Identification of volatiles from six marine Celeribacter strains

Genome Analysis of Celeribacter sp. PS-C1 Isolated from Sekinchan Beach in Selangor, Malaysia, Reveals Its β-Glucosidase and Licheninase Activities

A halophilic marine bacterial strain, PS-C1, was isolated from Sekinchan beach in Selangor, Malaysia. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain PS-C1 was associated with the genus Celeribacter. To date, there have been no reports on enzymes from the genus Celeribacter. The present study reports on the cellular features of Celeribacter sp. PS-C1, its annotated genome sequence, and comparative genome analyses of Celeribacter glycoside hydrolase (GH) enzymes. The genome of strain PS-C1 has a size of 3.87 Mbp and a G+C content of 59.10%, and contains 3739 protein-coding genes. Detailed analysis using the Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes (CAZy) database revealed that Celeribacter genomes harboured at least 12 putative genes encoding industrially important GHs that are grouped as cellulases, β-glucanases, hemicellulases, and starch-degrading enzymes. Herein, the potential applications of these enzymes are discussed. Furthermore, the activities of two types of GHs (β-glucosidase and licheninase) in strain PS-C1 were demonstrated. These findings suggest that strain PS-C1 could be a reservoir of novel GH enzymes for lignocellulosic biomass degradation.

Atmospheric Benzothiazoles in a Coastal Marine Environment

Organic emissions from coastal waters play an important but poorly understood role in atmospheric chemistry in coastal regions. A mesocosm experiment focusing on facilitated biological blooms in coastal seawater, SeaSCAPE (Sea Spray Chemistry and Particle Evolution), was performed to study emission of volatile gases, primary sea spray aerosol, and formation of secondary marine aerosol as a function of ocean biological and chemical processes. Here, we report observations of aerosol-phase benzothiazoles in a marine atmospheric context with complementary measurements of dissolved-phase benzothiazoles. Though previously reported dissolved in polluted coastal waters, we report the first direct evidence of the transfer of these molecules from seawater into the atmosphere. We also report the first gas-phase observations of benzothiazole in the environment absent a direct industrial, urban, or rubber-based source. From the identities and temporal dynamics of the dissolved and aerosol species, we conclude that the presence of benzothiazoles in the coastal water (and thereby their emissions into the atmosphere) is primarily attributable to anthropogenic sources. Oxidation experiments to explore the atmospheric fate of gas-phase benzothiazole show that it produces secondary aerosol and gas-phase SO₂, making it a potential contributor to secondary marine aerosol formation in coastal regions and a participant in atmospheric sulfur chemistry.