Publications by authors named "Likou Zou"

Sodium hypochlorite (SHC) is the most commonly utilized carcass and equipment disinfectant in the poultry industry. However, prolonged exposure to SHC can result in the development of bacterial tolerance and exert co-selection on antimicrobial resistance. This study investigated the co-resistance to SHC and multiple antimicrobial agents among Salmonella enterica serovar Indiana (S.

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Here, thermophilic bacteria (TB) with cellulose degradation functions were screened from composting panda feces and applied to cattle manure composting. TB (Aeribacillus pallidus G5 and Parageobacillus toebii G12) inoculation led to remarkable improvement of the compost temperature, prolonging of the thermophilic stage and shortening of the composting process, resulting in increased manure harmlessness (GI ≥ 70%), compost humification, and greenhouse gas emission reduction (14.19%-22.

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Spore-forming bacteria (SFB), like Bacillus, are the gram-positive bacteria with broad-spectrum activity that is one of the commonly used strains of probiotics. However, these bacteria also have significant resistance. In this study, we systematically investigated pig manure, manure slurry and soil by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and traditional culture techniques.

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Background: Pediococcus acidilactici is an effective adsorbent for removing of pyrethroid insecticides. This study investigated the biosorption characteristics and mechanisms of P. acidilactici D15 using adsorption measurement, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

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Cadmium contamination poses a significant risk to soil ecosystems in certain parts of the world. Using eco-friendly fertilizers alongside beneficial microorganisms offers a viable solution to mitigate Cd pollution in agricultural soil. This study used an outdoor experiment to evaluate the impact of administering a Cd-immobilizing bacterial (Bacillus) inoculant with two biologically-enriched organic fertilizers (either fermentative edible fungi residue or fermented cow dung) on wheat plants and associated microbial populations in a field contaminated with Cd.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Histamine in sausages is mainly produced by bacteria through the conversion of histidine, typically involving the enzyme histidine decarboxylase (hdc), but Enterobacter hormaechei RH3 can produce high histamine levels even without it.
  • - The study identified a new enzyme, NehdX-772, from RH3 that acts similarly to hdc and functions optimally at 35°C and pH 6.0, with tolerance to 2.5% salt concentration.
  • - NehdX-772 significantly increases histamine production in sausages and understanding this enzyme may help develop methods to reduce histamine levels in these products.
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  • Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen primarily linked to chicken meat, and this study investigates its prevalence and characteristics in different retail chicken supply modes: live, frozen, and chilled.
  • A total of 480 chicken samples revealed a higher prevalence of Salmonella in live poultry (67.5%) compared to frozen (50.0%) and chilled (43.3%) modes.
  • The study found significant differences in serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance, with frozen chicken exhibiting the highest multidrug resistance rates (91.8%) and greater diversity of antibiotic resistance genes.
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With continuous mine exploitation, regional ecosystems have been damaged, resulting in a decline in the carbon sink capacity of mining areas. There is a global shortage of effective soil ecological restoration techniques for mining areas, especially for vanadium (V) and titanium (Ti) magnetite tailings, and the impact of phytoremediation techniques on the soil carbon cycle remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of long-term Pongamia pinnata remediation on soil organic carbon transformation of V-Ti magnetite tailing to reveal the bacterial community driving mechanism.

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Phthalate acid esters (PAEs) and their metabolites, such as di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), are known to cause male reproductive damage. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RS20D has demonstrated the ability to remove both DBP and MBP in vitro, suggesting its potential as a detoxifying agent against these compounds. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of RS20D on DBP or MBP-induced male reproductive toxicity in adolescent rats.

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As an efficient degradation strain, SC-1 can breakdown 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) with high proficiency. To investigate the internal factors that regulate this process, we conducted whole-genome sequencing and successfully identified the pivotal 3-PBA-degrading gene (1,230 bp). After was expressed in engineered bacteria, a remarkable degradation efficiency was observed, as 20 mg/L 3-PBA was almost completely decomposed within 24 h.

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  • - Sichuan bacon, a popular dry-cured meat in Southwest China, showed a 23.4% contamination rate of ochratoxin A (OTA), a harmful toxin that exceeded safety limits for meat products across several EU countries, raising food safety concerns.
  • - The fungus Aspergillus westerdijkiae was identified as the source of OTA production in Sichuan bacon, with specific growth conditions noted: optimal growth occurred at 25°C, while OTA production peaked at 20°C.
  • - Four strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were found effective in inhibiting fungal growth and reducing OTA levels, suggesting a potential biological method for controlling OTA in Sichuan bacon.
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  • - Chlorine and its derivatives are commonly used as disinfectants in China's pork supply chain, but their overuse might lead to the emergence of chlorine-tolerant bacteria and increased antibiotic resistance among pathogens.
  • - The study found significant changes in the bacterial composition of a pork wholesale market after disinfection with sodium hypochlorite, with persistent presence of harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli despite disinfection efforts.
  • - Important correlations were identified between antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and disinfectant resistance genes, with Acinetobacter and Salmonella showing resistance mechanisms mainly through antibiotic deactivation and efflux, highlighting the limitations of current disinfection practices.
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The giant panda, a strict herbivore that feeds on bamboo, still retains a typical carnivorous digestive system. Reference catalogs of microbial genes and genomes are lacking, largely limiting the antibiotic resistome and functional exploration of the giant panda gut microbiome. Here, we integrated 177 fecal metagenomes of captive and wild giant pandas to construct a giant panda integrated gene catalog (GPIGC) comprised of approximately 4.

