Article
Microbiology
Alexander B. Alleman, Florence Mus, John W. Peters
Summary: There is significant interest in promoting biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) to reduce the use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture, but there are still fundamental knowledge gaps. Nitrogenase catalyzes BNF, requiring a large input of ATP and low potential electrons. Organisms that respire aerobically have an advantage in meeting the ATP demands of BNF but face challenges in protecting nitrogenase from inactivation by oxygen.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Robert Dudley, Aleksey Maro
Summary: The Drunken Monkey Hypothesis suggests that human attraction to ethanol may have evolved from ancestral diets high in ripe fruit sugars and the consumption of alcohol produced by fermenting yeast. Research indicates that many animals are attracted to and consume fermenting fruits and nectar, while genetic evidence supports prolonged exposure to dietary ethanol over millions of years across various taxa.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kobi J. Simpson-Lavy, Martin Kupiec
Summary: In the absence of glucose, the poly-histidine tract of S. cerevisiae AMPK inhibits its function by interacting with the low-iron transcription factor Aft1, linking carbon and iron metabolism.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benedikt Pauli, Leonardo Ona, Marita Hermann, Christian Kost
Summary: Cooperative mutualisms, which are widespread in many ecosystems, have an impact on the adaptability of organisms to changing conditions. This study demonstrates through experiments that members of obligate cooperative mutualisms have a poorer evolutionary adaptation ability to external selection pressures and are more likely to return to metabolic autonomy compared to their free-living counterparts.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biology
Kobi Simpson-Lavy, Martin Kupiec
Summary: Glucose is the preferred carbon source for most cells. Yeast Snf1 is the main regulator of the response to low glucose availability. Three different mechanisms, including phosphorylation, SUMOylation, and protonation, independently control Snf1 activity, allowing a flexible response to carbon source availability.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
H. Darras, C. Berney, S. Hasin, J. Drescher, H. Feldhaar, L. Keller
Summary: The yellow crazy ant possesses an extraordinary reproductive system in which males are chimeras of haploid cells from two different lineages. R cells are overrepresented in the males' somatic tissues, while W cells are overrepresented in their sperm. Chimerism occurs when parental nuclei bypass syngamy and divide separately within the same egg. Depending on which lineage's sperm fertilizes the oocyte, the resulting diploid offspring will develop into either a queen or a worker. This study uncovers a unique mode of reproduction that may be linked to a conflict between lineages for preferential entry into the germ line.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sitong Chen, Zhaoxian Xu, Boning Ding, Yuwei Zhang, Shuangmei Liu, Chenggu Cai, Muzi Li, Bruce E. Dale, Mingjie Jin
Summary: This study utilized phylogeny-guided big data mining, rational modification, and ancestral sequence reconstruction strategies to discover 13 new active xylose isomerases (XIs) for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, demonstrating the importance of the amino-terminal fragment for maintaining basic XI activity. These XIs were used to construct four efficient xylose-utilizing S. cerevisiae strains, and the strain S. cerevisiae CRD5HS achieved ethanol titers as high as 85.95 and 94.76 g/liter from pretreated corn stover and corn cob, respectively, without detoxifying or washing pretreated biomass. The genetic regulation mechanisms obtained from adaptive laboratory evolution provide practical references for mining other scarce and valuable enzymes.
