Complete genome sequence of Granulicella mallensis type strain MP5ACTX8T, an acidobacterium from tundra soil

Granulicella mallensis MP5ACTX8(T) is a novel species of the genus Granulicella in subdivision 1of Acidobacteria. G. mallensis is of ecological interest being a member of the dominant soil bacterial community active at low temperatures and nutrient limiting conditions in Arctic alpine tundra. G. mallensis is a cold-adapted acidophile and a versatile heterotroph that hydrolyzes a suite of sugars and complex polysaccharides. Genome analysis revealed metabolic versatility with genes involved in metabolism and transport of carbohydrates. These include gene modules encoding the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) family involved in breakdown, utilization and biosynthesis of diverse structural and storage polysaccharides including plant based carbon polymers. The genome of Granulicella mallensis MP5ACTX8(T) consists of a single replicon of 6,237,577 base pairs (bp) with 4,907 protein-coding genes and 53 RNA genes

Complete genome sequence of Granulicella tundricola type strain MP5ACTX9T, an Acidobacteria from tundra soil

Granulicella tundricola strain MP5ACTX9(T) is a novel species of the genus Granulicella in subdivision 1 Acidobacteria. G. tundricola is a predominant member of soil bacterial communities, active at low temperatures and nutrient limiting conditions in Arctic alpine tundra. The organism is a cold-adapted acidophile and a versatile heterotroph that hydrolyzes a suite of sugars and complex polysaccharides. Genome analysis revealed metabolic versatility with genes involved in metabolism and transport of carbohydrates, including gene modules encoding for the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZy) families for the breakdown, utilization and biosynthesis of diverse structural and storage polysaccharides such as plant based carbon polymers. The genome of G. tundricola strain MP5ACTX9(T) consists of 4,309,151 bp of a circular chromosome and five mega plasmids with a total genome content of 5,503,984 bp. The genome comprises 4,705 protein-coding genes and 52 RNA genes

Organohalide-respiring Desulfoluna species isolated from marine environments

The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-019-0573-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized usersThe genus Desulfoluna comprises two anaerobic sulfate-reducing strains, D. spongiiphila AA1T and D. butyratoxydans MSL71T, of which only the former was shown to perform organohalide respiration (OHR). Here we isolated a third strain, designated D. spongiiphila strain DBB, from marine intertidal sediment using 1,4-dibromobenzene and sulfate as the electron acceptors and lactate as the electron donor. Each strain harbors three reductive dehalogenase gene clusters (rdhABC) and corrinoid biosynthesis genes in their genomes, and dehalogenated brominated but not chlorinated organohalogens. The Desulfoluna strains maintained OHR in the presence of 20?mM sulfate or 20?mM sulfide, which often negatively affect other organohalide-respiring bacteria. Strain DBB sustained OHR with 2\% oxygen in the gas phase, in line with its genetic potential for reactive oxygen species detoxification. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR revealed differential induction of rdhA genes in strain DBB in response to 1,4-dibromobenzene or 2,6-dibromophenol. Proteomic analysis confirmed expression of rdhA1 with 1,4-dibromobenzene, and revealed a partially shared electron transport chain from lactate to 1,4-dibromobenzene and sulfate, which may explain accelerated OHR during concurrent sulfate reduction. Versatility in using electron donors, de novo corrinoid biosynthesis, resistance to sulfate, sulfide and oxygen, and concurrent sulfate reduction and OHR may confer an advantage to marine Desulfoluna strains.We thank Johanna Gutleben and Maryam Chaib de Mares for sediment sampling, W. Irene C. Rijpstra for fatty acid analysis, and Andreas Marquardt (Proteomics Centre of the University of Konstanz) for proteomic analyses. We acknowledge the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for the support to PP and YL. The authors thank BE-BASIC funds (grants F07.001.05 and F08.004.01) from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, ERC grant (project 323009), the Gravitation grant (project 024.002.002) and the UNLOCK project (NRGWI.obrug.2018.005) of the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Netherlands Science Foundation (NWO), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (project No.51709100) for funding.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

For whom is a health-promoting intervention effective? Predictive factors for performing activities of daily living independently

BACKGROUND: Health-promoting interventions tailored to support older persons to remain in their homes, so-called "ageing in place" is important for supporting or improving their health. The health-promoting programme "Elderly Persons in the Risk Zone," (EPRZ) was set up for this purpose and has shown positive results for maintaining independence in activities of daily living for older persons 80 years and above at 1- and 2 year follow-ups. The aim of this study was to explore factors for maintaining independence in the EPRZ health-promoting programme.METHODS: Total of 459 participants in the original trial was included in the analysis; 345 in the programme arm and 114 in the control arm. Thirteen variables, including demographic, health, and programme-specific indicators, were chosen as predictors for independence of activities of daily living. Logistic regression was performed separately for participants in the health promotion programme and in the control arm.RESULTS: In the programme arm, being younger, living alone and self-rated lack of tiredness in performing mobility activities predicted a positive effect of independence in activities of daily living at 1-year follow-up (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 1.73, 3.02) and 2-year, (OR 1.13, 2.01, 2.02). In the control arm, being less frail was the only predictor at 1-year follow up (OR 1.6 1.09, 2.4); no variables predicted the outcome at the 2-year follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: Older persons living alone - as a risk of ill health - should be especially recognized and offered an opportunity to participate in health-promoting programmes such as "Elderly Persons in the Risk Zone". Further, screening for subjective frailty could form an advantageous guiding principle to target the right population when deciding to whom health-promoting intervention should be offered.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The original clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00877058 , April 6, 2009

Analyses of HIV-1 integrase sequences prior to South African national HIV-treatment program and available of integrase inhibitors in Cape Town, South Africa

HIV-Integrase (IN) has proven to be a viable target for highly specific HIV-1 therapy. We aimed to characterize the HIV-1 IN gene in a South African context and identify resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) against available first and second generation Integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (InSTIs). We performed genetic analyses on 91 treatment-naïve HIV-1 infected patients, as well as 314 treatmentnaive South African HIV-1 IN-sequences, downloaded from Los Alamos HIV Sequence Database. Genotypic analyses revealed the absence of major RAMs in the cohort collected before the broad availability of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and INSTI in South Africa, however, occurred at a rate of 2.85% (9/314) in database derived sequences. RAMs were present at IN-positions 66, 92, 143, 147 and 148, all of which may confer resistance to Raltegravir (RAL) and Elvitegravir (EVG), but are unlikely to affect second-generation Dolutegravir (DTG), except mutations in the Q148 pathway. Furthermore, protein modeling showed, naturally occurring polymorphisms impact the stability of the intasome-complex and therefore may contribute to an overall potency against InSTIs. Our data suggest the prevalence of InSTI RAMs, against InSTIs, is low in South Africa, but natural polymorphisms and subtype-specific differences may influence the effect of individual treatment regimens