Journal of Microbiology

Volume 55(4); April 2017

Review

Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast and its transcriptional regulation through calcium signaling: Praveen Rai , Drista Sharma , Rani Soni , Nazia Khatoon , Bhaskar Sharma , Tarun Kumar Bhatt; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):231-236. Published online March 1, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6525-1

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6 Citations

Abstract: Malaria has been present since ancient time and remains a major global health problem in developing countries. Plas-modium falciparum belongs to the phylum Apicomplexan, largely contain disease-causing parasites and characterized by the presence of apicoplast. It is a very essential organelle of P. falciparum responsible for the synthesis of key mole-cules required for the growth of the parasite. Indispensable nature of apicoplast makes it a potential drug target. Calcium signaling is important in the establishment of malaria para-site inside the host. It has been involved in invasion and egress of merozoites during the asexual life cycle of the parasite. Calcium signaling also regulates apicoplast metabolism. There-fore, in this review, we will focus on the role of apicoplast in malaria biology and its metabolic regulation through Ca++ signaling.

Journal Articles

A New record of four Penicillium species isolated from Agarum clathratum in Korea: Myung Soo Park , Seobihn Lee , Young Woon Lim; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):237-246. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6405-8

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8 Citations

Abstract: Agarum clathratum, brown algae, play important ecological roles in marine ecosystem, but can cause secondary environ-ment pollution when they pile up on the beach. In order to resolve the environment problem by A. clathratum, we focus to isolate and identify Penicillium because many species are well known to produce extracellular enzymes. A total of 32 Penicillium strains were isolated from A. clathratum sam-ples that collected from 13 sites along the mid-east coast of Korea in summer. They were identified based on morpho-logical characters and phylogenetic analysis using β-tubulin DNA sequences as well as a combined dataset of β-tubulin and calmodulin. A total of 32 strains were isolated and they were identified to 13 Penicillium species. The commonly iso-lated species were Penicillium citrinum, P. roseomaculatum, and Penicillium sp. Among 13 Penicillium species, four spe-cies – P. bilaiae, P. cremeogriseum, P. madriti, and P. rose-omaculatum – have not been previously recorded in Korea. For these four new species records to Korea, we provide mor-phological characteristics of each strain.

Spirosoma luteolum sp. nov. isolated from water: Jae-Jin Lee , Su-Jin Park , Yeon-Hee Lee , Seung-Yeol Lee , Sangkyu Park , Young-Je Cho , Myung Kyum Kim , Leonid N. Ten , Hee-Young Jung; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):247-252. Published online March 13, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6455-y

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18 Citations

Abstract: A novel Gram-negative and rod-shaped bacterial strain, de-signated as 16F6ET, was isolated from a water sample. Cells were yellowish in color and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The strain grew at 10–37°C (optimum at 25°C) but not at 4 and 42°C, and pH 5–7 (optimum at pH 7). It showed mod-erate resistance to gamma-ray irradiation. Comparative phy-logenetic analysis showed that strain 16F6ET belonged to the family Cytophagaceae of the class Cytophagia. Furthermore, this isolate showed relatively low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities (90.7–93.1%) to the members of the genus Spiro-soma. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c), C16:1 ω5c, C16:0 N alcohol, and C16:0. The polar lipid profile indicated presence of phosphatidylethanolamine, unknown aminophospholipids, an unknown amino lipid, unknown phospholipids, and unknown polar lipids. The pre-dominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain 16F6ET was 56.5 mol%. Phenotypic, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic properties indicated that isolate 16F6ET represents a novel species within the genus Spirosoma, for which the name Spirosoma luteolum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 16F6ET (=KCTC 52199T =JCM 31411T).

Hymenobacter daeguensis sp. nov. isolated from river water: Leonid N. Ten , Yeon-Hee Lee , Jae-Jin Lee , Su-Jin Park , Seung-Yeol Lee , Sangkyu Park , Dae Sung Lee , In-Kyu Kang , Hee-Young Jung; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):253-259. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6524-2

