Competition for nitrate between denitrifying Pseudomonas stutzeri and nitrate ammonifying enterobacteria

Abstract Competition for nitrate between nitrate ammonifying enterobacteria and a denitrifying pseudomonad was studied in electron acceptor-limited chenostats. In pure cultures, using different carbon and energy sources, the C/N-ratio needed for denitrification is far lower than that required for nitrate ammonification. In mixed cultures of Citrobacter freundii and Pseudomonas stutzeri , competing for nitrate with l -lactate as electron donor, the nitrate ammonifying organism dominated at dilution rates of D ≤ 0.14 h⁻¹. Competition for both nitrate and l -lactate at a dilution rate of D = 0.05 h⁻¹ always resulted in the coexistence of both species. Using glucose as additional carbon source, the final ratio of nitrate ammonifying and denitrifying organism depended on the C/N-ratio as well as on the dilution rate. The results of the study are discussed with respect to field data.     

Integration and decontamination of Bacillus cereus in Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms

Aims:  The hypothesis that surrogate planktonic pathogens ( Bacillus cereus and polystyrene microspheres) could be integrated in biofilms and protected from decontamination was tested.
Methods and Results:  Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms were grown on polyvinyl chloride coupons in annular reactors under low nutrient conditions. After biofilm growth, B. cereus spores and polystyrene microspheres (an abiotic control) were introduced separately. Shear stress at the biofilm surface was varied between 0·15 and 1·5 N m⁻². The amount of surrogate pathogens introduced ranged from approximately 10⁵ CFU ml⁻¹ to 10¹⁰ spheres ml⁻¹. The quantity of surrogate pathogens integrated in the biofilm was proportional to the amount introduced. In 14 of the 16 cases, 0·4–3·0% of the spores or spheres introduced were measured in the biofilms. The other two cases had 10% and 21% of the spores detected. Data suggested that the spores germinated in the system. The amount of surrogate pathogens detected in the biofilms was higher in the mid-shear range. Chlorine treatment reduced the quantity of both surrogate pathogens and biofilm organisms. In one experiment, the biofilms and B. cereus recovered when the chlorine treatment was terminated.
Conclusions:  Planktonic surrogate pathogens can be integrated in biofilms and protected from chlorination decontamination.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This knowledge assists in understanding the impact of biofilms on harbouring potential pathogens in drinking-water systems and protecting the pathogens from decontamination.     

产生物表面活性剂的地衣芽孢杆菌种子培养条件研究

本文对产生物表面活性剂的油藏地衣芽孢杆菌种子培养条件进行优化.通过测定种子培养液中菌体浓度和发酵液的菌浓及表面张力,研究温度、通气量、接种龄、接种量对种子生长和发酵产生物表面活性剂的影响.确定了种子适宜培养条件为装液量100 mL/250 mL,12层纱布封口,于50 ℃、180 r/min摇床培养14 h.以10％接种量接种发酵,发酵24 h的发酵液表面张力降至最低,为22.6 mN/m.在该条件下培养种子,可缩短种子培养时间,实现提前接种发酵并高产生物表面活性剂.     

The extracellular proteome of Bacillus licheniformis grown in different media and under different nutrient starvation conditions

The now finished genome sequence of Bacillus licheniformis DSM 13 allows the prediction of the genes involved in protein secretion into the extracellular environment as well as the prediction of the proteins which are translocated. From the sequence 296 proteins were predicted to contain an N-terminal signal peptide directing most of them to the Sec system, the main transport system in Gram-positive bacteria. Using 2-DE the extracellular proteome of B. licheniformis grown in different media was studied. From the approximately 200 spots visible on the gels, 89 were identified that either contain an N-terminal signal sequence or are known to be secreted by other mechanisms than the Sec pathway. The extracellular proteome of B. licheniformis includes proteins from different functional classes, like enzymes for the degradation of various macromolecules, proteins involved in cell wall turnover, flagellum- and phage-related proteins and some proteins of yet unknown function. Protein secretion is highest during stationary growth phase. Furthermore, cells grown in complex medium secrete considerably higher protein amounts than cells grown in minimal medium. Limitation of phosphate, carbon and nitrogen sources results in the secretion of specific proteins that may be involved in counteracting the starvation.     

