13th International Conference on Microbial Interactions & Microbial Ecology July 19-20, 2018 Rome, Italy

Biography:

Assistant Professor in medical biology, specialist microbiologist.  and certified auditor controlling laboratories. Working in the profession for more than 20 years. Head of the Department of Laboratory Diagnosis in Military Institute of Medical MIM),  the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defence in Warsaw/Poland. She is the author of over 100 publications on a national and international scope of Microbiology and issues related to the problems of defense against bioterrorism. Active participant in more than 30 presentations at international conferences on the subject of general health focusing on  microbiology and epidemiology.JarosÅ‚aw Koseks Ph MD., OF-4 Polish Army .Otolaryngology Clinic in MIM.  Author of many congress reports and scientific publications of national and international range.

Abstract:

Vaccination against influenza is one of the most beneficial elements of prophylaxis against this viral disease.

Questionnaire surveys were conducted in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 epidemic season in the population of Polish students aged 19-22. The students were divided into two groups. The first 33-person group was asked to complete the questionnaire after giving a lecture on flu, the second group of 27 people filled out the questionnaire before giving the presentation.

Most of the answers were given by men, women accounted for 11.6%, which results from the specificity of studies at the technical military college. The survey contains information about the scope and purpose of the study, and 15 research questions divided into three thematic blocks. A high percentage of 67.2% of correct answers was obtained in both groups according to which the best time for vaccination is the beginning of autumn. People who answered affirmatively that they had heard about post-influenza complications were in the first group as much as 90.9% and in the second group only 67% of respondents. Respondents also demonstrated diverse knowledge of data on annual mortality associated with the threat of influenza. The correct answer is that in the world about half a million people die every year from flu and its complications, 81.8% of respondents in the first group reported, while in the second group only 14.8%. Probably such an effect was caused by the knowledge that the students acquired through hearing a report on influenza. The analyzes show that out of the 60 people participating in the study no one vaccinated against influenza in both epidemic seasons. The reasons for not including vaccination primarily concerned the lack of faith in the effectiveness of the vaccine, the belief that vaccination does not protect against illness and fear of adverse reactions.

Despite the appeals and recommendations of many expert organizations, the state of vaccination among young people against influenza remains very low. In Poland, it is estimated that the percentage of vaccinated general population is around 3.7%. The level of influenza vaccination among WAT students is at a very low level in the analyzed period, no one in this group has taken vaccination. The analysis shows how important is the health education of students and how it can have a preventative impact on the perception of their health in the future.

Biography:

Bilyana Grigorova-Pesheva has completed hers Master degree at the age of 29 years from  University of Forestry and now she is PhD student -  in the process of training/qualification in the Microbiology Department, in particular "Soil Microbiology". She takes an active part in a number of ecological projects and prepares a number of reports related to the environment protection.

Abstract:

The role and dynamics of microorganisms in the composting process of bioplastic and organic wastes is researched. For the purpose of the study, the influence of Polydegralex material upon its introduction into the composting pile is analyzed. By chemical composition Polydegralex refers to oxo-degradable plastic products. Polydegralex contains an additional additive that is both photo- and thermally degradable. The rate of degradation depends on both the quality and the presence of antioxidants in the main component of this foil.  According to the literature, Polydegralex is a specific material that undergoes physical decay under the influence of temperature and sunlight. It is mainly used in the production of disposable and reusable bags. As starting materials for composting, various organic waste was used to which specific biodegradable plastic products were added. Bioplastics are products based on potato starch, corn and other substrates. The organic waste used is divided into two groups, depending on their characteristics - food waste and green waste. During the composting process, the change in the properties and characteristics of both organic waste as well as the added biodegradable products and Polydegralex is monitored. A model experiment was performed in five variants. Each variant includes a different ratio of organic waste to which samples of different bioplastic products and Polydegralex have been added. The experience is set as a vessel by the method of active aerobic composting by periodic aeration (mixing) and maintaining optimal humidity. For all the variants of the experiment, are analyzed (for 5 months), representative microbiological, chemical and physical parameters of the compostable materials. The microbiological analyzes of each variants were performed in the dynamics by dilution method by plating solid media, in triplicate. Traceable and analyzed are representative microbiological indicators - dynamics and change of the microbial communities during the different phases of the composting process - mesophilic, thermophilic and phase of maturation . The results of the study show a different quantitative and qualitative composition of the microflora in the individual variants.  A larger microbial number was observed in the samples with food waste as compared to the green waste samples. During the composting process, nonspore-forming bacteria dominate. The composting of biodegradable plastic products does not have a negative impact on the microbial populations typical of this process. Moreover, biodegradable plastic products are an additional food base for microorganisms. By increasing the mass of biodegradable plastic waste to the total mass of waste, the microbial number increases. The results obtained show that the microbiological activity is enhanced in the presence of biodegradable plastic products and is weakened in the presence of oxo-degradable plastics products.

