Investigation and Rapid Discrimination of Food-Related Bacteria under Stress Treatments Using IR Microspectroscopy

Because the robust and rapid determination of spoilage microorganisms is becoming increasingly important in industry, the use of IR microspectroscopy, and the establishment of robust and versatile chemometric models for data processing and classification, is gaining importance. To further improve the chemometric models, bacterial stress responses were induced, to study the effect on the IR spectra and to improve the chemometric model. Thus, in this work, nine important food-relevant microorganisms were subjected to eight stress conditions, besides the regular culturing as a reference. Spectral changes compared to normal growth conditions without stressors were found in the spectral regions of 900–1500 cm−1 and 1500–1700 cm−1. These differences might stem from changes in the protein secondary structure, exopolymer production, and concentration of nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. As a result, a model for the discrimination of the studied microorganisms at the genus, species and strain level was established, with an accuracy of 96.6%. This was achieved despite the inclusion of various stress conditions and times after incubation of the bacteria. In addition, a model was developed for each individual microorganism, to separate each stress condition or regular treatment with 100% accuracy.

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Versatile Physiological Functions of Plant GSK3-Like Kinases

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12050697 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 697

Author(s):

Juan Mao ◽

Wenxin Li ◽

Jing Liu ◽

Jianming Li

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Glycogen Synthase ◽

Plant Stress ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Genetic Studies ◽

Physiological Functions ◽

Environmental Signals ◽

Plant Stress Responses ◽

Diverse Plant

The plant glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-like kinases are highly conserved protein serine/threonine kinases that are grouped into four subfamilies. Similar to their mammalian homologs, these kinases are constitutively active under normal growth conditions but become inactivated in response to diverse developmental and environmental signals. Since their initial discoveries in the early 1990s, many biochemical and genetic studies were performed to investigate their physiological functions in various plant species. These studies have demonstrated that the plant GSK3-like kinases are multifunctional kinases involved not only in a wide variety of plant growth and developmental processes but also in diverse plant stress responses. Here we summarize our current understanding of the versatile physiological functions of the plant GSK3-like kinases along with their confirmed and potential substrates.

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Identification of Key Genes in ‘Luang Pratahn’, Thai Salt-Tolerant Rice, Based on Time-Course Data and Weighted Co-expression Networks

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.744654 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Pajaree Sonsungsan ◽

Pheerawat Chantanakool ◽

Apichat Suratanee ◽

Teerapong Buaboocha ◽

Luca Comai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salt Stress ◽

Salt Tolerance ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Time Course ◽

Rice Variety ◽

Enrichment Analysis ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Pathway Enrichment Analysis ◽

Key Genes

Salinity is an important environmental factor causing a negative effect on rice production. To prevent salinity effects on rice yields, genetic diversity concerning salt tolerance must be evaluated. In this study, we investigated the salinity responses of rice (Oryza sativa) to determine the critical genes. The transcriptomes of ‘Luang Pratahn’ rice, a local Thai rice variety with high salt tolerance, were used as a model for analyzing and identifying the key genes responsible for salt-stress tolerance. Based on 3' Tag-Seq data from the time course of salt-stress treatment, weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify key genes in gene modules. We obtained 1,386 significantly differentially expressed genes in eight modules. Among them, six modules indicated a significant correlation within 6, 12, or 48h after salt stress. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis was performed on the co-expressed genes of interesting modules to reveal which genes were mainly enriched within important functions for salt-stress responses. To identify the key genes in salt-stress responses, we considered the two-state co-expression networks, normal growth conditions, and salt stress to investigate which genes were less important in a normal situation but gained more impact under stress. We identified key genes for the response to biotic and abiotic stimuli and tolerance to salt stress. Thus, these novel genes may play important roles in salinity tolerance and serve as potential biomarkers to improve salt tolerance cultivars.

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Pattern formation in the Blue-Green Alga, Anabaena

Journal of Cell Science ◽

10.1242/jcs.12.3.707 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 707-723 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

MICHAEL WILCOX ◽

G. J. MITCHISON ◽

R. J. SMITH

Keyword(s):

Pattern Formation ◽

Green Alga ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Blue Green Alga ◽

Interactive Model ◽

Differentiated Cells ◽

Sequence Of Events

Filaments of Anabaena have a spaced pattern of differentiated cells called heterocysts, which is maintained as a filament grows by the regular determination of new heterocysts. By following the growth of every cell in a filament, we have identified proheterocysts (prospective heterocysts) at their earliest appearance, and described the sequence of events in the formation of the pattern. The determination of proheterocysts obeys 2 rules: (1) that there are inhibitory zones around pre-existing heterocysts, and (2) that only the smaller daughter of a division can become a heterocyst (all divisions are asymmetrical). There are, however, certain conditions in which these rules are over-ridden, where a pattern consisting of groups of consecutive proheterocysts is seen which resolves into a normal discrete pattern. This process is highly suggestive of interaction between developing cells. We have tested this hypothesis in normal growth conditions by breaking filaments near to early proheterocysts, on the assumption that this will cause a build-up of inhibitory effect of the cell upon itself. It is found that these cells regress, losing their differentiated character and dividing. We therefore propose an interactive model for pattern formation in Anabaena.

