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Prof. Maddalena del Gallo
University of L'Aquila, Deparment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences

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0 Bioremediation
0 Soil Microbiology
0 geomicrobiology
0 Plant bacteria Interaction
0 cave microbiology

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Journal article
Published: 10 April 2021 in Soil Systems
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This study aimed to characterize the halotolerant capability, in vitro, of selected actinomycetes strains and to evaluate their competence in promoting halo stress tolerance in durum wheat in a greenhouse experiment. Fourteen isolates were tested for phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid, hydrocyanic acid, and ammonia production under different salt concentrations (i.e., 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, and 1.5 M NaCl). The presence of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity was also investigated. Salinity tolerance was evaluated in durum wheat through plant growth and development parameters: shoot and root length, dry and ash-free dry weight, and the total chlorophyll content, as well as proline accumulation. In vitro assays have shown that the strains can solubilize inorganic phosphate and produce indole acetic acid, hydrocyanic acid, and ammonia under different salt concentrations. Most of the strains (86%) had 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity, with significant amounts of α-ketobutyric acid. In the greenhouse experiment, inoculation with actinomycetes strains improved the morpho-biochemical parameters of durum wheat plants, which also recorded significantly higher content of chlorophylls and proline than those uninoculated, both under normal and stressed conditions. Our results suggest that inoculation of halotolerant actinomycetes can mitigate the negative effects of salt stress and allow normal growth and development of durum wheat plants.

ACS Style

Rihab Djebaili; Marika Pellegrini; Massimiliano Rossi; Cinzia Forni; Maria Smati; Maddalena Del Gallo; Mahmoud Kitouni. Characterization of Plant Growth-Promoting Traits and Inoculation Effects on Triticum durum of Actinomycetes Isolates under Salt Stress Conditions. Soil Systems 2021, 5, 26 .

AMA Style

Rihab Djebaili, Marika Pellegrini, Massimiliano Rossi, Cinzia Forni, Maria Smati, Maddalena Del Gallo, Mahmoud Kitouni. Characterization of Plant Growth-Promoting Traits and Inoculation Effects on Triticum durum of Actinomycetes Isolates under Salt Stress Conditions. Soil Systems. 2021; 5 (2):26.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rihab Djebaili; Marika Pellegrini; Massimiliano Rossi; Cinzia Forni; Maria Smati; Maddalena Del Gallo; Mahmoud Kitouni. 2021. "Characterization of Plant Growth-Promoting Traits and Inoculation Effects on Triticum durum of Actinomycetes Isolates under Salt Stress Conditions." Soil Systems 5, no. 2: 26.

Journal article
Published: 06 April 2021 in Applied Sciences
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The present work aimed to study suitability of a consortium of Azospirillum brasilense, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Herbaspirillum seropedicae, and Burkholderia ambifaria as biofertilizers. Strains were assayed for plant growth-promoting characteristics (i.e., auxins production, phosphate solubilizing capability, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity). The consortium of four bacteria was then inoculated on carrot seeds and tested in an open field experiment. During the open field experiment, plant growth (morphological parameters, chlorophylls, and carotenoids), soil chemical analysis, and molecular and physiological profiles of soils were investigated. Each strain produced different amounts of indole-3acetic acid and several indole-derivates molecules. All strains showed phosphate solubilization capability, while 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity was only detected in H. seropedicae and B. ambifaria. The bacterial consortium of the four strains gave interesting results in the open field cultivation of carrot. Plant development was positively affected by the presence of the consortium, as was soil fertility and microbial community structure and diversity. The present work allowed for deepening our knowledge on four bacteria, already known for years for having several interesting characteristics, but whose interactions were almost unknown, particularly in view of their use as a consortium in a valid fertilization strategy, in substitution of agrochemicals for a sustainable agriculture.

ACS Style

Marika Pellegrini; Giancarlo Pagnani; Massimiliano Rossi; Sara D’Egidio; Maddalena Gallo; Cinzia Forni. Daucus carota L. Seed Inoculation with a Consortium of Bacteria Improves Plant Growth, Soil Fertility Status and Microbial Community. Applied Sciences 2021, 11, 3274 .

AMA Style

Marika Pellegrini, Giancarlo Pagnani, Massimiliano Rossi, Sara D’Egidio, Maddalena Gallo, Cinzia Forni. Daucus carota L. Seed Inoculation with a Consortium of Bacteria Improves Plant Growth, Soil Fertility Status and Microbial Community. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11 (7):3274.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marika Pellegrini; Giancarlo Pagnani; Massimiliano Rossi; Sara D’Egidio; Maddalena Gallo; Cinzia Forni. 2021. "Daucus carota L. Seed Inoculation with a Consortium of Bacteria Improves Plant Growth, Soil Fertility Status and Microbial Community." Applied Sciences 11, no. 7: 3274.

Journal article
Published: 19 March 2021 in Microorganisms
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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.

