start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=7 cd-vols= no-issue=3 article-no= start-page=e33800 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2012 dt-pub=20120329 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Practical Application of Methanol-Mediated Mutualistic Symbiosis between Methylobacterium Species and a Roof Greening Moss, Racomitrium japonicum en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Bryophytes, or mosses, are considered the most maintenance-free materials for roof greening. Racomitrium species are most often used due to their high tolerance to desiccation. Because they grow slowly, a technology for forcing their growth is desired. We succeeded in the efficient production of R. japonicum in liquid culture. The structure of the microbial community is crucial to stabilize the culture. A culture-independent technique revealed that the cultures contain methylotrophic bacteria. Using yeast cells that fluoresce in the presence of methanol, methanol emission from the moss was confirmed, suggesting that it is an important carbon and energy source for the bacteria. We isolated Methylobacterium species from the liquid culture and studied their characteristics. The isolates were able to strongly promote the growth of some mosses including R. japonicum and seed plants, but the plant-microbe combination was important, since growth promotion was not uniform across species. One of the isolates, strain 22A, was cultivated with R. japonicum in liquid culture and in a field experiment, resulting in strong growth promotion. Mutualistic symbiosis can thus be utilized for industrial moss production. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=TaniAkio en-aut-sei=Tani en-aut-mei=Akio kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=TakaiYuichiro en-aut-sei=Takai en-aut-mei=Yuichiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=SuzukawaIkko en-aut-sei=Suzukawa en-aut-mei=Ikko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=AkitaMotomu en-aut-sei=Akita en-aut-mei=Motomu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=MuraseHaruhiko en-aut-sei=Murase en-aut-mei=Haruhiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=KimbaraKazuhide en-aut-sei=Kimbara en-aut-mei=Kazuhide kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefectural Government affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Meiho-Construction affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Biological Engineering, Kinki University affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=Graduate School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University affil-num=6 en-affil= kn-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=7 cd-vols= no-issue=7 article-no= start-page=e40784 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2012 dt-pub=20120712 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=High-Throughput Identification and Screening of Novel Methylobacterium Species Using Whole-Cell MALDI-TOF/MS Analysis en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Methylobacterium species are ubiquitous α-proteobacteria that reside in the phyllosphere and are fed by methanol that is emitted from plants. In this study, we applied whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis (WC-MS) to evaluate the diversity of Methylobacterium species collected from a variety of plants. The WC-MS spectrum was reproducible through two weeks of cultivation on different media. WC-MS spectrum peaks of M. extorquens strain AM1 cells were attributed to ribosomal proteins, but those were not were also found. We developed a simple method for rapid identification based on spectra similarity. Using all available type strains of Methylobacterium species, the method provided a certain threshold similarity value for species-level discrimination, although the genus contains some type strains that could not be easily discriminated solely by 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Next, we evaluated the WC-MS data of approximately 200 methylotrophs isolated from various plants with MALDI Biotyper software (Bruker Daltonics). Isolates representing each cluster were further identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In most cases, the identification by WC-MS matched that by sequencing, and isolates with unique spectra represented possible novel species. The strains belonging to M. extorquens, M. adhaesivum, M. marchantiae, M. komagatae, M. brachiatum, M. radiotolerans, and novel lineages close to M. adhaesivum, many of which were isolated from bryophytes, were found to be the most frequent phyllospheric colonizers. The WC-MS technique provides emerging high-throughputness in the identification of known/novel species of bacteria, enabling the selection of novel species in a library and identification without 16S rRNA gene sequencing. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=TaniAkio en-aut-sei=Tani en-aut-mei=Akio kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=NurettinSahin en-aut-sei=Nurettin en-aut-mei=Sahin kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsuyamaYumiko en-aut-sei=Matsuyama en-aut-mei=Yumiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=EnomotoTakashi en-aut-sei=Enomoto en-aut-mei=Takashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=NishimuraNaoki en-aut-sei=Nishimura en-aut-mei=Naoki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=YokotaAkira en-aut-sei=Yokota en-aut-mei=Akira kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=KimbaraKazuhide en-aut-sei=Kimbara en-aut-mei=Kazuhide kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Education, Mugla Sitki Kocman University affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=Botanical Garden, Okayama University of Science affil-num=6 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia affil-num=7 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Engineering, Shizuoka University END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=7 cd-vols= no-issue=11 article-no= start-page=e50480 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2013 dt-pub=20130322 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=A Catalytic Role of XoxF1 as La3+-Dependent Methanol Dehydrogenase in Methylobacterium extorquens Strain AM1 