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Bioaugmentation retting with the specialized pectinolytic and xylanolytic microorganisms can accelerate the removal of non-cellulosic macromolecules around plant fibers, thus shortening retting time and facilitating fiber quality. Currently, few specialized microorganisms have been explored for the retting of sisal fibers. The present study excavated the retting fungi including Aspergillus micronesiensis HD 3-6, Penicillium citrinum HD 3-12-3, and Cladosporium sp. HD 4-13 from the region-specific soil samples of planting sisal, and investigated their bioaugmentation retting effects on raw sisal leaves. Results showed that combination of the three fungi achieved the most excellent degumming efficiency (13.69 % of residual gum in sisal fibers) and the highest fiber yield (4.47 %). Furthermore, this fungi combination had the ideal enzymatic hydrolysis features with high activities of pectinase, xylanase and mannanase whereas a low activity of cellulase during the whole retting process, thus endowing the prepared sisal fibers with the lowest mass percentage of non-cellulosic macromolecules (9.76 wt%) and the highest cellulose content (89.23 wt%). SEM and FT-IR analysis further verified that the non-cellulosic substances around sisal fibers were efficiently removed. In summary, the consortia of the three fungi achieved ideal degumming-related enzymes for the removal of non-cellulosic macromolecules, thus acquiring the efficient preparation of sisal fibers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To understand the potential roles of terrestrial bamboo on controlling cyanobacterial blooms in aquatic systems, growth rates of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and its competitor algae were examined under different concentrations of bamboo extract. In mono-species cultures with unicellular algal strains, 5.0 g L -1 extract treatment suppressed M. aeruginosa growth, while it had little effect on the growth of green alga Scenedesmus obliquus or promoted the growth of diatom Nitzschia palea. In co-species cultures, the extract treatment increased the effect of S. obliquus and N. palea on the growth of M. aeruginosa. Under the extract treatment with a field-collected M. aeruginosa population, its cell density declined and its colony was etiolated and sank, while co-cultured N. palea increased explosively by invading the colony. These results suggest that bamboo forest stands along banks and artificially installed bamboo poles can affect the aquatic environment for phytoplankton community. Enhancing the growth of competitors, especially diatoms that can invade cyanobacterial colonies, by using extracts or by providing substrates for growth, was suggested to be the major way of the bloom control by bamboo., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Symbiotic fungi of wood-inhabiting insects are often considered to aid wood digestion of host insects when the associated fungi can assimilate wood-associated indigestible materials. In most cases, however, the components of wood that are utilized by fungal symbionts remain poorly understood. The lizard beetle Doubledaya bucculenta (Coleoptera, Erotylidae, Languriinae) farms the symbiotic yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus inside the cavity of host bamboo internodes, which serves as food for larvae. To determine the carbon sources of the internodes serving as nutritional substrates for W. anomalus, we used ion exchange chromatography measurements to analyze free and structural sugar compositions in fresh pith (FP), yeast-cultured pith (YP), and larva-reared pith (LP) of internodes. Glucose and fructose were the major free sugars in FP and markedly decreased in YP and LP. For structural sugars, no sugar significantly decreased in YP or LP compared with FP. Carbon assimilation tests showed that W. anomalus assimilated glucose, mannose, fructose, and sucrose strongly, xylose and cellobiose moderately, and xylan weakly. Elemental analysis revealed that the compositions of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen were not significantly different among tissue types. These results suggest that W. anomalus does not consume bamboo-associated indigestible sugars but most free sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, in the pith. Our findings suggest that a symbiont's abilities may not always benefit its host in nature., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The plant microbiota play a key role in plant productivity, nutrient uptake, resistance to stress and flowering. The flowering of moso bamboo has been a focus of study. The mechanism of flowering is related to nutrient uptake, temperature, hormone balance and regulation of key genes. However, the connection between microbiota of moso bamboo and its flowering is unknown. In this study, samples of rhizosphere soil, rhizomes, roots and leaves of flowering and nonflowering plants were collected, and 16S rRNA amplicon Illumina sequencing was utilized to separate the bacterial communities associated with different flowering stages of moso bamboo. We identified 5442 OTUs, and the number of rhizosphere soil OTUs was much higher than those of other samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (Bray Curtis dis) analysis revealed that the bacterial microorganisms related to rhizosphere soil and endophytic tissues of moso bamboo differed significantly from those in bulk soil and rhizobacterial and endosphere microbiomes. In addition, the PCA analyses of root and rhizosphere soil revealed different structures of microbial communities between bamboo that is flowering and not flowering. Through the analysis of core microorganisms, it was found that Flavobacterium, Bacillus and Stenotrophomonas played an important role in the absorption of N elements, which may affect the flowering time of moso bamboo. Our results delineate the complex host-microbe interactions of this plant. We also discuss the potential influence of bacterial microbiome in flowering, which can provide a basis for the development and utilization of moso bamboo.

