Selected Papers from 1st International Electronic Conference on Microbiology (ECM 2020)

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 26142

Special Issue Editors

1. Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
2. Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
Interests: environmental genomics; soil microbial community ecology; N and C cycle interactions; soil–plant–microbe interactions; greenhouse gas mitigation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Interests: emerging and re-emerging viruses; molecular pathogenesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: microbial biofilm formation; cyclic di-nucleotide signaling; pathogen-host interaction; protein quality control; Salmonella typhimurium; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Candida parapsilosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

ECM 2020 (https://ecm-2020.sciforum.net/) will present the latest research related to prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, viruses, and prions. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  1. Gut microbiota and health disease;
  2. Foodborne pathogens and food safety;
  3. Antimicrobial agents and resistance;
  4. Emerging infectious diseases;
  5. Successful bacterial clones;
  6. Cyclic di-nucleotide signaling;
  7. Ecology and physiology of acidobacteria;
  8. Microbial characterization and bioprocess;
  • Digitalization and automation for the characterization of microorganisms and bioprocess development;
  • Expression of difficult-to-express proteins;
  • Microbial bioprocess development with synthetic microorganisms (microorganisms which have been created by means of synthetic biology);
  1. Microbe–plant interactions
  • Endophytic microbes: applications and effects on plant hosts;
  • Nitrogen-fixing symbioses in plants;
  • Microbe–plant interactions in plant disease;
  • Symbioses effects on plant resilience in a changing climate;
  • A new agriculture employing symbiotic microbes in place of agrochemicals;
  1. Evolutionary insights into parasitism, pathogenicity, and drugable targets in the Alveolata.

This Special Issue is cooperating with the ECM 2020. Registered participants of this conference are invited to submit their manuscripts to be considered for publication. Authors may consider to contribute an original research article or review in areas related to the conference themes.

Prof. Dr. Eiko Kuramae
Dr. Jason Kindrachuk
Prof. Dr. Ute Römling
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut microbiota
  • foodborne pathogens
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • emerging infectious disease
  • bacteria
  • microbial characterization and bioprocess
  • plant pathogens
  • endophytic microbes
  • acidobacteria
  • parasitism

