Draft Genome Sequence of Plantibacterflavus Strain 251 Isolated from a Plant Growing in a Chronically Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Site.

Plantibacter flavus isolate 251 is a bacterial endophyte isolated from an Achillea millefolium plant growing in a natural oil seep soil located in Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada. We present here a draft genome sequence of an infrequently reported genus Plantibacter, highlighting an endophytic lifestyle and biotechnological potential

Endophytic Bacterial Community Structure and Function of Herbaceous Plants From Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminated and Non-contaminated Sites

Bacterial endophytes (BEs) are non-pathogenic residents of healthy plant tissues that can confer benefits to plants. Many Bacterial endophytes have been shown to contribute to plant growth and health, alleviation of plant stress and to in-planta contaminant-degradation. This study examined the endophytic bacterial communities of plants growing abundantly in a heavily hydrocarbon contaminated site, and compared them to those found in the same species at a non-contaminated. We used culture- dependent and independent methods to characterize the community structure, hydrocarbon degrading capabilities, and plant growth promoting traits of cultivable endophytes isolated from Achillea millefolium, Solidago Canadensis, and Daucus carota plants from these two sites. Culture- dependent and independent analyses revealed class Gammaproteobacteria predominated in all the plants regardless of the presence of petroleum hydrocarbon, with Pantoea spp. as largely dominant. It was interesting to note a >50% taxonomic overlap (genus level) of 16s rRNA high throughput amplicon sequences with cultivable endophytes. PERMANOVA analysis of TRFLP fragments revealed significant structural differences between endophytic bacterial communities from hydrocarbon-contaminated and non-contaminated soils—however, there was no marked difference in their functional capabilities. Pantoea spp. demonstrated plant beneficial characteristics, such as P solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid production and presence of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. Our findings reveal that functional capabilities of bacterial isolates being examined were not influenced by the presence of contamination; and that the stem endosphere supports ubiquitous BEs that were consistent throughout plant hosts and sites

Bacterial Endophytes Isolated from Plants in Natural Oil Seep Soils with Chronic Hydrocarbon Contamination

The bacterial endophytic communities of four plants growing abundantly in soils highly contaminated by hydrocarbons were analyzed through culturable and and culture-independent means. Given their tolerance to the high levels of petroleum contamination at our study site, we sought evidence that Achillea millefolium, Solidago canadensis, Trifolium aureum and Dactylis glomerata support high levels of hydrocarbon degrading endophytes. A total of 190 isolates were isolated from four plant species. The isolates were identified by partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis, with class Actinobacteria as the dominant group in all species except Solidago canadensis, which was dominated by Gammaproteobacteria. Microbacterium foliorum and Plantibacter flavus were present in all the plants, with M. foliorum showing predominance in D. glomerata and both endophytic bacterial species dominated T. aureum. More than 50% of the isolates demonstrated degradative capabilities for octanol, toluene, naphthalene, kerosene or motor oil based on sole carbon source growth screens involving the reduction of tetrazolium dye. P. flavus isolates from all the sampled plants showed growth on all the petroleum hydrocarbons substrates tested. Mineralization of toluene and naphthalene was confirmed using gas-chromatography. 16S based terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis revealed significant differences between the endophytic bacterial communities showing them to be plant host specific at this site. To our knowledge, this is the first account of the degradation potential of bacterial endophytes in these commonly occurring pioneer plants that were not previously known as phytoremediating plants

Draft Genome Sequence of Microbacterium foliorum Strain 122 Isolated from a Plant Growing in a Chronically Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Site.

Microbacterium foliorum strain 122 is a bacterial endophyte isolated from a Dactylis glomerata plant growing in a natural oil seep soil located in Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada. We present here a draft genome sequence of an endophytic strain that has promising potential in hydrocarbon degradation and plant growth promotion

Ecological, functional, and genomic characterization of the bacterial endophytes in plants growing in a hydrocarbon contaminated oil field site

