Spectrophotometric characteristics of the coccoid forms of actinomycetes]

IR spectra of thw whole cells of the coccoid forms (Mycococcus and Micrococcus) isolated from lithophilous lichen were compared with IR spectra of the collection cultures of Micrococcus and Arthrobacter. Generic spectral characteristics of Mycococcus and Micrococcus are presented. Spectral heterogeneity within the genus Arthrobacter complicates the diagnosis. The cultures of the Mycococcus genus were divided into three groups according to their spectral characteristics. Spectral scans of the studied coccoid forms differ from the scans of the mycelial actinomycetes, and their intensities within the range of 900-1200 cm-1 (lipids) decrease in the series Mycococcus, Arthrobacter, Micrococcus.     

16S rDNA studies on members of Arthrobacter and Micrococcus: An aid for their future taxonomic restructing

Abstract 16S rDNA sequence data was obtained for 11 species of Arthrobacter and 4 species of Micrococcus and compared with that from other members of the arthrobacterial lineage within the order Actinomycetales . The intermixing of members of these two genera and the placement of Renibacterium salmoninarum within the radiation of these two genera, as previously suggested by 16S rRNA cataloguing, is confirmed. The branching pattern reveals several closely related organisms that cluster around the type species of Arthrobacter and Micrococcus ; these species are considered 'core organisms'. A few species, however, branch outside the radiation of core organisms; these include Micrococcus kristinae, Micrococcus halophilus , and, as previously indicated, Micrococcus sedentarius and M. nishinomiyaensis . As phenotypic data that would support the exclusion of these four species from the genus Micrococcus are still lacking taxonomic conclusions should await more thorough comparative studies.     

A Taxonomic Study of the Micrococcaceae

Recent proposals for new species in the genera Staphylococcus and Micrococcus prompted the present numerical taxonomic survey. The API 50E and API 20E identification strips have been used together with a few conventional tests to examine the Micrococcaceae. Many of the proposed species formed good distinct clusters and one group could be the basis for a new genus.     

Enzyme electrophoretograms in the analysis of taxon relatedness of Micrococcus cryophilus, Branhamella catarrhalis and atypical Neisserias.

Extracts were prepared from Micrococcus cryophilus, several strains of Branhamella catarrhalis and Neisseria spp. Esterases, NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activities were assayed after electrophoresis of extracts of polyacrylamide gels. Except for Neisseria perflava and N. sicca which resolved activity bands for the acetate-esterase only, the remaining bacteria exhibited species-specific esterase patterns also for the propionate and butyrate substrates. The multiple esterase patterns from B. catarrhalis ATCC25238 were qualitatively and quantitatively different from those of B. catarrhalis ATCC23246. This finding and other evidence supports a taxonomic shift of the latter to a species level of that genus. The atypical neisserias N. caviae and N. ovis appeared to exhibit an intrageneric specificity in their esterase patterns with those from B. catarrhalis but not to the other Neisseria spp. tested. The malate dehydrogenase patterns from the atypical neisserias and B. catarrhalis ATCC23246 were qualitatively similar; however, the patterns of isocitrate dehydrogenase activity were variable for these species. Micrococcus cryophilus was distinct in its esterase and dehydrogenase bands, strongly suggesting its taxon unrelatedness to the genus Branhammella or the atypical neisserias. Of the enzymes assayed, esterase proved to be the most reliable for taxonomic identifications.     

A phylogenetic analysis of staphylococci, Peptococcus saccharolyticus and Micrococcus mucilaginosus

The intra- and intergeneric relationships of the genus Staphylococcus, and the phylogenetic position of Peptococcus saccharolyticus and Micrococcus (Staphylococcus salivarius), were investigated by comparative oligonucleotide cataloguing of 16S rRNA. All the staphylococci investigated form a phylogenetically coherent group at the genus level that, in addition, contains the anaerobic species Peptococcus saccharolyticus. The genus Staphylococcus belongs to the broad Bacillus-Lactobacillus-Streptococcus cluster that is defined by Gram-positive bacteria with a low DNA G+C content. Micrococcus mucilaginosus is not a genuine member of the genus Micrococcus. The binary matching coefficients between the 16S rRNA of Micrococcus mucilaginosus and those representatives of the Arthrobacter/Micrococcus group and related genera indicate that Micrococcus mucilaginosus should be regarded as a member of a new genus.     

Reactivity to bacterial peptidoglycans in a phagocytosis system. 1. The range of immunological specificity of Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan

The antigenic features of S. aureus peptidoglycan (PG) were studied in the reaction of stimulation of oxygen-dependent neutrophil metabolism, mediated by the IgG opsonins of normal human serum. The study was carried out at different taxonomic levels: the species (S. aureus), the genus (Staphylococcus), the family (Micrococcaceae), as well as in relation to remote taxons (organisms belonging to the families Streptococcaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Neisseriaceae, to the genus Corynebacterium). All S. aureus strains were identical with respect to the specificity of their PG, essentially differing from other bacteria in this regard. After the removal of antibodies to different PG the effectiveness of PG opsonization decreased by 10.4-44.7%. Such decrease was most pronounced in experiments with the PG of streptococci (S. pyogenes, S. faecalis, S. salivarius) and Micrococcus luteus.     