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11 Citations

Abstract: A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod- shaped, aerobic bacterial strain, designated 16F3Y-2T, was isolated from the Han River, South Korea, and was charac-terized taxonomically using a polyphasic approach. Compa-rative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 16F3Y-2T belonged to the family Cytophagaceae in the phy-lum Bacteroidetes and was most closely related to ‘Hymeno-bacter terrae’ DG7A (98.01%), H. soli PB17T (97.26%), H. glaciei VUG-A130T (96.78%), H. antarcticus VUG-A42aaT (96.72%), H. ruber PB156T (96.61%), and H. saemangeumensis GSR0100T (95.77%). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain 16F3Y-2T was 62.9 mol%. The isolate contained MK-7 as the predominant respiratory quinone, and summed fea-ture 3 (C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c; 35.5%), C15:0 iso (16.9%), C16:1 ω5c (10.9%), and C15:0 anteiso (9.9%) as major fatty acids. The ma-jor polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data supported the affiliation of strain 16F3Y-2T with the genus Hymenobacter. However, strain 16F3Y-2T exhibited relatively low levels of DNA-DNA related-ness with 'H. terrae' KCTC 32554 (44.1%) and H. soli KCTC 12607T (24.3%), clearly indicating that the isolate constitutes a new genospecies. Strain 16F3Y-2T could be differentiated from its phylogenetic neighbors on the basis of several phe-notypic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic features. Therefore, strain 16F3Y-2T represents a novel species in the genus Hy-menobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter daeguensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 16F3Y-2T (=KCTC 52537T =JCM 31654T).

Rapid MALDI biotyper-based identification and cluster analysis of Streptococcus iniae: Si Won Kim , Seong Won Nho , Se Pyeong Im , Jung Seok Lee , Jae Wook Jung , Jassy Mary S. Lazarte , Jaesung Kim , Woo-Jai Lee , Jeong-Ho Lee , Tae Sung Jung; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):260-266. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6472-x

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10 Citations

Abstract: Streptococcus iniae causes severe mortalities among cultured marine species, especially in the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), which is economically important in Korea and Japan. Recently, there has been growing concern regarding the emergence of S. iniae as a zoonotic pathogen. Here, 89 S. iniae isolates obtained from diseased olive flounders collected from 2003 to 2008 in Jeju Island, South Korea, were charac-terized using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The results were aligned both with the available Bruker Daltonics data-base and with a new set of S. iniae data entries developed in our laboratory, and the results were compared. When we used the Bruker Daltonics database, the 89 isolates yielded either “no reliable identification” or were incorrectly iden-tified as Streptococcus pyogenes at the genus level. When we used the new data entries from our laboratory, in contrast, all of the isolates were correctly identified as S. iniae at the genus (100%) and species (96.6%) levels. We performed pro-teomic analysis, divided the 89 isolates into cluster I (51.7%), cluster II (20.2%), and cluster III (28.1%), and then used the MALDI Biotyper software to identify specific mass peaks that enabled discrimination between clusters and between Strep-tococcus species. Our results suggest that the use of MALDI TOF MS could outperform the conventional methods, prov-ing easier, faster, cheaper and more efficient in properly identifying S. iniae. This strategy could facilitate the epide-miological and taxonomical study of this important fish pathogen.

Colonization study of gfp-tagged Achromobacter marplatensis strain in sugar beet: YingWu Shi , Chun Li Li , HongMei Yang , Tao Zhang , Yan Gao , Min Chu , Jun Zeng , Qing Lin , OuTiKu Er , YuGuo Li , Xiangdong Huo , Kai Lou; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):267-272. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6371-1

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8 Citations

Abstract: This study details the introduction of a gfp marker into an endophytic bacterial strain (Achromobacter marplatensis strain 17, isolated from sugar beet) to monitor its coloniza-tion of sugar beet (Beta. vulgaris L.). Stability of the plasmid encoding the gfp was confirmed in vitro for at least 72 h of bacterial growth and after the colonization of tissues, under nonselective conditions. The colonization was observed us-ing fluorescence microscopy and enumeration of culturable endophytes in inoculated sugar beet plants that grew for 10 or 20 days. gfp-Expressing strains were re-isolated from the inner tissues of surface-sterilized roots and stems of inocu-lated plants, and the survival of the Achromobacter marpla-tensis 17:gfp strain in plants 20 days after inoculation, even in the absence of selective pressure, suggests that it is good colonizer. These results also suggest that this strain could be a useful tool for the delivery of enzymes or other proteins into plants. In addition, the study highlights that sugar beet plants can be used effectively for detailed in vitro studies on the interactions between A. marplatensis strain 17 and its host, particularly if a gfp-tagged strain of the pathogen is used.