Biography:

Dr. Viviana Izzo has completed her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the age of 26 years from the University Federico II of Naples. From 2004 through 2006, Dr. Izzo has been postdoc Associate at the Department of Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, Cambridge. MA, USA). She is currently Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Salerno, and is responsible for the Unit of Pharmacokinetics at the University Hospital “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona” of Salerno (Italy). Dr. Izzo benefits of several national and international collaborations and is referee for several peer-reviewed scientific journals of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology. Dr. Izzo bears an expertise in a range of biochemical, molecular biology and microbiological subjects and techniques gained through both academic study and recent work experience.

Abstract:

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nanoscale proteoliposomes of 20-200 nm diameter, derived from the surface of many gram- negative and gram-positive bacteria as part of their natural growth cycle. Natural OMVs have several important roles; for example, they can contribute to bacterial survival by reducing levels of toxic compounds, removing stress products from the cell such as misfolded periplasmic proteins, or are involved in biofilm formation. Interest in these bioparticles has grown over the years, leading to important highlights concerning their composition, production, and their role in cellular communication and environmental adaptation. In this context, an appealing source of OMVs can be retrieved in Novosphingobium sp. PP1Y, a marine microorganism isolated in a polluted area of the harbor of Pozzuoli (Naples, Italy) and microbiologically characterized by our research group. This bacterium is a non-pathogenic microorganism belonging to the order Sphingomonadales, which is endowed with the ability to grow on a wide array of mono- and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) used as sole carbon and energy source. N. sp. PP1Y genome has been sequenced and completely annotated, showing the presence of a complex metabolic pattern, responsible for its growth in harsh environmental conditions. The growth of strain PP1Y shows the presence of an equilibrium between a sessile and a planktonic form. We have successfully isolated OMVs from N. sp. PP1Y grown in minimal medium supplemented with 0.4% glutamate as sole carbon and energy source (Fig.1). AFM, DLS and Nanosize analysis on purified vesicles showed that N. sp. PP1Y OMVs have a circular morphology with a diameter of ≈ 200 nm and are uniform in size and shape, in accordance with other OMVs described in literature. Proteomic and fatty acid analysis suggested a specific protein and fatty acid fingerprint of these extracellular nanostructures; in particular, among all proteins identified in OMVs, Protease IV resulted to be the more abundant. Preliminary analysis showed that Protease IV is present in OMVs from strain PP1Y in its active form, thus paving the way to the use of these structures as vehicles of specific enzymatic activities of biotechnological importance.

Biography:

Patrizia Cesaro is a researcher at the Università del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, Italy. She graduated cum laude in Biological Sciences at the University of Torino, she received a Specialization in Biothecnology Application with an evaluation cum laude and finally she received PhD in "Environmental Science, internal waters and agroecosystems" at the University of Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”.  Her research has been focused in molecular biotechnology, she has a good expertise molecular biological techniques, in particular, PCR, real time PCR, DGGE, protein expression and purification, two dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, enzyme kinetics and rDNA phylogenetic analysis by bioinformatics softwares.

Abstract:

Vitis vinifera (L.) is an economically important crop whose value depends largely on fruit quality.  Most grapevine varieties are susceptible to diseases and different approaches can be chosen to control grapevine pests (conventional practice, integrate pest practice (IPM) and organic pest practice).

Among soil microorganisms, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are able to establish symbiotic associations with vine roots. These fungi have beneficial effects on grapevine performance, including water use efficiency, vine biomass, replant success and soil nutrient uptake. Previous reports suggested a host specificity among grapevine and AM fungi and that soil characteristics and tillage may be important in determining this association.

In this study, we examined the AM fungal communities in the rhizospheric soil of V. vinifera cv Pinot Nero and bulk soil using 454 Roche sequencing technology.

The bulk soil and the rhizospheric soil of the grapevines were sampled before and after grape production. Genomic DNA was extracted and amplified, according to the methods optimized for 454 Roche pyrosequencing, by nested PCR using AMF specific primers of the large ribosomal subunit (LSU rDNA). Sequences were compared with both NCBI database and an AMF LSU rDNA reference database.

Our data showed different AMF communities in the rhizospheric and bulk soil of V. vinifera and the importance of the sampling time in regulating AMF biodiversity.

Biography:

Valeria Todeschini is a researcher in Botany since November 2016. She obtained her graduation in Biology at the University of Piemonte Orientale (UPO) in July 2003, achieving in the same year the qualification to the profession of biologist. In 2007 she received her PhD in “Scienze Ambientali, Acque Interne e Agroecosistemi” from the same University. After discussing her PhD thesis, she continued her research relying on post-doctoral fixed-term positions. She regularly serves as a reviewer for various international scientific journals; from May 2015 she is a member of the “Plant Physiology and Biochemistry” editorial board. At present she is in charge with the teaching of the Plant Biotechnology course. Her studies are focused on plant-microbe interaction. In particular, she worked on phytoremediation of soils polluted by heavy metals, relying on poplar plants inoculated or not with soil beneficial microorganisms (PGPB and AMF). The effects both of pollutants and inoculation have been investigated at different levels: whole plants, cellular and molecular. Since 2013 her research line concerned also the qualitative improvement of crop and medicinal plants using bio-inoculants. In particular, growth parameters, photosynthetic activity, fruit yield and quality of crop and medicinal plants were assessed in response to different AMF and PGPB inoculation at different levels of fertilization. Her studies have been carried out with researchers from various Italian and foreign Universities. The above described activities have been disseminated in the national and international scientific communities attending conferences, submitting communications, publishing papers (17) and book chapters (1).

