Microbiological research最新文献

{"title":"Unearthing the power of microbes as plant microbiome for sustainable agriculture","authors":"Arpan Mukherjee ,&nbsp;Bansh Narayan Singh ,&nbsp;Simranjit Kaur ,&nbsp;Minaxi Sharma ,&nbsp;Ademir Sérgio Ferreira de Araújo ,&nbsp;Arthur Prudêncio de Araujo Pereira ,&nbsp;Raj Morya ,&nbsp;Gerardo Puopolo ,&nbsp;Vânia Maria Maciel Melo ,&nbsp;Jay Prakash Verma","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127780","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127780","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In recent years, research into the complex interactions and crosstalk between plants and their associated microbiota, collectively known as the plant microbiome has revealed the pivotal role of microbial communities for promoting plant growth and health. Plants have evolved intricate relationships with a diverse array of microorganisms inhabiting their roots, leaves, and other plant tissues. This microbiota mainly includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoans, and viruses, forming a dynamic and interconnected network within and around the plant. Through mutualistic or cooperative interactions, these microbes contribute to various aspects of plant health and development. The direct mechanisms of the plant microbiome include the enhancement of plant growth and development through nutrient acquisition. Microbes have the ability to solubilize essential minerals, fix atmospheric nitrogen, and convert organic matter into accessible forms, thereby augmenting the nutrient pool available to the plant. Additionally, the microbiome helps plants to withstand biotic and abiotic stresses, such as pathogen attacks and adverse environmental conditions, by priming the plant's immune responses, antagonizing phytopathogens, and improving stress tolerance. Furthermore, the plant microbiome plays a vital role in phytohormone regulation, facilitating hormonal balance within the plant. This regulation influences various growth processes, including root development, flowering, and fruiting. Microbial communities can also produce secondary metabolites, which directly or indirectly promote plant growth, development, and health. Understanding the functional potential of the plant microbiome has led to innovative agricultural practices, such as microbiome-based biofertilizers and biopesticides, which harness the power of beneficial microorganisms to enhance crop yields while reducing the dependency on chemical inputs. In the present review, we discuss and highlight research gaps regarding the plant microbiome and how the plant microbiome can be used as a source of single and synthetic bioinoculants for plant growth and health.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141544935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The critical roles of the Zn2Cys6 transcription factor Fp487 in the development and virulence of Fusarium pseudograminearum: A potential target for Fusarium crown rot control","authors":"Xiaoyue Yang ,&nbsp;Shulin Cao ,&nbsp;Haiyan Sun ,&nbsp;Yuanyu Deng ,&nbsp;Xin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yan Li ,&nbsp;Dongfang Ma ,&nbsp;Huaigu Chen ,&nbsp;Wei Li","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127784","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127784","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Fusarium</em> crown rot (FCR) caused by <em>Fusarium pseudograminearum</em> poses a significant threat to wheat production in the Huang-Huai-Hai region of China. However, the pathogenic mechanism of <em>F. pseudograminearum</em> is still poorly understood. Zn₂Cys₆ transcription factors, which are exclusive to fungi, play pivotal roles in regulating fungal development, drug resistance, pathogenicity, and secondary metabolism. In this study, we present the functional characterization of a Zn₂Cys₆ transcription factor <em>F. pseudograminearum</em>, designated <em>Fp487</em>. In <em>F. pseudograminearum</em>, <em>Fp487</em> is shown to be required for mycelial growth through gene knockout and phenotypic analyses. Compared with wild-type CF14047, the ∆<em>Fp487</em> mutant displayed a slight reduction in growth rate but a significant decrease in conidiogenesis, pathogenicity and 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3AcDON) production. Moreover, the mutant exhibited heightened sensitivity to oxidative and cytomembrane stress. Furthermore, we synthesized dsRNA from the <em>Fp487</em> gene <em>in vitro</em>, resulting in a reduction in the growth rate of <em>F. pseudograminearum</em> and its virulence on barley leaves through spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS). Notably, this study makes the first instance of inducing the expression of abundant dsRNA from <em>F. pseudograminearum</em> by engineering the <em>Escherichia coli</em> strain HT115 (DE3) and utilizing the SIGS technique to evaluate the virulence effect of dsRNA on <em>F. pseudograminearum</em>. In conclusion, our findings revealed the crucial role of <em>Fp487</em> in regulating pathogenicity, stress responses, DON production, and conidiogenesis in <em>F. pseudograminearum</em>. Furthermore, <em>Fp487</em> is a potential RNAi-based target for FCR control.