Fungal diversity in soils across a gradient of preserved Brazilian Cerrado: Ademir Sergio Ferreira de Araujo , Walderly Melgaço Bezerra , Vilma Maria dos Santos , Luis Alfredo Pinheiro Leal Nunes , Maria do Carmo Catanho Pereira de Lyra , Marcia do Vale Barreto Figueiredo , Vania Maria Maciel Melo; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):273-279. Published online January 27, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6350-6

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26 Citations

Abstract: The preserved Cerrado from Northeastern Brazil presents different physicochemical properties and plant diversity, which can influence the fungal communities. Therefore, we evaluated the fungal diversity in preserved sites, at Sete Ci-dades National Park, across a gradient of vegetation that in-cluded Campo graminoide, Cerrado stricto sensu, Cerradao, and Floresta decidual. Of all of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) obtained, the Floresta decidual presented the highest richness. Ascomycota were the most abundant phy-lum (45%), followed by Basidiomycota (32%). Basal fungi and other phyla accounted for 23% of the total dataset. Agaricomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes, Basi-diobolus, Dothideomycetes, and Taphrinomycetes were the most abundant classes of fungi found across the gradient of Cerrado vegetation. In conclusion, our study suggests that the Brazilian Cerrado from Sete Cidades National Park pre-sents a high fungal diversity and includes sources of new fungal species for biotechnological purposes.

Alteration in the ultrastructural morphology of mycelial hyphae and the dynamics of transcriptional activity of lytic enzyme genes during basidiomycete morphogenesis: Elena Vetchinkina , Maria Kupryashina , Vladimir Gorshkov , Marina Ageeva , Yuri Gogolev , Valentina Nikitina; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):280-288. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6320-z

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11 Citations

Abstract: The morphogenesis of macromycetes is a complex multilevel process resulting in a set of molecular-genetic, physiological- biochemical, and morphological-ultrastructural changes in the cells. When the xylotrophic basidiomycetes Lentinus edodes, Grifola frondosa, and Ganoderma lucidum were grown on wood waste as the substrate, the ultrastructural morphology of the mycelial hyphal cell walls differed considerably between mycelium and morphostructures. As the macromycetes passed from vegetative to generative development, the expression of the tyr1, tyr2, chi1, chi2, exg1, exg2, and exg3 genes was acti-vated. These genes encode enzymes such as tyrosinase, chi-tinase, and glucanase, which play essential roles in cell wall growth and morphogenesis.

Antibacterial compound produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain UICC B-40, an endophytic bacterium isolated from Neesia altissima: Rina Hidayati Pratiwi , Iman Hidayat , Muhammad Hanafi , Wibowo Mangunwardoyo; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):289-295. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6311-0

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21 Citations

Abstract: This study’s aim was to determine the identity of antibacte-rial compounds produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain UICC B-40 and describe the antibacterial compounds’ me-chanisms of action for damaging pathogenic bacteria cells. Isolation and identification of the compounds were carried out using thin layer chromatography (TLC), nuclear mag-netic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and liquid chromato-graphy mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses. Antibacterial activity was assayed via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the antibacterial compound mechanism was ob-served morphologically through scanning electron micros-copy (SEM). This study successfully identified the (2E,5E)- phenyltetradeca-2,5-dienoate antibacterial compound (mole-cular weight 300 g/mol), composed of a phenolic ester, fatty acid and long chain of aliphatic group structures. MIC values for this compound were determined at 62.5 μg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus strain ATCC 25923. The mechanism of the compound involved breaking down the bacterial cell walls through the lysis process. The (2E,5E)-phenyltetradeca- 2,5-dienoate compound exhibited inhibitory activity on the growth of Gram-positive bacteria.

Potential use of lactic acid bacteria Leuconostoc mesenteroides as a probiotic for the removal of Pb(II) toxicity: Young-Joo Yi , Jeong-Muk Lim , Suna Gu , Wan-Kyu Lee , Eunyoung Oh , Sang-Myeong Lee , Byung-Taek Oh; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):296-303. Published online March 31, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6642-x

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76 Citations

Abstract: It has been demonstrated that certain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can sequester metal ions by binding them to their surfaces. In the present study, lead (Pb)-resistant LAB were isolated from kimchi, a Korean fermented food. A total of 96 different LAB strains were isolated, and 52 strains showed lead resistance. Among them, an LAB strain-96 (L-96) iden-tified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides showed remarkable Pb resistance and removal capacity. The maximum adsorption capacity of this strain calculated using the Langmuir isotherm was 60.6 mg Pb/g. In an in vivo experiment, young male mice were provided with water (A), Pb-water (B), or Pb-water+ L-96 (C) during puberty. Lower glutamate oxaloacetate trans-aminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels in Pb-exposed male mice that received strain L-96 as a probiotic were suggestive of reduced hepatotoxicity. More-over, feces from mice treated with L-96 contained more Pb than feces from untreated mice. Increased Pb elimination likely reduced internal accumulation, and this hypothesis was supported by significantly lower Pb concentrations in kid-neys and testes of the mice treated with strain L-96. The mo-tility and ATP content of epididymal spermatozoa were par-tially restored if strain L-96 was administered. In conclusion, isolated L-96 LAB had lead-biosorption activity and effi-ciently detoxified lead-poisoned male mice, resulting in re-covering male reproductive function. These results suggest the potential use of LAB as a probiotic to protect humans from the adverse effects of Pb exposure.

