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Abstract Background Malaria is a tropical disease caused by protozoan parasite, Plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans by various species of female anopheline mosquitoes. Anopheles stephensi is one such major malaria vector in urban parts of the Indian subcontinent. Unlike Anopheles gambiae, an African malaria vector, transcriptome of A. stephensi midgut tissue is less explored. We have therefore carried out generation, annotation, and analysis of expressed sequence tags from sugar-fed and Plasmodium yoelii infected blood-fed (post 24 h) adult female A. stephensi midgut tissue. Results We obtained 7061 and 8306 ESTs from the sugar-fed and P. yoelii infected mosquito midgut tissue libraries, respectively. ESTs from the combined dataset formed 1319 contigs and 2627 singlets, totaling to 3946 unique transcripts. Putative functions were assigned to 1615 (40.9%) transcripts using BLASTX against UniProtKB database. Amongst unannotated transcripts, we identified 1513 putative novel transcripts and 818 potential untranslated regions (UTRs). Statistical comparison of annotated and unannotated ESTs from the two libraries identified 119 differentially regulated genes. Out of 3946 unique transcripts, only 1387 transcripts were mapped on the A. gambiae genome. These also included 189 novel transcripts, which were mapped to the unannotated regions of the genome. The EST data is available as ESTDB at http://mycompdb.bioinfo-portal.cdac.in/cgi-bin/est/index.cgi. Conclusion 3946 unique transcripts were successfully identified from the adult female A. stephensi midgut tissue. These data can be used for microarray development for better understanding of vector-parasite relationship and to study differences or similarities with other malaria vectors. Mapping of putative novel transcripts from A. stephensi on the A. gambiae genome proved fruitful in identification and annotation of several genes. Failure of some novel transcripts to map on the A. gambiae genome indicates existence of substantial genomic dissimilarities between these two potent malaria vectors.

