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The taxonomic position of two isolates, SGD-V-76T and SGD-M-37, isolated from sediment sample of Veraval coast, India, was examined using the polyphasic taxonomic approach. The morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of these two organisms are typical of the genus Priestia. The phylogenetic analyses performed using almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that the isolate belongs to the Bacillaceae family, and forms a clade within the cluster containing Priestia flexus MTCC 2909T, Priestia aryabhattai B8W22T and Priestia megaterium KCTC 3007T and both strains showed highest similarity of > 98% with 3–29 nucleotide differences. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7 and the G + C content of strains was 37.5–37.7 mol%. However, the DNA–DNA hybridization and the phenotypic characteristics revealed that, the strain SGD-V-76T and strain SGD-M-37 are similar species but different from any known Priestia species with ANI values of 79.2, 79.3 and 79.2 and the dDDH values of 17.7, 17.8 and 18.0% respectively. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and the results of biochemical and physiological tests, and genomic data strain SGD-V-76T was clearly distinguished from closely related members of the Priestia genus. Based on the above data analysis strain SGD-V-76T (= DSM28242T = KCTC33802T = CIP111056T = NCIM5510T) represents a novel species of the genus Priestia, and we propose the name Priestia veravalensis sp. nov.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) and guaiacyl/syringyl (G/S) lignin formation involves hydroxycinnamoyl ester intermediacy, the latter formed via hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) and hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HQT) activities. HQT and HCT RNAi silencing of a commercial tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) K326 line was examined herein. NtHQT gene silencing gave relatively normal plant phenotypes, with CGA levels reduced (down to 1% of wild type) with no effects on lignin. RNAi NtHCT silencing had markedly adverse phenotypes (e.g., stunted, multiple stems, delayed flowering, with senescence delayed by several months). Lignin contents were partially lowered, with a small increase in cleavable p-hydroxyphenyl (H) monomers; those plants had no detectable CGA level differences relative to wild type. In vitro NtHCT kinetic parameters revealed preferential p-coumaroyl CoA and shikimate esterification, as compared to other structurally related potential acyl group donors and acceptors. In the presence of coenzyme A, NtHCT catalyzed the reverse reaction. Site-directed mutagenesis of NtHCT (His153Ala) abolished enzymatic activity. NtHQT, by comparison, catalyzed preferential conversion of p-coumaroyl CoA and quinic acid to form p-coumaroyl quinate, the presumed CGA precursor. In sum, metabolic pathways to CGA and lignins appear to be fully independent, and previous conflicting reports of substrate versatilities and metabolic cross-talk are resolved.

The biochemical activities of dirigent proteins (DPs) give rise to distinct complex classes of plant phenolics. DPs apparently began to emerge during the aquatic-to-land transition, with phylogenetic analyses revealing the presence of numerous DP subfamilies in the plant kingdom. The vast majority (>95%) of DPs in these large multigene families still await discovery of their biochemical functions. Here, we elucidated the 3D structures of two pterocarpan-forming proteins with dirigent-like domains. Both proteins stereospecifically convert distinct diastereomeric chiral isoflavonoid precursors to the chiral pterocarpans, (–)- and (+)-medicarpin, respectively. Their 3D structures enabled comparisons with stereoselective lignan– and aromatic terpenoid–forming DP orthologs. Each protein provides entry into diverse plant natural products classes, and our experiments suggest a common biochemical mechanism in binding and stabilizing distinct plant phenol–derived mono- and bis-quinone methide intermediates during different C–C and C–O bond–forming processes. These observations provide key insights into both their appearance and functional diversification of DPs during land plant evolution/adaptation. The proposed biochemical mechanisms based on our findings provide important clues to how additional physiological roles for DPs and proteins harboring dirigent-like domains can now be rationally and systematically identified.

Two western red cedar pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase (PLR) homologues were studied to determine their enantioselective, substrate versatility, and kinetic properties. PLRs are downstream of dirigent protein engendered, coniferyl alcohol derived, stereoselective coupling to afford entry into the 8- and 8'-linked furofuran lignan, pinoresinol. Our investigations showed that each PLR homolog can enantiospecifically metabolize different furofuran lignans with modified aromatic ring substituents, but where phenolic groups at both C4/C4' are essential for catalysis. These results are consistent with quinone methide intermediate formation in the PLR active site. Site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic measurements provided additional insight into factors affecting enantioselectivity and kinetic properties. From these data, PLRs can be envisaged to allow for the biotechnological potential of generation of various lignan skeleta, that could be differentially "decorated" on their aromatic ring substituents, via the action of upstream dirigent proteins.

A new nigericin analogue that has been chemically modified was synthesized through a fluorination process from the parent nigericin, produced from a novel Streptomyces strain DASNCL-29. Fermentation strategies were designed for the optimised production of nigericin molecule and subjected for purification and structural analysis. The fermentation process resulted in the highest yield of nigericin (33% (w/w)). Initially, nigericin produced from the strain DASNCL-29 demonstrated polymorphism in its crystal structure, i.e., monoclinic and orthorhombic crystal lattices when crystallised with methanol and hexane, respectively. Furthermore, nigericin produced has been subjected to chemical modification by fluorination to enhance its efficacy. Two fluorinated analogues revealed that they possess a very potent antibacterial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. To date, the nigericin molecule has not been reported for any reaction against Gram-negative bacteria, which are increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics. For the first time, fluorinated analogues of nigericin have shown promising activity. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis of fluorinated analogues demonstrated tenfold lesser toxicity than the parent nigericin. This is the first type of study where the fluorinated analogues of nigericin showed very encouraging activity against Gram-negative organisms; moreover, they can be used as a candidate for treating many serious infections.

Applicability of thermophilic and thermo-tolerant microorganisms for biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with low water solubility is an interesting strategy for improving the biodegradation efficiency. In this study, we evaluated utility of thermophilic and thermo-tolerant bacteria isolated from Unkeshwar hot spring (India) for biodegradation of four different PAHs. Water samples were enriched in mineral salt medium (MSM) containing a mixture of four PAHs compounds (anthracene: ANT, fluorene: FLU, phenanthrene: PHE and pyrene: PYR) at 37 °C and 50 °C. After growth based screening, four potent strains obtained which were identified as Aeribacillus pallidus (UCPS2), Bacillus axarquiensis (UCPD1), Bacillus siamensis (GHP76) and Bacillus subtilis subsp. inaquosorum (U277) based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Degradation of mixed PAH compounds was evaluated by pure as well as mixed cultures under shake flask conditions using MSM supplemented with 200 mg/L concentration of PAHs (50 mg/L of each compound) for 15 days at 37 °C and 50 °C. A relatively higher degradation of ANT (92%- 96%), FLU (83% - 86%), PHE (16% - 54%) and PYR (51% - 71%) was achieved at 50 °C by Aeribacillus sp. (UCPS2) and mixed culture. Furthermore, crude oil was used as a substrate to study the degradation of same PAHs using these organisms which also revealed with similar results with the higher degradation at 50 °C. Interestingly, PAH-degrading strains were also positive for biosurfactant production. Biosurfactants were identified as the variants of surfactins (lipopeptide biosurfactants) based on analytical tools and phylogenetic analysis of the surfactin genes. Overall, this study has shown that hot spring microbes may have a potential for PAHs degradation and also biosurfactant production at a higher temperature, which could provide a novel perspective for removal of PAHs residues from oil contaminated sites.