A lactic acid bacterium isolated from kimchi ameliorates intestinal inflammation in DSS-induced colitis: Jin-Soo Park , Inseong Joe , Paul Dong Rhee , Choon-Soo Jeong , Gajin Jeong; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):304-310. Published online January 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-6447-y

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48 Citations

Abstract: Some species of lactic acid bacteria have been shown to be beneficial in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the pre-sent study, a strain of lactic acid bacterium (Lactobacillus paracasei LS2) was isolated from the Korean food, kimchi, and was shown to inhibit the development of experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). To inves-tigate the role of LS2 in IBD, mice were fed DSS in drinking water for seven days along with LS2 bacteria which were administered intragastrically to some of the mice, while phos-phate-buffered saline (PBS) was administered to others (the controls). The administration of LS2 reduced body weight loss and increased survival, and disease activity indexes (DAI) and histological scores indicated that the severity of colitis was significantly reduced. The production of inflammatory cy-tokines and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity also decreased. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the number of Th1 (IFN-γ) population cells was significantly reduced in the LS2- administered mice compared with the controls. The admini-stration of LS2 induced the increase of CD4+FOXP3+ Treg cells, which are responsible for IL-10. Numbers of macro-phages (CD11b+ F4/80+), and neutrophils (CD11b+ Gr-1+) among lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) were also reduced. These results indicate that LS2 has an anti-inflammatory effect and ameliorates DSS-induced colitis.

Cot kinase plays a critical role in Helicobacter pylori-induced IL-8 expression: Sungil Jang , Jinmoon Kim , Jeong-Heon Cha; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):311-317. Published online March 31, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-7052-9

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Abstract: Helicobacter pylori is a major pathogen causing various gastric diseases including gastric cancer. Infection of H. pylori induces pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 expression in gastric epithelial cells in the initial inflammatory process. It has been known that H. pylori can modulate Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk signal pathway for IL-8 induction. Recently, it has been shown that another signal molecule, cancer Osaka thyroid oncogene/tumor progression locus 2 (Cot/Tpl2) kinase, activates Mek and Erk and plays a role in the Erk pathway, similar to MAP3K signal molecule Raf kinase. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether Cot kinase might be involved in IL-8 induction caused by H. pylori infection. AGS gastric epithelial cells were infected by H. pylori strain G27 or its isogenic mutants lacking cagA or type IV secretion system followed by treatment with Cot kinase inhibitor (KI) or siRNA specific for Cot kinase. Activation of Erk was assessed by Western blot analysis and expression of IL-8 was measured by ELISA. Treatment with Cot KI reduced both transient and sustained Erk activation. It also reduced early and late IL-8 secretion in the gastric epithelial cell line. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of Cot inhibited early and late IL-8 secretion induced by H. pylori infection. Taken together, these results suggest that Cot kinase might play a critical role in H. pylori type IV secretion apparatus-dependent early IL-8 secretion and CagA-dependent late IL-8 secretion as an alternative signaling molecule in the Erk pathway.

Published Erratum

ERRATUM] A computationally simplistic poly-phasic approach to explore microbial communities from the Yucatan aquifer as a potential sources of novel natural products: Marfil-Santana Miguel David , O’Connor-Sánchez Aileen , Ramírez-Prado Jorge Humberto , De los Santos-Briones Cesar , López-Aguiar Lluvia Korynthia , ojas-Herrera Rafael , Lago-Lestón Asunción , Prieto-Davó Alejandra; J. Microbiol. 2017;55(4):318-318.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-017-0669-x

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Abstract: In the article by David et al. published in Journal of Microbiology 2016; 54, 774–781, the names of all authors should be modified as below. Miguel David Marfil-Santana1, Aileen O’Connor-Sánchez1, Jorge Humberto Ramírez-Prado1, Cesar De los Santos-Briones1, Lluvia Korynthia López-Aguiar2, Rafael Rojas-Herrera3, Asunción Lago-Lestón4, and Alejandra Prieto-Davó2*

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