Evolution of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Its Close Commensal Relatives

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a member of the Mitis group of streptococci which, according to 16S rRNA-sequence based phylogenetic reconstruction, includes 12 species. While other species of this group are considered prototypes of commensal bacteria, S. pneumoniae is among the most frequent microbial killers worldwide. Population genetic analysis of 118 strains, supported by demonstration of a distinct cell wall carbohydrate structure and competence pheromone sequence signature, shows that S. pneumoniae is one of several hundred evolutionary lineages forming a cluster separate from Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus infantis. The remaining lineages of this distinct cluster are commensals previously collectively referred to as Streptococcus mitis and each represent separate species by traditional taxonomic standard. Virulence genes including the operon for capsule polysaccharide synthesis and genes encoding IgA1 protease, pneumolysin, and autolysin were randomly distributed among S. mitis lineages. Estimates of the evolutionary age of the lineages, the identical location of remnants of virulence genes in the genomes of commensal strains, the pattern of genome reductions, and the proportion of unique genes and their origin support the model that the entire cluster of S. pneumoniae, S. pseudopneumoniae, and S. mitis lineages evolved from pneumococcus-like bacteria presumably pathogenic to the common immediate ancestor of hominoids. During their adaptation to a commensal life style, most of the lineages gradually lost the majority of genes determining virulence and became genetically distinct due to sexual isolation in their respective hosts

Reaction mechanism of tin nitride (de)lithiation reaction studied by means of 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy

Tin nitride thin films have been reported as promising negative electrode materials for lithium-ion solid-state microbatteries. However, the reaction mechanism of this material is not yet fully understood. Results on thin film electrodes pointed out that the conversion mechanism of tin nitride most likely differs from the conversion mechanism usually observed for other oxide and nitride conversion electrode materials. The electrochemical data showed that more than six Li per Sn atom can be reversibly exchanged by this material while about four are expected. In order to investigate in more detail the reaction mechanism of tin nitride, thick film electrodes of two compositions (1:1 and 3:4) have been studied. The as-prepared materials were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. Moreover, films (de)lithiated to various extents were analyzed ex situ with Mössbauer spectroscopy. The corresponding results indicate that a more complex reaction mechanism than that generally accepted takes place. During Li-ion insertion, the disappearance of Sn4+ environments is correlated with the formation of Li–Sn phases, and most likely also of Li3N. In the case of the SnNx 1:1 composition films, the formation of various Li–Sn phases is evidenced while only the signature of ‘Li22Sn5’ is clearly measured for the 3:4 composition. Upon Li-ion extraction, the Li–Sn phases and Li3N recombine to form octahedrally and tetrahedrally coordinated Sn4+. The extraction is not fully reversible and the end product consists of a mixture of a tin nitride structure plus a LiySn product having the same isomer shift as LiSn but a much higher quadrupole splitting, and most likely some Li3N