sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from cold-seep sediment.

A novel marine bacterial strain, designated JAMH 043, was isolated from cold-seep sediment in Sagami Bay, Japan. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and aerobic chemo-organotrophs. The isolate grew optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.

Shimia sagamensis sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from cold-seep sediment.

A novel marine bacterial strain designated JAMH 011(T) was isolated from the cold-seep sediment in Sagami Bay, Japan. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, aerobic chemo-organotrophs and motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Growth occurred at temperatures below 31 °C, with the optimum at 25 °C.

Aneurinibacillus tyrosinisolvens sp. nov., a tyrosine-dissolving bacterium isolated from organics- and methane-rich seafloor sediment.

A novel Gram-positive-staining, strictly aerobic and heterotrophic bacterium, designated strain LL-002T, was isolated from organics- and methane-rich seafloor sediment at a depth of 100 m in Kagoshima Bay, Kagoshima, Japan. Colonies were lustreless and translucent white in colour. The temperature, pH and salt concentration ranges for growth were 10-30 °C, pH 6.

Thalassospira alkalitolerans sp. nov. and Thalassospira mesophila sp. nov., isolated from a decaying bamboo sunken in the marine environment, and emended description of the genus Thalassospira.

Two marine bacteria, designated strains MBE#61(T) and MBE#74(T), were isolated from a piece of sunken bamboo in the marine environment in Japan. Both of these strains were Gram-stain-negative, but had different cell shapes: MBE#61(T) was spiral, whereas MBE#74(T) was rod-shaped. The temperature, pH and salt concentration ranges for growth of strain MBE#61(T) were 4-38 °C (optimal at 32 °C), pH 4.

Microbacterium saccharophilum sp. nov., isolated from a sucrose-refining factory.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain K-1(T), was isolated from soil at a sucrose refinery in Japan. The strain grew at 9-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and at pH 6-11 (optimum, pH 7.0).

Salinisphaera japonica sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from the surface of a deep-sea fish, Malacocottus gibber, and emended description of the genus Salinisphaera.

A moderately halophilic, slightly acidophilic, aerobic bacterium, designated strain YTM-1(T), was isolated from the body surface of Malacocottus gibber. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, short rods or cocci, approximately 0.9-1.

Brevundimonas abyssalis sp. nov., a dimorphic prosthecate bacterium isolated from deep-subsea floor sediment.

A novel Gram-negative, aerobic, psychrotolerant, alkali-tolerant, heterotrophic and dimorphic prosthecate bacterium, designated strain TAR-001(T), was isolated from deep-sea floor sediment in Japan. Cells of this strain had a dimorphic life cycle and developed an adhesive stalk at a site not coincident with the centre of the cell pole, and the other type of cell, a swarm cell, had a polar flagellum. Colonies were glossy, viscous and yellowish-white in colour.

Polycladomyces abyssicola gen. nov., sp. nov., a thermophilic filamentous bacterium isolated from hemipelagic sediment.

A novel filamentous bacterium, designated strain JIR-001(T), was isolated from hemipelagic sediment in deep seawater. This strain was non-motile, Gram-positive, aerobic, heterotrophic and thermophilic; colonies were of infinite form and ivory coloured with wrinkles between the centre and the edge of the colony on ISP2 medium. The isolate grew aerobically at 55-73 °C with the formation of aerial mycelia; spores were produced singly along the aerial mycelium.

Loktanella cinnabarina sp. nov., isolated from a deep subseafloor sediment, and emended description of the genus Loktanella.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, heterotrophic and salt-tolerant bacterium, designated strain LL-001(T), was isolated from a deep subseafloor sediment in Japanese waters. Cells were non-motile rods and colonies were smooth, convex, circular and vermilion. The conditions for growth were 15-35 °C, pH 5.

Unique substrate specificity of a thermostable glycosyl hydrolase from an uncultured Anaerolinea, derived from bacterial mat on a subsurface geothermal water stream.

To investigate novel extremozymes encoded by sequenced metagenes from a microbial community in an extreme environment, we have characterized a recombinant glycosyl hydrolase (rGH) from an uncultured bacterium within the order Chloroflexi. rGH formed insoluble bodies in an Escherichia coli protein expression system. The protein was partially dissolved by a surfactant and was enzymatically characterized.

Development of a support skill scale in insulin therapy: a nationwide study in Japan.

The aim of this cross-sectional, nationwide study in Japan was to develop a support skill scale for insulin therapy (IT-SSS) and to evaluate its validity and reliability. The sample consisted of 1604 nurses at 123 hospitals throughout the country. The factor validity, known-group validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity and internal consistency of IT-SSS were assessed.

Geofilum rubicundum gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from deep subseafloor sediment.

A novel, facultatively anaerobic bacterium (strain JAM-BA0501(T)) was isolated from a deep subseafloor sediment sample at a depth of 247 m below seafloor off the Shimokita Peninsula of Japan in the north-western Pacific Ocean (Site C9001, 1180 m water depth). Cells of strain JAM-BA0501(T) were gram-negative, filamentous, non-spore-forming and motile on solid medium by gliding. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JAM-BA0501(T) indicated a distant relationship to strains representing genera within the order Bacteroidales, such as Alkaliflexus imshenetskii Z-7010(T) (91.

Biochemical synthesis of novel, self-assembling glycolipids from ricinoleic acid by a recombinant α-glucosidase from Geobacillus sp.

To explore a novel glycolipid, we performed biochemical reactions using a recombinant α-glucosidase from Geobacillus sp. which shows excellent transglycosylation reaction to hydroxyl groups in a variety of compounds. Two different glycolipids (GL-1 and GL-2) were prepared from ricinoleic acid using a recombinant α-glucosidase from Geobacillus sp.

Phylogenetic and enzymatic diversity of deep subseafloor aerobic microorganisms in organics- and methane-rich sediments off Shimokita Peninsula.

"A meta-enzyme approach" is proposed as an ecological enzymatic method to explore the potential functions of microbial communities in extreme environments such as the deep marine subsurface. We evaluated a variety of extra-cellular enzyme activities of sediment slurries and isolates from a deep subseafloor sediment core. Using the new deep-sea drilling vessel "Chikyu", we obtained 365 m of core sediments that contained approximately 2% organic matter and considerable amounts of methane from offshore the Shimokita Peninsula in Japan at a water depth of 1,180 m.