Alcaligenes faecalis is one of the most important and clinically significant environmental pathogens, increasing in importance due to its isolation from soil and nosocomial environments. The Gram-negative soil bacterium is associated with skin endocarditis, bacteremia, dysentery, meningitis, endophthalmitis, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia in patients. With emerging antibiotic resistance in A. faecalis, it has become crucial to understand the origin of such resistance genes within this clinically significant environmental and gut bacterium. In this research, we studied the impact of antibiotic overuse in poultry and its effect on developing resistance in A. faecalis. We sampled soil and faecal materials from five poultry farms, performed whole genome sequencing & analysis and identified four strains of A. faecalis. Furthermore, we characterized the genes in the genomic islands of A. faecalis isolates. We found four multidrug-resistant A. faecalis strains that showed resistance against vancomycin (MIC >1000 μg/ml), ceftazidime (50 μg/ml), colistin (50 μg/ml) and ciprofloxacin (50 μg/ml). From whole genome comparative analysis, we found more than 180 resistance genes compared to the reference sequence. Parts of our assembled contigs were found to be similar to different bacteria which included pbp1A and pbp2 imparting resistance to amoxicillin originally a part of Helicobacter and Bordetella pertussis. We also found the Mycobacterial insertion element IS6110 in the genomic islands of all four genomes. This prominent insertion element can be transferred and induce resistance to other bacterial genomes. The results thus are crucial in understanding the transfer of resistance genes in the environment and can help in developing regimes for antibiotic use in the food and poultry industry.
The Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) can produce various mycotoxins and is a major concern for food
quantity and quality worldwide. In this study, we determined the effects of water activity (
aw), temperature, incubation time
and their interactions on mycotoxin accumulation and the expression levels of biosynthetic genes in FGSC strains from
maize samples in China. The highest deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol(3ADON) and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol
(15ADON) levels of the F. boothii and F. graminearum strains were observed at 0.98 aw/
30 °C or 0.99 aw/
25 °C. F. asiaticum
and F. meridionale reached maximum nivalenol (NIV) and 4-acetylnivalenol (4ANIV) contents at 0.99 aw
and 30 °C. With
the extension of the incubation time, the concentrations of DON and NIV gradually increased, while those of their derivatives
decreased. F. boothii, F. meridionale and one F. asiaticum strain had the highest zearalenone (ZEN) values at 0.95 aw
and 25 °C, while the optimum conditions for the other F. asiaticum strain and F. graminearum were 0.99 aw
and 30 °C. Four
genes associated with trichothecene and zearalenone synthesis were significantly induced under higher water stress in the
early stage of production. The results indicated independence of mycotoxin production and gene expression, as maximum
amounts of these toxic metabolites were observed at higher aw
in most cases. This study provides useful information for the
monitoring and prevention of such toxins entering the maize production chain.
Two Gram-stain-positive, motile, endospore-forming, facultatively anaerobic strains, designated MEBiC13591T
and
MEBiC13594T,
were isolated from tidal flat sediment of the Incheon City on the west coast of Korea. Growth of both
novel strains was observed at pH 5–9 (optimum, pH 7–7.5), and in 0–8% NaCl (optimum, 2% for MEBiC13591T
and
3% for MEBiC13594T).
Strains MEBiC13591T
and MEBiC13594T
grew optimally at 50 °C, (37.5–56.1 °C) and 44 °C
(20.7–50.7 °C), respectively. The main cellular fatty acids of strain MEBiC13591T
were iso-C15: 0, anteiso-C15: 0, iso-C16: 0,
iso-C17: 0 and anteiso-C17: 0, while those for strain MEBiC13594T
were C14:
0, iso-C14: 0, iso-C15: 0, anteiso-C15: 0 and C16:
0. In
both taxa, the major isoprenoid was MK-7. The genomic DNA G + C contents were 34.1 and 37.0 mol% for MEBiC13591T
and MEBiC13594T,
respectively. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the novel strains showed high similarity
with members of the genera Aeribacillus (95.0%) and Caldibacillus (93.5–94.5%); however, showed lower than 90%
with Caldibacillus debilis TfT.
Phylogenetic and Phylogenomic analysis revealed that two novel strains comprised distinct
phyletic line with members formerly assigned to Caldibacillus. Based on genomic indices, such as AAI and ANI, members
formerly affiliated with Caldibacillus and Bacillus as well as the novel strains should be classified into five independent
genera. Based on the phenotypic, genomic and biochemical data, strains MEBiC13591T
and MEBiC13594T
represent two
novel species in the novel genus, for which the names Fervidibacillus albus gen. nov., sp. nov. (
MEBiC13591T [= KCCM
43317T
= KCTC 43181T
= JCM 33662T
= MCCC 1K04565T]),
and Fervidibacillus halotolerans sp. nov. (
MEBiC13594T
[= KCTC 43182T
= JCM 34001T])
are proposed. Three additional genera Caldifermentibacillus, Palidibacillus, and Perspicuibacillus
are also proposed by reclassification of the several species with valid names that formerly affiliated with the
genera Caldibacillus.