ACS Style

Marika Pellegrini; Daniela Spera; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo. Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plants, Soil, and the Autochthonous Microbial Community. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 639 .

AMA Style

Marika Pellegrini, Daniela Spera, Claudia Ercole, Maddalena Del Gallo. Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plants, Soil, and the Autochthonous Microbial Community. Microorganisms. 2021; 9 (3):639.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marika Pellegrini; Daniela Spera; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2021. "Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plants, Soil, and the Autochthonous Microbial Community." Microorganisms 9, no. 3: 639.

Preprint content
Published: 04 March 2021
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CO2 emissions triggered by anthropogenic and natural activities contribute to climate change, one of the current environmental threats of public and scientific concern. At present, microbially-induced biomineralization of CO2 by calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is one of the highly topical study subjects as carbon stabilization process. In the present study we focused our attention on the calcifying bacteria of “living rocks”. The origin of these concretions, composed by a silicate skeleton of quartz and feldspars, merged by massive carbonate concrete, has so far been recognized as abiotic. Within this study we investigated the role of calcifying bacteria in their formation of these concretions and we isolated and characterized the species with CaCO3 precipitation abilities. Concretions were sampled in Romania (Trovant) and Italy (Sibari and Rome). Samples were first analyzed for their culturable microflora (i.e. isolation, CaCO3 precipitation capability and molecular characterization). Then, in vitro regeneration tests were carried out to confirm the contribution of bacteria in the formation of these erratic masses. Moreover, natural samples and bioliths regenerated in vitro were (i) observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) and (ii) characterized at molecular level by DNA extraction and 16S rRNA analysis (V3-V4 regions). By isolating and characterizing the culturable microflora, we obtained 19 calcifying isolates, with different morphological, bacteriological and mineral precipitation properties. These evidences have given a first relevant contribution for the definition of the biotic role to the formation of these concretions. These evidences were confirmed by the efficient in vitro regeneration and SEM-EDS analysis. The molecular identification of the isolates and the comparison of the data obtained from the Illumina sequencing with those present in the literature, allowed us to hypothesize the genera that most likely contributed to the formation of these concretions. The results obtained provide a good scientific basis for further studies, which should be directed towards the use of isolates in studies of environmental and socio-economic relevance. Several studies demonstrate that microbially mediated biomineralization has the potential to capture and sequester carbon. Calcium carbonate, is a stable pool of carbon and is an effective sealant to prevent CO2 release back into the atmosphere.

ACS Style

Maddalena del Gallo; Amedeo Mignini; Giulio Moretti; Marika Pellegrini; Paola Cacchio. Isolation and characterization of calcifying bacteria from “living rocks”: a possible carbon sink. 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Maddalena del Gallo, Amedeo Mignini, Giulio Moretti, Marika Pellegrini, Paola Cacchio. Isolation and characterization of calcifying bacteria from “living rocks”: a possible carbon sink. . 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maddalena del Gallo; Amedeo Mignini; Giulio Moretti; Marika Pellegrini; Paola Cacchio. 2021. "Isolation and characterization of calcifying bacteria from “living rocks”: a possible carbon sink." , no. : 1.

Review
Published: 11 February 2021 in Journal of Plant Nutrition
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The impact of stress on crop productivity and the ecosystem have been magnified by climate changes and mispractices in the agriculture field. Soil microbiome is a diverse system consisting of various microorganisms. Environmental control techniques like the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are necessary to enhance crop productivity. AMF is known as stress regulating organisms that help plants within the nutrient uptake, biotic and abiotic stress management, plant protection, and consequently enhancement on crop yields. Also, host plants can tolerate many difficult situations such as water problems, salt stress, heavy metals, and temperature changes through AMF inoculation. Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) enhance plant growth under stress by mediating a series of complex contact events between the two symbiotic partners resulting in a good photosynthetic and gas exchange amelioration. Plants have several tolerance mechanisms to deal with the constraints of environmental changes. The antioxidant ability is the principal tolerance mechanism; it is assisted by osmolytes accumulation and exacting absorption of ions. In this review, we will discuss the effect of AMF colonization on the host plants at different stages of growth, with comprehensively updated knowledge, their roles, and applications for plant growth enhancement and mycorrhizae role on plant resistance induction and stress management.

ACS Style

Debasis Mitra; Rihab Djebaili; Marika Pellegrini; Bhaswatimayee Mahakur; Aniruddha Sarker; Priya Chaudhary; Bahman Khoshru; Maddalena Del Gallo; Mahmoud Kitouni; Durga P. Barik; Periyasamy Panneerselvam; Pradeep K. Das Mohapatra. Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: plant growth improvement and induction of resistance under stressful conditions. Journal of Plant Nutrition 2021, 44, 1993 -2028.