In the last decade, there has been an increasing awareness of the plant microbiota’s role in plant growth and fitness. Of particular interest is the plant-bacterial endophytes’ partnership to degrade organic contaminants. This thesis assessed the ecological diversity and function of bacterial endophytes (BEs) in pioneer plants growing in highly contaminated soil around the vicinity of a crude oil pump in Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada. This study focused on the bacteria in the stem endosphere, an understudied ecological niche in the plant-bacterial system. The plants are not only exposed to both soluble petroleum hydrocarbons from the soil, but also to volatile atmospheric hydrocarbons in the ambient air. BEs were isolated and analyzed through culture-dependent and -independent means. 16S-based terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis revealed significant differences between the endophytic bacterial communities, showing them to be plant host specific. Culture-dependent analyses revealed predominance of Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria in the spring and summer seasons, respectively. Notably, there was a >50% taxonomic overlap (genus level) of 16s rRNA high-throughput amplicon sequences with cultivable endophytes. BEs demonstrated hydrocarbon degrading and plant growth promoting potential. Interestingly, our findings revealed that functional capabilities of bacterial isolates being examined were not influenced by the presence of contamination, and that the stem endosphere supports the same predominant BEs in all plant hosts in both contaminated and noncontaminated sites. Genomic analyses of BEs that were present in all the plants sampled in Spring–Plantibacter flavus 251 and Microbacterium foliorum 122 revealed absence of known hydrocarbon degrading genes despite demonstrated utilization of hydrocarbon substrates, indicating potentially novel hydrocarbon degrading genes.Ph.D.2020-11-19 00:00:0

A limnological survey of Lake Duminagat, Mt. Malindang Natural Park, Misamis Occidental, Philippines

Lake Duminagat is a crater lake located in Mt. Malindang Natural Park, one of the protected areas in the Philippines. Two communities are adjacent to it - Brgy. Duminagat, of which it is a part, and Brgy. Gandawan. Both barangays are part of the municipality of Don Victoriano, province of Misamis Occidental. The municipality of Don Victoriano is entirely circumscribed by the Park which represents the flora and fauna of the Zamboanga biogeographic zone. This paper focuses on the objective of characterizing the limnology of Lake Duminagat - its morphology, its physico-chemical components and its biota. The area of study consists of valleys and mountains. Brgy. Gandawan, Brgy. Lake Duminagat, and the lake basin are considered as crater valleys, surrounded by variably tall mountains. Being at a high elevation (~1,240 to 1,560 masl), the climate in the Lake Duminagat area is cooler compared to the lowlands. The area belongs to the region classified as Intermediate B type with no very pronounced maximum rain period and no dry season. Annual rainfall is 2099 mm. Lake Duminagat is a small lake, with an area of 8.04 ha, maximum depth of 20.95 m, water volume of 933,000 m3, mean depth of 11.6 m, shoreline length of 1,060 m, and shoreline development of 1.054. It is a thermally stratified lake, though whether it undergoes periodic mixing was not determined. The water is low in alkalinity and is very soft. The water at the middle of the lake is potable enough for drinking at various times of measurement. Its various morphometric and physico-chemical characteristics such as a low surface area to volume ratio, low lake area to watershed area ratio, low alkalinity, and low amount of dissolved solids all contribute to its low productivity. Its macrophytes (representing one component of primary productivity) and zooplankton (representing secondary productivity) populations are thus low in numbers, aside from being limited in number of species. Consequently, the fish population, which is at the top of the aquatic food chain, is also low in kind, numbers, and biomass. Nonetheless, the lake supports a high diversity of indigenous shoreline fauna and flora. Considering the lake s characteristics and that of its surrounding community, one potential for the Lake Duminagat area is its use for ecotourism with the local people being the hosts-entrepreneurs. The project, of which this paper is a part, was one of the projects in the Philippines-Netherlands Biodiversity Research Programme for Development: Focus on Mt. Malindang and Environs (shortened as BRP). The project used participatory approaches and involved the community as local researchers or partners. It is hoped that their involvement in this research gave the local communities an awareness of the natural and social factors that determine/affect the Lake Duminagat ecosystem. It is also hoped that results of this research would be used and would empower the local communities to come up with a strategy for conserving and sustainably utilizing the lake s biodiversity and resources, and improve livelihood and cultural opportunities

An analysis of the effectiveness of Quisqualis indica L. (Niyog-Niyogan) stem and leaf ethanolic extracts as antimicrobial agents against common pathogens Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi

The plant locally referred to as niyog-niyogan has been known to posssess pharmacologic activity. The part of the plant with the most active phytochemicals are the flowers. There have been extended studies performed on the flowers of the plant thus the study focused on the leaves and stem to determine if pharmacologic activity may be comparable through an experimental determination of the Quisualis indica Linn. minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration. Herbal extraction, maceration with 95% ethanol and ROTAVAP extraction was performed on the sample for a standard agar dilution test. The inhibitory property exhibited by the Quisqualis leaf extract, was significant in inhibiting the growth of E. coli and S. typhi. Both extracts exhibited antimicrobial properties, but the leaf extracts possessed a greater antimicrobial property than the stems