Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Mingxing Qi, Caijuan Zheng, Wenhui Wu, Guangli Yu, Peipei Wang
Summary: The unique living environment of marine microorganisms allows them to produce complex exopolysaccharides with various biological activities. With the development of culture and separation methods, an increasing number of novel and commercially valuable exopolysaccharides have been discovered and studied.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Emily B. Franklin, Michael R. Alves, Alexia N. Moore, Delaney B. Kilgour, Gordon A. Novak, Kathryn Mayer, Jonathan S. Sauer, Robert J. Weber, Duyen Dang, Margaux Winter, Christopher Lee, Christopher D. Cappa, Timothy H. Bertram, Kimberly A. Prather, Vicki H. Grassian, Allen H. Goldstein
Summary: Researchers found that benzothiazoles in coastal waters are primarily from anthropogenic sources, and the oxidation of gas-phase benzothiazole can lead to the formation of secondary aerosols in the atmosphere, potentially contributing to the formation of secondary marine aerosols in coastal regions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Miriam Angulo, Kevyn Guerra, Paola Arevalo, Edgar Trujillo, Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante, Carlos Angulo
Summary: Bacillus sp. 62A has biosafe and immunomodulatory probiotic potential, as it improves immune system activity and induces an anti-inflammatory response in mice.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Milan Stankovic, Zorica Stojanovic-Radic, Dragana Jakovljevic, Nenad Zlatic, Milica Lukovic, Zora Dajic-Stevanovic
Summary: This study compared the content of secondary metabolites, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity of 24 halophytes from coastal saline habitats in the Balkan Peninsula. The results showed that some of these halophytes have rich phenolic compounds and favorable antioxidative and antimicrobial properties.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alba Filella, Lasse Riemann, France Van Wambeke, Elvira Pulido-Villena, Angela Vogts, Sophie Bonnet, Olivier Grosso, Julia M. Diaz, Solange Duhamel, Mar Benavides
Summary: This study investigates the effect of P-anhydrides on diazotrophs in the ocean and finds that P-anhydrides can stimulate N-2 fixation in certain cyanobacteria under low phosphate concentrations. Moreover, the study also reveals that P-anhydrides can be used as an energy source by certain bacteria.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Maocai Shen, Biao Song, Chengyun Zhou, Eydhah Almatrafi, Tong Hu, Guangming Zeng, Yaxin Zhang
Summary: Nitrogen cycling is crucial in biogeochemistry and is largely influenced by microbial-driven nitrogen transformation. The environmental impact of microplastics is increasingly serious, making the analysis and control of microplastic pollution a research hotspot. This review summarizes the research progress on the effects of microplastics on nitrogen transformation and cycling in water, soil, sediment, and sewage sludge. The presence of microplastics can affect the microbial population, abundance, and type, thereby influencing nitrogen transformation. However, the mechanisms of microplastics on environmental nitrogen transformation and cycling are not fully understood due to the lack of relevant research.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Nur Nadhirah Zakaria, Peter Convey, Claudio Gomez-Fuentes, Azham Zulkharnain, Suriana Sabri, Noor Azmi Shaharuddin, Siti Aqlima Ahmad
Summary: Research interest in hydrocarbon bioremediation in the marine environments of Antarctica has been increasing, covering both studies on marine bioremediation and the metabolic pathways of hydrocarbon degradation. However, studies of marine anaerobic degradation remain under-represented compared to those of aerobic degradation. Emerging keywords in recent years include bioprospecting, metagenomic, bioindicator, reflecting changing research foci such as increasing attention to microbial diversity. Studies of microbial genomes using metagenomic approaches or whole genome studies are rapidly increasing and are likely to drive emerging fields in future, including rapid expansion of bioprospecting in diverse fields of biotechnology.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Likhindra Reang, Shraddha Bhatt, Rukam Singh Tomar, Kavita Joshi, Shital Padhiyar, U. M. Vyas, Jasmin Kumar Kheni
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria isolated from agricultural soils in the coastal regions of Saurashtra Gujarat, and found that these bacteria have promising plant growth promoting characteristics. They have the potential to alleviate salinity stress in crops and contribute to bioremediation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bondi Gevao, Saif Uddin, Sam Dupont
Summary: This study provides baseline information on the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in Kuwait's coastal waters, revealing variations in pharmaceutical levels at different sampling times and locations. The study also raises concerns about potential environmental pollution issues that may arise from these pharmaceutical residues.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew Turner, Sara L. Amos, Tracey Williams
