scholarly journals Gene Sequencing and Phylogenetic Analysis: Powerful Tools for an Improved Diagnosis of Fish Mycobacteriosis Caused by Mycobacterium fortuitum Group Members

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 797
Author(s):  
Davide Mugetti ◽  
Mattia Tomasoni ◽  
Paolo Pastorino ◽  
Giuseppe Esposito ◽  
Vasco Menconi ◽  
...  

The Mycobacterium fortuitum group (MFG) consists of about 15 species of fast-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). These globally distributed microorganisms can cause diseases in humans and animals, especially fish. The increase in the number of species belonging to MFG and the diagnostic techniques panel do not allow to clarify their real clinical significance. In this study, biomolecular techniques were adopted for species determination of 130 isolates derived from fish initially identified through biochemical tests as NTM belonging to MFG. Specifically, gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were used based on a fragment of the gene encoding the 65 KDa heat shock protein (hsp65). The analyzes made it possible to confirm that all the isolates belong to MFG, allowing to identify the strains at species level. Phylogenetic analysis substantially confirmed what was obtained by gene sequencing, except for six strains; this is probably due to the sequences present in NCBI database. Although the methodology used cannot represent a univocal identification system, this study has allowed us to evaluate its effectiveness as regards the species of MFG. Future studies will be necessary to apply these methods with other gene fragments and to clarify the real pathogenic significance of the individual species of this group of microorganisms.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 2345
Author(s):  
Ivo Pavlik ◽  
Vit Ulmann ◽  
Ross Tim Weston

Mycobacterium fortuitum group (MFG) members are able to cause clinical mycobacteriosis in fish and other animals including humans. M. alvei, M. arceuilense, M. brisbanense, M. conceptionense, M. fortuitum, M. peregrinum, M. porcinum, M. senegalense, M. septicum, and M. setense were isolated from fish with mycobacteriosis. In other animals only three MFG species have been isolated: M. arceuilense from camels’ milk, M. farcinogenes from cutaneous infections often described as “farcy”, and M. fortuitum from different domestic and wild mammals’ species. Out of 17, only 3 MFG species (M. arceuilense, M. lutetiense and M. montmartrense) have never been reported in humans. A total of eight MFG members (M. alvei, M. brisbanense, M. conceptionense, M. fortuitum subsp. acetamidolyticum, M. houstonense, M. peregrinum, M. porcinum, and M. septicum) have been isolated from both pulmonary and extrathoracic locations. In extrathoracic tissues five MFG species (M. boenickei, M. farcinogenes, M. neworleansense, M. senegalense, and M. setense) have been diagnosed and only one MFG member (M. fortuitum subsp. acetamidolyticum) has been isolated from pulmonary infection.


Author(s):  
Fatima N. Aziz ◽  
Laith Abdul Hassan Mohammed-Jawad

Food poisoning due to the bacteria is a big global problem in economically and human's health. This problem refers to an illness which is due to infection or the toxin exists in nature and the food that use. Milk is considered a nutritious food because it contains proteins and vitamins. The aim of this study is to detect and phylogeny characterization of staphylococcal enterotoxin B gene (Seb). A total of 200 milk and cheese samples were screened. One hundred ten isolates of Staphylococcus aureus pre-confirmed using selective and differential media with biochemical tests. Genomic DNA was extracted from the isolates and the SEB gene detects using conventional PCR with specific primers. Three staphylococcus aureus isolates were found to be positive for Seb gene using PCR and confirmed by sequencing. Sequence homology showed variety range of identity starting from (100% to 38%). Phylogenetic tree analyses show that samples (6 and 5) are correlated with S. epidermidis. This study discovered that isolates (A6-RLQ and A5-RLQ) are significantly clustered in a group with non- human pathogen Staphylococcus agnetis.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-207
Author(s):  
SHIVANI KASHYAP ◽  
CHANDAN KUMAR SAHU ◽  
ROHIT KUMAR VERMA ◽  
LAL BABU CHAUDHARY

