Biotransformations of monoterpenes by photoautotrophic micro‐organisms

Monoterpenes are widely used in food technology, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries and as compounds of agricultural importance. It is known that compounds comprising this class can be transformed by a variety of organisms, namely by: bacteria, fungi, yeasts, plants or isolated enzymes. Biotransformations, as one of the most important tools of green chemistry, allow obtaining new products using whole cells of micro‐organisms or isolated enzymes in mild reaction conditions. Therefore, biotransformations of monoterpenes, by different type of reaction such as: epoxidation, oxidation and stereoselective hydroxylation, resulted in the production of so desired, enantiomerically defined compounds that can be advised as natural seem to be interesting. Bearing in mind that such processes are carried out also by easy to maintain, photoautotrophic micro‐organisms cultivated at large scale, this paper is focused on biotransformations of acyclic, monocyclic and bicyclic monoterpenes by freshwater or haliphylic cyanobacteria and microalgae on the way of mainly stereoselective hydroxylation. Moreover, aspects of potential industrial application of obtained products in medicine, perfume, cosmetics and food industry are discussed.     

Late Mesoproterozoic – early Neoproterozoic organic‐walled microfossils from the Madhubani Group of the Ganga Valley,northern India

The age of the sedimentary basement of the Ganga Valley in northern India, which is represented by the entirely subsurface Ganga Supergroup, is key for addressing issues related to the tectonic history of the Himalaya. However, the stratigraphic correlations between the Ganga Supergroup in the Ganga Valley, the Vindhyan Supergroup in cratonic India to the south, and Proterozoic successions in the Lesser Himalaya to the north have long been a matter of controversy. This is largely because of the poor age constraint of the Madhubani Group of the upper Ganga Supergroup, which has been variously interpreted as Proterozoic, lower Palaeozoic, or even Mesozoic. To address this issue, we used a low manipulation maceration technique to extract organic‐walled microfossils from the Ujhani and Tilhar formations of the lower Madhubani Group. Our study recovered a total of 24 taxa, including Devisphaera corallis gen. et sp. nov. The co‐occurrence of Trachyhystrichosphaera aimika, Caudosphaera expansa and Annulusia annulata in the lower Madhubani Group indicates a late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic age. Thus, the biostratigraphical data suggest a >300 myr depositional gap between the Madhubani Group and the immediately underlying Bahraich Group, which has been independently constrained to be upper Palaeoproterozoic to lower Mesoproterozoic in age. Therefore, the first‐order stratigraphic architecture, with a Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic succession unconformably overlain by a Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic succession, is closely similar throughout the Vindhyan Basin, Ganga Valley and Lesser Himalaya, suggesting a shared sedimentary and tectonic history among them.     

Colonisation of soft lining materials by micro‐organisms

doi:10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2009.00300.x
Colonisation of soft lining materials by micro‐organisms Objective: This study evaluated the in vitro adherence of pathogenic micro‐organisms, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to soft lining materials and their inhibitory effect on these micro‐organisms. Materials and Methods: To measure adherence, specimens of Molloplast B and Ufi Gel P were inoculated [10⁷ colony‐forming units per millimetre (cfu/ml)] with TSB media containing the micro‐organisms. To determine the number of micro‐organisms in the 10^?2–10^?5 dilutions, 25 μl of the suspension were transferred to plates of selective media. Colony counts of each specimen were quantified (cfu/ml). The surface roughness was measured with a perfilometer to assess the relationship between the adherence of micro‐organisms and surface roughness of each material. For the inhibition test, specimens of materials were placed in agar plates inoculated individually with the micro‐organisms. After 48 h, the inhibition zones around the specimens were measured. Results: None of the materials exhibited inhibition zones. The number of cfu/ml of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were significantly greater than C. albicans for both materials. The Ufi Gel P exhibited greater adherence of C. albicans than Molloplast B. No correlation was observed between the adherence of micro‐organisms and surface roughness. Conclusion: The surface roughness of the materials is not the only factor governing micro‐organism adherence.     

Recent strategies for efficient production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by micro‐organisms

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polyesters accumulated by many bacteria under unbalanced growth conditions, and have been used to meet the various demands in areas of agriculture, medicine, and materials especially belong to a rapidly expanding area of biomedical research. Unfortunately, the high production cost than the traditional synthetic materials has greatly limited the wide application of PHA. Here, we systematically summarized recent progress in production of PHAs and a series of optimization strategies such as supplying renewable carbon substrates, developing better bacterial strains, optimization of fermentation processes, engineering new pathways and etc., were applied to reduce production cost, therefore providing many new ideas and methods for the production of PHAs in economically viable processes. This is believed to be a comprehensive report to show different strategies and methods for low‐cost production of PHAs. Further studies are still needed to make PHAs more and more economically viable to meet a wide range of applicability.     

