Effect of thiosulphate as electron acceptor on glucose and xylose oxidation by Thermoanaerobacter finnii and Thermoanaerobacter sp. isolated from oil field water

#Thermoanaerobacter finnii fermente le glucose et le xylose en lactate, acétate, H2, CO2 et éthanol qui est le produit majeur du métabolisme. Une autre bactérie du genre #Thermoanaerobacter isolée d'une eau de gisement pétrolier produit des quantités aussi importantes d'éthanol que de lactate à partir de ces sucres. L'oxydation du glucose et du xylose par ces deux micro-organismes est complètement modifiée en présence de thiosulfate puisque, dans ces conditions, l'acétate devient le produit majeur du métabolisme des sucres. Cette modification du métabolisme amène à de meilleurs rendements cellulaires et à un meilleur taux de croissance bactérienne lorsque le thiosulfate est utilisé comme accepteur d'électrons. Une plus grande production d'acétate en présence de thiosulfate indique que les bactéries testées récupèrent plus d'énergie des phosphorylations liées au substrat. Ces modifications observées sur le métabolisme des sucres en présence de thiosulfate nous amènent à tenir compte plus précisément du rôle que peut jouer cet accepteur d'électrons dans l'oxydation de la matière organique dans les sources chaudes riches en sulfate sulfuré ou les eaux de gisements pétroliers. (Résumé d'auteur

Peptide and amino acid oxidation in the presence of thiosulfate by members of the genus Thermoanaerobacter

#Thermoanaerobacter brockii, #T. ethanolicus, #T. thermohydrosulfuricus, #T. finnii, and #Thermoanaerobacter strain SEBR 5268 (an isolate from an oil-producting well) were studied for their ability to oxidize proteinaceous compounds that included gelatin, peptides, and casamino acids. All bacteria tested used peptides and amino acids, but only slightly. However, in the presence of thiosulfate all the #Thermoanaerobacter species showed a substantial improvement in growth and/or the production of acetate, isovalerate, isobutyrate, and sulfide. Propionate was a minor product of peptide or amino acid oxidation. The reduction of thiosulfate during growth on peptides by members of the #Thermoanaerobacter$ species is a trait that closely resembles that of archaeal hyperthermophiles during growth on peptides and amino acids with elemental sulfur as electron acceptor. (Résumé d'auteur

Применение методов ядерной физики и ускорителей ННЦ ХФТИ для изучения состава, структуры и свойств твердых тел

Излагается применение методов ядерной физики и ускорителей ННЦ ХФТИ для решения научных и технологических задач в области физики металлов, сплавов, полупроводников, металлоксидных и магнитных материалов. Представляются результаты экспериментов по определению концентрации и распределения элементов, выполненных с помощью пучков ионов водорода и гелия, ускоренных в электростатическом ускорителе до энергии 0,5…4,0 МэВ. Для идентификации элементов и изотопов использовались резонансные ядерные реакции, кулоновское и резонансное ядерное рассеяние и возбуждаемое ускоренными частицами характеристическое рентгеновское излучение. Излагаются результаты и возможности применения каналированных частиц и ориентационных эффектов для изучения локализации, структуры, ориентации, образования, распада и аннигиляции простейших дефектов, определения концентрации и распределения дефектов в радиационно нарушенных кристаллах.Викладається застосування методів ядерної фізики і прискорювачів ННЦ ХФТИ для рішення наукових і технологічних задач в області фізики металів, сплавів, напівпровідників, металооксидних та магнітних матеріалів. Приведені результати експерементів з визначення концентрації та розподілу елементів, виконаних за допомогою пучків іонів водню та гелію, що прискорюються в електростатичному прискорювачю до енергії 0,5 - 4,0 МеВ. Для ідентифікації елементів і ізотопів використовувалися резонансні ядерні реакції, кулонівське і резонансне ядерне розсіювання та збуджуване прискореними частками характеристичне рентгенівське випромінюваня. Викладаються результати і можливості застосування часток що каналюють та орієнтаційных ефектів для вивчення локалізації, структури, орієнтації, утворення, розпаду й анігіляції найпростіших дефектів, визначення концентрації і розподілу дефектів у радіаційно порушених кристалах.Nuclear physics methods and use of the NSC KIPT accelerators as applied to scientific and technological problems in the field of physics of metals, alloys, semiconductors, metal oxide and magnetic materials are surveyed. The results of the experiments relevant to determination of element concentration and distribution using 0,5 - 4,0 MeV hydrogen and helium ions of electrostatic accelerator are presented. Resonance nuclear reactions, coulomb and nuclear resonance scattering as well as X-ray radiation were used for element and isotope identification. The possibilities of application of channeling particles and oriented effects for study of localization, structure, orientation, formation, disintegration and annihilation of elementary defects, determination of defect concentration and distribution in radiation disturbed crystals

