Antibacterial activity of antagonistic bacterium Bacillus subtilis DJM-51 against phytopathogenic Clavibacter michiganense subsp. michiganense ATCC 7429 in vitro

To investigate antibacterial activity against the tomato pathogen Clavibacter michiganense subsp. michiganense ATCC 7429 (Cmm ATCC 7429), Bacillus subtilis DJM-51 was isolated from rhizosphere soil. For isolation of bacteria, samples were taken from rhizosphere soil. The isolate, DJA-51, had strong antagonistic ability against Tomato pathogen Cmm ATCC 7429 on nutrient-broth yeast extract agar (NBYA) as indicated by inhibition zones around colonies. On the basis of the nucleotide sequence of a conserved segment of the 16S rRNA gene, the bacterium has been identified as B. subtilis DJM-51. The growth of Cmm ATCC 7429 on NBYA plates was inhibited by culture broth of B. subtilis DJM-51 including cells, by the supernatant of culture broth of B. subtilis DJM-51, and by the liquid material resulting from butanol extract of bacterial cultures. The OD value in co-culture mixture was lower than the control throughout the entire incubation period. Antibiotics obtained from B. subtilis DJM-51 inhibited the growth of Tomato pathogen Cmm ATCC 7429. These results provide potentially information about the protection of tomato from pathogen Cmm ATCC 7429 under greenhouse conditions in Quebec.

Fluorescence microscopy as a tool for in situ life detection

The identification of extant and, in some cases, extinct bacterial life is most convincingly and efficiently performed with modern high-resolution microscopy. Epifluorescence microscopy of microbial autofluorescence or in conjunction with fluorescent dyes is among the most useful of these techniques. We explored fluorescent labeling and imaging of bacteria in rock and soil in the context of in situ life detection for planetary exploration. The goals were two-fold: to target non-Earth-centric biosignatures with the greatest possible sensitivity and to develop labeling procedures amenable to robotic implementation with technologies that are currently space qualified. A wide panel of commercially available dyes that target specific biosignature molecules was screened, and those with desirable properties (i.e., minimal binding to minerals, strong autofluorescence contrast, no need for wash steps) were identified. We also explored the potential of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) as bacterial and space probes. A specific instrument for space implementation is suggested and discussed.