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141200292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PhoB-regulated phosphate assimilation of Ralstonia solanacearum is cross-activated by VsrB in Pi-abundant rich medium","authors":"Hao Qu,&nbsp;Haitao Leng,&nbsp;Qiaoxian Luo,&nbsp;Huihua Tan,&nbsp;Dehong Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127772","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2024.127772","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Ralstonia solanacearum</em> is a devastating phytopathogen infecting a broad range of economically important crops. Phosphate (Pi) homeostasis and assimilation play a critical role in the environmental adaptation and pathogenicity of many bacteria. However, the Pi assimilation regulatory mechanism of <em>R. solanacearum</em> remains unknown. This study revealed that <em>R. solanacearum pstSCAB</em>-<em>phoU</em>-<em>phoBR</em> operon expression is sensitive to extracellular Pi concentration, with higher expression under Pi-limiting conditions. The PhoB-PhoR fine-tunes the Pi-responsive expression of the Pho regulon genes, demonstrating its pivotal role in Pi assimilation. By contrast, neither PhoB, PhoR, PhoU, nor PstS was found to be essential for virulence on tomato plants. Surprisingly, the PhoB regulon is activated in a Pi-abundant rich medium. Results showed that histidine kinase VsrB, which is known for the exopolysaccharide production regulation, partially mediates PhoB activation in the Pi-abundant rich medium. The 271 histidine of VsrB is vital for this activation. This cross-activation mechanism between the VsrB and PhoB-PhoR systems suggests the carbohydrate–Pi metabolism coordination in <em>R. solanacearum</em>. Overall, this research provides new insights into the complex regulatory interplay between Pi metabolism and growth in <em>R. solanacearum</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141097826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Arf-GAPs, AoAge1 and AoAge2, regulate diverse cellular processes, conidiation, trap formation, and secondary metabolism in Arthrobotrys oligospora","authors":"Le Yang ,&nbsp;Xuemei Li ,&nbsp;Yuxin Ma ,&nbsp;Meichen Zhu ,&nbsp;Ke-Qin Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinkui Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127779","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127779","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins of the ADP ribosylation factor (Arf) family and their activating proteins (Arf-GAPs) are essential for diverse biological processes. Here, two homologous Arf-GAPs, Age1 (AoAge1) and Age2 (AoAge2), were identified in the widespread nematode-trapping fungus <em>Arthrobotrys oligospora</em>. Our results demonstrated that AoAge1, especially AoAge2, played crucial roles in mycelial growth, sporulation, trap production, stress response, mitochondrial activity, DNA damage, endocytosis, reactive oxygen species production, and autophagy. Notably, transcriptome data revealed that approximately 62.7% of the genes were directly or indirectly regulated by AoAge2, and dysregulated genes in <em>Aoage2</em> deletion were enriched in metabolism, ribosome biogenesis, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and autophagy. Furthermore, <em>Aoage2</em> inactivation caused a substantial reduction in several compounds compared to the wild-type strain. Based on these results, a regulatory network for AoAge1 and AoAge2 was proposed and verified using a yeast two-hybrid assay. Based on our findings, AoAge1 and AoAge2 are essential for vegetative growth and mycelial development. Specifically, AoAge2 is required for sporulation and trapping morphogenesis. Our results demonstrated the critical functions of AoAge1 and AoAge2 in mycelial growth, diverse cellular processes, and pathogenicity, offering deep insights into the functions and regulatory mechanisms of Arf-GAPs in nematode-trapping fungi.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141135986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbes in the tumor microenvironment: New additions to break the tumor immunotherapy dilemma","authors":"Lujia Zhou ,&nbsp;Shiying Fan ,&nbsp;Wenjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Daorong Wang ,&nbsp;Dong Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127777","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2024.127777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Immunotherapies currently used in clinical practice are unsatisfactory in terms of therapeutic response and toxic side effects, and therefore new immunotherapies need to be explored. Intratumoral microbiota (ITM) exists in the tumor environment (TME) and reacts with its components. On the one hand, ITM promotes antigen delivery to tumor cells or provides cross-antigens to promote immune cells to attack tumors. On the other hand, ITM affects the activity of immune cells and stromal cells. We also summarize the dialog pathways by which ITM crosstalks with components within the TME, particularly the interferon pathway. This interaction between ITM and TME provides new ideas for tumor immunotherapy. By analyzing the bidirectional role of ITM in TME and combining it with its experimental and clinical status, we summarized the adjuvant role of ITM in immunotherapy. We explored the potential applications of using ITM as tumor immunotherapy, such as a healthy diet, fecal transplantation, targeted ITM, antibiotics, and probiotics, to provide a new perspective on the use of ITM in tumor immunotherapy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141095896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interference of AHL signal production in the phytophatogen Pantoea agglomerans as a sustainable biological strategy to reduce its virulence","authors":"Alba Amaro-da Cruz ,&nbsp;Mónica Cabeo ,&nbsp;Ana Durán-Viseras ,&nbsp;Inmaculada Sampedro ,&nbsp;Inmaculada Llamas","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127781","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2024.127781","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Pantoea