Coronaridine (1) was isolated from the CH2Cl2 root extract of Tabernaemontana ternifolia. The structure of 1 was established from 1D- and 2D-NMR and HR-ESIMS experiments, and by comparison with rep...

Between 150 and 200 species of plants, insects, birds or mammals go extinct every day. We do not have any idea what the global extinction rate for microorganisms is. What is clear is that we have already lost a maximum number of the microbes that used to live in and on our skins. Many of our microbial partners are facing extinction as we apply selection pressures that are unprecedented in our long-standing relationships. Recent estimates are that we have lost at least one third of the diversity of our skin microbiome. Every day, most of us bath or shower in water that contains chlorine or fluorine; these additives do a great job of killing pathogenic microbes, but they are probably not helping our skin microbiome. Most of the people apply cosmetic products every day, as these products contain preservatives that prevent microbial growth on the shelf. These same chemicals may well kill microbes on the skin. The daily use of high-pH soaps probably will not help microbial life that is adapted to living on the skin's natural pH of 5. The rise in the rate of C-section births from around 5% in 1970 to more than 30% today is likely to be a contributing factor. Vaginal microbes seed our skins at birth and C-sections disrupt this process. The overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics has contributed to the loss of our microbial partners in all body sites and the skin is no exception. It is now clear that skin is an ecosystem that is dependent on commensal microbes for optimal health. In general, a diverse ecosystem is a healthy ecosystem that is robust in the face of change. Low-diversity ecosystems are more fragile and susceptible to dysbiosis. Eczema and acne rates have increased rapidly over the last 50 years. These diseases are almost unknown in hunter-gatherer communities. Now, we face two exciting challenges: finding out which species matter and how to get them back.

Plants capable of stimulating the N2 fixation in the root nodules with endosymbiotic associations of actinobacteria Frankia are known as actinorhizal plants. During the signaling, molecules communicate to develop the new root organs known as actinorhizal nodules. The Frankia are capable of interacting with 225 species belonging to 8 families and 25 genera of nonleguminous plants. Among the 8 families, the Casuarinaceae are most important due to their potential effect in agriculture and other environmental applications. Casuarina is ideal for growing in polluted dry lands and rain-fed areas. It plays a role in different applications such as pulp wood, fuel wood, timber production, medical use, windbreak, sand dune stabilization, improving the soil’s physical properties and maintaining soil organic matter, and fixing atmosphere N2 with the help of Frankia. The recent reports point out that the abundance of relative Frankia populations was more in actinorhizal plants. Actinorhizal interactions display several primitive features and thus provide the ideal opportunity to determine the minimal molecular toolkit desirable to construct a nodule and to understand the evolution of root nodule symbioses. Actinorhizal nodules shares a lot of features with rhizobial nodulation, yet our understanding of the molecular mechanisms implicated in actinorhizal nodulation remain very inadequate. Therefore, the overall bacterial community (bacteriome) diversity within Casuarina root nodules documented is very fewer. In this chapter, we provide an outline on root nodule bacteriome and microbiome networks from actinorhizal Casuarina plant in different diversities along with next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis.

Given a large number of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals, clinical detection has proved challenging. The wastewater-based epidemiological paradigm would cover the clinically escaped asymptomatic individuals owing to the faecal shedding of the virus. We hypothesised using wastewater as a valuable resource for analysing SARS-CoV-2 mutations circulating in the wastewater of Pune region (Maharashtra; India), one of the most affected during the covid-19 pandemic. We conducted study in open wastewater drains from December 2020–March 2021 to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and further detect mutations using ARTIC protocol of MinION sequencing. The analysis revealed 108 mutations across six samples categorised into 39 types of mutations. We report the occurrence of mutations associated with Delta variant lineage in March-2021 samples, simultaneously also reported as a Variant of Concern (VoC) responsible for the rapid increase in infections. The study also revealed four mutations; S:N801, S:C480R, NSP14:C279F and NSP3:L550del not currently reported from wastewater or clinical data in India but reported worldwide. Further, a novel mutation NSP13:G206F mapping to NSP13 region was observed from wastewater. Notably, S:P1140del mutation was detected in December 2020 samples while it was reported in February 2021 from clinical data, indicating the instrumentality of wastewater data in early detection. This is the first study in India to demonstrate utility of sequencing in wastewater-based epidemiology to identify mutations associated with SARS-CoV-2 virus fragments from wastewater as an early warning indicator system., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image

Basmati and non-basmati rice varieties are commercially important. Aromatic rice varieties are low yielding and recently depletion in aroma is observed due to the shift towards modern agriculture. Therefore, it is necessary to restore the aroma and increase the yield through sustainable agriculture. The use of microbial bioinoculants is one of the promising ways to achieve these targets. With these objectives, rhizospheric bacterial strains Enterobacter hormaechei (AM122) and Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus (DB25) having the property of synthesizing 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) were isolated from the rhizosphere of two aromatic rice varieties, Ambemohar-157 and Dehradun Basmati respectively and their effect on plant growth, aroma and yield enhancement under mono-inoculation and consortium conditions was analyzed. The bacterial inoculum in consortium resulted in significant improvement in vegetative growth, yield and 2AP content over mono inoculation and control. The study highlights the potential of E. hormaechei and L. xylanilyticus in plant growth, yield and aroma enhancement in basmati and non-basmati rice varieties. These strains can be taken up further for developing a commercial bioformulation.

The new viral pandemic of COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that has brought the world at another unprecedented crisis in terms of health and economy. The lack of specific therapeutics necessitates other strategies to prevent the spread of infection caused by this previously unknown viral etiological agent. Recent pieces of evidence have shown an association between COVID-19 disease and intestinal dysbiosis. Probiotics comprise living microbes that upon oral administration benefit human health by reshaping the composition of gut microbiota. The close kinship of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract suggests why the dysfunction of one may incite illness in others. The emerging studies suggest the capability of probiotics to regulate immune responses in the respiratory system. The efficacy of probiotics has been studied previously on several respiratory tract viral infections. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to comprehend existing information on the gut mediated-pulmonary immunity conferred by probiotic bacteria, in the course of respiratory virus infections and administration as a prophylactic measure in COVID-19 pandemic in managing intestinal dysbiosis as well.

Conditioning of morphology is an effective technique to enhance secondary metabolite production by Streptomyces. Here we report a novel conditioning method employing glass marbles in batch cultures to enhance secondary metabolite production by Streptomyces sp. The marbles seem to spatially separate aerial and submerged mycelia in the flask which was necessary for the qualitative and quantitative enhancement of metabolite production of secondary metabolites. The method also offers shorter incubation period compared to conventional methods for effective production. Further, using a combination of this method and response surface methodology we could enhance the production of antimycobacterial molecules chrysomycin A and B significantly.ImportanceRediscovery of existing molecules and lack of techniques to induce production of secondary metabolites are the major bottlenecks associated with drug discovery of novel bioactive molecules from Streptomyces, the major source of marketable drugs today. We found a new method to increase the diversity and quantity of secondary metabolites in two Streptomyces species. This method thus enhances the chance of finding novel active principles from Streptomyces.