Bioprospecting highly diverse endophytic Pestalotiopsis spp. with antibacterial properties from Maytenus ilicifolia, a medicinal plant from Brazil

Thirteen endophytic fungal strains of the genus Pestalotiopsis were isolated from the medicinal plant Maytenus ilicifolia Mart. ex. Reiss (commonly known as "espinheira santa") and their antimicrobial properties were investigated. Two isolates were successful in inhibiting the growth of the tested microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)) using the technique of bioautographic thin-layer chromatography (TLC) agar overlay assay. An analysis based on a polyphasic approach integrating taxonomic information, morphological traits, RAPD markers, and the sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 of the rDNA led to the assignment of the isolates as belonging to the species Pestalotiopsis microspora, Pestalotiopsis vismiae, and Pestalotiopsis leucothoes. Therefore, the present study presents a new approach to the study of endophytic fungi of the genus Pestalotiopsis.     

青藏高原阿里、那曲和海西地区土壤可培养放线菌的多样性

【目的】为了研究青藏高原北部地区土壤可培养放线菌的多样性,并比较不同选择性分离培养基对高原土壤放线菌的分离效果。【方法】使用9种分离培养基,并尝试添加藤黄微球菌发酵液,对采集自阿里、那曲和海西地区的14份土壤样品中的放线菌进行选择性分离。通过16S r RNA基因序列分析对分离菌株进行初步分类鉴定,并在不同分类水平上统计所分离得到的放线菌多样性。【结果】分离得到去重复后的放线菌255株,分布于放线菌门的8个目,14个科,23个属,包含94个可能的物种。其中至少25个物种可能为新种,分布于13个属。链霉菌属的菌株108株,可能的物种28个,是最主要的优势菌属。分离培养基中添加藤黄微球菌发酵液明显增加了放线菌分离菌株的数量和多样性,稀释的葡萄糖酵母麦芽汁培养基适合分离链霉菌,淀粉甘油脯氨酸培养基、丙酸钠酪蛋白培养基等则适合分离稀有放线菌。【结论】青藏高原北部土壤放线菌多样性非常丰富,并且存在较多的新颖放线菌类群;添加藤黄微球菌发酵液是提高放线菌分离效率的有效手段。     

Patterns of cell division, DNA base compositions, and fine structures of some radiation-resistant vegetative bacteria found in food.

Representative highly radiation-resistant Moraxella-Acinetobacter (M-A), Pseudomonas radiora, Micrococcus radiodurans, and Micrococcus radiophilus exhibited a wide variety of division systems and cell wall characteristics. However, the most resistant M-A possessed unusually thick cell walls, indicating a possible role of the cell wall in radiation resistance in the M-A. Thick septation was present in most of the bacteria studied, but was absent in P. radiora, thus excluding this as a necessity for high resistance. Reliable determination of the number of division planes of the M-A for use as a taxonomic criterion was achieved by the direct observation of dividing cells. The highly resistant M-A were found to divide in multiple planes and had base compositions of 54.0 to 57.5%, unlike typical Moraxella and/or Acinetobacter species. The taxonomic position of most highly resistant bacteria remains unclear.     

Use of Lysostaphin in the Isolation of Highly Polymerized Deoxyribonucleic Acid and in the Taxonomy of Aerobic Micrococcaceae

By use of the staphylolytic enzyme lysostaphin, a method was devised for isolating and purifying highly polymerized deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from lysostaphinsusceptible Micrococcaceae. Staphylococcus aureus DNA isolated by this procedure gave an estimated molecular weight of ca. 2 x 10(8) and a residual protein content of 2.3%. The mole percentage of guanine + cytosine (GC) present in the DNA from 21 strains of aerobic Micrococceae was determined by buoyant density in cesium chloride. DNA from 12 biochemically typical members of the genus Staphylococcus gave a mean GC composition of 35.2 +/- 0.5 mole per cent. Four biochemically atypical Staphylococcus strains and one biochemically typical strain of the genus Micrococcus (M. candicans) were found to be susceptible to lysostaphin and gave typical Staphylococcus spp. GC base ratios. One biochemically atypical member of the genus Micrococcus (M. varians) was not susceptible to lysostaphin and gave a typical Micrococcus spp. GC base ratio. Lysostaphin susceptibility is an easy test to perform, and the results of this test appear to correlate with GC base ratio studies of the genera of Micrococcaceae.     

Menaquinone composition of some micrococci determined by high performance liquid chromatography

The menaquinone composition of some species of the genus Micrococcus was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography. Both unsaturated and hydrogenated menaquinones were detected. Micrococcus kristinae, M. lylae and M. nishinomiyaensis contained hydrogenated menaquinones while M. sedentarius contained unsaturated menaquinone. The predominant menaquinone isoprenologues of these species are MK- 7 (H₂), MK- 8 (H₂), MK- 8 (H₂) and MK- 8 , respectively. These observations confirm further the heterogeneity of the genus.     