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Heavy metal and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from livestock feces are ecological and public health problems. However, the distribution and relationships of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs), and virulence factors (VFs) and their transmission mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the resistance of Escherichia coli, the prevalence of its ARGs, HMRGs, and VFs, and their transmission mechanisms in livestock fresh feces (FF), composted feces (CF), and fertilized soil (FS).

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Histamine (HIS) is primarily formed from decarboxylated histidine by certain bacteria with histidine decarboxylase (hdc) activity and is the most toxic biogenic amine. Hdc, which is encoded by the hdc gene, serves as a key enzyme that controls HIS production in bacteria. In this paper, we characterized the changes in microbial and biogenic amines content of traditional Sichuan-style sausage before and after storage and demonstrated that Enterobacteriaceae play an important role in the formation of HIS.

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In order to explore the structural changes and products of histamine degradation by multicopper oxidase (MCO) in LPZN19, a 1500 bp gene in LPZN19 was cloned, and the recombinant MCO was expressed in BL21 (DE3). After purification by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography, the obtained MCO has a molecular weight of 58 kDa, and it also has the highest enzyme activity at 50 °C and pH 3.5, with a relative enzyme activity of 100%, and it maintains 57.

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Earthen sites are the important cultural heritage that carriers of human civilization and contains abundant history information. Microorganisms are one of important factors causing the deterioration of cultural heritage. However, little attention has been paid to the role of biological factors on the deterioration of earthen sites at present.

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Traditional fermented milk from the western Sichuan plateau of China has a unique flavor and rich microbial diversity. This study explored the quality formation mechanism in fermented milk inoculated with NZ4 and SY11 (MFM), the dominant microorganisms isolated from traditional dairy products in western nan. The results indicated that MFM displayed better overall quality than the milk fermented with NZ4 (LFM) and SY11 (KFM), respectively.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined 19 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) isolates from diarrhea in pigs at large-scale farms in Sichuan, China, using whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics to understand their traits and resistance patterns.
  • The isolates showed significant resistance to multiple antibiotics but were sensitive to a few, with notable genetic diversity and the presence of harmful virulence factors, some of which are linked to human diseases.
  • The prevalence of hybrid ETEC/STEC isolates and resistance genes on plasmids raises concerns about potential public health risks and emphasizes the need for better control strategies in both animal and human health contexts.
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  • * A recent study found that strain Z-1 has a high survival rate under acidic conditions and thrives with added arginine, indicating its resilience in vinegar production.
  • * The research identified potential acid resistance-related genes in Z-1, focusing on amino acid metabolism, protein folding, and cellular repair, providing insights for better vinegar brewing practices.
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In industrial production, the excessive discharge of furfural can pose harm to soil microorganisms, aquatic animals and plants, as well as humans. Therefore, it is crucial to develop efficient and cost-effective methods for degrading furfural in the environment. Currently, the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for furfural degradation in water has shown effectiveness, but there is a need to explore improved efficiency and tolerance in S.

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The gastrointestinal microbiome (GM) of giant panda (GP) plays an important role in food utilization and health and is also an essential reservoir of resistance genes. Currently, little knowledge is available on the GM, acid resistance genes (AcRGs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), metal resistance genes (MRGs), and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in wild GPs. We sampled the gastrointestinal tract of a dead GP and explored the composition and function of GM and resistance genes through cryo-scanning electron microscopy, metagenomic sequencing, and genome-resolved metagenomics.

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Salmonella has presented increasingly alarming rates of antimicrobial resistance believed to be a result of a high prevalence of integrons. It is speculated that disinfectant-resistant isolates are due to the expression of qacEΔ1, an efflux pump located in the 3' conserved sequence (3'CS) of class 1 integrons. With this concern, we tested the antibiotic and disinfectant resistance of 581 Salmonella strains collected from different sources, and characterized their integron structures.

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Widespread use of disinfectants raises concerns over their involvement in altering microbial communities and promoting antimicrobial resistance. This study explores the influence of disinfection protocols on microbial populations and resistance genes within an isolated enclosure environment and in the gut of giant pandas (GPs) held within. Samples of panda feces, air conditioning ducts, soil and bamboo were collected before and after disinfection.

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The residue of carbaryl in food is a threat to human health. In this study, activated soybean shell biochar (A-SBC) was used as a carrier, methacrylic acid (MAA) was used as a functional monomer, and carbaryl was used as a template molecule to synthesize the activated biochar surface molecularly imprinted polymer (A-SBC@MIP). The synthesized A-SBC@MIP was characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XRD and XPS techniques, and then applied as adsorbent for carbaryl removal.

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