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Cyanobacteria are a group of diverse prokaryotes that are capable of oxygenic photosynthesis. They are ubiquitous in nature and have been reported to survive in extreme environments. This study aimed to identify and assess the diversity of the cyanobacteria present in some mine tailing sites in the towns of Itogon and Tuba, in Benguet Province, Philippines using isolation-dependent and isolation-independent methods. Analysis of the water and sediment samples from the mine tailing sites (designated as Acu, Ampu, TSF1 and TSF3) showed higher metal concentrations in the sediment samples (2930–11,500 mg/kg dry weight Ca, 10–34 mg/kg dry weight Cr, 83–6500 mg/kg dry weight Cu, 6–172 mg/kg dry weight Pb, 8310–32,600 mg/kg dry weight Mg, 640–3400 mg/kg dry weight K, 43–144 mg/kg dry weight Zn), which were then processed for cyanobacterial enrichment. Identification of cyanobacteria was performed using the conventional isolation-dependent method for the characterization of microorganisms, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and isolation-independent 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis. Both approaches revealed that Arthronema africanum (1.98–60.1%) and Leptolyngbya spp. (39.9–97.0%) of the Pseudoanabaenales dominated the cyanobacterial composition in all sites. The isolation-dependent method identified most of the dominant taxa such as Arthronema africanum, Leptolyngbya spp. and Calothrix spp. Nodosilinea spp. was also confirmed to be part of the cyanobacterial community through this method. Unicellular cyanobacteria such as Chroococcales and Synechococcales were also observed. However, they were not fully identified at lower taxonomic levels in both methods, especially Chroococcales. On the other hand, the isolation-independent method recovered other taxa in selected sites such as Calothrix (0.002–0.022%), Halomicronema (0.01%), Nostoc (0.006–0.03%), Phormidium (0.007–14.1%), Planktothrix (0.36%), Pseudoanabaena (0.02–0.6%), Acaryochloris (0.006%), and Thermosynechococcus (0.02–4.7%). Metabarcoding revealed that samples from small-scale mine tailing ponds of Acu and Ampu, and the inactive pond of the large scale mining site, TSF1, had higher species diversity and evenness as compared to its active pond, TSF3, based on Shannon and Simpson indices. However, TSF1 and TSF3 of the large-scale mine tailings had higher species richness than Acu and Ampu of small-scale mining based on Chao index. Altogether, this study provided an inventory of cyanobacteria that can survive even in extreme metal conditions giving insights to their future applications, particularly, in bioremediation.

Sampling of fungi in a grassland on a hill in Rojkov, Central Slovakia, revealed a new species of Luticola (Diadesmidaceae). Its terrestrial populations were found close to the basis of the fertile part of the geoglossoid fungi (Geoglossaceae) that were overgrown with filamentous cyanobacteria of the orders Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales. Luticola rojkoviensis sp. nov. is characterized by the valve outline and the structure of the external valve face: valves are weakly dorsiventrally asymmetrical, rhombic-lanceolate in larger cells to rhombic-elliptic and tri-undulate in smaller cells, with shortly protracted and broadly rounded valve apices. Valve face is minimally concave, as the axial area is lowered and the area around distal raphe elevated. The surface of the valve is mostly uneven due to many depressions, so the external shape of the areolae and the impression of irregular longitudinal rows depend on the extent of these valve ornamentations. Proximal raphe endings are unilaterally slightly deflected, expanded into small central pores. The shape of both the proximal and the distal raphe fissures is slightly asymmetrical. The morphological characteristics of Luticola rojkoviensis sp. nov. are remarkably similar to those of L. hustedtii Levkov, Metzeltin et A.Pavlov, L. ectorii Levkov, Metzeltin et A.Pavlov and L. acidoclinata Lange-Bertalot. The association of Luticola rojkoviensis sp. nov. with geoglossoid fungi and epiphytic cyanobacteria is discussed.

Cyanobacteria are crucial ecosystem components in dryland soils. Advances in describing α-level taxonomy are needed to understand what drives their abundance and distribution. We describe Trichotorquatus gen. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on four new species isolated from dryland soils including the coastal sage scrub near San Diego, California (USA), the Mojave and Colorado Deserts with sites at Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve, California (USA), and the Atacama Desert (Chile). The genus is morphologically characterized by having thin trichomes (

Timaviella Sciuto & Moro is a recently established cryptic genus of cyanobacteria separated from the morphologically close Leptolyngbya due to clear differences in the 16S rRNA gene sequence and the 16S-23S ITS region secondary structure. Conducting research on biological soil crusts in coastal ecotopes of Ukraine and Germany, we repeatedly observed thin filamentous cyanobacteria morphologically corresponding to the common terrestrial species Leptolyngbya edaphica (Elenkin) Anagnostidis & Komárek. Molecular data based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison of the original strains of the morphospecies indicated unambiguous assignment to the genus Timaviella. Based on this finding, we proposed the new nomenclatural combination Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O.M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk in our previous publication. Deeper molecular study of the four original strains which were morphologically identified as T. edaphica based on the 16S rRNA gene concatenated with the 16S-23S ITS region and 16S-23S ITS secondary structure analysis showed that they are not identical. Three of them (isolated from biocrusts of Black Sea coast and forest path near Kyiv, Ukraine) had high similarity both in 16S rRNA (99.7–100%) and 16S-23S ITS (99.8–100%) hence actually representing T. edaphica. The strain Us-6-3 isolated from biocrusts on sand dunes of Usedom Island in the Baltic Sea, Germany, differs both from original strains of T. edaphica and all published Timaviella species in 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, as well as in sequence and structure of the 16S-23S ITS region. Here we describe Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. and give an expanded description of T. edaphica based on morphological and molecular features. A tabular review of Timaviella species with data on their phenotypic and genotypic features, ecology and distribution is included.

Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O.M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Figs 3, 4, 6 A–G, Tab. 4) Basionym: Plectonema puteale (Kirchner) Hansgirg f. edaphicum Elenkin 1949. Monogr. Alg. Cyanoph., Pars. Spec. 2: 1783, fig. 541. Synonyms: Plectonema edaphicum (Elenkin) Vaulina 1959; Plectonema edaphicum (Hollerbach) Vaulina in Kondratyeva, 1968; Pseudophormidium edaphicum (Elenkin) Anagnostidis et Komárek 1988; non Leptolyngbya edaphica (Hollerbach ex Elenkin) Komárek et Anagnostidis 2005). Diagnosis: Differing from all Timaviella species in sheath appearance, length of D1-D1’ and Box-B helices, structure and sequence of the regions above the basal stem. Description: Thallus radially spreading, felt with fleecy surface or firm, leathery, dirty grey-blue-green to dark brown. Filaments long, flexuousus and curved, 2.6–4.1 (5.0) μm wide. False branching rare, single and geminate. Sheath thin and colorless or dull grey, with increasing age becoming thick, ocassionally swollen, slightly to intensely brownish, sometimes with sharply outlined almost blackish outer layer. Trichomes slightly constricted and sometimes granulated at cross-walls, 2.2–2.6 μm wide. Cells cylindrical, isodiametric to elongated, with 4-6 parietal thylakoids, 2.2–4.3 μm long. End cells rounded. Necridia present. Trichome fragmentation occurred with or without necridia and led to the formation of short hormogonia.The cell division symmetrical and perpendicular to the long axis of the filament; however in meristematic zones it may be oblique. D1-D1’ helix 67 nucleotides long, with four internal loops at positions 6/54–62, 13-15/45-47, 21/ 39 and 24/35-36, with terminal loop having sequence 5’- CAUG -3’. Box B helix 35 nucleotides long, with two unpaired cytosine residues at positions10 and 30. Terminal loop 5 nucleotides long, 5’-GACAG-3’.V2 helix 10 nucleotides long, terminal loop 4 nucleotides, 5’-AUGA-3’. V3 helix 60 nucleotides long, with two asymmetrical internal loops at positions 5/54-56 and 23/33-34, and two unpaired uracil and adenine residues at positions 46 and 51 of the 3’ strand. Terminal loop 3 nucleotides long, 5’-GAU-3’. Collection locality: The coast of the Sea of Azov, vicinities of Kazantip Nature Reserve, Aqtash Lake spit, Crimea, Ukraine, 45°43′85″ N 35°85′25″ E, collected on 8 August 2012 by Tatiana Mikhailyuk. Coquina beach, biocrusts with dominance of cyanobacteria. Holotype here designated: KW-A-32530, Algotheca, Herbarium of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (KW), Kyiv, Ukraine. Reference strain: KZ-7-1-2 was deposited at the German Collection for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSM 112877), Braunschweig, Germany, as well as at the culture collection of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IBASU-A-751). Additional strains: KZ-23-2, Golos-9-1 (IBASU-A-752, 753). Additional sampling localities: the coast of the Sea of Azov, Kazantip Nature Reserve, cape Cherny (clay scree, biocrusts with dominance of cyanobacteria, Crimea, Ukraine). National Nature park „Holosiivsky“, Maxim Rylsky Holosiivsky Park (forest track, moss biocrust, Kyiv, Ukraine)., Published as part of Mikhailyuk, Tatiana, Vinogradova, Oksana, Holzinger, Andreas, Glaser, Karin, Akimov, Yuri & Karsten, Ulf, 2022, Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. from sand dunes of the Baltic Sea, Germany, and emendation of Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O. M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on an integrative approach, pp. 192-208 in Phytotaxa 532 (3) on page 198, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.532.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5964572, {"references":["Elenkin, A. A. (1949) Monographia Algarum Cyanophycearum Aquidulcium et Terrestrium in finibus URSS inventarum, Spec. pt 2. AN USSR Press, Moscow; Leningrad [Rus.]","Vaulina, E. N. (1959) On the systematic position of the soil form Plectonema puteale (Kirchn.) Hansg. Bot. Mat. Dept. Spore Plants 12: 19 - 22.","Kondratyeva, N. V. (1968) Class Hormogoniophyceae. Identification manual of freshwater algae of Ukrainian SSR, Vol. 1, pt 2, Naukova Dumka Press, Kyiv [Ukr.]","Anagnostidis, K. & Komarek, J. (1988) Modern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes. 3. Oscillatoriales. Algological Studies 50 - 53: 327 - 472.","Komarek, J. & Anagnostidis, K. (2005) Cyanoprokaryota. 2. Oscillatoriales. Susswasserflora von Mitteleuropa, Bd 19 / 2, Elsevier Spectr., Munchen."]}