Assimilatory nitrate uptake in Pseudomonas fluorescens studied using nitrogen-13

The mechanism of nitrate uptake for assimilation in procaryotes is not known. We used the radioactive isotope, ¹³N as NO₃ ^-, to study this process in a prevalent soil bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens. Cultures grown on ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate failed to take up labeled nitrate, indicating ammonium repressed synthesis of the assimilatory enzymes. Cultures grown on nitrite or under ammonium limitation had measurable nitrate reductase activity, indicating that the assimilatory enzymes need not be induced by nitrate. In cultures with an active nitrate reductase, the form of ¹³N internally was ammonium and amino acids; the amino acid labeling pattern indicated that ¹³NO₃ ^- was assimilated via glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase. Cultures grown on tungstate to inactivate the reductase concentrated NO₃ ^- at least sixfold. Chlorate had no effect on nitrate transport or assimilation, nor on reduction in cell-free extracts. Ammonium inhibited nitrate uptake in cells with and without active nitrate reductases, but had no effect on cell-free nitrate reduction, indicating the site of inhibition was nitrate transport into the cytoplasm. Nitrate assimilation in cells grown on nitrate and nitrate uptake into cells grown with tungstate on nitrite both followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with similar K _mvalues, 7 M. Both azide and cyanide inhibited nitrate assimilation. Our findings suggest that Pseudomonas fluorescens can take up nitrate via active transport and that nitrate assimilation is both inhibited and repressed by ammonium.     

Oxygen uptake kinetics of Pseudomonas chlororaphis grown in glucose- or glutamate-limited continuous cultures

Oxygen uptake and glucose and glutamate oxidation kinetics of the heterotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis grown in glucose- or glutamate-limited cultures under oxygen-saturating or oxygen-limiting conditions were determined. K _m values for oxygen were 1.4– 5.6 μM. Only in the case of glucose were significantly lower K _m values and enhanced specific oxygen affinity (V _max/K _m) per cell found under oxygen-limiting conditions. Both K _m and specific affinity values for glucose and glutamate oxidation were apparently affected by oxygen concentration, although a statistically significant enhancement of the oxidation kinetics was found only for glutamate. The kinetic data found for P. chlororaphis support the conclusion that the outcome of competition for oxygen with Nitrosomonas europaea in the rhizosphere of oxygen-releasing macrophytes will primarily be determined by oxidation kinetics of the electron donor instead of the oxygen uptake kinetics of the respective organisms. Received: 20 September 1996 / Accepted: 5 February 1997     

Utilization of toluene and xylenes by a nitrate-reducing strain of Pseudomonas maltophilia under low oxygen and anoxic conditions

Abstract A nitrate-reducing strain of Pseudomonas maltophilia isolated from sewage sludge degrades toluene, and at least two isomers of mixed xylenes, either in the presence of 2% oxygen or under anoxic conditions when nitrate is present. When individual isomers of xylene are provided only meta and para -xylene are utilized. When mixed xylenes are provided all three isomers may be utilized. In cultures limited by electron acceptor availability, succinate, when present as the major carbon source, does not prevent hydrocarbon utilization. Toluene and xylenes continued to be utilized either with limiting nitrate alone, or with limiting nitrate and oxygen present simultaneously when a hundred-fold excess of succinate is present in the medium. The data suggest that in groundwater containing low levels of oxygen and nitrate, or nitrate only as the electron acceptor, aromatic hydrocarbons may continue to be utilized even in the presence of an excess of readily-degradable non-hydrocarbon organic substrates. These data have implications for bioremediation studies. The strain of Pseudomonas maltophilia used in this study does not degrade benzene, and the presence of benzene does not affect toluene utilization.     