Cryoconite holes (water and sediment-filled depressions), found on glacier surfaces worldwide, serve as reservoirs of microbes, carbon, trace elements, and nutrients, transferring these components downstream via glacier hydrological networks. Through targeted amplicon sequencing of carbon and nitrogen cycling genes, coupled with functional inference-based methods, we explore the functional diversity of these mini-ecosystems within Antarctica and the Himalayas. These regions showcase distinct environmental gradients and experience varying rates of environmental change influenced by global climatic shifts. Analysis revealed a diverse array of photosynthetic microorganisms, including Stramenopiles, Cyanobacteria, Rhizobiales, Burkholderiales, and photosynthetic purple sulfur Proteobacteria. Functional inference highlighted the high potential for carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism in the Himalayan region, where organic carbon concentrations surpassed those in Antarctica by up to 2 orders of magnitude. Nitrogen cycling processes, including fixation, nitrification, and denitrification, are evident, with Antarctic cryoconite exhibiting a pronounced capacity for nitrogen fixation, potentially compensating for the limited nitrate concentrations in this region. Processes associated with the respiration of elemental sulfur and inorganic sulfur compounds such as sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, and sulfide suggest the presence of a complete sulfur cycle. The Himalayan region exhibits a higher potential for sulfur cycling, likely due to the abundant sulfate ions and sulfur-bearing minerals in this region. The capability for complete iron cycling through iron oxidation and reduction reactions was also predicted. Methanogenic archaea that produce methane during organic matter decomposition and methanotrophic bacteria that utilize methane as carbon and energy sources co-exist in the cryoconite, suggesting that these niches support the complete cycling of methane. Additionally, the presence of various microfauna suggests the existence of a complex food web. Collectively, these results indicate that cryoconite holes are self-sustaining ecosystems that drive elemental cycles on glaciers and potentially control carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and iron exports downstream., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia , Baobabopsis sabindy in leaves of Eragrostis spartinoides , Cortinarius magentiguttatus among deep leaf litter, Laurobasidium azarandamiae from uredinium of Puccinia alyxiae on Alyxia buxifolia , Marasmius pseudoelegans on well-rotted twigs and litter in mixed wet sclerophyll and subtropical rainforest. Bolivia , Favolaschia luminosa on twigs of Byttneria hirsuta , Lecanora thorstenii on bark, in savannas with shrubs and trees. Brazil , Asterina costamaiae on leaves of Rourea bahiensis , Purimyces orchidacearum (incl. Purimyces gen. nov. ) as root endophyte on Cattleya locatellii . Bulgaria , Monosporascus bulgaricus and Monosporascus europaeus isolated from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum . Finland , Inocybe undatolacera on a lawn, near Betula pendula . France , Inocybe querciphila in humus of mixed forest. Germany , Arrhenia oblongispora on bare soil attached to debris of herbaceous plants and grasses. Greece , Tuber aereum under Quercus coccifera and Acer sempervirens . India , Alfoldia lenyadriensis from the gut of a Platynotus sp. beetle, Fulvifomes subramanianii on living Albizzia amara , Inosperma pavithrum on soil, Phylloporia parvateya on living Lonicera sp., Tropicoporus maritimus on living Peltophorum pterocarpum . Indonesia , Elsinoe atypica on leaf of Eucalyptus pellita. Italy , Apiotrichum vineum from grape wine, Cuphopyllus praecox among grass. Madagascar , Pisolithus madagascariensis on soil under Intsia bijuga . Netherlands , Cytosporella calamagrostidis and Periconia calamagrostidicola on old leaves of Calamagrostis arenaria , Hyaloscypha caricicola on leaves of Carex sp., Neoniesslia phragmiticola (incl. Neoniesslia gen. nov. ) on leaf sheaths of standing dead culms of Phragmites australis , Neptunomyces juncicola on culms of Juncus maritimus , Zenophaeosphaeria calamagrostidis (incl. Zenophaeosphaeria gen. nov .) on culms of Calamagrostis arenaria . Norway , Hausneria geniculata (incl. Hausneria gen. nov. ) from a gallery of Dryocoetes alni on Alnus incana . Pakistan , Agrocybe auriolus on leaf litter of Eucalyptus camaldulensis , Rhodophana rubrodisca in nutrient-rich loamy soil with Morus alba . Poland , Cladosporium nubilum from hypersaline brine, Entomortierella ferrotolerans from soil at mines and postmining sites, Pseudopezicula epiphylla from sooty mould community on Quercus robur , Quixadomyces sanctacrucensis from resin of Pinus sylvestris , Szafranskia beskidensis (incl. Szafranskia gen. nov. ) from resin of Abies alba . Portugal , Ascocoryne laurisilvae on degraded wood of Laurus nobilis, Hygrocybe madeirensis in laurel forests, Hygrocybula terracocta (incl. Hygrocybula gen. nov. ) on mossy areas of laurel forests planted with Cryptomeria japonica . Republic of Kenya , Penicillium gorferi from a sterile chicken feather embedded in a soil sample. Slovakia , Cerinomyces tatrensis on bark of Pinus mugo , Metapochonia simonovicovae from soil. South Africa , Acremonium agapanthi on culms of Agapanthus praecox , Alfaria elegiae on culms of Elegia ebracteata , Beaucarneamyces stellenboschensis (incl. Beaucarneamyces gen. nov. ) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta , Gardeniomyces kirstenboschensis (incl. Gardeniomyces gen. nov .) rotting fruit of Gardenia thunbergia , Knufia dianellae on dead leaves of Dianella caerulea , Lomaantha quercina on twigs of Quercus suber. Melanina restionis on dead leaves of Restio duthieae , Microdochium buffelskloofinum on seeds of Eragrostis cf. racemosa , Thamnochortomyces kirstenboschensis (incl. Thamnochortomyces gen. nov. ) on culms of Thamnochortus fraternus , Tubeufia hagahagana on leaves of Hypoxis angustifolia , Wingfieldomyces cypericola on dead leaves of Cyperus papyrus . Spain , Geastrum federeri in soil under Quercus suber and Q. canariensis , Geastrum nadalii in calcareous soil under Juniperus , Quercus , Cupressus , Pinus and Robinia , Hygrocybe garajonayensis in laurel forests, Inocybe cistophila on acidic soil under Cistus ladanifer , Inocybe sabuligena in a mixed Quercus ilex subsp . ballota/Juniperus thurifera open forest , Mycena calongei on mossy bark base of Juniperus oxycedrus , Rhodophana ulmaria on soil in Ulmus minor forest, Tuber arriacaense in soil under Populus pyramidalis , Volvariella latispora on grassy soils in a Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia stand. Sweden , Inocybe iota in alpine heath on calcareous soil. Thailand , Craterellus maerimensis and Craterellus sanbuakwaiensis on laterite and sandy soil, Helicocollum samlanense on scale insects, Leptosporella cassiae on dead twigs of Cassia fistula , Oxydothis coperniciae on dead leaf of Copernicia alba , Russula mukdahanensis on soil, Trechispora sangria on soil, Trechispora sanpatongensis on soil. Türkiye , Amanita corylophila in a plantation of Corylus avellana . Ukraine , Pararthrophiala adonis (incl. Pararthrophiala gen. nov. ) on dead stems of Adonis vernalis . USA , Cladorrhinum carnegieae from Carnegiea gigantea , Dematipyriformia americana on swab from basement wall, Dothiora americana from outside air, Dwiroopa aeria from bedroom air, Lithohypha cladosporioides from hospital swab, Macroconia verruculosa on twig of Ilex montana , associated with black destroyed ascomycetous fungus and Biatora sp., Periconia floridana from outside air, Phytophthora fagacearum from necrotic leaves and shoots of Fagus grandifolia , Queenslandipenidiella californica Crous PW, Jurjević Z, Balashov S, De la Peña-Lastra S, Mateos A, Pinruan U, Rigueiro-Rodríguez A, Osieck ER, Altés A, Czachura P, Esteve-Raventós F, Gunaseelan S, Kaliyaperumal M, Larsson E, Luangsa-ard JJ, Moreno G, Pancorbo F, Piątek M, Sommai S, Somrithipol S, Asif M, Delgado G, Flakus A, Illescas T, Kezo K, Khamsuntorn P, Kubátová A, Labuda R, Lavoise C, Lebel T, Lueangjaroenkit P, Maciá-Vicente JG, Paz A, Saba M, Shivas RG, Tan YP, Wingfield MJ, Aas T, Abramczyk B, Ainsworth AM, Akulov A, Alvarado P, Armada F, Assyov B, Avchar R, Avesani M, Bezerra JL, Bhat JD, Bilański P, Bily DS, Boccardo F, Bozok F, Campos JC, Chaimongkol S, Chellappan N, Costa MM, Dalecká M, Darmostuk V, Daskalopoulos V, Dearnaley J, Dentinger BTM, De Silva NI, Dhotre D, Carlavilla JR, Doungsa-ard C, Dovana F, Erhard A, Ferro LO, Gallegos SC, Giles CE, Gore G, Gorfer M, Guard FE, Hanson S-A, Haridev P, Jankowiak R, Jeffers SN, Kandemir H, Karich A, Kisło K, Kiss L, Krisai-Greilhuber I, Latha KPD, Lorenzini M, Lumyong S, Manimohan P, Manjón JL, Maula F, Mazur E, Mesquita NLS, Młynek K, Mongkolsamrit S, Morán P, Murugadoss R, Nagarajan M, Nalumpang S, Noisripoom W, Nosalj S, Novaes QS, Nowak M, Pawłowska J, Peiger M, Pereira OL, Pinto A, Plaza M, Polemis E, Polhorský A, Ramos DO, Raza M, Rivas-Ferreiro M, Rodriguez-Flakus P, Ruszkiewicz-Michalska M, Sánchez A, Santos A, Schüller A, Scott PA, Şen İ, Shelke D, Śliwa L, Solheim H, Sonawane H, Strašiftáková D, Stryjak-Bogacka M, Sudsanguan M, Suwannarach N, Suz LM, Syme K, Taşkın H, Tennakoon DS, Tomka P, Vaghefi N, Vasan V, Vauras J, Wiktorowicz D, Villarreal M, Vizzini A, Wrzosek M, Yang X, Yingkunchao W, Zapparoli G, Zervakis GI, Groenewald JZ (2024). Fungal Planet description sheets: 1614-1696. Citation: Crous PW, Jurjević Z, Balashov S, De la Peña-Lastra S, Mateos A, Pinruan U, Rigueiro-Rodríguez A, Osieck ER, Altés A, Czachura P, Esteve-Raventós F, Gunaseelan S, Kaliyaperumal M, Larsson E, Luangsa-ard JJ, Moreno G, Pancorbo F, Piątek M, Sommai S, Somrithipol S, Asif M, Delgado G, Flakus A, Illescas T, Kezo K, Khamsuntorn P, Kubátová A, Labuda R, Lavoise C, Lebel T, Lueangjaroenkit P, Maciá-Vicente JG, Paz A, Saba M, Shivas RG, Tan YP, Wingfield MJ, Aas T, Abramczyk B, Ainsworth AM, Akulov A, Alvarado P, Armada F, Assyov B, Avchar R, Avesani M, Bezerra JL, Bhat JD, Bilański P, Bily DS, Boccardo F, Bozok F, Campos JC, Chaimongkol S, Chellappan N, Costa MM, Dalecká M, Darmostuk V, Daskalopoulos V, Dearnaley J, Dentinger BTM, De Silva NI, Dhotre D, Carlavilla JR, Doungsa-ard C, Dovana F, Erhard A, Ferro LO, Gallegos SC, Giles CE, Gore G, Gorfer M, Guard FE, Hanson S-A, Haridev P, Jankowiak R, Jeffers SN, Kandemir H, Karich A, Kisło K, Kiss L, Krisai-Greilhuber I, Latha KPD, Lorenzini M, Lumyong S, Manimohan P, Manjón JL, Maula F, Mazur E, Mesquita NLS, Młynek K, Mongkolsamrit S, Morán P, Murugadoss R, Nagarajan M, Nalumpang S, Noisripoom W, Nosalj S, Novaes QS, Nowak M, Pawłowska J, Peiger M, Pereira OL, Pinto A, Plaza M, Polemis E, Polhorský A, Ramos DO, Raza M, Rivas-Ferreiro M, Rodriguez-Flakus P, Ruszkiewicz-Michalska M, Sánchez A, Santos A, Schüller A, Scott PA, Şen İ, Shelke D, Śliwa L, Solheim H, Sonawane H, Strašiftáková D, Stryjak-Bogacka M, Sudsanguan M, Suwannarach N, Suz LM, Syme K, Taşkın H, Tennakoon DS, Tomka P, Vaghefi N, Vasan V, Vauras J, Wiktorowicz D, Villarreal M, Vizzini A, Wrzosek M, Yang X, Yingkunchao W, Zapparoli G, Zervakis GI, Groenewald JZ (2024). Fungal Planet description sheets: 1614-1696. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 13 : 183-440. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2024.13.11., (© 2024 Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute.)