AMA Style

Debasis Mitra, Rihab Djebaili, Marika Pellegrini, Bhaswatimayee Mahakur, Aniruddha Sarker, Priya Chaudhary, Bahman Khoshru, Maddalena Del Gallo, Mahmoud Kitouni, Durga P. Barik, Periyasamy Panneerselvam, Pradeep K. Das Mohapatra. Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: plant growth improvement and induction of resistance under stressful conditions. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 2021; 44 (13):1993-2028.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Debasis Mitra; Rihab Djebaili; Marika Pellegrini; Bhaswatimayee Mahakur; Aniruddha Sarker; Priya Chaudhary; Bahman Khoshru; Maddalena Del Gallo; Mahmoud Kitouni; Durga P. Barik; Periyasamy Panneerselvam; Pradeep K. Das Mohapatra. 2021. "Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: plant growth improvement and induction of resistance under stressful conditions." Journal of Plant Nutrition 44, no. 13: 1993-2028.

Review
Published: 27 November 2020 in Sustainability
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Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) afford plants several advantages (i.e., improvement of nutrient acquisition, growth, and development; induction of abiotic and biotic stress tolerance). Numerous PGPB strains have been isolated and studied over the years. However, only a few of them are available on the market, mainly due to the failed bacterial survival within the formulations and after application inside agroecosystems. PGPB strains with these challenging limitations can be used for the formulation of cell-free supernatants (CFSs), broth cultures processed through several mechanical and physical processes for cell removal. In the scientific literature there are diverse reviews and updates on PGPB in agriculture. However, no review deals with CFSs and the CFS metabolites obtainable by PGPB. The main objective of this review is to provide useful information for future research on CFSs as biostimulant and biocontrol agents in sustainable agriculture. Studies on CFS agricultural applications, both for biostimulant and biocontrol applications, have been reviewed, presenting limitations and advantages. Among the 109 articles selected and examined, the Bacillus genus seems to be the most promising due to the numerous articles that support its biostimulant and biocontrol potentialities. The present review underlines that research about this topic needs to be encouraged; evidence so far obtained has demonstrated that PGPB could be a valid source of secondary metabolites useful in sustainable agriculture.

ACS Style

Marika Pellegrini; Giancarlo Pagnani; Matteo Bernardi; Alessandro Mattedi; Daniela Spera; Maddalena Gallo. Cell-Free Supernatants of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: A Review of Their Use as Biostimulant and Microbial Biocontrol Agents in Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9917 .

AMA Style

Marika Pellegrini, Giancarlo Pagnani, Matteo Bernardi, Alessandro Mattedi, Daniela Spera, Maddalena Gallo. Cell-Free Supernatants of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: A Review of Their Use as Biostimulant and Microbial Biocontrol Agents in Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (23):9917.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marika Pellegrini; Giancarlo Pagnani; Matteo Bernardi; Alessandro Mattedi; Daniela Spera; Maddalena Gallo. 2020. "Cell-Free Supernatants of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: A Review of Their Use as Biostimulant and Microbial Biocontrol Agents in Sustainable Agriculture." Sustainability 12, no. 23: 9917.

Journal article
Published: 05 June 2020 in Sustainability
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Excessive use of chemical products in agriculture is causing significant environmental pollution and the loss of lands and fertility of agricultural soils. Plant-growth-promoting bacteria are a valid alternative strategy for sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to select actinomycete strains based on their plant-growth-promoting traits and to investigate their root association abilities and biostimulant effects on Solanum lycopersicum. The strains were investigated for their phosphate solubilization ability, production of indole-3-acetic acid, hydrocyanic acid, and ammonia, and several enzymatic activities. Bacteria–plant-root associations were studied by scanning electron microscopy. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to assess inoculation effects. Of sixty isolates, fourteen strains showed significant plant-growth-promoting traits. All fourteen strains solubilized phosphate, produced ammonia, and showed several enzymatic activities at different rates. The production of indole-3-acetic acid was shown by nine strains, while hydrocyanic acid production was observed in eleven of them. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that strains have good in vitro plant root association and colonization abilities. In planta inoculation by actinomycete strains positively influenced plant growth parameters. The best results were shown by seven actinomycete strains, suggesting their possible utilization as biofertilizer agents for sustainable agriculture.

ACS Style

Rihab Djebaili; Marika Pellegrini; Maria Smati; Maddalena Del Gallo; Mahmoud Kitouni. Actinomycete Strains Isolated from Saline Soils: Plant-Growth-Promoting Traits and Inoculation Effects on Solanum lycopersicum. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4617 .

AMA Style

Rihab Djebaili, Marika Pellegrini, Maria Smati, Maddalena Del Gallo, Mahmoud Kitouni. Actinomycete Strains Isolated from Saline Soils: Plant-Growth-Promoting Traits and Inoculation Effects on Solanum lycopersicum. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (11):4617.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rihab Djebaili; Marika Pellegrini; Maria Smati; Maddalena Del Gallo; Mahmoud Kitouni. 2020. "Actinomycete Strains Isolated from Saline Soils: Plant-Growth-Promoting Traits and Inoculation Effects on Solanum lycopersicum." Sustainability 12, no. 11: 4617.

