The production of hydrogen sulphide in peats

The levels of sulphide ions in several peatlands have been shown to vary from low on the surface to values deeper in the peat in excess of 7.0 mg S/100 g fresh weight of peat. Highest levels of sulphide were recorded in early summer falling to close to zero in August and November. Rates of hydrogen sulphide production in peats are greatest between 10 and 15 cm from the surface and are associated with water table position. Reduced rates towards the surface are related to aeration and those below 15 cm attributed to higher sulphide levels causing autoinhibition or to the absence of suitable carbon sources.     

The micromorphology of selected Irish milled peats

The movement of water in milled peat is of importance to the peat industry particularly in terms of rewetting. Considering the importance of structure with regard to water flow, micromorphology was used to obtain information regarding the nature of milled peat as a porous medium in a manner not available by other means. Peat was sampled from the undisturbed surface of two bogs (raised and fen origin) and from milled peat stockpiles. Thin sections were prepared to describe the nature of the two peat materials (milled and unmilled) in terms of the particle / pore properties and composition. Image analysis and point counting techniques were used to quantify results wherever possible. Although overall macro-porosity was similar for the two stockpiles, particle and pore size distributions varied considerably. Variations arose from the nature of the peat type and its interaction with milling operations with results suggesting that smaller pore sizes relate to a greater propensity to rewet. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Denitrifying potential of methanogenic sludge

Summary A methanogenic sludge showed denitrifying activity for acetate, glucose and effluents from methanogenic treatments as substrates; denitrifiers were present in a relatively high number. When glucose was used as substrate dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonium occurred. Methane production from acetate was inhibited by denitrification and resumed after nitrite and nitrous oxide depletion.     

Isolation of Denitrifying Photosynthetic Bacteria

An alkaline proteinase produced by Bacillus sp. was purified and crystallyzed through isopropanol or ammonium sulfate precipitation, decolorization with DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration with Sephadex G-100. The optimum pH for caseinhydrolysis was 11.5 and the activity was completely inactivated after incubation with DFP. The specific activity on Hammersten casein was about 4,500 units/mg enzyme protein. The enzyme also hydrolyzed synthetic ester substrate such as Ac-Tyr-OEt, Ac-Phe-OEt or Bz-Met-OMe. The isoelectric point was pH 10.7, and the molecular weight was estimated to be about 17,500 by the sedimentation equilibrium method and 16,000 by gel filtration method. Some physicochemical properties and the amino acid composition of the enzyme were investigated, indicating that the enzyme is distinguishable from alkaline proteinase of Bacillus species so far reported.     

Denitrifying degradation of dimethyl phthalate

Results of batch experiments on the denitrifying degradation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) was most favorable at pH 7–9 and 30–35°C. DMP was first degraded to monomethyl phthalate (MMP), which was in turn degraded to phthalate before complete mineralization. There was no fatty acid residue in the mixed liquor throughout the experiments. The maximum specific degradation rates were 0.32 mM/(gVSS·h) for DMP, 0.19 mM/(gVSS·h) for MMP, and 0.14 mM/(gVSS·h) for phthalate. About 86% of available electron in DMP was utilized for denitrification; the remaining 14% was presumable conserved in the new biomass with an estimated yield of 0.17 mg/mg DMP. Based on 16S rDNA analysis, the denitrifying sludge was mainly composed of β-subdivision and α-subdivision of Proteobacteria (33 and 5 clones out of a total of 43 clones, respectively), plus some Acidobacteria. Using a primer set specifically designed to amplify the denitrification nirK gene, 10 operational taxonomy units (OTUs) were recovered from the clone library. They clustered into a group in the α-subdivision of Proteobacteria most closely related to denitrifier Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 and several environmental clones.     

Gastric acid reduction leads to an alteration in lower intestinal microflora

To clarify the alterations in lower intestinal microflora induced by gastric acid reduction, the dynamics of 12 major genera or groups of bacteria comprising the microflora in feces and colonic contents were examined by quantitative real-time PCR in proton pump inhibitor-treated rats and in asymptomatic human subjects with hypochlorhydria. In both rat and human experiments, most genera or groups of intestinal microflora (facultative and obligate anaerobes) proliferated by gastric acid reduction, and marked and significant increases in the Lactobacilli group and Veillonella, oropharyngeal bacteria, were observed. In rats, potent gastric acid inhibition led to a marked and significant increase of intestinal bacteria, including the Bacteroidesfragilis group, while Bifidobacterium, a beneficial bacterial species, remained at a constant level. These results strongly indicate that the gastric acid barrier not only controls the colonization and growth of oropharyngeal bacteria, but also regulates the population and composition of lower intestinal microflora.     