Background: Biofilm formation is viewed as a vital mechanism in C. glabrata pathogenesis. Although, it plays a significant role in virulence but transcriptomic architecture and metabolic pathways governing the biofilm growth mode of C. glabrata remain elusive. The present study intended to investigate the genes implicated in biofilm growth phase of C. glabrata through global transcriptomic approach., Results: Functional analysis of Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using gene ontology and pathways analysis revealed that upregulated genes are involved in the glyoxylate cycle, carbon-carbon lyase activity, pre-autophagosomal structure membrane and vacuolar parts whereas, down- regulated genes appear to be associated with glycolysis, ribonucleoside biosynthetic process, ribosomal and translation process in the biofilm growth condition. The RNA-Seq expression of eight selected DEGs (CgICL1, CgMLS1, CgPEP1, and CgNTH1, CgERG9, CgERG11, CgTEF3, and CgCOF1) was performed with quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The gene expression profile of selected DEGs with RT-qPCR displayed a similar pattern of expression as observed in RNA-Seq. Phenotype screening of mutant strains generated for genes CgPCK1 and CgPEP1, showed that Cgpck1∆ failed to grow on alternative carbon substrate (Glycerol, Ethanol, Oleic acid) and similarly, Cgpep1∆ unable to grow on YPD medium supplemented with hydrogen peroxide. Our results suggest that in the absence of glucose, C. glabrata assimilate glycerol, oleic acid and generate acetyl coenzyme-A (acetyl-CoA) which is a central and connecting metabolite between catabolic and anabolic pathways (glyoxylate and gluconeogenesis) to produce glucose and fulfil energy requirements., Conclusions: The study was executed using various approaches (transcriptomics, functional genomics and gene deletion) and it revealed that metabolic plasticity of C. glabrata (NCCPF-100,037) in biofilm stage modulates its virulence and survival ability to counter the stress and may promote its transition from commensal to opportunistic pathogen. The observations deduced from the present study along with future work on characterization of the proteins involved in this intricate process may prove to be beneficial for designing novel antifungal strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: It is challenging to make diagnosis of non-celiac gluten sensitivity/non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCGS/NCWS) in clinical practice, since there is no biomarker and diagnosis is based on response to gluten-free-diet (GFD). We used anti-gliadin antibody (AGA) for screening patients with IBS for gluten-sensitivity., Methods: 492 Adult-patients with IBS underwent screening for celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity using IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody and IgA-AGA and IgG-AGA, respectively. Patients with positive AGA (IgA and/or IgG) were invited to follow GFD, those willing were put on GFD for 6-weeks. Responsive patients were given gluten re-challenge. Diagnosis of NCGS was confirmed if they had recurrence of symptoms., Results: Of 492 patients with IBS, AGA was positive in 61(12.4 %), hence suspected to have gluten-sensitivity. Of 31 who agreed to participate and followed GFD for 6-weeks, 17 (54.8 %) had complete (>30 % improvement) and 10(32.2 %) had partial (>20 % improvement) response. All 17 complete-responders were given gluten re-challenge for 6-weeks, symptoms recurred in all and hence were confirmed to have NCGS/NCWS. Significant decrease in AGA levels occurred almost in all GFD-responders., Conclusions: 12.4 % IBS patients have biological evidence of gluten/wheat-sensitivity. Almost 87 % patients with IBS having AGA responded to GFD. The value of AGA may further be explored as a biomarker for screening for the presence of NCGS, before recommending this test for the clinical practice., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest All authors declare no potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Extremophilic bacteria growing in saline ecosystems are potential producers of biotechnologically important products including compatible solutes. Ectoine/hydroxyectoine are two such solutes that protect cells and associated macromolecules from osmotic, heat, cold and UV stress without interfering with cellular functions. Since ectoine is a high value product, overviewing strategies for improving yields become relevant. Screening of natural isolates, use of inexpensive substrates and response surface methodology approaches have been used to improve bioprocess parameters. In addition, genome mining exercises can aid in identifying hitherto unreported microorganisms with a potential to produce ectoine that can be exploited in the future. Application wise, ectoine has various biotechnological (protein protectant, membrane modulator, DNA protectant, cryoprotective agent, wastewater treatment) and biomedical (dermatoprotectant and in overcoming respiratory and hypersensitivity diseases) uses. The review summarizes current updates on the potential of microorganisms in the production of this industrially relevant metabolite and its varied applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background Objectives: The clinical course of COVID-19 and its prognosis are influenced by both viral and host factors. The objectives of this study were to develop a nationwide platform to investigate the molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona virus 2) and correlate the severity and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 with virus variants., Methods: A nationwide, longitudinal, prospective cohort study was conducted from September 2021 to December 2022 at 14 hospitals across the country that were linked to a viral sequencing laboratory under the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium. All participants (18 yr and above) who attended the hospital with a suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection and tested positive by the reverse transcription-PCR method were included. The participant population consisted of both hospitalized as well as outpatients. Their clinical course and outcomes were studied prospectively. Nasopharyngeal samples collected were subjected to whole genome sequencing to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants., Results: Of the 4972 participants enrolled, 3397 provided samples for viral sequencing and 2723 samples were successfully sequenced. From this, the evolution of virus variants of concern including Omicron subvariants which emerged over time was observed and the same reported here. The mean age of the study participants was 41 yr and overall 49.3 per cent were female. The common symptoms were fever and cough and 32.5 per cent had comorbidities. Infection with the Delta variant evidently increased the risk of severe COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio: 2.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.52, 4.2), while Omicron was milder independent of vaccination status. The independent risk factors for mortality were age >65 yr, presence of comorbidities and no vaccination., Interpretation Conclusions: The authors believe that this is a first-of-its-kind study in the country that provides real-time data of virus evolution from a pan-India network of hospitals closely linked to the genome sequencing laboratories. The severity of COVID-19 could be correlated with virus variants with Omicron being the milder variant., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Medical Research.)

Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is one of the dominant aquatic plants cultivated in Dal Lake, situated at 1586 m above mean sea level (MSL) in the northeast of Srinagar, Kashmir. Despite their economic and ecological role, the microbial communities associated with the lotus plant are still unexplored. In this study, we investigated the prokaryotic communities on surfaces of different lotus microhabitats (roots, rhizome, leaves, flowers, and fruits), lake water, and sediments using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Overall, prokaryotic diversity decreased significantly on the surface of lotus microhabitats in comparison to the lake water and sediments. Among the microhabitats of lotus, roots and leaves harbored more diverse communities in comparison to rhizomes, fruits, and flowers. A total of 98 genera were shared by lotus and the Dal Lake sediments and water. However, significant differences were found in their relative abundance; for example, Pseudomonas was the most dominant genus on the majority of lotus microhabitats. On the other hand, Flavobacterium was highly abundant in the lake water, while a higher abundance of Acinetobacter was recorded in sediments. Additionally, we also noted the presence of potential human pathogenic genera including Escherichia-Shigella, Enterobacter, Pantoea, Raoultella, Serratia, and Sphingomonas on the lotus microhabitats. Predicted functions of prokaryotic communities revealed a higher abundance of genes associated with nutrient uptake in the microhabitats of the lotus. This study offered first-hand information on the prokaryotic communities harbored by lotus plants and water and sediments of the Dal Lake and demonstrated the adaptation of diverse communities to microhabitats of lotus., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The Western Ghats is one of India's mega-diversity hotspots and an ecologically and geologically important area for the diversity of endemic plants and animals. The present study provides insights into the aerobic bacterial diversity and composition of the soils of North Western Ghats located in Maharashtra state (NWGM), India. The samples for the culture-dependent study were collected from 6 different locations namely Malshej Ghat, Bhimashankar, Lonavala, Mulshi, Tail-Baila, and Mahabaleshwar. A total of 173 isolates were obtained from the different samples, which belonged to Proteobacteria (43%), Firmicutes (36%), and Actinobacteria (19%). Sequences of 15 strains shared ≤ 98.7% similarity (a species cut-off) which represent potential novel species. Metagenomic analysis revealed the presence of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria as the most dominant phyla at both MB and MG. However, both sites showed variation in the composition of rare phyla and other dominant phyla. This difference in bacterial community composition could be due to differences in altitude or other physicochemical properties. The functional prediction from the amplicon sequencing showed the abundance of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism which was corroborated by screening the isolated bacterial strains for the same. The present study has a unique take on microbial diversity and defines the importance of community assembly processes such as drift, dispersal, and selection. Such processes are relatively important in controlling community diversity, distribution, as well as succession. This study has shown that the microbial community of NWGM is a rich source of polysaccharide degrading bacteria having biotechnological potential., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Sewage wastewater pollutes water and poses a public health issue but it could also prove useful in certain research domains. Sewage is a complex niche relevant for research concerning 'one-health', human health, pollution and antibiotic resistance. Indian gut microbiome is also understudied due to sampling constraints and sewage could be used to explore it. Ostensibly, Indian sewage needs to be studied and here, we performed a cross-sectional pan-India sewage sampling to generate the first comprehensive Indian sewage microbiome. Indian sewage showed predominance of Burkholderiaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Veillonellaceae, Prevotellaceae, etc. and has high representation of gut microbes. The identified gut microbes have overrepresentation of Veillonellaceae, Rikenellaceae, Streptococcaceae, and Bacillaceae. Imputed metagenomics of sewage microbiome indicated dominance of transport, motility, peptidases, amino acid metabolism, and antibiotic resistance genes. Microbiome-disease associations drawn using simple decision tree and random forest analysis identified specific microbes as potential predictors of diabetes and obesity in a city. Altogether, we generated the first Indian sewage microbiome and our non-invasive, high-throughput workflow could be emulated for future research, wastewater-based epidemiology and designing policies concerning public health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The genome sequence (7,057,619 bp; GC content, 72.07%) of a tropical marine isolate, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei NCIM 5124, containing the biomedically and biotechnologically important gene cluster ectABC is reported here.

Introduction. Vaginal colonization of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is associated with preterm births and neonatal sepsis. Thus routine screening of GBS in prenatal care is recommended. Hypothesis. Chromogenic media (carrot broth) aids in specific and rapid detection of GBS. Aim. To investigate the efficiency of Strep B Carrot Broth for detection of GBS in high vaginal swabs from pregnant women. Methods. In this study 201 vaginal swab samples were collected from pregnant women. Swabs were inoculated in chromogenic media (Strep B Carrot Broth). The positive and negative cultures were inoculated on blood agar and crome agar plates. The colonies were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and gene-specific PCR for confirmation. The Christie Atkins Munch Peterson (CAMP) and bile esculin agar (BEA) tests were used for biochemical confirmation. PCR was performed on genomic DNA isolated from uncultured vaginal swabs. Results. It was found that 20/201 (9.9 %) vaginal swab samples were positive in the Strep B Carrot Broth and 17/20 (85 %) and 19/20 (95 %) of these samples yielded colonies on blood agar and crome agar, respectively. Of the 181 carrot broth-negative samples, 1 (0.5 %) and 38 (20.9 %) yielded colonies on blood agar and crome agar plates, respectively. However, 16 s rRNA sequencing revealed that none of the 20 carrot broth-positive cultures were GBS and had sequence similarities to Enterococcus faecalis . This was also confirmed by using gene-specific PCR and BEA positivity. Furthermore, E. faecalis was detected by PCR in DNA isolated from 57 uncultured vaginal swabs samples, GBS could only be detected by PCR in four samples. Conclusion. Carrot broth-based culture can lead to false-positive detection due to the presence of E. faecalis . Thus GBS-positive results in carrot broth must be confirmed by the other molecular and biochemical tests before making a final diagnosis.

A gram-stain-negative, endo-spore forming, facultatively anaerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain SM69 T , isolated from soil samples of Rohtak, Haryana, India was characterized using polyphasic approach. White colonies were 2-3 mm, in diameter and growth occurred between 20 and 55 °C, pH 6.0-10.0 with 0-2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity the strain is placed in the genus Paenibacillus as it is closely related to 'Paenibacillus tyrfis MSt1 T ' (99.7%) and P. elgii SD17 T (99.6%). The cell wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The dominant fatty acids included anteiso-C 15: 0 (50%), C 16: 0 (12%) and anteiso-C 17: 0 (10%). Major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The size of the draft genome was 7,848,017 bp, with 53.1% G+C content. dDDH (51.6%) and ANI (93.5%) of strain SM69 T with its close relatives indicates that it represents a novel species, for which the name Paenibacillus oleatilyticus sp. nov. (Type strain SM69 T  = MCC 3064 T  = JCM 33981 T  = KACC 21649 T ) is proposed., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The landfill is an inexpensive way of municipal solid waste (MSW) management and contributes extensively to the total carbon budget and global climate change. Three landfills from two geographically distinct metro- cities of India were taken as model systems to create microcosms and study their physiochemistry, microbiology, and carbon emission. The microcosm experiments revealed that facultative anaerobic bacterial community showing the dominance in the beginning but with the progression of anoxia and anaerobic conditions, methanogenesis prevailed, resulting in a clear shift towards the abundance of methanogens especially the members of Methanosarcina, Methanocorpusculum , and Methanoculleus (70-90% of the total microbial population). Geochemical data showed a wide range of heterogeneity in landfills' composition located even in the same city. In past, greenhouse gas emission from landfills is mainly estimated using different models which lack accuracy. As limited information is available as of now, this study can elicit researcher interest for in-depth characterization of microbial diversity and carbon emission from landfills. The microcosm model presented in the current study is a robust and straightforward method of accurate estimation of amounts of different types of gases release from landfill. It can also be extrapolate for estimation of different gases release from actual landfill sites by setting the on-site experiments., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-021-00995-7., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Association of Microbiologists of India 2021.)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of rectal administration of buttermilk processed with medicinal plants on gut microbial composition and thereby on weight in obese individuals., Methods: With ethics committee approval, 16 obese individuals in the age group 20-50 years (BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 ) were recruited who received a course of 15-enemas over 15-days. Of these, 1st, 8th and 15th enemas were of sesame-oil administered after food, while other enemas were of buttermilk processed with medicinal plants administered before food. Outcome variables viz. anthropometry, body composition, blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile were evaluated on day 0, 16 and 45. Also, microbial composition of buttermilk preparation and faecal samples of patients collected on day 0, 16 and 45 were studied with the help of 16S rRNA gene sequencing., Results: The circumferential measures and skinfold-thickness showed a decrease on day 16, which remained lower as compared to baseline till day 45. A gradual decrease in blood-glucose was seen, which was statistically significant on day 45, while insulin levels increased on day 16 and fell to baseline on day 45. There was an overall increase in bacterial diversity on day 16 that settled back to its original composition by day 45., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that buttermilk administration per rectum is effective for a specific period and may have to be repeated for sustained benefits., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-021-00879-z., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declared that they have no conflict of interest., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