Plant tissue culture
Published: 09 January 2020 in In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal
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Apennines genepì (Artemisia umbelliformis Lam. subsp. eriantha), is a high-altitude plant endangered by illegal and indiscriminate harvesting to produce the homonymous liqueur. Even if synthetic seeds represented a valid propagation technique to respond to this threat, this technology still requires methods to improve the low germination and plantlet development rates. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of the bacterial consortium formed by Azospirillum brasilense, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Burkholderia ambifaria, and Herbaspirillum seropedicae, as an enrichment agent of Apennines Genepì synthetic seeds. To evaluate the effectiveness as an improving agent, the consortium was incorporated in the synthetic seeds, compared to a control, and followed until ex vitro cultivations. Plants were evaluated for their growth and development parameters, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant properties, polyphenolic compounds concentrations, and volatile fractions. The results demonstrated that the investigated consortium is a good candidate as an enrichment agent in synthetic seed technology. The rhizobacterial presence induced an improved response in plant propagation and the acclimatization process. Plant quality was also enhanced, with an increased accumulation of plant secondary metabolites and higher antioxidant capacity. The investigated bacterial consortium is a good candidate as an enrichment agent in synthetic seed technology. Plant clones can be translocated for species conservation and also commercialized to reduce the illegal and undiscerning collections.

ACS Style

Loretta Pace; Marika Pellegrini; Sara Palmieri; Rachele Rocchi; Loreta Lippa; Maddalena Del Gallo. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for in vitro and ex vitro performance enhancement of Apennines’ Genepì (Artemisia umbelliformis subsp. eriantha), an endangered phytotherapeutic plant. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal 2020, 56, 134 -142.

AMA Style

Loretta Pace, Marika Pellegrini, Sara Palmieri, Rachele Rocchi, Loreta Lippa, Maddalena Del Gallo. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for in vitro and ex vitro performance enhancement of Apennines’ Genepì (Artemisia umbelliformis subsp. eriantha), an endangered phytotherapeutic plant. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal. 2020; 56 (1):134-142.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Loretta Pace; Marika Pellegrini; Sara Palmieri; Rachele Rocchi; Loreta Lippa; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2020. "Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for in vitro and ex vitro performance enhancement of Apennines’ Genepì (Artemisia umbelliformis subsp. eriantha), an endangered phytotherapeutic plant." In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal 56, no. 1: 134-142.

Proceedings
Published: 08 January 2020 in Proceedings
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The present work was aimed at investigating the effects of a four strains consortium—Azospirillum brasilense, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Herbaspirillum seropedicae, and Burkholderia ambifaria—on crops of Allium cepa L. and its soil health. The bacterial consortium was inoculated on seeds of two different onion varieties; inoculated seeds and control ones (treated with autoclaved inoculum) were sown in 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 bulbs dry matter (+3%) than the control. The differences between control and treated experimental conditions 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 of total organic carbon, organic matter, and available P and higher concentrations of nutrients than control. The ecological indexes calculated on the molecular profiles showed that community diversity was positively affected by the bacterial treatment. The present work allowed to remark the effective use of plant growth-promoting bacteria as a valid fertilization strategy to improve yield in productive landscapes, whilst safeguarding soil biodiversity.

ACS Style

Marika Pellegrini; Daniela M. Spera; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo. Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plant Growth and Development and Soil Fertility Status and Microbial Community. Proceedings 2020, 66, 20 .

AMA Style

Marika Pellegrini, Daniela M. Spera, Claudia Ercole, Maddalena Del Gallo. Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plant Growth and Development and Soil Fertility Status and Microbial Community. Proceedings. 2020; 66 (1):20.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marika Pellegrini; Daniela M. Spera; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2020. "Allium cepa L. Inoculation with a Consortium of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: Effects on Plant Growth and Development and Soil Fertility Status and Microbial Community." Proceedings 66, no. 1: 20.

Journal article
Published: 14 November 2019 in Geosciences
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Bacterial calcium-carbonate precipitation (BCP) has been studied for multiple applications such as remediation, consolidation, and cementation. Isolation and screening of strong calcifying bacteria is the main task of BCP-technique. In this paper, we studied CaCO3 precipitation by different bacteria isolated from a rhizospheric soil in both solid and liquid media. It has been found, through culture-depending studies, that bacteria belonging to Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Alphaproteobacteria are the dominant bacteria involved in CaCO3 precipitation in this environment. Pure and mixed cultures of selected strains were applied for sand biocementation experiments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses of the biotreated samples revealed the biological nature of the cementation and the effectiveness of the biodeposition treatment by mixed cultures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that all the calcifying strains selected for sand biocementation precipitated CaCO3, mostly in the form of calcite. In this study, Biolog® EcoPlate is evaluated as a useful method for a more targeted choice of the sampling site with the purpose of obtaining interesting candidates for BCP applications. Furthermore, ImageJ software was investigated, for the first time to our knowledge, as a potential method to screen high CaCO3 producer strains.