Timaviella dunensis Mikhailyuk & O.M. Vynogr. sp. nov. (Figs. 3, 5, 6, H–M, Tab. 4) Diagnosis: Morphologically and ecologically similar to T. edaphica differing in the colorless sheath, wider filaments and trichomes, conical end cells, longer Box-B and D1-D1’ helices; structure of V3 helix in the position 9-50 and of basal stem and terminal loop in V2. Differs from T. circinata in Box-B and V3 helices length, the structure in the D1- D1’, Box-B and V3 helices, as well as the color of thallus, rare false branching, wider trichomes, parallel thylakoids and presence of necridia. ...continued on the next page Description: Thallus radially spreading, expanded, leathery, brownish, dark olive, blue-green to light greenish. Filaments long, variously curved, (3.0) 3.8-4.9 (6.0) μm wide. False branching rare, mostly double. Sheath colourless, firm, thick. Trichomes slightly constricted at cross-walls, occasionally becoming almost biseriate due to oblique division and compression of cells, 2.2–3.3 μm wide. Cells cylindrical, isodiametric to longer than wide, with parietal thylakoids, 2.2–3.5 μm long. End cells rounded to conical. Necridia in both young and senescing trichomes, hormogonia rare. D1- D1’ helix 85 nucleotides long, with a 3’ unilateral bulge at position –/ 73-80, five internal loops at position 10/68, 14- 15/63-64, 20/58, 23/54-55 and 31/46. Terminal loop having sequence 5’-UCUC-3’. Box B helix 48 nucleotides long, with several assymetrical internal loops at position 6/41–42, 9–10/39 and –/30–32. Terminal loop 5 nucleotides long, 5’-AUAAU-3’. V2 helix 10 nucleotides long, terminal loop 4 nucleotides, 5’-AUUA-3’. V3 helix 60 nucleotides long, with several internal loops at positions 4/53–55, 9–10/47–50 and 23/34. Terminal loop having sequence 5’-GAAA-3’. Etymology: Named for its occurrence in biocrusts on dunes; dunensis (L) = of dunes. Holotype here designated: KW-A-32531, Algotheca, Herbarium of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (KW), Kyiv, Ukraine. Reference strain: Us-6-3 was deposited at the German Collection for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSM 112875), Braunschweig, Germany, as well as at culture collection of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IBASU-A-754). Type locality: The coast of the Baltic Sea, Usedom Island, vicinity of Zempin, Germany, 54°04′17″ N 13°58′04″ E, collected on 8 October 2013 by Tatiana Mikhailyuk. Sand dunes, biocrusts with dominance of cyanobacteria and streptophyte algae., Published as part of Mikhailyuk, Tatiana, Vinogradova, Oksana, Holzinger, Andreas, Glaser, Karin, Akimov, Yuri & Karsten, Ulf, 2022, Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. from sand dunes of the Baltic Sea, Germany, and emendation of Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O. M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on an integrative approach, pp. 192-208 in Phytotaxa 532 (3) on pages 198-205, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.532.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5964572, {"references":["Sciuto, K., Moschin, E. & Moro, I. (2017) Cryptic cyanobacterial diversity in the Giant Cave (Trieste, Italy): the new genus Timaviella (Leptolyngbyaceae). Cryptogamie, Algologie 38: 285 - 323. https: // doi. org / 10.7872 / crya / v 38. iss 4.2017.285","Mai, T., Johansen, J. R., Pietrasiak, N., Bohunicka, M. & Martin, M. P. (2018) Revision of the Synechococcales (Cyanobacteria) through recognition of four families including Oculatellaceae fam. nov. and Trichocoleaceae fam. nov. and six new genera containing 14 species. Phytotaxa 365 (1): 1 - 59. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 365.1.1"]}

Two isolates of Oculatella from biological soil crusts in the arid and semi-arid tropical upland region of Mexico were characterized using a polyphasic approach which included morphology, ecology, 16S rRNA and 16S-23S ITS phylogenetic analysis, percent identity of 16S rRNA gene sequence, percent dissimilarity of 16S-23S ITS sequence, and secondary structure of conserved ITS domains. The two species shared the generic synapomorphy of a reddish granule at the tip of mature apical cells, and possessed a single ribosomal operon with both tRNA genes (tRNAIle and tRNAAla) based upon our analysis and the analysis of the other species in the genus. After characterization, the strains were compared with 10 previously described and similarly characterized species in the genus, and based upon the evidence obtained, the strains were described as two new species, O. dilatativagina and O. leona. O. dilatativagina has an extensively widened sheath, and thus is morphologically separated from all other taxa described thus far. O. leona is morphologically highly similar to soil species found in North and South America, and should be considered a cryptic species among these taxa. The recently developed criterion for species recognition using percent dissimilarity among ITS gene sequences in orthologous ribosomal operons was found to be effective in separating cryptic species of Oculatella, and has consistently been useful and sufficient for separation of closely related species in other cyanobacterial genera.

Aerofilum fasciculatum sp. nov. Chakraborty et Mukherjee Description Thallus blue-green, growth pattern appears like fascicles or bundles rather than forming a mat-like biofilm. Filaments isopolar, uniseriate, unbranched, cells slightly longer than their width, cell length ranged from 1.4 - 2.1 µm and width 0.9 - 1.1 µm. Cross walls have distinct constrictions. Trichomes were cylindrical, immotile, no heterocyte or akinete. Small sized filaments known as hormogonia helps in propagation. Necridic cells present. Ultrastructure includes parietal thylakoids, aerotopes present. Holotype (designated here): Holotype (AP3b) deposited and cryopreserved in the Microbial Culture Collection (MCC), India having accession number MCC 3478. Type locality: Lothian island (21.39.1N 88.19.37E) of the Indian Sundarbans, India. Etymology: The specific epithet ‘fasciculatum’ reflects the growth pattern of the strain appearing to grow as a cluster or fascicles instead of forming a mat-like biofilm.

Euryhalinema pallustris Chakraborty & Mukherjee sp. nov. Description Thallus greenish in color, forming a mat-like biofilm. Filaments typically unbranched, straight, isopolar, attached to the soil surface (mainly sub-aerophytic) growing as an extensive mat-like biofilm. Cells of the intermediate trichome were larger in size than the cells towards apex, cells much longer than wide, cellular dimensions 1.1 - 1.6 µm (length) and 0.4 - 0.5 µm (width), mucilaginous sheath absent, cell contents homogeneous, green without any granulated appearance, aerotopes absent. No heterocytes and akinetes. Cell division takes place by asymmetrical binary fission. Reproductive propagation by the help of hormogonia. Holotype: Holotype (AP3) deposited and cryopreserved in Microbial Culture Collection (MCC), India bearing an accession number MCC3172. Type locality: Sagar island (21.44.7N 88.7.2E) of the Indian Sundarbans, India. Etymology: The specific epithet ‘ pallustris’ represents the swampy habitat of the strain from where it was collected.

Aerofilum Chakraborty et Mukherjee, gen. nov. Thallus blue-green, growth like fascicles or bundles. Filaments isopolar, uniseriate, unbranched, cells slightly longer than their width, cell length ranged from 1.4 - 2.1 µm and width 0.9 - 1.1 µm. Cross walls have distinct constrictions. Type species (designated here): Aerofilum fasciculatum Chakraborty et Mukherjee Etymology: The generic epithet “ Aerofilum ” is derived from Aero Greek for ‘air’ as the strain possesses gas vesicles (aerotopes) and filum Greek for ‘filament’., Published as part of Chakraborty, Sandeep, Maruthanayagam, Veerabadhran, Achari, Anushree, Pramanik, Arnab, Jaisankar, Parasuraman & Mukherjee, Joydeep, 2021, Aerofilum fasciculatum gen. nov., sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae) and Euryhalinema pallustris sp. nov. (Prochlorotrichaceae) isolated from an Indian mangrove forest, pp. 165-186 in Phytotaxa 522 (3) on page 182, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.522.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5560375

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous in marine environments and play an important role as primary producers. Some cyanobacteria, the so-called cyanobionts (cyanobacterial symbionts), have a symbiotic relationship with unicellular organisms. Among these relationships, in particular, the nature (e.g., genetic diversity, host or cyanobiont specificity, and cyanobiont seasonality) of the cyanobiont-dinoflagellate host consortia remains poorly understood. In this study, 16S rDNA of cyanobionts in 138 single host cells isolated over four seasons from temperate waters were sequenced using the MiSeq platform. Genetic analysis of cyanobionts from the dinoflagellate host Ornithocercus revealed that three genetic types of Synechococcales cyanobionts occurred in a wide range of water temperatures (11–24 °C), and their distribution seemed to be closely associated with variations in salinity. Furthermore, a certain degree of host (or cyanobiont) specificity in cyanobionts (or the host) among Ornithocercus species as well as among other dinophysoid species (i.e. Amphisolenia, Citharistes, and Histioneis), was observed. In addition to the Synechococcales cyanobionts, this study identified OTU sequences affiliated with Vampirovibrionales and Chroococcidiopsidales in some Ornithocercus cells, suggesting that Ornithocercus species are an additional habitat for these bacterial groups.

In 2013, UNESCO classified the ‘University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia’ (Portugal) as World Heritage site. Some of the limestone monuments that compose the site, such as the Old Cathedral of Coimbra, show clear visual effects of biological colonization by cyanobacteria and microalgae. The aim of this study was to thoroughly characterize the structural diversity of the photoautotrophic community at this site, combining isolation and molecular identification with next-generation sequencing techniques. Culture-dependent approaches resulted on the identification of green microalgae belonging to Prasiolales, Chlorellales, Watanabea, Chlamydomonadales and Sphaeropleales clades, and cyanobacteria belonging to Nostocales and Synechococcales clades. Culture-independent methods using Illumina Platform resulted in the identification of 610 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), revealing the presence of populations within phyla Chlorophyta, Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta and Stramenopiles/Bacillariophyta. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) and a network analysis were generated and successfully related the different populations to specific biodeterioration scenarios observed at this monument. The use of culture-dependent and -independent techniques together with PCA and network analysis allowed us to understand the distribution patterns of the photoautotrophic community among the different biofilms observed at this monument, as well as their ecological specifications. This study highlights that both cultivation and metagenomics methodologies should be employed synergistically in similar biodeterioration studies.

