Characterization of Microbial Communities in Acidified, Sulfur Containing Soils

Over a period of three years, microbial communities in acidified soil with high sulfur content were analyzed. In soil water extracts ureolytic, proteolytic, oxidoreductive, and lipolytic activity were detected. The presented results indicate that the enzymatic activity of soil micro­bial communities varied considerably over time. Isolated 26 (80%) bacterial strains belonged to genus Bacillus sp. and were identified bycultivation and 16S rRNA methods. The commercially available procedures for bacterial DNA isolation from acidified soil failed, therefore a new, specific DNA isolation method was established. Ureolytic activity, detected in soil extracts as well as in isolated Bacillus sp. strains may be considered as a tool for the bioremediation of acidified soils with high sulfate content

Relationships between diatoms and environmental variables in industrial water biotopes of Trzuskawica S.A. (Poland)

The heterogeneous nature and widespread anthropogenic impacts on industrial water biotopes in the Trzuskawica S.A., pose challenges to biomonitoring of this habitat. Generally, the concentration of trace elements in the industrial water biotopes reflects the anthropogenic impacts. With X-ray fluorescence method (TXRF) in waters 17 elements:P,S,Cl,K,Ca,Ti,Cr, Mn,Fe,Ni,Cu,Zn,Br,Rb, Sr, Ba, Pb were revealed. High amounts of Ca, from 300 ppm to 198 ppm in May and from 999 ppm to 231 ppm in September 2015, was determined. A total of 36 diatoms were found in two reservoirs and drainage ditch, but only three taxa: Cymatopleura radiosa, Navicula upsaliensis and Nitzschia angustata were present in all 7 sampling sites. These species are known to be tolerant to organic pollution, eutrophication, and also characteristic for limestone waters. The results of CVA showed that dintoms in the water reservoir stocked with fish were distinguished by highest species richness. The relationships between diatoms and environmental variables confirm the positive correlation with the currently functioning industrial plant (despite the increased water temperature and large content of trace elements). Our results suggest that, though heterogeneity in both diatoms and selected elements in industrial waters, diatoms can be useful indicators of habitat conditions

Phenylpropanoid glycoside and phenolic acid profiles and biological activities of biomass extracts from different types of <I>Verbena officinalis</I> microshoot cultures and soil-grown plant

Different types of microshoot cultures (agar, stationary liquid, agitated, and bioreactors) of Verbena officinalis were optimized for biomass growth and the production of phenylpropanoid glycosides and phenolic acids. Using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the presence of verbascoside, isoverbascoside, leucoseptoside A/isomers, and cistanoside D/isomer was confirmed in the methanolic extracts obtained from all types of in vitro cultures. The compound’s content was determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. The main metabolites in biomass extracts were verbascoside and isoverbascoside (maximum 4881.61 and 451.80 mg/100 g dry weight (DW)). In the soil-grown plant extract, verbascoside was also dominated (1728.97 mg/100 g DW). The content of phenolic acids in the analyzed extracts was below 24 mg/100 g DW. The highest radical scavenging activity was found in the biomass extract from agitated cultures, the most effective reducing power in agar culture extract, and the highest chelating activity in extract from bioreactor cultures. The extracts showed significantly stronger bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against Gram-positive bacteria (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.3–2.2 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.6–9 mg/mL) than against Gram-negative bacteria (MIC 0.6–9 mg/mL, MBC of 0.6–18 mg/mL). The biomass extract from liquid stationary culture showed the strongest antibacterial activity, while the extract from soil-grown herb had the lowest