Welcome to the -omics era of the 21st century: will Proteus anguinus finally reveal all its mysteries?

There are few milestones in speleobiology, and Proteus anguinus, commonly named the olm, proteus or “human fish”, is undoubtedly part of its (hi)story. The animal was first mentioned in 1689 by Johann Weikhard von Valvasor (Janez Vajkard Valvasor) in his The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola (Slava Vojvodine Kranjske). The scientific name Proteus anguinus was given by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in 1768. The animal gained the interest of the scientific community later in the 19th century, culminating in 1859 in Charles Darwin's famous monograph On the Origin of Species as an example of evolutionary reduction of body structures through disuse. The study of this remarkable animal intensified in the 20th century. Its longevity, its general peculiarity and the mystery governing the underground world of the Dinaric karst triggered more systematic research. Much interesting data was obtained from study of proteus in captivity in various laboratories worldwide, including Slovenia, France, England, Belgium, Hungary, Germany and Italy. In the 21st century, the year 2019 represents another important milestone in the research of proteus. The draft genome of Proteus anguinus was first publicly presented on 25 November 2019 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event coincided with 330 years since proteus was introduced to the scientific community by Valvasor, 160 years since its popularization by Darwin, and the 100th anniversary of Ljubljana University. This is undoubtedly an achievement with many superlatives, starting from excellent collaboration among different international laboratories and the very short period – one year – used to finish the sequencing of the huge proteus genome, which is 15-times larger in size than the human genome. On this occasion, we spoke with the two most important players in the story, prof. Nina Gunde-Cimerman and prof. Rok Kostanjšek, from the University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty. Prof. Nina Gunde-Cimerman directs research of extremophiles adapted to extreme conditions, in particular fungi, at the Biotechnical Faculty. Prof. Rok Kostanjšek leads a research team that continues the investigation of proteus begun by his predecessors, prof. Lili Istenič and prof. Boris Bulog.

A Biogenerated Polymetallic Catalyst from Society's Wastes

Aims: Preparation of the new metals-polymeric composite, Metx-EPS (I), to be used as a green catalyst in water or in two-phase aqueous conditions. Study Design: Recovery and valorization of polymetallic wastes to obtain directly new catalysts using a microorganism to explore their application in removal of difficult and dangerous chemical pollutants present in aqueous environment. Place and Duration of Study: Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Venezia Mestre, Italy; University of Nova Gorica, Nova Gorica, Slovenia, Institut Jozef Stefan, Ljubljana, Slovenia and Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, between February 2018 and January 2019. Methodology: For the preparation of Metx-EPS (I), the metals source was an exhausted catalytic converter that was grinded and treated with an acidic solution at 20-25°C. After filtration, the solution was concentrated, neutralized and added to a broth of Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 to produce (I) where metals are embedded in a peculiar polysaccharide structure. The composite was easily recovered from the fermentation broth and purified. The process protocol was verified many times and was shown to be reproducible satisfactorily. The % recovery of metals, originally present in the converter, was good as determined by atomic absorption. The morphology and the chemical state of main metals in (I) were investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy methods (XANES and EXAFS). No metallic alloy seems to be evident. Results: As first application of (I) as catalyst, the hydrodechlorination treatment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was studied in water/methanol. A significant removal of higher chlorinated congeners was observed working at 1MPA of hydrogen and 60°C. This result improves significantly and surprisingly the methodology, previously studied by us using mono- or bi-metals embedded in the same polysaccharide moiety, indicating that positive synergies among the different metals were operating. Conclusion: The preparation of this new polymetallic species embedded in a polysaccharide moiety starting from spent catalytic converters represents an alternative valorisation of metallic wastes. Moreover, a synergic effect was exerted by the different metals when the catalyst Metx-EPS (I) was used in the hydrodechlorination treatment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water/methanol. Finally, a promising preliminary proof of concept for the removal of polychlorinated aromatic pollutants even in contaminated aqueous sites was carried out.