Bromate Reduction by Denitrifying Bacteria

In the presence of bromide, ozonation as applied in water treatment results in the formation of bromate, an ion with carcinogenic properties. The reduction of bromate by mixed bacterial populations as well as pure cultures was studied under laboratory conditions. Bromate was reduced to bromide by a mixed bacterial population with and without a preceding nitrate reduction step in an anaerobically incubated medium with ethanol as the energy and carbon source at 20 and 25 deg C. The predominating bacteria isolated from the batches showing bromate reduction were identified as Pseudomonas spp. Strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens reduced BrO(inf3)(sup-) to Br(sup-) but at a much lower rate than the mixed bacterial population did. Nitrate is a preferred electron acceptor for the bromate-reducing bacteria. Bromate reduction did not occur in the presence of NO(inf3)(sup-), and the rate of bromate reduction was at least 100 times lower than the rate of nitrate reduction. Bromate was completely converted to Br(sup-), indicating that intermediates, e.g., BrO(inf2)(sup-), did not accumulate during bromate reduction.     

Unaltered metabolism of taurolithocholic acid with changes in composition of rat intestinal microflora

Changes in composition of both total aerobes and anaerobes of rat intestinal microflora do not appear to affect the metabolism of taurolithocholic acid.     

Influence of intestinal microflora on the amino acid composition of lamb feces]

6 conventional and 5 germfree male lambs were fed ad libitum a UHT sterilized cow milk. Body weight and food intake were recorded. Whole feces were collected for 5 consecutive days. Growth rate reached 259 g/d for the germfree. Daily fecal excretion of dry matter and nitrogenous compounds are not found different in the two groups of animals. The influence of intestinal microflora appears on the biochemical composition of the feces. As compared to the conventional fecal proteins from germfree lambs are very high in threonine and serine and low in lysine. Moreover the difference of amino acid composition between these two groups come not only from the histidine alanine and arginine composition of bacteries; it also involves the high levels of threonine serine cystine and tyrosine of the endogenous digestive proteins.     

Species-specific FISH analysis of cecal microflora in rats administered with lactic acid bacteria

Summary We investigated the effects of lactic acid bacterial (LAB) cells in rats using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) targeting 16S rRNA to identify the cecal microbial community. We designed a novel species-specific 16S rDNA probe to detect Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lrham454). Subtractive technique using the LAC722 probe (Sakai et al. 2004 Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering 98, 48) under different hybridization stringency (LAC722(L-H)) was applied to identify Lactococcus lactis. We also applied Lplan447 and LAC722(L) to detect Lactobacillus plantarum and a wide range of LAB (total LAB), respectively. We optimized the hybridization and washing conditions and then quantified L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, and L. lactis cells in rat cecal contents. We monitored increases in individual bacterial populations and in total LAB caused by the administration of the corresponding LAB cells. Growth, food efficiency and internal disorders did not significantly differ among the rats administered with LABs. Rats administered with polydextrose (POL) developed diarrhea, which decreased the total numbers of cecal bacteria, whereas the simultaneous administration of POL and L. rhamnosus KY-3 eased this symptom, and recovered the numbers of total LAB and of L. rhamnosus.     

Inhibitory effect of selected lactic acid bacteria on microflora associated with ready-to-use vegetables

The addition of selected lactic acid bacteria strains had a remarkable inhibitory effect on the growth dynamics of microflora associated with ready-to-use vegetables, during refrigerated storage. In particular, coliforms and enterococci were strongly reduced or eliminated from the products from the third day of storage. Lactobacillus casei strains proved more effective than pediococci. The use of lactic cultures able to produce bacteriocins and to grow at low temperatures could be a useful tool to preserve fresh vegetables and to ensure their microbiological safety.     