agglomerans</em> is considered one of the most ubiquitous and versatile organisms that include strains that induce diseases in various crops and occasionally cause opportunistic infections in humans. To develop effective strategies to mitigate its impact on plant health and agricultural productivity, a comprehensive investigation is crucial for better understanding its pathogenicity. One proposed eco-friendly approach involves the enzymatic degradation of quorum sensing (QS) signal molecules like <em>N</em>-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs), known as quorum quenching (QQ), offering potential treatment for such bacterial diseases. In this study the production of C4 and 3-oxo-C6HSL was identified in the plant pathogenic <em>P. agglomerans</em> CFBP 11141 and correlated to enzymatic activities such as amylase and acid phosphatase. Moreover, the heterologous expression of a QQ enzyme in the pathogen resulted in lack of AHLs production and the attenuation of the virulence by mean of drastically reduction of soft rot disease in carrots and cherry tomatoes. Additionally, the interference with the QS systems of <em>P. agglomerans</em> CFBP 11141 by two the plant growth-promoting and AHL-degrading bacteria (PGP-QQ) <em>Pseudomonas segetis</em> P6 and <em>Bacillus toyonensis</em> AA1EC1 was evaluated as a potential biocontrol approach for the first time. <em>P. segetis</em> P6 and <em>B. toyonensis</em> AA1EC1 demonstrated effectiveness in diminishing soft rot symptoms induced by <em>P. agglomerans</em> CFBP 11141 in both carrots and cherry tomatoes. Furthermore, the virulence of pathogen notably decreased when co-cultured with strain AA1EC1 on tomato plants.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944501324001824/pdfft?md5=a54b0bb32ac8d7b8c2d8ff85d7cfb191&pid=1-s2.0-S0944501324001824-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141095931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rcs signal transduction system in Escherichia coli: Composition, related functions, regulatory mechanism, and applications","authors":"Zeyu Li,&nbsp;Yingying Zhu,&nbsp;Wenli Zhang,&nbsp;Wanmeng Mu","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127783","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2024.127783","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The regulator of capsule synthesis (Rcs) system, an atypical two-component system prevalent in numerous gram-negative bacteria, serves as a sophisticated regulatory phosphorylation cascade mechanism. It plays a pivotal role in perceiving environmental stress and regulating the expression of downstream genes to ensure host survival. During the signaling transduction process, various proteins participate in phosphorylation to further modulate signal inputs and outputs. Although the structure of core proteins related to the Rcs system has been partially well-defined, and two models have been proposed to elucidate the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying signal sensing, a systematic characterization of the signal transduction process of the Rcs system remains challenging. Furthermore, exploring its corresponding regulator outputs is also unremitting. This review aimed to shed light on the regulation of bacterial virulence by the Rcs system. Moreover, with the assistance of the Rcs system, biosynthesis technology has developed high-value target production. Additionally, via this review, we propose designing chimeric Rcs biosensor systems to expand their application as synthesis tools. Finally, unsolved challenges are highlighted to provide the basic direction for future development of the Rcs system.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141095895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Ugd, a capsular polysaccharide synthesis protein, regulates the bacterial motility in Vibrio alginolyticus","authors":"Xixi Li ,&nbsp;Xingyi Fei ,&nbsp;Qingwei Chen ,&nbsp;Zimeng Gao ,&nbsp;Han Yin ,&nbsp;Chen Zhang ,&nbsp;Shenao Li ,&nbsp;Zhe Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127775","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2024.127775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Vibrio alginolyticus</em> is one of the most common opportunistic pathogens in marine animals and humans. In this study, A transposon mutation library of the <em>V. alginolyticus</em> E110 was used to identify motility-related genes, and we found three flagellar and one capsular polysaccharide (CPS) synthesis-related genes were linked to swarming motility. Then, gene deletion and complementation further confirmed that CPS synthesis-related gene <em>ugd</em> is involved in the swarming motility of <em>V. alginolyticus.</em> Phenotype assays showed that the Δ<em>ugd</em> mutant reduced CPS production, decreased biofilm formation, impaired swimming ability, and increased cytotoxicity compared to the wild-type strain. Transcriptome analysis showed that 655 genes (15%) were upregulated and 914 genes (21%) were downregulated in the Δ<em>ugd</em> strain. KEGG pathway and heatmap analysis revealed that genes involved in two-component systems (TCSs), chemotaxis, and flagella assembly pathways were downregulated in the Δ<em>ugd</em> mutant. On the other hand, genes involved in pathways of human diseases, biosynthesis ABC transporters, and metabolism were upregulated in the Δ<em>ugd</em> mutant. The RT-qPCR further validated that <em>ugd</em>-regulated genes are associated with motility, biofilm formation, virulence, and TCSs. These findings imply that <em>ugd</em> may be an important player in the control of some physiological processes in <em>V. alginolyticus</em>, highlighting