Mineral\u2013microbe interactions : Biotechnological potential of bioweathering

Mineral\u2013microbe interaction has been a key factor shaping the lithosphere of our planet since the Precambrian. Detailed investigation has been mainly focused on the role of bioweathering in biomining processes, leading to the selection of highly efficient microbial inoculants for the recovery of metals. Here we expand this scenario, presenting additional applications of bacteria and fungi in mineral dissolution, a process with novel biotechnological potential that has been poorly investigated. The ability of microorganisms to trigger soil formation and to sustain plant establishment and growth are suggested as invaluable tools to counteract the expansion of arid lands and to increase crop productivity. Furthermore, interesting exploitations of mineral weathering microbes are represented by biorestoration and bioremediation technologies, innovative and competitive solutions characterized by economical and environmental advantages. Overall, in the future the study and application of the metabolic properties of microbial communities capable of weathering can represent a driving force in the expanding sector of environmental biotechnology

Genetic and biochemical diversity of Paenibacillus larvae isolated from Tunisian infected honey bee broods

Paenibacillus larvae is the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB), a virulent disease of honeybee (Apis mellifera) larvae. In Tunisia, AFB has been detected in many beekeeping areas, where it causes important economical losses, but nothing is known about the diversity of the causing agent. Seventy five isolates of P. larvae, identified by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, were obtained from fifteen contaminated broods showing typical AFB symptoms, collected in different locations in the northern part of the country. Using BOX-PCR, a distinct profile of P. larvae respect to related Paenibacillus species was detected which may be useful for its identification. Some P. larvae-specific bands represented novel potential molecular markers for the species. BOX-PCR fingerprints indicated a relatively high intraspecific diversity among the isolates not described previously with several molecular polymorphisms identifying six genotypes on polyacrylamide gel. Polymorphisms were also detected in several biochemical characters (indol production, nitrate reduction, methyl red and oxidase test). Contrary to the relatively high intraspecies molecular and phenotypic diversity, the in-vivo virulence of three selected P. larvae genotypes did not differ significantly, suggesting that the genotypic/phenotypic differences are neutral or related to ecological aspects other than virulence

BIOCLEANING

Cleaning is one of the first and most important steps in conservative restora- tion intervention, as it removes the unwanted layers of dirt and deposit from the surface of an artefact. It must be done selectively, however, by adapting the cleaning operation to the different zones and removing successive layers of deposit without acting directly on the original materials of the surface. Generally, cleaning protocols are based on chemical or physical procedures with potential negative effects for restorers\u2019 health and/or for the materials constituting the artworks. As an alternative, solvent gels, rigid gels and resin soaps can be used for selective cleaning. In recent decades, biological clean- ing has greatly improved as a result of research into biotechnologies and today plays an important role in the preservation and restoration of cultural assets. Nowadays, biocleaning by viable bacterial cells or hydrolytic enzymes represents a resource with great potential in the restoration of cultural heri- tage, minimising risks for artworks and for human health. New methodologies based on sulphate-reducing bacteria or bioactive molecules with hydrolytic activity have been applied as selective and safer cleaning methods in the removal of black crusts from stone surfaces or organic materials such as glue and/or adhesives, from paintings and other substrates

Reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls in marine sediments: evidence for the involvement of a dehaloccoides- like bacterium in the process

