scholarly journals Widespread Abundance of Functional Bacterial Amyloid in Mycolata and Other Gram-Positive Bacteria

2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 4101-4110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bruun Jordal ◽  
Morten Simonsen Dueholm ◽  
Poul Larsen ◽  
Steen Vang Petersen ◽  
Jan Johannes Enghild ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Streptomyces Coelicolor ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Electron Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Gordonia Amarae

ABSTRACT Until recently, extracellular functional bacterial amyloid (FuBA) has been detected and characterized in only a few bacterial species, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and the gram-positive organism Streptomyces coelicolor. Here we probed gram-positive bacteria with conformationally specific antibodies and revealed the existence of FuBA in 12 of 14 examined mycolata species, as well as six other distantly related species examined belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Most of the bacteria produced extracellular fimbriae, sometimes copious amounts of them, and in two cases large extracellular fibrils were also produced. In three cases, FuBA was revealed only after extensive removal of extracellular material by saponification, indicating that there is integrated attachment within the cellular envelope. Spores of species in the genera Streptomyces, Bacillus, and Nocardia were all coated with amyloids. FuBA was purified from Gordonia amarae (from the cell envelope) and Geodermatophilus obscurus, and they had the morphology, tinctorial properties, and β-rich structure typical of amyloid. The presence of approximately 9-nm-wide amyloids in the cell envelope of G. amarae was visualized by transmission electron microscopy analysis. We conclude that amyloid is widespread among gram-positive bacteria and may in many species constitute a hitherto overlooked integral part of the spore and the cellular envelope.

scholarly journals Thermodynamic Modelling and Microstructural Study of Z-Phase Formation in a Ta-Alloyed Martensitic Steel

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1332
Author(s):  
Florian Riedlsperger ◽  
Bernadette Gsellmann ◽  
Erwin Povoden-Karadeniz ◽  
Oriana Tassa ◽  
Susanna Matera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Focus ◽  
Scanning Calorimetry ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Mobility Data ◽  
Interfacial Energies ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Size Number ◽  
Electron Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Microscopy Analysis

A thermokinetic computational framework for precipitate transformation simulations in Ta-containing martensitic Z-steels was developed, including Calphad thermodynamics, diffusion mobility data from the literature, and a kinetic parameter setup that considered precipitation sites, interfacial energies and dislocation density evolution. The thermodynamics of Ta-containing subsystems were assessed by atomic solubility data and enthalpies from the literature as well as from the experimental dissolution temperature of Ta-based Z-phase CrTaN obtained from differential scanning calorimetry. Accompanied by a comprehensive transmission electron microscopy analysis of the microstructure, thermokinetic precipitation simulations with a wide-ranging and well-documented set of input parameters were carried out in MatCalc for one sample alloy. A special focus was placed on modelling the transformation of MX into the Z-phase, which was driven by Cr diffusion. The simulation results showed excellent agreement with experimental data in regard to size, number density and chemical composition of the precipitates, showing the usability of the developed thermokinetic simulation framework.

scholarly journals Morphological changes and bioaccumulation in response to cadmium exposure in Morchella spongiola, a fungus with potential for detoxification

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Xu ◽  
Jing Guo ◽  
Qing Meng ◽  
Zhanling Xie
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Intracellular Accumulation ◽  
Tolerance Mechanism ◽  
Edible Fungi ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Electron Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Microscopy Analysis ◽  
Micro Morphology

<i>Morchella</i> is a genus of edible fungi with strong resistance to Cd and the ability to accumulate it in the mycelium. However, the mechanisms conferring Cd resistance in <i>Morchella</i> are unknown. In the present study, morphological and physiological responses to Cd were evaluated in the mycelia of <i>Morchella spongiola</i>. Variations in hyphal micro-morphology including twisting, folding and kinking in mycelia exposed to different Cd concentrations (0.15, 0.9, 1.5, 2.4, 5.0 mg/L) were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Deposition of Cd precipitates on cell surfaces (at Cd concentrations > 2.4 mg/L) was shown by SEM-EDS. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of cells exposed to different concentrations of Cd revealed the loss of intracellular structures and the localization of Cd depositions inside/outside the cell. FTIR analysis showed that functional groups such as C=O, -OH, -NH and -CH could be responsible for Cd binding on the cell surface of <i>M. spongiola</i>. In addition, intracellular accumulation was observed in cultures at low Cd concentrations (< 0.9 mg/L), while extracellular adsorption occurred at higher concentrations. These results provide valuable information on the Cd tolerance mechanism in <i>M. spongiola</i> and constitute a robust foundation for further studies on fungal bioremediation strategies.

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