A novel filamentous, nonheterocytous cyanobacterium was isolated from Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. The isolate was

Halophilic and freshwater strains of cyanobacteria representing the Oscillatoriales, Nostocales, Chroococcales, and Synechococcales orders of Cyanophyta were examined to determine (i) the resistance of their cultures when suppressed by the presence of exogenous methoxylated and methylated derivatives of 2'-hydroxychalcone, (ii) morphological changes in cells treated with the tested chalcones and, most importantly, (iii) whether these photoautotrophic microorganisms transform chalcone derivatives in a structure- or strain-dependent manner. The growth of cyanobacterial cultures depended on chalcone derivatives and the strain; nevertheless, trends for correlations between these parameters are difficult to determine. The exposure of cyanobacteria to the tested chalcones revealed severe membrane damage that was consistent with the disruption of membrane integrity. All examined blue-green algae transformed methoxy derivatives of 2'-hydroxychalcone via hydrogenative bio-reduction and formed the corresponding hydroxydihydro derivatives with various efficiencies (≤1 - 70%), depending more on the structure than on the strain. We observed dependency of the routes and efficiency of biohydrogenation of tested chalcones on the location of the methoxyl substituent and, to a lesser extent, on cyanobacterial strains. 2'-hydroxy-4″-methylchalcone was also converted by cyanobacteria to various products, amongst which the most interesting were 2'-ethoxy derivatives. The final products of biocatalytic transformation were extracted from the cyanobacterial media, separated by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and identified by a combination of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS technique) and one-dimensional (1D 1H and 13C) and two-dimensional (2D HSQC and COSY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

Abstract FigureThe morphology, 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and the 16S-23S rRNA gene ITS secondary structures of three strains of marine Cyanobacteria, isolated from inter- and subtidal environments from north Portugal were studied, resulting in the description of Zarkia subtidalensis gen. et. sp. nov. (Zarkiaceae fam. nov.) and Romeriopsis marina gen. et. sp. nov (Leptolyngbyaceae). No diacritical morphological characters were found either for the new family or for the new genera. The 16S rRNA gene Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies supported that Zarkia and Zarkiaceae are members of the Oscillatoriales, positioned close to Microcoleaceae genera, but distant from Microcoleus. Romeriopsis is positioned within the Leptolyngbyaceae and is closely related to Alkalinema. The secondary structures of the D1-D1’, Box B, V2 and V3 helices corroborate with the phylogenetic results. Furthermore, our study supports previous observations of polyphyletic Oscillatoriales families and reinforces the need for their taxonomical revision.

Although RNA helicases are essentially ubiquitous and perform roles in all stages of RNA metabolism, phylogenetic analysis of the DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp)-box RNA helicase family in a single phylum has not been performed. Here, we performed a phylogenetic analysis on DEAD-box helicases from all currently available cyanobacterial genomes, comprising a total of 362 helicase protein sequences from 280 strains. DEAD-box helicases belonging to three distinct clades were observed. Two clades, the CsdA (cold shock DEAD-box A)-like and RhlE (RNA helicase E)-like helicases, cluster with the homologous proteins from Escherichia coli . The third clade, the CrhR (cyanobacterial RNA helicase Redox)-like helicases, is unique to cyanobacteria and characterized by a conserved sequence motif in the C-terminal extension. Restricted distribution is observed across cyanobacterial diversity with respect to both helicase type and strain. CrhR-like and CsdA-like helicases essentially never occur together, while RhlE always occurs with either a CrhR-like or CsdA-like helicase. CrhR-like and RhlE-like proteins occurred in filamentous cyanobacteria of the orders Nostocales , Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales . Similarly, CsdA- and RhlE-like proteins are restricted to unicellular cyanobacteria of the genera Cyanobium and Synechococcus . In addition, the unexpected occurrence of RhlE in two Synechococcus strains suggests recent acquisition and evolutionary divergence. This study, therefore, raises physiological and evolutionary questions as to why DEAD-box RNA helicases encoded in cyanobacterial lineages display restricted distributions, suggesting niches that require either CrhR or CsdA RNA helicase activity but not both. Extensive conservation of gene synteny surrounding the previously described rimO–crhR operon is also observed, indicating a role in the maintenance of photosynthesis. The analysis provides insights into the evolution, origin and dissemination of sequences within a single gene family to yield divergent functional roles.

Cyanobacteria are able to synthesize a high diversity of natural compounds that account for their success in the colonization of a variety of ecological niches. Many of them have beneficial properties. The mud from the thermal baths of Balaruc-Les-Bains, one of the oldest thermal baths in France, has long been recognized as a healing treatment for arthro-rheumatic diseases. To characterize the cyanobacteria living in these muds and the metabolites they potentially produce, several strains were isolated from the water column and biofilms of the retention basin and analyzed using a polyphasic approach. Morphological, ultrastructural and molecular (16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S ITS region sequencing) methods were employed to identify nine cyanobacterial strains belonging to the orders Chroococcales, Synechococcales, Oscillatoriales and Nostocales. The combination of morphological and genetic characteristics supported the description of a new genus and species with the type species asPseudo-chroococcus couteii. The high taxonomic diversity in the muds of the thermal baths of Balaruc-Les-Bains along with literature reports of the potential for bioactive metabolite synthesis of these taxa allowed us to hypothesize that some of the metabolites produced by these strains could contribute to the therapeutic properties of the muds from Thermes de Balaruc-Les-Bains.

© 2020 by the authors., Microorganisms can survive in extreme environments and oligotrophic habitats thanks to their specific adaptive capacity. Due to its severe and contrasting climate conditions, the cold mountain desert in Eastern Pamir provides a unique environment for analyzing microbial adaptation mechanisms occurring within colonization of endolithic habitats. This study aims to investigate the composition and structure of endolithic microbial communities and analyze the interactions between microorganisms and colonized lithic substrates. Endolithic biofilms were examined using scanning electron microscopy in backscattered electron mode (SEM-BSE) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) applying amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) approach. The investigation of the V3–V4 region of 16S rRNA gene revealed that endolithic communities are dominated by Actinobacteria (26%), Proteobacteria (23%), and Cyanobacteria (11.4%). Cyanobacteria were represented by Oxyphotobacteria with a predominance of subclasses of Oscillatoriophycidae, Synechococcophycideae, and Nostocophycidae as well as the rarely occurring Sericytochromatia. The positive correlation between the contribution of the orders Synechococcales and Rhizobiales to community structure suggests that some functionally closed taxa of Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria can complement each other, for example, in nitrogen fixation in endolithic communities. The endolithic communities occurring in Eastern Pamir were identified as complex systems whose composition and structure seem to be influenced by the architecture of microhabitats and related microenvironmental conditions., This research was funded by the National Science Centre, grant number 2015/19/B/NZ9/00473 (IJ), the Ministry of Science and Higher Education through the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw intramural grant number DSM501-D114-86-0117600-16 (NK), the grant PID2019-105469RBC22 (AR) and Integrated Development Programme (ZIP) of the University of Warsaw (NK).

Chamaethrix gen. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0EB03507-C38A-48A1-9740-63D958CFBB9A “Undescribed genus D”— Gaimari 2010: 1006. Type species. Chamaethrix necopina sp. nov., by present designation. Etymology. The prefix Chamae-, in reference to the family Chamaemyiidae, appended with the feminine Greek terminal root -thrix, meaning “hair.” The name refers to the odd conformation of head setae for this genus. Diagnosis. As a monotypic genus, the diagnosis for the genus is identical to that of the single known species. Remarks. The genus is a member of the Leucopini (in the subfamily Chamaemyiinae), as evidenced by such characteristics as the stout and compact body, the absence of postocellar setae, the high setulose lunule, the lack of a presutural dorsocentral seta with dorsocentral setae generally located posteriorly, the presence in males of microtrichiae on the lateral edges of syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3, and the relatively compact form and pattern of furrows of the egg. But at the same time, there are characteristics present that are typical of Chamaemyiini, such as the proclinate ocellar setae (although they are tiny in this new genus), the flat frons descending at an angle from the vertex, and the multiple fronto-orbital setae along the length of the eye margin. This odd mix of chamaemyiine and leucopine characteristics made placement to tribe not straightforward, but the preponderance of evidence points to its inclusion in the Leucopini., Published as part of Gaimari, Stephen D., 2020, Two new genera of Nearctic Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) associated with Cinara aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Pinus, pp. 61-82 in Zootaxa 4852 (1) on page 62, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4852.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/4408255, {"references":["Gaimari, S. D. (2010) Chamaemyiidae. In: Brown, B. V., Borkent, A., Cumming, J. M., Wood, D. M., Woodley, N. E. & Zumbado, M. (Eds.), Manual of Central American Diptera. Vol. 2. National Research Council Press, Ottawa, pp. 997 - 1007."]}