Article
Biology
Samuel H. A. von der Dunk, Paulien Hogeweg, Berend Snel
Summary: In this study, a theoretical approach was used to test the consequences of mitochondrial endosymbiosis. It was found that genome expansion and asymmetry in genome size are a result of host-symbiont cell-cycle coordination. The findings provide a theoretical foundation for patterns related to mitochondrial endosymbiosis and uncover new evolutionary outcomes that have not been considered before, such as cell-cycle coordination without direct communication.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Xinxu Zhang, Zongbao Liu, Wei Xu, Jie Pan, Yuhan Huang, Mingwei Cai, Zhuhua Luo, Meng Li
Summary: Metagenomic exploration of the ocean's Yap Trench led to the discovery of three new monophyletic bacterial lineages named Candidatus Qinglongiota, Candidatus Heilongiota, and Candidatus Canglongiota. The genomes of these new lineages suggest a versatile lifestyle and a preference for oxygen-limited or particle-attached environments. Evolutionary analysis indicated the importance of gene gain and loss events, as well as horizontal gene transfer, in shaping the genomic and metabolic features of these new phyla.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Comitini, Alice Agarbati, Laura Canonico, Maurizio Ciani
Summary: Wine is a complex microbial ecosystem where interactions between microorganisms and environmental factors influence the characteristics of the final product. Controlled multistarter fermentation offers a less risky process and distinctive final product. The sensorial properties of wine are strongly modulated by interactions between microbial consortium members.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hajime Ohtsuki, Hirotomo Norimatsu, Takashi Makino, Jotaro Urabe
Summary: This study verifies the nearly neutral theory by comparing the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions among populations of different lineages. The analysis of obligate asexual Daphnia pulex demonstrates that the dN/dS ratio differs between lineages, providing support for the nearly neutral theory.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Minami Ogawa, Pablo Carmona-Jimenez, Teresa Garcia-Martinez, Jesus Valentin Jorrin-Novo, Juan Moreno, Maria Dolores Rey, Jaime Moreno-Garcia
Summary: Immobilized cell technologies (ICT) are commonly used in brewing to improve cell stability, flexibility, and control. Yeast biocapsules, a new form of ICT, were found to be more suitable for cell reutilization than alginate beads but had a greater impact on beer clarity.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jorge Rojas Lopez-Menchero, Minami Ogawa, Juan C. Mauricio, Juan Moreno, Jaime Moreno-Garcia
Summary: The alginate coating effectively prevents cell leakage from yeast biocapsules but may hinder alcoholic fermentation. In grape must fermentations, it does not affect wine acidity but impacts concentrations of some volatile compounds.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cristian Varela, Lucien Alperstein, Joanna Sundstrom, Mark Solomon, Maggie Brady, Anthony Borneman, Vladimir Jiranek
Summary: This study characterized yeast isolates from the fermentation of way-a-linah and tuba, traditional fermented beverages of Australian Indigenous people. The isolates demonstrated the potential to produce fermented beverages with unique aroma and flavor profiles, highlighting the microbial diversity associated with beverages produced by Australia's Indigenous peoples.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jenna Hoersten, Gloria Ruiz-Gomez, Felix Lansing, Teresa Rojo-Romanos, Lukas Theo Schmitt, Jan Sonntag, M. Teresa Pisabarro, Frank Buchholz
Summary: This study discovers that paired mutations targeting residues involved in catalysis can create simple and obligate tyrosine site-specific recombinase (SSR) systems, where catalytic activity is dependent on the binding of all distinct subunits as a heterotetramer. This research improves the recombination specificity of designer-recombinases for therapeutic targets and enhances our understanding of SSR catalysis.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Diego Romano, Federica Valdetara, Paolo Zambelli, Silvia Galafassi, Valerio De Vitis, Francesco Molinari, Concetta Compagno, Roberto Foschino, Ileana Vigentini
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Pietro Volta, Erik Jeppesen, Paolo Sala, Silvia Galafassi, Claudio Foglini, Cesare Puzzi, Ian J. Winfield
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nerve Zhou, Krishna B. S. Swamy, Jun-Yi Leu, Michael J. McDonald, Silvia Galafassi, Concetta Compagno, Jure Piskur
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Gianluca Corno, Ying Yang, Ester M. Eckert, Diego Fontaneto, Antonino Fiorentino, Silvia Galafassi, Tong Zhang, Andrea Di Cesare