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachysheterocycla (Carr.) Mitford cv. Pubescens) is an economically valuable plant in bamboo production areas of southern China, for which the management mode is crucial for improving the comprehensive benefits of bamboo forest stands. In this respect, mixed forested areas of bamboo and broad-leaved tree species can provide sound ecological management of bamboo in forestry operations. To further this goal, an outstanding question is to better understand the spatial distribution of soil bacterial communities in relation to the proportion of mixed in bamboo and broad-leaved forest. We analyzed soil bacterial community diversity and composition along a proportional gradient of 0-40% mixed-ratio (as represented by the width and size of the broad-leaved tree crown over the plot area) of bamboo and broad-leaved forest in Tianbao Yan Nature Reserve using the highthroughputsequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.Specifically, the sampling plots for the mixed proportions were divided according to the percentage of summed projected area of live broadleaf tree crowns. The main broad-leaved species in the five mixed ratio plots are the same. Each plot was 20 m × 20 m in size, and a total of 15 plots were established, three per forest ratio class. From each plot, soil samples were taken at the surface (0-10 cm depth) in December 2017. Our analysis revealed that soil bacterial diversity community structure and dominant flora changed under different mixing ratios of bamboo and broad-leaved trees. In the stand with a mixed ratio of 10-20%, the bacterial diversity index is higher; however, the diversity was lowest in the 20-30% stands. Among the 20-30% forest soil, Acidobacteria (Solibacteria, Solibacteriales, Acidobacteriales) was more abundant than in soils from other mixed-ratio stands.Redundancy analysis showed that mixed forest stand structure, soil pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and soil moisture all contributed to shaping the bacterial community structure. Changes in microbial communities were associated with species diversity in tree layers, availability of soil nutrients (SOC and TN), and changes in soil physical properties (MS, pH). Together, these empirical results suggest that different mixing ratios in the bamboo-broad-leaved mixed forest could influence the soil bacterial community structure indirectly, specifically by affecting the soil physical and chemical properties of the forest.

Hypoviruses are positive-sense single-stranded RNA mycovirus that infect filamentous fungi. However, hypoviruses have not been reported in Bipolaris oryzae, an important phytopathogenic fungus in water bamboo and rice. Here, we report the characterization of a novel hypovirus, tentatively named "Bipolaris oryzae hypovirus 1" (BoHV1), isolated from strain ES35 of B. oryzae infecting water bamboo. The complete genome of BoHV1 consists of 13,596 nucleotides and a poly(A) tail at the 3' end. BoHV1 has single open reading frame (ORF) and encodes a putative polyprotein (4,218 amino acids) containing four potential conserved domains for a papain-like protease, a protein of unknown function (DUF3525), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and helicase. Phylogenetic analysis of the polyprotein, RdRp, and helicase domains suggested that BoHV1 belongs to the genus Hypovirus within the family Hypoviridae. This is the first report of the presence of a hypovirus in the phytopathogenic fungus B. oryzae.

Bamboo with the outstanding properties, such as good mechanical strength, fast growth rate and low growth cost, is considered as one of utilitarian structural nature materials. But bamboo is easy to get mildewed resulting in disfiguration and fungi corrosion. In this work, a facile method was developed to improve the mildew-proofing capability of bamboo. Mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) with biomimetic adhesion function and highly active functional groups was employed to immobilize highly-dispersed Ag and TiO 2 nanoparticles on the surface of bamboo via an in-situ growth method. Integrating the uniform PDA coating, photocatalytic function of TiO 2 nanoparticles and bactericidal role of Ag nanoparticles, the mildew-proofing capability of bamboo is enhanced significantly. The results show a non-covalent interaction is more likely to account for the binding mechanism of PDA to bamboo. And the prepared bamboo samples show good photocatalytic performance and have excellent resistance leachability. Meanwhile, the mildew-proofing property of prepared bamboo sample was greatly improved.

Background: Localized `and disseminated Nocardia farcinica infection is frequently reported in immunocompromised patients. However, orbital nocardiosis is rare, and, to our knowledge, traumatic orbital nocardiosis that affects the brain has never been described. Here, we report a case of traumatic orbital and intracranial N. farcinica infection in an immunocompetent patient., Case Presentation: A 35-year-old man, who was immunocompetent, to the best of our knowledge and as per the absence of immunodeficiency symptoms, with orbital trauma caused by the penetration of a rotten bamboo branch developed lesions in the orbit and brain. Subsequently, he underwent debridement and received broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, but orbital infection occurred, with drainage of pus through the sinus tract. The patient then underwent endoscope-assisted local debridement. Bacterial culture of the sinusal pus was positive for N. farcinica, and a combined intracranial infection had developed. The disease was treated effectively by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ceftriaxone sodium therapy. The patient remained infection free and without complications at the 14-month follow-up., Conclusions: Traumatic orbital and intracranial infection caused by N. farcinica is a rare infectious disease, and atypical presentations easily lead to misdiagnosis. When a patient presents with an atypical orbital infection that is unresponsive to empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics, along with suspicious neurologic symptoms, Nocardia infection should be considered. Identification by bacterial culture is the gold standard. Complete local debridement and appropriate antibiotic treatment are keys to the treatment of the disease.

We developed a novel green approach for the in situ fabrication of Ag NPs in mesoporous TiO 2 films via the bamboo self-sacrificing reduction of Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions, which can inhibit fungal growth on the bamboo surface. Mesoporous anatase TiO 2 (MT) films were first synthesized on bamboo via a hydrothermal method. Then, Ag NPs with a 5.3 nm mean diameter were incorporated into the pore channels of optimal MT/bamboo (MTB) samples at room temperature without the addition of reducing agents, such that the Ag NPs were almost entirely embedded into the MT films. Our analysis indicated that the solubilized lignin from bamboo, which is rich in oxygen-containing functional groups, serves as a green reductant for reducing the Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions to Ag NPs. Antifungal experiments with Trichoderma viride under dark conditions highlighted that the antifungal activity of the Ag/MT/bamboo samples were greater than those of naked bamboo, MTB, and Ag/bamboo, suggesting that these hybrid nanomaterials produce a synergistic antifungal effect that is unrelated to photoactivity. The inhibition of Penicillium citrinum effectively followed a similar trend. This newly developed bamboo protection method may provide a sustainable, eco-friendly, and efficient method for enhancing the antifungal characteristics of traditional bamboo, having the potential to prolong the service life of bamboo materials, particularly under dark conditions.