The human microbiome is a complex and dynamic ecosystem, and the imbalance of its microbial community structure from the normal state is termed dysbiosis. The dysbiotic gut microbiome has been proved to be related to several pathological conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Colorectal Cancer (CRC), etc., and several other extra-intestinal conditions like Type 1 & 2 diabetes, obesity, etc. The complex gut microbial ecosystem starts to build before the birth of an individual. It is known to get affected by several factors such as birth mode, individual lifestyle, dietary practices, medications, and antibiotics. A dysbiotic microbiome can potentially hamper host homeostasis due to its role in immune modulation, metabolism, nutrient synthesis, etc. Restoration of the dysbiotic gut microbiome has emerged as a promising aid and a better therapeutic approach. Several approaches have been investigated to achieve this goal, including prebiotics and probiotics, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT), extracellular vesicles, immune modulation, microbial metabolites, dietary interventions, and phages. This review discusses the various factors that influence the human microbiome with respect to their cause-effect relationship and the effect of gut microbiome compositional changes on the brain through the gut-brain axis. We also discuss the practices used globally for gut microbiome restoration purposes, along with their effectiveness., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Invasive plants are known to alter the soil microbial communities; however, the effects of co-occurring native and invasive congeners on the soil bacterial diversity and their predictive metabolic profiles are not known. Here, we compared the rhizosphere bacterial communities of invasive Prosopis juliflora and its native congener Prosopis cineraria using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) based dendrogram revealed significant variation in the communities of these co-occurring Prosopis species. Additionally, Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) based on microbial communities in addition to the soil physiochemical parameters viz. soil pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content and sampling depth showed ~ 80% of the variation in bacterial communities of the rhizosphere and control soil. We observed that Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum of P. juliflora rhizosphere and the control soil, while P. cineraria rhizosphere was dominated by Cyanobacteria. Notably, the invasive P. juliflora rhizosphere showed an enhanced abundance of bacterial phyla like Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes and Acidobacteria compared to the native P. cineraria as well as the control soil. Predictive metagenomics revealed that the bacterial communities of the P. juliflora rhizosphere had a higher abundance of pathways involved in antimicrobial biosynthesis and degradation, suggesting probable exposure to enemy attack and an active response mechanism to counter it as compared to native P. cineraria. Interestingly, the higher antimicrobial biosynthesis predicted in the invasive rhizosphere microbiome is further corroborated by the fact that the bacterial isolates purified from the rhizosphere of P. juliflora belonged to genera like Streptomyces, Isoptericola and Brevibacterium from the phylum Actinobacteria, which are widely reported for their antibiotic production ability. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the co-occurring native and invasive Prosopis species have significantly different rhizosphere bacterial communities in terms of composition, diversity and their predictive metabolic potentials. In addition, the rhizosphere microbiome of invasive Prosopis proffers it a fitness advantage and influences invasion success of the species.

16S rRNA gene analysis is the most convenient and robust method for microbiome studies. Inaccurate taxonomic assignment of bacterial strains could have deleterious effects as all downstream analyses rely heavily on the accurate assessment of microbial taxonomy. The use of mock communities to check the reliability of the results has been suggested. However, often the mock communities used in most of the studies represent only a small fraction of taxa and are used mostly as validation of sequencing run to estimate sequencing artifacts. Moreover, a large number of databases and tools available for classification and taxonomic assignment of the 16S rRNA gene make it challenging to select the best-suited method for a particular dataset. In the present study, we used authentic and validly published 16S rRNA gene type strain sequences (full length, V3-V4 region) and analyzed them using a widely used QIIME pipeline along with different parameters of OTU clustering and QIIME compatible databases. Data Analysis Measures (DAM) revealed a high discrepancy in ratifying the taxonomy at different taxonomic hierarchies. Beta diversity analysis showed clear segregation of different DAMs. Limited differences were observed in reference data set analysis using partial (V3-V4) and full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences, which signify the reliability of partial 16S rRNA gene sequences in microbiome studies. Our analysis also highlights common discrepancies observed at various taxonomic levels using various methods and databases., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 Biomedical Informatics.)

A novel Anoxic-Aerobic Process (AnAP) that eliminated the anaerobic process was optimized and operated for the simultaneous remediation of phosphate, nitrate, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from industrial effluents. Two sequential batch reactors (SBR) with AnAP were established for the treatment of effluent from two industries; phosphate fertilizer (AnASBR_PPL) and dairy industry (AnASBR_DW). The adaptability of the bacterial consortium in the SBRs, dominated by denitrifying phosphate accumulating organisms (DNPAOs), facilitates the stable performance of AnAP for simultaneous nutrient and COD removal. Up to 90% and ~80% of COD removal were achieved in AnASBR_PPL and AnASBR_DW, respectively. Nearly complete denitrification was observed along with phosphate removal accounted for ~90% in both the reactors. Granulation of sludge has been widely reported in aerobic reactors; however, interestingly, in this study, partial granulation of the sludge was observed in both the AnASBRs which facilitated the microorganisms to uptake a minimal amount of phosphate and nitrate even under the aerobic condition. The underlying mechanism of DNPAOs and other associated microbes in the consortium were investigated for microbial diversity by 16S rDNA based targeted amplicon sequencing using the Illumina platform and imputed metagenomic analysis. The dominance of Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidia was observed in AnASBRs. At steady-state operation, the identity of the core community members remained largly stable, but their relative abundances changed considerably in both the reactors as a function of varying industrial effluent. However, population of few strains such as Lactobacteriales, Enterobacteriales changed drastically with respect to the influent, as these strains were predominat in AnASBR_DW but not present in AnASBR_PPL. The dominant strains were the vital contributor to the gene pool encoding for denitrification, dephosphatation, TCA cycle, glycolysis, EPS production, and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) storage, etc. Few less abundant but persistent species were also detected as contributors to these functional groups. It unveiled the TCA cycle remains preferable over conventional glycolysis in both the SBR irrespective of carbon source. The new AnASBR was proved to be an efficient alternative system that is energy efficient with higher ease of operation for the treatment of different industrial effluents without fail., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We performed whole-genome sequencing of two phytoplasmas associated with sugarcane grassy shoot (SCGS) and Bermuda grass white leaf diseases. These are the first draft genomes of SCGS phytoplasma (strain SCGS) and ' Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis' (strain LW01) and may help to delineate these phytoplasmas at a finer taxonomic level.