Chamaethrix necopina sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CEE1D15E-AE26-4807-B7F2-A3436609F6F1 (Figs 1–10) Etymology. From Latin, necopina, meaning “unexpected”, indicating the author’s surprise at finding this interesting taxon. Diagnosis. The body is compact and stout. Postocellar setae are absent, but ocellar setae are tiny, widely separated and proclinate. The frons is flat, and descends at an angle from the vertex, with the lunule above the antennae in the same angled plane. The fronto-orbital area has 5–6 evenly spaced setae along the eye margin. The lunule is high and setulose, curved back to be in the same plane with the frons. The antennae are yellow, except for a darkened spot on the 1st flagellomere anterobasally to the arista and the darkened distal section of the arista. The palpus, prementum and labellum are yellow, with the palpus being spatulate. The scutum is silvery grey pruinose, lacking dorsocentral vittae, and with 3–4 dorsocentral setae in the posterior half of the scutum. Prescutellar setae are absent. The abdominal tergites are mostly silvery grey, but tergite 3 has a pair of darkened pruinose spots. In the male genitalia, the postgonite is absent. Description. Adults, ♂, ♀. Body (Fig. 1) length 2.0– 2.4 mm (♂, 2.0– 2.2 mm; ♀, 2.4 mm); mostly concolorous silvery grey pruinose. Head (Figs 1–3). 1.2–1.4 X higher than long; 1.3–1.4 X wider than high. Vertex with outer vertical seta slightly longer than inner one. Postocellar setae absent. Ocellar triangle equilateral, slightly raised, placed slightly anterior to vertex; lacking setulae. Ocellar setae tiny, proclinate; separated by distance equal to distance between posterior ocelli; originating beside anterior ocellus. Eye 1.2–1.3 X higher than long; height 2.1–2.4 X genal height. Frons 1.5–1.7 X wider than long; with lateral edges only slightly diverging anteriorly, 1.1–1.2 X wider at level of lunule than at level of anterior ocellus; with small, fine, reclinate setulae medially; descending from vertex at angle, with lunule curved up into same plane. Mid frontal vitta slightly depressed, darker grey pruinose than fronto-orbital area and ocellar triangle. Fronto-orbital area with 5–6 evenly spaced setae along eye margin, with each seta shorter than outer vertical seta. Lunule arched, height 0.5–0.6 X frons length; sloping abruptly into plane of frons above antennal base; with small, fine, proclinate setulae in upper part. Antenna yellow except 1st flagellomere with darkened spot anterobasally to arista and distal segment of arista dark; separated by width of antennal socket; 1st flagellomere short, rounded; arista with distal segment 2.8–3.2 X longer than basal. Face and parafacial undifferentiated, whitish pruinose, receding, with deep antennal grooves. Gena whitish pruinose with one strong genal seta in addition to several setulae behind, receding below eye. Clypeus small, exposed. Palpus yellow, spatulate; with several scattered tiny setulae and one slightly larger distal setula. Prementum and labellum yellow. Thorax (Figs 1–2). Scutum 1.2–1.3 X longer than wide; 3.5–3.9 X scutellar length; setulose dorsally (bounded laterally by supra-alar line); dorsocentral vittae absent; color varies to slightly bronzy grey. Prescutellum present. Scutellum 1.5–1.7 X wider than long; color varies to slightly bronzy grey. Chaetotaxy: lacking presutural dorsocentral setae, with 3 or 4 postsutural dorsocentral setae, posterior seta longest, with size decreasing for each one anteriorly, and with anterior-most seta sometimes scarcely distinguishable from scutal setulae; one postpronotal seta, with several smaller setulae; two notopleural setae, in anterior and posterior corners, posterior one slightly smaller; one pre- and one postsutural supra-alar seta; two postalar setae; prescutellar acrostichal seta absent; proepisternum, anepisternum and anepimeron lacking setae; one strong katepisternal seta along upper edge, with 2–3 small setulae anterior to seta; two pairs scutellar setae, subequal in length, posterior pair subparallel but bowed out along length. Legs. Femora greyish pruinose, with distal tip yellow; forefemur thickened. Tibiae yellow, with sparse silvery pruinosity. Tarsi yellow, with distal part of tarsomere 5 slightly darkened. Wing. Length 2.0– 2.6 mm (♂, 2.0– 2.3 mm; ♀, 2.6 mm); 2.8–2.9 X longer than high. Hyaline, with veins brown. Veins R 2+3, R 4+5 and M 1 subparallel in distal half of wing. Crossvein r-m located at halfway point of wing length, and at 2/3 point of cell dm length. Vein Cu extends to wing margin; apical section 1.3–1.6 X longer than crossvein dm-cu. Halter yellow. Abdomen (Figs 4, 9). Tergites uniformly setulose, except setulae slightly enlarged along posterior margin, longest laterally. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 of ♂ each with patch of microtrichiae on lateral edge (cf. fig. 2 of Gaimari et al. 2008). Tergites silvery grey pruinose, except syntergite 1+2 mostly brown pruinose (silvery grey only laterally and along posterior margin), tergites 3–5 with pruinosity bronzy grey anterolaterally, tergite 3 with paired brown spots, and tergites 4 and 5 each with small median black (less pruinose) vitta extending posteriorly through 2/3 length. Sternites 3, 4 and 5 rounded trapezoidal, subequal, with slight emargination on posterior edge of sternite 5. Pregenital segments of male. Tergite and sternite 6 absent. Syntergosternite 7+8 saddle-shaped, less than half length of preceding tergite; sternite 7 small, lightly sclerotized, longer than wide, tapering posteriorly, bare. Male genitalia (Figs 5–8). Epandrium moderately convex posteriorly, with 6–9 setae along posterior part; smoothly tapering into distally pointed surstylar lobe; surstylus with sharpened edge, and distomedially with tiny setulae. Cercus small, with setulae at tip. Hypandrium in dorsal view subequal in length and width, widest in middle, with anterior half thicker than posterior half; in profile, slightly undulating, widest in middle and anteriorly, and abruptly narrower posteriorly. Pregonite articulating with widest point of hypandrium; parallel-sided, with blunt tip; dorsally setulose. Postgonite absent. Phallapodeme boomerang-shaped from lateral view, with the middle wide and tapering to each narrow tip; in ventral view club-shaped at posterior end. Phallus from ventral view widest anteriorly and tapering evenly with straight sides to tip, lateral part an even sclerotized strip with middle area membranous; length 2.5 X width at anterior end; at mid length each side with ventrolaterally directed extensions; thin and slightly undulating from lateral view. Female terminalia (Fig. 9). Tergite 6 about 3.3 X wider than long, length 0.7 X length of tergite 5; sternite 6 slightly enlarged, with width 0.5 X width of tergite 6, about 3 X wider than median length, and slightly wider than sternite 5, with long setulae along posterior edge, slightly emarginated on anterior and posterior edges; tergite 7 entirely membranous; sternite 7 small (half length and about 1/3 width of sternite 6), triangular, setulose on membrane posterior to sternite; tergite 8 subsquare, subequal in width to sternite 7, lightly sclerotized, with several long setulae along posterior margin; sternite 8 absent, entirely membranous, with corresponding setulose patch. Hypoproct tapering evenly to rounded tip. Epiproct subtriangular, with normal cercus bearing uniformly short setulae. Internally, spermathecae 2+2, round. Immatures. Egg (from dissection of ♀) (Fig. 10). Similar to typical leucopine eggs (e.g., Gaimari & Turner 1996), with the following particular characteristics: length 0.58–0.59 mm, width 0.22–0.23 mm; with series of 13–14 longitudinal ridges, rarely anastomosing except at posterior pole, and less so at anterior pole. Type material. Holotype ♂ (point mounted, very good condition; Fig. 1A), deposited in CSCA, with the following labels: “USA: Arizona; Apache Co., Apache Nat’l For., 0.5 km S mi. 249 on US Rte. 191, 8 km S. Alpine, along Coleman Crk.; 2500 m; 33°47’24”N 109°10’01”W, 30 JUN 1995, coll: S.D. Gaimari, ex: sweep Pinus ponderosa ” / “ HOLOTYPUS ♂ Chamaethrix necopina Gaimari ” (red label). Paratypes: USA. ARIZONA. Apache Co., Apache National Forest, nr. Alpine, 33°51’52”N 109°10’18”W, 2440 m, 28.vi.1995, coll: S.D. Gaimari, ex: sweep young Pinus ponderosa (1 ♀ (SDG dissection 1387), CSCA). NEW MEXICO. Lincoln Co., Lincoln National Forest, 2.4 km W Angus, Mills Canyon, along Rio Bonito, 33°27’05”N 105°41’46”W, 2130 m, 18–19.vi.1995, coll: S.D. Gaimari, ex: sweep colonies of Cinara ponderosae on Pinus ponderosa (1 ♂ (SDG dissection #1368), CSCA). Distribution. Known from the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico) in areas above 2100 m elevation. The species probably occurs in at least the intervening and surrounding areas at elevations and places characterized by stands of ponderosa pine. Biology. All known specimens were swept from infestations of Cinara ponderosae (Williams) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in young stands of Pinus ponderosa (e.g., height less than 5 m throughout the large stand), but despite rearing>150 chamaemyiid larvae to adulthood from this host, none were this species. It remains a possibility that this species is a predator in that system, although species of non-aphid-feeding genera (e.g., Chamaemyia Meigen) were also collected in the same sweep samples, presumably going to the aphids to feed on honey dew. Remarks. At two different localities (one in New Mexico and one in Arizona), this species was collected together with Vitaleucopis nidolkah and the adelgid-feeding species Leucopis argenticollis Zetterstedt and Leucopis atrifacies Aldrich., Published as part of Gaimari, Stephen D., 2020, Two new genera of Nearctic Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) associated with Cinara aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Pinus, pp. 61-82 in Zootaxa 4852 (1) on pages 62-67, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4852.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/4408255, {"references":["Gaimari, S. D., Milonas, P. & Souliotis, C. (2008) Notes on the taxonomy, biology and distribution of Neoleucopis kartliana (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae). Folia Heyrovskyana, Series A, 15 (1) [2007], 7 - 16.","Gaimari, S. D. & Turner, W. J. (1996) Immature stages of Leucopis ninae Tanasijtshuk and two variant populations of Leucopis gaimarii Tanasijtshuk (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) feeding on Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) (Homoptera: Aphididae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 98, 647 - 666."]}

The prokaryotic filamentous marine cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microbes that are found in diverse marine habitats, ranging from epiphytic to endolithic communities. Their successful colonization in nature is largely attributed to genetic diversity as well as the production of ecologically important natural products. These cyanobacterial natural products are also a source of potential drug leads for the development of therapeutic agents used in the treatment of diseases, such as cancer, parasitic infections and inflammation. Major sources of these biomedically important natural compounds are found predominately from marine cyanobacterial orders Oscillatoriales, Nostocales, Chroococcales and Synechococcales. Moreover, technological advances in genomic and metabolomics approaches, such as mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, revealed that marine cyanobacteria are a treasure trove of structurally unique natural products. The high potency of a number of natural products are due to their specific interference with validated drug targets, such as proteasomes, proteases, histone deacetylases, microtubules, actin filaments and membrane receptors/channels. In this review, the chemistry and biology of selected potent cyanobacterial compounds as well as their synthetic analogues are presented based on their molecular targets. These molecules are discussed to reflect current research trends in drug discovery from marine cyanobacterial natural products.