Rediscovery of known compounds and time consumed in identification, especially high molecular weight compounds with complex structure, have let down interest in drug discovery. In this study, whole-genome analysis of microbe and Global Natural Products Social (GNPS) molecular networking helped in initial understanding of possible compounds produced by the microbe. Genome data revealed 10 biosythethic gene clusters that encode for secondary metabolites with anticancer potential. NMR analysis of the pure compound revealed the presence of a four-ringed benz[a]anthracene, thus confirming angucycline; molecular networking further confirmed production of this class of compounds. The type II polyketide synthase gene identified in the microbial genome was matched with the urdamycin cluster by BLAST analysis. This information led to ease in identification of urdamycin E and a novel natural derivative, urdamycin V, purified from Streptomyces sp. OA293. Urdamycin E (Urd E) induced apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cell lines. Urd E exerted anticancer action through inactivation of the mTOR complex by preventing phosphorylation at Ser 2448 and Ser 2481 of mTORC1 and mTORC2, respectively. Significant reduction in phosphorylation of the major downstream regulators of both mTORC1 (p70s6k and 4e-bp1) and mTORC2 (Akt) were observed, thus further confirming complete inhibition of the mTOR pathway. Urd E presents itself as a novel mTOR inhibitor that employs a novel mechanism in mTOR pathway inhibition.

A series of Wrightia hanleyi extracts was screened for activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. One active fraction contained a compound that initially appeared to be either the isoflavonoid wrightiadione or the alkaloid tryptanthrin, both of which have been previously reported in other Wrightia species. Characterization by NMR and MS, as well as evaluation of the literature describing these compounds, led to the conclusion that wrightiadione (1) was misidentified in the first report of its isolation from W. tomentosa in 1992 and again in 2015 when reported in W. pubescens and W. religiosa. Instead, the molecule described in these reports and in the present work is almost certainly the isobaric (same nominal mass) and isosteric (same number of atoms, valency, and shape) tryptanthrin (2), a well-known quinazolinone alkaloid found in a variety of plants including Wrightia species. Tryptanthrin (2) is also accessible synthetically via several routes and has been thoroughly characterized. Wrightiadione (1) has been synthesized and characterized and may have useful biological activity; however, this compound can no longer be said to be known to exist in Nature. To our knowledge, this misidentification of wrightiadione (1) has heretofore been unrecognized.

Gluconacetobacter xylinus is a well-known organism that produces bacterial cellulose (BC). The present study was undertaken to find an alternative bacteria from a collection of 216 bacterial isolates, which were isolated from different rotten fruits and fermented beverages, to find a better producer of bacterial cellulose. We obtained a potent strain, which produced a high yield of BC from a rotten pomegranate sample, and was further identified as Komagataeibacter rhaeticus strain PG2 using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. To date, only two strains of Komagataeibacter rhaeticus are known to produce BC, and these were mainly isolated from a fermented beverage, kombucha. For the first time, we have isolated a BC producing Komagataeibacter rhaeticus strain PG2 from a rotten pomegranate sample. The new host environment and the substrate utilization pattern of strain PG2 reveal efficient bacterial cellulose production. Hestrin–Schramm (HS) liquid media containing glycerol as a carbon source resulted in the highest BC production (∼6.9 g L−1). A further increased yield of BC (∼8.7 g L−1) was obtained by using 3% (w/v) glycerol concentration, and this BC yield is the highest reported among any of the known Komagataeibacter rhaeticus strains reported. A detailed physico-chemical characterization of the BC membrane obtained from glycerol (Gly-BC) and glucose (Glc-BC) was performed. Interestingly, Gly-BC is found to be more compact and more crystalline in its nature compared to Glc-BC. The present study reveals the isolation of an efficient BC synthesizing strain using glycerol as a low-cost carbon source, confirming the economic feasibility of BC production. The structural characteristics of the BC membrane produced by glycerol were found to be more suitable for various applications.

Phytase is known to provide a solution for depletion of phosphorus (P). It helps it by hydrolyzing the insoluble P source in soil which is phytate. In this study, provides insight on yeast Candida tropicalis (NCIM 3321) which produces cell bound and extracellular thermostable phytase. The media components were optimized to enhance the enzyme production and checked for plant growth promoting activity. On optimization the isolate exhibited enhanced cell bound and extracellular phytase activity by four folds (from 236 to 1024 IU DCG−1) and by five folds (from 0.46 to 1.95 IU ml−1) respectively in 36 h. The production time decreased to 24 h compare to shake flask on Up-scaling the production process upto 10 L scale, thus increasing the productivity of cell bound (1810 IU DCG−1day−1) and extracellular phytase (6.08 IU ml−1 day−1). The crude phytase (12 IU) from NCIM 3321 strain was studied for plant growth promotion activity in lab scale and field level experiments with maize crop. Findings of the study revealed that the extracellular phytase derived from non pathogenic C. tropicalis (NCIM 3321) was found to be plant growth stimulating by increasing the available P in soil. Our findings of phytase isolated from non-pathogenic yeast C. tropicalis NCIM 3321 exhibited dephytinization potential. Therefore, current study may have profound application in sustainable agriculture.

The species "Bacillus aminovorans" was categorized as species Incertae Sedis meaning taxa with uncertain taxonomic position because of insufficient description of phenotypic properties and lack of understanding of its phylogenetic relationship (Claus and Berkeley [5]). In this study two strains "B. aminovorans" DSM 1314T and DSM 4337 were phenotypically and phylogenomically analyzed. The strains are Gram-staining-positive, spore forming rods and unable to utilize/ferment most of the sugars tested except glucose. The major fatty acids are anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0. The major polar lipids are diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and an aminophosphoglycolipid. The cell wall peptidoglycan is of A1γ type with meso-Dpm as the diamino acid. The menaquinone type present is MK-6. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of the type strain is 40.8mol%. These characteristics were found to be in line with description of the genus Domibacillus. Moreover phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence retrieved "B. aminovorans" within the genus Domibacillus with D. antri XD 80T as the closest relative. Additionally genome sequencing of the strains and their comparison with whole genome sequences of other Domibacillus spp. confirmed their distinctiveness and separate species status within the genus based on parameters of genome to genome distance calculator (GGDC) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values. Therefore a novel species Domibacillus aminovorans sp. nov. (DSM 1314T=LMG 16796T) is proposed.

Summary A foundational study assessed effects of biochemical pathway introduction into poplar to produce eugenol, chavicol, p‐anol, isoeugenol and their sequestered storage products, from potentially available substrates, coniferyl and p‐coumaryl alcohols. At the onset, it was unknown whether significant carbon flux to monolignols vs. other phenylpropanoid (acetate) pathway metabolites would be kinetically favoured. Various transgenic poplar lines generated eugenol and chavicol glucosides in ca. 0.45% (~0.35 and ~0.1%, respectively) of dry weight foliage tissue in field trials, as well as their corresponding aglycones in trace amounts. There were only traces of any of these metabolites in branch tissues, even after ~4‐year field trials. Levels of bioproduct accumulation in foliage plateaued, even at the lowest introduced gene expression levels, suggesting limited monolignol substrate availability. Nevertheless, this level still allows foliage collection for platform chemical production, with the remaining (stem) biomass available for wood, pulp/paper and bioenergy product purposes. Several transformed lines displayed unexpected precocious flowering after 4‐year field trial growth. This necessitated terminating (felling) these particular plants, as USDA APHIS prohibits the possibility of their interacting (cross‐pollination, etc.) with wild‐type (native plant) lines. In future, additional biotechnological approaches can be employed (e.g. gene editing) to produce sterile plant lines, to avoid such complications. While increased gene expression did not increase target bioproduct accumulation, the exciting possibility now exists of significantly increasing their amounts (e.g. 10‐ to 40‐fold plus) in foliage and stems via systematic deployment of numerous ‘omics’, systems biology, synthetic biology and metabolic flux modelling approaches.