A novel Gram-stain-negative bacterial strain designated as MEB193 T was isolated from a sediment sample collected from Lonar Lake, India. The cells were motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped. The strain was oxidase- and catalase-positive. It grew optimally at pH 9.0 and at 1 % (w/v) NaCl concentration at 30 °C. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, MEB193 T belongs to genus Nitrincola , with Nitrincola alkalilacustris ZV-19 T (95.89 %) and Nitrincola lacisaponensis 4CA T (95.87 %) as its closest neighbours. The major fatty acid was summed feature 8 comprising C 18:1 ω7c/C 18:1 ω6c (52 %) followed by C 16 : 0 (25 %). Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG) were present as the major polar lipids. The draft genome obtained in this study was 2 793 747 bp and the G+C content was 50.79 mol%. Average nucleotide identity (71.76 %) and DNA-DNA hybridization (<20 %) values between strain MEB193 T and Nitrincola lacisaponensis 4CA T confirmed the novelty of this new species. Based on phenotypic including chemotaxonomic and genotypic characterization data, strain MEB193 T represents a new species of the genus Nitrincola for which the name Nitrincola tapanii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MEB193 T (=MCC 2863 T =JCM 31570 T =KCTC 52390 T ).

Ayurveda is one of the ancient systems of medicine which is widely practised as a personalized scientific approach towards the general wellness. Ayurvedic prakriti is broadly defined as the phenotypes which are determined on the basis of physical, psychological and physiological traits irrespective of their social, ethnic, dietary and geographical stature. Prakriti is the constitution of a person, which comprises vata, pitta, and kapha and is a key determinant of how one individual is different from the other. Human microbiome is considered the 'latest discovered' human organ and microbiome research reiterates the fundamental principles of Ayurveda for creating a healthy gut environment by maintaining the individual-specific microbiome. Hence, it is important to understand the association of human microbiome with the Ayurvedic prakriti of an individual. Here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of human microbiome from the gut, oral and skin samples of healthy individuals (n=18) by 16S rRNA gene-based metagenomics using standard QIIME pipeline. In the three different prakriti samples differential abundance of Bacteroides, Desulfovibrio, Parabacteroides, Slackia, and Succinivibrio was observed in the gut microbiome. Analysis also revealed prakriti-specific presence of Mogibacterium, Propionibacterium, Pyramidobacter, Rhodococcus in the kapha prakriti individuals Planomicrobium, Hyphomicrobium, Novosphingobium in the pitta prakriti individuals and Carnobacterium, Robiginitalea, Cetobacterium, Psychrobacter in the vata prakriti individuals. Similarly, the oral and skin microbiome also revealed presence of prakriti-specific differential abundance of diverse bacterial genera. Prakriti-specific presence of bacterial taxa was recorded and only 42% microbiome in the oral samples and 52% microbiome in the skin samples were shared. Bacteria known for preventing gut inflammation by digesting the resistant starch were abundant in the pitta prakriti individuals, who are more prone to develop gut-inflammation-related disorders. In summary, human gut, oral and skin microbiome showed presence or high abundance of few bacterial taxa across three prakriti types, suggesting their specific physiological importance.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) manifest into post-traumatic stress disorders such as anxiety comorbid with gut ailments. The perturbations in gut microbial communities are often linked to intestinal and neuropsychological disorders. We have previously reported anxiety and abnormalities in gut function in mild TBI (MTBI)-exposed rats. The current study demonstrates the changes in gut microbiome of MTBI-exposed animals and discusses its implications in intestinal health and behaviours. The rats were subjected to repeated MTBI (rMTBI) and microbial composition in jejunum was examined after 6 h, 48 h and 30 days of rMTBI. Significant reduction in bacterial diversity was observed in the rMTBI-exposed animals at all the time points. Principal coordinate analysis based on weighted UniFrac distances indicated substantial differences in gut microbial diversity and abundances in rMTBI-exposed animals as compared to that in healthy controls. The abundance of Proteobacteria increased dramatically with reciprocal decrease in Firmicutes after rMTBI. At the genus level, Helicobacter, Lactobacillus, Campylobacter, and Streptococcus were found to be differentially abundant in the jejunum of rMTBI-exposed rats as compared to sham controls indicating profound dysbiosis from the healthy state. Furthermore, substantial depletion in butyrate-producing bacterial communities was observed in rMTBI-exposed animals. These results suggest that the traumatic stress alters the gut microbiome with possible implications in gut health and neuropsychopathology.

Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious mass gathering events (MGE) involving bathing in rivers. The exponential rise in the number of devotees, from around 0.4 million in 1903 to 120 million in 2013, bathing in small specified sites can have a dramatic impact on the river ecosystem. Here, we present the spatiotemporal profiling of bacterial communities in Godavari River, Nashik, India, comprising five sites during the Kumbh Mela, held in 2015. Assessment of environmental parameters indicated deterioration of water quality. Targeted amplicon sequencing demonstrates approximately 37.5% loss in microbial diversity because of anthropogenic activity during MGE. A significant decrease in phyla viz. Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes was observed, while we noted substantial increase in prevalence of the phylum Firmicutes (94.6%) during MGE. qPCR estimations suggested nearly 130-fold increase in bacterial load during the event. Bayesian mixing model accounted the source of enormous incorporation of bacterial load of human origin. Further, metagenomic imputations depicted increase in virulence and antibiotic resistance genes during the MGE. These observations suggest the striking impact of the mass bathing on river ecosystem. The subsequent increase in infectious diseases and drug-resistant microbes pose a critical public health concern.

