Biodegradation of toxic organic compounds using a newly isolated Bacillus sp. CYR2

The objective of this study was to isolate a new bacterium and investigate its ability for degradation of various toxic organic compounds. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence and phylogenetic analysis, the isolated strain was identified as Bacillus sp. CYR2. Degradation of various toxic compounds and growth of CYR2 strain were evaluated with 2 and 4% inoculum sizes. All the experiments were conducted for 6 days, flasks were incubated at 30oC under 180 rpm. Among the 2 and 4% inoculum sizes, bacteria showed highest growth and toxic compounds degradation at 4% inoculum size. Especially, compared to 2% inoculum size, growth of the strain CYR2 at 4% inoculum size was increased by 15.1 folds with 4-secondarybutylphenol, 9.1 folds with phenol, and 5.4 folds with 4-tertiary-butylphenol. Strain CYR2 at 4% inoculum size showed highest removal of phenol (84 ± 5%), followed by 4-tertiary-butylphenol (66 ± 3%), 4-secondary-butylphenol (63 ± 5%) and 4-nonylphenol (57 ± 6%). Compared with 2% inoculum size, degradation ability of strain CYR2 with 4% inoculum size was enhanced by 3.45 times with 4-tertiary-octylphenol, and 2.53 times with 4-tertiarybutylphenol. Our results indicated that the newly isolated Bacillus sp. CYR2 can be used for in situ bioremediation of phenol and alkylphenols contaminated water

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production from synthetic waste using Pseudomonas pseudoflava : PHA synthase enzyme activity analysis from P. pseudoflava and P. palleronii

Synthetic wastewater (SW) at various carbon concentrations (5–60 g/l) were evaluated for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production using the bacteria Pseudomonas pseudoflava. Bacteria showed highest PHA production with 20 g/l (57 ± 5%), and highest carbon removal at 5 g/l (74 ± 6%) concentrations respectively. Structure, molecular weight, and thermal properties of the produced PHA were evaluated using various analytical techniques. Bacteria produced homo-polymer [poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB)] when only acetate was used as carbon source; and it produced co-polymer [poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) P(3HB-co-3HV)] by addition of co-substrate propionate. PHA synthase, the enzyme which produce PHA was extracted from two bacterial strains i.e., P. pseudoflava and P. palleronii and its molecular weight was analysed using SDS-PAGE. Protein concentration, and PHA synthase enzyme activity of P. pseudoflava and P. palleronii was carried out using spectrophotometer. Results denoted that P. pseudoflava can be used for degradation of organic carbon persistent in wastewaters and their subsequent conversion into PHA

Production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) P(3HB-co-3HV) from synthetic wastewater using Hydrogenophaga palleronii

In the present study, synthetic wastewater (SW) was used for production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) P(3HB-co-3HV) using the bacteria Hydrogenophaga palleronii. SW at various volatile fatty acids concentrations (5–60 g/l) was evaluated for the growth and biopolymer production using H. palleronii. Substrate degradation was analyzed using total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). H. palleronii showed highest and lowest removal of TOC at 5 g/l (88 ± 4%) and 60 g/l (15 ± 6%) respectively. Among all the concentrations evaluated, bacteria showed highest biopolymer production with 20 g/l (63 ± 5%), followed by 30 g/l (58 ± 3%) and 40 g/l (56 ± 2%). Lowest biopolymer production was observed at 5 g/l concentration (21 ± 3%). Structure, molecular weight, and thermal properties of the produced biopolymer were analyzed. These results denoted that the strain H. palleronii can be used for degradation of high concentration of volatile fatty acids persistent in wastewaters and their subsequent conversion into useable biopolymers

Degradation and conversion of toxic compounds into useful bioplastics by Cupriavidus sp. CY-1: relative expression of the PhaC gene under phenol and nitrogen stress

In this study different types of toxic compounds, i.e., alkylphenols, mono and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons were converted into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) using the isolated bacteria Cupriavidus sp. CY-1. The influence of Tween-80 on the toxic compound degradation ability of CY-1 was analyzed using high pressure liquid chromatography. Among all the compounds, CY-1 showed the highest removal of naphthalene (100 ± 6%), followed by phenol (96 ± 7%), and the lowest removal of alkylphenols without Tween-80 addition. However, Tween-80 addition enhanced the degradation capacity of CY-1, and showed the highest removal of 4-tertiary-butylphenol (74 ± 5%), followed by phenol (69 ± 5%), 4-chlorophenol (59 ± 3%), 4-tertiary-octylphenol (53 ± 5%), and naphthalene (48 ± 5%). Further experiments were carried out for conversion of toxic compounds into PHB. CY-1 grown with phenol (48 ± 6%) and naphthalene (42 ± 4%) showed the highest PHB production. The functional groups, structure and thermal properties of the produced PHB were analyzed. In addition the expression of the PhaC gene was quantified at the transcriptional level through real time quantitative PCR. The results showed up-regulation of the PhaC gene in the presence of phenol, and up and down-regulations in the presence of nitrogen. The maximum PhaC transcript expression was 5.37 folds at 100 mg l−1 nitrogen concentration