We report the synthesis of nitrogen-doped hierarchical meso/microporous carbon using renewable biomass bamboo fungus as precursor via two-step pyrolysis processes. It is found that the developed porous carbon (NHPC-800) features honeycomb-like cellular framework with well-developed porosity, huge specific surface area (1708 m 2 g -1 ), appropriate nitrogen-doping level (3.2 at.%) and high mesopore percentage (25.5%), which are responsible for its remarkable supercapacitive performances. Electrochemical tests suggest that the NHPC-800 electrode offers the largest specific capacitance of 228 F g -1 , asplendid rate capability and stable electrochemical behaviors in a traditional three-electrode system. Additionally, asymmetric supercapacitor device is built based on this product as well. An individual as-assembled supercapacitor of NHPC-800//NHPC-800 delivers the maximum energy density of 4.3 Wh kg -1 ; retains the majority of capacitanceat large current densities; and shows terrific cycling durability with negligible capacitance drop after long-term charge/discharge for beyond 10,000 cycles even at a high current density of 10 A g -1 . These excellent supercapacitive properties of NHPC-800 in both three- and two-electrode setups outperform those of lots of biomass-derived porous carbons and thus make it a perspective candidate for producing cost-effective and high-performance supercapacitors.

The microbial risk involved with natural food fermentation is largely unknown. Here, we report the prevalence of enteric bacterial pathogens in the traditional fermented foods marketed in Northeast region of India. A total of 682 samples of 39 food types (broadly categorized into fermented soybean, bamboo shoot, fish, milk and pork products) collected over four different seasons from seven states of India were analyzed in this study. Cultivation-independent analysis by MiSeq amplicon sequencing of V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene showed the bacterial community structure in the foods. Among the WHO prioritized foodborne bacterial pathogens, we detected the prevalence of phylotypes related to Clostridium botulinum, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli in these ethnic foods. We also observed the occurrence of other well known human enteric pathogens like Proteus mirabilis, Clostridium difficile, and Yersinia enterocolitica. Further pathogen-specific qPCR assays confirmed a higher population (>10 7  cells/g) of B. cereus, P. mirabilis, and a C. botulinum related phylotype in the fermented soybean, fish, and pork products. We noticed a general trend of higher pathogen occurrence during the colder months without any seasonal variation of total bacterial load in the fermented foods. Further qPCR analysis on toxigenic and pathogenic potential, and toxins production by immunoassays showed that all the soybean samples and the isolated B. cereus cultures were positive for diarrheal toxins (Nhe and Hb1), and nearly half of the samples were positive for emetic toxin (cereulide). Similarly, the food samples and associated swarming P. mirabilis cultures were positive with the pathogenic factors like hemolysin (hpm), urease (ure) and multidrug resistance. However, we could not confirm the presence of botulinum neurotoxin (toxins A, B, E, and F) in the C. botulinum positive food samples. This is the first baseline data of the enteric bacterial pathogens prevalent in the traditional fermented foods of India, which will support the sustained effort of WHO to estimate the global foodborne disease burden. The unusual presence of P. mirabilis in the fermented foods marketed in the Indian region with high incidence of urolithiasis cases is a concern. Our study emphasizes the need of the hour to have a coordinated action to control and prevent the spread of enteric bacterial pathogens through fermented foods marketed in India. Moreover, replacing the indigenous process with a defined starter culture based controlled fermentation will enhance the safety of Indian fermented foods., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To investigate phosphate-solubilizing characteristics and plant growth-promoting effect of Talaromyces aurantiacus (JXBR04) from Phyllostachys edulis rhizosphere soil, the influence of culture time, carbon sources, nitrogen sources, initial pH, liquid filling volume, and salt ions on phosphate solubilizing ability of strain JXBR04 were examined. The capability to solubilize different types of mineral phosphate was detected using a liquid fermentation method. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of strain JXBR04 in promoting the growth of Ph. edulis seedlings. The results showed that strain JXBR04 displayed the highest phosphate-dissolving capacity when the cultivation period was 7 days, the initial pH reached 3.5, the volume of liquid was 1/5 or 2/5, and the NaCl concentration was 0 or 1.0 g·L -1 . The phosphate-dissolving ability of the strain was the highest when using sugar as carbon source and yeast powder as nitrogen source. The strain had the greatest ability to solubilize CaHPO 4 with 1304.04 mg·L -1 , followed by Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 and FePO 4 . We found that available nutrients, leaf, stem, and root phosphorus contents in rhizospheric soil significantly increased in Ph. edulis after 180 days of inoculation with strain JXBR04. In addition, Ph. edulis inoculated with strain JXBR04 had 28.1%, 28.3%, and 51.5% higher ground diameter, seedling height, and biomass accumulation than that without JXBR04, respectively. Our findings suggested that T. aurantiacus has the potential to be applied as environment-friendly biofertilizers in maso bamboo forest in the acid soil in southern China.