Abstract:

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) are soil beneficial microorganisms strictly associated with plant roots, able to improve plant growth. The interaction between plants and AMF and/or PGPB can also affect plant metabolism, increasing photosynthetic rate and the production of the so-called healthy compounds.

In this study, three different AMF (Funneliformis mosseae, Septoglomus viscosum, Rhizophagus irregularis) were used in combination with three different strains of PGPB (19Fv1t, 5vm1K, Pf4) to inoculate plantlets of Fragaria x ananassa Duch var. Eliana F1 in order to investigate the effects of different AMF/PGPB combinations both on plant growth and fruit quality. The plants, grown in a greenhouse for 4 months, were irrigated with nutrient solution at two different level of phosphate: half of the control uninoculated plants (C) was fed with 32µM phosphate, while the remaining controls (C-P) and all the inoculated ones were fed with 16µM phosphate. The number of newly produced flowers and fruits was recorded weekly. Mature fruits were harvested, weighted, measured and used for biochemical analyses. At harvest, fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots, mycorrhizal colonization (M%) and content of leaf photosynthetic pigments were measured. Moreover, the following fruit parameters were recorded: pH, titratable acids, concentration of organic acids, sugars, vitamin C and anthocyanidins. Volatile profile and elemental composition in fruits were also evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed by one-way and two-way ANOVA. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) and PCA-DA (discriminant analysis) were used to draw a general profile of strawberry plants through the different considered variables.

AMF/PGPB combinations differently affected plant growth parameters, increasing root and shoot biomass and the concentration of photosynthetic pigments. Plants inoculated with R. irregularis showed the highest M% (20-30%). Co-inoculation also improved plant growth, fruit yield and quality: plants inoculated with Pf4, regardless of its combination with the used fungus, showed a higher number of flowers and fruits produced per plant, an increase of malic acid concentration and a decrease of pH in the fruits, if compared to the other treatments. The PCA-DA analysis reveal that the presence of a specific fungus and/or bacterium in the soil determined the production of specific compounds in fruits: volatile profile and elemental composition observed for each treatment were different from the other ones, underlining the uniqueness of strawberry flavour, aroma and odor of each treatment. In general, the factor “fungus” mostly affected the parameters associated with the vegetative portion of the plant, while the factor “bacterium” was more relevant for fruit yield and quality

Biography:

Nadia Massa is a technician in the Biological Laboratories of the Università del Piemonte Orientale, Italy. She graduated cum laude in Biological Sciences at the University of Piemonte Orientale and attained a PhD in "Environmental Science, internal waters and agroecosystems" at the same university. Her research has been focused in: i) effects induced by heavy metals on the wild vegetation of polluted sites and their associated AM fungi, with particular interest in hyperaccumulator plants to be used in remediation programs; ii) setting up of a number of biotest using model plants and AM fungal spores to evaluate the effect of different pollutants on vegetation and hence on living organisms; iii) evaluation of benefits due to AM symbiosis both in biotic (phytoplasmas, aphyds) and (salinity and heavy metals) stress; iv) application of AM fungi and PGP bacteria for the improvement of fruit quality in crop plants. This research has required application of various methodologies such as: optical, fluorescence, confocal and electron microscopy, flow cytometry, molecular analyses and specific image analysis software as well as statistical ones.

Abstract:

Legumes, like common bean, have the capacity to form symbiotic associations both with ancient arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and recent Rhizobium bacteria. Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Billò is an important and valuable crop widely cultivated in western Piedmont (Northern Italy). AMF are known to improve plant nutrition, in particular phosphorus acquisition, and hence fruit or seed quality. Rhizobium leguminosarum is a gram-negative bacterium, symbiont of various species of Fabaceae that is able to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

In this study, 15 different Rhizobium strains were isolated either from root nodules or soil, and characterized by a molecular and a biochemical point of view (phosphate solubilization, siderophore and IAA production, intrinsic antibiotic resistance). Among them, one strain was selected for a field trial. The aim of this work was to check, in field conditions, the possibility to improve bean seed yield and quality by means of inoculation with AMF and/or rhizobia under conditions of low fertilization. At harvesting, yield (pod and seed number and weight) and seed quality parameters (starch, protein, fiber and metal contents) were evaluated. Nodulation and mycorrhizal colonization of roots were assessed.

Yield parameters and fiber content were not influenced by the inoculation of microorganisms nor by the reduced fertilization, whilst protein concentration was significantly higher in the seeds of Rhizobium-inoculated plants in combination or not with AMF. Starch concentration significantly increased in the seeds of plants inoculated with rhizobia alone. Mg, K and Zn concentrations were positively affected by AMF, while Mn concentration was higher in the presence of Rhizobia. Ca and Fe levels did not show differences between the treatments.