Summary: Research has shown that plastic food packaging and containers can be trapped in foredunes for decades before being released as fresh beach litter, contributing to pollution in the coastal zone.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Magdalena Beldowska, Jacek Beldowski, Urszula Kwasigroch, Marta Szubska, Agnieszka Jedruch
Summary: Due to the reduction in emissions and releases of pollutants, the remobilization of contaminants is gaining importance. The study found that coastal erosion may be an important source of metal pollutants, especially during the erosion of cliffs.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Tiange Zhang, Hongyu Feng, Lu Xia, Jinke Liu, Hui Zhao, Wen Yang, Yongqiang Zhao, Nasreen Jeelani, Shuqing An
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal effects of coastal embankments on nitrogen storage in Phragmites australis salt marshes. The results showed that the embankment significantly enhanced belowground nitrogen storage and decreased dead aboveground nitrogen storage during both the initial and vigorous stages of plant growth. Furthermore, the embankment increased soil total and labile organic nitrogen during the initial stage and total and recalcitrant organic nitrogen during the vigorous stage of plant growth. However, the embankment had little effect on soil soluble nitrogen and greatly stimulated microbial immobilization and mineralization capacity during the vigorous stage of plant growth.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew Turner
Summary: This study characterized fragments of EPS and XPS retrieved from three beaches in southwest England using XRF spectrometry. Variable concentrations of metal elements and oxides were found, indicating the influence of manufacturing processes and environmental factors. The research suggests that EPS and XPS can act as both sources and sinks of contaminants in the marine environment, warranting further investigation.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ishtiaq Ahmed, Muhammad Asgher, Farooq Sher, Syed Makhdoom Hussain, Nadia Nazish, Navneet Joshi, Ashutosh Sharma, Roberto Parra-Saldivar, Muhammad Bilal, Hafiz M. N. Iqbal
Summary: This review highlights the potential and promises of marine bioactive peptides (MBPs) as a means to combat human pathologies. It emphasizes the marine environment as a valuable source of high-value MBPs and discusses their structural and functional features. The review also discusses the challenges, conclusions, and future perspectives in the pharmaceutical sector.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lu Qi, Hui-Fang Du, Tian-Tian Sun, Lei Li, Ya-Hui Zhang, Yun-Feng Liu, Fei Cao
Summary: There are various kinds of pathogenic fungi in agriculture, such as Fusarium, Alternaria, Colletotrichum, and Phytophthora. These fungi threaten crop survival and cause significant damage to agricultural production and economic benefits globally. Marine-derived fungi produce natural compounds with unique structures and significant bioactivities, making them potential lead compounds against agricultural pathogenic fungi. This review summarizes the structural characteristics of 198 secondary metabolites from different marine fungal sources and their activities against agricultural pathogenic fungi, citing 92 references published from 1998 to 2022.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christian Schoene, Anja Poehlein, Nico Jehmlich, Norman Adlung, Rolf Daniel, Martin von Bergen, Silvan Scheller, Michael Rother
Summary: The study converted a methanogen into an acetogen and showed that Methanosarcina acetivorans can completely abandon methanogenesis for energy conservation. The results revealed that the metabolic flexibility of methanogenic archaea might be much greater than currently known.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandra Schaffert, Isabel Karkossa, Elke Ueberham, Rita Schlichting, Katharina Walter, Josi Arnold, Matthias Blueher, John T. Heiker, Joerg Lehmann, Martin Wabitsch, Beate I. Escher, Martin von Bergen, Kristin Schubert
Summary: Metabolites of plasticizers such as DINCH, DINP, and DPHP showed high adipogenic potential in human adipocytes and affected the functionality of mature adipocytes.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Andrew R. J. Murphy, David J. Scanlan, Yin Chen, Gary D. Bending, John P. Hammond, Elizabeth M. H. Wellington, Ian D. E. A. Lidbury
Summary: This study identified a dual regulatory mechanism for the utilization of 2-aminoethylphosphonate (2AEP) in pseudomonads, where utilization only occurs when carbon (C), nitrogen (N), or phosphorus (P) are depleted. The presence of 2AEP is necessary for full gene expression, indicating substrate inducibility. This is the first study to identify coordination between global stress response and substrate-specific regulators in phosphonate metabolism.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Kristian Jensen Pedersen, Sven-Bastiaan Haange, Katerina Zizalova, Alina Viehof, Thomas Clavel, Martin Lenicek, Beatrice Engelmann, Lukas Y. Wick, Frank G. Schaap, Nico Jehmlich, Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk, Martin von Bergen