Cyanobacteria are among the most diverse morphological microorganisms that inhabit a great variety of habitats. Their presence in the Azores, a volcanic archipelago of nine islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, has already been reported. However, due to the high diversity of cyanobacteria habitats, their biodiversity is still understudied, mainly in extreme environments. To address this, a total of 156 cyanobacteria strains from Azores lakes, streams, thermal and terrestrial habitats were isolated. Identification was made based on a polyphasic approach using classical taxonomy (morphological characteristics and environmental data) and phylogeny among 81 strains assessed by maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis of 16S rDNA partial sequences. The 156 isolates showed a high genera diversity (38) belonging to the orders Chroococcales, Nostocales, Oscillatoriales, and Synechococcales. Eleven new genera for the Azores habitats are here reported, reinforcing that cyanobacteria biodiversity in these islands is still much understudied. Phylogenetic analysis showed 14 clusters associated with these cyanobacteria orders, with evidence for six new genera and valuable information towards Microchaete/Coleospermum taxonomic revision that better reflects species environmental distribution. These results emphasize the need for cyanobacteria taxonomy revisions, through polyphasic studies, mainly in Synechococcales order and in the Microchaete/Coleospermum, Nostoc, and Anabaena genera. Rita Cordeiro was supported by a Ph.D. grant (M3.1.a/F/017/2015) from the Fundo Regional da Ciência e Tecnologia (FRCT). This work was funded by FEDER funds through the Interreg-MAC 2014-2020 Program under the projects REBECA - Red de excelencia en biotecnología azul (algas) de la región macaronesia (MAC1.1a/060) and REBECA-CCT - Red de Excelencia en Biotecnología Azul de la Región Macaronésica. Consolidación, Certificación y Transferencia (MAC2/1.1b/269), and by Portuguese National Funds, through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, the European Union, QREN, FEDER, COMPETE, by funding the CIBIO/InBIO (project UID/BIA/ 50027/2013 and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006821).

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:33:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-12-01 Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado Rio Grande do Sul Due to the undeniable importance of the role that cyanobacteria play in different ecosystems, and the new discoveries and periodic changes in their taxonomic classification, the main objective of this research was a taxonomic update of the cyanobacteria recorded in an artificial, subtropical freshwater water body. This work also aimed at the knowledge of the geographic distribution and frequency of the species throughout the study period. The analyzed pond (called Basin 7) is located in an environmental preservation area called Braskem Environmental Station (29 degrees 5157.3S and 51 degrees 2154.7W), which is part of the green belt that surrounds the set of companies of the Southern Petrochemical Complex of Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil). The studied samples were taken from May 2000 to December 2015, using a plankton net (30 mu m), and floating thallus of cyanobacteria were collected directly by hand. Thirty-three species were identified and distributed in the orders Oscillatoriales (14), Synechococcales (12), Chroococcales (6) and Spirulinales (1). Phormidium Kutzing ex Gomont presented the highest species richness, with five species identified, and P. tergestinum (Kutzing) Anagnostidis & Komarek was the one with the highest frequency of occurrence (81.3%). Among the identified species, seven are especially important for being potentially toxic. Eucapsis pseudalpina Komarek & Hindak also stood out for its first recorded occurrence in Brazil, and Ancylothrix rivularis Martins & Branco, Arthrospira jenneri Stizenberger ex Gomont and Pannus cf. brasiliensis Malone et al. for their first recorded occurrence in Rio Grande do Sul state. For each species, diagnoses, basionyms and synonyms when appropriate, illustrations and comments are presented. Fundacao Zoobot Rio Grande do Sul, Museu Ciencias Nat, Rua Dr Salvador Franca 1427, BR-90690000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras & Exatas, Dept Zool & Bot, Rua Cristovao Colombo 2265, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras & Exatas, Dept Zool & Bot, Rua Cristovao Colombo 2265, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado Rio Grande do Sul: 0435-2551/15-4

The diversity of cyanobacteria along the Alaskan North Slope was investigated. We isolated and cultivated 57 strains of cyanobacteria and sequenced a section of their rRNA operon containing a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Here, we describe 17 found species belonging mainly to families Coleofasciculaceae, Microcoleaceae, Oculatellaceae, Leptolyngbyaceae and to the order Synechococcales. In pursuing a conservative polyphasic approach, we utilized suggested thresholds in 16S rRNA gene differences in parallel with morphological differences between new and already described taxa for the description of new species and genera. Based on a combination of morphological, molecular and ecological analysis of collected and cultured strains we describe two genera Gibliniella and Shackletoniella as well as six cyanobacterial species; Cephalothrix alaskaensis, Tildeniella alaskaensis, Pseudophormidium americanum, Leptodesmis alaskaensis, Albertania alaskaensis and Nodosilinea alaskaensis. Here, a polyphasic approach was used to identify eight novel and nine established cyanobacterial taxa from a previously non–investigated region that uncovered a high degree of biodiversity in extreme polar environments.

Cyanobacteria are a well-known source of bioproducts which renders culturable strains a valuable resource for biotechnology purposes. We describe here the establishment of a cyanobacterial culture collection (CC) and present the first version of the strain catalog and its online database (http://lege.ciimar.up.pt/). The LEGE CC holds 386 strains, mainly collected in coastal (48%), estuarine (11%), and fresh (34%) water bodies, for the most part from Portugal (84%). By following the most recent taxonomic classification, LEGE CC strains were classified into at least 46 genera from six orders (41% belong to the Synechococcales), several of them are unique among the phylogenetic diversity of the cyanobacteria. For all strains, primary data were obtained and secondary data were surveyed and reviewed, which can be reached through the strain sheets either in the catalog or in the online database. An overview on the notable biodiversity of LEGE CC strains is showcased, including a searchable phylogenetic tree and images for all strains. With this work, 80% of the LEGE CC strains have now their 16S rRNA gene sequences deposited in GenBank. Also, based in primary data, it is demonstrated that several LEGE CC strains are a promising source of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Through a review of previously published data, it is exposed that LEGE CC strains have the potential or actual capacity to produce a variety of biotechnologically interesting compounds, including common cyanotoxins or unprecedented bioactive molecules. Phylogenetic diversity of LEGE CC strains does not entirely reflect chemodiversity. Further bioprospecting should, therefore, account for strain specificity of the valuable cyanobacterial holdings of LEGE CC. © 2018, The Author(s). Acknowledgements VR gratefully acknowledges financial support from a Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) fellowship SFRH/BD/ 80153/2011. The Project NOMORFILM has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 634588. Structured Program of R&D&I INNOVMAR-Innovation and Sustainability in the Management and Exploitation of Marine Resources (reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000035, Research Line NOVELMAR), funded by the Northern Regional Operational Program (NORTE2020) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). PNL acknowledges funding from FCT through contract (IF/01358/2014).

Here we describe two new species of Oculatella Zammit, Billi & Albertano from terrestrial habitats of Ukraine: O. ucrainica sp. nov. and O. kazantipica sp. nov. The strains were isolated from biological crusts collected at the Sea of Azov conqina beach, and both clay slopes and chalk outcrops in the Kharkiv Region. Five strains evaluated in this study phenotypically and phylogenetically differed both among each other and from other species of this genus. On the phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison, original strains joined already known species of Oculatella forming isolated lineages, one of which joined the group of drought-resistant terrestrial species (O. ucrainica), while another (O. kazantipica) grouped together with terrestrial O. neakameniensis Kováčik et Johansen and aquatic O. hafneriensis Kováčik et Johansen. The phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene concatenated with the 16S-23S ITS region, as well as secondary structures of the most informative helices of the 16S-23S ITS confirmed new species designation. Filaments of O. ucrainica are narrower (1.5–3.0 μm), and trichomes are wider (1.3–2.7 μm) comparing to O. kazantipica (its filaments are 1.3–7.5 μm wide, trichomes 1.1–1.7 μm wide). The new species also differ from one another in sheath morphogenesis, appearence of trichomes, and cell length. Oculatella ucrainica morphologically and phylogenetically is close to desert species O. coburnii Pietrasiak et Johansen, differing in the higher degree of sheath formation, wider trichomes, apical cells without irregular outgrowth, and by composition and secondary structure of 16S-23S ITS region. O. kazantipica is similar to O. hafneriensis and O. neakameniensis, from which it differs in more abundant sheath, false branching, granulations at cross walls, longer intercalary cells, and by composition and secondary structure of its 16S-23S ITS region. Описані нові для науки види з роду Oculatella Zammit, Billi & Albertano: O. ucrainica sp. nov. та O. kazantipica sp. nov., виділені з біологічних кірочок, відібраних на ракушняковому пляжі біля Азовського моря (АР Крим), а також на крейдяних та глинистих схилах у Харківській області. Комплексне дослідження п'яти отриманих штамів Oculatella показало, що фенотипично та філогенетично вони відрізняються від усіх відомих видів цього роду. На філогенетичному дереві, побудованому на основі порівняння послідовностей генів 16S рРНК, штами нових видів приєднались до вже відомих видів Oculatella, які утворювали окремі лінії, при цьому один з них (O. ucrainica) увійшов до групи засухостійких наземних видів, а інший (O. kazantipica) потрапив до однієї клади з терестріальним видом O. neakameniensis Kováčik et Johansen та озерним O. hafneriensis Kováčik & Johansen. Філогенетичний аналіз за ділянкою 16S рРНК, зв'язаною з регіоном 16S-23S ITS, а також вторинні структури найінформативніших хеліксів 16S-23S ITS підтвердили виділення нових видів, які морфологічно також чітко відрізняються. Нитки O. ucrainica вужчі (1,5–3,0 мкм), а трихоми ширші (1,3– 2,7 мкм), ніж у O. kazantipica (нитки 1,3–7,5 мкм шир., трихоми 1,1–1,7 мкм шир.), є відмінності у морфогенезі піхов, перетягнутості трихомів та довжині клітин. Oculatella ucrainica найбільш подібний до пустельного виду O. coburnii Pietrasiak & Johansen, від якого відрізняється інтенсивністю формування піхов, ширшими трихомами, відсутністю неправильного виросту на кінцевих клітинах, а також конфігурацією вторинної структури регіону 16S-23S ITS. Oculatella kazantipica близька до O. hafneriensis та O. neakameniensis, від яких відрізняється за морфологією піхов, наявністю несправжнього галуження, грануляціями біля поперечних перегородок, більшою довжиною інтеркалярних клітин, та деталями будови вториннної структури регіону 16S-23S ITS. Описаны новые для науки виды из рода Oculatella Zammit, Billi & Albertano: O. ucrainica sp. nov. и O. kazantipica sp. nov., выделенные из биологических корочек, отобранных на ракушечниковом пляже у Азовского моря (АР Крым), а также на меловых и глинистых склонах в Харьковской обл. Комплексное исследование пяти полученных штаммов Oculatella показало, что фенотипически и филогенетически они отличаются от всех известных видов этого рода. На филогенетическом дереве, построенном на основе сравнения последовательностей генов 16S рРНК, штаммы новых видов присоединялись к уже известным видам Oculatella, образующим отдельные линии, при этом один из них (O. ucrainica) вошел в группу засухоустойчивых наземных видов, а другой (O. kazantipica) попал в одну кладу с наземным видом O. neakameniensis Kováčik et Johansen и водным O. hafneriensis Kováčik & Johansen. Филогенетический анализ по участку 16S рРНК, связанному с регионом 16S-23S ITS, а также вторичные структуры наиболее информативных хеликсов 16S-23S ITS подтвердили выделение новых видов, которые морфологически также хорошо различимы между собой. Нити O. ucrainica ýже (1,5–3,0 мкм), а трихомы шире (1,3–2,7 μm), чем у O. kazantipica (нити 1,3–7,5 мкм шир., трихомы 1,1– 1,7 мкм шир.), отличия также касаются морфогенеза влагалища, перешнурованности трихомов и длины клеток. Oculatella ucrainica наиболее сходен с пустынным видом O. coburnii Pietrasiak & Johansen, от которого отличается интенсивностью формирования влагалища, более широкими трихомами, отсутствием неправильного выроста на конечных клетках, а также конфигурацией вторичной структуры региона 16S-23S ITS. Oculatella kazantipica близка к O. hafneriensis и O. neakameniensis, от которых отличается морфологией влагалища, наличием ложного ветвления, грануляциями у поперечных перегородок, большей длиной интеркалярных клеток и деталями строения вторичной структуры региона 16S-23S ITS.