In conclusion, an environment-friendly practice like low chemical fertilization can be associated to inoculation with soil microorganisms in order to improve bean seed quality, which can be differently affected by different combinations of inoculated microorganisms.

Biography:

Nahid Esmaeili associated with Department of Food Biotechnology, Assumption University, Thailand. She has published several papers in reputed journals.

Abstract:

Vegetable oils are substances that cause water problem. They released into the environment with wastewater derived from the food processing industry, restaurants and kitchens. They can cause problem in environment due to their physical properties. One method to solve this problem is the use of bio-extract. Bio-extract derived from the fermentation of vegetable and fruits residues with sugar. It contain an organic substances and microorganisms that can degrade oils. The isolation and identification of bacteria from bio-extract which can degrade palm oil and soy bean oil is the aim of this research. The isolation of microorganisms was carried out, using M9 liquid media enriched with 1% (v/v) soybean or 1% (v/v) palm oil added with 2 ml bio-extract. The samples were screened for lipid degrading organisms using serial dilution and spread onto the M9 agar plates enriched with 0.2% (v/v) soybean oil or palm oil and 0.5X PCA media enriched with 0.2% (v/v) palm oil or soybean oil. Thirty microorganisms were isolated from bio-extract that showed ability to degrade palm oil and/ or soybean oil. The bacteria categories in three groups, The first group degrade soybean oil. The second group degrade palm and soybean oils so, these group select as good bacteria due to degrade palm oil and soybean oil. The third groups of bacteria did not degrade oils. So, seven strains of bacteria were selected according to the size of clear zone in soybean and palm oil containing agar plate. The selected bacteria strains were identified using, morphological and physiological characteristics according to the method of “Bergey’s manual of determinative bacteriology”. The bacteria can be categorized in to three groups. The first group consisting of three strains, they are Gram-positive, rod shape, oxidase negative. The second group consisting two strains they are Gram-negative, rod shape and fermented glucose. The third group consisting two strains, they are Gram-negative, rod shape, and did not fermented glucose.

Keywords: Bio-extract, palm oil, soybean oil, degrade, wastewater

Biography:

Annamaria Bevivino has her expertise in microbial diversity and microbial interactions in different environments. She is senior scientist at ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Development, and Professor at University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy. Actually, she is the Coordinator of a multicentric project funded by Italian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (FFC#19/2017), entitled “A longitudinal metagenomic analysis to uncover microbial signatures of CF lung disease: unravelling host-microbial community interactions in humans and animal models”. She is academic editor for PlosOne and Frontiers in Microbiology and member of Italian Society of General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Federation of European Microbiological societies, Italian Society of Agro-Food and Environmental Microbiology, International Union of Microbiological Societies, Italian Cystic Fibrosis Sociey and European Cystic Fibrosis Society.  She is author of 44 peer-reviewed published papers in international journals, and more than 150 communications to national and international congresses. Scopus: ID: 6602516452 Citations: 1491. h index: 22

Abstract:

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) can experience periodic episodes of acute pulmonary exacerbation, which are associated with a poor health-related quality of life, disease progression, and survival. Only recently scientists began to appreciate the complexity of CF polymicrobial infection and the implications it may have for disease prognosis and response to therapy. New insight into the impact of antibiotic treatment, patient age increasing, and periodic pulmonary exacerbation on CF microbiology has been obtained. Anyway, the analysis of both taxonomic assessment of CF microbiome and its functional potential (ie which genes and pathways are present) have not been investigated yet. Understanding the role of the CF airway microbiota and detecting microbial species associated with the decline in lung function are key challenges for the delivery of new potential biomarkers for bacterial infections managements in CF patients and improving healthcare treatment. Here, I will present the state of the art on CF microbiome and describe the complex interaction networks underlying the host‐lung microbiome interaction at taxonomic and functional level. Finally, data from a longitudinal study of the airway microbiome in CF will be presented, paying special attention to the episodes of exacerbation, by using shotgun metagenomic sequencing that permits targeting the entire genomic repertoire of the microbial community, down to the strain level. Overall, such results suggest the need for future development of personalized therapeutic approaches based on patient-specific airways microbiome. These new insights may alter future clinical management of CF. This work was supported by Grants from Italian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (FFC#8/2012; FFC#10/2014; FFC#14/2015; FFC#19/2017).

Biography:

Anihouvi Victor is associated with department of Sciences and Food Technology ,University of Abomey Calavi, Benin.