Summary: Bile acids play a crucial role in lipid uptake and gut-microbiome composition. This study reveals the molecular details of the interaction between bile acid modifying bacteria and other strains, highlighting the influence of co-culturing on bacterial functionality.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lei Zhang, Marina Toplak, Raspudin Saleem-Batcha, Lars Hoeing, Roman Jakob, Nico Jehmlich, Martin von Bergen, Timm Maier, Robin Teufel
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to human health, and understanding the underlying mechanisms is crucial. This study discovered and characterized oxidoreductases that inactivate the broad-spectrum antibiotic chloramphenicol through dual oxidation of the C3-hydroxyl group. These enzymes also enable the inactivation of related compounds but not the fluorinated derivative. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that distinct isofunctional enzymes evolved independently in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Mechanistic and structural studies provide insights into the catalytic mechanisms of these enzymes, which have both negative and positive impacts on antibiotic resistance and chloramphenicol bioremediation.
Article
Ecology
Nelson Khan, Edward Muge, Francis J. Mulaa, Benson Wamalwa, Martin von Bergen, Nico Jehmlich, Lukas Y. Wick
Summary: Fungi play a crucial role in the biodegradation of soil organochlorine pesticides by facilitating bacterial dispersal and nutrient release. Experimental results indicate that the transfer of nutrients from fungi to bacteria can enhance the degradation of organic pollutants, highlighting the importance of fungal-bacterial interactions.
Article
Ecology
Markus Krueger, Narendrakumar Chaudhari, Bo Thamdrup, Will A. Overholt, Laura A. Bristow, Martin Taubert, Kirsten Kuesel, Nico Jehmlich, Martin von Bergen, Martina Herrmann
Summary: The study reveals that complete ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (CMX) of the genus Nitrospira have a competitive advantage over ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) in oligotrophic carbonate rock aquifers, due to their ecophysiological characteristics and wide occurrence in groundwater. However, their specific contribution to nitrification processes has been unclear. The research aimed to unravel the contribution of CMX, AOA, and AOB to nitrification and identify the environmental drivers of their niche differentiation in oligotrophic carbonate rock aquifers.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Beatrix M. Heinze, Kirsten Kuesel, Nico Jehmlich, Martin von Bergen, Martin Taubert
Summary: High rates of CO2 fixation and the genetic potential of various groundwater microbes for autotrophic activity have shown that primary production is an important source of organic C in groundwater ecosystems. However, the contribution of specific chemolithoautotrophic groups such as S-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) to groundwater primary production and their adaptation strategies remain largely unknown.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ana Ramos-Nascimento, Lucia Grenga, Sven-Bastiaan Haange, Alexandra Himmelmann, Franca Sabine Arndt, Yen-Tran Ly, Guylaine Miotello, Olivier Pible, Nico Jehmlich, Beatrice Engelmann, Martin von Bergen, Edwin Mulder, Petra Frings-Meuthen, Christine Elisabeth Hellweg, Jens Jordan, Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk, Jean Armengaud, Ralf Moeller
Summary: The AGBRESA study examined the effect of simulated weightlessness on the human body and explored the potential benefits of artificial gravity. The study found that simulated microgravity had a mild impact on the gut microbiome, but countermeasure protocols increased the abundance of beneficial short-chain fatty acids. Monitoring the gut microbiome and metabolite profiling can provide valuable information about health disturbances and the outcome of countermeasure protocols.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ingrid E. Meyer Cifuentes, Julius Degenhardt, Meina Neumann-Schaal, Nico Jehmlich, David Kamanda Ngugi, Basak Oeztuerk
Summary: This study investigates the degradation of biodegradable plastics in the aquatic environment and demonstrates the role of microbial communities in this process. The researchers found that the type of polymer determines the community structure and degradation capability, with different polymers resulting in different levels of diversity and degradation activity. The study also identified three enzymes capable of degrading a range of biodegradable polymers, which could have potential biotechnological applications.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)