Description of a phototrophic bacterium, Thiorhodococcus alkaliphilus sp. nov.

Strain JA878T was purified from a photoheterotrophic enrichment obtained from a sediment sample of a brown pond near Nari Salt Pan, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. Cells of the isolate were coccoid, motile by means of single polar flagellum and Gram-stain-negative. The internal photosynthetic membrane architecture was vesicular.

Nesterenkonia cremea sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from a soda lake.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, non-endospore-forming bacterial strain, 10CT, was isolated from Lonar soda lake in India. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, this strain was identified as belonging to the genus Nesterenkonia and was most closely related to the type strains of Nesterenkonia lacusekhoensis (99.1 %, sequence similarity), Nesterenkonia aethiopica (96.

Bacillus alcaliphilum sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from a soda lake.

Two novel (14B and 7B) Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, motile and endospore-forming bacterial strains were isolated from Lonar soda lake, India. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strains 14B and 7B were identified as belonging to the class Firmibacteria and were most closely related to Bacillus halodurans LMG 7121 (99.7 and 99.

Comparative metabolomic studies of Alkanivorax xenomutans showing differential power output in a three chambered microbial fuel cell.

Metabolomic study of electrogenic bacteria is a necessity to understand the extent of complex organic matter degradation and to invent new co-culture techniques to achieve complete degradation. In this study, we have subjected Alkanivorax xenomutans (KCTC 23751; NBRC 108843), a bacterium capable for biodegradation of complex hydrocarbons, to oxic and anoxic conditions in a three chambered microbial fuel cell. In an attempt to understand the molecular mechanisms during the electrogenic processes of A.

Electrochemical Water Oxidation Catalyzed by an In Situ Generated α-Co(OH) Film on Zeolite-Y Surface.

The design and synthesis of an efficient and robust water-oxidation catalyst with inexpensive materials remains an important challenge in the context of artificial photosynthesis. Herein, a simple but unique technique is reported to in situ generate a thin-film of α-Co(OH) on the surface of zeolite-Y [hereafter referred to as Y-α-Co(OH) ] that acts as an efficient and stable catalyst for electrochemical water oxidation in alkaline medium. Catalyst Y-α-Co(OH) is so stable that it retains its catalytic activity even after 2000 cyclic voltammetric cycles of water oxidation.

Cloning, localization and differential expression of Neuropeptide-Y during early brain development and gonadal recrudescence in the catfish, Clarias gariepinus.

Neuropeptide-Y (NPY) has diverse physiological functions which are extensively studied in vertebrates. However, regulatory role of NPY in relation to brain ontogeny and recrudescence with reference to reproduction is less understood in fish. Present report for the first time evaluated the significance of NPY by transient esiRNA silencing and also analyzed its expression during brain development and gonadal recrudescence in the catfish, Clarias gariepinus.

Isolation of Blackberry-Shaped Nanoparticles of a Giant {MoFe} Cluster and Their Transformation to a Crystalline Nanoferric Molybdate.

When an aqueous solution of sodium molybdate is added to an aqueous solution of ferric chloride, acidified with acetic acid, a giant {MoFe} cluster is instantaneously formed as the amorphous substance Na[MoFeO(CHCOO)(OH)(HO)]·180 HO (1). Compound 1 consists of aggregated nanovesicles of {MoFe} clusters, as confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images of 1. An aqueous suspension of 1 upon moderate heating results in the formation of crystalline nanoferric molybdate, which gives insight into understanding the formation of a yellow coating mineral, ferrimolybdite, frequently found on the ores of molybdenum.

Halodesulfovibrio spirochaetisodalis gen. nov. sp. nov. and reclassification of four Desulfovibrio spp.

An antibiotic-producing, obligate anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative, catalase- and oxidase-negative strain (JC271T) was isolated from a marine habitat and identified, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, as a novel member of the family Desulfovibrionaceae. The closest phylogenetic relatives of strain JC271T were found to be Desulfovibrio marinisediminis C/L2T (99.2 %), Desulfovibrio acrylicus W218T (98.