Limited efficacy of the BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guerin) vaccine against adult tuberculosis and the emergence of resistance to existing anti-tuberculosis drugs compel discovery of novel antibiotics against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Actinomycetes are still an attractive platform for the discovery of new antimicrobials, especially from untapped natural hotspots, despite the belief that they are an exhausted resource after repeated re-discoveries. Herein we report the isolation and identification of chrysomycin A from an actinomycete isolated from a coastal area in Kerala. We show for the first time that it has antimycobacterial activity. It was found to be bactericidal to planktonic and intracellular M. tuberculosis with an MIC of 3.125 μg mL−1; it is non-hemolytic and has negligible cytotoxicity. The actinomycete that produces chrysomycin A was found to be a Streptomyces sp. through 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

We report the draft genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. strain BPSDS2, isolated from freshwater sediments in Northeast India. The draft genome has a size of 8.27 Mb and 7,559 protein-coding sequences.

International audience; This contribution primarily addresses formation of the plant-protecting and human health-protecting lignans found in flax seed coat tissue. Yet, the fundamentals of how plants in general biochemically produce their protective seed coats (protecting the embryo until germination) are very poorly understood at the molecular level, in spite of its massive evolutionary importance. Flax is no exception.Herein, we address the natural product molecular species produced from the “mixed” biochemical pathways to both the flax seed lignans and other metabolite classes associated with same, as well as what is known about their localization in situ and their biosynthesis (proteins and enzymes involved). The biosynthetic pathway known to this point to the plant defense lignans in leaf and stem tissue is also discussed.Discovery of the biochemical steps leading to flax seed coat lignan biosynthesis is described, with a particular emphasis on the genes, dirigent proteins (DPs), downstream pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductases, and secoisolariciresinol dehydrogenase. Advances made thus far from X-ray structural biology investigations, as well as MALDI TOF MS/MS and Ion Mobility metabolite imaging, of these biochemical processes to the lignan components in situ are also summarized.While the predominant health-protecting flax seed coat lignans are secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) derived, they are essentially not present as such in this tissue. Instead, SDG exists in covalently linked form to other “mixed” biochemical pathway metabolites, of which there are currently eight other distinct natural product entities considered to be involved. The biosynthesis of the other components, such as herbacetin diglucoside and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid, is also briefly mentioned. Moreover, our knowledge of the macromolecular structure(s) of these lignan-containing mixed biochemical pathway metabolites during seed coat maturation is briefly summarized.Flaxseed, however, also contains other lignans, such as pinoresinol, pinoresinol diglucoside, isolariciresinol, and matairesinol, albeit in tiny amount, which are released on alkali (base) treatment of flax seed or preparations thereof.The lignan yatein, by comparison, accumulates in flax leaf and stem tissue and appears to be involved in plant defense. What is known about its biochemical pathway and function is summarized.Interestingly, flax DPs are encoded by a 44-membered multi-gene family, of which only a few are of known biochemical/physiological function. Future research is urgently needed to ascertain the in vivo functions of this DP family, including probing the evolutionary ramifications of same and their relevance to successful evolutionary transition of aquatic plants to terrestrial vascular plant form.

Coleus forskohlii is an herb, well-known for its medicinal compound forskolin present in its roots, with wide range of pharmaceutical applications. Here, we report, for the first time, the role of plant–probiotic bacterial endophytes of C. forskohlii, CFLB1 and CFRB1, isolated from leaf and root, which regulate plant growth and in plant forskolin content. Native bacterial endophyte, CFRB1 (Alcaligenes faecalis), significantly modulates primary plant productivity and forskolin content under pot and field conditions. Under field conditions, CFRB1 endophyte application significantly enhanced photosynthetic pigments and reduced the severity of root-knot and root rot diseases. Expression analyses of functional genes involved in the forskolin biosynthesis in C. forskohlii plants treated with CFRB1 endophyte under field conditions revealed differential upregulation of four C. forskohlii diterpene synthases (CfTPSs), CfTPS1, CfTPS2, CfTPS3 and CfTPS4, along with cytochrome P450 (CfCYP76AH15) and acyltransferase (CfACT1–8) genes. CFRB1 treatment reduced the severity of nematode infection and root rot in C. forskohlii plants by 81 and 78%, respectively. Overall, we demonstrate that cross-talk of plant–endophyte interaction in C. forskohlii is beneficial, leading to enhanced forskolin content through modulation of forskolin biosynthetic pathway genes along with increased plant yield and reduced disease incidence. Thus, endophytic isolate, A. faecalis (CFRB1), could be deployed as a novel bio-stimulant for enhancing in planta forskolin content during cultivation of C. forskohlii.

Streptomyces thermocarboxydus strain BPSAC147 is an endophytic actinobacterium isolated from root tissues of Rhynchotechum ellipticum in Mizoram, Northeast India. The strain showed potentially plant growth-promoting and biocontrol activities., Streptomyces thermocarboxydus strain BPSAC147 is an endophytic actinobacterium isolated from root tissues of Rhynchotechum ellipticum in Mizoram, Northeast India. The strain showed potentially plant growth-promoting and biocontrol activities. The draft genome consists of 7.37 Mb and encodes 7,060 putative open reading frames.

Endophytic Microbacterium hydrothermale strain BPSAC84, which has antimicrobial potential, was isolated from root tissues of Mirabilis jalapa in Mizoram, Northeast India. The draft genome consists of 3.58 Mb and 3,444 protein-coding sequences.

Culturable bacteria associated with marine sponges and coral mucus (collected from Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay) were screened for their prospective antimicrobial compounds against 9 bacterial pathogens (Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsillla pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii) and a fungal pathogen (Candida albicans). Of the 263 bacterial isolates obtained during this study, 52 isolates displayed antimicrobial activity against one or more pathogens. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that these 52 strains affiliated to 14 genera from three phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Sponge associated bacterial strains F-04, I-23, I-33 and G-03 inhibited the growth of all the bacterial pathogens tested in this study and significantly the former 2 strains inhibited the growth of fungal pathogen also. Majority of the potential strains (88.4% out of 52 strains) inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus. Interestingly, an actinomycete strain F-04 (isolated from sponge Orina sagittaria) inhibited the growth of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In total, 10 volatile organic compounds were determined from the ethyl acetate and hexane extract of the strain F-04 using GC-MS. Overall, marine bacteria isolated during this study demonstrate the potential for the development of broad spectrum antibiotics.