Phosphate-solubilizing fungi (PSF) generally enhance available phosphorus (P) released from soil, which contributes to plants' P requirement, especially in P-limiting regions. In this study, two PSF, TalA-JX04 and AspN-JX16, were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) widely distributed in P-deficient areas in China and identified as Talaromyces aurantiacus and Aspergillus neoniger, respectively. The two PSF were cultured in potato dextrose liquid medium with six types of initial pH values ranging from 6.5 to 1.5 to assess acid resistance. Both PSF were incubated in Pikovskaya's liquid media with different pH values containing five recalcitrant P sources, including Ca3(PO4)2, FePO4, CaHPO4, AlPO4, and C6H6Ca6O24P6, to estimate their P-solubilizing capacity. No significant differences were found in the biomass of both fungi grown in media with different initial pH, indicating that these fungi could grow well under acid stress. The P-solubilizing capacity of TalA-JX04 was highest in medium containing CaHPO4, followed by Ca3(PO4)2, FePO4, C6H6Ca6O24P6, and AlPO4 in six types of initial pH treatments, while the recalcitrant P-solubilizing capacity of AspN-JX16 varied with initial pH. Meanwhile, the P-solubilizing capacity of AspN-JX16 was much higher than TalA-JX04. The pH of fermentation broth was negatively correlated with P-solubilizing capacity (p<0.01), suggesting that the fungi promote the dissolution of P sources by secreting organic acids. Our results showed that TalA-JX04 and AspN-JX16 could survive in acidic environments and both fungi had a considerable ability to release soluble P by decomposing recalcitrant P-bearing compounds. The two fungi had potential for application as environment-friendly biofertilizers in subtropical bamboo ecosystem., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Three actinomycetes strains, designated JBL-5, JBL-14 and JBL-20 T , were isolated from bamboo (Sasa borealis) litter in Damyang, Republic of Korea. Morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the three strains belong to the genus Streptomyces. Microscopic observation revealed that the three strains produced Spirales spore chains with smooth surfaces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that these strains showed the highest sequence similarity to Streptomyces gelaticus NRRL B-2928 T (97.8 %), Streptomyces pulveraceus LMG 20322 T (97.7 %), Streptomyces intermedius NBRC 13049 T (97.7 %), Streptomyces althioticus NRRL B-3981 T (97.7 %) and Streptomyces matensis NBRC 12889 T (97.7 %). The DNA-DNA hybridization values between strains JBL-5, JBL-14 and JBL-20 T were 91.2-92.4 %, and the values between the three strains and their close phylogenetic relatives were also below 70 %. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9 (H4) and MK-9 (H6). The cell wall contained ll-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell sugars were arabinose and xylose. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositolmannoside, two unidentified aminolipids, three unidentified aminophospholipids, one unidentified glycolipid and one unidentified lipid. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C14 : 0, C18 : 1ω7c and iso-C16 : 0. The DNA G+C contents were 71.8-72.4 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses and physiological and biochemical characterization, strains JBL-5, JBL-14 and JBL-20 T are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces fuscigenes sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JBL-20 T (=KACC 18269 T =NBRC 110629 T ).