Treatment of textile wastewater containing anthraquinone dye is quite a huge challenge due to its complex aromatic structure and toxicity. Present study deals with the degradation and detoxification of anthraquinone dye reactive blue 4 using aerobic bacterial granules. Bacterial granules effectively decolorized reactive blue 4 at wide range of pH (4.0-11.0) and temperature (20-55 °C) as well as decolorized and tolerated high concentration of reactive blue 4 dye upto 1000 mg l -1 with V max 6.16 ± 0.82 mg l -1 h -1 and K m 227 ± 41 mg l -1 . Metagenomics study evaluates important role of Clostridia, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacterial members in biotransformation and tolerance of high concentrations of reactive blue 4 dye. Up-regulation of xenobiotic degradation and environmental information processing pathways during dye exposure signifies their noteworthy role in dye degradation. Biotransformation of dye was confirmed by significant decrease in the values of total suspended solids, biological and chemical oxygen demand. The metabolites formed after biotransformation was characterized by FT-IR and GC-MS analysis. The reactive blue 4 dye was found to be phytotoxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic whereas its biotransformed product were non-toxic. This study comprehensively illustrates that, bacterial aerobic granules can be used for eco-friendly remediation and detoxification of wastewater containing high organic load of anthraquinone dye., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) is a population-based health and vital event registration system that monitors demographic and health events in a geographically defined population at regular intervals. Human microbiome research in the past decade has been the field of increasingly intense research much due to its demonstrated impact upon various health conditions including human chronic airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many confounding factors have been revealed to play a role in shaping the microbiome in chronic airway diseases. Asthma and COPD follows a typical pattern of disease progression, which includes stable and exacerbation state in which the microbiota is known to vary. However, many such studies lack extensive and longitudinal sampling with inadequate metadata, which has resulted in the inconsistencies in the observations. HDSS provides such a platform, which can offer a deeper understanding of the role of the microbiome in human health. In this review, we highlight opportunities and limitations in microbiome research with the help of studies conducted on chronic airway diseases like asthma and COPD. In addition, we also emphasize on the benefits of HDSS and future directions in lung microbiome research.

A 53-year-old man with a history of Crohn's disease on infliximab, presented with several weeks of cough and dyspnoea. He had a right-sided pleural effusion, found to be exudative with lymphocytic predominance. He underwent right-sided video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with biopsies and pleurodesis. Histopathology showed pleural-based non-caseating granulomas with unremarkable lung parenchyma. Cultures were only positive for Propionibacterium acnes 8 months later, he was found to have a left-sided exudative, lymphocytic predominant pleural effusion. Left-sided VATS and biopsies again showed pleural-based non-caseating granulomas with normal lung parenchyma. Having ruled out an active infection and malignant lesions, we diagnosed infliximab-induced pleural granulomas. Infliximab was stopped. The patient continues to do well at 6 years of follow-up. We believe this is the first report of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor-induced isolated pleural granulomas. P. acnes and cytokine imbalance might be responsible for the pathogenesis of TNF inhibitor-induced granulomas., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

The gut microbiome has varied impact on the wellbeing of humans. It is influenced by different factors such as age, dietary habits, socio-economic status, geographic location, and genetic makeup of individuals. For devising microbiome-based therapies, it is crucial to identify population specific features of the gut microbiome. Indian population is one of the most ethnically, culturally, and geographically diverse, but the gut microbiome features remain largely unknown. The present study describes gut microbial communities of healthy Indian subjects and compares it with the microbiota from other populations. Based on large differences in alpha diversity indices, abundance of 11 bacterial phyla and individual specific OTUs, we report inter-individual variations in gut microbial communities of these subjects. While the gut microbiome of Indians is different from that of Americans, it shared high similarity to individuals from the Indian subcontinent i.e., Bangladeshi. Distinctive feature of Indian gut microbiota is the predominance of genus Prevotella and Megasphaera. Further, when compared with other non-human primates, it appears that Indians share more OTUs with omnivorous mammals. Our metagenomic imputation indicates higher potential for glycan biosynthesis and xenobiotic metabolism in these subjects. Our study indicates urgent need of identification of population specific microbiome biomarkers of Indian subpopulations to have more holistic view of the Indian gut microbiome and its health implications.

Two Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, alkaliphilic bacteria (strains MEB087T and MEB142) were isolated from sediment and water samples, respectively, collected from the alkaline Lonar Lake in Maharashtra, India. Strains MEB087T and MEB142 shared 99.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and were 85 % related on the basis of DNA-DNA hybridization. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of both strains showed close relationship with the genus Nitrincola, and their closest neighbour was Nitrincola lacisaponensis 4CAT with 97.7 % sequence similarity. MEB087T and MEB142 exhibited only 45 % and 54 % DNA-DNA relatedness, respectively, with Nitrincola lacisaponensis DSM 16316T. Both strains were asporogenous, short, non-motile rods capable of utilizing a limited range of organic acids as sole carbon and energy sources. They were oxidase- and catalase-positive, able to reduce nitrate and nitrite; but unable to degrade DNA, urea, gelatin, casein or starch. They grew optimally at pH 9.5 (tolerating up to pH 11) and could withstand up to 0.6 M NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 comprising C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c (47-49 %) followed by summed feature 3 comprising C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c (28-32 %). The predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The DNA G+C content was 49.3-49.7 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strains MEB087T and MEB142 represent a novel species in the genus Nitrincola, for which the name Nitrincola alkalisediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MEB087T ( = KCTC 42948T = JCM 19317T) with MEB142 ( = KCTC 42949 = JCM 19318) as an additional strain.

Background: Ochrobactrum intermedium is an emerging opportunistic pathogen of humans that is closely related to members of the genus Brucella. Earlier, we reported the case of an Indian subject with non-ulcer dyspeptic symptoms whose urease positive gastric biopsy revealed the presence of Helicobacter pylori along with non-Helicobacter like bacteria, eventually cultured and identified as O. intermedium strain M86., Results: Here, we describe the unclosed draft genome of the strain M86 with a length of 5,188,688 bp and mean G+C content of 57.9%. We have also identified many putative gene clusters that might be responsible for its persistence in the gastric mucosa.Comparative analysis of genomic features of Ochrobactrum intermedium strain M86 and Ochrobactrum intermedium LMG 3301T was also done., Conclusions: This paper attempts to gain whole-genome based insights into the putative gene determinants of O. intermedium for survival in the highly acidic stomach lumen environment .Identification of genes putatively involved in the various metabolic pathways may lead to a better understanding of the survival of O. intermdedium in acidic condition.