Due to large size and enormous morphological plasticity, the taxonomy of the genus Astragalus is very complex and challenging. The identification and grouping of species chiefly based on macromorphological characters become sometimes difficult in the genus. In the present study, the micromorphology of the seeds of 30 species belonging to 14 sections of Astragalus from India has been examined applying scanning electron microscopy (SEM) along with light microscopy (LM) to evaluate their role in identification and classification. Attention was paid to colour, shape, size and surface of seeds. The overall size of the seeds ranges from 1.5–3.2 × 0.8–2.2 mm. The shape of the seeds is cordiform, deltoid, mitiform, orbicular, ovoid and reniform. The colour of seeds varies from brown to blackish-brown to black. Papillose, reticulate, ribbed, rugulate and stellate patterns were observed on the seed coat surface (spermoderm) among different species. The study reveals that the seed coat ornamentations have evolved differently among species and do not support the subgeneric and sectional divisions of the genus. However, they add an additional feature to the individual species, which may help in identification in combination with other macro-morphological features.


Author(s):  
Julie M. Fives ◽  
F. I. O'Brien

The Galway Bay area was sampled quantitatively for plankton during 1972–3. The larvae and/or post-larvae of 67 species of fish were identified from the plankton. The recorded occurrence per m3 and the percentage occurrence of the individual species is presented and discussed, and reference is made to the concurrent occurrence of various chaetognath species and copepod species. The results of previous investigations of the plankton of the Galway Bay area are mentioned.


Genetics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 743-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
L D Fletcher ◽  
J M McDowell ◽  
R R Tidwell ◽  
R B Meagher ◽  
C C Dykstra

Abstract Actin is a major component of the cytoskeleton and one of the most abundant proteins found in eukaryotic cells. Comparative sequence analysis shows that this essential gene has been highly conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution making it useful for phylogenetic analysis. Complete cDNA clones for the actin-encoding gene were isolated and characterized from Pneumocystis carinii purified from immunosuppressed rat lungs. The nucleotide sequence encodes a protein of 376 amino acids. The predicted actin protein of P. carinii shares a high degree of conservation to other known actins. Only one major actin gene was found in P. carinii. The P. carinii actin sequence was compared with 30 other actin sequences. Gene phylogenies constructed using both neighbor-joining and protein parsimony methods places the P. carinii actin sequence closest to the majority of the fungi. Since the phylogenetic relationship of P. carinii to fungi and protists has been questioned, these data on the actin gene phylogeny support the grouping of P. carinii with the fungi.


Author(s):  
Lorena Lanthemann ◽  
Sofia van Moorsel

Duckweeds (Lemnaceae) are increasingly studied for their potential for phytoremediation of heavy-metal polluted water bodies. A prerequisite for metal removal, however, is the tolerance of the organism to the pollutant, e.g., the metal zinc (Zn). Duckweeds have been shown to differ in their tolerances to Zn, however, despite them most commonly co-occurring with other species, there is a lack of research concerning the effect of species interactions on Zn tolerance. Here we tested whether the presence of a second species influenced the growth rate of the three duckweed species Lemna minor, Lemna gibba, and Lemna turionifera. We used four different Zn concentrations in a replicated microcosm experiment under sterile conditions, either growing the species in isolation or in a 2-species mixture. The response to Zn differed between species, but all three species showed a high tolerance to Zn, with low levels of Zn even increasing the growth rates. The growth rates of the individual species were influenced by the identity of the competing species, but this was independent of the Zn concentration. Our results suggest that species interactions should be considered in future research with duckweeds and that several duckweed species have high tolerance to metal pollution, making them candidates for phytoremediation efforts.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. P. Heyojoo ◽  
S. Nandy