Denitrifying ability of thirteen Rhizobium meliloti strains

The denitrifying ability of thirteen strains of Rhizobium meliloti was tested. Most of the strains were able to reduce nitrate to nitrous oxide or dinitrogen. However, they failed to use nitrate as electron acceptor for ATP generation or growth at low oxygen tensions. Under micro-aerobic conditions, free-living cells of R. meliloti 102-F-51 strain exhibited a constitutive nitrate reductase activity independent of the presence of nitrate. On the other hand, nitrite reductase activity was dependent not only on low levels of oxygen but also on the presence of a high nitrate concentration in the medium. Denitrification activity proceeded immediately once a threshold level of nitrite was accumulated in the medium or in cells incubated with 1mM nitrite. However, a lag period was required when cells were incubated with nitrate.     

Characterization of the microflora of high acid submerged vinegar fermenters by distinct plasmid profiles

Summary Since isolation of the Acetobacter strains responsible for ethanol oxidation in high acid, submerged vinegar fermentations is still extremely difficult, characterization of the vinegar microflora was approached by isolation and gel electrophoresis of plasmids extractable from the harvested microorganisms. Distinct plasmid profiles have been detected in all of 19 investigated fermenters from 5 different locations. Plasmid sizes varied between 1.3 and 133 Megadalton. Between 3 and 11 different plasmids were recognized in particular profiles. Comparison of these profiles from different sources proves that the plasmid profile of a vinegar fermenter is a unique property of the inherent microflora which allows definite conclusions regarding its stability, origin, identity and composition.     

Phytometric estimation of fertility of waterlogged rich-fen peats usingEpilobium hirsutum L.

Summary The above-ground net production of herbaceous vegetation in 16 stands of waterlogged rich fen in Broadland, Norfolk UK, has been compared with the growth ofEpilobium hirsutum seedlings (in controlled environment) on replicate peat samples from each site and with the chemical composition of extracts from sub-samples of each peat (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, inorganic P, inorganic N). There were no consistent or significant relationships between measured concentrations of major nutrients (K, N, P) in peat samples and netin situ production of the vegetation or with growth ofE. hirsutum seedlings on each peat. There was a strong, significant (p<0.001) relationship between above ground productionin situ and growth ofE. hirsutum seedlings. Seedling growth thus provided a simple, sensitive phytometric measure of fertility of the waterlogged peats (pH range 6.0–7.0). One possible limitation is the apparent sensitivity ofE. hirsutum seedlings to high manganese concentrations.     

Intestinal microflora and bile acids. Effect of bile acids on the distribution of microflora and bile acid in the digestive tract of the rat

The population levels of intestinal microflora and bile acid composition in the digestive tract were examined in rats fed bile acids to determine the relationships between gastrointestinal microflora and the host. The population level of Bacteroides was increased in the ceca of rats fed cholic acid or deoxycholic acid. In the ileum, the concentration of conjugated bile acid in rats fed cholesterol, cholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid or lithocholic acid was higher than that in control rats, and was very low in ceca and feces of all the rats. The concentration of total free bile acid was much higher in the ceca than in the ilea of rats fed hyodeoxycholic acid or lithocholic acid. Cholic acid and deoxycholic acid were found in the ilea, ceca and feces of the cholic acid-fed rats. In the deoxycholic acid-fed rats, cholic acid was localized in the ileum. 7-Ketodeoxycholic acid was also found in the ceca of the cholic acid-fed rats. 12-Ketolithocholic acid was found in the feces of rats fed cholic acid or deoxycholic acid. 3-Ketocholanic acid was found in some samples from the lithocholic acid-fed rats. Therefore, some kinds of bile acids influence the population levels of gastrointestinal microflora and bile acid composition in the intestine.     

Vertical structure of bacterial communities in peats of the Yakhroma river floodplain

The abundance and taxonomic structure of soil bacterial communities have been studied in different geomorphological parts of the Yakhroma floodplain. It has been found that the numbers of bacteria reach a peak in calcareous peat soil under forest near the floodplain terrace, decreasing to a minimum in soddy alluvial soil near the riverbed. All soils are characterized by the presence of different ecological-trophic bacterial groups capable of peat destruction. Seasonal dynamics of the structure of bacterial communities and, in some soil types, its spatial dynamics accounted for by changes in the botanical structure of peat across its profile have been revealed. All peat soils in the floodplain have high contents of organic matter and neutral pH and, therefore, are favorable biotopes for the development of saprotrophic bacteria. This, in turn, largely accounts for high productivity and stability of this agroecosystem as a whole.