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Gaetana Pezzino,1 Alessia Calabrò,1 Fabiana Drommi,1 Stefania Campana,1 Riccardo Cavaliere,1,2 Irene Bonaccorsi,1 Paolo Carrega,1 Vincenzo Zammuto,3– 5 Maria Giovanna Rizzo,3 Concetta Gugliandolo,3,4 Guido Ferlazzo,6,7 Claudia De Pasquale1 1Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department Human Pathology ”G. Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy; 2Division of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital Policlinico G. Martino, Messina, Italy; 3Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy; 4Research Centre for Extreme Environments and Extremophiles, Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy; 5ATHENA Green Solutions S.r.l., Messina, Italy; 6Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy; 7Unit of Experimental Pathology and Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, ItalyCorrespondence: Guido Ferlazzo, Unit of Experimental Pathology and Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy, Email guido.ferlazzo@unige.itBackground: Respiratory viral infections are a leading cause of severe diseases and mortality; therefore, novel treatments effective for their prevention are highly requested. Here, we identified a broad-spectrum antiviral activity of a natural exopolysaccharide, EPS T14, purified from a marine thermotolerant strain of Bacillus licheniformis strain T14.Methods: The effects on human normal nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) following treatment with EPS T14 was evaluated at different time points and with increasing concentration of compound. To assess the antiviral properties, viability of HNEpCs treated with EPS T14 was analysed following infection with different respiratory viruses.Results: Neither toxicity nor pro-inflammatory properties were observed in vitro on HNEpCs treated with EPS T14 up to high concentrations, thus ensuring its safety. Cell culture-based assays revealed that treatment of HNEpCs with EPS T14 (used at 400ug/mL) results in efficient prevention of cell infection by different respiratory viruses through physically hindering the entry of the viruses via cell surface receptors. Interestingly, in addition to this prophylactic antiviral activity, EPS T14 also shows a long-lasting efficacy by inhibiting viral spread in the cell culture. Finally, combination of EPS T14 with a hypertonic saline solution shows a synergistic antiviral activity.Conclusion: EPS T14 can exert both prophylactic and therapeutic antiviral activity by blocking viral attachment to cellular receptors and could therefore represent a promising antiviral agent for preventing infections by different respiratory viruses. Keywords: exopolysaccharides, infection prophylaxis, nasal epithelium, respiratory virus, viral infection, EPSs

The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of Arcobacter butzleri experimentally induced under starvation conditions is examined by using a seawater microcosm at room temperature and at 4 degree centigrade. The studies have shown that Arcobacter butzleri has developed strategies that allow it to survive in seawater in the absence of nutrients and to persist in the environment in the VBNC state until it finds suitable conditions.

Knowledge of the survival strategies of arcobacters in the environment is very important for control of both water quality and transmission of disease. The occurrence of Arcobacter spp. in seawater and plankton samples collected form the Straits of Messina, Italy, is examined.

m. carbone, t.l. maugeri, c. gugliandolo, e. la camera, c. biondo and m.t. fera. 2005.The occurrence ofHelicobacter pyloriin the coastal zone of the Straits of Messina (Italy) as free-living and associated with plankton was studied.Monthly sampling of seawater and plankton was carried out from April 2002 to March, 2003. All environmental samples analysed by cultural method, did not show the presence ofH. pylori. The DNA extracted from all environmental samples was tested by PCR by using primers forH. pylori16S rRNA,ureA andcagA. 16S rRNA PCR yielded amplified products of 522-bp in 15 of 36 (41·7%) of the environmental samples. By using theureA primers to amplify the urea signal sequences, the predicted PCR products of 491-bp were obtained from eight (22·2%) of 36 environmental samples. PCR withcagA primers yielded amplified products of 349-bp in DNA extracted of seven of 36 (19·4%) of the environmental samples. When 16S rRNA,ureA andcagA amplified gene sequences were aligned withH. pylori26695 and J99 genome sequences, we obtained a percentage of alignment over 90%.The detection ofH. pylorigenes in marine samples allows us to consider the marine environment a possible reservoir for this pathogenic bacterium.The direct detection ofH. pylorigenes may be relevant in order to consider the marine environment as significant reservoir for this bacterium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermophilic strain isolated from sea sand at Maronti, near Sant' Angelo (Ischia), is described. The organism grows well at an optimal temperature of 60 °C at pH 7.0. The thermophilic bacterium, named strain 4004, produces an exocellular polysaccharide (EPS) in yields of 90 mg/1. The EPS fraction was produced with all substrates tested, although a higher yield was obtained with sucrose or trehalose as sole carbon source. During growth, the EPS content was proportional to the biomass. Three fractions (EPS1, EPS2, EPS3) were obtained after purification. Quantitative monosaccharide analysis of the EPSs revealed the presence of mannose:glucose:galactose in a relative ratio of 0.5:1.0:0.3 in EPS1, mannose:glucose:galactose in a relative ratio of 1.0:0.3:trace in EPS2, and galactose:mannose:glucosamine:arabinose in a relative ratio of 1.0:0.8:0.4:0.2 in EPS3. The average molecular mass of EPS3 was determined to be 1×10[sup 6] Da. From comparison of the chemical shift values in ¹H and [sup 13]C spectra, we conclude that EPS3 presents a pentasaccharide repeating unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between fluid geochemistry and microbial communities was investigated for shallow (< 25 m) submarine hydrothermal vents in the Aeolian Islands (Southern Italy). Thermal waters, gases, and deposits of white filamentous material were collected from 11 sites. The geochemical analyses showed a magmatic component was present in all sampled fluids. The total microbial abundances, evaluated as direct counts of picoplanktonic cells (ranging from 0.2 to 2 mu m in diameter), were between 1.55 107 and 4.18 108 cells per liter. Picophytoplankton (total autofluorescent cells) ranged from 9.6 105 to 7.88 106 cells per liter. Yellow-orange autofluorescent prokaryotes belonging to the cyanobacteria were more abundant than red autofluorescent eukaryotic cells. Chemolithoautotrophic, sulfur-oxidizing, rod-shaped Bacteria were isolated from venting water samples and identified as Thiobacillus -like. Microscopic examination of the white mat deposits showed the presence of filamentous microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the project entitled "Technological Innovation for the improvement of productivity and competitiveness of Sicilian aquaculture," an INNOVAQUA project of the Operative National Program Research and Competitiveness (PON R&C). It mentions three fundamental work packages of the project such as fish species diversification, Productivity increase of farmed fish, and Actions to support innovation and competitiveness.