Abstract:

Lanhouin is a traditional fermented fish mainly processed in the coastal zones of Benin. Its production is still artisanal, and two mainly fermentation conditions, aerobic and semi aerobic were observed during the processing of fresh fish into Lanhouin. The aim of this work was to investigate the staphylococcal population during the two types of fermentation. In this respect the coagulase negative bacteria (CNS) were enumerated along the two fermentation processes. A total of 121 CNS were isolated from the fermenting fish samples and identified either by a PCR multiplex or a Staph Array. The results showed that the CNS reached approximately 4 Log CFU/g after 3 days of fermentation and stayed at this level up to the end of the process. 112 isolates were identified as belonging to genus Staphylococcus. The identification to species level lead to five species including S. nepalensis, S. sciuri, S. cohnii subsp. cohnii, S. saprophyticus and S. epidermidis. S. nepalensis (47%) was the predominant species in Lanhouin, followed equally by S. sciuri (22%) and S. cohnii subsp. cohnii (21%). S. nepalensis and S. cohhii were isolated along the two types of fermentations attesting that they are well adapted to these processes, while S. sciuri was only isolated from the semi-aerobic fermentation and disappeared as the fermentation time progressed. The dominance of S. nepalensis and its presence along the process questioned its development as indigenous starter cultures. This species has been isolated from fish sauce and it was able to improve its odour Furthermore, safety criteria investigated on a collection of 15 strains revealed the absence of genes coding enterotoxins SEA to SEI and enterotoxin –like SEJ, the absence of DNase activity and nuc gene coding nuclease and haemolytic activity, but resistance either to tetracycline or erythromycin was noted. These criteria are indispensable to develop safe indigenous starter cultures.

Biography:

Abstract:

Microbial diversity in soil may be limited under natural conditions by inappropriate environmental factors such as: limited food resources, environmental and physical factors, tillage system and interspecies interactions prevent the occurrence or maintenance of the species in the environment. The aim of this work was to determinate structural biodiversity and functional microorganisms in in soil under long-term maize monoculture. The reaction of maize cultivated in perennial monoculture for the direct sowing was investigated and compared to full tillage monoculture and crop rotation full tillage cultivation in the following phases: six leaves, twelve leaves, flowering phase, before harvest and after harvest. Three objects were included into this research: maize cropped continuously monoculture - zero tillage, maize monoculture cropped continuously – full tillage, crop rotation (spring barley, winter wheat, maize) – full tillage. The evaluation of the structural biodiversity of the soil was based on the next-generation sequencing (NGS). The functional and metabolic profiles in soil were determined by Biolog EcoPlate System. The research methods used in this subject have contributed to a better understanding of genetic diversity and composition of the population of microorganisms in the soil environment under the influence of the changes that have taken in soil under long-term maize monoculture.

Biography:

Anna GaÅ‚Ä…zka is a head of the Department of Agricultural Microbiology at IUNG (since 2013). She is specialized in the evaluation of microbial diversity of soils associated with agricultural practice and environmental protection (research in molecular biology; evaluation of genetic differentiation and identification of microorganisms and characterization of metabolic profile of bacteria and fungi). She is participating in international and several national projects in IUNG, coordinating research project on biological activity and determination of microbial diversity of soil. She was a task manager in Aiming Project „Developing New system of tillage for sustainable agriculture” WND-POIG. 01.03.01-00-042/09 (2010-2013) – Determination of biological activity in soils and executor in projects: N305 080 32/2776 Evaluation of usefulness of Azospirillum spp. and Pseudomonas stutzeri inoculum in increasing of phytoremediation; project CZ.3.22/1.2.00/12.03445, Risk and benefits of application of exogenous organic matter on soil.  Operational programme of cross-border co-operation Czech Republic – Poland 2007-2013. She was training of „Genomic of Nitrogen-Fixation Organisms” in 2008, Ghent, Belgium and participated in numerous courses and trainings in the field of molecular biology and microbiology. She works with NJF Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists (keynote speakers on Seminar (483) 22-25.09.2015 Vezaiciai, Lithuania “Application of soil biological and biochemical parameters as indicator of soil health and fertility as influenced by different agrotechnical practices”). Member of Polish Microbiological Society since 2004 and author over 50 publications.

Abstract:

Soil contamination with crude oil, especially in the area of oil wells, is a serious environmental problem. Restoring the long – term pollution soil to its original state is very difficult. Under such conditions, the unique group of bacterial communities develops in the soil. This communities  are  adapted to the contamination conditions. Analysis of the structure and function of these microorganisms can be a source of valuable information. The aim of the study was to evaluate functional and structural diversity of bacterial communities in soils with long term impacts from crude oil. Samples were taken from four oil wells: one oldest and still working (W01, working from 1888) and three younger (W02, W03, W04, working from the beginning of 20th century) still working but with periodic breaks – these oil wells works only few months every years. Soil samples were collected at two distances: within a radius of 0.5 m of the oil wells (W01R, W02R, W03R, W04R) and within a radius of 3 m from the oil wells (W01, W02, W03, W04). The next generation sequencing technique (V3-V4 16S rRNA) was accompanied with the community level physiological profiling (CLPP) method in order to better understand knowledge of both genetic and functional structure of soils collected under several oil wells. The significant differences of bacterial community structure between soils were obtained. The soils taken directly from oil wells were characterized by different composition of bacteria. The highest activity of carbon utilization patterns were observed in soils taken directly from oil wells.

Biography:

Antoni Lichev has finished his Bachelor’s and his Master’s Thesis in Molecular Biotechnology at the Technical University of Munich. Since 2015 he has been doing his PhD in Microbiology at the Department of Microbiology at the Technical University of Munich. His previous work has been published in the journal “Frontiers in Microbiology”.