ACS Style

Paola Cacchio; Maddalena del Gallo. A Novel Approach to Isolation and Screening of Calcifying Bacteria for Biotechnological Applications. Geosciences 2019, 9, 479 .

AMA Style

Paola Cacchio, Maddalena del Gallo. A Novel Approach to Isolation and Screening of Calcifying Bacteria for Biotechnological Applications. Geosciences. 2019; 9 (11):479.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paola Cacchio; Maddalena del Gallo. 2019. "A Novel Approach to Isolation and Screening of Calcifying Bacteria for Biotechnological Applications." Geosciences 9, no. 11: 479.

Preprint
Published: 12 November 2019
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Bacterial Calcium-carbonate Precipitation (BCP) has been studied for multiple applications such as remediation, consolidation and cementation. Isolation and screening of strong calcifying bacteria is the main task of BCP-technique. In this paper we studied CaCO3 precipitation by different bacteria isolated from a rhizospheric soil in both solid and liquid media. It has been found, through culture-depending studies, that bacteria belonging to Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria are the dominant bacteria involved in CaCO3 precipitation in this environment. Pure and mixed cultures of selected strains were applied for sand biocementation experiments. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analyses of the biotreated samples revealed the biological nature of the cementation and the effectiveness of the biodeposition treatment by mixed cultures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that all the calcifying strains selected for sand biocementation precipitated CaCO3, mostly in the form of calcite. In this study Biolog® Eco-plate is evaluated as a useful method for a more targeted choice of the sampling site with the purpose of obtaining interesting candidates for BCP applications. Furthermore, ImageJ software was investigated, for the first time to our knowledge, as a potential method to screen high CaCO3 producer strains.

ACS Style

Paola Cacchio; Maddalena Del Gallo. A Novel Approach to Isolation and Screening of Calcifying Bacteria for Biotechnological Applications. 2019, 1 .

AMA Style

Paola Cacchio, Maddalena Del Gallo. A Novel Approach to Isolation and Screening of Calcifying Bacteria for Biotechnological Applications. . 2019; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paola Cacchio; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2019. "A Novel Approach to Isolation and Screening of Calcifying Bacteria for Biotechnological Applications." , no. : 1.

Original paper
Published: 08 November 2019 in Biology and Fertility of Soils
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Ancient wheats are characterized by high nutritional value, low nitrogen requirements, and good adaptability which make them particularly suitable for marginal areas or low-input agricultural systems. Among environmental-friendly fertilizers, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria represent a promising tool thanks to their ability to colonize soil and plant roots. In this study, a consortium of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria was applied on three ancient wheat varieties (durum wheat: Senatore Cappelli, Saragolla; emmer: Molisano). Colonization and survival of bacteria in wheat seedling roots were investigated on in vitro cultures. The effects of the bacteria on crop growth, yield, and grain protein accumulation were studied in a 2-year open field experiment (split-plot arranged on a randomized block). Three different fertilization strategies were compared: (i) one bacterial application at sowing, (ii) two bacterial applications at sowing and tillering stages, (iii) zero bacterial application. Scanning electron microscope imaging revealed the ability of the bacteria to colonize effectively seedling roots thanks to biofilm formation on root surfaces. In both years, double bacterial application positively affected plant physiology, growth, and yield. Plants with double bacterial application showed highest physiological traits, and resulting enhanced yield and grain protein contents. The applied bacterial consortium positively performs on ancient wheats, even if the magnitude of its success depends on timing and rate of application.

ACS Style

Giancarlo Pagnani; Angelica Galieni; Fabio Stagnari; Marika Pellegrini; Maddalena Del Gallo; Michele Pisante. Open field inoculation with PGPR as a strategy to manage fertilization of ancient Triticum genotypes. Biology and Fertility of Soils 2019, 56, 111 -124.

AMA Style

Giancarlo Pagnani, Angelica Galieni, Fabio Stagnari, Marika Pellegrini, Maddalena Del Gallo, Michele Pisante. Open field inoculation with PGPR as a strategy to manage fertilization of ancient Triticum genotypes. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 2019; 56 (1):111-124.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giancarlo Pagnani; Angelica Galieni; Fabio Stagnari; Marika Pellegrini; Maddalena Del Gallo; Michele Pisante. 2019. "Open field inoculation with PGPR as a strategy to manage fertilization of ancient Triticum genotypes." Biology and Fertility of Soils 56, no. 1: 111-124.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2019
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ACS Style

Armando Bazzani; Raffaele D'ambrosio; Paolo Freguglia; Ezio Venturino; Maddalena del Gallo; Claudia Ercole; Federica Matteucci. Dynamical model for sympatric speciation in an ecological niche. 2019, 112, 13 -22.