its potential as a target for future research and potential therapeutic interventions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141090444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insight into farming native microbiome by bioinoculant in soil-plant system","authors":"Zhikang Wang ,&nbsp;Xiangxiang Fu ,&nbsp;Eiko E. Kuramae","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Applying beneficial microorganisms (BM) as bioinoculants presents a promising soil-amendment strategy while impacting the native microbiome, which jointly alters soil-plant performance. Leveraging the untapped potential of native microbiomes alongside bioinoculants may enable farmers to sustainably regulate soil-plant systems via natural bioresources. This review synthesizes literature on native microbiome responses to BMs and their interactive effects on soil and plant performance. We highlight that native microbiomes harbor both microbial \"helpers\" that can improve soil fertility and plant productivity, as well as \"inhibitors\" that hinder these benefits. To harness the full potential of resident microbiome, it is crucial to elucidate their intricate synergistic and antagonistic interplays with introduced BMs and clarify the conditions that facilitate durable BM-microbiome synergies. Hence, we indicate current challenges in predicting these complex microbial interactions and propose corresponding strategies for microbiome breeding via BM bioinoculant. Overall, fully realizing the potential of BMs requires clarifying their interactions with native soil microbiomes and judiciously engineering microbiome to harness helpful microbes already present within agroecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944501324001770/pdfft?md5=9c3e8d42c555696a5ae18449fb340dce&pid=1-s2.0-S0944501324001770-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141143079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phenotypic characterization for bioremediation suitability of isolates from Southern Tunisian tannery effluent","authors":"Rokaia Lejri ,&nbsp;Ali Ellafi ,&nbsp;Juan Valero Tebar ,&nbsp;Mohamed Chaieb ,&nbsp;Ali Mekki ,&nbsp;Mária Džunková ,&nbsp;Sonia Ben Younes","doi":"10.1016/j.micres.2024.127771","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2024.127771","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Effluents from the leather tanning industry contain diverse pollutants, including hazardous heavy metals, posing threats to public health and the surrounding environment. Indigenous bacterial isolates can represent an eco-friendly approach for tannery wastewater treatment; however, phenotypic characterization is necessary to determine whether these strains are suitable for bioremediation. In the present study, we analyzed seven new <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> strains and two new <em>Bacillus subtillis</em> strains isolated from effluents from the Southern Tunisian Tannery (ESTT). We evaluated phenotypic features beneficial for bioremediation, including biofilm formation, hydrophobicity, and exoenzyme activities. Additionally, we examined characteristics naturally occurring in environmental bacteria but less desirable in strains selected for bioremediation, such as antibiotic resistances and pathogenicity indicators. The observed phenotypes were then compared with whole-genome analysis. We observed biofilm production in two slime-producing bacteria, <em>B. licheniformis</em> RLT6, and <em>E. faecium</em> RLT8. Hydrophobicity of <em>E. faecium</em> strains RLT1, RLT5, RLT8, and RLT9, as well as <em>B. licheniformis</em> RLT6 correlated positively with increasing ESTT concentration. Exoenzyme activities were detected in <em>E. faecium</em> strains RLT2, RLT4, and RLT7, as well as <em>B. licheniformis</em> RLT6. As anticipated, all strains exhibited common resistances to antibiotics and hemolysis, which are widespread in nature and do not hinder their application for bioremediation. Importantly, none of the strains exhibited the pathogenic hypermucoviscosity phenotype. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report consolidating all these phenotypic characteristics concurrently, providing a complete overview of strains suitability for bioremediation.</p></div><div><h3>Importance</h3><p>The study evaluates the bioremediation potential of seven <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> strains and two <em>Bacillus subtillis</em> strains isolated from the effluents from the Southern Tunisian tannery (ESTT), which pose threats to public health and environmental integrity. The analysis primarily examines the phenotypic traits crucial to bioremediation, including biofilm formation, hydrophobicity, and exoenzyme activities, as well as characteristics naturally occurring in environmental bacteria related to heavy metal resistance, such as antibiotic resistances. Several strains were found to have high bioremediation potential and exhibit only antibiotic resistances commonly found in nature, ensuring their application for bioremediation remains uncompromised. The results of the exhaustive phenotypic analysis are contrasted with the whole genome sequences of the nine strains, underscoring the appropriateness of these bacterial strains for eco-friendly interventions in tannery wastewater treatment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18564,"journal":{"name":"Microbiological research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944501324001721/pdfft?md5=64dcc8841072faf0ee0ab052a50472b6&pid=1-s2.0-S0944501324001721-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141090445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}