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Arabidopsis thaliana EARLY RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION 7 Localizes to Lipid Droplets via Its Senescence Domain

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.658961 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Nathan M. Doner ◽

Damien Seay ◽

Marina Mehling ◽

Siqi Sun ◽

Satinder K. Gidda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

Lipid Droplets ◽

Plant Stress ◽

Plant Cells ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Cell Types ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Functional Aspects ◽

Necessary And Sufficient

Lipid droplets (LDs) are neutral-lipid-containing organelles found in all kingdoms of life and are coated with proteins that carry out a vast array of functions. Compared to mammals and yeast, relatively few LD proteins have been identified in plants, particularly those associated with LDs in vegetative (non-seed) cell types. Thus, to better understand the cellular roles of LDs in plants, a more comprehensive inventory and characterization of LD proteins is required. Here, we performed a proteomics analysis of LDs isolated from drought-stressed Arabidopsis leaves and identified EARLY RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION 7 (ERD7) as a putative LD protein. mCherry-tagged ERD7 localized to both LDs and the cytosol when ectopically expressed in plant cells, and the protein’s C-terminal senescence domain (SD) was both necessary and sufficient for LD targeting. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ERD7 belongs to a six-member family in Arabidopsis that, along with homologs in other plant species, is separated into two distinct subfamilies. Notably, the SDs of proteins from each subfamily conferred targeting to either LDs or mitochondria. Further, the SD from the ERD7 homolog in humans, spartin, localized to LDs in plant cells, similar to its localization in mammals; although, in mammalian cells, spartin also conditionally localizes to other subcellular compartments, including mitochondria. Disruption of ERD7 gene expression in Arabidopsis revealed no obvious changes in LD numbers or morphology under normal growth conditions, although this does not preclude a role for ERD7 in stress-induced LD dynamics. Consistent with this possibility, a yeast two-hybrid screen using ERD7 as bait identified numerous proteins involved in stress responses, including some that have been identified in other LD proteomes. Collectively, these observations provide new insight to ERD7 and the SD-containing family of proteins in plants and suggest that ERD7 may be involved in functional aspects of plant stress response that also include localization to the LD surface.

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Drought and cold stress responses in orostachys spinosa L.

Mongolian Journal of Agricultural Sciences ◽

10.5564/mjas.v22i03.954 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (03) ◽

pp. 77-81

Author(s):

Otgonsuvd B ◽

Ouyngerel Sh ◽

Altanzaya T

Keyword(s):

Electron Transfer ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Photochemical Efficiency ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Photochemical Efficiency Of Psii ◽

Succulent Plant ◽

Drought Conditions ◽

Long Time

Orostachys spinosa L. is a succulent plant native to predominantly East Asia. The objective of this study was to identify physiological and morphological responses of O. spinosa L. species to cold, drought stress in laboratory conditions. Exposure of plants to a drought stress for 28 days slightly decreased the photochemical efficiency of PSII and the Fv/Fm values were 10-15% lower (0.75±0.01) compared with the control plants (0.85±0.01). For cold treatments, plants were exposed to 4°C for 60 days and for recovery transferred to normal growth conditions for 14 days. Fv/Fm photochemical efficiency of PSII can be used to monitor PSII photoinhibition. This parameter describes the efficiency of the electron transfer within PSII.The results of this study demonstrated that O. spinosa L. plants were better adapted to cold and drought conditions as they showed less visible symptoms and highest Fv/Fm levels at the long time chilling and drought stress.

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Arabidopsis Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes UBC7, UBC13, and UBC14 Are Required in Plant Responses to Multiple Stress Conditions

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9060723 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 723

Author(s):

Hui Feng ◽

Sheng Wang ◽

Dengfeng Dong ◽

Ruiyang Zhou ◽

Hong Wang

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Plant Stress ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Stress Sensitivity ◽

Stress Conditions ◽

Plant Responses ◽

Multiple Stress ◽

Protein Ubiquitination ◽

E2 Enzymes ◽

Erad Pathway

Protein ubiquitination plays important roles in plants, including stress responses. The ubiquitin (Ub) E2 enzymes are required in the transfer of Ub to a substrate and are also important in determining the Ub-chain linkage specificity. However, for many of the 37 E2 genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, there is currently little or no understanding of their functions. In this study, we investigated three members of an E2 subfamily. The single, double, and triple mutants of UBC7, UBC13, and UBC14 did not show any phenotypic changes under normal conditions, but were more sensitive than the wild-type (WT) plants to multiple stress conditions, suggesting that the three genes are not critical for normal growth, but required in plant stress responses. The severity of the phenotypes increased from single to triple mutants, suggesting that the functions of the three genes are not completely redundant. The three E2s are closely related to the yeast Ubc7 and its homologs in animals and human, which are an important component of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. The stress sensitivity phenotypes of the mutants and shared evolutionary root with the Ubc7 homologs in yeast and metazoans suggest that UBC7, UBC13, and UBC14 may function in the plant ERAD pathway.

