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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1965

Characteristics and pathogenicity of a capsulated Pseudomonas isolated from goldfish

Characteristics of a capsulated bacterium isolated from an epizootic among goldfish ( Carassius auratus ) were determined as well as the ability of the bacterium to produce experimental infections. The bacterium was found to be a gram-negative rod which oxidized carbohydrates, produced green fluorescent pigment, and otherwise seemed to fit into the genus Pseudomonas , except that it was nonmotile and failed to oxidize gluconate. These last two characteristics are typical of pseudomonads. However, the bacterium was classified as a pseudomonad, best fitting the description of the nonmotile variety of Pseudomonas fluorescens . Goldfish and rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ) were infected experimentally by injection, but not by being fed bacteria-laden food. Goldfish were infected by exposure to the bacterium, but only if two or three scales were removed prior to exposure. It is suggested that the bacterium is an opportunistic pathogen.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1967

Dechlorination of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane by Aerobacter aerogenes: I. Metabolic products

Whole cells or cell-free extracts of Aerobacter aerogenes catalyze the degradation of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) in vitro to at least seven metabolites: 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE); 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD); 1-chloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDMU); 1-chloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethane (DDMS); unsym-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDNU); 2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)acetate (DDA); and 4,4′-dichlorobenzophenone (DBP). The use of metabolic inhibitors together with p H and temperature studies indicated that discrete enzymes are involved. By use of the technique of sequential analysis, the metabolic pathway was shown to be: DDT → DDD →DDMU →DDMS → DDNU → DDA → DBP, or DDT → DDE. Dechlorination was marginally enhanced by light-activated flavin mononucleotide.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1967

Biodegradation of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane: Intermediates in dichlorodiphenylacetic acid metabolism by Aerobacter aerogenes

The final product of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) degradation by vertebrates is commonly considered to be dichlorodiphenylacetic acid, DDA (J. E. Peterson and W. H. Robison, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 6:321, 1964). Recently, certain organisms (A. S. Perry, S. Miller, and A. J. Buckner. J. Agr. Food Chem. 11:457, 1963; J. D. Pinto, M. N. Comien, and M. S. Dunn. J. Biol. Chem. 240:2148, 1965) have been found to degrade further DDA to dichlorobenzophenone (DBP), but the possibility that such degradation was due to microbial action could not be excluded. Significantly, dichlorobenzhydrol (DBH), dichlorophenylmethane (DPM), and dichlorodiphenylethylene (DDE) have been tentatively identified in rats fed DDA (Pinto et al., J. Biol. Chem. 240:2148, 1965). Since DDA as well as DDT is degraded by the ubiquitous microorganism Aerobacter aerogenes (G. Wedemeyer, Appl. Microbiol. 15:569, 1967; J. L. Mendel, and M. S. Walton, Science 151:1527, 1966), it seemed reasonable that the intestinal microflora might be involved in DBP formation, DPM and DBH being intermediates in its pathway from DDA. Since DDA is a (3,y-unsaturated acid, ketone formation via an alkene and an alcohol would be expected (S. G. Waley, Mechanisms of Organic and Enzymatic Reactions, Oxford University Press, London, England 1962).

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1967

Low-temperature incubation using a water supply

Cell and tissue culture has been concerned primarily with homiothermic vertebrate cells which require incubation at about 37 C, and there is a great variety of incubators designed to maintain temperatures which are usually above ambient. The culture of poikilothermic vertebrate cells--and invertebrate, plant, and some microbial cells--can often be carried out at ambient temperatures, but for some work cooler conditions must be provided. Variety among the so-called low-temperature incubators is somewhat restricted; there are no small units, and all require a power source to maintain temperatures below ambient. We have used a gravity-fed water supply for 5 years to provide trouble-free, constant, low-temperature incubation of stock cultures of fish and amphibian cells. Though it is but a small part of our low-temperature incubator capacity, it has no power requirements and it provides maximal protection against temperature rises which could be lethal to some of the cell lines. Though the system has limitations, there is a considerable likelihood that the domestic water supply in other laboratories can also be used to provide low-temperature incubation.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1968