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 767 KiB  
Article
Polyphenols Content and In Vitro α-Glycosidase Activity of Different Italian Monofloral Honeys, and Their Effect on Selected Pathogenic and Probiotic Bacteria
by Florinda Fratianni, Maria Neve Ombra, Antonio d’Acierno, Lucia Caputo, Giuseppe Amato, Vincenzo De Feo, Raffaele Coppola and Filomena Nazzaro
Microorganisms 2021, 9(8), 1694; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9081694 - 09 Aug 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2274
Abstract
We evaluated the polyphenol content and the α-glucosidase activity exhibited by different monofloral honeys of Italian origin. Their capacity to act on different pathogenic (Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) as well as [...] Read more.
We evaluated the polyphenol content and the α-glucosidase activity exhibited by different monofloral honeys of Italian origin. Their capacity to act on different pathogenic (Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) as well as probiotic bacteria (Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus) was also assessed. Total polyphenols varied between 110.46 μg/g of fresh product (rhododendron honey) and 552.29 μg/g of fresh product (strawberry tree honey). Such result did not correspond to a parallel inhibitory α-glycosidase activity that, in each case was never higher than 33 μg/mL. Honeys were differently capable to fight the biofilm formation of the pathogens (inhibition up to 93.27%); they inhibited the in vitro adhesive process (inhibition up to 84.27%), and acted on mature biofilm (with values up to 76.64%). Their effect on bacterial metabolism was different too. Honeys were ineffective to inhibit E. coli mature biofilm nor to act on its metabolism. The action of the honey on probiotic strains seemed almost always stimulate their growth. Thus, these monofloral honeys might exhibit effects on human health and act positively as prebiotics. Full article
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20 pages, 19850 KiB  
Article
Yeasts and Lactic Acid Bacteria for Panettone Production: An Assessment of Candidate Strains
by Luciana De Vero, Giovanna Iosca, Salvatore La China, Fabio Licciardello, Maria Gullo and Andrea Pulvirenti
Microorganisms 2021, 9(5), 1093; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9051093 - 19 May 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4129
Abstract
The recovery of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in sourdough fermentation is the first step in the selection of starters with suitable technological aptitude and capable of producing desired aromas and/or aromatic precursors. In this work, two sourdoughs samples (MA and [...] Read more.
The recovery of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in sourdough fermentation is the first step in the selection of starters with suitable technological aptitude and capable of producing desired aromas and/or aromatic precursors. In this work, two sourdoughs samples (MA and MB) and the derived doughs (samples A and B) were collected from a bakery during artisanal Panettone manufacture. Yeasts and bacteria were isolated at different fermentation steps on selective agar media. A total of 77 isolates were obtained and characterized. Representative strains of yeasts and LAB were identified by sequencing the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA and the 16S rRNA genes, respectively. Moreover, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced in the collected samples were detected and correlated to the species found in the same samples. The results highlighted the occurrence of Kazachstania humilis in both samples A and B, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were detected only in samples B. Among LAB, Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis was the main species detected in both sourdoughs. Furthermore, strains belonging to the species Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Furfurilactobacillus rossiae, Lactobacillus parabuchneri, Leuconostoc citreum, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were assessed in the dough samples. Full article
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16 pages, 24135 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Soil Bacteria with Potential to Degrade Benzoate and Antagonistic to Fungal and Bacterial Phytopathogens
by Tatiana Z. Esikova, Tatiana O. Anokhina, Tatiana N. Abashina, Nataliya E. Suzina and Inna P. Solyanikova
Microorganisms 2021, 9(4), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9040755 - 03 Apr 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6028
Abstract
The intensive development of agriculture leads to the depletion of land and a decrease in crop yields and in plant resistances to diseases. A large number of fertilizers and pesticides are currently used to solve these problems. Chemicals can enter the soil and [...] Read more.
The intensive development of agriculture leads to the depletion of land and a decrease in crop yields and in plant resistances to diseases. A large number of fertilizers and pesticides are currently used to solve these problems. Chemicals can enter the soil and penetrate into the groundwater and agricultural plants. Therefore, the primary task is to intensify agricultural production without causing additional damage to the environment. This problem can be partially solved using microorganisms with target properties. Microorganisms that combine several useful traits are especially valuable. The aim of this work was to search for new microbial strains, which are characterized by the ability to increase the bioavailability of nutrients, phytostimulation, the antifungal effect and the decomposition of some xenobiotics. A few isolated strains of the genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas were characterized by high activity against fungal phytopathogens. One of the bacterial strains identified as Priestiaaryabhattai on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence was characterized by an unusual cellular morphology and development cycle, significantly different from all previously described bacteria of this genus. All isolated bacteria are capable of benzoate degradation as a sign of the ability to degrade aromatic compounds. Isolated strains were shown to be prospective agents in biotechnologies. Full article
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12 pages, 3918 KiB  
Article
Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plants, Soil, and the Autochthonous Microbial Community
