Azaphilone pigments from a yellow mutant of the fungus Monascus kaoliang

Azaphilone pigments, monascusones A (1) and B (2), together with two known azaphilones, monascin (3) and FK17-P2b2 (4), were isolated from the CH2Cl2 extract of a yellow mutant of the fungus M. kaoliang grown on rice. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by analyses of spectroscopic data. Monascusone A (1), the major metabolite of M. kaoliang, showed no antimalarial (against Plasmodium falciparum), antitubercular (against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra), and antifungal (toward Candida albicans) activities. Compound 1 exhibited no cytotoxicity against BC (breast cancer) and KB (human epidermoid carcinoma of cavity) cell lines.     

Production of Alkaline Protease from n-Paraffins by a Kabicidin Resistant Mutant Strain of Fusarium sp.

An antagonistic fungus to Valsa ceratosperma was isolated from soil, and identified as Fusarium solani. The fungus was found to produce at least two antifungal substances in stationary culture. These two substances were isolated from their culture filtrate as chromatographically homogeneous, amorphous solids. Their examined physico-chemical properties appeared to be identical with cyclosporin A and C, obtained from the fermentation broth of Trichoderma polysporum, and they showed a pronounced inhibitory effect on growth of V. ceratosperma.     

Actinobacillus rossii sp. nov., Actinobacillus seminis sp. nov., nom. rev., Pasteurella bettii sp. nov., Pasteurella lymphangitidis sp. nov., Pasteurella mairi sp. nov., and Pasteurella trehalosi sp. nov

Evidence from numerical taxonomic analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization supports the proposal of new species in the genera Actinobacillus and Pasteurella. The following new species are proposed: Actinobacillus rossii sp. nov., from the vaginas of postparturient sows; Actinobacillus seminis sp. nov., nom. rev., associated with epididymitis of sheep; Pasteurella bettii sp. nov., associated with human Bartholin gland abscess and finger infections; Pasteurella lymphangitidis sp. nov. (the BLG group), which causes bovine lymphangitis; Pasteurella mairi sp. nov., which causes abortion in sows; and Pasteurella trehalosi sp. nov., formerly biovar T of Pasteurella haemolytica, which causes septicemia in older lambs.     

Three new species of brevibacteria--Brevibacterium antiquum sp. nov., Brevibacterium aurantiacum sp. nov. and Brevibacterium permense sp. nov

This work deals with the taxonomic study of 12 orange-pigmented bacteria isolated from permafrost sediments, rice plots, and soils contaminated with wastes from the chemical and salt industries, which were assigned to the genus Brevibacterium on the basis of phenotypic characteristics, as well as of some strains described previously as Brevibacterium linens. The study revealed three genomic species, whose members and the type strains of the closest species of Brevibacterium had DNA similarity levels between 24 and 59%. The strains of the genomic species differed from each other and from the known species of Brevibacterium in some physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as in the sugar and polyol composition of their teichoic acids. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis confirmed the assignment of the environmental isolates to the genus Brevibacterium and showed the phylogenetic distinction of the three genomic species. The results obtained in this study allow three new Brevibacterium species to be described: Brevibacterium antiquum (type strain VKM Ac-2118T = UCM Ac-411T), Brevibacterium aurantiacum (type strain VKM Ac-2111T = NCDO 739T = ATCC 9175T), and Brevibacterium permense (type strain VKM Ac-2280T = UCM Ac-413T).     

Growth and Chromatic Adaptation of Nostoc sp. Strain MAC and the Pigment Mutant R-MAC

A spontaneous, stable, pigmentation mutant of Nostoc sp. strain MAC was isolated. Under various growth conditions, this mutant, R-MAC, had similar phycoerythrin contents (relative to allophycocyanin) but significantly lower phycocyanin contents (relative to allophycocyanin) than the parent strain. In saturating white light, the mutant grew more slowly than the parent strain. In nonsaturating red light, MAC grew with a shorter generation time than the mutant; however, R-MAC grew more quickly in nonsaturating green light.

When the parental and mutant strains were grown in green light, the phycoerythrin contents, relative to allophycocyanin, were significantly higher than the phycoerythrin contents of cells grown in red light. For both strains, the relative phycocyanin contents were only slightly higher for cells grown in red light than for cells grown in green light. These changes characterize both MAC and R-MAC as belonging to chromatic adaptation group II: phycoerythrin synthesis alone photocontrolled.

A comparative analysis of the phycobilisomes, isolated from cultures of MAC and R-MAC grown in both red and green light, was performed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of 8.0 molar urea or sodium dodecyl sulfate. Consistent with the assignment of MAC and R-MAC to chromatic adaptation group II, no evidence for the synthesis of red light-inducible phycocyanin subunits was found in either strain. Phycobilisomes isolated from MAC and R-MAC contained linker polypeptides with relative molecular masses of 95, 34.5, 34, 32, and 29 kilodaltons. When grown in red light, phycobilisomes of the mutant R-MAC appeared to contain a slightly higher amount of the 32-kilodalton linker polypeptide than did the phycobilisomes isolated from the parental strain under the same conditions. The 34.5-kilodalton linker polypeptide was totally absent from phycobilisomes isolated from cells of either MAC or R-MAC grown in green light.