Complete genome sequence and description of Salinispira pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel spirochaete isolated form a hypersaline microbial mat

During a study of the anaerobic microbial community of a lithifying hypersaline microbial mat of Lake 21 on the Kiritimati atoll (Kiribati Republic, Central Pacific) strain L21-RPul-D2(T) was isolated. The closest phylogenetic neighbor was Spirochaeta africana Z-7692(T) that shared a 16S rRNA gene sequence identity value of 90% with the novel strain and thus was only distantly related. A comprehensive polyphasic study including determination of the complete genome sequence was initiated to characterize the novel isolate. Cells of strain L21-RPul-D2(T) had a size of 0.2 - 0.25 x 8-9 mu m, were helical, motile, stained Gram-negative and produced an orange carotenoid-like pigment. Optimal conditions for growth were 35 degrees C, a salinity of 50 g/l NaCl and a pH around 7.0. Preferred substrates for growth were carbohydrates and a few carboxylic acids. The novel strain had an obligate fermentative metabolism and produced ethanol, acetate, lactate, hydrogen and carbon dioxide during growth on glucose. Strain L21-RPul-D2(T) was aerotolerant, but oxygen did not stimulate growth. Major cellular fatty acids were C-14:0, iso-C-15:0, C-16:0 and C-18:0. The major polar lipids were an unidentified aminolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid and two unidentified glycolipids. Whole cell hydrolysates contained L-ornithine as diagnostic diamino acid of the cell wall peptidoglycan. The complete genome sequence was determined and annotated. The genome comprised one circular chromosome with a size of 3.78 Mbp that contained 3450 protein-coding genes and 50 RNA genes, including 2 operons of ribosomal RNA genes. The DNA G + C content was determined from the genome sequence as 51.9 mol%. There were no predicted genes encoding cytochromes or enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of respiratory lipoquinones. Based on significant differences to the uncultured type species of the genus Spirochaeta, S. plicatilis, as well as to any other phylogenetically related cultured species it is suggested to place strain L21-RPul-D2(T) (=DSM 27196(T) = JCM 18663(T)) in a novel species and genus, for which the name Salinispira pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed

Monte Carlo simulation of migration of fusion plasma neutrons - optimization and traps

We recall some of the sensitive points and stages in random walk of neutron, frequent solutions and their consequences on quality and duration of MC neutronic and photonic simulations. We present some unconventional approaches we developed to precisely meet the double paramount MC goal: maximal probing at minimal variance, whence minimum CPU time. Instead of the traditional point observation, enhanced probing is used to limit collected random scatter dispersion. Vector probing by shower (through ”nuclear reaction‑channel” space) and drizzle (improved sampling throughout space involving even the deepest parts, with region fragmentation allowed) drastically reduces the collected variance. By treating analogically close‑collision flux-at-a-point tallies, the unphysical pole discontinuity at-the-detecting-point is avoided - this allows the study of even within-detector collisions. For deep shielding treatment the use of the two-step Cascade Monte Carlo is recommended as it reproduces from physical considerations the mathematical approach. Making sure to distinguish volumetric versus local destructive effects, the latter requiring the use of "statistics of extreme values"