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from alkylphenols, mono and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons using Bacillus sp. CYR1: A new strategy for wealth from waste

In the present study five different types of alkylphenols, each of the two different types of mono and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons were selected for degradation, and conversion into poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) using the Bacillus sp. CYR1. Strain CYR1 showed growth with various toxic organic compounds. Degradation pattern of all the organic compounds at 100 mg/l concentration with or without addition of tween-80 were analyzed using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Strain CYR1 showed good removal of compounds in the presence of tween-80 within 3 days, but it took 6 days without addition of tween-80. Strain CYR1 showed highest PHB production with phenol (51 ± 5%), naphthalene (42 ± 4%), 4-chlorophenol (32 ± 3%) and 4-nonylphenol (29 ± 3%). The functional groups, structure, and thermal properties of the produced PHB were analyzed. These results denoted that the strain Bacillus sp. CYR1 can be used for conversion of different toxic compounds persistent in wastewaters into useable biological polyesters

Hierarchical Cluster and Region of Interest Analyses Based on Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Human Brain Tumours

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) has been rarely used to examine specimens of human brain tumours. In the current study, high quality brain tumour samples were selected by tissue observation. Further, IMS analysis was combined with a new hierarchical cluster analysis (IMS-HCA) and region of interest analysis (IMS-ROI). IMS-HCA was successful in creating groups consisting of similar signal distribution images of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and related multiple proteins in primary brain tumours. This clustering data suggested the relation of GFAP and these identified proteins in the brain tumorigenesis. Also, high levels of histone proteins, haemoglobin subunit α, tubulins, and GFAP were identified in a metastatic brain tumour using IMS-ROI. Our results show that IMS-HCA and IMS-ROI are promising techniques for identifying biomarkers using brain tumour samples

Degradation of Toxic Compounds at Low and Medium Temperature Conditions Using Isolated Fungus

In the present study, a fungal strain isolated from the Antarctic soil was identified as Penicillium sp. CHY-2 based on its 5.8S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Furthermore, its biodegradation ability towards 13 different toxic compounds such as 4-butylphenol (4-BP), 4-sec-butylphenol (4-s-BP), 4-tert-butylphenol (4-t-BP), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), phenol, bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene at low (4°C) and medium (15°C) temperature conditions was evaluated using high pressure liquid chromatography. Among the 13 compounds, the strain CHY-2 effectively degraded the six compounds i.e., 4-BP, 4-s-BP, 4-t-BP, 4-NP, 4-CP, and phenol at 15°C within one week, and at 4°C within 3 weeks. Also CHY-2 effectively degraded the 4-t-OP at 15°C (70%), but not at 4°C (35%). Among different carbon sources tested, glucose was found to be the most suitable and the growth of CHY-2 at 4°C was slower than at 15°C. Addition of Tween 80 increased the growth and degradation ability of CHY-2 towards 4-BP at 4 and 15°C. The metabolites produced during the degradation of 4-BP were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Also, bacteria present in the Antarctic soil were determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and the result showed the presence of Pseudomonas and Syntrophus groups of bacteria

Genetic structure of the protist Physarum albescens (Amoebozoa) revealed by multiple markers and genotyping by sequencing

Myxomycetes are terrestrial protists with many presumably cosmopolitan species dispersing via airborne spores. A truly cosmopolitan species would suffer from outbreeding depression hampering local adaptation, while locally adapted species with limited distribution would be at a higher risk of extinction in changing environments. Here, we investigate intraspecific genetic diversity and phylogeography of Physarum albescens over the entire Northern Hemisphere. We sequenced 324 field collections of fruit bodies for 1-3 genetic markers (SSU, EF1A, COI) and analysed 98 specimens with genotyping by sequencing. The structure of the three-gene phylogeny, SNP-based phylogeny, phylogenetic networks, and the observed recombination pattern of three independently inherited gene markers can be best explained by the presence of at least 18 reproductively isolated groups, which can be seen as cryptic species. In all intensively sampled regions and in many localities, members of several phylogroups coexisted. Some phylogroups were found to be abundant in only one region and completely absent in other well-studied regions, and thus may represent regional endemics. Our results demonstrate that the widely distributed myxomycete species Ph. albescens represents a complex of at least 18 cryptic species, and some of these seem to have a limited geographical distribution. In addition, the presence of groups of presumably clonal specimens suggests that sexual and asexual reproduction coexist in natural populations of myxomycetes