     

New anamorphic yeast species: Candida infanticola sp. nov., Candida polysorbophila sp. nov., Candida transvaalensis sp. nov. and Trigonopsis californica sp. nov

Three new species of Candida and a new species of Trigonopsis are described based on their recognition from phylogenetic analysis of gene sequences from large subunit ribosomal RNA, ITS1/ITS2 rRNA, mitochondrial small subunit rRNA and cytochrome oxidase II. Candida infanticola sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-17858, CBS 7922) was isolated from the ear of an infant in Germany and is closely related to Candida sorbophila. Candida polysorbophila sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-27161, CBS 7317) is a member of the Zygoascus clade and was isolated in South Africa as a contaminant from an emulsion of white oil and polysorbate. Candida transvaalensis sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-27140, CBS 6663) was obtained from forest litter, the Transvaal, South Africa, and forms an isolated clade with Candida santjacobensis. Trigonopsis californica sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-27307, CBS 10351) represents a contaminant from wine in California, and forms a well-supported clade with Trigonopsis cantarellii, Trigonopsis variabilis and Trigonopsis vinaria.     

Production of a polyunsaturated isoprenoid wax ester during aerobic metabolism of squalene by Marinobacter squalenivorans sp. nov

This paper describes the production of 5,9,13-trimethyltetradeca-4E,8E,12-trienyl-5,9,13-trimethyltetradeca-4E,8E,12-trienoate during the aerobic degradation of squalene by a Marinobacter strain, 2Asq64, isolated from the marine environment. A pathway involving initial cleavage of the C(10)-C(11) or C(14)-C(15) double bonds of the squalene molecule is proposed to explain the formation of this polyunsaturated isoprenoid wax ester. The isoprenoid wax ester content reached 1.1% of the degraded squalene at the mid-exponential growth phase and then decreased during the stationary phase. The wax ester content increased by approximately threefold in N-limited cultures, in which the ammonium concentration corresponds to conditions often found in marine sediments. This suggests that the bacterial formation of isoprenoid wax esters might be favored in such environments. The bacterial strain is then characterized as a member of a new species, for which we propose the name Marinobacter squalenivorans sp. nov.     

Carbohydrates Oxidation by Pseudomonas albosesamae nov. sp.

An oxidation product of glucose, gluconate and 2-ketogluconate by Pseudomonas albosesamae was isolated and examined for its chemical structure. Shaking culture is available for the high yield production. Paper chromatographic analysis of fermented broth for the product gives one spot as “an reducing acid.” The acid was isolated as the unstable powder of calcium salt by methanol precipitation. On periodate oxidation, oxalic and glycolic acids were formed, but formaldehyde was hardly detected. On Ruff’s oxidation of the reduced product prepared by sodium borohydrate or catalytic reduction, D-arabinose and a small amount of L-xylose were detected. On catalytic reduction using Raney nickel, 2-ketogluconic acid was isolated as the main reductant. Bis-2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazone of the product was obtained as analytically pure yellow needle crystals, m.p. dec. 156~157°C, 5+57.0, pyridine, 1 dm. From the above results, the product was certified to be 2,5-diketogluconic acid.     

Four novel yeasts from decaying organic matter: Blastobotrys robertii sp. nov., Candida cretensis sp. nov., Candida scorzettiae sp. nov. and Candida vadensis sp. nov

Four novel yeast species are described, two from decaying mushrooms, viz. Candida cretensis and Candida vadensis, and two from rotten wood, viz. Blastobotrys robertii and Candida scorzettiae. Accession numbers for the CBS and ARS Culture Collections, and GenBank accession numbers for the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA are: B. robertii CBS 10106^T, NRRL Y-27775, DQ839395; C. cretensis CBS 9453^T, NRRL Y-27777, AY4998861 and DQ839393; C. scorzettiae CBS 10107^T, NRRL Y-27665, DQ839394; C. vadensis CBS 9454^T, NRRL Y-27778, AY498863 and DQ839396. The GenBank accession number for the ITS region of C. cretensis is AY498862 and that for C. vadensis is AY498864. C. cretensis was the only species of the four that displayed fermentative activity. All four type strains grew on n-hexadecane. C. scorzettiae is the only one of the new species that assimilates some phenolic compounds, viz. 3-hydroxy derivatives of benzoic, phenylacetic and cinnamic acids, but not the corresponding 4-hydroxy acids. This is indicative of an operative gentisate pathway.     

Carbohydrates Oxidation by Pseudomonas albosesamae nov. sp.

