Features of modern genesis of the Ishim steppe watershed plain soils

The genesis main directions of the Ishim steppe watershed plain soils depending on their economic use (arable land, forest belt, abandoned land) during the 1950s – 2020s were revealed. Within the studied region, soils were diagnosed on lands of different use. It is shown that the regional morphogenetic feature of all watershed plain soils is the tonguing of the humus horizon, which is reflected in their classification status by the allocation of a dark-tonguic subtype of the soils. Differentiation of the agrodarkhumus horizon into two subhorizons under the influence of plane-cutting processing was revealed in the agrozem, prevailing by area. The manifestation of postagrogenic transformation of soils occurring under forest belts and under deposits with herbaceous vegetation is determined. Postagrogenic soils are characterized by a granular structure, higher reserves of humus and total nitrogen in a layer of 0–20 cm compared to agrozems. In the soil of the forest belt, a coarse-humus neo-horizon was formed, which is not typical of steppe soils. The soil under abandoned for a long time grassland has signs of dark humus horizon progradation to a state close to a virgin one. The additional surface moistening of micro-subsidence soils causes them to have a higher humus content and its reserves in the 0–100 cm layer, deeper leaching of carbonates, the formation of a clay-illuvial horizon in the carbonate-free zone and prevents the formation of a gypsum horizon. The groundwater level raising in the modern period, which is a consequence of the mass plowing and functioning of impenetrable protective forest belts in the study area, caused the appearance of neo-hydromorphism in watershed plain soils and the formation of quasi-clay subtypes. The results indicate the regional specificity of the genetic properties of the Ishim steppe watershed plain soils that distinguish them from their European counterparts, as well as the influence of agrogenic transformation as an anthropogenic factor on them. This influence is reflected in the morphology of soils, their humus state, the nature of the carbonate and gypsum profiles, the processes of halogenesis in them and the variety of salt profiles

Modulation of nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis in lactobacilli

We characterized effects of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) substrate L-arginine and classical inhibitors of mammalian NOS on nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis in probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum 8P-A3. NO-synthase origin of nitric oxide detected by fluorescent NO indicator 1,2-diaminoanthraquinone (DAA) was confirmed by induction of NO production by exogenous L-arginine. None of the used inhibitors of three isoforms of mammalian NOSs (L-NAME, L-NIL, nNOS inhibitor I) showed significant inhibitory effect of lactobacillar NO-synthase activity. © 2011 Allerton Press, Inc

Bacterial Nitric Oxide Extends the Lifespan of C. elegans

SummaryNitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule in multicellular organisms. Most animals produce NO from L-arginine via a family of dedicated enzymes known as NO synthases (NOSes). A rare exception is the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, which lacks its own NOS. However, in its natural environment, C. elegans feeds on Bacilli that possess functional NOS. Here, we demonstrate that bacterially derived NO enhances C. elegans longevity and stress resistance via a defined group of genes that function under the dual control of HSF-1 and DAF-16 transcription factors. Our work provides an example of interspecies signaling by a small molecule and illustrates the lifelong value of commensal bacteria to their host

Nanomateriales a la vanguardia para combatir el virus SARS-CoV-2

Se presentan los avances que tiene la nanotecnología en la lucha contra las enfermedades infecciosas con los mecanismos de transmisión viral, incluyendo el virus SARS-CoV-2. Se mencionan algunos ejemplos en el desarrollo de nuevos nanomateriales con propiedades biocidas que han demostrado sus efectos sobre un amplio espectro de microorganismos patógenos. En específico, se resaltan las propiedades antimicrobianas de nanoparticulas de cobre (Cu) y plata (Ag) y su potencial uso en las mascarillas u otros equipos de protección personal para alcanzar el objetivo de aumentar la protección de la población contra el COVID-19

Das Müncheberger Soil Quality Rating (SQR) - ein praktikables Verfahren zur Bodenbewertung/Bodenschätzung im globalen Maßstab?

Das Müncheberger Soil Quality Rating (SQR) ist ein Verfahren zur einheitlichen Quantifizierung der Eignung und Limitierung von Böden hinsichtlich ihrer Nutzung als Ackerland oder Grasland über größere Regionen. Es basiert auf Indikatoren, die wesentliche ertragsrelevante Eigenschaften von Böden kennzeichnen. Ergebnis der Bewertung ist u. a. eine mit dem Pflanzenertrag korrelierende Bodengütekennziffer (SQR score) in der Spanne von 0 (keine Nutzungseignung) bis 100 (bester Boden). Alle Bewertungen stützen sich auf einfache Grenz- und Orientierungswerte, die von Bodenansprachen nach KA5, FAOGuidelines und dem Soil Survey Manual sowie aus agroklimatischen Daten auf der Grundlage eines Feld-Handbuchs abgeleitet werden können. Die Praktikabilität des Verfahrens in der Pedonskale (Bodenprofil, Bohrung) wurde auf zahlreichen Böden im subhumidgemäßigten Klimaraum Deutschlands sowie auf einigen Standorten im kontinentalsemiariden Klima West sibiriens geprüft und bestätigt. Das Bodenwasserdargebot im Frühjahr und das nutzbare Wasserbudget in der Vegetationsperiode sind entscheidende Kriterien der Bodengüte und Ertragsbildung. Eine zuverlässige Abschätzung aller Komponenten der standörtlichen Wasserbilanz ist für das Verständnis und die Bewertung der Bodenfunktionalität in Agrarlandschaften entscheidend

Mechanism of biofilm-mediated stress resistance and lifespan extension in C. elegans

Bacteria naturally form communities of cells known as biofilms. However the physiological roles of biofilms produced by non-pathogenic microbiota remain largely unknown. To assess the impact of a biofilm on host physiology we explored the effect of several non-pathogenic biofilm-forming bacteria on Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Pseudomonas fluorescens induces C. elegans stress resistance. Biofilm also protects against pathogenic infection and prolongs lifespan. Total mRNA analysis identified a set of host genes that are upregulated in response to biofilm formation by B. subtilis. We further demonstrate that mtl-1 is responsible for the biofilm-mediated increase in oxidative stress resistance and lifespan extension. Induction of mtl-1 and hsp-70 promotes biofilm-mediated thermotolerance. ilys-2 activity accounts for biofilm-mediated resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa killing. These results reveal the importance of non-pathogenic biofilms for host physiology and provide a framework to study commensal biofilms in higher organisms