Expression of the insecticidal crystal protein gene from a Gram-positive Bacillus thuringiensis in a Gram-negative Pseudomonas fluorescens mediated by protoplast fusion

Abstract Protoplast fusion between a Gram-negative strain Pseudomonas fluorescens having plant growth promoting activities and a Gram-positive Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD 73 possessing insecticidal activity, was carried out to generate P. fluorescens hybrids possessing insecticidal activity. The antibiotic resistance markers of P. fluorescens (rif^r, nal^r) and the immunoreactivity to the antiserum raised against the crystal proteins of B. thuringiensis var. galleriae were used as selection markers for the hybrids. The hybrids exhibited lethal but differential activity in Heliothis armigera and in Spodoptera litura when compared to the parenthal B. thuringiensis strain. The anti-feedant activity which is characteristic of B. thuringiensis toxin was not observed in the hybrids. Although the presence of sequences homologous to the cloned insecticidal gene of B. thuringiensis was demonstrated, the Western blot analysis of cell extract of the hybrid (PK 105) showed that only low molecular mass crystal proteins (less than 40 kDa) could be detected under denaturing conditions. It indicates that the high molecular mass toxin peptide may be degraded by proteolysis. Besides this, a clear separation of lethal and anti-feedant activity of the B. thuringiensis toxin has been observed by this study.     

Monitoring physiological status of GFP-tagged Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 under different nutrient conditions and in soil by flow cytometry

Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25, a plant growth promoting bacterium, has been widely studied due to its potential as an inoculum for improving crop yields. Environmental inoculants are usually applied on seeds or directly to soil and to effectively promote plant growth they need to be viable and active. However, it is difficult to study the physiological status of specific microorganisms in complex environments, such as soil. In this study, our aim was to use molecular tools to specifically monitor the physiological status of P. fluorescens SBW25 in soil and in pure cultures incubated under different nutritional conditions. The cells were previously tagged with marker genes (encoding green fluorescent protein and bacterial luciferase) to specifically track the cells in environmental samples. The physiological status of the cells was determined using the viability stains 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl-tetrazolium chloride (CTC) and propidium iodide (PI), which stain active and dead cells, respectively. Luciferase activity was used to monitor the metabolic activity of the population. Most of the cells died after incubation for nine days in nutrient rich medium. By contrast when incubated under starvation conditions, most of the population was not stained with CTC or PI (i.e. intact but inactive cells), indicating that most of the cells were presumably dormant. In soil, a large fraction of the SBW25 cell population became inactive and died, as determined by a decline in luciferase activity and CTC-stained cells, an increase in PI-stained cells, and an inability of the cells to be cultured on agar medium. However, approximately 60% of the population was unstained, presumably indicating that the cells entered a state of dormancy in soil similar to that observed under starvation conditions in pure cultures. These results demonstrate the applicability of this approach for monitoring the physiological status of specific cells under stress conditions, such as those experienced by environmental inoculants in soil.     

酱香型白酒发酵中地衣芽孢杆菌与酿酒酵母的相互作用

【目的】为解析酱香型白酒酿造群体微生物的发酵过程, 研究了酱香型白酒酿造中重要微生物地衣芽孢杆菌与酿酒酵母之间的相互作用, 并对它们之间的作用机制进行初步探讨。【方法】通过地衣芽孢杆菌与酿酒酵母共培养体系的构建, 认识了两者的相互作用, 初步分析了酿酒酵母产生抑制物的分子量, 耐热性及对蛋白酶敏感性等特性。【结果】研究表明, 酿酒酵母发酵造成的酸性环境以及某些代谢物质能够抑制地衣芽孢杆菌的生长, 这些物质分子量大于10 kD, 对热和蛋白酶敏感。【结论】白酒酿造中酿酒酵母通过产酸以及大分子的蛋白质类物质对地衣芽孢杆菌生长形成抑制, 该研究促进了对白酒酿造群体微生物发酵过程的解析。     

Interactions between proteolytic and non-proteolytic Pseudomonas fluorescens affect protein degradation in a model community

The metabolic interactions between proteinase-producing bacteria and other members of bacterial communities are poorly investigated, although they are important for the understanding of structure-function relationships in complex ecosystems. We constructed simple model communities consisting of proteolytic and non-proteolytic Pseudomonas fluorescens strains to identify relevant interactions and to assess their specific significance during the mobilization of protein for growth. The proteolytic or non-proteolytic model communities were established by co-inoculating proteolytic or proteinase-deficient Tn5-mutants of P. fluorescens strain ON2 with the non-proteolytic reporter strain DF57-N3 that expresses bioluminescence in response to nitrogen limitation. The growth medium was composed such that growth would be nitrogen limited in the absence of proteolytic activity. In the proteolytic communities data on growth and nitrogen availability showed that the protein hydrolysates were available to both the proteolytic and the non-proteolytic strain. Competition between these strains profoundly affected both growth and proteinase production. Hence, the mobilization of protein was closely coupled to the competitive success of the proteolytic strain. These findings provide new insight into the metabolic interactions that occur when protein is degraded in mixed bacterial communities.     