AMA Style

Armando Bazzani, Raffaele D'ambrosio, Paolo Freguglia, Ezio Venturino, Maddalena del Gallo, Claudia Ercole, Federica Matteucci. Dynamical model for sympatric speciation in an ecological niche. . 2019; 112 ():13-22.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Armando Bazzani; Raffaele D'ambrosio; Paolo Freguglia; Ezio Venturino; Maddalena del Gallo; Claudia Ercole; Federica Matteucci. 2019. "Dynamical model for sympatric speciation in an ecological niche." 112, no. : 13-22.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2018 in Industrial Crops and Products
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The massive employment of chemical fertilizers entails substantial costs for agriculture and leads to significant environmental pollution, soils depletion and crop productivity declines. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the suitability of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as an alternative fertilization approach in Cannabis sativa L. ‘Finola’, one of the low-psychoactive substances industrial hemp varieties cultivated in the Abruzzo territory. The PGPR inoculum was first studied in a model system by monitoring the colonization and survival of bacteria in roots of hemp seedling grown in vitro. Following a complete randomized block design with three replicates, female plants were also cultivated in greenhouse and subjected to different cultivation conditions: (i) two different PGPR inoculum concentrations, (ii) nitrogen fertilization, and (iii) unfertilized control. At the flowering stage, plant growth parameters, main cannabinoid content, antioxidant, and total phenolic content, were assessed. In the model system experiment, scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging revealed an excellent ability of bacteria to adhere to the surface of roots, and to colonize root vascular tissues of hemp seedlings. Under greenhouse conditions PGPR favored plant growth and development as well as plant secondary metabolites accumulation and, consequently, antioxidant capacity. In particular, the lowest PGPR concentration allowed obtaining results comparable with those induced by the recommended nitrogen fertilization. These results underline the potentiality of PGPR application in hemp plants in terms of both higher biomass accumulation and chemical composition, also meeting environmental goals such as an increase in soil biodiversity and a reduction in chemical inputs. This study represents the first step toward the potential application of PGPR in hemp cultivation and could be the base for future extensive evaluations.

ACS Style

Giancarlo Pagnani; Marika Pellegrini; Angelica Galieni; Sara D’Egidio; Federica Matteucci; Antonella Ricci; Fabio Stagnari; Manuel Sergi; Claudio Lo Sterzo; Michele Pisante; Maddalena Del Gallo. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in Cannabis sativa ‘Finola’ cultivation: An alternative fertilization strategy to improve plant growth and quality characteristics. Industrial Crops and Products 2018, 123, 75 -83.

AMA Style

Giancarlo Pagnani, Marika Pellegrini, Angelica Galieni, Sara D’Egidio, Federica Matteucci, Antonella Ricci, Fabio Stagnari, Manuel Sergi, Claudio Lo Sterzo, Michele Pisante, Maddalena Del Gallo. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in Cannabis sativa ‘Finola’ cultivation: An alternative fertilization strategy to improve plant growth and quality characteristics. Industrial Crops and Products. 2018; 123 ():75-83.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giancarlo Pagnani; Marika Pellegrini; Angelica Galieni; Sara D’Egidio; Federica Matteucci; Antonella Ricci; Fabio Stagnari; Manuel Sergi; Claudio Lo Sterzo; Michele Pisante; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2018. "Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in Cannabis sativa ‘Finola’ cultivation: An alternative fertilization strategy to improve plant growth and quality characteristics." Industrial Crops and Products 123, no. : 75-83.

Journal article
Published: 27 December 2017 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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Aerobic treatment of wastewater containing Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and photoresist was investigated using a lab scale reactor inoculated with activated sludge coming from urban wastewater treatment that never received TMAH before. The consumption of TMAH was monitored by liquid ion chromatography. Biodiversity indices were calculated from Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) bands distribution and used to estimate changes in community composition related to adaptation to the new feeding compound. The first week of adaptation was crucial, and it was analyzed in detail: many organisms died, and the microbial community suffered a great shock. TMAH levels remained constant through the first four days, and then suddenly dropped to undetectable, and at the same time NH4+ increased. When the community showed complete adaptation, predominant groups of bacteria were obtained by the Illumina sequencing of 16s rDNA amplicons, to provide insights on ecology of the adapted community, focusing on the main actors of TMAH abatement. Richness of species (Rr) peaks suggest that the development of TMAH-consuming bacteria leads to persistent consortia that maintain toxicity resistance over time. This showed adaptation and changes of the population to the different feeding conditions, and it opens new perspectives in the in situ treatment of these important residues of industrial processes without relying on external processing plants.

ACS Style

Giulio Moretti; Federica Matteucci; Matteo Saraullo; Francesco Vegliò; Maddalena Del Gallo. Selection of a Very Active Microbial Community for the Coupled Treatment of Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide and Photoresist in Aqueous Solutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2017, 15, 41 .