This study aims to estimate above-ground phytomass and carbon of TROF ecosystem in part of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh state of India using IRS P6 LISS-IV satellite image by geo-spatial approach coupled with field sampling. Chacko’s formula was referred to compute number of samples in each TROF types and the sample plot size in each stratum was adopted from Vegetation Carbon Project (VCP) under National Carbon Project (NCP). With the help of field data consisting mainly the height and girth information, volume of each individual tree per plot was obtained using site and tree species-specific standard volumetric equations. The phytomass was calculated by multiplying volume with Biomass Expansion Factor (BEF) then with regional specific gravity of the individual species and summed up in each plot to get total phytomass per plot. The total phytomass per plot was reported to be maximum 544.00 t/ha for linear TROF followed by 121.89 t/ha for block TROF. The carbon from phytomass was obtained by multiplying the total phytomass by a conversion factor that represents the average carbon content in phytomass. Spectral modeling for phytomass with different bands and indices were established and the best fit curve (R2 = 0.552) with red band was applied to generate phytomass and carbon distribution map of the study area.Banko Janakari, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 34-40


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander A. Zhgun

A filamentous fungus (also called molds or moldy fungus) is a taxonomically diverse organism from phylum Zygomycota and Ascomycota with filamentous hyphae and has the ability to produce airborne spores or conidia. Currently, more than 70,000 molds are known, and some of them contain unique and unusual biochemical pathways. A number of products from such pathways, especially, the secondary metabolite (SM) pathways are used as important pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, statins, and immunodepresants. Under different conditions, the individual species can produce more than 100 SM. The strain improvement programs lead to high yielding in target SM and significant reduction of spin-off products. The main tool for the strain improvement of filamentous fungi is random mutagenesis and screening. The majority of industrial overproducing SM strains were developed with the help of such technique over the past 50–70 years; the yield of the target SM increased by 100- to 1000-fold or more. Moreover, most of the strains have reached their technological limit of improvement. A new round of mutagenesis has not increased overproduction. Recently, it was shown that that the addition of exogenous polyamines may increase the production of such improved strains of filamentous fungi. The possible molecular mechanism of this phenomenon and its biotechnological applications are discussed.


Author(s):  
B.J. Wills ◽  
G.B. Douglas ◽  
J. Mckenzie ◽  
K.D. Trainor ◽  
A.G. Foote

Intermediate and pubescent wheatgrasses (Thinopyrum intermedium) are potentially useful as dryland forage grasses in New Zealand. The recent literature on their international and local use in pasture and cropping situations is reviewed. Under semi-arid conditions at Bendigo Station over a 13-year period, cv. Luna wheatgrass has spread several metres from the original drill lines and it provides very high ground cover. In terms of dryland soil resource conservation this contrasts with adjacent cocksfoot and, to a lesser extent, lucerne plots which have wide-spaced plants interspersed with litter and much bare ground. In a mixed drilling containing wheatgrass, hairy dorycnium, birdsfoot trefoil and sheep's burnet, the first two species now dominate. At Takapau, central Hawke's Bay, annual yields from intermediate and pubescent wheatgrasses produced over 80% of the yield of 10 New Zealand cultivars in spring, summer and autumn, and 65% in the winter. Of the wheatgrasses, cv. Topar intermediate wheatgrass and a pubescent wheatgrass (unnamed line) were the lowest yielding, whereas cv. Oahe and cv. Mandan produced the highest yields. Cv. Greenleaf pubescent wheatgrass had higher foliar nitrogen content than all other species, but in vitro organic matter digestibility was less than 700 g OM/kg DM. Although the wheatgrasses had satisfactory herbage yield and nutritional value, better alternative species are available for pastoral farming in central Hawke's Bay. On Belfield in the Hakataramea Valley, cv. Rush has been the most vigorous wheatgrass for establishment and it seems to handle cold winds and frost well. Hay made from a wheatgrass/ lucerne mix is considered better than that from the individual species as this can increase production by 40-50%, depending on soil and climatic conditions. Usually only one cut per year is taken from the mixed pasture. Crop maintenance includes the application of 200 kg/ha of sulphur super extra every 3-4 years and the pH is maintained at about 5.9-6.4 by liming. A significant advantage is that no stock health, pest or plant disease problems have been noted as yet with any of the wheatgrass varieties available in New Zealand. Keywords: dryland agriculture, New Zealand, Thinopyrum, wheatgrass


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