by Marika Pellegrini, Daniela M. Spera, Claudia Ercole and Maddalena Del Gallo
Microorganisms 2021, 9(3), 639; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9030639 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3245
Abstract
The present work was aimed at investigating the effects of a four bacterial strain consortium—Azospirillum brasilense, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Herbaspirillum seropedicae, and Burkholderia ambifaria—on Allium cepa L. and on soil health. The bacterial consortium was inoculated on seeds of two different [...] Read more.
The present work was aimed at investigating the effects of a four bacterial strain consortium—Azospirillum brasilense, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Herbaspirillum seropedicae, and Burkholderia ambifaria—on Allium cepa L. and on soil health. The bacterial consortium was inoculated on seeds of two different onion varieties; inoculated and Control seeds (treated with autoclaved inoculum) were sown in an open-field and followed until harvest. Plant growth development parameters, as well as soil physico–chemical and molecular profiles (DNA extraction and 16S community sequencing on the Mi-Seq Illumina platform), were investigated. The results showed a positive influence of bacterial application on plant growth, with increased plant height (+18%), total chlorophylls (+42%), crop yields (+13%), and bulb dry matter (+3%) with respect to the Control. The differences between Control and treatments were also underlined in the bulb extracts in terms of total phenolic contents (+25%) and antioxidant activities (+20%). Soil fertility and microbial community structure and diversity were also positively affected by the bacterial inoculum. At harvest, the soil with the presence of the bacterial consortium showed an increase in total organic carbon, organic matter, and available phosphorus, as well as higher concentrations of nutrients than the Control. The ecological indexes calculated from the molecular profiles showed that community diversity was positively affected by the bacterial treatment. The present work showed the effective use of plant growth-promoting bacteria as a valid fertilization strategy to improve yield in productive landscapes whilst safeguarding soil biodiversity. Full article
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10 pages, 3426 KiB  
Article
Clonal Diversity and Antimicrobial Resistance of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Isolated from Canine Pyoderma
by Vanessa Silva, Ana Oliveira, Vera Manageiro, Manuela Caniça, Diogo Contente, Rosa Capita, Carlos Alonso-Calleja, Isabel Carvalho, José L. Capelo, Gilberto Igrejas and Patrícia Poeta
Microorganisms 2021, 9(3), 482; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9030482 - 25 Feb 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3146
Abstract
The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) antimicrobial resistance and epidemic genetic lineages is posing a challenge in veterinary medicine due to the limited therapeutical options. MRSP has been identified as an important canine pyoderma pathogen. Thus, we aimed to characterize the antimicrobial [...] Read more.
The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) antimicrobial resistance and epidemic genetic lineages is posing a challenge in veterinary medicine due to the limited therapeutical options. MRSP has been identified as an important canine pyoderma pathogen. Thus, we aimed to characterize the antimicrobial resistance and clonal lineages of MRSP isolated from canine cutaneous pyoderma. Thirty-one MRSP isolates recovered from pyoderma were further characterized. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method against 14 antimicrobial agents. The presence of antimicrobial and virulence genes was carried out by PCR. Multilocus sequence typing was performed in all isolates. All strains had a multidrug-resistant profile showing resistance mainly to penicillin, macrolides and lincosamides, aminoglycosides, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which was encoded by the blaZ, ermB, msr(A/B), aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2′′)-Ia, aph(3′)-IIIa, ant(4′)-Ia, tetM, tetK and dfrG genes. All isolates harbored the lukS-I/lukF-I virulence factors. Isolates were ascribed to nine previously described sequence types (STs): ST123, ST339, ST727, ST71, ST537, ST45, ST1029, ST118 and ST1468; and to five STs first described in this study: ST2024, ST2025, ST2026, ST2027 and ST2028. In this study, most isolates belonged to ST123 (n = 16), which belongs to CC71 and is the most common clone in Europe. All isolates were multidrug-resistant, which may impose a serious threat to animal health. Full article
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Review

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33 pages, 1100 KiB  
Review
Present and Future Perspectives on Therapeutic Options for Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Infections
by Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu, Elena Georgiana Dobre, Irina Gheorghe, Ilda Barbu, Roxana Elena Cristian and Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
Microorganisms 2021, 9(4), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9040730 - 31 Mar 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6161
Abstract
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are included in the list of the most threatening antibiotic resistance microorganisms, being responsible for often insurmountable therapeutic issues, especially in hospitalized patients and immunocompromised individuals and patients in intensive care units. The enzymatic resistance to carbapenems is encoded by [...] Read more.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are included in the list of the most threatening antibiotic resistance microorganisms, being responsible for often insurmountable therapeutic issues, especially in hospitalized patients and immunocompromised individuals and patients in intensive care units. The enzymatic resistance to carbapenems is encoded by different β-lactamases belonging to A, B or D Ambler class. Besides compromising the activity of last-resort antibiotics, CRE have spread from the clinical to the environmental sectors, in all geographic regions. The purpose of this review is to present present and future perspectives on CRE-associated infections treatment. Full article
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