Day 3 :
- Young Research Forum
Location: Conference Hall
Session Introduction
Vincent Tesson
INRA, France
Title: Immobilization of murine noroviruses in a cultivated phaeozem soil and its reversibility
Time : 10:10-10:20
Biography:
Vincent Tesson has his expertise in the environmental fate of human enteric viruses. After working on the detections of equine and Bovine coronavirus by RT-qPCR and FTIR spectroscopy, respectively, he undertook a Ph.D on the environmental fate of human enteric viruses by analyzing their fate after wastewater discharge in river or reuse in agricultural irrigation. He has completed a work on the fate of viruses in the soil that contributes to a project on green onion contamination. He is currently working on the simulation of virus discharge in rivers from regional acute gastroenteritis epidemiological data.
Abstract:
Wastewater reuse in irrigation may contaminate soils with human enteric viruses that can be internalized in plants via their roots. Experiments have shown that virus immobilization in soils varies with virus, soil and soil solution; results were mostly obtained at saturation and the reversibility of immobilization was not clearly assessed. Models generally use a partition coefficient, although colloid immobilization is often assumed kinetic and non-reversible. Our objectives were to explore other contexts, assess the reversibility of immobilization and the relevance of equilibrium or kinetic models. Columns of phaeozem soil aggregates were saturated with soil solutions optionally enriched with MgCl2 or fulvic acids, under vacuum or air to affect air trapping. For immobilization, the solutions circulated at different temperatures between the columns and reservoirs contaminated with murine noroviruses. For remobilization, contaminated columns were stored between 0 and 6 days at some moistures and then rinsed by - virus-free - soil solutions, sterilized wastewater or underground water. Solutions were sampled in the reservoirs or at the column outlets; half aliquots were filtered at 0.45 μm. Viruses retained in soils were extracted. Immobilizations were also monitored on stirred soil suspensions. Viruses were quantified by RT-qPCR and cell culture. The relevancies of models combining flow and immobilization were evaluated. Except after MgCl2 enrichment, the weak virus immobilization over 1 day - i.e. about 40% of the brought viruses – could be quantified only from remobilization experiments. When saturated conditions are kept for 6 additional days, most of viruses are progressively immobilized, only a few being remobilized later with virus free soil solution. Fulvic acids increase virus remobilization. By contrast, the partial drying of soil columns after the initial immobilization day increases the irreversibility of the immobilization. Models considering inter- and intra-aggregate pore spaces as well as reversible and irreversible virus immobilizations fitted to experiments
Shweta Nistala
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, India
Title: Bacillus megaterium: A potential swimmer and an efficient bio-degrader of an organophosphorus pesticide
Time : 10:20-10:40
Biography:
Shweta N is pursuing her Ph.D from School of Studies in Biotechnology, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, India. She is working as an environmental microbiologist and has expertise regarding isolation of the microbes using the modern cultivation approaches. She has been testing the microbes for biodegradation purpose of pesticides for achieving sustainability also testing the sensory response of bacteria. She has been working in this area for three years. Achievements of her include isolation of positive and responsive pollutant (especially pesticides) degrading bacteria. In relation to this, she has published one paper and others are in communication.