A central aim of this microbial ecology research was to investigate the mechanisms shaping the assembly of soil microbial communities. Despite the importance of bacterial and fungal mediation of carbon cycling in forest ecosystems, knowledge concerning their distribution patterns and underlying mechanisms remains insufficient. Here, soils were sampled from six bamboo forests across the main planting area of Moso bamboo in southern China. The bacterial and fungal diversities were assessed by sequencing 16S rRNA and ITS gene amplicons, respectively, with an Illumina MiSeq. Based on structural equation modelling, dispersal limitation had strongest impact on bacterial beta diversity, while the mean annual precipitation had a smaller impact by directly or indirectly mediating the soil organic carbon density. However, only the mean annual temperature and precipitation played direct roles in fungal beta diversity. Moreover, the co-occurrence network analyses revealed a possibly much higher network connectivity in the fungal network than in the bacteria. With less dispersal limitation, stronger environmental selection and a potentially more connected network, the fungal community had more important roles in the soil carbon metabolisms in bamboo forests. Fungal beta diversity and the clustering coefficient explained approximately 14.4% and 6.1% of the variation in the carbon metabolic profiles among sites, respectively, but that of bacteria only explained approximately 1.7% and 1.8%, respectively. This study explored soil microbial spatial patterns along with the underlying mechanisms of dispersal limitation, selection and connectivity of ecological networks, thus providing novel insights into the study of the distinct functional traits of different microbial taxa., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Shiraia bambusicola can produce a type of hypocrellin, which is applied in antibacterial, antitumoral, and antiviral areas. Studies on the hypocrellin pathway have not been confirmed due to the deficiency of suitable genetic methods. We constructed a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR)/Cas9 system in Shiraia sp. SUPER-H168 and targeted a polyketide synthase (SbaPKS). No hypocrellin production was detected in the ΔSbaPKS mutant. Relative expression levels of SbaPKS and its adjacent genes were extremely down-regulated in the ΔSbaPKS mutant compared to those in the wild strain. Subsequent pathogenicity assays showed that deletion of SbaPKS attenuated virulence on bamboo leaves. In contrast, restored hypocrellin in a SbaPKS overexpression strain generated necrotic lesions on bamboo leaves. These results suggest that SbaPKS is involved in hypocrellin biosynthesis and hypocrellin has an essential role in the virulence of S. bambusicola on bamboo leaves. The CRISPR/Cas9 system in Shiraia sp. will open an avenue for decoding the hypocrellin pathway and genome editing of other filamentous fungi. Strategies that disrupt hypocrellin biosynthesis may reduce the detriment of S. bambusicola., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by photo-activated hypocrellin from Shiraia bambusicola are detrimental to cellular macromolecules. However, S. bambusicola can still maintain excellent morphology during continuous hypocrellin production, indicating an extraordinary autoresistance system that protects against the harmful ROS. In this study, a major facilitator superfamily transporter (MFS) was isolated from S. bambusicola and deleted using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. The ΔMFS mutant abolished hypocrellin production and was slightly sensitive to 40-μM hypocrellin, while the ΔMFS compliment strain restored hypocrellin production and resistance. Hypocrellin treatment also enhanced the relative expression of MFS in wild-type S. bambusicola. Subsequent pathogenicity assays showed that MFS deletion reduced damage to bamboo leaves. By contrast, restoration of hypocrellin production in the MFS compliment strain generated similar necrotic lesions on bamboo leaves to those observed with the wild-type strain. These results revealed that the identified MFS is involved in efflux of hypocrellin from cells, which reduces the hypocrellin toxicity. Furthermore, hypocrellin contributed to the virulence of S. bambusicola on bamboo leaves. These findings could help to reduce plant loss by disrupting hypocrellin biosynthesis in S. bambusicola, or overexpressing the associated resistance gene in transgenic plants., (Copyright © 2017 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Bitter and cold traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been long used to treat diabetes mellitus (DM) based on unique medical theory system since ancient China. As one of bitter and cold TCMs, the stromatas of Shiraia bambusicola have been used for the treatment of DM and exerted clinical effects to a certain extent. However, the corresponding active principles and antidiabetic mechanism of the TCM still remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the potential antidiabetic effect of the active Shiraia bambusicola EtOAc extract (SB-EtOAc) in vitro and in vivo, and elucidate its probable antidiabetic mechanism., Materials and Methods: A LC-PDA-ESIMS protocol was developed to determine the chemical principles of the active EtOAc extract rapidly and unambiguously. The effect of SB-EtOAc on the glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation and glucose uptake in L6 cells was examined. SB-EtOAc was orally administration at the dose of 30, 60 and 120mg/kg/d in KK-Ay mice, for 21 days. Body weight, plasma glucose, oral glucose tolerance test, fasted blood glucose levels, oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test, serum insulin and blood-lipid indexes were measured. GLUT4 on L6 cells membrane and phosphorylation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) expression in L6 cells were measured. The GLUT4 and p-AMPK expression in KK-Ay mice skeletal muscle were measured. Phosphorylation of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC) and p-AMPK were measured., Results: In vitro, SB-EtOAc exhibited a strong effect of stimulation on GLUT4 translocation by 3.2 fold in L6 cells compared with basal group, however, the selective AMPK inhibitor compound C can completely inhibit the AMPK pathway and prevent the GLUT4 translocation caused by SB-EtOAc. The further western blotting experiments showed that SB-EtOAc can stimulate AMPK phosphorylation in L6 cells and improve the expression of GLUT4. In vivo, SB-EtOAc can improve the KK-Ay mice insulin resistant and oral glucose tolerance to a certain extent. And the body weight, blood glucose levels and the serum TC, TG, FFA, AST, ALT and LDL-C were significantly reduced and HDL-C were increased after 3 weeks treatment. Mechanistically, phosphorylation of the AMPK and ACC had been improved obviously and the levels of AMPK phosphorylation and GLUT4 had been also enhanced., Conclusion: In vitro, SB-EtOAc exhibited a strong effect of stimulation on GLUT4 translocation and improved significantly the glucose uptake. In vivo, SB-EtOAc significantly improved oral glucose tolerance and the insulin resistant as well as glucolipid metabolism. In this study, SB-EtOAc displayed promising positive antidiabetic activity in vitro and in vivo, partly by modulating AMPK-GLUT4 and AMPK-ACC signaling pathways., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Three novel isolates belonging to the genus Streptomyces, designated JR-35T, JR-46 and WH-9T, were isolated from bamboo forest soil in Damyang, Korea. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains JR-35T and JR-46 showed highest similarities with Streptomyces olivochromogenes NBRC 3178T (99.1 %), Streptomyces siamensis KC-038T (98.9 %), Streptomyces chartreusis NBRC 12753T (98.9 %), Streptomyces resistomycificus NRRL ISP-5133T (98.9 %) and Streptomyces bobili JCM 4627T (98.8 %), and strain WH-9Tshowed highest sequence similarities with Streptomyces. bobili JCM 4627T (99.2 %), Streptomyces phaeoluteigriseus NRRL ISP-5182T (99.2 %), Streptomyces alboniger NBRC 12738T (99.2 %), Streptomyces galilaeus JCM 4757T (99.1 %) and Streptomyces pseudovenezuelae NBRC 12904T (99.1 %). The predominant menaquinones were MK-9 (H6) and MK-9 (H8). The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0 for strains JR-35T and JR-46 and anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 for strain WH-9T. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strains JR-35T, JR-46 and WH-9T were 69.4, 74.4 and 74.1 mol%, respectively. Based on the phenotypic and genotypic data, the three strains are assigned to two novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the names Streptomyces rhizosphaerihabitans sp. nov. (type stain JR-35T=KACC 17181T=NBRC 109807T) and Streptomyces adustus sp. nov. (type strain WH-9T=KACC 17197T=NBRC 109810T) are proposed.