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Overexpression of maize ZmDBP3 enhances tolerance to drought and cold stress in transgenic Arabidopsis plants

Biologia ◽

10.2478/s11756-009-0198-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Chang-Tao Wang ◽

Yin-Mao Dong

Keyword(s):

Cold Stress ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Nuclear Localization Signal ◽

Transgenic Arabidopsis ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Maize Seedlings ◽

Transgenic Arabidopsis Plants ◽

Localization Signal ◽

Responsive Element

AbstractC-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factors (CBF/DREBs), belonging to the AP2/ERF superfamily, play a vital regulatory role in abiotic stress responses in plants. The ZmDBP3 gene, a member of the A-1 subgroup of the CBF/DREB subfamily, was isolated from maize seedlings. The predicted ZmDBP3 protein contained a putative nuclear localization signal and an activation region. As a trans-acting factor, the ZmDBP3 protein accumulated in the nucleus in a subcellular localization assay, and activated CRT/DRE-containing genes under normal growth conditions in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. ZmDBP3 transcription was highly activated by cold and moderately by salt. Overexpression of ZmDBP3 improved drought and cold stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. These results suggested that ZmDBP3 produces a CRT/DRE-binding transcription factor and may have an important role in improving drought and cold tolerance in plants.

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Potential of Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench) and the Effect of Enhancements in Remediation of Petroleum-Vitiated Soils of an Automobile Repair Workshop in Urbanite Kampala

10.20944/preprints201901.0182.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Timothy Omara ◽

Raymond Kalukusu ◽

Eddie Adupa ◽

Tom Owori ◽

David Mawanda Kizza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sewage Sludge ◽

Contaminated Soils ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Cow Dung ◽

Npk Fertilizer ◽

Sorghum Bicolor L ◽

Petroleum Oil

The potential of Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench) (Epuripur 1995) to phytoremediate petroleum oil-adulterated soils from an automobile repair workshop and the effect of enhancement factors: NPK fertilizer, cow dung and sewage sludge in in situ phytoremediation of the soil by the plant were assessed in this study. 50kg of petroleum oil-contaminated soil was collected from the workshop and divided into five equal portions. Four portions were potted with four sorghum plants with three subjected to equal amounts of enhancements (5%w/w) under normal growth conditions for 72 days. Representative soil samples were collected from spots at depths of 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm from the potted soils and subjected to Soxhlet oil extraction after 72 days. Experimental results revealed that S. bicolor survived in the petroleum oil-contaminated soils. Amendment of the petroleum oil-vitiated soils with cow dung, sewage sludge and NPK fertilizer augmented the remediation capacity of Epuripur 1995 by 12.5%, 6.3% and 9.1%. Addition of cow dung to crude oil contaminated soils could make such soils fully reestablished for agricultural activities. Further research aimed at determination of the phytoremediation potential of cereals such as corn, barley, rye, millet should be done.

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GroES/GroEL and DnaK/DnaJ Have Distinct Roles in Stress Responses and during Cell Cycle Progression in Caulobacter crescentus

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.00824-06 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 188 (23) ◽

pp. 8044-8053 ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

Michelle F. Susin ◽

Regina L. Baldini ◽

Frederico Gueiros-Filho ◽

Suely L. Gomes

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Heat Shock ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Cell Cycle Progression ◽

Caulobacter Crescentus ◽

Normal Growth ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Cycle Progression ◽

Lower Survival Rate ◽

Morphological Defects

ABSTRACT Misfolding and aggregation of protein molecules are major threats to all living organisms. Therefore, cells have evolved quality control systems for proteins consisting of molecular chaperones and proteases, which prevent protein aggregation by either refolding or degrading misfolded proteins. DnaK/DnaJ and GroES/GroEL are the best-characterized molecular chaperone systems in bacteria. In Caulobacter crescentus these chaperone machines are the products of essential genes, which are both induced by heat shock and cell cycle regulated. In this work, we characterized the viabilities of conditional dnaKJ and groESL mutants under different types of environmental stress, as well as under normal physiological conditions. We observed that C. crescentus cells with GroES/EL depleted are quite resistant to heat shock, ethanol, and freezing but are sensitive to oxidative, saline, and osmotic stresses. In contrast, cells with DnaK/J depleted are not affected by the presence of high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, NaCl, and sucrose but have a lower survival rate after heat shock, exposure to ethanol, and freezing and are unable to acquire thermotolerance. Cells lacking these chaperones also have morphological defects under normal growth conditions. The absence of GroE proteins results in long, pinched filamentous cells with several Z-rings, whereas cells lacking DnaK/J are only somewhat more elongated than normal predivisional cells, and most of them do not have Z-rings. These findings indicate that there is cell division arrest, which occurs at different stages depending on the chaperone machine affected. Thus, the two chaperone systems have distinct roles in stress responses and during cell cycle progression in C. crescentus.

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