Actinobacteria are the ecologically and economically important prokaryotes with the unprecedented ability to produce novel metabolites. They are widely distributed in nature due to their physiological and metabolic versatility. Actinobacteria from marine ecosystem are recognized as a promising source for novel bioactive metabolites. Notably, mangroves are the most fertile and productive marine ecosystem due to their ecophysiological conditions and vast microbial diversity. At the global level, there are many novel actinobacteria which have been reported from mangrove ecosystems and also explored for their bioprospecting potential. However, in India, microbiologists have explored actinobacteria from selected mangrove ecosystems for the past five decades with special reference to culturable diversity and antimicrobial, antimycobacterial, anticancer, and enzymatic activities. So far, around 22 rare actinobacterial genera have been reported from the Indian mangrove ecosystems. However, several other novel actinobacteria with promising bioprospecting potential are yet to be explored. Hence, research on actinobacteria in the Indian mangrove ecosystem is still in its infancy. This chapter will describe the exploratory research work carried out on the importance, diversity, antimicrobial and enzymatic activity, biodegradation, and nanotechnological potency of actinobacteria from the Indian mangrove ecosystems. This chapter will enable researchers to identify the gaps to be bridged for further research on Indian mangrove actinobacteria and exploit their potential to the maximum benefit to mankind.

The bioactive potential of Actinobacteria endemic to hot springs has rarely been investigated. This study highlights the cultivable diversity and bioactivities of Actinobacteria associated with the Unkeshwar hot springs, India. Potent strains were evaluated for their biosynthetic potentials and metabolite analysis was performed using effective dereplication molecular networking tools. A total of 86 actinobacterial strains were isolated and grouped into 21 distinct genera, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. These strains included rare members such as Micromonospora, Marmoricola, Actinomadura, Cellulomonas, Cellulosimicrobium, Janibacter, Rothia, Barrentisimonas, Dietzia and Glycomyces. In antimicrobial screening, Micromonospora sp. strain GH99 and Streptomyces sp. strain GH176 were found to be potent antimicrobial strains. The metabolic extracts of these strains exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (NCIM 2493), Shigella flexneri (NCIM 5265), Klebsiella pneumonia (NCIM 2098), and Salmonella abony (NCIM 2257). The extracts also displayed strong anti-biofilm and anticancer activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCIM 5029), Acinetobacter junii (NCIM 5188) and breast cancer cell line MCF7, respectively. Both strains also tested positive for the presence of the PKS biosynthetic gene cluster in their genomes. To effectively delineate the secondary metabolites, the extracts were subjected to MS/MS-guided molecular networking analysis. Structurally diverse compounds including the polyketides 22-dehydroxymethyl-kijanolide (GH99 strain) and Abyssomicin I (GH176 strain) were detected in the extracts. Interestingly, Brevianamide F was detected in the extract of Micromonospora, which has previously been mostly found in fungal species. Other compounds such as cyclic tripeptides, Cyclo(L-Pro-D-Ile) and Cyclo(D-Pro-L-Phe), were also identified in this strain. In summary, for the first time, we explored the diversity of Actinobacteria and evaluated their bioactive potential from the Unkeshwar hot springs. The potent strains isolated in the study could be useful in drug discovery programs.

The species Bacillus badius is one of the oldest members of the genus Bacillus isolated from faeces of children and was classified based on its ability to form endospores [8]. In 16S rRNA gene sequence and phylogenetic analysis, Bacillus badius DSM 23T shared low similarity (93.0%) and distant relationship with B. subtilis, the type species of the genus Bacillus indicating that it does not belong to this genus. Additional strains of the species, B. badius DSM 5610, DSM 30822 and B. encimensis SGD-V-25 (which has been recently reclassified as a member of this species) were included in the study to consider intraspecies diversity. Detailed molecular phylogenetic and comparative genome analysis clearly showed that the strains of B. badius were consistently retrieved outside the cluster of Bacillus sensu stricto and also distantly related to the genera Domibacillus and Quasibacillus. Further, the data from biochemical reactions (inability to ferment most carbohydrates), polar lipids profile (presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an aminophosphoglycolipid) and fatty acids supported the molecular analysis. Thus the four B. badius strains; DSM 23T, DSM 5610, DSM 30822 and SGD-V-25 displayed sufficient demarcating phenotypic characteristics that warrant their classification as members of a novel genus and single species, for which the name Pseudobacillus badius gen. nov. comb. nov. is proposed with Pseudobacillus badius DSM 23T (= ATCC 14574T) as the type strain. Additionally, based on our findings from phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic parameters, Bacillus wudalianchiensis DSM 100757T was reclassified as Pseudobacillus wudalianchiensis comb. nov.

To understand the compatibility of three native endophytic fungi Phialemoniopsis cornearis (SF1), Macrophomina pseudophaseolina (SF2) and Fusarium redolens (RF1) with Trichoderma viride (TV1) on Coleus forskohlii in enhancing plant growth and forskolin content, field experiments were conducted. Co-inoculation of RF1+TV1 showed significant improvement in plant growth (52%), root biomass (67%), and in-planta forskolin content (94%), followed by treatment with SF2+TV1 and SF1+TV1. qRT-PCR was carried out to quantify expression of five key forskolin biosynthetic pathway genes (CfTPS2, CfTPS3, CfTPS4, CfCYP76AH15, and CfACT1-8) in RF1+TV1 treated C. forskohlii plants. Elevated expression of CfTPS2, CfTPS4, CfCYP76AH15 and CfACT1-8 genes was observed with RF1+TV1 combination as compared to uninoculated C. forskohlii plants. Besides, RF1+TV1 treatment considerably reduced the severity of nematode infection of C. forskohlii plants under field conditions. Thus, congruent properties of F. redolens (RF1) were witnessed with co-inoculation of T. viride (TV1) under field conditions which resulted in enhanced forskolin content, root biomass, and reduced nematode infections in C. forskohlii. Overall, this approach could be an economical and sustainable step towards cultivation of commercially important medicinal plants.

An investigation into the taxonomic position of Bacillus isronensis MTCC 7902T revealed that the strain shares a common phylogenetic lineage with Solibacillus silvestris MTCC 10789T. It displays considerable overlap in phenotypic properties with the genus Solibacillus, including endospore shape and position, oxidase and catalase activities, presence of iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c alcohol and iso-C17 : 1ω7c as major cellular fatty acids, A4α-type cell-wall peptidoglycan, polar lipids and menaquinone pattern. These features reinforce the findings of molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene, gyrB gene and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences and, in line with the recommendations of Kämpfer et al. [Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 56 (2006), 781-786], provide justification for the transfer of Bacillus isronensis from the genus Bacillus to Solibacillus as Solibacillus isronensis comb. nov. The type strain is B3W22T ( = MTCC 7902T = DSM 21046T = JCM 13838T). An emended description of the genus Solibacillus is also provided.

The taxonomic positions of three Gram-stain-positive, aerobic strains, designated YIM 75722, 75726 and 75728T, and isolated from a soil sample collected from Kurnool of Andhra Pradesh province, India, were assessed using a polyphasic approach. Growth was observed at pH 7.0–10.0 (optimum pH 7.0), 15–28 °C (optimum 28 °C) and 0–8 % (w/v) NaCl (grew without NaCl). Strains showed cylindrical spores with straight-chain morphology on aerial mycelium, but did not reveal sporangium-like structures or fragmentation of the substrate mycelium. Whole-cell hydrolysates of all strains contained galactose and ribose as the diagnostic sugars and meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4); MK-9 (H6) and MK-10 (H4) were present in smaller amounts. The phospholipid pattern consisted mainly of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The major fatty acids were i-C15 : 0, ai-C15 : 0, i-C17 : 0 and ai-C17 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 68.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealed that strain YIM 75728T should be placed within the family Pseudonocardiaceae, in which the strain formed a distinct lineage. The combination of phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic data support the conclusion that strain YIM 75728T represents a novel species of a novel genus of the family Pseudonocardiaceae for which the name Actinorectispora indica gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. Strain YIM 75728T ( = DSM 45410T = CCTCC AA 209065T) is the type strain of Actinorectispora indica. Strain YIM 75728T was considered as the type strain over the other two strains based on the highest sequence read length of the strain.

