Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haihua Wang, Huaiyang Ke, Hongping Wu, Siyuan Ma, Muhammad Mohsin Altaf, Xiaoping Diao
Summary: Carbon storage in mangroves is crucial for mitigating climate change, but our understanding of this aspect is limited. This study investigated the seasonal changes in the carbon metabolic profile of microbial communities in mangrove soils on Hainan Island, China, and found that season plays a critical role in shaping the carbon functional diversity of microbial communities.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Purna Bahadur Poudel, Ramesh Prasad Pandey, Dipesh Dhakal, Tae-Su Kim, Trang Thi Huyen Nguyen, Hye Jin Jung, Hee Jeong Shin, Binod Timalsina, Jae Kyung Sohng
Summary: In this study, a sugar-O-methyltransferase ThnM1 was identified and functionally characterized. The enzyme showed promiscuity and regiospecific activity at the 2'-OH of rhamnose. By using engineered Escherichia coli, a methoxy-rhamnosyl derivative of quinizarin was successfully produced. The cytotoxicity of the derivative was studied and compared with that of quinizarin. This study provides insights into the potential diversification of natural products through the methylation of the rhamnose moiety.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Hao Wang, Yue Zhu, Qiaozhen Cui, Wenming Wu, Gang Li, Dongke Chen, Lili Xiang, Jiuxin Qu, Dongyan Shi, Binghuai Lu
Summary: This study investigated the species distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Nocardia strains in China. The strains were mainly collected from the lower respiratory tract and skin tissues, and showed susceptibility to linezolid, amikacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Different Nocardia species exhibited varying resistance profiles to other antibiotics.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ze Ren, Shengkui Cao, Tao Chen, Cheng Zhang, Jinlei Yu
Summary: This study investigates the functional diversity, redundancy, and carbon metabolism potentials of different habitats in thermokarst landscapes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results show significant differences between habitats, with PBCs and SBCs having higher taxonomic and functional diversity, while WBCs have lower functional redundancy. Metabolism pathways also vary in different habitats, indicating the importance of understanding the functional properties and carbon cycles in thermokarst landscapes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
A. Checcucci, D. Luise, M. Modesto, F. Correa, P. Bosi, P. Mattarelli, Paolo Trevisi
Summary: The study utilized Biolog(TM) Ecoplates technology to investigate the metabolic potential of aerotolerant microbial community in pig fecal samples. The results indicated that snap freezing fecal samples preserved microbial community's metabolic activity, storage at -80 degrees C did not significantly affect the activity which remained stable for 150 days, and optimal metabolic activity was detected with specific dilutions of the samples.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Uma P. Arora, Beth L. Dumont
Summary: The study leveraged 154 whole-genome sequences from various wild house mouse populations to examine the geographic organization of functional variation and identify signals of positive selection. They found a significant proportion of unique variations in single populations, including many predicted functional alleles, and strong signals of positive selection at genes associated with human diseases. Additionally, they uncovered multiple signals of selection at genes involved in dietary adaptations, suggesting the role of adaptation in shaping genetic variation in wild mouse populations.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Purna Bahadur Poudel, Dipesh Dhakal, Jong Cheol Lee, Jae Kyung Sohng
Summary: Methylation plays important roles in various biological processes, and this study characterized the function of ThnM3 in regioselective modifications of 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene.
ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shanrong Yi, Chengcheng Zhang, Pingping Yin, Leilei Yu, Fengwei Tian, Wei Chen, Qixiao Zhai
Summary: Dietary habits can influence the structure and function of the intestinal microbiota, and our study found that lactobacilli in the gut are associated with dietary habits. The highest abundance of lactobacilli was found in stool samples from omnivores, and the proportions of L. ruminis and L. plantarum were higher in these samples compared to vegetarian and vegan samples. Additionally, we found that different dietary structures can affect the functional potential of lactobacilli.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jing Wu, Yanping Ma, Yifan Nie, Jingya Wang, Guoqing Feng, Le Hao, Wen Huang, Yugu Li, Zhenxing Liu
Summary: In this study, a soluble form of Fc gamma RI alpha (MsFc gamma RI alpha) was cloned from the largemouth bass, and its distribution and function were investigated. The results showed that MsFc gamma RI alpha is widely distributed in the spleen, head kidney, and intestine of largemouth bass. It was found to be involved in the acute phase response to bacteria and could enhance phagocytosis through interaction with a complement receptor.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Zengwang Yao, Xudong Zhang, Xu Wang, Qi Shu, Xinmiao Liu, Hailong Wu, Shenghua Gao
Summary: Soil microorganisms in forest ecosystems play a crucial role in maintaining ecological environment and water quality security. This study analyzed the functional diversity of soil microorganisms in different types of water-conservation forests and found that forest lands had higher average well color development, Shannon diversity index, and richness index compared to non-forest land. The microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were higher in Quercus variabilis and Pinus massoniana forests than in the mixed forest and non-forest land. The study also identified plant diversity, soil physical and chemical properties, and soil microbial biomass as key factors influencing the functional diversity of soil microorganisms.
Article
Microbiology
Jianman Lv, Yaolu Ye, Yuan Zhong, Wukang Liu, Meilin Chen, Ailing Guo, Jun Lv, Huawei Ma
Summary: This study used metagenomic technology to explore the functional genes and microbial diversity of red vinasse acid. The analysis identified 2,609 species, 782 genera, and 63 phyla of microorganisms. The findings showed that red vinasse acid plays a significant role in amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Yue Li, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi, Raveendran Sindhu, Parameswaran Binod, Zengqiang Zhang, Mohammad J. Taherzadeh
Summary: This article provides an overview of the application of biochar for organic waste co-composting and its biochemical transformation mechanism. Biochar functions in the adsorption of nutrients, retention of oxygen and water, and promotion of electron transfer as a composting amendment. It mediates resistance genes, mobile gene elements, and biochemical metabolic activities of organic matter degrading. Biochar enrichment enhances the α-diversity of microbial communities throughout composting stages, ultimately reflecting high β-diversity. Easy and convincing methods for biochar preparation and its characteristics need to be explored for in-depth study of the mechanism of biochar on composting microbes at the microscopic level.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carlo Ricotta, Giovanni Bacaro, Simona Maccherini, Sandrine Pavoine
Summary: Functional richness, diversity, and evenness are different aspects of species distribution and abundance in functional space. However, measures of functional evenness often fail to capture the regularity of species abundances in functional space. This study introduces the concept of functional imbalance and proposes the use of Rao's index of functional diversity to evaluate this imbalance. The results show that functional diversity increases with increasing functional imbalance, making it a more suitable indicator for community structure than functional evenness.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
H. Manjari Jayathilake, Eleanor Warren-Thomas, Luke Nelson, Paul Dolman, Sara Bumrungsri, Watinee Juthong, L. Roman Carrasco, David P. Edwards
Summary: Rubber plantations and agroforests in Southern Thailand have comparable functional and phylogenetic diversity metrics for birds. The presence of fruit trees and taller herbaceous plants within agroforests positively influences diversity levels. Landscapes with a higher proportion of fruit orchards tend to have higher functional and phylogenetic diversity, while degraded natural forest patches may have lower diversity levels.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Shuai Xu, Ming Wei, Gang Li, Zhenpeng Li, Yanlin Che, Lichao Han, Wei Jia, Fang Li, Dan Li, Zhenjun Li
Summary: Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, a common cause of nocardiosis, has been increasingly associated with serious lung infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. This study conducted a comparative genomic analysis of 91 N. cyriacigeorgica strains and revealed that it is composed of five closely related species. The analysis also showed differences in selection pressure, horizontal gene transfer, functional capacity, pathogenicity, and antibiotic resistance among these species. The findings provide important insights into the evolution, genetic diversity, and pathogenicity of N. cyriacigeorgica, advancing prevention measures against these infections.