Abstract:
Agriculture sector is largely dependent on the use of synthetic agrochemicals (pesticides) for increasing the crops productivity and to protect it from pests. Chlorpyrifos is one of the globally and popularly exploited pesticides, but continuous and unethical use of it has become a major threat to soil contamination due to high soil adsorption coefficient, comparatively longer half life and persistence nature. The Diffusion chamber method targeted one of the bacterial strains from the soil samples of identified paddy growing field which showed significant growth and tolerance against higher (600 mgL-1) concentration of Chlorpyrifos and having potency of its degradation. Morphological and molecular characterization identified the strain as Bacillus megaterium. Further, micro-capillary assay revealed Chlorpyrifos as chemo attractant for the Bacillus megaterium and chemotactic response was seen to be induced by both 600 and 800 mgL-1 concentrations of this pesticide. Moreover, the results of HPLC analysis pertaining to Chlorpyrifos degradation efficiency revealed that 600 mgL-1 of it is the most suited concentration for degradation by Bacillus megaterium, and about 81% of it was metabolized within 10 days of incubation. Concentration dependent decrease in peak area as well as emergence of new peak(s) was also observed which could be assumed as metabolites of this pesticide. Moreover, SDS-PAGE of the Bacillus megaterium cell lysate revealed appearance of new bands over the gel in response to Chlorpyrifos. Thus, overall study suggested that Bacillus megaterium could be well exploited for bioremediation of Chlorpyrifos contaminated sites.
Francois-Etienne Sylvain
Laval University, Canada
Title: You are what you eat: Get mature faster by foraging on your parents, the discus fish example
Time : 11:00-11:20
Biography:
Francois-Etienne Sylvain completed his Master's thesis at Laval University (Quebec). His longtime passion for the underwater world led him to work on fishassociated microbiomes. Francois-Etienne is particularly interested in understanding what are the factors that shape the structure of Amazonian fish microbiota, as the Amazon River Basin contains the highest fish biodiversity in the world, as well as very contrasted aquatic environments (e.g. black and white water). Francois- Etienne and his thesis advisor, Nicolas Derome, have established a research collaboration with the National Institute of Research of the Amazon (Brazil), where two collaborative research projects were completed. For his research on the discus fish gut microbiota ontogeny, Francois-Etienne received the JC Bill Costerton Award, for "Research that best involves new theories in microbial ecology and wider inter-disciplinary significance" at the 16th International Symposium of Microbial Ecology (ISME 2016).
Abstract:
The Discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciata) is an Amazonian ornamental fish with a unique parental behaviour. After hatching, the fry feeds exclusively on a cutaneous mucus secretion from both parents during three weeks. Studies have documented a differential protein pattern on the mucus layer of discus in reproductive phase, suggesting that specific elements are vertically transferred from parents to their offspring to stimulate fry growth. The aims of our study were (1) to characterize the ontogenesis of discus fish gut microbiota; (2) to determine if reproduction phase induced a differential shift of cutaneous mucus microbiota composition on parental fish; and (3) to assess the impact of parental feeding on the compositional dynamics of discus fry gut microbiota. To achieve these goals, we sampled thoroughly one brood of S. aequifasciata, during four months post-hatch. We sampled fry and parental feces, parental mucus and aquarium water. We sequenced the hypervariable region V4 of the rRNA 16S to characterize bacterial communities in all samples. The results show that (1) there is a convergence of the gut microbiota composition of the fry towards the gut microbiota of their parents as soon as the fry starts feeding on their parents cutaneous mucus; (2) there is a differential shift of the parental mucus microbiota composition when the parents get in reproductive phase; and (3) the taxonomic structure of the fry gut microbiota stabilizes earlier than what has been observed for the shorter-lived zebrafish. Our results highlight the beneficial influence of vertical parent-offspring transfer of parental bacteria via skin mucus feeding.
Eter Abulidze
Ilia State University, Georgia
Title: Biodiversity monitoring in Sno valley (Georgia, Caucasus)
Time : 11:20-11:40
Biography:
Eter Abulidze from Georgia (Caucasus), is a 3rd-year Ph.D. student at the Ilia State University, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, She is working as a Researcher at the Institute of Ecology (2013–2014/2016-2017). Also, She has the financial support as a Researcher for the biodiversity monitoring program from German NGO GIZ (2017). During two years She was studied in the Italy University of Tuscia, Department of Dafne, as a Ph.D. exchange student (Erasmus Mundus program) molecular genetics' laboratory and worked molecular-genetic analysis of Nordman's Fir (Abies nordmannian) and Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis) in Caucasus region (2014-2016). She was involved in ”Spiral Methodology Seminar” at the Greece City of Kavala. She has a Master's Degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology and Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Ecology.