A novel alkaliphilic actinomycete, strain NCL716(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from the vicinity of Lonar Lake, an alkaline salt water meteorite lake in Buldhana district of Maharashtra State in India. The strain was characterised using a polyphasic taxonomic approach which confirmed that it belongs to the genus Streptomyces. Growth was observed over a pH range of 7-11 at 28 °C. The cell wall was found to contain LL-diaminopimelic acid and traces of meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major fatty acid components were identified as iso-C16:0 (46.8 %), C17:1 (12.4 %), anteiso-C15:0 (5.1 %) and anteiso-C17:1 (4.8 %). The major polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol. The major menaquinones were determined to be MK-9 (H6) (70.3 %), MK-9 (H4) (15.5 %) and MK-9 (H8) (7.2 %). The G+C content of the DNA of the type strain was determined to be 71.4 mol %. The 16S rRNA gene sequence has been deposited in GenBank with accession number FJ919811. Although the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain NCL716(T) shares >99 % similarity with that of Streptomyces bohaiensis strain 11A07(T), DNA-DNA hybridization revealed only 33.2 ± 3.0 % relatedness between them. Moreover, these two strains can be readily distinguished by some distinct phenotypic characteristics. Hence, on the basis of phenotypic and genetic analyses, it is proposed that strain NCL716(T) represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces lonarensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is NCL 716(T) (=DSM 42084(T) = MTCC 11708(T) = KCTC 39684(T)).

River confluences are interesting ecological niche with limited information in respect of the structure and the functions of diverse microbial communities. Fungi are gaining global attention as promising biological spectacles for defining the trophic status of riverine systems. We condense existing knowledge in confluence diversity in two Indian rivers (i.e. Ganges and Yamuna), by combining sediment metagenomics using long read aided MinION nanopore sequencing. A total of 63 OTU's were observed, of which top 20 OTU's were considered based on relative abundance of each OTU at a particular location. Fungal genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Kluveromyces, Lodderomyces, and Nakaseomyces were deciphered as potential bio indicators of river pollution and eutrophication in the confluent zone. In silico functional gene analysis uncovered hits for neurodegenerative diseases and xenobiotic degradation potential, supporting bioindication of river pollution in wake of anthropogenic intervention.

Five highly efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria, viz., Pantoea sp. A3, Pantoea sp. A34, Kosakonia sp. A37, Kosakonia sp. B7 and Bacillus sp. AH9 were isolated from termitorial soils of Sanjivani island of southern Maharashtra, India. These isolates were characterized and explored for phosphate solubilization and plant growth promotion. Among these, Bacillus sp. AH9 showed highest phosphate solubilization index (3.5) and solubilization efficiency (250%) on Pikovskaya agar. Interestingly, Pantoea sp. A34 displayed maximum mineral phosphate solubilization (1072.35 mg/L) in liquid medium and during this period the pH dropped to 3.13. All five isolates had highest P solubilization at 48 h after inoculation. During mineral phosphate solubilization, both gluconic acid and 2-keto gluconic acid were produced by Kosakonia and Bacillus isolates, while only 2-keto gluconic acid was detected in Pantoea isolates. Highest organic acid (39.07 ± 0.04 g/L) production was envisaged in Bacillus sp. AH9, while Pantoea sp. A34 produced the least amount (13.00 ± 0.01 g/L) of organic acid. Seed bacterization with Pantoea sp. A3 and Kosakonia sp. A37 resulted in ~ 37% and ~ 53% increase in root length of tomato seedlings, respectively, while Pantoea sp. A34 and Kosakonia sp. B7 had deleterious effects on root length as well as overall growth of the seedlings. To our knowledge, this is the first report of plant growth promoting potential of microorganisms isolated from termitorial soil of Sanjivani island, which is a drought-prone area. Therefore, such efficient growth promoting P solubilizers can offer an effective solution for sustainable agriculture in arid, dryland farming and drought-prone regions. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13205-018-1488-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The phage taxonomy is primarily based on the morphology derived from Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM) studies. TEM based characterization is authentic and accepted by scientific community. However, TEM based identification is expensive and time consuming. After the phage isolation, before analysis TEM, a DNA based rapid method could be introduced. The DNA based method could dramatically reduce the number of samples analyzed by TEM and thereby increase the speed and reduce the cost of identification. In the present work, four environmental phage isolates were identified based on TEM studies and genome size. The identification of these four phages was validated using DNA based method. The taxon-specific DNA markers were identified through multiple sequence alignments. The primers were designed at conserved genes (DNA polymerase or integrase) of 4 different phage taxa viz. family Ackermannviridae, genus Jerseyvirus, genus T4virus, and genus P22virus. These primers were evaluated using both in vitro and in silico approach for the amplification of the target taxons. Majority of the primer sets were found to amplify member species of the targeted taxa in vitro. In In silico analysis, six primer sets intended for identification of family Ackermannviridae showed positive amplification of ≥86.7% classified species. Further, the primers targeting the genus Jerseyvirus and T4virus showed the amplification of 53.8% and ≥84.6% species, respectively. The present work is a case study performed to explore the possibility of use of taxon-specific primers for identification and taxonomic studies of newly isolated phages to supplement the TEM.

A cultivation-based study of the microbial diversity of cellular phone screens led to the isolation of a Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped and non-endospore-forming bacterium, designated S2T63T, exhibiting phenotypic and genotypic characteristics unique to the type strains of closely related species. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strain is a member of Microbacterium , and most closely related to Microbacterium aurantiacum IFO 15234T and Microbacterium kitamiense Kitami C2T. The DNA–DNA relatedness values of the strain S2T63T to M. aurantiacum KACC 20510T, M. kitamiense KACC 20514Tand Microbacterium laevaniformans KACC 14463T were 65 % (±4), 29.5 % (±3) and 55.9 % (±4), respectively. The genomic DNA G+C content was 71.8 mol%. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The main polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified polar lipids. The peptidoglycan contained the amino acids glycine, lysine, alanine and glutamic acid, with substantial amounts of hydroxy glutamic acid detected, which is characteristic of peptidoglycan type B1α. The predominant menaquinones were MK-12 and MK-13. Rhamnose, fucose and galactose were the whole-cell sugars detected. The strain also showed biofilm production, estimated by using crystal violet assay. Based on the results of the phenotypic and genotypic characterizations, it was concluded that the new strain represents a novel species of the genus Microbacterium , for which the name Microbacteriumtelephonicum is proposed, with S2T63T (=MCC 2967T=KACC 18715T=LMG 29293T) as the type strain.