Several studies detected PCB dechlorination activities in freshwater sediments under methanogenic conditions; however, bacteria of the phylum Chloroflexi have been recently identified as PCB dechlorinators in sediment-free cultures enriched from freshwater sediments in mineral medium. In this work we investigated the PCB dechlorinating microbial community of a contaminated marine sediment of the Venice lagoon (VL) enriched under laboratory geobiochemical conditions close to those occurring in situ. Native microflora was subcultured in slurry microcosms of VL sterile sediment suspended in sterile site water in the presence spiked PCBs (Aroclor 1254, 1 g/kg dry sediment). A marked dechlorination activity was detected towards penta- through octachlorinated biphenyls that were bioconverted by more than 70% into di-, tri- and tetra-chlorinated congeners after 30 weeks of incubation according to the dechlorination pattern H'. The addition of H2 and short chain organic acids increased sulfate-reducing and methanogenic activities, but finally resulted in a decrease of the dechlorination rate. When the same agents were applied together with vancomycin or ampicillin, higher dechlorination rates were observed, along with a remarkable inhibition of sulfate-reducing activity. Finally, the highest increase in the dechlorination rate was detected when vancomycin or ampicillin were singly added to the culture. DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA genes detected three bacteria belonging to Chloroflexi. However, only a Dehaloccoccoides-like microorganism, having high sequence similarity with the putative PCB dechlorinating bacterium m-1, was detected in all the actively PCB dechlorinating cultures while was absent in all the corresponding PCB-free controls. These findings suggest that a Dehalococcoides-like bacterium is involved in PCB dechlorination in the marine sediments of the Venice lagoon

Enrichment of PCB dechlorinating bacteria from marine sediments of Venice lagoon under geochemical conditions that mime those occurring in situ.

Reductive dechlorination of PCBs has been reported in a number of slurry and sediment-free cultures from freshwater habitats established with defined mineral media, and was recently ascribed to bacteria of a dechlorinating clade within the phylum Chloroflexi. In this work, we enriched and characterized the PCB dechlorinating microbial population from a contaminated marine sediment suspended in its own site water. The enriched cultures were capable of rapidly and extensively dechlorinating the commercial mixture of PCBs Aroclor 1254 at the meta and para positions according to the dechlorination pattern H\u2019. PCR-DGGE and quantitative PCR analyses on 16S rRNA genes revealed that a single Chloroflexi phylotype having 100% sequence identity with bacterium m-1 was enriched

Proprietà Intellettuale per Start-up

Il presente contributo mira a raccogliere in unico riferimento un insieme di indicazioni di base, in forma concisa, ma puntuale sulla gestione della Proprietà Intellettuale nel contesto delle start-up. Nel documento sono presentati i seguenti argomenti: - un breve richiamo al concetto di Proprietà Intellettuale, Diritto d’Autore (DA) e Diritti di Proprietà Industriale, con maggior riferimento al brevetto per invenzione, mettendone in evidenza i tratti (oggetto della tutela, costo del titolo, durata) utili alla definizione di una strategia IP; - le strategie brevettuali secondo un approccio ‘lean’ ovvero efficaci, ma tali da evitare eccessivi costi nei diritti IP, ai quali non corrispondano effettivi benefici; - elementi di base utili alla definizione di una gestione strategica della IP di un’azienda e uno strumento concettuale (Innovation Plan) per categorizzare i propri asset aziendali in diritti IP, nell'intento di massimizzare il valore ottenibile dalla Proprietà Intellettuale; - esperienze e approcci ricorrenti nell'utilizzo della IP discutibili e/o inefficaci e/o da evitare

Novel natural ligands for Drosophila olfactory receptor neurones

Due to its well-defined genome, the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster has become a very important model organism in olfactory research. Despite all the research invested, few natural odour ligands have been identified. By using a combined gas chromatographic-single receptor neurone recording technique (GC-SC), we set out to identify active odour molecules in head space-collected volatiles from preferred food sources, i.e. different overripe or rotting fruit. In total, we performed 101 GC-SC experiments on 85 contacted sensilla. Using GC-mass spectrometry, we identified 24 active compounds. Synthetic samples of these compounds were used to establish dose-response curves for several of the receptor neurone types encountered. The response patterns of individual neurones were repeatable, and neurones were found to reside in stereotyped pairs. In total, we identified eight distinct sensillum types based on response profiles of 12 olfactory receptor neurone types. In most recordings, a single GC peak would produce a strong response, whereas a few other, often chemically related, compounds would produce weaker responses. The GC-SC recordings revealed that the olfactory receptor neurones investigated were often selective and could be divided into distinct functional types with discrete characteristics. Dose-response investigations revealed very low response thresholds to the tested compounds. Six of the novel ligands were also tested for their behavioural effect in a T-maze set up. Of these, five elicited attraction and one elicited repulsion