Partial hydrolysis of dieldrin by Aerobacter aerogenes

Although dieldrin (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro- 6,7-epoxy-1 ,4 ,4a ,5 ,6 ,7 ,8, 8a-octahydro-1 ,4-endo, exo-5, 8-dimethanonaphthalene) metabolism by mammals (F. Korte and H. Arent, Life Sci. 4:2017, 1965) and insects (D. F. Heath and M. Vanderkar, Brit. J. Ind. Med. 21:269, 1964) has been reported, little is known about the degradation of this important pesticide by microorganisms. Korte et al. (Ann. Chem. Liebigs 656:135, 1962) and Chacko et al. (Science 154: 893, 1966) reported that a number of ubiquitous microorganisms were incapable of degrading dieldrin; however, more recently Matsumura and Boush (Science 156:959, 1967) isolated several species of Pseudomonas and Bacillus which could degrade dieldrin, from a number of soil samples having similar activity. They did not specifically attempt to identify the dieldrin metabolites formed, but they did suggest, on the basis of an identical RF value with an authentic control that 6,7-trans-dihydroxydihydroaldrin (aldrin diol) might be a major product. Work carried out concurrently in this laboratory has shown that another ubiquitous bacterium, Aerobacter aerogenes , converts dieldrin in vitro to a compound chromatographically similar to 6,7-trans-dihydroxydihydroaldrin.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1969

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus: Lyophilization and subsequent stability in storage at 4 C

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (ATCC strain VR # 299) was lyophilized with different additives and stored at 4 C. Ampoules were assayed at 2 days, at 1, 3, and 6 months, and at 1, 3, and 4 years. Processing losses were least and subsequent maintenance of infectivity was best in skim milk, lactalbumin hydrolysate, and lactose. Quantitative data are given in tabular form.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1973

Fish viruses: Buffers and methods for plaquing eight agents under normal atmosphere

A universal procedure was sought for plaque assay of eight fish viruses (bluegill myxovirus, channel catfish virus, eel virus, Egtved virus, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, lymphocystis virus, and the agent of spring viremia of carp ( Rhabdovirus carpio ), in dish cultures of various fish cells. Eagle minimal essential medium with sodium bicarbonate-CO 2 buffer (Earle’s salt solution) was compared with minimal essential medium buffered principally with tris (hydroxymethyl)aminomethane or N -2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2′-ethanesulfonic acid at a pH or in the range of 7.6 to 8.0 depending upon temperature. Five fish cell lines collectively capable of replicating all fish viruses thus far isolated were tested and quantitatively found to grow comparably well in the three media. Two-phase (gel-liquid) media incorporating the various buffer systems allowed plaquing at 15 to 33 C either in partial pressures of CO 2 or in normal atmosphere, but greater efficiency and sensitivity were obtained with the organic buffers, and, overall, the best results were obtained with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane. Epizootiological data, specific fish cell line response, and plaque morphology permit presumptive identification of most of the agents. At proper pH, use of organic buffers obviates the need for CO 2 incubators.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1974

Corynebacterial kidney disease of salmonids: Growth and serological studies on the causative bacterium

Comparative growth studies of 10 isolates of the Corynebacterium of salmonid kidney disease were quantified on four media. Greatest cell yield was obtained from Mueller-Hinton medium with 0.1% L-cysteine hydrochloride. Serological tests, in which rabbit antisera used against typical bacteria strains showed all to be antigenically homologous, provided a reliable method of identification.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1961

The identification and separation of Aeromonas liquefaciens from Pseudomonas fluorescens and related organisms occurring in diseased fish

Taxonomy of the motile species of the genus Aeromonas is briefly discussed. It is suggested that Aeromonas organisms, isolated from outbreaks of red mouth of trout, red sore of pike, infectious abdominal dropsy and hemorrhagic septicemia of warm water fish, and which show acid and gas in glucose broth, production of 2,3-butanediol hydrogen sulfide from motility sulfide medium, presence of cytochrome oxidase, and hydrolysis of starch, be designated as Aeromonas liquefaciens . These tests also serve to differentiate A. liquefaciens from fish-pathogenic Pseudomonas fluorescens and from enteric bacteria.

Applied Microbiology↗
USGS1998

Anaerobic oxidation of [1,2-14C]dichloroethene under Mn(IV)-reducing conditions

Anaerobic oxidation of [1,2- 14 C]dichloroethene to 14 CO 2 under Mn(IV)-reducing conditions was demonstrated. The results indicate that oxidative degradation of partially chlorinated solvents like dichloroethene can be significant even under anoxic conditions and demonstrate the potential importance of Mn(IV) reduction for remediation of chlorinated groundwater contaminants.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2009