Seventeen strains of Arcobacter butzleri and thirteen of Arcobacter cryaerophilus, were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibility to 26 antimicrobial agents. Among β-lactams agents in this study, imipenem was the most active agent against both A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus isolates with MIC90 values of 2 and 4 mg/l, respectively. The most active cephalosporin tested was cefepime, although it was more active against A. butzleri (MIC90 8 mg/l) than A. cryaerophilus (MIC90 64 mg/l). Levofloxacin, marbofloxacin, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were the best-performing fluoroquinolones against these species. Of the aminoglycosides, amikacin was the most active agent against both A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus strains with MIC90 values of 64 and 16 mg/l, respectively. All isolates showed high levels of resistance to penicillins, macrolides, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and vancomycin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mannose-rich exopolysaccharide EPS B3-15, produced by the thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis B3-15, was previously reported to possess promising potentialities as antiviral and immunomodulatory agent, and in preventing the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus . In this study, EPS B3-15 was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced macrophages and the ability to contrast the adhesion of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae as pathogenic bacteria of the respiratory tract. Without affecting the macrophages viability, the EPS at low concentration (300 μg/mL) significantly downregulated the gene expression of iNOS and the consequent NO generation, and it also decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the EPS reduced the adhesion of Str. pneumoniae (47 %) more efficiently than K. pneumoniae (38 %), due to its ability to modify the abiotic surfaces properties and alter the charges of bacterial-cell surface of Gram-positive more than Gram-negative. As able to reduce the inflammatory responses in macrophage cells and simultaneously prevent biofilm-related to the respiratory tract infections, EPS B3-15 could have potential use as nasal spray with anti-inflammatory action and surface-coating agent for medical devices., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The bioconversion of agri-food waste into high-value products is gaining growing interest worldwide. Orange peel waste (OPW) is the main by-product of orange juice production and contains high levels of moisture and carbohydrates. In this study, the orange waste extract (OWE) obtained through acid hydrolysis of OPW was used as a substrate in the cultivation of the marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata . Photoheterotrophic (PH) and Photoautotrophic (PA) cultivations were performed in OWE medium and f/2 medium (obtained by supplementing OWE with macro- and micronutrients of f/2 medium), respectively, for 14 days. The biomass yields in PA and PH cultures were 390 mg L -1 and 450 mg L -1 , while oil yields were 15% and 28%, respectively. The fatty acid (FA) profiles of PA cultures were mostly represented by saturated (43%) and monounsaturated (46%) FAs, whereas polyunsaturated FAs accounted for about 10% of the FAs. In PH cultures, FA profiles changed remarkably, with a strong increase in monounsaturated FAs (77.49%) and reduced levels of saturated (19.79%) and polyunsaturated (2.72%) FAs. Lipids obtained from PH cultures were simultaneously extracted and converted into glycerol-free biodiesel using an innovative microwave-assisted one-pot tandem protocol. FA methyl esters were then analyzed, and the absence of glycerol was confirmed. The FA profile was highly suitable for biodiesel production and the microwave-assisted one-pot tandem protocol was more effective than traditional extraction techniques. In conclusion, N. oculata used OWE photoheterotrophically, resulting in increased biomass and oil yield. Additionally, a more efficient procedure for simultaneous oil extraction and conversion into glycerol-free biodiesel is proposed.