Isolation and complete genome sequence of the thermophilic Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1 from an Arctic deep-sea hydrothermal vent site

Members of the genus Geobacillus have been isolated from a wide variety of habitats worldwide and are the subject for targeted enzyme utilization in various industrial applications. Here we report the isolation and complete genome sequence of the thermophilic starch-degrading Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1. The strain 12AMOR1 was isolated from deep-sea hot sediment at the Jan Mayen hydrothermal Vent Site. Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1 consists of a 3,410,035 bp circular chromosome and a 32,689 bp plasmid with a G + C content of 52 % and 47 %, respectively. The genome comprises 3323 protein-coding genes, 88 tRNA species and 10 rRNA operons. The isolate grows on a suite of sugars, complex polysaccharides and proteinous carbon sources. Accordingly, a versatility of genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) and peptidases were identified in the genome. Expression, purification and characterization of an enzyme of the glycoside hydrolase family 13 revealed a starch-degrading capacity and high thermal stability with a melting temperature of 76.4 °C. Altogether, the data obtained point to a new isolate from a marine hydrothermal vent with a large bioprospecting potential.publishedVersio

Isolation and complete genome sequence of the thermophilic Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1 from an Arctic deep-sea hydrothermal vent site

Published version. Source at http://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-016-0137-y. License CC BY 4.0.Members of the genus Geobacillus have been isolated from a wide variety of habitats worldwide and are the subject for targeted enzyme utilization in various industrial applications. Here we report the isolation and complete genome sequence of the thermophilic starch-degrading Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1. The strain 12AMOR1 was isolated from deep-sea hot sediment at the Jan Mayen hydrothermal Vent Site. Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1 consists of a 3,410,035 bp circular chromosome and a 32,689 bp plasmid with a G + C content of 52 % and 47 %, respectively. The genome comprises 3323 protein-coding genes, 88 tRNA species and 10 rRNA operons. The isolate grows on a suite of sugars, complex polysaccharides and proteinous carbon sources. Accordingly, a versatility of genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) and peptidases were identified in the genome. Expression, purification and characterization of an enzyme of the glycoside hydrolase family 13 revealed a starch-degrading capacity and high thermal stability with a melting temperature of 76.4 °C. Altogether, the data obtained point to a new isolate from a marine hydrothermal vent with a large bioprospecting potential

Isolation and complete genome sequence of the thermophilic Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1 from an Arctic deep-sea hydrothermal vent site

Published version. Source at http://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-016-0137-y. License CC BY 4.0.Members of the genus Geobacillus have been isolated from a wide variety of habitats worldwide and are the subject for targeted enzyme utilization in various industrial applications. Here we report the isolation and complete genome sequence of the thermophilic starch-degrading Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1. The strain 12AMOR1 was isolated from deep-sea hot sediment at the Jan Mayen hydrothermal Vent Site. Geobacillus sp. 12AMOR1 consists of a 3,410,035 bp circular chromosome and a 32,689 bp plasmid with a G + C content of 52 % and 47 %, respectively. The genome comprises 3323 protein-coding genes, 88 tRNA species and 10 rRNA operons. The isolate grows on a suite of sugars, complex polysaccharides and proteinous carbon sources. Accordingly, a versatility of genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) and peptidases were identified in the genome. Expression, purification and characterization of an enzyme of the glycoside hydrolase family 13 revealed a starch-degrading capacity and high thermal stability with a melting temperature of 76.4 °C. Altogether, the data obtained point to a new isolate from a marine hydrothermal vent with a large bioprospecting potential

Identification and characterization of the lactic acid bacteria isolated from Malaysian fermented fish (Pekasam)

Recently researchers are interested with the biotherapeutic potential of probiotics in gut disease treatment. The bacteria are generally regarded as a safe, have a stability of usage and originate from the natural resources. The study aims to identify and characterize the potential probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) isolated from Malaysian fermented fish product known as Pekasam. Fourty isolates obtained were firstly screened for their antagonism activities against the common pathogenic bacteria; Esherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella sp. Our study revealed only three (labeled as L8, L20 and S1) of the isolates tested showed broad antimicrobial effects towards the pathogenic bacteria. All of the isolates were also γ-hemolytic and tolerant to various pH (pH 3, 5 and 7.5) and 0.3% (w/v) bile salts. The bacteria isolates of strain L8 and L20 were susceptible to seven antibiotics tested except vancomycin and tetracycline whereas S1 was resistant to all antibiotics. Phenotypic tests revealed that both bacteria isolates of strain L8 and L20 were Bacillus megaterium while S1 was Pediococcus pentosaceus whereas 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed potential bacteria isolates of strain L8 and L20 belonged to the Lactobacillus plantarum (99% similarity) and S1 was characterized as Lactobacillus pentosus (100% similarity) respectively. Our present study showed that the probiotics of strain L8, L20 and S1 isolated from the fermented fish (Pekasam) exhibited the potential probiotic properties to be developed as biotherapeutic agents

Adhesion ability and cytotoxic evaluation of Lactobacillus strains isolated from Malaysian fermented fish (Pekasam) on Ht-29 and Ccd-18Co intestinal cells