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the chlorine pigment sclerotiorin from Penicillium mallochii and its chemotaxonomic significance

Penicillium mallochii was isolated as an endophyte from Himatanthus sp. and inoculated in liquid potato-dextrose culture medium, with adjusted to pH 3.6, and incubated for 10 days at 24 °C. Successive column chromatography of the hexane extract afforded the chlorine pigment sclerotiorin. Its structure was determined by NMR and by comparison with the literature. Sclerotiorin showed moderate antioxidant activity and moderate antibacterial against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus luteus. The isolation of sclerotiorin from P. mallochii support the taxonomic classification within the Penicillium genus, demonstrating a closer evolutionary relationship among the Penicillium species. Therefore, we suggest that sclerotiorin and the sclerotiorin group of metabolites may be used as chemotaxonomic markers for proper identification of Penicillium species.     

Amidase activity of some bacteria

The amidase activity of bacteria possessing a high nitrilase activity was found to display the same spectrum although the bacteria may belong to different taxonomic groups,Bacillus, Bacteridium, Micrococcus, Brevibacterium. The spectrum of amidase activity, although very broad, is more restricted than that of nitrilase activity. Internal amides as well as vinyl-bound amides are not hydrolyzed.     

从rRNA基因序列探讨云斑蛛属Cyrtophora的系统发生地位

由于云斑蛛属Cyrtophora蜘蛛所织的网形态上较为特殊,所以该属分类地位长期以来有异议.为从分子水平探讨该属系统发生地位,本文对相关的11种蜘蛛线粒体12S rRNA基因和核18S rRNA基因部分序列进行了测定.基于12S rRNA和18S rRNA基因序列联合数据进行的分子系统发生分析结果表明云斑蛛属属于园蛛科,该结果提示在园蛛总科分类实践中以蛛网形态特征为分类依据时要慎重考虑其可靠性.     

On the Numerical Classification and Determination of Taxa of Chinese Bamboos with Leptomorph Rhizomes

In this paper, 21 species representing 13 genera were studied by means of humerical taxonomic methodes. One geographical and 52 morphological characters were used. The correlation coefficients were computed by standardized data, and the various clustering methods were performed on the correlation matr x. The UPGMA clustering method was selected as the optimal one and its results were shown in the form of dendrograms. We present a simple method to construct the joint and broken lines by which the boundary of the genera, subtribes and tribes in the dendrogram is determined. By means of numerical taxonomic methods, we can easily work out a systematic dendrogram and the following taxonomic treatments are easily proposed: (1) Sasamorpha sinica (Keng) Koidz. should be reffered to the genus Sasa Makino & Shibata. (2) Pseudosasa amabilis (McClure) Keng f. should belong to the genus Pseudosasa Makino and should not be referred to the genus Arundinaria Michaux. (3) The genus Brachystachyum Keng should be considered as a separate one. (4) The genus Pleioblastus Nakai should not be combined with the genus Arun-dinaria Michaux, but kept as an independent one.     

Microbiology of the stalactites from Grotta dei Cervi, Porto Badisco, Italy.

The active stalactites from Grotta dei Cervi, Porto Badisco, southeastern Italy, were sampled to investigate the microbial communities present in these speleothems. Sampling was carried out in a transect about 150 m long in the central gallery, where numerous Gram-positive bacteria were isolated. Actinomycetes of the genus Streptomyces were the most abundant, followed by members of the genus Bacillus. Further isolates were assigned to the genera Amycolatopsis, Arthrobacter; Agromyces. Micrococcus, Nocardiopsis and Rhodococcus of the order Actinomycetales. The ability of actinomycetes to colonize subterranean environments is discussed.     

原迷孔菌属在中国的首次报道

首次报道了产于中国的原迷孔菌属（新拟）Protodaedalea Imaz.。对本属所处的分类位置进行了探讨,认为本属与Elmerina 接近故置之于Aporpiaceae中较为合适。该属为一个东亚特有属。     

Patterns in the distribution of leaf-miners on British trees

Abstract. 1. A multiple regression analysis of the leaf miners on British native angiosperm tree genera was performed using measures of plant range, maximum height, taxonomic isolation and species per genus as independent variables.
2. 69% of the variation was explained by regression.
3. Taxonomic isolation was the most important variable with species per genus also having a significant effect. Plant range had no demonstrable effect.
4. The analysis was repeated with component taxonomic groups of leaf miners. Up to 85% of the variation was explained.     

七株微囊藻系统进化关系的RAPD-PCR分析

应用RAPD-PCR的方法,选用24个随机引物,分析来自不同地区的7株微囊藻的基因组多态性。结果显示,Microcystis.viridis及M.wesenbergii明显与M.aeruginosa区分开。M.aeruginosa分为两个可视为不同种的异源分类单位。作为对照的Anabaena sp.7120与其他微囊藻株表现出完全不同的基因型及更远的遗传距离。 此项研究表明,以基因型而不是表现型为基础,分析蓝藻种内及种间区别是可能的。因此,为解决蓝藻分类问题,特别是在种和属的水平上,提供了重要的线索。结合正在进行的用特异性及准确性强的引物区分微囊藻产毒及非产毒株的方法,RAPD-PCR可望将微囊藻产毒及非产毒株进化关系澄清。