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Paraburkholderia ultramafica STM10279T is a metal-tolerant rhizobacterium that promotes plant growth. It was isolated from the roots of Tetraria arundinaceae, a pioneer endemic tropical herb growing on ultramafic soils in New Caledonia. We have recently shown that the main mechanism of metal tolerance of P. ultramafica is related to the production of an acidic exopolysaccharide (EPS). To explore the potential role of this EPS in the plant’s environmental adaptation, we first elucidated its structure by employing a combination of chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. These analyses revealed that the EPS is highly branched and composed of galactosyl (35.8%), glucosyl (33.2%), rhamnosyl (19.5%), mannosyl (7.2%), and glucuronosyl residues (4.4%), similar to the EPS of the Burkholderia cepacia complex known as cepacian. We subsequently conducted greenhouse experiments on Tetraria comosa plantlets inoculated with P. ultramafica or a solution of its EPS during transplanting onto ultramafic substrate. The data showed that the dry weight of T. comosa shoots was 2.5 times higher in the plants treated with the EPS compared to the unexposed plants. In addition, inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis revealed that exposure to the EPS significantly increased Ca, Mg, K, and P uptake as well as K content in roots. In vitro experiments using the Pikovskaya method showed that the EPS was able to solubilize phosphorus. Consistent with the retention of metals in roots and a reduction in shoots, our data revealed a significant decrease in metal translocation factors (TFs) in the plants inoculated with the EPS. These results suggest a beneficial effect of the rhizobacterial EPS on plant growth and abiotic stress mitigation. In addition, the data suggest that the reduced levels of trace metals in plants exposed to P. ultramafica STM10279T are due to metal chelation by the EPS. Further investigations are needed to firmly demonstrate whether this EPS could be used as a biostimulant for plant growth and adaptation to ultramafic soils.

Abstract Cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are potential candidates for the production of sustainable biopolymers. Although the bioactive and physicochemical properties of cyanobacterial-based EPS are attractive, their commercial exploitation is limited by the high production costs. Bioprospecting and characterizing novel EPS-producing strains for industrially relevant conditions is key to facilitate their implementation in various biotechnological applications and fields. In the present work, we selected twenty-five Portuguese cyanobacterial strains from a diverse taxonomic range (including some genera studied for the first time) to be grown in diel light and temperature, simulating the Portuguese climate conditions, and evaluated their growth performance and proximal composition of macronutrients. Synechocystis and Cyanobium genera, from marine and freshwater origin, were highlighted as fast-growing (0.1–0.2 g L−1 day−1) with distinct biomass composition. Synechocystis sp. LEGE 07367 and Chroococcales cyanobacterium LEGE 19970, showed a production of 0.3 and 0.4 g L−1 of released polysaccharides (RPS). These were found to be glucan-based polymers with high molecular weight and a low number of monosaccharides than usually reported for cyanobacterial EPS. In addition, the absence of known cyanotoxins in these two RPS producers was also confirmed. This work provides the initial steps for the development of cyanobacterial EPS bioprocesses under the Portuguese climate.

The Jacotines landslide is representative of the large mass movements that affect the Champagne vineyards. Understanding the subsurface structure of these slopes and the mechanisms leading to sliding events is of a great interest, particularly for winegrowers who produce Champagne. This knowledge is generally used to elaborate accurate hazard assessment maps, which is an important feature in land use planning. The approach presented is based on the integration of geophysical imaging (seismic wave velocity and electrical resistivity), lithostratigraphic analysis (drilling core) and geomorphological investigations (surface landforms) to reconstruct the relations between the landslide structure, surface water flow, groundwater regime and the overall slope stability. A first phase of instability resulting in a large rotational slip probably occurred during the Late Glacial Period in morphoclimatic conditions characterized by an excess of water. A second one, still active, leading to superficial reactivations and relates to present hydrogeological conditions determined by the internal structure of the landslide.

Introduction: Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are high-value functional biomaterials mainly produced by bacteria and fungi, with nutraceutical, therapeutic and industrial potentials. Objectives: This study sought to characterize and assess the biological properties of the EPS produced by the yeast Papiliotrema terrestris PT22AV. Methods: After extracting the yeast's DNA and its molecular identification, the EPS from P. terrestris PT22AV strain was extracted and its physicochemical properties (structural, morphological, monosaccharide composition and molecular weight) were characterized. The EPS's in vitro biological activities and in vivo wound healing potential were also evaluated. Results: The obtained EPS was water-soluble and revealed an average molecular weight (Mw) of 202 kDa. Mannose and glucose with 97% and 3% molar percentages, respectively, constituted the EPS. In vitro antibacterial activity analysis of the extracted EPS exhibited antibacterial activity (>80%) against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis at a concentration of 2 mg/mL. The EPS showed cytocompatibility against the human fibroblast and macrophage cell lines and the animal studies showed a dose-dependent wound healing capacity of the EPS with higher wound closure at 10 mg/mL compared to negative and positive control after 14 days. Conclusion: The EPS from P. terrestris PT22AV could serve as a promising source of biocompatible macromolecules with potential for skin wound healing.