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Silvia Donzella, Daniela Cucchetti, Claudia Capusoni, Aurora Rizzi, Silvia Galafassi, Gambaro Chiara, Concetta Compagno
MICROBIAL CELL FACTORIES
(2019)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Galafassi, Luca Nizzetto, Pietro Volta
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Galafassi, Andrea Di Cesare, Lorenzo Di Nardo, Raffaella Sabatino, Andrea Valsesia, Francesco Sirio Fumagalli, Gianluca Corno, Pietro Volta
Summary: The research found that the disinfection step in wastewater treatment process can help reduce the emission of microplastic particles and improve the retention efficiency of WWTPs for MPs. Different disinfection methods can significantly impact the reduction of MPs concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Silvia Galafassi, Raffaella Sabatino, Maria Belen Sathicq, Ester M. Eckert, Diego Fontaneto, Giulia Dalla Fontana, Raffaella Mossotti, Gianluca Corno, Pietro Volta, Andrea Di Cesare
Summary: Microplastic particles (MPs) are prevalent pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, with a significant number reaching open waters and potentially contributing to the spread of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Studies have shown that the bacterial community on MPs differs from planktonic bacteria in treated wastewater, with potentially pathogenic bacteria showing higher abundances in the latter. However, only the sul2 resistance gene was found to be more abundant in the plastisphere compared to the planktonic bacterial community.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Galafassi, Claudia Campanale, Carmine Massarelli, Vito Felice Uricchio, Pietro Volta
Summary: Studies have shown that microplastics ingestion by wild freshwater fish increases with urbanization, although a direct correlation with surrounding water microplastics concentration has not been identified. Microplastics were found in all published articles, with more than 50% of specimens analyzed in one study showing microplastics presence. Additionally, microplastics were found in the gills of fish, and there is evidence that they can translocate to different tissues of the organism.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Galafassi, Maria Sighicelli, Antonio Pusceddu, Roberta Bettinetti, Alessandro Cau, Maria Eleonora Temperini, Raymond Gillibert, Michele Ortolani, Loris Pietrelli, Silvia Zaupa, Pietro Volta
Summary: This study investigated the presence of microplastic particles in the digestive system of perch in four south-alpine lakes and found that 86% of the analyzed specimens contained MPs. Despite the high number of ingested MPs, fish health was not affected, but the fullness index showed a potential interference with feeding activity.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Claudia Campanale, Silvia Galafassi, Ilaria Savino, Carmine Massarelli, Valeria Ancona, Pietro Volta, Vito Felice Uricchio
Summary: Research on microplastics in terrestrial environments is still in its early stages, with a particular focus on urban areas and agricultural environments. High levels of microplastics have been found in these areas, impacting plant growth and water quality.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ester M. Eckert, Silvia Galafassi, Marcela Bastidas Navarro, Andrea Di Cesare, Gianluca Corno
Summary: Stochastic or deterministic processes control the assembly of bacterial communities in aquatic environments exposed to antibiotics. Microdiversity influences the stability of freshwater communities, causing rare taxa to become abundant when disturbance occurs. Disturbance by antibiotics increases the similarity between bacterial communities from different freshwater systems, but the similarity decreases when the antibiotic pressure is released. Antibiotics impact bacterial communities at both the cell and community level, altering phenotypes, genotypes, and bacterial interactions.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gianluca Corno, Timothy Ghaly, Raffaella Sabatino, Ester M. Eckert, Silvia Galafassi, Michael R. Gillings, Andrea Di Cesare
Summary: This study investigated the abundance of class 1 integrons and their associated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a freshwater system consisting of a lake-river-lake continuum. The results showed that class 1 integrons and their associated ARGs were more abundant in riverine sampling sites receiving treated wastewater. Moreover, high-risk ARGs, including genes encoding resistance to aminoglycosides, were correlated with class 1 integrons.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Arianna Bellasi, Gilberto Binda, Andrea Pozzi, Silvia Galafassi, Pietro Volta, Roberta Bettinetti
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Claudia Capusoni, Valentina Rodighiero, Daniela Cucchetti, Silvia Galafassi, Daniele Bianchi, Giuliana Franzosi, Concetta Compagno
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2017)
