Computational prediction of microRNAs in marine bacteria of the genus Thalassospira.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in regulation of gene expression at post-transcription level in eukaryotic cells. MiRNAs have been intensively studied in plants, animals and viruses. The investigations of bacterial miRNAs have gained less attention, except for the recent studies on miRNAs derived from Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 and Escherichia coli DH10B.

Thalassospira australica sp. nov. isolated from sea water.

Two Gram-negative, non-pigmented, motile bacteria were isolated from a sea water sample collected at St. Kilda Beach, Port Philip Bay, Victoria, Australia. The two strains were found to grow between 4 and 40 °C, pH 5-10 and tolerate up to 10 % NaCl.