Phosphate involvement in calcium carbonate biominerals raises questions on biomineralisation pathways. Here, the authors explore the presence of phosphate in the growing shell of the European abalone and suggest a shared mixed mineral ancestral precursor with final crystal phase being selected by mineral-associated proteins.

Alginates extracted from two Moroccan brown seaweeds and their derivatives were investigated for their ability to induce phenolic metabolism in the roots and leaves of tomato seedlings. Sodium alginates (ALSM and ALCM) were extracted from the brown seaweeds Sargassum muticum and Cystoseira myriophylloides, respectively. Low-molecular-weight alginates (OASM and OACM) were obtained after radical hydrolysis of the native alginates. Elicitation was carried out by foliar spraying 20 mL of aqueous solutions (1 g/L) on 45-day-old tomato seedlings. Elicitor capacities were evaluated by monitoring phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, polyphenols, and lignin production in the roots and leaves after 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment. The molecular weights (Mw) of the different fractions were 202 kDa for ALSM, 76 kDa for ALCM, 19 kDa for OACM, and 3 kDa for OASM. FTIR analysis revealed that the structures of OACM and OASM did not change after oxidative degradation of the native alginates. These molecules showed their differential capacity to induce natural defenses in tomato seedlings by increasing PAL activity and through the accumulation of polyphenol and lignin content in the leaves and roots. The oxidative alginates (OASM and OACM) exhibited an effective induction of the key enzyme of phenolic metabolism (PAL) compared to the alginate polymers (ALSM and ALCM). These results suggest that low-molecular-weight alginates may be good candidates for stimulating the natural defenses of plants.

Ultrasound pretreatment and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) techniques were used to extract pectin from watermelon rind. This work investigated the effect of the power and time of pretreatment on the yield and characteristics of the extracted pectin. Imaging studies showed that ultrasonic pretreatment changed the morphology of the raw powder, leading to a greater porosity, and facilitated the extraction process. The highest extraction yield of pectin was 19.08% (w/w), for 5 min of extraction at 500 W ultrasonic pretreatment. Ultrasonic pretreatment affected the degree of esterification and the galacturonic acid content of pectin. The galacturonic acid content of all samples was higher than 69.0%. Extraction pretreatment reduced the surface tension value of the aqueous solution of pectin and affected the foam capacity of pectin and its monosaccharidic composition. The ultrasonic pretreatment caused significant changes in pectin characteristics, such as intrinsic viscosity, viscosity average, molecular weight, ratio of homogalacturonan to rhamnogalacturonan and the water holding capacity. In addition, kinetic studies showed that a kinetic empirical model adequately describes the effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on foam stability and its half-time.

Purpose: Due to the potential industrial and therapeutic applications of the yeast exopolysaccharides (EPSs), there has been an increasing demand to assess these biopolymers with improved characteristics. This study aimed to characterize the EPSs from Rhodosporidium babjevae (ATCC 90942 and IBRC-M 30088) as well as to evaluate their possible antioxidant, emulsifying and antiproliferative activities. Methods: Rhodosporidium babjevae was cultured for 5 days and following isolation of supernatant, EPSs precipitated with adding of cold absolute ethanol and freeze-dried. The EPSs chemical structure was determined by FT-IR, SEM, HPLC-SEC and GC-MS. Additionally the solubility, water holding capacity and emulsifying activity of EPSs were evaluated. In vitro, antioxidant activity was investigated against DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Finally the EPSs consequence on the cell proliferation of human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell lines was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. Results: R. babjevae excreted 1.6±0.2 g/L of the EPSs. The EPSs had three fractions with molecular weights of 1.02 ×106 , 5×105 and 2×105 Da. Mannose and glucose were found as the main monosaccharides of the EPSs (84:16 mol%, respectively). The EPSs exhibited emulsifying activity on sun flower oil. The scavenging activities were found to be dose-dependent and higher than hyaluronic acid. Significant difference among the EPSs treatments on the proliferation of MCF-7 and MDCK cell lines was not observed (P>0.05). Conclusion: These results show the interesting potential of the EPSs from R. babjevae as biocompatible compounds for using in food and pharmaceutical fields.

Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is a common medical diagnostic procedure used for esophageal cancer detection. Current emerging capsule optoacoustic endoscopes, however, suffer from low pulse repetition rates and slow scanning units limit attainable imaging frame rates. Consequently, motion artifacts result in inaccurate spatial mapping and misinterpretation of data. To overcome these limitations, we report a 360º, 50 Hz frame rate, distal scanning capsule optoacoustic endoscope. The translational capability of the instrument for human GI tract imaging was characterized with an Archimedean spiral phantom consisting of twelve 100 µm sutures, a stainless steel mesh with a pitch of 3 mm and an ex vivo pig esophagus sample. We estimated an imaging penetration depth of ~0.84 mm in vivo by immersing the mesh phantom in intralipid solution to simulate light scattering in human esophageal tissue and validated our findings ex vivo using pig esophagus. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the translational potential of the proposed video-rate endoscope for human GI tract imaging.

Clematis flammula is widely used for its pharmacological properties in Tunisia. This work aimed to explore, in a rat model, the cardiopreventive capacity of polysaccharides extracted from C. flammula (CFPS) after a myocardial injury caused by isoproterenol. Structural analyses suggested that the average molecular weight of CFPS was 1.82 × 105 g/mol, being mainly composed of glucuronide (41.53%), galacturonic acid (19.06%), arabinose (16.10%), galactose (6.15%), glucose (5.49%), and rhamnose (3.55%). Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy experiments showed that CFPS was rich with carbohydrates containing pectic materials with glycosidic bonds. In addition, results show that pretreatment with CFPS (150 mg/kg) could improve the electrocardiogram pattern by decreasing the elevated ST segment and ameliorating the relative heart weights and the biochemical profile content (creatine phosphokinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase, and cardiac troponin I). Furthermore, pretreatment with CFPS reduced the amount of malondialdehyde and restored the genotoxicity induced by isoproterenol. The histopathological study revealed that CFPS pretreatment diminished the level of cardiac tissue injury. Based on these data, CFPS presents a broad biological effect as a cardioprotective and can be used for the exploration of novel natural products for the treatment of cardiac disease.

This study aims to assess for the first time the ability of marine polysaccharides and their derivatives to stimulate natural defenses in olive tree leaves. Alginates, ALSM, and ALCM were isolated from the brown algae Sargassum muticum and Cystoseira myriophylloides, respectively. The OASM and OACM fractions were obtained after radical depolymerization of ALSM and ALCM, respectively. Three sulfated polysaccharides, arabinogalactans (AGB and AGP) and fucoidans (FUCCM) were extracted from the green alga Codium decorticatum and the brown seaweed C. myriophylloides, respectively. The extraction yield of different extracts was in the range of 0.82–32% and the average molecular weight (Mw) varied from 3000 Da to 2173 kDa. The M/G ratios of ALSM and ALCM were 0.87 and 1.12, respectively. FUCCM contained 53% of fucose and 12.83% of sulfates. The AGB and AGP fractions were characterized by the presence of a high degree of sulfation and protein (12–23% (w/w)) and were composed mainly of galactose, glucose, and arabinose. The aqueous saccharide solutions were applied to the leaf discs of the olive tree at 0.5 g/L, 1 g/L, and 2 g/L, for 24 h. These molecules triggered defense responses, by showing a differential capacity to induce the activity of the phenylalanine and tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL and PAL), polyphenols, and lignin contents in the leaves of the olive tree. Alginates and their derivatives as well as arabinogalactans exhibited an important induction of TAL activity compared to the PAL. The sulfated polysaccharides were more effective compared to the unsulfated polysaccharides (alginates) which were active at a low concentration. The optimum concentration for most of the studied elicitors was 2 g/L. These results suggest the valorization of these molecules derived from marine biomass as inducers of natural defenses of the olive tree to protect against phytopathogens in the context of sustainable development.

A novel sulfated xylogalactan (JASX) was extracted and purified from the rhodophyceae Jania adhaerens. JASX was characterized by chromatography (GC/MS-EI and SEC/MALLS) and spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR and 1H/13C NMR) techniques. Results showed that JASX was constituted by repeating units of (→3)-β-d-Galp-(1,4)-3,6-α-l-AnGalp-(1→)n and (→3)-β-d-Galp-(1,4)-α-l-Galp-(1→)n substituted on O-2 and O-3 of the α-(1,4)-l-Galp units by methoxy and/or sulfate groups but also on O-6 of the β-(1,3)-d-Galp mainly by β-xylosyl side chains and less by methoxy and/or sulfate groups. The Mw, Mn, Đ, [η] and C* of JASX were respectively 600 and 160 kDa, 3.7, 102 mL.g−1 and 7.0 g.L−1. JASX exhibited pseudoplastic behavior influenced by temperature and monovalent salts and highly correlated to the power-law model and the Arrhenius relationship. JASX presented thixotropic characteristics, a gel-like viscoelastic behavior and a great viscoelasticity character. JASX showed important antioxidant activities, outlining its potential as a natural additive to produce functional foods.