Eukaryotic viruses in wastewater samples from the United States

Human fecal matter contains a large number of viruses, and current bacterial indicators used for monitoring water quality do not correlate with the presence of pathogenic viruses. Adenoviruses and enteroviruses have often been used to identify fecal pollution in the environment; however, other viruses shed in fecal matter may more accurately detect fecal pollution. The purpose of this study was to develop a baseline understanding of the types of viruses found in raw sewage. PCR was used to detect adenoviruses, enteroviruses, hepatitis B viruses, herpesviruses, morbilliviruses, noroviruses, papillomaviruses, picobirnaviruses, reoviruses, and rotaviruses in raw sewage collected throughout the United States. Adenoviruses and picobirnaviruses were detected in 100% of raw sewage samples and 25% and 33% of final effluent samples, respectively. Enteroviruses and noroviruses were detected in 75% and 58% of raw sewage samples, respectively, and both viral groups were found in 8% of final effluent samples. This study showed that adenoviruses, enteroviruses, noroviruses, and picobirnaviruses are widespread in raw sewage. Since adenoviruses and picobirnaviruses were detected in 100% of raw sewage samples, they are potential markers of fecal contamination. Additionally, this research uncovered previously unknown sequence diversity in human picobirnaviruses. This baseline understanding of viruses in raw sewage will enable educated decisions to be made regarding the use of different viruses in water quality assessments. Copyright ?? 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2009

Bacterial and archaeal phylogenetic diversity of a cold sulfur-rich spring on the shoreline of Lake Erie, Michigan

Studies of sulfidic springs have provided new insights into microbial metabolism, groundwater biogeochemistry, and geologic processes. We investigated Great Sulphur Spring on the western shore of Lake Erie and evaluated the phylogenetic affiliations of 189 bacterial and 77 archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences from three habitats: the spring origin (11-m depth), bacterial-algal mats on the spring pond surface, and whitish filamentous materials from the spring drain. Water from the spring origin water was cold, pH 6.3, and anoxic (H 2 , 5.4 nM; CH 4 , 2.70 ??M) with concentrations of S 2- (0.03 mM), SO 4 2- (14.8 mM), Ca 2+ (15.7 mM), and HCO 3 - (4.1 mM) similar to those in groundwater from the local aquifer. No archaeal and few bacterial sequences were >95% similar to sequences of cultivated organisms. Bacterial sequences were largely affiliated with sulfur-metabolizing or chemolithotrophic taxa in Beta-, Gamma-, Delta-, and Epsilonproteobacteria. Epsilonproteobacteria sequences similar to those obtained from other sulfidic environments and a new clade of Cyanobacteria sequences were particularly abundant (16% and 40%, respectively) in the spring origin clone library. Crenarchaeota sequences associated with archaeal-bacterial consortia in whitish filaments at a German sulfidic spring were detected only in a similar habitat at Great Sulphur Spring. This study expands the geographic distribution of many uncultured Archaea and Bacteria sequences to the Laurentian Great Lakes, indicates possible roles for epsilonproteobacteria in local aquifer chemistry and karst formation, documents new oscillatorioid Cyanobacteria lineages, and shows that uncultured, cold-adapted Crenarchaeota sequences may comprise a significant part of the microbial community of some sulfidic environments. Copyright ?? 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2005

Molecular assays for targeting human and bovine enteric viruses in coastal waters and their application for library-independent source tracking

Rapid population growth and urban development along waterways and coastal areas have led to decreasing water quality. To examine the effects of upstream anthropogenic activities on microbiological water quality, methods for source-specific testing are required. In this study, molecular assays targeting human enteroviruses (HEV), bovine enteroviruses (BEV), and human adenoviruses (HAdV) were developed and used to identify major sources of fecal contamination in the lower Altamaha River, Georgia. Two-liter grab samples were collected monthly from five tidally influenced stations between July and December 2002. Samples were analyzed by reverse transcription- and nested-PCR. PCR results were confirmed by dot blot hybridization. Eleven and 17 of the 30 surface water samples tested positive for HAdV and HEV, respectively. Two-thirds of the samples tested positive for either HEV or HAdV, and the viruses occurred simultaneously in 26% of samples. BEV were detected in 11 of 30 surface water samples. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of both human and bovine enteric viruses was not significantly related to either fecal coliform or total coliform levels. The presence of these viruses was directly related to dissolved oxygen and streamflow but inversely related to water temperature, rainfall in the 30 days preceding sampling, and chlorophyll-?? concentrations. The stringent host specificity of enteric viruses makes them good library-independent indicators for identification of water pollution sources. Viral pathogen detection by PCR is a highly sensitive and easy-to-use tool for rapid assessment of water quality and fecal contamination when public health risk characterization is not necessary. Copyright ?? 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2006

Both msa genes in Renibacterium salmoninarum are needed for full virulence in bacterial kidney disease

Renibacterium salmoninarum, a gram-positive diplococcobacillus that causes bacterial kidney disease among salmon and trout, has two chromosomal loci encoding the major soluble antigen (msa) gene. Because the MSA protein is widely suspected to be an important virulence factor, we used insertion-duplication mutagenesis to generate disruptions of either the msa1 or msa2 gene. Surprisingly, expression of MSA protein in broth cultures appeared unaffected. However, the virulence of either mutant in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) by intraperitoneal challenge was severely attenuated, suggesting that disruption of the msa1 or msa2 gene affected in vivo expression. Copyright ?? 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2011

