Biology subjects

Pileggi, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Pileggi, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Tolerance of Pseudomonas Strain to the 2,4-D Herbicide through a Peroxidase System

Herbicides are widely used in agricultural practices for preventing the proliferation of weeds that compete with crops for survival. Upon reaching soil and water, herbicides can damage nontarget organisms, such as bacteria, which need an efficient defense mechanism to tolerate the stress induced by herbicides. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a herbicide that exerts increased oxidative stress among bacterial communities that consequently witness an increased toxicity in their microenvironments. Bacterial isolates were obtained from the biofilm of water that was contaminated with 2,4-D. This biofilm originated from the tanks containing washing water from the packaging of different pesticides, including 2,4-D. Moreover, several isolates were sensitive to biofilm toxicity; however, they remained alive in the presence of 2,4-D. The Pseudomonas sp. CMA-7.3 was selected because of its tolerance against biofilm agrochemicals. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidative response system of the Pseudomonas sp. CMA-7.3. This study also analyzed poorly evaluated enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and guaiacol peroxidase GPX, in the bacterial systems. The toxic effects of 2,4-D on bacteria were evaluated using mechanisms indicating oxidative stress, such as growth curve, cell viability, peroxide, and malondialdehyde. The Pseudomonas sp. CMA-7.3 was an efficient response system against the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT, APX, and GPX in balancing the production of H2O2, even at high doses as 25x the field dose of the herbicide, thereby proving the toxicity of 2,4-D for this strain and showing the ability of the strain to tolerate 2,4-D. The adaptation of this microorganism to herbicide exposure is truly relevant for improving future metabolic studies on bacterial communities. The strain showed a great potential in the application and developmental prospects of a new product in the bioremediation process of environments contaminated by these herbicides.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Specific quorum sensing molecules are possibly associated with responses to herbicide toxicity in a Pseudomonas strain

Pesticides contribute to pest control and increased agricultural production; however, they are toxic to non-target organisms and they contaminate the environment. The exposure of bacteria to these substances can lead to the need for physiological and structural changes for survival, which can be determined by genes whose expression is regulated by quorum sensing (QS). However, it is not yet clear whether these processes can be induced by herbicides. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine whether there is a QS response system in a Pseudomonas fluorescens strain that is modulated by herbicides. This strain was isolated from water storage tanks used for washing pesticide packaging and was tested against herbicides containing saflufenacil, glyphosate, sulfentrazone, 2,4-D, and dicamba as active molecules. We found that this strain possibly uses QS signaling molecules to control the production of reactive oxygen species, whether those produced by the bacteriums energy generating system or by molecules induced by the presence of saflufenacil and glyphosate. This strain used other signaling molecules for various stages of biofilm formation in the presence of herbicides containing sulfentrazone, 2,4-D, and dicamba. These findings, as an initial screening which will guide new studies, suggest that this strain has a flexibility in gene expression that allows survival in the presence of several stress-inducing molecules, regardless of previous exposure. This represents a model of metabolic and physiological plasticity. Biofilms made up of several bacterial species can use this model in agricultural environments, increasing the potential for degradation of xenobiotics, but with impacts on diversity and functionality of microbiotas in these environments.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Population structure determined by comparative amplicon gene sequencing in biofilm and planktonic bacterial communities from pesticide-contaminated water

Molecular and bioinformatics tools for research are very important for biodiversity characterization in contaminated environments due the presence of a high percentage of nonculturable microorganisms. The wide use of pesticides in agriculture exposes microbiomes to stressful and selective conditions that demand survival strategies such as biofilm formation. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the bacterial population structure in planktonic and biofilm communities of water that was used for washing the packaging of herbicides and stored for six months in tanks. This substance is highly contaminated waste. Samples of water and biofilms from tanks and biofilms developed for short times in flasks were used for DNA isolation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The physicochemical conditions imposed by water used for washing the containers were inadequate for killing the bacterial genera identified according to water and wastewater standards. The variation in population structure and diversity was lower in the planktonic samples than in the biofilm samples, indicating a possible combination of genetic drift and subsequent selection of individuals surviving under stressful water conditions, such as heating and contact with agrochemicals, over a six-month period. The biofilm formation in water tanks contaminated with pesticides enabled the survival of bacterial genera harboring the essential processes for adaptation to these environments; the presence of these processes was determined according to descriptions obtained from the genomic databases. This study suggests the potential of bacterial genera identified in biofilms obtained from tanks to adapt to contaminated environments through their metabolic complexity. Thus, herbicide biodegradation kinetics can be accessed through a culturable collection obtained from these communities.

microbiology↗