Taxonomic behaviors of a newly isolated bacterium which produces 2,5-diketogluconic acid in high yield were examined in this paper. The bacterium was isolated from sesame seed. It is aerobic, rod-shaped bacilli (0.6~0.8 × 1.0~3.0 microns) with rounded ends. It occurs singly or as a small mass and shows motility with a polar flagellum. Gram staining and acid-fast staining are both negative. Endospore and capsule are not observed. It does not possess photosynthetic and usual pigments the cell. Glucose and other sugars are attacked with acid production, but no gas formation. Polysaccharides and sucrose are not attacked. This bacterium does not produce acetic acid from ethanol. The above behaviors and other physiological properties which are described in the text lead to the conclusion that the bacterium is a new species situated in the genus Pseudomonas. So, it was named Pseudomonas albosesamae, nov. sp. (Wakisaka) in relation with its isolated origin.     

Production of Polyalcohol by a Corynebacterium sp.

A gluconate-utilizing strain of Corynebacterium was found to be capable of utilizing aldopentoses and producing corresponding pentitols when pentoses were added to the medium containing gluconate as a carbon source during the cultivation of the organism.

Pentitols produced from d-xylose, l-arabinose, and d-ribose were isolated from the cultured medium and identified as xylitol, l-arabitol, and ribitol, respectively.

The pentitol production was significantly influenced by the concentration of gluconate in the initial medium and that of pentose added to the medium during the cultivation.

The amount of xylitol, l-arabitol, and ribitol reached 69 mg/ml, 60 mg/ml, and 32 mg/ml, respectively, after 14 days of incubation when pentoses were added to the medium containing 9.6% potassium gluconate to give a final concentration of 150 mg/ml.     

Production of valine by a Bacillus sp.

A bacterium isolated from Burdwan (India) soil was found to accumulate L-valine in the growth medium and identified to be a strain of Bacillus subtilis. The strain is able to grow and accumulate valine in a purely synthetic medium, but supplementation of the synthetic medium with either Casamino acids or yeast extract or with both, significantly improves the yield. The entire fermentation period can be divided into a growth phase and a production phase, which can be prolonged by adjustment of pH to the neutral range. Among the different carbon and nitrogen sources tested glucose at 8.5% and L-glutamic acid at 0.8%, respectively, were found most suitable. Cane sugar molasses tested as a substitute for glucose significantly stimulated growth but valine production was less. Different vitamins tested stimulated growth and valine yield and an inoculum level of 10% (v/v) of the medium was found to be optimal. The yield of valine under optimal conditions was found to be 4.53 g per litre of the medium. Valine has been isolated in crystalline form from the fermented broth by ion exchange resin chromatography and found to be a pure sample of the L-isomer.     

Mycoplasma simbae sp. nov., Mycoplasma leopharyngis sp. nov., and Mycoplasma leocaptivus sp. nov., isolated from lions.

Mycoplasmas isolated from the throats of lions were shown to belong to three serotypes, all of which were serologically distinct from the previously recognized Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma spp. Eight mycoplasma colonies were cloned, including one from a leopard (strain LP), and were examined in detail for morphology, growth, and biochemical characteristics. The strains had the following properties: guanine-plus-cytosine contents of 37 mol% (strain LXT [T = type strain]), 28 mol% (strain LL2T), and 27 mol% (strain 3L2T) and a requirement for sterol. Strain 3L2T metabolized glucose, which was not metabolized by strains LXT and LL2T. Arginine and urea were not hydrolyzed. Strain LX (= NCTC 11724) is the type strain of a new species, Mycoplasma simbae; strain LL2 (= NCTC 11725) is the type strain of a second new species, Mycoplasma leopharyngis; and strain 3L2 (= NCTC 11726) is the type strain of a third new species, Mycoplasma leocaptivus.     

Kaistia adipata gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel alpha-proteobacterium

A taxonomic study was carried out on Chj404T, a bacterial strain isolated from a soil sample collected in an industrial stream near the Chung-Ju industrial complex in Korea. The strain was a gram-negative, aerobic, short rod to coccus-shaped bacterium. It grew well on nutrient agar medium and utilized a broad spectrum of carbon sources. The G+C content of the DNA was 67.4 mol% and the major composition of ubiquinone was Q-10. The major fatty acid was C18:1. Comparative 16S rDNA studies showed a clear affiliation of this bacterium to alpha-Proteobacteria. Comparison of phylogenetic data indicated that it was most closely related to Prosthecomicrobium pneumaticum (92.7% similarity in 16S rDNA sequence). Since strain Chj404 is clearly distinct from closely related species, we propose the name Kaistia adipata gen. nov., sp. nov. for this strain Chj404T (=IAM 15023T=KCTC 12095T).     

Blastobotrys nivea gen.nov., sp.nov.

Ohne Zusammenfassung