6^th International Conference on Bacteriology July 12-13, 2021 Barcelona, Spain

Biography:

Anil Kumar is presently working at Devi Ahilya University, India.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Plastics have been an integral part of most of our daily requirements. Indiscriminate usage and disposal have led to the accumulation of massive quantities of waste. Their non-biodegradable nature makes them increasingly difficult to manage and dispose them. To counter this impending disaster, biodegradable polymers, especially polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), have been envisaged as potential alternatives.

Owing to their unique physicochemical characteristics, PHAs are gaining importance for versatile applications in the multiple sectors. The PHAs are microbially produced polyoxoesters which possess properties similar to various synthetic plastics like polypropylene. PHAs have the required potential to replace some of the today’s petro-plastics, owing to their inherent bio-degradability, thermo-plasticity, bio-compatibility and mechanical properties like flexibility, elasticity and versatility.

Methodology and Theoretical Orientation: Synthesis of PHAs takes place under unfavorable growth conditions and imbalanced nutrient supply. It implies that on one hand there is abundant availability of carbon source in the surrounding medium for the microorganism but on the other hand, there is limited supply of other growth essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorous, dissolved oxygen, or certain micro-components like sulfur or certain metals with essential functions in cell growth metabolism.

These circumstances induce PHAs synthesis as carbon and energy reserves in the cells. Although the industrial production of this bio-plastic commenced decades ago, its large scale production is still debilitated by factors such as rate of production by the bacteria and the raw materials used for its production, which finally escalates the production cost of PHAs. Selection of high PHAs producing bacterial strain along with optimized culture conditions and usage of biomass as raw material for biosynthesis of PHAs can remove the constraints in large scale economic production.

Conclusion and Significance: The commercial usage of green plastics (PHAs) can act as environmentally sustainable alternative to petro-based conventional plastics and can greatly lessen plastic pollution. The use of biomass as raw material for biosynthesis of PHAs may serve two purposes, one being the disposal of abundant surplus agricultural and industrial waste materials and another being economic utilization of such waste by its conversion into sustainable high valued bio-plastics.

Biography:

Geetanjali Sageena is an Assistant Professor in Department of Environmental Studies in Keshav Mahavidyalaya at University of Delhi, India. Her research interests are focused on Human Health, Sustainability, Environmental Changes, behaviors and other related aspects.

Abstract:

Due to heavy pollution environmental ecosystem has been imbalanced by harmful gases, particulate matter, and smog affecting the life around in numerous ways. There are many constituents present causing the harmful effect on living organisms especially, human beings. The lung being a vital organ involved in respiration, is most vulnerable to airborne infections and injury. Implications of several pathogenic microorganisms have been reported in the development of respiratory disease however the role of environmental factors in the initiation and progress of diseases can never be underestimated. Major dreadful respiratory diseases caused by environmental factors involve chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute lower respiratory tract infection, tuberculosis, lung cancer, SARS Covid-19. The causes of these diseases involve the air quality in terms of microbes, toxic particles, fumes, and allergens.

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain the behavioral response towards chemo stimulants i.e. heavy metals induced stress, acting in different stages of life in phenotypically small (selected) and large (control) populations of Drosophila melanogaster. The optimum chemo stimulant concentrations chosen were 13mM and 5 µM for two heavy metals FeSO₄ (essential) and CdCl₂ (non-essential). Interestingly the interaction of organism with changing environmental condition had a significant impact on the behavior.

Biography:

Maryam Ghayeb Zamharir has completed her study in Plant Diseases Department at Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract:

Grapevine can be severely affected by phytoplasmas and there is no effective control strategy for management of these diseases. A technique to reduce the number of infected plants could thus arise from the stimulant of plant defence systems to induce recovery. In this order, two components (T1: propamocarb/fosetyl 530:310 g/l and T2: hymexazol) were sprayed with 4/000 concentration on the canopy of symptomatic grapevines (cv. Bidaneh Sefid) infected by phytoplasma in Qazvin and Lorestan provinces (Iran). Treatments consisted of monthly sprays in spring-2016 and 2017 (two applications) in symptomatic plants. Treated plants in 2016 showed any symptoms in next year and treatment repetition were performed in 2017, in same vineyards with different symptomatic plants. Nested PCR analysis of DNA samples extracted from recovered plants failed to detect phytoplasma infection. The results of this study show these resistance inducers could promote host defence in treated phytoplasma infected plants and could be useful for control of grapevine phytoplasma diseases in Iran.

Biography:

Himen Salimizand has completed his MSc at from Pasteur Institute of Iran. He is a researcher at Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. He has published more than 25 papers in reputed journals.

