Relative abundance and the fate of human rotavirus in wastewater during treatment processes: identification of potential infectious rotavirus in the final effluents and receiving aquatic milieu in Durban area, South Africa.

The occurrence and persistence of rotaviruses in raw and treated wastewater and their discharge into rivers represent a significant health risk for humans and animals, worldwide. In this study, samples were collected monthly from each of the four Durban wastewater treatment plants (DWWTPs) and receiving rivers for a period of 3 months. Rotavirus was quantified by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and viability was assessed using integrated cell culture (ICC)-qPCR.

Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic analyses of Rotaviruses Circulating in Municipal Sewage and Sewage-Polluted River Waters in Durban Area, South Africa.

Globally, rotavirus continues to be the leading etiology of severe pediatric gastroenteritis, and transmission of the disease via environmental reservoirs has become an emerging concern in developing countries. From August to October 2021, a total of 69 samples comprising 48 of raw and treated sewage, and 21 surface waters, were collected from four Durban wastewater treatment plants (DWWTP), and effluent receiving rivers, respectively. Rotaviruses recovered and identified from the samples were subjected to sequencing, genotyping, and phylogenetic analysis.

Low-cost and reliable substrate-based phenotyping platform for screening salt tolerance of cutting propagation-dependent grass, paspalum vaginatum.

Background: Salt tolerance in plants is defined as their ability to grow and complete their life cycle under saline conditions. Staple crops have limited salt tolerance, but forage grass can survive in large unexploited saline areas of costal or desert land. However, due to the restriction of self-incompatible fertilization in many grass species, vegetative propagation via stem cuttings is the dominant practice; this is incompatible with current methodologies of salt-tolerance phenotyping, which have been developed for germination-based seedling growth.

A multifunctional enolase mediates cytoadhesion and interaction with host plasminogen and fibronectin in Mycoplasma hyorhinis.

Mycoplasma hyorhinis may cause systemic inflammation of pigs, typically polyserositis and arthritis, and is also associated with several types of human cancer. However, the pathogenesis of M. hyorhinis colonizing and breaching the respiratory barrier to establish systemic infection is poorly understood.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) moonlights as an adhesin in Mycoplasma hyorhinis adhesion to epithelial cells as well as a plasminogen receptor mediating extracellular matrix degradation.

Mycoplasma hyorhinis infects pigs causing polyserositis and polyarthritis, and has also been reported in a variety of human tumor tissues. The occurrence of disease is often linked with the systemic invasion of the pathogen. Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GAPDH), one of the key enzymes of glycolysis, was reported as a surface multifunctional molecule in several bacteria.

Production strategies and biotechnological relevance of microbial lipases: a review.

Lipases are enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of lipids into long-chain fatty acids and glycerol in oil-water interface. In addition, they catalyze broad spectrum of bioconversion reactions including esterification, inter-esterification, among others in non-aqueous and micro-aqueous milieu. Lipases are universally produced from plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Production and potential biotechnological applications of microbial surfactants: An overview.

Microbial surfactants are amphipathic molecules that consist of hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains, which allow partition of two fluid phases of varying degree of polarity. They are classified into two main groups: bioemulsifier and biosurfactant, depending on their molecular weight. Microbial surfactants occur in various categories according to their chemical nature and producing organisms.

Production and characterization of bioemulsifiers from strains isolated from lipid-rich wastewater.

In this study, two indigenous bacterial strains (Ab9-ES and Ab33-ES) isolated from lipid-rich wastewater showed potential to produce bioemulsifier in the presence of 2% (v/v) olive oil as a carbon source. These bacterial strains were identified as sp. Ab9-ES and sp.

Immobilization and characterization of lipase from an indigenous Bacillus aryabhattai SE3-PB isolated from lipid-rich wastewater.

Extracellular lipase from an indigenous Bacillus aryabhattai SE3-PB was immobilized in alginate beads by entrapment method. After optimization of immobilization conditions, maximum immobilization efficiencies of 77% ± 1.53% and 75.

Microbial degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid: Insight into the enzymes and catabolic genes involved, their regulation and biotechnological implications.

A considerable progress has been made to understand the mechanisms of biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D biodegradation pathway has been elucidated in many microorganisms including Cupriavidus necator JMP134 (previously known as Wautersia eutropha, Ralstonia eutropha and Alcaligenes eutrophus) and Pseudomonas strains. It generally involves the side chain removal of 2,4-D by α-ketoglutarate-dependent 2,4-D dioxygenase (tfdA) to form 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP); hydroxylation of 2,4-DCP by 2,4-DCP hydroxylase (tfdB) to form dichlorocatechol; ortho or meta cleavage of dichlorocatechol by chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase (tfdC) to form 2,4-dichloro-cis,cis-muconate; conversion of 2,4-dichloro-cis,cis-muconate to 2-chlorodienelactone by chloromuconate cycloisomerase (tfdD); conversion of 2-chlorodienelactone to 2-chloromaleylacetate by chlorodienelactone hydrolase (tfdE) and, finally, conversion of 2-chloromaleylacetate to 3-oxoadepate via maleylacetate by chloromaleylacetate reductase and maleylacetate reductase (tfdF), respectively, which is funnelled to the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Kinetics of heavy metal inhibition of 1,2-dichloroethane biodegradation in co-contaminated water.

Sites co-contaminated with heavy metals and 1,2-DCA may pose a greater challenge for bioremediation, as the heavy metals could inhibit the activities of microbes involved in biodegradation. Therefore, this study was undertaken to quantitatively assess the effects of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead) on 1,2-DCA biodegradation in co-contaminated water. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and concentrations of the heavy metals that caused half-life doubling (HLDs) of 1,2-DCA as well as the degradation rate coefficient (k(1)) and half-life (t(½)) of 1,2-DCA were measured and used to predict the toxicity of the heavy metals in the water microcosms.

Quantitative assessment of the toxic effects of heavy metals on 1,2-dichloroethane biodegradation in co-contaminated soil under aerobic condition.

1,2-Dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) is one of the most hazardous pollutant of soil and groundwater, and is produced in excess of 5.44×10⁹ kg annually. Owing to their toxicity, persistence and potential for bioaccumulation, there is a growing interest in technologies for their removal.