Macroscopic biofilms in fracture-dominated sediment that anaerobically oxidize methane

Methane release from seafloor sediments is moderated, in part, by the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) performed by consortia of archaea and bacteria. These consortia occur as isolated cells and aggregates within the sulfate-methane transition (SMT) of diffusion and seep-dominant environments. Here we report on a new SMT setting where the AOM consortium occurs as macroscopic pink to orange biofilms within subseafloor fractures. Biofilm samples recovered from the Indian and northeast Pacific Oceans had a cellular abundance of 10 7 to 10 8 cells cm -3. This cell density is 2 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than that in the surrounding sediments. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes indicated that the bacterial component is dominated by Deltaproteobacteria, candidate division WS3, and Chloroflexi, representing 46%, 15%, and 10% of clones, respectively. In addition, major archaeal taxa found in the biofilm were related to the ANME-1 clade, Thermoplasmatales, and Desulfurococcales, representing 73%, 11%, and 10% of archaeal clones, respectively. The sequences of all major taxa were similar to sequences previously reported from cold seep environments. PhyloChip microarray analysis detected all bacterial phyla identified by the clone library plus an additional 44 phyla. However, sequencing detected more archaea than the PhyloChip within the phyla of Methanosarcinales and Desulfurococcales. The stable carbon isotope composition of the biofilm from the SMT (-35 to-43%) suggests that the production of the biofilm is associated with AOM. These biofilms are a novel, but apparently widespread, aggregation of cells represented by the ANME-1 clade that occur in methane-rich marine sediments. ?? 2011, American Society for Microbiology.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2007

The microbial community structure in petroleum-contaminated sediments corresponds to geophysical signatures

The interdependence between geoelectrical signatures at underground petroleum plumes and the structures of subsurface microbial communities was investigated. For sediments contaminated with light non-aqueousphase liquids, anomalous high conductivity values have been observed. Vertical changes in the geoelectrical properties of the sediments were concomitant with significant changes in the microbial community structures as determined by the construction and evaluation of 16S rRNA gene libraries. DNA sequencing of clones from four 16S rRNA gene libraries from different depths of a contaminated field site and two libraries from an uncontaminated background site revealed spatial heterogeneity in the microbial community structures. Correspondence analysis showed that the presence of distinct microbial populations, including the various hydrocarbon-degrading, syntrophic, sulfate-reducing, and dissimilatory-iron-reducing populations, was a contributing factor to the elevated geoelectrical measurements. Thus, through their growth and metabolic activities, microbial populations that have adapted to the use of petroleum as a carbon source can strongly influence their geophysical surroundings. Since changes in the geophysical properties of contaminated sediments parallel changes in the microbial community compositions, it is suggested that geoelectrical measurements can be a cost-efficient tool to guide microbiological sampling for microbial ecology studies during the monitoring of natural or engineered bioremediation processes. Copyright ?? 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗
USGS2005

Effect of humic substance photodegradation on bacterial growth and respiration in lake water

This study addresses how humic substance (HS) chemical composition and photoreactivity affect bacterial growth, respiration, and growth efficiency (BGE) in lake water. Aqueous solutions of HSs from diverse aquatic environments representing different dissolved organic matter sources (autochthonous and allochthonous) were exposed to artificial solar UV radiation. These solutions were added to lake water passed through a 0.7-??m-pore-size filter (containing grazer-free lake bacteria) followed by dark incubation for 5, 43, and 65 h. For the 5-h incubation, several irradiated HSs inhibited bacterial carbon production (BCP) and this inhibition was highly correlated with H 2O2 photoproduction. The H2O2 decayed in the dark, and after 43 h, nearly all irradiated HSs enhanced BCP (average 39% increase relative to nonirradiated controls, standard error = 7.5%, n = 16). UV exposure of HSs also increased bacterial respiration (by ???18%, standard error = 5%, n = 4), but less than BCP, resulting in an average increase in BGE of 32% (standard error = 10%, n = 4). Photoenhancement of BCP did not correlate to HS bulk properties (i.e., elemental and chemical composition). However, when the photoenhancement of BCP was normalized to absorbance, several trends with HS origin and extraction method emerged. Absorbance-normalized hydrophilic acid and humic acid samples showed greater enhancement of BCP than hydrophobic acid and fulvic acid samples. Furthermore, absorbance-normalized autochthonous samples showed ???10-fold greater enhancement of BCP than allochthonous-dominated samples, indicating that the former are more efficient photoproducers of biological substrates. Copyright ?? 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology↗