Multifaceted microorganisms such as the bacterium Pantoea colonize a wide range of habitats and can exhibit both beneficial and harmful behaviors, which provide new insights into microbial ecology. In the agricultural context, several strains of Pantoea spp. can promote plant growth through direct or indirect mechanisms. Members of this genus contribute to plant growth mainly by increasing the supply of nitrogen, solubilizing ammonia and inorganic phosphate, and producing phytohormones (e.g., auxins). Several other studies have shown the potential of strains of Pantoea spp. to induce systemic resistance and protection against pests and pathogenic microorganisms in cultivated plants. Strains of the species Pantoea agglomerans deserve attention as a pest and phytopathogen control agent. Several of them also possess a biotechnological potential for therapeutic purposes (e.g., immunomodulators) and are implicated in human infections. Thus, the differentiation between the harmful and beneficial strains of P. agglomerans is mandatory to apply this bacterium safely as a biofertilizer or biocontroller. This review specifically evaluates the potential of the strain-associated features of P. agglomerans for bioprospecting and agricultural applications through its biological versatility as well as clarifying its potential animal and human health risks from a genomic point of view.

The deep-sea environments of the South Atlantic Ocean are less studied in comparison to the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. With the aim of identifying the deep-sea bacteria in this less known ocean, 70 strains were isolated from eight sediment samples (depth range between 1905 to 5560 m) collected in the eastern part of the South Atlantic, from the equatorial region to the Cape Abyssal Plain, using three different culture media. The strains were classified into three phylogenetic groups, Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, by the analysis of 16s rRNA gene sequences. Gammaproteobacteria and Firmicutes were the most frequently identified groups, with Halomonas the most frequent genus among the strains. Microorganisms belonging to Firmicutes were the only ones observed in all samples. Sixteen of the 41 identified operational taxonomic units probably represent new species. The presence of potentially new species reinforces the need for new studies in the deep-sea environments of the South Atlantic.

With the increasing use of renewable energy resources for the power grid, the need for long-term storage technologies, such as power-to-gas systems, is growing. Biomethanation provides the opportunity to store energy in the form of the natural gas-equivalent biomethane. This study investigates a novel plug flow reactor that employs a helical static mixer for the biological methanation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. In tests, the reactor achieved an average methane production rate of 2.5 $\frac{L_{{CH}_4}}{L_R\ast \mathrm{d}}$ (methane production [L_CH4] per liter of reactor volume [L_R] per day [d]) with a maximum methane content of 94%. It demonstrated good flexibilization properties, as repeated 12 h downtimes did not negatively impact the process. The genera Methanothermobacter and Methanobacterium were predominant during the initial phase, along with volatile organic acid-producing, hydrogenotrophic, and proteolytic bacteria. The average ratio of volatile organic acid to total inorganic carbon increased to 0.52 ± 0.04, while the pH remained stable at an average of pH 8.1 ± 0.25 from day 32 to 98, spanning stable and flexible operation modes. This study contributes to the development of efficient flexible biological methanation systems for sustainable energy storage and management.

This work investigates the optimization of medium-chain carboxylate (MCC) production through xylan mixed-culture monofermentation. The pH screening in batch assays showed that the hydrolysis stage and selectivity towards MCC precursors were optimised at pH 6. Subsequently, a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and a Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) were operated at different Hydraulic Retention Times (HRT), revealing that the SBR at HRT 2 days yielded the highest caproic acid since lactic acid availability and chain elongation process were balanced. An enriched medium with yeast extract and vitamins favoured the growth of chain elongators, and therefore, the MCC production. Moreover, cross-feeding interaction between bacteria in xylan fermentation was observed, and Pseudoramibacter was present in the highest caproic acid yields. This work highlights the impact of selecting the proper operational window to optimise one-stage MCC production.

Antibiotics are essential medicines used to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Bacteria are tiny organisms (microbes or “bugs”) that can be found in our bodies, in animals, and in the environment. Most bacteria are helpful, so antibiotics are used to kill only some bacteria–those that can cause disease. However, since the discovery of the first antibiotic, disease-causing bacteria have been finding ways to survive, acquiring resistance to antibiotics and even turning into superbugs. Superbugs are one of the most important threats to human health today, so they should be prevented and controlled. In this article, we will tell you about the history of antibiotics, the rise of superbugs, and what you can do to join the fight against superbugs.