Development of a colorimetric colony‐screening assay for detection of defluorination by micro‐organisms

Aims: To develop a colorimetric colony‐screening assay to facilitate the isolation of micro‐organisms capable of defluorination. Methods and Results: A metal‐dye chelate, zirconium‐xylenol orange was used to detect fluoride ions released from a fluorinated substrate through microbial metabolism. Depolymerised zirconium reagent gave the greatest visual contrast for the presence of fluoride compared to more polymerised forms of zirconium reagent. The sensitivity of the assay was greatest when the molar ratio of depolymerised zirconium to xylenol orange was 1 : 2. Using depolymerised zirconium and xylenol orange (150 and 300 nmol l^?1 respectively), the assay could detect a fluoride application spot (5 mmol l^?1) containing 50 nmoles of fluoride ions. Most media constituents were well tolerated by the assay, although phosphate ions needed to be restricted to 0·1 g l^?1 and some proteins digest to between 1 and 5 g l^?1. A microbial enrichment culture growing on solidified medium containing 20 mmol l^?1 fluoroacetate was screened using the assay, and defluorinating bacteria belonging to the genus Burkholderia isolated. Conclusions: A method was developed that is sensitive, rapid and reliable for detecting defluorination by micro‐organisms growing on solidified medium. Significance and Impact of the Study: This method can be used to facilitate the isolation of micro‐organisms capable of defluorination.     

Status and future of disease protection and grape berry quality alteration by micro‐organisms in viticulture

Grapevine is one of the most widely grown fruit crops in the world. At present, however, there is much concern regarding chemical pollution in viticulture due to the application of chemical fungicides and fertilizers. One viticultural practice to resolve this issue is the application of micro‐organisms to grapevine as a substitute for chemicals. Some micro‐organisms act as an enhancer of grape berry quality as well as a suppresser of disease in grapevine through their antagonistic ability and/or systemic resistance inducing ability. Herein, we review current and prospective applications of micro‐organisms in viticulture.

Significance and Impact of the Study

In this review, we evaluate the applicability of micro‐organisms in viticulture. Micro‐organisms can improve grape berry quality through grapevine disease protection and grape berry quality alteration. Because the use of micro‐organisms to protect grapevine from plant diseases is safer than the use of chemical fungicides, the use of biofungicides in viticulture is expected to be enhanced by the increasing consumer concern towards chemical fungicides. Micro‐organisms also modify plant secondary metabolites for use as flavours, pharmaceuticals and food additives. Studies of micro‐organisms that promote polyphenol, anthocyanin and aroma compound biosynthesis are in progress with an eye to improving grape berry quality.     

Screen of micro‐organisms for inducing the production of dragon’s blood by leaf of Dracaena cochinchinensis

Aims: To screen micro‐organisms for inducing the production of dragon’s blood, which is normally produced by stem xylem and by leaf of Dracaena cochinchinensis, and to evaluate the product by comparing with the standard. Methods and Results: Thirty microbial strains were isolated from D. cochinchinensis leaves. Three of them were confirmed to elicit the leaf of D. cochinchinensis producing dragon’s blood after inoculation. Upon elicitation, all of the 6‐month‐old leaves of the inducible trees produced dragon’s blood; 60–70% of the 1‐year‐old leaves elicited produced the resin. All the three strains were identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioide by morphological and molecular methods. The leaf resin had a similar TLC profile and antioxidant activities to the standard resin. In particular, it had a higher total flavonol content and antimicrobial activity than the standard. Conclusions: Upon the induction of the screened C. gloeosporioide mycelia, D. cochinchinensis leaf produced dragon’s blood with higher total flavone content and antimicrobial activity than the standard dragon’s blood. Significance and Impact of the Study: This work has provided a strategy for producing dragon’s blood in a sustainable way using leaves of C. gloeosporioides by fungal elicitation.     

Early evolution of Cupedidae revealed by a mid‐Cretaceous reticulated beetle from Myanmar (Coleoptera: Archostemata)

Cupedidae, the most species‐rich family of the archaic suborder Archostemata, were abundant, diverse and widespread in the Mesozoic, yet little is known about the early evolution and biogeography. This stems, in part, from a lack of exceptionally preserved fossils from the Mesozoic and of formal phylogenetic study of both extant and extinct taxa. Here we describe and illustrate a new fossil from mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber, and provide a phylogeny combining both fossils and all known extant genera of Archostemata. A dataset of 43 ingroup taxa and four outgroup taxa based on 110 morphological characters was analysed under parsimony. The results indicate that Priacma LeConte and Paracupes Kolbe, as well as the Cretaceous genera Barbaticupes Jarzembowski et al. and Mallecupes Jarzembowski et al., together form a sister clade to the rest of Cupedidae. Priacma megapuncta sp.n. is attributed to the relict North American Priacma by the presence of distinct subtruncate elytral apices, lateral elytral margins with two rows of sharp teeth, and peculiar fixing epipleural folds near the elytral apices. Our discovery of the first fossil species of Priacma in Burmese amber reveals the antiquity and wider distribution of the genus in the late Mesozoic. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:313565C2‐4F42‐48BD‐8720‐F379DE202868 .     