Hypocrellin A (HA), well known as one of the best natural pigments and bioactive agent to treat skin diseases, is further anticipated to play a vital role in photodynamic therapy (PDT) in anticancer and antiviral treatments. In this study, an HA-producing strain ZZZ816 (Shiraia sp.) was isolated from the moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) seeds, and gamma irradiation was used to mutagenize spores of the original strain. After treatment with cobalt-60 gamma ((60)Coγ) with different doses (20, 50, 80, 100, 150, 180, 300, and 500 Gy), the 100 Gy was selected as the optimal condition, which led to 77.2 % lethality of spores and 35 % positive mutant frequency. The extracted compound of the most excellent HA-producing strain (H-4-2) was precisely analyzed by a combination of seven detection methods, and the maximum HA content was shown to reach 2018.3 mg/L. HA production in H-4-2 increased by 414.9 % compared to that of original strain ZZZ816 (392 mg/L) and was significantly higher than all the other industrial HA-producing strains in published reports.

A novel strain of Gram-staining-positive actinobacterium, designated strain JR-39T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of bamboo (Sasa borealis) sampled in Damyang, Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic approach. The isolate formed flexuous chains of spores that were cylindrical and smooth-surfaced. Strain JR-39T grew at 4–37 °C (optimum 28 °C). The pH range for growth was pH 5–10 (optimum pH 6–8) and the NaCl range for growth was 0–5 % (w/v) with optimum growth at 1 % NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and glycine. Whole-cell hydrolysates mainly contained glucose, mannose, ribose and rhamnose. Predominant menaquinones were MK-9 (H6), MK-9 (H8) and MK-9 (H4). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C14 : 0. The G+C content of the DNA was 72.3 ± 0.34 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain JR-39T belonged to the genus Streptomyces, showing the highest sequence similarity to Streptomyces panaciradicis 1MR-8T (99.4 %), Streptomyces capoamus JCM 4734T (98.8 %), Streptomyces galbus DSM 40089T (98.7 %), Streptomyces longwoodensis LMG 20096T (98.7 %), Streptomyces bungoensis NBRC 15711T (98.7 %) and Streptomyces rhizophilus JR-41T (98.7 %). However, DNA–DNA hybridization assays, as well as physiological and biochemical analyses, showed that strain JR-39T could be differentiated from its closest phylogenetic relatives. On the basis of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain JR-39T represents a novel species for which the name Streptomyces sasae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JR-39T ( = KACC 17182T = NBRC 109809T).

The effect of altitude on the distribution of plants and animals has been well studied. In contrast, the response of microbes to elevation is poorly understood. To determine whether soil bacterial communities respond to altitudinal gradients, moso bamboo forest soils along a gradient of six elevations from 600 to 1800 m were investigated using the barcoded pyrosequencing method. The results revealed that Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria predominated in the six communities, although the relative abundances were different. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis with the abundant OTUs showed that the community composition possessed a complex relationship with elevation. The communities at 1000 and 1200 m were similar and possessed higher levels of diversity than the communities at both lower and higher elevations, giving the diversity a hump-backed trend with elevation. By contrast, the soil C and N and microbial biomass properties increased linearly with elevation. Thus, the complex response of the bacterial community composition and diversity across elevation could not be explained as a simple response to elevation and presumably results from interactions between multiple factors such as soil organic matter content and temperature., (© FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The taxonomic position of strain JL-22(T), isolated from litter of a bamboo (Sasa borealis) forest, was determined using a polyphasic approach. The organism had phenotypic and morphological properties consistent with it being a member of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain JL-22(T) was closely related to Streptomyces prunicolor NRRL B-12281(T) (99.2%), Streptomyces galilaeus JCM 4757(T) (99.0%) and Streptomyces chartreusis NBRC 12753(T) (99.0%). However, the results of DNA-DNA hybridization and physiological and biochemical tests showed that strain JL-22(T) could be differentiated from its closest phylogenetic relatives both genotypically and phenotypically. Based on phenotypic and genotypic data, strain JL-22(T) represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces graminifolii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JL-22(T) ( = KACC 17180(T) = NBRC 109806(T))., (© 2014 IUMS.)

Four strains of actinomycete, designated strains JR-19T, JR-12, JR-29 and JR-41T were isolated from bamboo (Sasa borealis) rhizosphere soil. Phylogenetic, morphological, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analysis demonstrated that the four strains belong to the genus Streptomyces. Microscopic observation revealed that the four strains produced spirales spore chains with spiny surfaces. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of the four strains contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and glycine. Whole-cell hydrolysates mainly contained glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9 (H6) and MK-9 (H8). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that these strains and the members of the genus Streptomyces exhibited moderately high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 98.3-99.3%, with the most closely related strains being Streptomyces shenzhenensis 172115T and Streptomyces gramineus JR-43T. Based on the phenotypic and genotypic data, the four strains are considered to represent two novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the names Streptomyces graminisoli sp. nov. [to accommodate strains JR-19T (type strain; =KACC 16472T=NBRC 108883T), JR-12 (=KACC 16471) and JR-29 (=KACC 16473)] and Streptomyces rhizophilus sp. nov. [for strain JR-41T (=KACC 16580T=NBRC 108885T)] are proposed.