Abstract:

Natural genetic transformation has been documented in more than 80 bacterial species, including members of nearly all major taxonomic groups. Being one of the main routes for horizontal gene transfer, this process incorporates the internalization and the chromosomal integration of exogenous DNA during a genetically preprogrammed differentiated state called competence. In spite of the longstanding investigation of this phenomenon, so far only little is known about the regulatory mechanisms involved in genetic transformation and notably so in the case of representatives of the Actinobacteria phylum (high GC Gram-positive bacteria). In this report we focus on the competence development in the Actinobacteria member Micrococcus luteus. We provide evidence that nutritional limitation, provoked by the absence of amino acids in the growth medium, induces natural transformation in this species. Paradoxically, we also show that amino acid auxotrophy strongly inhibits competence development. We demonstrate the negative impact of a deletion of a RelA/SpoT-like homologue (Mlut_12840) and a putative novel (p)ppGpp synthetase (Mlut_22200) on natural transformation and we therefore speculate the involvement of the stringent response in the complex regulation of the competent state of Micrococcus luteus. Furthermore we investigate the specific regulatory function of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and signify them as modulators of competence that alter expression of transformation-related genes. To our knowledge our data provides the first general insights into the regulation of natural transformation in a member of the Actinobacteria phylum and may also prove to be pertinent to a number of important pathogens belonging to the same taxonomic group.

Biography:

Jungkwan Lee has completed his Ph.D. from Kansas State University, USA and postdoctoral studies from Seoul National University, Korea. He is an associate professor in Dong-A University, Korea. He has been working in the interaction between plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria in rice plants. He published more than 40 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an associate editor for The Plant Pathology Journal.

Abstract:

The air-borne ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum causes head blight in many cereals and produces mycotoxins such as trichothecenes and zearalenone. The seed-borne bacterium Burkholderia glumae causes bacterial panicle blight in rice and produces toxolavin that has antimicrobial activity and phytotoxicity. Disease symptoms caused by two pathogens are very similar and could often cause false diagnosis. In this study, we showed that two pathogens frequently co-isolated in rice heads and F. graminearum is resistant to toxoflavin produced by B. glumae while other fungal genera are sensitive to the toxin. We have tried to clarify the resistant mechanism of F. graminearum against toxoflavin and the ecological reason of co-existence of the two pathogens in rice. We found that F. graminearum resistance to toxoflavin is related to production of triacylglycerides containing linolenic acid. Co-cultivation of two pathogens resulted in increased conidia and trichothecene by F. graminearum. Bacteria physically attached to fungal conidia, which protected bacterium cells from UV light and allowed disease dispersal. Chemotaxis analysis showed that bacterial cells moved toward the fungal exudation. Disease severity on rice heads was significantly increased by co-inoculation rather than single inoculation. This study provides evidence of the two pathogens cooperatively interacting, with F. gramienarum gaining the opportunity to induce disease progression efficiently and B. glumae achieving aerial dispersal.

Biography:

Kamontam Umsakul associated with Department of Microbiology, Prince of Songkla University , Thailand. She has published several papers in reputed journals.  Her research interest is Microbiology.

Abstract:

An increasing production of natural rubber (NR) products has led to major challenges in waste management since the degradation of NR is normally extremely slow. In this study, the degradation of rubber latex gloves in a mineral salt medium (MSM) using a natural soil consortium was studied. Soil consortia can degrade rubber gloves much more quickly than those of the single culture using the same conditions. The weight loss of the rubber gloves after incubation with a soil consortium of up to 14 days was as high as 59%. In contrast with using a single strain, only 9% of rubber glove weight loss was obtained. Determination of carbon dioxide evolution and viable cell number during cultivation with rubber gloves as a sole carbon source, revealed mineralization of the rubber materials during the increase of biomass. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated an adhesive growth behavior of the consortium on the rubber surfaces. The results from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the decrease in number of cis-1,4 double bonds, the formation of carbonyl groups indicating an oxidative attack at the double bonds.

Biography:

MaÅ‚gorzata Woźniak obtained a master degree in biology with specialization microbiology in 2015. She studied at Maria Curie-SkÅ‚odowska University (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland.  She work in Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation in Poland. She is principal Investigator (head of the project) in two projects: the research project in the statutory activity of IUNG-PIB, Title of project: "Molecular and biochemical identification of the endophytic bacteria and it application in plant growth promoting” and Preludium project, the National Science Center, Title of project: “The influence of fast-growing Paulownia Clon In Vitro 112 (P.elonagata x P.fortunei) on microbiological and physico-chemical properties of the soil in Poland”).