Abstract:

Background and aim: The emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria has become a menace to global public health and socio-economic development. Colistin is used as the last resort antibiotic in refractory infections. However, resistant isolates are reported frequently. The aim of this study was to find mcr genes in healthy people poultry farms in Sanandaj, west of Iran.

Methods and materials: In this study, fecal samples were collected from two groups of humans and poultry. Colistin containing screening media as well as colistin-EDTA containing medium to screen plasmid-mediated colistin resistance. PCR for prevalent mcr genes were performed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done for mcr-harboring isolates.

Results: In this study, no colistin-resistant bacteria were isolated from poultry samples (0%) while two human E. coli isolates showed resistance to colistin (0.59%). Of which, one isolate was inhibited by EDTA and harbored mcr-1 variant. The MIC for colistin was 16 mg/L.

Conclusion: The results indicated the low prevalence of this gene in healthy individuals and poultry industry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of mcr in healthy individuals from Iran.

Biography:

Maryam Ghayeb Zamharir has completed her study in Plant Diseases Department at Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract:

Pea plant (Pisum sativum) showing witches' broom symptoms (PWB), small leaves, short internodes and stunting were observed on pea fields in Nourabad region of Lorestan province (Iran). The occurrence of phytoplasma infection in PWB plant was evaluated by molecular analyses based on 16S rDNA, nested-PCR/RFLP, sequencing and phylogenetic. The infection was confirmed by nested-PCR; amplicons of about 1.2 kb were obtained from all DNA samples from symptomatic plants. The in silico RFLP analysis generated patterns identical among PWB samples and showed a relationship of this phytoplasma to Pigeon pea witches' broom group (16SrIX-E). The 16S rDNA sequence, obtained from the R16MF2/MR2 and R16F2n/R2  nested-PCR products of three phytoplasma strains, shared 99% similarity with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma phoenicium’ isolate PEYc2  (GenBank accession:  JX857827) and Periwinkle virescence phytoplasma strain NAXOS  (GenBank accession:   HQ589191). The virtual RFLP pattern indicated a similarity coefficient of 0.98 with 16Sr group IX-E (GQ925918), suggesting that the PWB phytoplasma may represent a new member within this group. In the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a phytoplasma infecting the pea plants in Iran.

Biography:

Suzanne Loret acquired her expertise in biological risk assessment / management, thanks to a 20-year career as a scientist in a cell and molecular biology laboratory. Besides a solid background in this field, she is deeply involved in continuous learning of biosafety - and related topics - through regular participation in conferences and seminars organized by the European Biosafety Association (EBSA) as a 'learner'. She is also regularly an 'instructor' of biosafety training, being member the working group on education and training (ETWG) of EBSA since 2018. Moreover, biosafety teaching is part of her daily profession as institutional head of biosafety at the University of Namur (Belgium).

Abstract:

With the generalization of DNA-recombinant technologies in research and production laboratories, one of the biosafety goals is the prevention of the accidental release of genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs) in the environment. Routine laboratory work includes the daily use of non-pathogenic E coli strains transformed with a variety of plasmids expressing at least one antibiotic resistance gene (ABR) used as a selecting tool of successfully transformed bacteria. To prevent their accidental release in the environment, different disinfection / decontamination methods are used to neutralized those GM bacteria at the end of their use.

In order to check the efficacy of those methods, we collected samples of waste water from two research institutes, from laboratory sink exhaust ducts, as well as from treatment tanks of waste water treatment plants. Isolates were identified using the 16s ribosomal RNA sequencing and they were tested for the presence of two replication origins and seven ABR frequently found in laboratory plasmids. Only one isolate (out of 64) was an E. coli, indicating that laboratory staff applied correct neutralization methods.

Surprisingly, in the vicinity of research institute mostly, plasmid origin of replication typical of Enterobacteriaceae was found in non-Enterobacteriaceae bacterial strains (such as Pseudomonas sp. And Aeromonas sp.) Suggesting an interspecies transfer of plasmids. This raised a question about the efficacy of disinfection / decontamination methods to breakdown DNA (DNase effect). Indeed, sodium hypochlorite (largely used in research laboratories) has only a limited DNase effect compared to acids and quaternary amine compounds (QACs), or moist heating / UV treatments. Using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR), we determined the Decidual value (D) of several (chemical and physical) neutralization methods for their DNAse effect. This work led to recommendations for the treatment of liquid laboratory wastes aimed at reducing the risk of accidental release of intact ABR plasmids in the environment.