Vpliv globine obdelave tal z vrtavkasto brano na porabo energije in pripravo setvenega sloja pred setvijo koruze

In 2012 on the Laboratory Field of Biotechnical Faculty the field trial was carried out, trying to establish the influence of the soil cultivation on the fuel consumption, on the physical-mechanical soil properties of the seed bed and at the end on the field emergence of maize. A rotary harrow was used for soil preparation just before maize planting and it was adjusted to the soil cultivation depths of 5 cm, 10 cm and 15 cm. The trial was designed as random blocks. A tractor with stepless transmission and nominal power of 73 kW and a rotary harrow with working width of 2.5 m were used. The speed of soil cultivation was 5.0 km h^-1 on the tractometer and the engine rotational frequency was 1900 rpm. The fuel consumption per hour, the fuel consumption per hectare and the energy consumption per hectare increased by increasing the adjusted soil depth cultivation from 5 cm to 15 cm using the rotary harrow. At the adjusted soil cultivation depth of 10 and 15 cm cm, the vertical soil resistance at depths between 8 and 13 cm was lower than at the adjusted soil depths of 5 cm. No significant differences were found regarding the soil physical properties in the seed bed and the field emergence of maize among three adjusted soil cultivation depths. The soil cultivation depth of 10 cm proved to be the most appropriate in view of the fuel consumption, energy consumption as well as the physical-mechanical soil properties of the seed bed and plant emergence.

100 let uglednega škotskega inštituta The Rowett Research Institute: vpliv na razvoj mikrobiologije v prehrani domačih živali in ljudi v Sloveniji

One century is passing by from the foundation of one of the most respected research institutes in the field of animal and human nutrition, the Scottish Institute The Rowett Research Institute (RRI). In addition to the exceptional influence on the development of the science of nutrition itself, RRI researchers have been significantly involved in the development of science of nutrition and, particularly, of microbiology related to animal and human nutrition in Slovenia. Since the early 1980s, several Slovenian microbiologists have visited RRI, conducted research and developed personal contacts, some retained for more than 40 years. The cooperation was extremely fruitful, which is reflected through joint scientific publications and their visibility, the implementation of formal and informal research projects, and the collaboration in organization of international scientific symposiums. Slovenian researchers, who visited the RRI, built their own careers on the basis of the acquired knowledge and significantly contributed to the development of microbiology in Slovenia. They importantly participated in the establishment of a university study of Microbiology, which will shortly celebrate its 25th anniversary, and is due to its achievements the pride of Biotechnical Faculty and of University of Ljubljana.

Vrednotenje pridelka koruze za sonarave oblike kmetovanja

Modern hybrid maize varieties dominated for several decades both in Slovenia and elsewhere in the world. The production is maintained only of few landrace populations, but some are maintained at Slovenian Gene Bank. Improvement of local varieties is possible by recurrent selection and may in the case of their specific characteristics deserve their cultivation for specific purposes. Presented experiments have been conducted to characterize selected old Slovenian accessions in two regions - in central Slovenia and in Bela Krajina. Yields of corn at both locations and both years were significantly depending on the genotype. 'Rdeča Bohinjka' and partially 'Rumena Bohinjka' and, similarly, the 'LJ 180' had a predominantly low yields but were also the earliest, while modern hybrid variety 'P 9074' and 'Ronaldinio KWS ' had the expected highest yield. Yield of 'P 9074' grown at the Laboratory field of the Biotechnical Faculty was almost twice higher than the second best accession 'Metliška Plut'. However it is this semi-flint accessions 'Metliška Plut' that proved very suitable at all four experiments and is recommended for further maintenance and varietal testing as it can serve as appropriate alternative in a less intensive production.

Reliability of morphological and molecular characterization of lightsprouts for differentiation of potato accessions

The study of reliability of morphological characterization of lightsprouts for differentiation of potato varieties was performed at the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia in cooperation with Biotechnical Faculty Podgorica in order to introduce simple method for further characterization of potato accessions in Montenegrin gene bank. Seven selected, potentially different, potato accessions preserved in the Montenegrin gene bank were used for morphological characterization of lightsprouts. Using UPOV guidelines 11 lightsprout traits were estimated. Molecular assessment was carried out in parallel with morphological characterization by six microsatellite (SSR) markers. The latter successfully distinguished all accessions but two, while four different lightsprout phenotypes were identified in morphological characterization. Though molecular markers showed more strength in resolving relationships between genotypes, characterization of lightsprouts still demonstrated its usefulness due to cheap, simple and rapid procedure.