Abstract:

The Paulownia spp. is a fast growing variety of deciduous tree that belongs to the Paulowniaceae family. These trees are used to produce biomass and reduce carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. Paulownia spp. leaves have a high content of protein, fats, sugar and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPP). The purpose of this study was to determine the functional and genetic diversity of the microbial of the Paulownia spp. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Biolog EcoPlates were used to evaluate microbial diversity. The research materials were leaves of trees Paulownia spp. Plant samples were taken from Podkampinos (a plantation established on arable soil) and OtrÄ™busy (a plantation established on degraded soil). The samples were the clones of the same hybrid Paulownia elongata and Paulownia fortunei. Additional hybrid of Paulownia tomentosa and Paulownia fortunei was included. The functional analysis was carried out using statistical methods: cluster analysis by Ward’s method, taking into account Euclidean square of distance. Moreover, the Shannon-Wiener (H') biodiversity index, R Richness, E Evenness, and AWCD (average well color development) were calculated. The obtained sequences were subject to bioinformatics analyses, such as clustering and separation of operational taxonomic units (OTU). The samples from the plantation established on degraded soli revealed that the most dominant phylum was Bacteroidetes, whereas from the arable soil, Proteobacteria. Comparisons of carbon source utilization and the diversity indices showed differences in the microbial community of composition. Among the five carbon sources studied, carbohydrates were the most frequently used group of compounds.

This research funded by the NCN-Preludium project no 2016/23/N/NZ9/02157

Biography:

MaÅ‚gorzata Woźniak obtained a master degree in biology with specialization microbiology in 2015. She studied at Maria Curie-SkÅ‚odowska University (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland.  She work in Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation in Poland. She is principal Investigator (head of the project) in two projects: the research project in the statutory activity of IUNG-PIB, Title of project: "Molecular and biochemical identification of the endophytic bacteria and it application in plant growth promoting” and Preludium project, the National Science Center, Title of project: “The influence of fast-growing Paulownia Clon In Vitro 112 (P.elonagata x P.fortunei) on microbiological and physico-chemical properties of the soil in Poland”).

Abstract:

Bacterial endophytes reside in a large number of plant species as part of their microbiome. Endophyte community structure exhibits a high diversity of species within a plant. This diversity is determined by abiotic and biotic factors such as soil conditions, biogeography, plant species, microbe– microbe interactions and plant–microbe interactions. The purpose of this study was to assess the degree of genomic diversity, relationship and molecular identification of bacteria isolated from the endosphere of maize, broad bean, wheat, rye, horsetail and burdock (root and stem). The tests were performed on 45 strains. The genetic identification of bacterial population was performed based on comparative sequence analysis of the 16S rDNA. On the basis of 16S ribosomal RNA sequences, all strains of  bacteria were assigned to 10 genera: Rhizobium (19 isolates), Delftia (11 isolates), Agrobacterium (5 isolates), Stenotrophomonas (3 isolates), Brevundimonas (2 isolates), Novosphingobium (1 isolate), Variovorax (1 isolate), Collimonas (1 isolate), Achromobacter (1 isolate) and Comamonas (1 isolate). The assessment of the diversity of potential plant growth promoting bacteria, including 11 species Delftia sp, was conducted based on the BOX-PCR, ERIC-PCR and PCR-DGGE techniques. The genetic profile shows similarity among tested bacteria strains. The microorganism group was related to the type of the host plant.

This research was supported by the project nr 1.21 (2017 – 2019) the statutory activity of IUNG-PIB in Pulawy "Molecular and biochemical identification of endophytic bacteria and their use in plant growth promotion".

Biography:

Martina Franchini main interests in Biology have driven her to concentrate her studies in the microbiological field. During the years, her expertise has been focused on the investigation of the environmental main issues and how Biology, and more specifically, Microbiology, can approach them. Bioremediation has been the subject of her latest studies: from the use of bacteria for reduction of toxic oxianions with concurrent bioproduction of Nanoparticles to a participation in a study aimed to isolate a bacterial consortium of plastic biodegraders.

Martina has worked in international contexts, learning the importance of constructive team work and open knowledge sharing.

Abstract:

Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd) is a non-nodulating endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from the intercellular spaces of sugarcane. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this bacterium on Tomato plants in presence and absence of Trichoderma asperellum (T34 commercial strain). Trichoderma spp. is one of the most widely employed biological control agents used against plant pathogens and is an opportunistic avirulent plant symbiont. This fungus is known to antagonize other soil fungi either parasitizing on them or inhibiting their growth due to the production and release of cell wall degrading enzymes. Furthermore, T. asperellum has been shown to synthetize a wide range of other plant protective molecules that can enhance the plant’s response to pathogens. However, the details of its modes of action still remain to be clarified.

To investigate the effect of the combined action of T34 and Gd on crop plants, Tomato Money Maker seeds were treated with Gd and sown into Levington M3 soil in presence and absence of T. asperellum. T34 biocontrol agent from FarGro® was mixed to the soil before sowing.

Four months after sowing, differences in plants’ strength and biomass production were observed: plants grown in presence of both Gd and T34 showed healthier phenotypes and higher leaf and biomass production in comparison to untreated control plants or to plants that were inoculated with Gd only. Flowering and fruiting were also showed to be positively affected in plants

Biography:

Matthias Moerch has completed his Masters in Molecular Biotechnology at the Technical University of Munich in 2014, comparing different protein digestion methods for shotgun proteomics in his Master’s Thesis. Since 2015 he pursues his doctorate at the Department of Microbiology at the Technical University of Munich establishing the extreme thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus as an alternative host for metagenome analysis.