A novel bacterial strain NIO-1130(T) was isolated from sediment sample taken from Chorao Island, Goa Province, India, and subjected to a taxonomic investigation. The strain was Gram-positive, aerobic, and motile. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed the isolate within the genus Bacillus and strain NIO-1130(T) showed highest sequence similarity with Bacillus halosaccharovorans DSM 25387(T) (98.4%) and Bacillus niabensis CIP 109816(T) (98.1%), whereas other Bacillus species showed

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming, aerobic bacterium designated SGD-V-25T was isolated from Veraval sediment sample, India. Strain SGD-V-25T was capable of growing at 25–50 °C (optimum 37 °C), pH 6–12 (optimum pH 7.0) and with 0–5 % (w/v) NaCl. The taxonomic position of this strain was deduced using a polyphasic approach and the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the isolate belongs to the phylum Firmicutes , forming the cluster with Bacillus badius MTCC 1548T, with which it shares highest similarity of 99.1 % with 13 nt differences. Other type strains of the genus Bacillus showed less than 96 % similarity. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The polar lipid profile of strain SGD-V-25T showed the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phsophoglycolipid and two aminophospholipids. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω11c and C16 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SGD-V-25T was 37.6 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization, strain SGD-V-25T could be clearly distinguished from closely related members of the genus Bacillus , and the name Bacillus encimensis sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate this strain. The type strain is SGD-V-25T ( = NCIM 5513T = DSM 28241T).

Continually exposed to potential pathogens, vascular plants have evolved intricate defense mechanisms to recognize encroaching threats and defend themselves. They do so by inducing a set of defense responses that can help defeat and/or limit effects of invading pathogens, of which the non-host disease resistance response is the most common. In this regard, pea (Pisum sativum) pod tissue, when exposed to Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli spores, undergoes an inducible transcriptional activation of pathogenesis-related genes, and also produces (+)-pisatin, its major phytoalexin. One of the inducible pathogenesis-related genes is Disease Resistance Response-206 (DRR206), whose role in vivo was unknown. DRR206 is, however, related to the dirigent protein (DP) family. In this study, its biochemical function was investigated in planta, with the metabolite associated with its gene induction being pinoresinol monoglucoside. Interestingly, both pinoresinol monoglucoside and (+)-pisatin were co-localized in pea pod endocarp epidermal cells, as demonstrated using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging. In addition, endocarp epidermal cells are also the site for both chalcone synthase and DRR206 gene expression. Taken together, these data indicate that both (+)-pisatin and pinoresinol monoglucoside function in the overall phytoalexin responses.

A novel, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped yellow bacterium, designated VBW088T was isolated from a shallow water hydrothermal vent in Espalamaca in the Azores. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain VBW088T clustered with three type strains of species of the genus Vitellibacter and exhibited a sequence similarity of 97.3 % with Vitellibacter soesokkakensis RSSK-12T. However, strain VBW088T and V. soesokkakensis RSSK-12T exhibited low DNA–DNA relatedness (12.7±3.5 %). Strain VBW088T was positive for catalase and oxidase. Growth occurred at 10–37 °C, with the optimum at 30 °C, and at pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum pH 6.0) and in up to 5 % (w/v) NaCl with optimum growth at 1–2 % (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0 (33.5 %) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (32.0 %). The polar lipids detected in strain VBW088T consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and three unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content of strain VBW088T was 36.7 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic inference, DNA–DNA relatedness, chemotaxonomic analysis and physiological data, the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Vitellibacter , for which the name Vitellibacter nionensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain as VBW088T ( = KCTC 32420T = MCC 2354T).

A novel Gram-negative, non-spore forming, rod-shaped aerobic bacterium, designated SSW136(T), was isolated from a surface seawater sample collected at Espalamaca (in Faial Island), Azores. Growth was found to occur from 10 to 37 °C, pH 6.0-8.0, and with 2-11 % of NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain SSW136(T) belongs to the family Rhodobacteraceae. Strain SSW136(T) exhibited 96.3, 95.9, 95.7 and 95.5 sequence similarity to the type strains Oceanicola litoreus M-M22(T), Roseovarius aestuarii SMK-122(T), Marivita geojedonensis DPG-138(T), and Pseudoruegeria aquimaris SW-255(T) respectively. Neighbour-joining and maximum-parsimony phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SSW136(T) was affiliated to the family Rhodobacteraceae and formed a separate branch. The G+C content was 63.5 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was found to be Q-10. The polar lipids of strain SSW136(T) consisted of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified aminolipids and three unidentified phospholipids. The major fatty acids were C18:1 ω7c (46.5 %), Cyclo-C19:0 ω8c (16.0 %) and C16:0 (12.8 %). On the basis of the morphological, genotypic, chemotaxonomic characteristics and low DNA-DNA relatedness, strain SSW136(T) is proposed to represent a novel genus and novel species, Nioella nitratireducens gen. nov., sp. nov., in the family Rhodobacteraceae. The type strain is SSW136(T) (=KCTC 32417(T) = NCIM 5499(T)).

A novel red-pigmented bacterial strain, designated NIO-1016T, was isolated from a sediment sample from Chorao Island, India and was investigated by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The strain was Gram-reaction-positive, strictly aerobic, motile and catalase-positive and produced spherical to slightly ellipsoidal endospores with subterminal position on swollen sporangia. The genomic DNA G+C content was 46.9 mol%. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The predominant quinones were MK-6 (89.3 %) and MK-7 (8.7 %). The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and an unidentified phospholipid. meso-Diaminopimelic acid (type A1γ) was present in the cell-wall peptidoglycan and the major whole-cell sugars were glucose and ribose. The closest phylogenetic neighbours were identified as Domibacillus robiginosus DSM 25058T (98.0 % similarity) and Domibacillus indicus DSM 28032T (97.2 % similarity), other species of the genus Bacillus displayed below 96 % similarity. Phylogenetic, physiological, biochemical and morphological differences between strain NIO-1016T and its closest neighbours indicate that this strain represents a novel species in the genus Domibacillus in the family Bacillaceae for which the name Domibacillus enclensis sp. nov. is proposed with the type species NIO-1016T ( = DSM 25145T = NCIM 5462T = CCTCC AB 2011121T).

A novel Gram-stain positive, endospore-forming bacterium, designated SGD-14(T), was isolated from a marine sediment sample in Goa Province, India. Cells of the isolate were found to be strictly aerobic. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SGD-14(T) showed a similarity of 99.5 % with Bacillus endophyticus and similarities to other Bacillus type strains were below 96 %. The whole-cell sugar pattern was found to consist of ribose, xylose and glucose. The predominant menaquinone was identified as MK-7 and the major fatty acids as anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, anteiso-C17:0, C16:0 and iso-C14:0. The strain was found to grow optimally at 30 °C and pH 7.0-7.5. DNA G + C content was determined to be 39.6 mol%. The phospholipid pattern was found to consist of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. DNA-DNA hybridization studies between strain SGD-14(T) and B. endophyticus CIP106778(T) showed that strain SGD-14(T) exhibited