Major differences in the larval anatomy of the digestive and excretory systems of three Oestridae species revealed by micro‐CT

Oestrid flies (Diptera: Oestridae) do not feed during the adult stage, so they depend on an efficient assimilation and storage of nutrients during their parasitic larval stage. We describe the general morphology and provide volumetric data for the digestive and excretory organs of the three larval instars of the nasal bot fly Oestrus ovis L., using micro‐computed tomography. The size of the digestive and excretory organs greatly increased across larval instars. In all instars, the two salivary glands were remarkably large and formed a ‘glandular band’ by coming together, but without lumina uniting, at their posterior ends. The distal region of the anterior Malpighian tubules was greatly enlarged and full of highly radio‐opaque concretions. Moreover, the anatomy of O. ovis third‐instar larva was compared to that of two species of, respectively, similar and different feeding habits: Cephenemyia stimulator (Clark) and Hypoderma actaeon Brauer. Whereas the general morphology and arrangement of the digestive and excretory systems of C. stimulator was similar to that of O. ovis, some differences were observed in H. actaeon: a swollen anterior region of the midgut, salivary glands shorter and not forming a ‘band’ and anterior Malpighian tubules narrowly uniform throughout their entire length.     

Rapid genome‐wide evolution in Brassica rapa populations following drought revealed by sequencing of ancestral and descendant gene pools

There is increasing evidence that evolution can occur rapidly in response to selection. Recent advances in sequencing suggest the possibility of documenting genetic changes as they occur in populations, thus uncovering the genetic basis of evolution, particularly if samples are available from both before and after selection. Here, we had a unique opportunity to directly assess genetic changes in natural populations following an evolutionary response to a fluctuation in climate. We analysed genome‐wide differences between ancestors and descendants of natural populations of Brassica rapa plants from two locations that rapidly evolved changes in multiple phenotypic traits, including flowering time, following a multiyear late‐season drought in California. These ancestor‐descendant comparisons revealed evolutionary shifts in allele frequencies in many genes. Some genes showing evolutionary shifts have functions related to drought stress and flowering time, consistent with an adaptive response to selection. Loci differentiated between ancestors and descendants (F_ST outliers) were generally different from those showing signatures of selection based on site frequency spectrum analysis (Tajima's D), indicating that the loci that evolved in response to the recent drought and those under historical selection were generally distinct. Very few genes showed similar evolutionary responses between two geographically distinct populations, suggesting independent genetic trajectories of evolution yielding parallel phenotypic changes. The results show that selection can result in rapid genome‐wide evolutionary shifts in allele frequencies in natural populations, and highlight the usefulness of combining resurrection experiments in natural populations with genomics for studying the genetic basis of adaptive evolution.     

Early evolution of Nemopteridae illuminated with the first and oldest thread‐winged lacewing in Cretaceous amber

Nemopteridae are a charismatic family of lacewings distinguished by specialization of morphology in both larvae and adults as well as in their biology and behaviour. The evolutionary history of Nemopteridae is largely unknown due to the scarcity of fossil records. Here we report a new genus and species of Nemopteridae (Cretocroce xiai gen. et sp.n.) based on an exquisitely preserved adult specimen in mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber. We place the new genus in the subfamily Crocinae, which is characterized by filamentous hindwings with a sensory function as an adaptation to their cavernicolous habitats. The new genus represents the first nemopterid in amber and the oldest crocine known to date. The new fossil crocine is nearly morphologically unchanged over 99 Ma compared with its modern counterparts. Moreover, it is estimated to be closely related to some extant crocines endemic to South America based on morphological phylogenetic analysis. The new finding provides direct evidence to demonstrate the antiquity of Crocinae morphological innovation and related biology, such as pollenophagous habits, and further corroborates Gondwanan origin of the subfamily. The published work has been registered on ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3D29DE48‐DBD8‐4614‐8387‐D9FCF90B0640 .     

RAD‐seq linkage mapping and patterns of segregation distortion in sedges: meiosis as a driver of karyotypic evolution in organisms with holocentric chromosomes

Meiotic drive, the class of meiotic mechanisms that drive unequal segregation of alleles among gametes, may be an important force in karyotype evolution. Its role in holocentric organisms, whose chromosomes lack localized centromeres, is poorly understood. We crossed two individuals of Carex scoparia (Cyperaceae) with different chromosome numbers (2n = 33^II = 66 × 2n = 32^II = 64) to obtain F1 individuals, which we then self‐pollinated to obtain second‐generation (F2) crosses. RAD‐seq was performed for 191 individuals (including the parents, five F1 individuals and 184 F2 individuals). Our F2 linkage map based on stringent editing of the RAD‐seq data set yielded 32 linkage groups. In the final map, 865 loci were located on a linkage map of 3966.99 cM (linkage groups ranged from 24.39 to 193.31 cM in length and contained 5–51 loci each). Three linkage groups exhibit more loci under segregation distortion than expected by chance; within linkage groups, loci exhibiting segregation distortion are clustered. This finding implicates meiotic drive in the segregation of chromosome variants, suggesting that selection of chromosome variants in meiosis may contribute to the establishment and fixation of chromosome variants in Carex, which is renowned for high chromosomal and species diversity. This is an important finding as previous studies demonstrate that chromosome divergence may play a key role in differentiation and speciation in Carex.