A Gram-stain-positive, novel actinobacterium, designated strain JL-6(T), was isolated from the litter of a bamboo (Sasa borealis) forest in Damyang, Korea. Strain JL-6(T) had white-grey, smooth, cylindrical spores that were borne in straight, long spore-chains. The novel strain grew aerobically at 15-28 °C (optimum, 28 °C), pH 4.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 5.5) and with 0-1.5% (w/v) NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and glycine. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8). Whole-cell hydrolysates mainly contained glucose and ribose. Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine were the diagnostic phospholipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 72.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JL-6(T) belonged to the genus Streptomyces with sequence similarities ranging from 97.3% to 98.3%. However, DNA-DNA hybridization between JL-6(T) and the closest related strain, Streptomyces turgidiscabies, ATCC 700248(T) and other closely related species in the genus Streptomyces showed <50% relatedness. Based on these observations, strain JL-6(T) is proposed to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces graminilatus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JL-6(T) ( = KACC 16470(T) = NBRC 108882(T)).

In fungus-growing mutualism, it is indispensable for host animals to establish gardens of the symbiotic fungus as rapidly as possible. How to establish fungal gardens has been well-documented in social fungus-farming insects, whereas poorly documented in non-social fungus-farming insects. Here we report that the non-social, fungus-growing lizard beetle Doubledaya bucculenta (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Languriinae) transmits the symbiotic yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus from the ovipositor-associated mycangium into bamboo internode cavities and disperses the yeast in the cavities to make gardens. Microbial isolation and cryo-scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that W. anomalus was constantly located on the posterior ends of eggs, where larvae came out, and on the inner openings of oviposition holes. Direct observation of oviposition behavior inside internodes revealed that the distal parts of ovipositors showed a peristaltic movement when they were in contact with the posterior ends of eggs. Rearing experiments showed that W. anomalus was spread much more rapidly and widely on culture media and internodes in the presence of the larvae than in the absence. These results suggest that the ovipositors play a critical role in vertical transmission of W. anomalus and that the larvae contribute actively to the garden establishment, providing a novel case of fungal garden founding in non-social insect-fungus mutualism.

Fuel ethanol can be produced from bamboo by concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by continuous ethanol fermentation. To reduce the environmental impact of this process, treatment of the stillage, reuse of the sulfuric acid and reduction of the process water used were studied. The total organic carbon (TOC) concentration of stillage decreased from 29,688 to 269 mg/l by thermophilic methane fermentation followed by aerobic treatment. Washing the solid residue from acid hydrolysis with effluent from the biological treatment increased the sugar recovery from 69.3% to 79.3%. Sulfuric acid recovered during the acid-sugar separation process was condensed and reused for hydrolysis, resulting in a sugar recovery efficiency of 76.8%, compared to 80.1% when fresh sulfuric acid was used. After acetate removal, the condensate could be reused as elution water in the acid-sugar separation process. As much as 86.3% of the process water and 77.6% of the sulfuric acid could be recycled., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubesescens) is a major bamboo species which is widely used for temporary scaffolding in China. Its fast growing and low ash content make moso bamboo a potential renewable energy resource. In present work, thermal behaviors of moso bamboo and its lignocellulosic fractions were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. Furthermore, to understand whether the delignification effect of white-rot fungi can promote the thermal decomposition of bamboo especially the lignin component, the changes in lignocellulose components as well as thermal behaviors of bamboo and acid detergent lignin were investigated. The results showed that the white-rot fungal pretreatment is advantageous to thermal decomposition of lignin in bamboo. The weight losses of ADL samples became greater and the thermal processes were accelerated after biopretreatment. The total pyrolysis weight loss increased from 57.14% to 65.07% for Echinodontium taxodii 2538 treated bamboo ADL sample., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Two actinobacterial strains, JR-43T and JR-4, were isolated from bamboo (Sasa borealis) rhizosphere soil. The isolates produced grey aerial mycelium and a yellow soluble pigment on ISP 4. Microscopic observation revealed that strains JR-43T and JR-4 produced rectiflexibiles spore chains with spiny surfaces. Both isolates had antibacterial activity against plant-pathogenic bacteria, such as Xanthomonas campestris LMG 568T and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria LMG 905. The isolates contained iso-C14:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0 as the major fatty acids and MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) as the major isoprenoid quinones. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains JR-43T and JR-4 showed that they grouped within Streptomyces cluster II and had highest sequence similarity to Streptomyces seoulensis NBRC 16668T and Streptomyces recifensis NBRC 12813T (both 98.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). DNA-DNA relatedness between strain JR-43T and S. seoulensis NBRC 16668T and S. recifensis NBRC 12813T ranged from 31.42 to 42.92 %. Based on DNA-DNA relatedness and morphological and phenotypic data, strains JR-43T and JR-4 could be distinguished from the type strains of phylogenetically related species. They are therefore considered to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces gramineus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JR-43T (=KACC 15079T=NBRC 107863T). Strain JR-4 (=KACC 15078= NBRC 107864) is a reference strain [corrected].

Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are major cell wall components formed by the dehydrogenation of three monolignols, p-coumaryl, coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols. Diverse pharmacological activities of LCCs distributed into various plants were summarized. LCCs showed one order higher anti-HIV activity than tannins and flavonoids. Mechanism of anti-HIV activity induction includes the inhibition of HIV adsorption to and penetration into the cells, and inhibition of reverse transcriptase and protease. Limited digestion experiments demonstrated that a phenylpropenoid polymer, but not a sugar moiety, is important for anti-HIV activity. Dehydrogenation polymers of phenylpropenoids without carbohydrate showed higher anti-HIV activity, whereas phenylpropenoid monomers were inactive, suggesting the importance of highly polymerized structure. LCCs inhibited the plaque formation and RNA polymerase activity of influenza virus, and reduced the lethality of virus infection in mice. LCCs inhibited the plaque formation of HSV-1, and oral intake of LCC-vitamin C tablet reduced the symptoms in HSV-1-infected patients. LCCs stimulated the iodination of myeloperoxidase-positive human monocytes, neutrophiles and promyelocytic leukemia that may be involved in the bacterial killing mechanism. LCCs stimulated splenocyte proliferation, and showed both pro- and anti-inflammatory activity in activated macrophage. Preliminary DNA array analysis demonstrated the activation of the signal pathway of chemokine expression via TLR2. The molecular weight, solubility, sterilization method and association with other components during extraction step may produce diverse biological activity of LCCs. Broad and potent anti-viral activity and synergism with vitamin C suggest functionality of LCC as alternative medicine., (2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In this study, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated, characterized and identified from jiang-sun (fermented bamboo shoots; a traditional fermented food in Taiwan). Samples were collected at seven time intervals from a fixed fermenting bucket during the fermentation process of jiang-sun and its initial ingredients, dochi (fermented soybeans) and bamboo shoots., Results: A total of 57 LAB cultures were isolated; 42 cultures were isolated from jiang-sun samples and 15 cultures were isolated from dochi and bamboo shoots. These isolates were characterized phenotypically and then divided into three groups (A-C) by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. Alteration of microbial populations during the fermentation process was observed. While various LAB were found in the dochi and bamboo shoots, it was mostly replaced by Lactobacillus plantarum after 1 day of fermentation. Furthermore, the antibacterial activities of the isolates were determined, and one Enterococcus faecium strain showed inhibitory activity against all the indicator strains., Conclusion: Results suggest that L. plantarum is the main LAB present during the fermentation of jiang-sun. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the distribution and varieties of LAB that exist in the jiang-sun fermentation process., (Copyright 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.)

A total of 94 strains of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), previously isolated from ethnic fermented vegetables and tender bamboo shoots of the Himalayas, were screened for functional properties such as acidification capacity, enzymatic activities, degradation of antinutritive factors and oligosaccharides, production of biogenic amines, hydrophobicity and adherence to mucus secreting HT29 MTX cells. Strong acidification and coagulation activities of LAB strains were recorded. Most of the LAB strains showed antimicrobial activities against the used indicator strains; however, only Lb. plantarum IB2 (BFE 948) isolated from inziangsang, a fermented leafy vegetable product, produced a bacteriocin against Staphylococcus aureus S1. LAB strains showed enzymatic activities and also degraded oligosaccharides. Almost all the strains of LAB were non-producers of biogenic amines except few strains. Some strains of Lb. plantarum showed more than 70% hydrophobicity. Adherence to the mucus secreting HT29 MTX cells was also shown by seven strains indicating their probiotic nature.

Pretreatment by a white-rot fungus Coriolus versicolor B1 under different conditions and saccharification of bamboo were investigated. The saccharification rate was significantly enhanced and a maximum saccharification rate of 37.0% was achieved after pretreatment. Reducing sugars yield was 223.2 mg/g of bamboo residues, which was 2.34 times that of the raw material. It was feasible to treat bamboo residues with B1 for the saccharification of bamboo.

Bamboos are common and useful plants in Japan but little information is available about their endophytes. In this study, 257 fungal strains were isolated from bamboo tissues, and 71 representative strains were characterized by 18S rRNA gene and internal transcriber spacer region sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the fungal isolates were located in Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes. Xylariales was the dominant group within bamboos. Several rRNA gene sequences were not similar to any current sequence in the database and might be a novel species or genera that could represent sources of novel biological compounds. These findings reveal that bamboos are a huge reservoir of microorganisms that should be extensively investigated.

Gloeoporus guerreroanus sp. nov. is described and illustrated from specimens collected on bamboo in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. The new taxon presents hymenium continuum along the tubular internal surface and dissepiments and represents an addition into the relatively small, poroid-merulioid genus Gloeoporus.

During a recent collection trip to Barro Colorado Island, Panama, two species belonging to genus Ascopolyporus (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales) were collected. Species of Ascopolyporus are epibionts of their bamboo (Poaceae) host and long thought to be biotrophs of their plant hosts. However, based on morphological observations and phylogenetic evidence using large subunit ribosomal DNA data, we propose that genus Ascopolyporus is likely composed of pathogens of scale insects (Coccoideae, Homoptera). Phylogenetic analyses included Ascopolyporus spp. in a clade containing only entomopathogenic clavicipitaceous species (100% posterior probability), and the scale insect pathogen Hyperdermium bertonii was found to share the most recent common ancestor with the Ascopolyporus clade (98% posterior probability). In addition remnants of the scale insect were observed to be embedded within stromata during early stages of stroma development. Ascopolyporus philodendrus sp. nov. was described and distinguished from the type species of the genus, A. polychrous, based on perithecial size, ascus size, plant host substrate and phylogenetic evidence. Furthermore subfamily Clavicipitoideae (Clavicipitaceae) was included and well supported in a single clade (100% posterior probability).

Aciculosporium take (Ascomycota; Clavicipitaceae), causes the witches' broom disease in bamboo, particularly Phyllostachys bambusoides. Since it was observed that endogenous indole-3-acetic acid is reduced in the twigs of the diseased bamboo, the symptoms (bushy appearance) may be induced by reduction in auxin levels. Furthermore, two indolic compounds accumulated in diseased twigs, these being identified as N-p-coumaroylserotonin and N-feruloylserotonin by LC-MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic analyses. N-p-Coumaroylserotonin possesses antifungal activity against A. take.