Bacterial adhesion to host cells is the most important probiotic character. However, the adhesion of probiotic should not affect the viability of the host cells. In this study, Lactobacillus plantarum strain L8, Lactobacillus plantarum strain L20 and Lactobacillus pentosus strain S1 were tested for their cytotoxic effects through MTT assay and their ability to adhere and colonize on HT-29 and CCD-18Co intestinal cells as detected microscopically using light microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). No cytotoxicity effects were observed on both intestinal cells following 24 h treatment with all Lactobacillus strains. Additionally, all strains demonstrated strong adhesive activity where more than 100 bacteria adhered to both intestinal cells although differences in the adhesion scores observed among different strains. The adhesion as observed via SEM showed an autoagreggative pattern and adhered as clusters on the surface of both intestinal cells. In conclusion, all three Lactobacillus strains are non-cytotoxic to both cells with strong adhesion ability on intestinal cells and this study also proved that Malaysian fermented fish are good source of probiotic bacteria

Evaluation of cells integrity using different fixation time by scanning electron microscopy

The study aims to evaluate the integrity and structural changes of two intestinal cells adhered with Lactobacillus sp. in different fixation time. HT-29 and CCD-18Co intestinal cells with Lactobacillus sp. were fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer for two, four, six and 12 hours at room temperature. Our study revealed that the different fixation time affects and change the integrity, viability and durability of cells. HT-29 cells structure remain intact even after 12 hours fixation while CCD-18Co cells remain intact at two and four hour fixation time whereas at six hour cells also remain intact except cilia structure not clearly seen on surface of the cell. However, at 12 hours fixation, CCD-18Co cells were completely broken and degraded. Lactobacillus sp. cells remains stable in both cell lines, showing that the bacteria cells were unaffected with various fixation time. The present study suggested fixation time is important as an aware different cell has different endurance and structural integrity

Genome-wide association identifies nine common variants associated with fasting proinsulin levels and provides new insights into the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Proinsulin is a precursor of mature insulin and C-peptide. Higher circulating proinsulin levels are associated with impaired β-cell function, raised glucose levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies of the insulin processing pathway could provide new insights about T2D pathophysiology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We have conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association tests of ∼2.5 million genotyped or imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and fasting proinsulin levels in 10,701 nondiabetic adults of European ancestry, with follow-up of 23 loci in up to 16,378 individuals, using additive genetic models adjusted for age, sex, fasting insulin, and study-specific covariates. RESULTS: Nine SNPs at eight loci were associated with proinsulin levels (P < 5 × 10(-8)). Two loci (LARP6 and SGSM2) have not been previously related to metabolic traits, one (MADD) has been associated with fasting glucose, one (PCSK1) has been implicated in obesity, and four (TCF7L2, SLC30A8, VPS13C/C2CD4A/B, and ARAP1, formerly CENTD2) increase T2D risk. The proinsulin-raising allele of ARAP1 was associated with a lower fasting glucose (P = 1.7 × 10(-4)), improved β-cell function (P = 1.1 × 10(-5)), and lower risk of T2D (odds ratio 0.88; P = 7.8 × 10(-6)). Notably, PCSK1 encodes the protein prohormone convertase 1/3, the first enzyme in the insulin processing pathway. A genotype score composed of the nine proinsulin-raising alleles was not associated with coronary disease in two large case-control datasets. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified nine genetic variants associated with fasting proinsulin. Our findings illuminate the biology underlying glucose homeostasis and T2D development in humans and argue against a direct role of proinsulin in coronary artery disease pathogenesis

Tropical and subtropical Asia's valued tree species under threat

Tree diversity in Asia's tropical and subtropical forests is central to nature-based solutions. Species vulnerability to multiple threats, which affects the provision of ecosystem services, is poorly understood. We conducted a region-wide, spatially explicit vulnerability assessment (including overexploitation, fire, overgrazing, habitat conversion, and climate change) of 63 socio-economically important tree species selected from national priority lists and validated by an expert network representing 20 countries. Overall, 74% of the most important areas for conservation of these trees fall outside of protected areas, with species severely threatened across 47% of their native ranges. The most imminent threats are overexploitation and habitat conversion, with populations being severely threatened in an average of 24% and 16% of their distribution areas. Optimistically, our results predict relatively limited overall climate change impacts, however, some of the study species are likely to lose more than 15% of their habitat by 2050 because of climate change. We pinpoint specific natural forest areas in Malaysia and Indonesia (Borneo) as hotspots for on-site conservation of forest genetic resources, more than 82% of which do not currently fall within designated protected areas. We also identify degraded lands in Indonesia (Sumatra) as priorities for restoration where planting or assisted natural regeneration will help maintain these species into the future, while croplands in Southern India are highlighted as potentially important agroforestry options. Our study highlights the need for regionally coordinated action for effective conservation and restoration

Advancements in Host-Based Interventions for Influenza Treatment

Influenza is a major acute respiratory infection that causes mortality and morbidity worldwide. Two classes of conventional antivirals, M2 ion channel blockers and neuraminidase inhibitors, are mainstays in managing influenza disease to lessen symptoms while minimizing hospitalization and death in patients with severe influenza. However, the development of viral resistance to both drug classes has become a major public health concern. Vaccines are prophylaxis mainstays but are limited in efficacy due to the difficulty in matching predicted dominant viral strains to circulating strains. As such, other potential interventions are being explored. Since viruses rely on host cellular functions to replicate, recent therapeutic developments focus on targeting host factors involved in virus replication. Besides controlling virus replication, potential targets for drug development include controlling virus-induced host immune responses such as the recently suggested involvement of innate lymphoid cells and NADPH oxidases in influenza virus pathogenesis and immune cell metabolism. In this review, we will discuss the advancements in novel host-based interventions for treating influenza disease