Abstract:

The constant depletion of fossil energy sources and the raising demand for more eco-friendly alternatives challenges science to develop new technologies. The utilization of plant biomass is a promising substitute for conventional systems by being a rather inexpensive energy carrier and of high sustainability at the same time. Its availability through cultivation of energy crops and by usage of agricultural/forestry waste account for great industrial value. In particular, the valorisation of waste by converting it to fermentable substrates has the advantage not to threaten food security. Since plants themselves consist primarily of lignocellulosic fibres (a mixture of cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose), the first step in the process of fuel production is the hydrolysis of this bigger structures into smaller, more soluble sugars. Its depolymerization into glucose monomers is often facilitated by using cellulases – an enzyme group consisting of endoglucanases (EC 3.2.1.4), cellobiohydrolases (EC 3.2.1.91) and β-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.21) which work synergistically together. With increasing market share of new bio fuels, the future demand for (novel) cellulases – which today already make up 8 % of worldwide industrial enzyme demands – will therefor rise as well constantly.

In this work we developed a system to select for thermostable glycoside hydrolase enzymes (GH) using the extremely thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Unlike mesophilic bacteria (e.g. E. coli), T. thermophilus provides an overall more suitable enzymatic background and thereby greater potential to express thermostable recombinant proteins properly. This increases the probability of detecting novel thermostable cellulases when transformed in this organism; compared to the commonly used host E. coli.

As an advantage, growth-based selection approaches already result in favourable enzyme variants, compared to traditional screening methods which require testing of every single clone.

In order to obtain a GH-negative strain, we constructed a

T. thermophilus knock-out strain which lacks four glycosidases. As confirmed by para-nitrophenol (pNP) enzyme assays and incubation of cell extract with X-Gal and X-Glu, these deletions reduced the hosts ability to cleave β-glycosidic and β- galactosidic bonds to a minimum. Without these GHs, the knock out strain is not able to grow in minimal medium. Complementation with the hosts own β-glucosidase via the shuttle vector pMK18 re-established growth of the knock out strain. For purpose of following system verification, cglT – a glycosyl hydrolase belonging to GH family 1 from the thermophilic bacterium Thermoanaerobacter brockii – was transformed in the T. thermophilus knock-out strain. This novel approach of complementation-based selection in an extreme thermophilic organism is a promising tool to look through big meta genomes or mutagenesis libraries, selecting for enzyme variants of higher thermostability and/or other substrate specificity in a highly efficient manner.

Biography:

Nathita Phumthanakorn is a Ph.D. student from the Department of Microbiology, Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn, Thailand.

Abstract:

The detection of 18 genes encoding cell wall-associated (CWA) proteins in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius named spsA-spsR were performed by using the new development of a set of multiplex PCRs (mPCRs). The distribution of these genes were detected in isolates from dogs (n=70), humans (n=25), and the environment of a veterinary hospital (n=40). The new 4 sets of mPCR comprising of 4-5 genes per set, including nuc gene as an internal control were developed. The mPCR sets could detect at least 1 pg/µl of DNA template. We found 23 sps gene profiles among the 135 isolates, with diverse gene combinations. spsD, spsF, spsI, spsO, spsP, and spsQ were variable detection but not statistically significant difference in each sources of isolates. Only spsP and spsQ encoded protein A or Spa were more frequently detected in the canine isolates from infected sites than from carriage sites suggested to play a role in pathogenicity. Interestingly, the positive amplicons of spsR gene in three human isolates showed gene deletions that were similar to the sequence in S. aureus ST398. The variation and difference of surface protein genes between human and animal S. aureus, including deletions, insertions, and truncation or pseudogenes have been reported and suggested to differentially affect host-specific adaptation.

Biography:

Miri Park has completed her master’s degree in life science from Korea University, Republic of Korea. She is the researcher of Ingredients and Solution Team at Lotte R&D center, Republic of Korea. She is responsible to search for useful food materials, especially probiotics, to evaluate efficacy and apply it to products.

Abstract:

Rotaviruses are the most important cause of diarrhea in infants and children worldwide. However, to date, no specific antiviral drugs for the treatment of rotavirus infection have been developed. We isolated Lactobacillus strains from the Korean traditional fermented food, Kimchi. Among them, Lactobacillus plantarum LRCC5310 strain, specifically, the exopolysaccharides(EPS) produced from the strain, were shown to have an antiviral effect against human rotavirus Wa strain in vivo. The oral administration of EPS led to a decrease in the duration of diarrhea, viral shedding and the destruction of enteric epithelium integrity in the infected mice. Also, to assess safety, oral administration to mice for 14 days had no adverse effects on liver, heart, stomach, lung, kidney and intestine through histology and blood analysis. The findings indicate that the strain L. platarum LRCC5310 does not raise safety concerns in mice, up to 5,000 ppm concentration. Thus, this EPS is likely to be safe for human consumption and it can be used for the effective control of rotavirus infection. Further studies in humans should be conducted.