地衣芽孢杆菌感受态细胞的形成及高效电转化

芽孢杆菌在营养缺乏的饥饿状态下,细胞易产生感受态因子,处于生长芽孢时期的芽孢杆菌更容易产生感受态。基于此原则利用芽孢杆菌极限营养培养基通过体外处理诱导使地衣芽孢杆菌产生感受态性能,同时调整参数,建立了感受态细胞对质粒pAPR的高效电转化方法。当质粒DNA浓度为1．5μg/ml、转化时电压为1750V的时候,可以得到261个转化子,经鉴定均为阳性克隆子。而常规电转化的最高仅为20个转化子。为以芽孢杆菌为宿主进行高效电转化提供了模型,也为建立适合工业应用的分泌型表达载体的构建打下了一定基础。     

Efficacy of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Paecilomyces lilacinus against Meloidogyne graminicola infecting rice under system of rice intensification

The talc-based formulations of the plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens and egg parasitic fungi, Paecilomyces lilacinus, were evaluated as seed treatment, soil application and combination of both for the management of M. graminicola in fields of rice grown under system of rice intensification. Both the bioformulations significantly reduced the root invasion and soil populations of M. graminicola but P. fluorescens was most effective when applied as seed cum soil application and seed treatment alone. Effect of these treatments was comparable with the standard chemical carbofuran application. The introduced P. fluorescens survived significantly in rice roots when applied as seed cum soil application and seed application alone than as soil application. There was significant increase in phenol, peroxidase and chitinase accumulation in plants treated with P. fluorescens. Application of bioagents had positive influence on growth parameters such as plant height, root length, shoot weight, root weight and number of tillers per hill. Application of P. fluorescens as seed cum soil treatment resulted in higher grain yield, which was 20.6%–26.9% increase over control followed by P. fluorescens as seed treatment alone that increased grain yield of rice by 10.7%–11.2% than control. However, economic returns per investment was higher when P. fluorescens was applied as seed treatment alone (1:8.8–1:12.0 incremental cost benefit ratio) followed by the P. fluorescens as seed cum soil treatment (1:6.2–1:9.7 incremental cost benefit ratio).     

Competition between oxygen and nitrate respirations in continuous culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa performing aerobic denitrification

Continuous culture of P. aeruginosa was conducted with nitrate-containing media under the dilution rates (D) of 0.026, 0.06, and 0.13/h and the dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) of 0-2.2 mg/L. The bacterium performed simultaneous O(2) and nitrate respiration in all of the systems studied. For each D, the (apparent) cell yield from glucose (Y(X/S)) was lower at zero DO, but did not change substantially with non-zero DO. In non-zero DO systems, Y(X/S) increased with increasing D, and when fit with a model considering cell death, gave the following parameters: maximum cell yield Y(X/S) (m) = 0.49, maintenance coefficient M(S) = 0.029 (/h), and cell decay constant k(d) = 0.014/h. The same model failed to describe the behaviors of zero-DO systems, where neither glucose nor nitrate was limiting and the limiting factor(s) remained unknown. The cell yield from accepted electron (Y(X/e)) was however relatively constant in all systems, and the energy yield per electron accepted via denitrification was estimated at approximately 69% of that via O(2) respiration. A closer examination revealed that increasing DO enhanced O(2) respiration only at extremely low DO ( <0.05 mg/L), beyond which the increasing DO only slightly increased its weak inhibition on denitrification. While O(2) was the preferred electron acceptor, the fraction of electrons accepted via denitrification increased with increasing D.     