Many alpine streams inhabit conspicuous epilithic biofilms on pebbles and rocks that are formed by members of the cyanobacterial genus Chamaesiphon (Synechococcales). In the Austrian Alps, some Chamaesiphon species can even overgrow up to 70% of the surface of river rocks, and hence they must play an important but still unstudied ecological role in the organic matter flux. Since photo-biological traits have not been investigated so far, photosynthetic features, pigments, and UV-sunscreen compounds were studied in three Chamaesiphon morphospecies (C. geitleri, C. polonicus, C. starmachii). These species form conspicuously differently colored spots on cobbles and boulders in the alpine streams. While C. polonicus typically forms red crusts on flat pebble conglomerate, C. geitleri and C. starmachii are characterized by dark brown and black biofilms in the field, respectively. Photosynthesis-irradiance (PE) curves indicate that all three Chamaesiphon species have different light requirements for photosynthesis, with C. starmachii and C. polonicus preferring high and low photon fluence rates, respectively, while C. geitleri takes a position in between. This low-light requirement of C. polonicus is also reflected in ca. ten-times lower chlorophyll a, zeaxanthin, and s-carotene concentrations, as well as in a lack of the UV-sunscreen scytonemin. All Chamaesiphon morphospecies exhibit the mycosporine-like amino acid porphyra-334. The physiological and biochemical data indicate strong intraspecific differences in photosynthetic activity and pigment patterns, which explain well the distinct preferences of the three studied Chamaesiphon morphospecies for sun-exposed or shaded habitats.

Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of photosynthetic Gram-negative bacteria that produce an array of secondary compounds with selective bioactivity against a broad spectrum of organisms and cell lines. In this study, 29 strains isolated from freshwaters in Greece were classified using a polyphasic approach and assigned to Chroococcales, Synechococcales, and Nostocales, representing 11 genera and 17 taxa. There were good agreements between 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)&ndash, cpcBA&ndash, internal genetic spacer (IGS) characterization and morphological features, except for the Jaaginema&ndash, Limnothrix group which appears intermixed and needs further elucidation. Methanol extracts of the strains were analyzed for cyanotoxin production and tested against pathogenic bacteria species and several cancer cell lines. We report for the first time a Nostoc oryzae strain isolated from rice fields capable of producing microcystins (MCs) and a Chlorogloeopsis fritschii strain isolated from the plankton of a lake, suggesting that this species may also occur in freshwater temperate habitats. Strains with very high or identical 16S rRNA gene sequences displayed different antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Extracts from Synechococcus cf. nidulans showed the most potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, whereas Jaaginema sp. strains exhibited potent cytotoxic activities against human colorectal adenocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Jaaginema Thessaloniki Aristotle University Microalgae and Cyanobacteria (TAU-MAC) 0110 and 0210 strains caused pronounced changes in the actin network and triggered the formation of numerous lipid droplets in hepatocellular carcinoma and green monkey kidney cells, suggesting oxidative stress and/or mitochondrial damage leading to apoptosis.

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms that colonize diverse environments worldwide, ranging from ocean to freshwaters, soils, and extreme environments. Their adaptation capacities and the diversity of natural products (molecules, metabolites, or compounds) that they synthesize support the cyanobacterial success for the colonization of their respective ecological niches. Although cyanobacteria are well-known for their toxin production and their relative deleterious consequences, they also produce a large variety of molecules that exhibit beneficial properties with high potential for various fields of application (e.g., synthetic analog of the dolastatin 10 used against Hodgkin lymphoma). The present review specially focuses on the beneficial activities of cyanobacterial molecules described so far. Based on an analysis of 670 papers, it appears that more than 90 genera of cyanobacteria have been found to produce compounds with potential beneficial activities, most of them belonging to the orders Oscillatoriales, Nostocales Chroococcales, and Synechococcales. The rest of the cyanobacterial orders (i.e., Pleurocapsales, Chroococcidiopsales, and Gloeobacterales) remain poorly explored in terms of their molecular diversity and relative bioactivity. The diverse cyanobacterial molecules presenting beneficial bioactivities belong to 10 different chemical classes (alkaloids, depsipeptides, lipopeptides, macrolides/lactones, peptides, terpenes, polysaccharides, lipids, polyketides, and others) that exhibit 14 major kinds of bioactivity. However, no direct relation between the chemical class and the bioactivity of these molecules has been demonstrated. We further selected and specifically described 50 molecule families according to their specific bioactivities and their potential uses in pharmacology, cosmetology, agriculture, or other specific fields of interest. This up-to-date review takes advantage of the recent progresses in genome sequencing and biosynthetic pathway elucidation, and presents new perspectives for the rational discovery of new cyanobacterial metabolites with beneficial bioactivity.

Terrestrial cyanobacteria are very diverse and widely distributed in Antarctica, where they can form macroscopically visible biofilms on the surfaces of soils and rocks, and on benthic surfaces in fresh waters. We recently isolated several terrestrial cyanobacteria from soils collected on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica. Among them, we found a novel species of Nodosilinea, named here as Nodosilinea signiensis sp. nov. This new species is morphologically and genetically distinct from other described species. Morphological examination indicated that the new species is differentiated from others in the genus by cell size, cell shape, filament attenuation, sheath morphology and granulation. 16S rDNA phylogenetic analyses clearly confirmed that N. signiensis belongs to the genus Nodosilinea, but that it is genetically distinct from other known species of Nodosilinea. The D1-D1´ helix of the 16S-23S ITS region of the new species was also different from previously described Nodosilinea species. This is the first detailed characterization of a member of the genus Nodosilinea from Antarctica as well as being a newly described species.

Bacterial diversity from McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica, the coldest desert on earth, has become more easily assessed with the development of High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) techniques. However, some of the diversity remains inaccessible by the power of sequencing. In this study, we combine cultivation and HTS techniques to survey actinobacteria and cyanobacteria diversity along different soil and endolithic micro-environments of Victoria Valley in McMurdo Dry Valleys. Our results demonstrate that the Dry Valleys actinobacteria and cyanobacteria distribution is driven by environmental forces, in particular the effect of water availability and endolithic environments clearly conditioned the distribution of those communities. Data derived from HTS show that the percentage of cyanobacteria decreases from about 20% in the sample closest to the water source to negligible values on the last three samples of the transect with less water availability. Inversely, actinobacteria relative abundance increases from about 20% in wet soils to over 50% in the driest samples. Over 30% of the total HTS data set was composed of actinobacterial strains, mainly distributed by 5 families: Sporichthyaceae, Euzebyaceae, Patulibacteraceae, Nocardioidaceae, and Rubrobacteraceae. However, the 11 actinobacterial strains isolated in this study, belonged to Micrococcaceae and Dermacoccaceae families that were underrepresented in the HTS data set. A total of 10 cyanobacterial strains from the order Synechococcales were also isolated, distributed by 4 different genera (Nodosilinea, Leptolyngbya, Pectolyngbya, and Acaryochloris-like). In agreement with the cultivation results, Leptolyngbya was identified as dominant genus in the HTS data set. Acaryochloris-like cyanobacteria were found exclusively in the endolithic sample and represented 44% of the total 16S rRNA sequences, although despite our efforts we were not able to properly isolate any strain from this Acaryochloris-related group. The importance of combining cultivation and sequencing techniques is highlighted, as we have shown that culture-dependent methods employed in this study were able to retrieve actinobacteria and cyanobacteria taxa that were not detected in HTS data set, suggesting that the combination of both strategies can be usefull to recover both abundant and rare members of the communities. This project was funded by Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) through a grant to CM (NITROLIMIT project - PTDC/CTA-AMB/30997/2017) and to PL (IF/01358/2014), and through a Ph.D. scholarship to AR (SFRH/BD/140567/2018). Antarctic campaign was conducted as part of the New Zealand Terrestrial Antarctic Biocomplexity Survey (nzTABS), through an award from the New Zealand Foundation for Research and Technology (FRST) and an award from Antarctica New Zealand to SC (UOWX0710) that supported all field science and a Post-doctoral fellowship to CL (UOWX0715). The work was also supported through awards from the New Zealand Marsden Fund to CL and SC (UOW1003), the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to SC and CL (UOWX1401), the United States National Science Foundation to SC (ANT-0944556 and ANT-1246292). The Portuguese Polar Program (PROPOLAR) funded CM participation in the Antarctic Campaign through FCT nacional funds (PIDDAC). This research was partially supported by the Strategic Funding ÐID/Multi/04423/2019 through national funds provided by FCT and ERDF, in the framework of the programme PT2020.