Distinct muscle imaging patterns in myofibrillar myopathies

Objective: To compare muscle imaging findings in different subtypes of myofibrillar myopathies (MFM) in order to identify characteristic patterns of muscle alterations that may be helpful to separate these genetic heterogeneous muscular disorders. Methods: Muscle imaging and clinical findings of 46 patients with MFM were evaluated (19 desminopathy, 12 myotilinopathy, 11 filaminopathy, 1 alpha B-crystallinopathy, and 3 ZASPopathy). The data were collected retrospectively in 43 patients and prospectively in 3 patients. Results: In patients with desminopathy, the semitendinosus was at least equally affected as the biceps femoris, and the peroneal muscles were never less involved than the tibialis anterior (sensitivity of these imaging criteria to detect desminopathy in our cohort 100%, specificity 95%). In most of the patients with myotilinopathy, the adductor magnus showed more alterations than the gracilis muscle, and the sartorius was at least equally affected as the semitendinosus (sensitivity 90%, specificity 93%). In filaminopathy, the biceps femoris and semitendinosus were at least equally affected as the sartorius muscle, and the medial gastrocnemius was more affected than the lateral gastrocnemius. The semimembranosus mostly showed more alterations than the adductor magnus (sensitivity 88%, specificity 96%). Early adult onset and cardiac involvement was most often associated with desminopathy. In patients with filaminopathy, muscle weakness typically beginning in the 5th decade of life was mostly pronounced proximally, while late adult onset (> 50 years) with distal weakness was more often present in myotilinopathy. Conclusions: Muscle imaging in combination with clinical data may be helpful for separation of distinct myofibrillar myopathy subtypes and in scheduling of genetic analysis

Structural characterization of diabolic acid-based tetraester, tetraether and mixed ether/ester, membrane-spanning lipids of bacteria from the order Thermotogales

The distribution of core lipids in the membranes of nine different species of the order Thermotogales, one of the early and deep branching lineages in the Bacteria, were examined by HPLC/MS and demonstrated to consist of membrane-spanning diglycerol lipids comprised of diabolic acid-derived alkyl moieties. In the Thermotoga species the core membrane lipids are characterized by the presence of both ester and ether bonds, whereas in the phylogenetically more distinct Thermosipho and Fervidobacterium spp. only ester bonds occur. A tentative biosynthetic route for the biosynthesis of these membrane-spanning lipids is proposed. Since species of the order Thermotogales are assumed to have occurred early during the evolution of life on Earth, as suggested by its position in the phylogenetic tree of life, these data suggest that the ability to produce both ether and ester glycerol membrane lipids developed relatively early during microbial evolution

Isolation and characterization of a new CO-utilizing strain, Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus subsp. carboxydovorans, isolated from a geothermal spring in Turkey

A novel anaerobic, thermophilic, Gram-positive, spore-forming, and sugar-fermenting bacterium (strain TLO) was isolated from a geothermal spring in Ayaş, Turkey. The cells were straight to curved rods, 0.4–0.6 μm in diameter and 3.5–10 μm in length. Spores were terminal and round. The temperature range for growth was 40–80°C, with an optimum at 70°C. The pH optimum was between 6.3 and 6.8. Strain TLO has the capability to ferment a wide variety of mono-, di-, and polysaccharides and proteinaceous substrates, producing mainly lactate, next to acetate, ethanol, alanine, H2, and CO2. Remarkably, the bacterium was able to grow in an atmosphere of up to 25% of CO as sole electron donor. CO oxidation was coupled to H2 and CO2 formation. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 35.1 mol%. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and the DNA–DNA hybridization data, this bacterium is most closely related to Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus and Thermoanaerobacter siderophilus (99% similarity for both). However, strain TLO differs from Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus in important aspects, such as CO-utilization and lipid composition. These differences led us to propose that strain TLO represents a subspecies of Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus, and we therefore name it Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus subsp. carboxydovorans

The deep-subsurface sulfate reducer Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii employs two methanol-degrading pathways

Methanol is generally metabolized through a pathway initiated by a cobalamine-containing methanol methyltransferase by anaerobic methylotrophs (such as methanogens and acetogens), or through oxidation to formaldehyde using a methanol dehydrogenase by aerobes. Methanol is an important substrate in deep-subsurface environments, where thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria of the genus Desulfotomaculum have key roles. Here, we study the methanol metabolism of Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii strain 17T, isolated from a 3000-m deep geothermal water reservoir. We use proteomics to analyze cells grown with methanol and sulfate in the presence and absence of cobalt and vitamin B12. The results indicate the presence of two methanol-degrading pathways in D. kuznetsovii, a cobalt-dependent methanol methyltransferase and a cobalt-independent methanol dehydrogenase, which is further confirmed by stable isotope fractionation. This is the first report of a microorganism utilizing two distinct methanol conversion pathways. We hypothesize that this gives D. kuznetsovii a competitive advantage in its natural environment.Research was funded by grants of the Division of Chemical Sciences (CW-TOP 700.55.343) and Earth and Life Sciences (ALW 819.02.014) of The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), the European Research Council (ERC grant 323009), and the Gravitation grant (024.002.002) of the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Scienceinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio