Purification and biological characterization of halocin H1 from Haloferax mediterranei M2a

The production of halocins, bacteriocin-like proteins of ecological significance, is a frequent characteristic of species from the family Halobacteriaceae. Halocin H1, produced by Haloferax mediterranei strain M2a, is a single 31-kDa polypeptide. Its purification was achieved by combining two chromatographic systems: Sepharose 4B linked to bacitracin followed by hydroxylapatite Bio-gel HTP. Halocin H1 required concentrations of NaCl higher than 1.5 M to maintain its activity. Haoarchaeal strains showed a differential degree of sensitivity to the action of this halocin

Retinal-binding proteins mirror prokaryotic dynamics in multipond solar salterns

Microbial opsin (i.e. retinal-binding protein) dynamics has been studied along a salinity gradient in Santa Pola solar salterns (Alicante, Spain) by using culture-independent approaches and statistical analyses. Five ponds of salinities ranging from 18% to above 40% were sampled nine times along a year. Forty-three opsin-like sequences were retrieved by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and clustered into 18 different phylogroups, indicating that their diversity was higher than expected according to previous data. Moreover, the statistical correlation between environmental factors controlling microbial community structure and dynamics of environmental rhodopsin proteins indicated almost identical temporal fluctuations between the opsin-related sequences and their corresponding putative ‘producers’ in nature. Although most sequences were related to others previously detected in hypersaline environments, some pond-specific opsins putatively belonged to previously uncharacterized hosts. Furthermore, we propose that subtle changes in the bacteriorhodopsin ‘retinal proton binding pocket’, which is key in the photocycle function, could be the molecular basis behind a fine ‘photocycle-tuning’ mechanism to avoid inter/intraspecies light-competition in hypersaline environments.This work was supported by project CGL2012-39627-C03-01 of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, which was also co-funded with FEDER support from the European Union

Compartir saberes para cuidar mejor: "aulas invertidas" y producción colaborativa de conocimiento

Depto. de Sociología: Metodología y TeoríaFac. de Ciencias Políticas y SociologíaFALSEsubmitte

From Genomics to Microevolution and Ecology: The Case of Salinibacter ruber

Salinibacter ruber is an extremely halophilic bacterium inhabiting environments that are normally dominated by halophilic Archaea. This bacterium shows a high degree of genomic microdiversity illustrated by the fact that new strains with different genomic patterns (and identical ribosomal operons) are continuously isolated from the same ponds where the original strains were retrieved. Here, we investigate the meaning of this microdiversity by comparing the genomic sequences of closely related S. ruber strains with a main focus on the species pangenome and the putative role of phages and lateral gene transfer in the shaping of the microdiversity

Diseño de prácticas externas curriculares del Centro Universitario de la Defensa de San Javier en el marco del EEES. Una metodología innovadora

[SPA] Este trabajo presenta el proceso seguido por el Equipo de Innovación Docente de Prácticas Externas del Centro Universitario de la Defensa de San Javier para el desarrollo de las prácticas curriculares de los alumnos del Grado de Ingeniería y futuros oficiales del Ejército del Aire, que se impartirán dentro del nuevo modelo de enseñanza militar. La metodología propuesta se presenta como un ejemplo de adaptación a un nuevo modelo de enseñanza dentro del EEES que busca solventar deficiencias de modelos universitarios previos como eran la falta de especificación de las tareas en las prácticas o la realización de otras no vinculadas a la titulación (Ballesteros-Velázquez et al. 2001). Se propone una adaptación de los contenidos de las prácticas a partir de un análisis in situ, de los centros donde se realizarán y utilizando como criterio para la selección de puestos y tareas su vinculación con asignaturas del grado y a profesionales con distinto rango de responsabilidad y cualificación. Así, el alumno puede aprender a utilizar las competencias concretas y necesarias para ejercer su profesión, porque las recibe de profesionales que están aplicando capacidades distintas en función de la etapa de la vida laboral en la que se encuentran. [ENG] This paper presents the process followed by the teaching innovation team at the Defence University Centre in San Javier for the design of a traineeship for Industrial Organization Engineering students, future officers of the Air Force, according to the new military education programme. The traineeship design steps are described as a specific example of a methodology adapted to a new specialized education programme within the European Space for Higher Education (EEES) in order to solve the limitations of educational models previous to EEES (Ballesteros-Velázquez et al. 2001). The authors propose in situ monitoring on the part of lecturers in each of the centres where students will carry out their traineeship to properly identify tasks and adapt the traineeship contents linking them to the degree courses and to reference professionals at different stages of their career. In this way, the student can fully apply concrete and necessary competences in the particular area where he/she Will practise his/her profession

From community approaches to single-cell genomics: the discovery of ubiquitous hyperhalophilic Bacteroidetes generalists

