilis biofilms on natural or industrial surfaces and the pote...

Authors: Milagro Fernández-Delgado, Zoilabet Duque, Héctor Rojas, Paula Suárez, Monica Contreras, María A. García-Amado and Carlos Alciaturi

Biotransformation of acetophenone and its halogen derivatives by Yarrowia lipolytica strains

The ability of 16 strains of Yarrowia lipolytica to biotransform acetophenone and its derivatives has been studied. Thirteen of these strains were derived from a wild-type strain Y. lipolytica A-101; six had the ...

Authors: Tomasz Janeczko, Wojciech Bąkowski, Ewa Walczak, Małgorzata Robak, Jadwiga Dmochowska-Gładysz and Edyta Kostrzewa-Susłow

Influence of long-term fertilization on soil microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, and bacterial and fungal community structure in a brown soil of northeast China

In this study, the effect of mineral fertilizer and organic manure were evaluated on soil microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, bacterial and fungal community structure in a long-term (33 years) field exp...

Authors: Peiyu Luo, Xiaori Han, Yan Wang, Mei Han, Hui Shi, Ning Liu and Hongzhi Bai

Characterization of microbial communities in heavy crude oil from Saudi Arabia

The complete mineralization of crude oil into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and cellular constituents can be carried out as part of a bioremediation strategy. This involves the transformation of c...

Authors: Majed Albokari, Ibrahim Mashhour, Mohammed Alshehri, Chris Boothman and Mousa Al-Enezi

The rapid identification of lactic acid bacteria present in Chilean winemaking processes using culture-independent analysis

A polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes was developed to identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that are commonly present in wine...

Authors: Carolina Ilabaca, Carla Jara and Jaime Romero

Impurities of crude glycerol and their effect on metabolite production

Glycerol is a valuable raw material for the production of industrially useful metabolites. Among many promising applications for the use of glycerol is its bioconversion to high value-added compounds, such as ...

Authors: Dorota Samul, Katarzyna Leja and Włodzimierz Grajek

Expression of bacteriocin divercin AS7 in Escherichia coli and its functional analysis

Bacteriocins are small peptides with antimicrobial activity, that are produced by bacteria. Four classes of bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria have been defined. Class IIa bacteriocins are promising...

Authors: Agnieszka K. Olejnik-Schmidt, Marcin T. Schmidt, Anna Sip, Tomasz Szablewski and Włodzimierz Grajek

Erratum to: Proportion of prokaryotes enumerated as viruses by epifluorescence microscopy

Authors: Carlos Mendes, Luísa Santos, Ângela Cunha, Newton C. M. Gomes and Adelaide Almeida

Determination of the effectiveness of UV radiation as a means of disinfection of metalworking fluids

Microbial contamination of metalworking fluids (MWFs) causes biofouling and degradation and is also associated with several health hazards. Development of an effective control method is therefore essential to ...

Authors: Ratul Saha, Robert S. Donofrio and Susan T. Bagley

Metagenomic analyses reveal phylogenetic diversity of carboxypeptidase gene sequences in activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant in Shanghai, China

Activated sludge of wastewater treatment plants carries a diverse microflora. However, up to 80–90 % of microorganisms in activated sludge cannot be cultured by current laboratory techniques, leaving an enzyme...

Authors: Hao Jin, Bailin Li, Xu Peng and Lanming Chen

Assessment of biological colonization of historic buildings in the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp

The objective of this study was to assess biological colonization of wooden and brick buildings in the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp, and to identify the organisms colonizing the examined bui...

Authors: Katarzyna Rajkowska, Anna Otlewska, Anna Koziróg, Małgorzata Piotrowska, Paulina Nowicka-Krawczyk, Mariusz Hachułka, Grzegorz J. Wolski, Alina Kunicka-Styczyńska, Beata Gutarowska and Agnieszka Żydzik-Białek

Erratum to: The phenotypic, phylogenetic and symbiotic characterization of rhizobia nodulating Lotus sp. in Tunisian arid soils

Authors: Mokhtar Rejili, Mosbah Mahdhi, José Alfonso Domínguez-Núñez and Mohamed Mars

Lactobacillus salivarius and L. gasseri down-regulate Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans exotoxins expression

Beneficial microbes, such as lactobacilli establish a symbiosis with the host and confer health-associated effects, by limiting the growth of indigenous pathogens and challenging microbes introduced by altered...

Authors: Lorenzo Nissen, Barbara Sgorbati, Bruno Biavati and Georgios N. Belibasakis

Low metabolic activity of biofilm formed by Enterococcus faecalis isolated from healthy humans and wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

It is widely known that Enterococcus faecalis virulence is related to its biofilm formation. Although Enterococci are common commensal organisms of the gastrointestinal tract, the difference between commensal and...

Authors: Włodzimierz Meissner, Tomasz A. Jarzembowski, Hanna Rzyska, Claudia Botelho and Anna Pałubicka

Development of a DNA-dosimeter system for monitoring the effects of pulsed ultraviolet radiation

To improve the ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection process and to better understand the impact of the harmful effects of germicidal radiation on the DNA molecule, we have developed a reliable biological monito...

Authors: Myriam Ben Said and Masahiro Otaki

Erratum to: Correlations between 23S rRNA genes and erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter jejuni

Authors: Takuya Nakajima, Akihiro Tazumi, Shigeyuki Nakanishi, Jiru Xu, Lei Han, Naoaki Misawa, John E. Moore, Beverley C. Millar and Motoo Matsuda

The application of genetics methods to differentiation of three Lactobacillus species of human origin

In recent decades, the interest in probiotics as diet supplements or drugs has increased. In order to determine a specific bacterial isolate to be probiotic, it is necessary to describe precisely its probiotic...

Authors: Tomasz Gosiewski, Agnieszka Chmielarczyk, Magdalena Strus, Monika Brzychczy-Włoch and Piotr B. Heczko