Abstract:
The valley of Sno in Georgia (Caucasus) (Figure) is rich with its biological and landscape diversity (http://www.apa.gov.ge) and is one of the most popular destinations for tourists. Currently, hydro-electric stations and pylons are planned to be deployed in Sno Valley, which is supposed to have an impact on the biodiversity of the area. Previous studies have shown that the development of high voltage electro-power transmission system could affect local biodiversity either by the destruction of the physical environment or by the direct influence of electromagnetic field on plants and animals (https://electricalnotes.wordpress.com 2012.02.17). The direct effects on biodiversity could be numerous. As power lines are particularly bright and their Ultra Violet light is visible for most of the animal species, it will become a physical barrier for them which, in turn, could pose a problem during migration (https://www.theguardian.com 12 March 2014). Some bird species (Great Rosefinch (Carpodacus rubicilla ), Guldenstadt's Redstart (Phoenicurus erythrogaster) and Chiffchaff, (Phylloscopus collybita) spend their lifetime in Sno Valley(N. Paposhvili et al., 2016). In winter, they use the sea-buckthorn for feeding which is mostly occurring in the areas where the pylons will be deployed. A Large part of this wintering habitat is already destroyed which means that specific bird species will face significant problems. High voltage electromagnetic field has already identified as a threat to animal and plant species' health, development, and germination (Balaji, A. 2015; Dib & Mordjaoui, 2014). Hence, monitoring of local biodiversity is an important issue for its maintenance and conservation. The proposed research will help to develop biodiversity database that could serve as a baseline for future biomonitoring of the impact of hydro-electric constructions. In particular, I have evaluated the forest coverage in the valley and generated a distributional database for wooded plants, birds, large mammals and reptile species. In addition, during the research, I observed the process of deployment of power pylons and estimated reduction and degradation of the habitats of certain species of the populations.
Adnan Saeed
Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Poland
Title: Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies directed toward Tsukamurella pulmonis polysaccharide
Time : 11:40-12:00
Biography:
Adnan Saeed is researcher in Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, Wroclaw, Poland.
Abstract:
The genus Tsukamurella includes aerobic Gram-positive and modified acid alcohol-fast-positive rods belonging to the aerobic actinomycetes, usually found in soil, sludge and arthropods. T. pulmonis is a rare human pathogen associated with oncologic and immunosuppressed patients, and a variety of infections have been associated with this bacterium: pneumonia, conjunctivitis,
keratitis and catheter-related bacteremia. The strain of T. pulmonis was obtained from Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM2578). The bacteria were identified morphologically by Gram staining, scanning electron microscopy and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The polysaccharides were extracted by trichloroacetic acid from dry bacterial cell mass and purified by anion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. Sugar composition was determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLCMS). The monoclonal antibodies against polysaccharide of T. pulmonis were obtained by the hybridoma technique. Rabbit polyclonal immune sera against T. pulmonis were obtained by immunization with T. pulmonis whole cells. The scanning electron microscopy showed a variation of the rod shape of the bacteria. Purified polysaccharide of T. pulmonis consists of arabinose and mannose also
traces amounts of glucose and galactoses were detected. Two hybridomas 5 and 23 producing mAbs against polysaccharide antigen were IgM class. The ELISA test allowed to detect cross reactivity of these monoclonal antibodies with some other Actinomyces spp antigens. Reactivity in double immunodiffusion test of polysaccharide antigen of T. pulmonis with polyclonal sera against T. pulmonis, T. tyrosinosolvens, T. inchonensis and T. paurometabola cells was observed. Cross reactivity of EPS were seen with all Tsukamurella antisera studied. Results indicate that monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and polysaccharide could serve as tools for diagnostic purposes but their diagnostic potential should be further studied regarding the specificity and structure of epitope recognized.