The microbiota of multi-pond solar salterns around the world has been analyzed using a variety of culture-dependent and molecular techniques. However, studies addressing the dynamic nature of these systems are very scarce. Here we have characterized the temporal variation during 1 year of the microbiota of five ponds with increasing salinity (from 18% to >40%), by means of CARD-FISH and DGGE. Microbial community structure was statistically correlated with several environmental parameters, including ionic composition and meteorological factors, indicating that the microbial community was dynamic as specific phylotypes appeared only at certain times of the year. In addition to total salinity, microbial composition was strongly influenced by temperature and specific ionic composition. Remarkably, DGGE analyses unveiled the presence of most phylotypes previously detected in hypersaline systems using metagenomics and other molecular techniques, such as the very abundant Haloquadratum and Salinibacter representatives or the recently described low GC Actinobacteria and Nanohaloarchaeota. In addition, an uncultured group of Bacteroidetes was present along the whole range of salinity. Database searches indicated a previously unrecognized widespread distribution of this phylotype. Single-cell genome analysis of five members of this group suggested a set of metabolic characteristics that could provide competitive advantages in hypersaline environments, such as polymer degradation capabilities, the presence of retinal-binding light-activated proton pumps and arsenate reduction potential. In addition, the fairly high metagenomic fragment recruitment obtained for these single cells in both the intermediate and hypersaline ponds further confirm the DGGE data and point to the generalist lifestyle of this new Bacteroidetes group.This work was supported by the projects CGL2012-39627-C03-01 and 02 of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, which were also co-financed with FEDER support from the European Union. TG group research is funded in part by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BIO2012-37161), a grant from the Qatar National Research Fund grant (NPRP 5-298-3-086) and a grant from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC (grant agreement no. ERC-2012-StG-310325)

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Aplicaciones de las Halocinas producidas por arqueas halófilas

El término bacteriocina se empleó inicialmente para describir proteínas producidas por bacterias Gram negativas con capacidad antibiótica frente a organismos filogeneticamente emparentados con la productora. Se trataba de proteínas de peso molecular relativamente elevado , codificadas en plásmidos con un espectro de acción reducido, modo de acción bactericida, unión a receptores específicos, etc. Estos criterios se extrajeron de los primeros grupos de bacteriocidas que se descubrieron y estudiaron que fueron las colicinas producidas por Escherichia coli.El término bacteriocina se empleó inicialmente para describir proteínas producidas por bacterias Gram negativas con capacidad antibiótica frente a organismos filogeneticamente emparentados con la productora. Se trataba de proteínas de peso molecular relativamente elevado , codificadas en plásmidos con un espectro de acción reducido, modo de acción bactericida, unión a receptores específicos, etc. Estos criterios se extrajeron de los primeros grupos de bacteriocidas que se descubrieron y estudiaron que fueron las colicinas producidas por Escherichia coli

Los microorganismos halófilos y su potencial aplicado en biotecnología

La sal común (NaCl), en elevadas concentraciones, es considerada generalmente como un inhibidor del crecimiento microbiano, por lo que ha sido ampliamente utilizada como un aditivo para la conservación de alimentos, curtido de pieles, etc. Sin embargo, existe gran cantidad de microorganismos, llamados halófilos, que son capaces de vivir en presencia de altas concentraciones de sal es decir en ambientes hipersalinos. Esto es posible porque a lo largo de su evolución, los microorganismos halófilos han desarrollado diversas propiedades o mecanismos de adaptación a dichos ambientes, hasta tal punto que más de una gran afinidad realmente se trata de una gran dependencia por la sal.La sal común (NaCl), en elevadas concentraciones, es considerada generalmente como un inhibidor del crecimiento microbiano, por lo que ha sido ampliamente utilizada como un aditivo para la conservación de alimentos, curtido de pieles, etc. Sin embargo, existe gran cantidad de microorganismos, llamados halófilos, que son capaces de vivir en presencia de altas concentraciones de sal es decir en ambientes hipersalinos. Esto es posible porque a lo largo de su evolución, los microorganismos halófilos han desarrollado diversas propiedades o mecanismos de adaptación a dichos ambientes, hasta tal punto que más de una gran afinidad realmente se trata de una gran dependencia por la sal

La cooperación técnica entre las administraciones públicas y otros actores para el desarrollo de las políticas sociales

La colaboración técnica y financiera entre las administraciones públicas y otros actores de la sociedad civil, dentro del respeto al marco competencial e inspirada en los principios de responsabilidad, participación, igualdad y equidad, constituye un instrumento esencial para la planificación, coordinación y seguimiento de las políticas sociales, máxime en momentos de importantes cambios sociales y de crisis económica, con el fin de atender las necesidades sociales de la ciudadanía y especialmente de aquellos grupos en riesgo para elevar la calidad de vida de las personas, luchar contra la pobreza, la discriminación y la exclusión social y alcanzar mayores cotas de bienestar social