AMA Style

Giulio Moretti, Federica Matteucci, Matteo Saraullo, Francesco Vegliò, Maddalena Del Gallo. Selection of a Very Active Microbial Community for the Coupled Treatment of Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide and Photoresist in Aqueous Solutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 15 (1):41.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giulio Moretti; Federica Matteucci; Matteo Saraullo; Francesco Vegliò; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2017. "Selection of a Very Active Microbial Community for the Coupled Treatment of Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide and Photoresist in Aqueous Solutions." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 1: 41.

Original research article
Published: 02 September 2015 in Frontiers in Microbiology
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Perchloroethene, Trichloroethene, and other chlorinated solvents are widespread groundwater pollutants. They form Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs) that sink through permeable groundwater aquifers until non-permeable zone is reached. In Italy there are many situations of serious contamination of groundwater that might compromise their use in industry, agriculture, private, as the critical case of a Central Italy valley located in the province of Teramo (“Val Vibrata”), characterized by a significant chlorinated solvents contamination. Data from the various monitoring campaigns that have taken place over time were collected, and new samplings were carried out, resulting in a complete database. The data matrix was processed with a multivariate statistic analysis (in particular Principal Components Analysis, PCA) and was then imported into Geographic Information System (GIS), to obtain a model of the contamination. A microcosm anaerobic study was utilized to assess the potential for in situ natural or enhanced bioremediation. Most of the microcosms were positive for dechlorination, particularly those inoculated with a mineral medium. This indicate the presence of an active native dechlorinating population in the subsurface, probably inhibited by co-contaminants in the groundwater, or more likely by the absence or lack of nutritional factors. Among the tested electron donors (i.e., yeast extract, lactate, and butyrate) lactate and butyrate enhanced dechlorination of chlorinated compounds. PCA and GIS studies allowed delimiting the contamination; the microcosm study helped to identify the conditions to promote the bioremediation of the area.

ACS Style

Federica Matteucci; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo. A study of chlorinated solvent contamination of the aquifers of an industrial area in central Italy: a possibility of bioremediation. Frontiers in Microbiology 2015, 6, 924 .

AMA Style

Federica Matteucci, Claudia Ercole, Maddalena Del Gallo. A study of chlorinated solvent contamination of the aquifers of an industrial area in central Italy: a possibility of bioremediation. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2015; 6 ():924.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Matteucci; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2015. "A study of chlorinated solvent contamination of the aquifers of an industrial area in central Italy: a possibility of bioremediation." Frontiers in Microbiology 6, no. : 924.

Journal article
Published: 09 July 2015 in Annals of Microbiology
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Liquid industrial chemical wastes are often treated with complex and integrated chemical and biological processes to attain the required standard for water discharge into the environment. Such wastewaters are potentially dangerous and of unknown composition. Biological treatment represents the cheapest means of pollution abatement. In the present work, a microbiological and genetic analysis was performed for the biological pool of an industrial wastewater treatment plant located in Civita Castellana (Viterbo, Italy). This study focused on active sludge treatment and on the subsequent secondary sedimentation system. The parameters of the biological section (the sludge active plant) are normally constantly monitored, but the biological efficiency of the microbial community should be better evaluated to understand the dynamics of the microbial community and its relationship to the overall standard quality parameters that are usually monitored. For this study, Biolog community level physiological profiling (CLPP) on EcoPlates and PCR-amplified 16S rRNA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) were used in comparison and combined as ecological techniques to characterize an anthropic closed ecosystem. Biolog CLPP provides the potential metabolic pattern and DGGE analyses helps to explain the structure and complexity of the microbial community. The results suggest that these techniques could be predictive and more useful when used together than alone. In addition, a principal component analysis (PCA) performed on the Biolog assay over time can relate principal components predictive wells to the biological and standard chemical analysis used to control and monitor the activity of this type of industrial wastewater treatment plant, providing a selection method for further DGGE community analysis.

ACS Style

Giulio Moretti; Federica Matteucci; Claudia Ercole; Francesco Vegliò; Maddalena Del Gallo. Microbial community distribution and genetic analysis in a sludge active treatment for a complex industrial wastewater: a study using microbiological and molecular analysis and principal component analysis. Annals of Microbiology 2015, 66, 397 -405.

AMA Style

Giulio Moretti, Federica Matteucci, Claudia Ercole, Francesco Vegliò, Maddalena Del Gallo. Microbial community distribution and genetic analysis in a sludge active treatment for a complex industrial wastewater: a study using microbiological and molecular analysis and principal component analysis. Annals of Microbiology. 2015; 66 (1):397-405.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giulio Moretti; Federica Matteucci; Claudia Ercole; Francesco Vegliò; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2015. "Microbial community distribution and genetic analysis in a sludge active treatment for a complex industrial wastewater: a study using microbiological and molecular analysis and principal component analysis." Annals of Microbiology 66, no. 1: 397-405.

Journal article
Published: 30 August 2014 in Journal of Cave and Karst Studies
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Paola Cacchio; Gianluca Ferrini; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo; Aldo Lepidi. Biogenicity and Characterization of Moonmilk in the Grotta Nera (Majella National Park, Abruzzi, Central Italy). Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 2014, 76, 88 -103.