A filamentous benthic cyanobacteria strain isolated from a tropical man-made pond in Malaysia was characterised using combined phenotypic and genetic approaches. Morphological and ultrastructural observations were performed together with growth measurements. Cell dimensions, thylakoid arrangement and apical cell shape with aerotopes were consistent with the description of Pseudanabaena amphigranulata (Goor) Anagnostidis. Molecular characterisation of the16S rRNA gene gave 94% pairwise sequence identity with Pseudanabaena sp. PCC 6802,which corresponds to the genus identification threshold value while also suggesting that the strain is distinctly different to the species of Pseudanabaena currently represented in available databases. The strain showed identical 16S-23S ITS configuration with other strains of Pseudanabaena apart from having a larger spacer region. Cultures of the strain were exposed to various temperature and photoperiod treatments and harvested at exponential phase in order to examine phenotypic plasticity. Significant relationships between environmental conditions and morphological characteristics (cell dimensions and shape) were identified for the first time within the genus Pseudanabaena. The maximum cell length (5.7 ± 0.07 μm) was observed at 25 °C under 12:12 light to dark, while the greatest cell width (3.2 ± 0.11 μm) was also observed at 25 °C but under 16:8 light to dark. The strain showed high plasticity in cell dimensions and shape under different temperature and photoperiod treatments, with25 °C under 12:12 light to dark providing the optimal conditions for its growth.

Taxonomic classification is the only method for understanding and exploring knowledge about organismal diversity. However, it is complicated in prokaryotic, phylogenetically old, phototrophic cyanobacteria, which contain very simple unicellular forms up to multicellular types with a differentiated and diversified thallus. Their cells are cytologically relatively simple, but variable in shape. Various genotypes are adaptable to various specialized ecosystems. The introduction and combination of modern molecular, cytomorphological and ecological methods in the taxonomy of cyanobacteria is necessary and should be accepted as the only method for the elaboration of their modern systematics. The combination of different methods should be based on molecular sequencing as the basic approach, to which must be added other criteria (morphological, ecological) if they are available and which are distinct and recognizable in cyanobacterial populations. The use of such characteristics is necessary and must be o...

Over the last decades, the taxonomy of cyanobacteria has been considerably improved and restructured due to the increase in data output from molecular phylogeny. Recently, a new protocol was developed that enables reliable sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in cultivation-resistant cyanobacteria using analysis of single cells, filaments, or colonies. In the current study, we examined a sample of a heteropolar unicellular cyanobacterium, Geitleribactron purpureum, from the holotype material (deep epilithon of Lake Tovel, Western Dolomites, Italy). We isolated and purified single colonies of G. purpureum, and subjected them to direct PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We obtained a congruent set of sequences that formed a unique, isolated cyanobacterial lineage, showing phylogenetic clustering among simple filamentous genera of the family Leptolyngbyaceae. We provide evidence for deep polyphyly in Chamaesiphonaceae, and suggest that Geitleribactron should be re-classified in the Leptolyngbyaceae.

The volatile metabolite, 2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) produced by cyanobacterial species, causes odor and taste problems in freshwater systems. However, simple identification of cyanobacteria that produce such off-flavors may be insufficient to establish the causal agent of off-flavor-related problems as the production-related genes are often strain-specific. Here, we designed a set of primers for detecting and quantifying 2-MIB-synthesizing cyanobacteria based on mibC gene sequences (encoding 2-MIB synthesis-catalyzing monoterpene cyclase) from various Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales cyanobacterial strains deposited in GenBank. Cyanobacterial cells and environmental DNA and RNA were collected from both the water column and sediment of a eutrophic stream (the Gong-ji Stream, Chuncheon, South Korea), which has a high 2-MIB concentration. Primer sets mibC196 and mibC300 showed universality to mibC in the Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales strains, the mibC132 primer showed high specificity for Pseudanabaena and Planktothricoides mibC. Our mibC primers showed excellent amplification efficiency (100&ndash, 102%) and high correlation among related variables (2-MIB concentration with water RNA r = 689, p &lt, 0.01, sediment DNA r = 0.794, p &lt, and water DNA r = 0.644, p &lt, 0.05, cyanobacteria cell density with water RNA and DNA r = 0.995, p &lt, 0.01). These primers offer an efficient tool for identifying cyanobacterial strains possessing mibC genes (and thus 2-MIB-producing potential) and for evaluating mibC gene expression as an early warning of massive cyanobacterial occurrence.

The genus Leptolyngbya includes morphotypes with thin cells and simple morphology, and is one of the most common cyanobacterial genera found in a wide range of environments. In many cases, however, the morphotypes assigned to this genus do not share a common ancestor based on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, which has led to the description of novel genera, such as Nodosilinea, Oculatella, Pantanalinema , Alkalinema , Thermoleptolyngbya, Onodrimia, Timaviella and Toxifilum. Thus, four novel isolates, with a comparable morphology to Leptolyngbya , were recovered from the Amazon and Solimoes rivers. The novel 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from these strains were placed together as a new and distinct phylogenetic lineage that is more closely related to the clusters embracing the genera Nodosilinea, Haloleptolyngbya and Halomicronema than to the genus Leptolyngbya . Additionally, these novel 16S rRNA gene sequences showed similarity values lower than 95 % compared with those from the most phylogenetic related groups and/or established genera. Altogether, these results supported the erection of a novel genus, named Amazoninema, to accommodate the novel isolates. Likewise, a comparison of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed similarities higher than 99.8 %, indicating that they belong to a single species, which was corroborated by analysing their 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer regions and unique Box-B helix pattern. Few studies have been undertaken to uncover the cultured diversity of cyanobacteria from Amazonia, and to our knowledge, this is the first cyanobacteria genus erected, considering morphotypes isolated exclusively from Brazilian Amazonian rivers.

International audience; One sentence summary: Strains of phototrophic microorganisms isolated from a saline-alkaline crater-lake (Dziani Dzaha, Mayotte, Indian Ocean) were characterized using morphological, ultrastructural and molecular characteristics. Two new genera and four new species (Cyanobacteria) were described. ABSTRACT The saline-alkaline crater-lake Dziani Dzaha (Mayotte, Indian Ocean) is dominated by the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Arthrospira. However, the rest of the phototrophic community remains underexplored because of their minute dimension or lower biomass. To characterize the phototrophic microorganisms living in this ecosystem considered as a modern analog of Precambrian environments, several strains were isolated from the water column and stromatolites and analyzed using the polyphasic approach. Based on morphological, ultrastructural and molecular (16S rRNA gene, 18S rRNA gene, 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and cpcBA-IGS locus) methods, seven filamentous cyanobacteria and the prasinophyte Picocystis salinarum were identified. Two new genera and four new cyanobacteria species belonging to the orders Oscillatoriales (Desertifilum dzianense sp. nov.) and Synechococcales (Sodalinema komarekii gen. nov., sp. nov., Sodaleptolyngbya stromatolitii gen. nov., sp. nov. and Haloleptolyngbya elongata sp. nov.) were described. This approach also allowed to identify Arthrospira fusiformis with exclusively straight trichomes instead of the spirally coiled form commonly observed in the genus. This study evidenced the importance of using the polyphasic approach to solve the complex taxonomy of cyanobacteria and to study algal assemblages from unexplored ecosystems.

The species diversity of thermophilic cyanobacteria from a geothermal area were poorly studied, especially in Indonesia. This study was aimed to explore the diversity of culturable thermophilic cyanobacteria from geysers in Cisolok Hot spring (90-100 °C, pH 7.0-8.0), West Java. Twelve cyanobacterial strains were isolated from this study. Based on morphological characters, these isolates belonging to the orderSynechococcales, Oscillatoriales, Nostocales, and Pleurocapsales. The genera Leptolyngbya, Hapalosiphon, Stanieria, were found in the geyser; while Leptolyngbya, Hapalosiphon, filamentous cyanobacteria, and coccoid cyanobacteria, were found in the river near the geyser. Leptolyngbya was the only genus found in almost all sampling points and this genus grew well in the culture media. Six out of twelve cyanobacterial strains were successfully identified based on partial 16S rDNA sequence data. The sequence homology search by BLAST program showed that the closest relative of strains NBP 10 and NBP 27 were Mastigocladus laminosus (Cyanobacteria, Nostocales) (similarity 96-99%); strain NBP 9 was Leptolyngbia (Cyanobacteria, Synechococcales) (similarity 92%); strain NBP 12 was Oscillatoria (Cyanobacteria, Oscillatoriles) (similarity 99%), and strain NBP 30 was Kovacikia muscicola (Cyanobacteria, Unclassified Oscillatoriales) (similarity 95%). One isolate, NBP 32 has bacteria Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana (Proteobacteria, Xanthomonadaceae) as its closest related taxon, this indicated that strain NBP 32 was mixed with bacteria. Interestingly, three strain (NBP 9, NBP 27, NBP 30) have low similarity to their related taxa, this suggested that they were genetically distinct from their closest related taxon. This finding suggested that the undescribed taxa of thermophilic cyanobacteria have been discovered from the geysers of Cisolok Hot spring. Further study is needed to clarify the identity of these strains.