Hot springs support diverse and interesting groups of microorganisms adapted to extreme conditions and gaining attention in biotechnological applications. However, due to limitations of cultivation methods, a majority of such extremophiles remain uncultivated and unexplored. The advent of multiple cultivation conditions and specialized culture media could possibly aid to access the unexplored microbial portion of hot springs. In the present study, different media and isolation strategies were applied to isolate hitherto unexplored bacterial taxa in the water samples collected from Unkeshwar hot springs, India. Molecular, phylogenetic and predictive functional characterization of the isolated bacterial population was done using 16S rRNA sequencing coupled with Tax4Fun tools. Furthermore, representative isolates were screened for important enzymes (cellulase, xylanase, amylase, and protease) and heavy metal tolerance (chromium, arsenic) properties. A total of 454 bacterial isolates obtained were mapped into 57 unique bacterial genera and 4 different bacterial phyla. Interestingly, 37 genera not previously isolated from Indian hot springs, were isolated for the first time in the present study. However, most of these genera (23 out of 37) were reported only in metagenomics studies from Indian and global hot springs. Furthermore, around 14 genera not previously cultivated and not detected in metagenomics studies of hot springs are documented here. The metabolic potential was ascertained by determining the abundance of specific genes using in silico based Tax4Fun tool, which identified around 315 metabolic pathways for metabolism of carbohydrates, synthesis of secondary metabolites and degradation of xenobiotic compounds. Bioprospection study revealed that 33 and 25 bacterial genera were positive for enzyme production and resistance to the heavy metals, respectively. The present study revealed the advantages of cultivation methods using a comprehensive multiple isolation approach for exploring untapped and unique bacterial diversity, and also utilities for various biotechnological and environmental applications.

A novel Gram-stain-negative bacterium, strain S-MI1bT, belonging to the genus Microvirga was isolated from a metal industry waste soil sample in Pirangut village, Pune District, Maharashtra, India. Cells were non-spore-forming, small rod-shapes, motile and strictly aerobic with light-pink colonies. The strain grew in 0–7.0 % (w/v) NaCl and at 25–45 °C, with optimal growth at 40 °C. The predominant fatty acids detected were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c) and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. The G+C content was 67.2 mol% and DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain S-MI1bTand Microvirga subterranea DSM 14364T and Microvirga aerophila 5420S-12T were 53.9 and 54.8 %, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, indicated that strain S-MI1bT is a member of the genus Microvirga , with greatest sequence similarities of 97.7 and 97.4 % with M. subterranea DSM 14364T and M. aerophila 5420S-12T, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain S-MI1bT forms a clade with the type strain of M. subterranea DSM 14364T, and was readily distinguishable from it due to various phenotypic characteristics. The combination of genotypic and phenotypic data suggests that the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Microvirga , for which the name Microvirga indica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S-MI1bT (=NCIM-5595T=KACC 18792T=BCRC 80972T).

While studying culturable bacterial diversity in different marine habitats of the central west coast of India, two novel Gram-stain-positive, strictly aerobic, motile, endospore-forming and rod-shaped bacterial strains designated as SAOS 44T and SAB 38T were isolated from mangrove sediment soil and the surface of a macroalga, respectively. The strains were taxonomically characterized by using a polyphasic approach and genomic methods. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing placed the strains firmly in the genus Domibacillus and were most closely related to Domibacillus antri KCTC 33636T. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol in addition to an aminophosphoglycolipid. MK-6 was the only respiratory quinone. The range of values of digital DNA-DNA hybridization (19.2-24.9 %) and the ortho-average nucleotide identity (74.1-81.4 %) among strains SAOS 44T, SAB 38T and other Domibacillus species clearly supports their status as a distinct and novel species for which the names Domibacillusmangrovi sp. nov. SAOS 44T (=DSM 100930T=KCTC 33820T=MTCC 12571T) and Domibacillus epiphyticus sp. nov. SAB 38T (=DSM 100929T=KCTC 33830T=MTCC 12575T) are proposed, respectively.

Two novel Gram-staining positive, rod-shaped, moderately halotolerant, endospore forming bacterial strains 5.5LF 38TD and 5.5LF 48TD were isolated and taxonomically characterized from a landfill in Chandigarh, India. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains confirmed their closest identity to Bacillus thermotolerans SgZ-8T with 99.9% sequence similarity. A comparative phylogenetic analysis of strains 5.5LF 38TD, 5.5LF 48TD and B. thermotolerans SgZ-8T confirmed their separation into a novel genus with B. badius and genus Domibacillus as the closest phylogenetic relatives. The major fatty acids of the strains are iso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0 and MK-7 is the only quinone. The major polar lipids are diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) and ortho average nucleotide identity (ANI) values calculated through whole genome sequences indicated that the three strains showed low relatedness with their phylogenetic neighbours. Based on evidences from phylogenomic analyses and polyphasic taxonomic characterization we propose reclassification of the species B. thermotolerans into a novel genus named Quasibacillus thermotolerans gen. nov., comb. nov with the type strain SgZ-8T (=CCTCC AB2012108T=KACC 16706T). Further our analyses also revealed that B. encimensis SGD-V-25T is a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus badius DSM 23T.

The production of phytase using Aspergillus niger NCIM 563 under submerged fermentation conditions was studied using protein rich chickpea flour as substrate. Employing a hybrid statistical media optimization strategy of Plackett–Burman and Box-Behnken experimental designs in shake-flasks gave an increased phytase activity from an initial 66 IU/mL in 216 h to 160 IU/mL in a reduced time of 132 h. Productivity, thus increased by 3.97 times from 7.3 to 29 IU/mL/day. Using the optimized media, the production was successfully scaled-up further and improved up to 164 IU/mL in 96 h by studies carried out employing 2 and 10-L fermenters. The enzyme supernatant was recovered using centrifugal separation of biomass and the stability of the produced phytase was tested for animal feed applications under gastric conditions. In vitro degradation studies of water soluble monocrotophos, methyl parathion and water insoluble chlorpyrifos, pesticides used extensively in agriculture was carried out. It was observed by HPLC analysis that phytase could degrade 72% of chlorpyrifos at pH 7.0, 35 °C. Comparable results were obtained with monocrotophos and methyl parathion. With chlorpyrifos at higher temperature 50 °C as much as 91% degradation could be obtained. The degradation of chlorpyrifos was further validated by spraying phytase on harvested green chilli (Capsicum annuum L) under normal conditions of pH 7.0, 35 °C and the degradation products obtained analyzed by LCMS. Thus, the present study brings out a potentially novel application of phytase for biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13568-017-0370-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A novel bacterial strain designated as NIO-1008(T) was isolated from marine sediments sample in Chorao Island India. Cells of the strains were gram positive and non-motile, displayed a rod-coccus life cycle and formed cream to light grey colonies on nutrient agar. Strain NIO-1008(T) had the chemotaxonomic markers that were consistent for classification in the genus Arthrobacter, i.e. MK-9(H2) (50.3 %), as the major menaquinone, and the minor amount of MK-7 (H2-27.5 %), MK-8 (H4-11.6 %) and MK-8 (H2-10.4 %). anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and C15:0 were the predominant fatty acids. Galactose, glucose and rhamnose are the cell-wall sugars, and DNA G+C content was 61.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, showed that the strains were most similar to Arthrobacter equi IMMIB L-1606(T), Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus DSM 12829(T), Arthrobacter defluvii KCTC 19209(T) and Arthrobacter niigatensis CCTCC AB 206012(T) with 98.5, 98.4, 98.0 and 97.8 %, respectively, and formed a separate lineage. Combined phenotypic data and DNA-DNA hybridization data supported the conclusion that strains NIO-1008(T) represent a novel species within the genus Arthrobacter, for which the name Arthrobacter enclensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is NIO-1008(T) = (NCIM 5488(T) = DSM 25279(T)).