AMA Style

Paola Cacchio, Gianluca Ferrini, Claudia Ercole, Maddalena Del Gallo, Aldo Lepidi. Biogenicity and Characterization of Moonmilk in the Grotta Nera (Majella National Park, Abruzzi, Central Italy). Journal of Cave and Karst Studies. 2014; 76 (2):88-103.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paola Cacchio; Gianluca Ferrini; Claudia Ercole; Maddalena Del Gallo; Aldo Lepidi. 2014. "Biogenicity and Characterization of Moonmilk in the Grotta Nera (Majella National Park, Abruzzi, Central Italy)." Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 76, no. 2: 88-103.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2013 in New Biotechnology
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Four bacteria selected on the basis of their capability of fixing atmospheric nitrogen, stimulating plant-growth, and protecting the host plant from pathogens - Azospirillum brasilense, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Herbaspirillum seropedicae, Burkholderia ambifaria - were inoculated on tomato seeds either singularly, in couple and in a four bacteria mixer. Aim of this research was to evaluate: (1) effect of single and mixed cultures on the inoculated plant - plant growth, dry weight, root length and surface, number of leaves, among others; (2) colonization and interactions of the bacteria inside the host plant; (3) localization inside the host of single bacterial strains marked with the gusA reporter gene. The results obtained indicate that all selected microbial strains have colonized Lycopersicon esculentum but in a different way, depending on the single species. A. brasilense, G. diazotrophicus inoculated in vitro singularly and together were the best plant colonizers. In vivo essays, instead, B. ambifaria and the four-bacteria mixer gave the best results. It was possible to localize both A. brasilense and H. seropedicae inside the plant by the gusA reporter gene. The bacterial strains occur along the root axis from the apical zone until to the basal stem, on the shoot from the base up to the leaves. The four bacteria actively colonize tomato seeds and establish an endophytic community inside the plant. This review gives new information about colonization processes, in particular how bacteria interact with plants and whether they are likely to establish themselves in the plant environment after field application as biofertilizers or biocontrol agents.

ACS Style

Anna Lucia Botta; Alessandra Santacecilia; Claudia Ercole; Paola Cacchio; Maddalena Del Gallo. In vitro and in vivo inoculation of four endophytic bacteria on Lycopersicon esculentum. New Biotechnology 2013, 30, 666 -674.

AMA Style

Anna Lucia Botta, Alessandra Santacecilia, Claudia Ercole, Paola Cacchio, Maddalena Del Gallo. In vitro and in vivo inoculation of four endophytic bacteria on Lycopersicon esculentum. New Biotechnology. 2013; 30 (6):666-674.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anna Lucia Botta; Alessandra Santacecilia; Claudia Ercole; Paola Cacchio; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2013. "In vitro and in vivo inoculation of four endophytic bacteria on Lycopersicon esculentum." New Biotechnology 30, no. 6: 666-674.

Journal article
Published: 15 June 2012 in Microscopy and Microanalysis
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This study highlights the role of specific outer bacterial structures, such as the glycocalix, in calcium carbonate crystallizationin vitro. We describe the formation of calcite crystals by extracellular polymeric materials, such as exopolysaccharides (EPS) and capsular polysaccharides (CPS) isolated fromBacillus firmusandNocardia calcarea. Organic matrices were isolated from calcifying bacteria grown on synthetic medium—in the presence or absence of calcium ions—and their effect on calcite precipitation was assessed. Scanning electron microscopy observations and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry analysis showed that CPS and EPS fractions were involved in calcium carbonate precipitation, not only serving as nucleation sites but also through a direct role in crystal formation. The utilization of different synthetic media, with and without addition of calcium ions, influenced the biofilm production and protein profile of extracellular polymeric materials. Proteins of CPS fractions with a molecular mass between 25 and 70 kDa were overexpressed when calcium ions were present in the medium. This higher level of protein synthesis could be related to the active process of bioprecipitation.

ACS Style

Claudia Ercole; Paola Bozzelli; Fabio Altieri; Paola Cacchio; Maddalena Del Gallo. Calcium Carbonate Mineralization: Involvement of Extracellular Polymeric Materials Isolated from Calcifying Bacteria. Microscopy and Microanalysis 2012, 18, 829 -839.

AMA Style

Claudia Ercole, Paola Bozzelli, Fabio Altieri, Paola Cacchio, Maddalena Del Gallo. Calcium Carbonate Mineralization: Involvement of Extracellular Polymeric Materials Isolated from Calcifying Bacteria. Microscopy and Microanalysis. 2012; 18 (4):829-839.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Claudia Ercole; Paola Bozzelli; Fabio Altieri; Paola Cacchio; Maddalena Del Gallo. 2012. "Calcium Carbonate Mineralization: Involvement of Extracellular Polymeric Materials Isolated from Calcifying Bacteria." Microscopy and Microanalysis 18, no. 4: 829-839.