Certain sponge species are difficult to identify using classical taxonomic characters, and other techniques are often necessary. Here we used 454-pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to investigate bacterial and archaeal communities of two distinct Cinachyrella morphospecies collected from two Indonesian marine lakes with differing degrees of connection to the surrounding sea. Our main goal was to assess whether these morphospecies hosted distinct bacterial and archaeal communities and to what extent these differed from those found in lake water. A recently developed bioinformatic tool (PICRUSt) was used to predict metagenomic gene content of the studied communities. Compositionally, sponge samples clustered according to morphospecies as opposed to marine lake indicating that each morphospecies hosted distinct bacterial and archaeal communities. There were, however, also differences in higher taxon abundance among lakes. In the less connected lake, for example, both Cinachyrella morphospecies had higher levels of the order Synechococcales. With respect to metabolic gene content, although there were pronounced differences in predicted enrichment between both morphospecies, both were putatively enriched for KOs involved in pathways related to stress response, energy metabolism, environmental information processing and the production of secondary metabolites compared to prokaryote communities in water. These morphospecies may thus prove to be interesting sources of novel compounds of potential pharmaceutical and/or biotechnological importance.

Daga, Claudia; Raquel Murialdo; Maria C. Fernandez Belmonte. 2017. “Contribution to the knowledge of Cyanobacteria of two reservoirs of the province of Cordoba, Argentina”. Lilloa 54 (2). The present work constitutes a contribution to the knowledge of the Cyanobacteria present in two reservoirs of the province of Cordoba, San Roque and The Quebrada. Seasonal samplings were carried out in the reservoirs and tributary mouths from February 2014 to February 2016. A Van Dorn sampler and 20 im pore plankton net were used to extract the samples. Physical and chemical parameters were measured in situ and the samples were observed in vivo with a binocular microscope. We identified 37 taxa belonging to the orders: Synechococcales (15); Oscillatoriales (12); Chroococcales (7); Spirulinales (2) and Nostocales (1). Of the species cited 17 are new records for the province of Cordoba and four are producing toxins.

Terrestrial cyanobacterial strains were isolated from the Nishihara campus of the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. The 13 sampling sites were distributed in a 200 m radius and appeared as dry, blackened stains. From these small areas, 143 cyanobacterial strains were established. The strains were divided into five morphotypes, including unicells, unicells with baeocytes, non-branching filaments, false-branching filaments, and heterocystous strains. From the strains, 105 partial 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained and could be classified into 30 generic types. Among them, 22 unique strains and over 1100 bps of data were selected for further phylogenetic analyses. These sequences were positioned into six main clades corresponding to cyanobacterial orders: Nostocales, Chroococidiopsidales, Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales, Pleurocapsales, and Synechococcales. Almost all sequences had no identical matching data in GenBank and many of them had no closely related data. These data suggest that the terrestrial cyanobacteria are very divese even within close sampling areas, such as within the campus of the University of the Ryukyus. The established strains are not only important for classification of terrestrial cyanobacteria but also for possible application studies in the future.

Cyanobacteria are widely distributed in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments, and over the past decades have been recognized as a powerful source of bioactive compounds. In this study, some cyanobacterial strains were isolated from samples of seawater, brackish water and tissue of reef benthic invertebrates (zoanthid Protopalythoa variabilis, the sponges Cynachrella sp. and Haliclona sp., the coral Siderastrea stellata, and ascidians), collected at the states of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte (Northeast of Brazil), during the period between July 2010 and February 2014. After standard isolation methods, the cultivation of the strains was carried out in acclimatized culture chamber (25 °C) under constant aeration, for 15 days at 12-hour photoperiod, using Conway and BG11 media made with filtered seawater. The cyanobacterial cells were analysed for the microcystin production by the ELISA technique and their ethanolic and methanolic extracts for the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the agar well diffusion method. The detection of the mcyB gene, one of the genes related to the microcystin synthesis, was done by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. The majority of the eighteen cyanobacterial strains belonged to Synechococcaceae Family. The genera of Synechocystis, Synechococcus and Romeria were represented by ten, six and two strains, respectively. The production of microcystins was observed in five strains belonging to the genus Synechocystis. The presence of mcyB gene was detected in 12 strains of cyanobacteria: Synechocystis (three strains), Synechococcus (six strains) and Romeria (two strains). Only one strain (Synechocystis aquatilis) showed both the microcystin production and the mcyB gene presence. The antibacterial activity was observed for one strain of Romeria gracilis, one strain of Synechocystis aquatilis and two strains of Synechococcus sp. The ethanolic extracts of R. gracilis strain and two Synechococcus spp. strains inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. Among methanolic extracts of cyanobacteria, only one strain of S. aquatilis showed activity against S. aureus, and one R. gracilis strain against P. aeruginosa. Some cyanobacterial strains studied were positive for the microcystin production and antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria S. aureus and P. aeuruginosa, and may be further explored for additional biotechnological applications. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (3): 890-899. Epub 2017 September 01. ResumenLas cianobacterias se encuentran ampliamente distribuidas en ecosistemas terrestres, de agua dulce y marinos, y en las últimas décadas han sido reconocidas como una poderosa fuente de compuestos bioactivos. En este estudio, las cepas de cianobacterias fueron aisladas a partir de agua de mar, agua salobre y muestras de tejidos de invertebrados bentónicos de arrecifes (zoanthid Protopalythoa variabilis, las esponjas Cynachrella sp. y Haliclona sp., el coral Siderastrea stellata y ascidias) recogidas en los estados de Paraíba y Rio Grande do Norte, en el noreste de Brasil, en el período comprendido entre julio 2010 y febrero 2014. La mayoría de las dieciocho cepas de cianobacterias pertenecían a la Familia Synechococcaceae. Los géneros: Synechocystis, Synechococcus y Romeria estuvieron representados por diez, seis y dos cepas, respectivamente. Las cepas fueron analizadas para la producción de microcistina por ELISA y para la actividad antibacteriana contra Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomonas aeruginosa por el método de difusión en agar. La detección del gen mcyB, uno de los genes relacionados con la síntesis de microcistina, se realizó mediante la técnica de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). El cultivo de las cepas se realizó en cámara de cultivo aclimatada (25 ° C) bajo aireación constante durante 15 días con un fotoperíodo de 12 horas utilizando los medios Conway y BG11 elaborados con agua de mar filtrada. Se observó la producción de microcistina en cinco cepas pertenecientes al género Synechocystis. La presencia del gen mcyB fue detectada en doce cepas de cianobactérias: Synechocystis (tres cepas), Synechococcus (seis cepas) y Romeria (dos cepas). Sólo una cepa (Synechocystis aquatilis) mostró tanto la producción de microcistina como la presencia del gen mcyB. Se observó la actividad antibacteriana de una cepa de Romeria gracilis, de una cepa de Synechocystis aquatilis y dos cepas de Synechococcus sp. Los extractos etanólicos de las cepas de R. gracilis y Synechococcus sp. inhibieron el crecimiento de P. aeruginosa. Entre los extractos metanólicos de cianobacterias solamente S. aquatilis mostró actividad contra S. aureus y R. gracilis contra P. aeruginosa. Varias cepas de cianobacterias estudiadas en este trabajo fueron positivas para la producción de microcistina y actividad antibacteriana frente a bacterias patógenas de S. aureus y P. aeuruginosa, y pueden ser explotadas para aplicaciones biotecnológicas.

Cyanobacteria are found worldwide in various habitats. Members of the picocyanobacteria genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus dominate in oligotrophic ocean waters. Other picocyanobacteria dominate in eutrophic fresh or brackish waters. Usually, these are morphologically determined as species of the order Chroococcales / clade B2. The phytoplankton of a shallow, eutrophic brackish lagoon was investigated. Phytoplankton was dominated by Aphanothece-like morphospecies year-round for more than 20 years, along a trophy and salinity gradient. A biphasic approach using a culture-independent and a culture-dependent analysis was applied to identify the dominant species genetically. The 16S rRNA gene phylogeny of clone sequences and isolates indicated the dominance of Cyanobium species (order Synechococcales sensu Komarek / clade C1 sensu Shih). This difference between morphologically and genetically based species identifications has consequences for applying the Reynolds functional-groups system, and for validity long-term monitoring data. The literature shows the same pattern as our results: morphologically, Aphanothece-like species are abundant in eutrophic shallow lagoons, and genetically, Cyanobium is found in similar habitats. This discrepancy is found worldwide in the literature on fresh- and brackish-water habitats. Thus, most Aphanothece-like morphospecies may be, genetically, members of Cyanobium.

In Lake Shinji, Japan, periodic outbreaks of musty odour have occurred since mid-May 2007. Although the substance responsible for the odour was identified as geosmin, the odour-producing organism was unknown. We cultivated an axenic unialgal strain and determined that a species of Coelosphaerium (Synechococcales) was responsible for the production of geosmin in Lake Shinji. Our analysis was conducted using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to determine the odorous compound. To determine the algae species, it was observed by optical microscopy to describe its morphological characteristics and the polymerase chain reaction was used to characterise the nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region. In addition, we explored the relationship between the number of cells of the Coelosphaerium sp. and the concentration of geosmin. In conclusion, geosmin, the cause of the musty odour in Lake Shinji in autumn 2009, was produced by Coelosphaerium sp., and to our knowledge, this is the first report of a geosmin-producing species in the family Coelosphaeriaceae.

A total of 27 strains of Oculatella were isolated, characterized and sequenced, and analysed phylogenetically with an additional environmental clone from the Atacama Desert and 10 strains isolated and sequenced by others. The strains were clearly separated based upon phylogenetic analyses conducted with a concatenated alignment of the 16S rRNA and 16S-23S ITS region of the ribosomal operons in the genus Oculatella. Differences in secondary structure of the conserved domains of the ITS region, as well as comparative analysis of P-distance among ITS regions, served to separate the strains into distinct taxonomic units. Seven new species of Oculatella were described, including four from arid to semi-arid soils (O. atacamensis, O. mojaviensis, O. coburnii, O. neakameniensis) and three from more mesic habitats, including a temperate lake (O. hafneriensis), a desert waterfall (O. cataractarum) and a Hawaiian sea cave (O. kauaiensis). The soil forms show statistically significant morphological differences, but t...