Description of 'Candidatus Marispirochaeta associata' and reclassification of Spirochaeta bajacaliforniensis, Spirochaeta smaragdinae and Spirochaeta sinaica to a new genus Sediminispirochaeta gen. nov. as Sediminispirochaeta bajacaliforniensis comb. nov., Sediminispirochaeta smaragdinae comb. nov. and Sediminispirochaeta sinaica comb. nov.

Strain JC231 was isolated from a coastal saline habitat of Gujarat and was identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as a member belonging to the genus Spirochaeta and showed highest sequence similarity (<91 %) with Spirochaeta bajacaliforniensis DSM 16054T and other members of the family Spirochaetaceae. Intensive attempts to culture strain JC231 in pure culture have failed and were associated with only one species of a Desulfovibrio. However, presence of fosmidomycin inhibited the growth of Desulfovibrio sp.

Expression of wnt4/5 during reproductive cycle of catfish and wnt5 promoter analysis.

Signaling molecules, Wnt4 and Wnt5, are essential for ovarian growth during developmental stages in mammals. Although these molecules were identified in several teleosts, their precise expression and role in reproductive processes have not yet been explored in any lower vertebrates. In view of this, using catfish, Clarias batrachus as an animal model, cloning and expression analysis of wnt4 and wnt5 were analyzed in different tissues, at various developmental stages, during ovarian reproductive cycle and after gonadotropin induction.

Marinococcus salis sp., nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from a salt marsh.

A novel Gram-stain-positive, coccoid-shaped, facultative anaerobic, motile and halophilic bacterium strain 5M was isolated from Surajbari in India. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, it was identified as belonging to the genus Marinococcus and was most closely related to Marinococcus luteus KCTC 13214 (99.3 %, sequence similarity), Marinococcus halotolerans KCTC 19045 (99.

Involvement of pax2 in ovarian development and recrudescence of catfish: a role in steroidogenesis.

PAX2, a member of paired box family, is an essential transcription factor for the organ development in vertebrates including teleosts, yet no evidence has been shown for its involvement in reproduction. To study this, partial- and/or full-length cDNA of pax2 was isolated from the ovary of catfish, Clarias batrachus, along with its other Pax family members, pax1 and pax9 Tissue distribution and ontogeny expression analysis indicated the prevalence of pax2 but not pax1 and pax9 in ovary. Varied phase-wise expression during ovarian cycle and elevation of pax2 after human chorionic gonadotropin induction showed probable regulation by gonadotropins.

In vivo induction of human chorionic gonadotropin by osmotic pump advances sexual maturation during pre-spawning phase in adult catfish.

Gonadal maturation is a critical event wherein gonads, under the influence of several hormones and factors, undergo cyclic morphological and physiological changes to produce functional gametes during the spawning phase. However, artificial induction can be effectively used to advance the maturation of gonad vis-à-vis spawning like behavior in seasonal breeders during the off-breeding season. In the present study, osmotic pumps loaded with 5000IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or saline as control were implanted intraperitoneally for 21days during the pre-spawning phase (May-June) in catfish Clarias batrachus and C.

Description of Lunatimonas salinarum sp. nov.

A Gram-stain-negative, crescent-shaped, non-motile, aerobic bacterium was isolated from a saltern at Nari along the Bhavnagar coast, Gujarat, India. The strain designated JC344T was oxidase- and catalase-positive. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and sequence comparison data indicated that JC344T represented a member of the genus Lunatimonas and was closely related to the only species of the genus, Lunatimonas lonarensis AK24T (95.

Tersicoccus solisilvae sp., nov., a bacterium isolated from forest soil.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, coccoid bacterial strain, 36AT, was isolated from Munnar, in India. Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, this strain was identified as representing a member of the genus Tersicoccus and was most closely related to the type strain of Tersicoccus phoenicis (98.9 %, sequence similarity), the only other member of the genus, and to members of the related genus Arthrobacter (<96.

Description of Alteribacillus alkaliphilus sp. nov., reassignment of Bacillus iranensis (Bagheri et al. 2012) as Alteribacillus iranensis comb. nov. and emended description of the genus Alteribacillus.

A novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, endospore-forming, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium (strain JC229T) was isolated from a water sample collected from waterlogged alkaline soil. Strain JC229T was oxidase- and catalase-positive. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain JC229T was identified as belonging to the genus Alteribacillus of the phylum Firmicutes and was found to be most closely related to Alteribacillus bidgolensis P4BT (97.

Mycobacterium oryzae sp. nov., a scotochromogenic, rapidly growing species is able to infect human macrophage cell line.

Gram-stain-positive, acid-fast-positive, rapidly growing, rod-shaped bacteria (designated as strains JC290T, JC430 and JC431) were isolated from paddy cultivated soils on the Western Ghats of India. Phylogenetic analysis placed the three strains among the rapidly growing mycobacteria, being most closely related to Mycobacterium tokaiense 47503T (98.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Mycobacterium murale MA112/96T (98.

Pontibacillus salipaludis sp. nov., a slightly halophilic bacterium isolated from a salt pan.

Two novel Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anerobic, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming bacterial strains, 9DMT and 6DM, were isolated from Tuticorn, India. The high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (99.9 %) and DNA-DNA relatedness (88±2 %) indicated that strains 9DMT and 6DM were members of a single species.

Salinicoccus amylolyticus sp. nov., isolated from a saltern.

A Gram-stain-positive coccus, strain JC304T, was isolated from a saltern of Nari along the Bhavnagar Coast, Gujarat, India. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and sequence comparison data indicated that JC304T represented a member of the genus Salinicoccus and was most closely related to Salinicoccus roseus 9T (99.6 %), Salinicoccus luteus YIM 70202T (97.

Rhodovulum algae sp. nov., isolated from an algal mat.

A reddish-brown-pigmented, phototrophic bacterium, designated strain JA877T, was isolated from a brown algae mat sample collected from Jalandhar beach, Gujarat, India. On the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain JA877T belongs to the class Alphaproteobacteria and is closely related to the type strains Rhodovulum viride JA756T (99.0 %), Rhodovulum sulfidophilum Hansen W4T (98.

Land-use and land-cover change in Western Ghats of India.

The Western Ghats (WG) of India, one of the hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world, has witnessed major land-use and land-cover (LULC) change in recent times. The present research was aimed at studying the patterns of LULC change in WG during 1985-1995-2005, understanding the major drivers that caused such change, and projecting the future (2025) spatial distribution of forest using coupled logistic regression and Markov model. The International Geosphere Biosphere Program (IGBP) classification scheme was mainly followed in LULC characterization and change analysis.

Expression analysis and localization of wt1, ad4bp/sf-1 and gata4 in the testis of catfish, Clarias batrachus: Impact of wt1-esiRNA silencing.

In teleosts, a comprehensive role or interaction of wt1, ad4bp/sf-1 and gata4 genes in relation to gonadal development and/or recrudescence was never attempted. Present study aimed to identify the involvement of these genes during testicular development of catfish, Clarias batrachus. Dominant expression of wt1 and gata4 was observed in developing and adult testis, while ad4bp/sf-1 showed steady expression.

Paenibacillus arachidis sp. nov., isolated from groundnut seeds.

A Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated as strain E3T, was isolated from groundnut seeds. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain E3T belongs to the genus Paenibacillus with Paenibacillus thailandensis S3-4AT (96.0 %), Paenibacillus xanthinilyticus 11N27T (95.

Lysinibacillus xyleni sp. nov., isolated from a bottle of xylene.

A Gram-staining-positive, solvent-tolerating (acetophenone, benzene, toluene, xylene and hexane), aerobic, non-motile, terminal endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from a bottle of xylene. The strain, designated JC22(T), was found to be oxidase and catalase positive. The strain was able to tolerate solvents with different log p values like acetophenone (log P = 1.

Sox3 binds to 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase gene promoter suggesting transcriptional interaction in catfish.

In fishes, the expression of steroidogenic enzyme genes and their related transcription factors (TFs) are critical for the regulation of steroidogenesis and gonadal development. 11-KT is the potent androgen and hence, 11β-hsd, enzyme involved in 11-KT production is important. Regulation of 11β-hsd gene was never studied in any fishes.