Competition between nitrate and nitrite reduction in denitrification by Pseudomonas fluorescens

A pure culture of Pseudomonas fluorescens was used as a model system to study the kinetics of denitrification. An exponentially growing culture was harvested and resuspended in an anoxic acetate solution buffered with K/Na phosphate at pH values of 6.6, 7.0, 7.4, and 7.8. The temperature was kept at 28 degrees C in all assays. Nitrate pulses of approximately 0.2 mg N/L caused nitrite to accumulate due to a faster rate of nitrate reduction over nitrite reduction. The rate of nitrate reduction was observed to depend on its concentration as predicted by the Michaelis-Menten equation. At nonlimiting nitrate concentrations, nitrite reduction was described by the same equation. Otherwise, nitrite reduction also depended on nitrate concentration. Consequently, nitrate and nitrite reductions compete with each other for the oxidation of common electron donors. A kinetic model for nitrate competitive inhibition of nitrite reduction is proposed. The model was used to interpret the nitrate and nitrite profiles observed at the four pH values: the optimum pH value was 7.0 in both cases; the affinity for nitrite was also not affected by the medium pH in the range of values 6.6 to 7.4 (K(mNO(3) ) = 0.04 mg N/L); the affinity for nitrite was also not affected by the medium pH in the range of values 6.6 to 7.4 (K(mNO(2) ) = 0.06 mg N/L), but it decreased sharply for the pH value of 7.8. Although the ratio between the two maximum reduction rates (V(max NO(2) )/V(max NO(3) )) is constant, nitrite accumulation depends on the medium pH value. Therefore, the regulation mechanism that shifts the electron flow between the two terminal reductases is readily reversible and does not change their relative maximum reduction rates. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

地衣芽孢杆菌碱性蛋白酶的研究 Ⅰ.碱性蛋白酶高产菌的筛选及产酶条件初探

从成都佳丰食品厂等处采集的样品中平板分离初筛到124株碱性蛋白酶产生菌,进一步复筛出一株高产,且稳定的碱性蛋白酶产生菌株B．L．JF-ld,初步鉴定为地衣穿孢杆菌（Bacilluslicheniformis）。该菌的最适产酶条件为：培养基（％）为麦芽糖7．5,酵母膏3,NaCl0．5,K2HPO4·3H2O0．53,NaHPO4·2H2O0．03,Na2CO30．056,MnSO4l×10－4mol／L,pH8．7,通气量为（1：0．5）～（1：1）（v／v）,37℃发酵40h,酶活力单位高达7180U／ml。     

酿酒酵母与地衣芽孢杆菌相互作用及基于蛋白组学的作用机制分析

【目的】为解析酱香型白酒发酵过程中群体微生物的酿造特征,研究酱香型白酒酿造中贡献特征风味的地衣芽孢杆菌和贡献酒精的酿酒酵母之间的相互作用。【方法】通过构建酿酒酵母纯培养及与地衣芽孢杆菌共培养发酵体系,比较不同培养体系中的生物量、乙醇产量及有机酸产量差异,并从蛋白组学角度加以分析和认识二者之间的相互作用。【结果】在共培养体系中,酿酒酵母抑制地衣芽孢杆菌生长,其自身生长不受地衣芽孢杆菌的影响,然而代谢产物却发生变化,其中乙醇及有机酸中的丙酮酸、苹果酸、乳酸、琥珀酸及酒石酸的最高产量分别高出其纯培养的11.8%、56.8%、36.3%、24.3%、48.2%及27.7%,而柠檬酸的最高产量低于其纯培养的35.1%;蛋白组分析显示,地衣芽孢杆菌诱导酿酒酵母胞内69个蛋白差异表达(>2倍),质谱鉴定出24个,主要功能为参与糖酵解过程、乙醇代谢过程、细胞壁稳定性调控及应激反应等。糖酵解和乙醇代谢途径相关蛋白对酿酒酵母混合培养条件下的代谢变化起重要作用,其余蛋白可能与微生物相互作用时的防御和适应性相关。【结论】在混合培养发酵体系中地衣芽孢杆菌能够影响酿酒酵母的乙醇及有机酸代谢,这对于白酒品质调控及微生物间相互作用都具有重要意义。蛋白组学结果为从分子层面深入认识酿酒酵母与地衣芽孢杆菌之间的相互作用提供理论基础,有利于促进酱香型白酒发酵过程中群体微生物酿造特征的解析。