en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=In the methylotrophic bacterium Methylobacterium extorquens strain AM1, MxaF, a Ca2+-dependent methanol dehydrogenase (MDH), is the main enzyme catalyzing methanol oxidation during growth on methanol. The genome of strain AM1 contains another MDH gene homologue, xoxF1, whose function in methanol metabolism has remained unclear. In this work, we show that XoxF1 also functions as an MDH and is La3+-dependent. Despite the absence of Ca2+ in the medium strain AM1 was able to grow on methanol in the presence of La3+. Addition of La3+ increased MDH activity but the addition had no effect on mxaF or xoxF1 expression level. We purified MDH from strain AM1 grown on methanol in the presence of La3+, and its N-terminal amino acid sequence corresponded to that of XoxF1. The enzyme contained La3+ as a cofactor. The ΔmxaF mutant strain could not grow on methanol in the presence of Ca2+, but was able to grow after supplementation with La3+. Taken together, these results show that XoxF1 participates in methanol metabolism as a La3+-dependent MDH in strain AM1. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=NakagawaTomoyuki en-aut-sei=Nakagawa en-aut-mei=Tomoyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=MitsuiRyoji en-aut-sei=Mitsui en-aut-mei=Ryoji kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=TaniAkio en-aut-sei=Tani en-aut-mei=Akio kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=SasaKentaro en-aut-sei=Sasa en-aut-mei=Kentaro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=TashiroShinya en-aut-sei=Tashiro en-aut-mei=Shinya kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=IwamaTomonori en-aut-sei=Iwama en-aut-mei=Tomonori kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=HayakawaTakashi en-aut-sei=Hayakawa en-aut-mei=Takashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=KawaiKeiichi en-aut-sei=Kawai en-aut-mei=Keiichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University affil-num=6 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University affil-num=7 en-affil= kn-affil=Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University affil-num=8 en-affil= kn-affil=Tokai Gakuin University END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=2 cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page=606 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2013 dt-pub=20131113 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Evaluation of rhizosphere, rhizoplane and phyllosphere bacteria and fungi isolated from rice in Kenya for plant growth promoters en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important staple food crop in many developing countries, and is ranked third in Kenya after maize and wheat. Continuous cropping without replenishing soil nutrients is a major problem in Kenya resulting to declining soil fertility. The use of chemical fertilizers to avert the problem of low soil fertility is currently limited due to rising costs and environmental concerns. Many soil micro-organisms are able to solubilize the unavailable phosphorus, increase uptake of nitrogen and also synthesize growth promoting hormones including auxin. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize phyllosphere, rhizoplane and rhizosphere micro-organisms from Kenyan rice with growth promoting habits. In this study whole plant rice samples were collected from different rice growing regions of Kenya. 76.2%, over 80% and 38.5% of the bacterial isolates were positive for phosphate solubilization, nitrogenase activity and IAA production whereas 17.5% and 5% of the fungal isolates were positive for phosphate solubilization and IAA production respectively. Hence these micro-organisms have potential for utilization as bio-fertilizers in rice production. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=Rashid MwajitaMwashasha en-aut-sei=Rashid Mwajita en-aut-mei=Mwashasha kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=MurageHunja en-aut-sei=Murage en-aut-mei=Hunja kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=TaniAkio en-aut-sei=Tani en-aut-mei=Akio kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=KahangiEsther M en-aut-sei=Kahangi en-aut-mei=Esther M kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Kenya Agricultural Research Institute affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources Okayama University affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology en-keyword=Micro-organisms kn-keyword=Micro-organisms en-keyword=Phosphate solubilization kn-keyword=Phosphate solubilization en-keyword=Nitrogen fixation kn-keyword=Nitrogen fixation en-keyword=IAA production kn-keyword=IAA production END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=31 cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page=21 end-page=25 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2009 dt-pub=200912 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title=Cooling effect on buildings by the roof greening at Research Institute for Bioresources, Okayama University kn-title=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所における屋上緑化による建物冷却効果 en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Roof greening is known to be environmentally friendly technology. Recently developed new roof greening systems, such as the thin-layer/Excel soil© system and the wetland type greening system, were tested at the roof top of buildings of Research Institute for Bioresources, Okayama University. After a multi-year test, these new systems have been established during high-temperature and less-rainfall summer seasons in the south Okayama region. Data indicated that roof greening effectively reduced the temperature of the concrete surface (more than 10°C). The room temperature under the green roof was also reduced both in a stock room (up to 6°C) and in an office room (about 2°C). We also provided the estimation indicating that this roof greening is useful for the decrease in CO(2) emission through the reduction of the electric power for air-conditioning in the summer. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=KatsuharaMaki en-aut-sei=Katsuhara en-aut-mei=Maki kn-aut-name=且原真木 kn-aut-sei=且原 kn-aut-mei=真木 aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=TanakamaruShigemi en-aut-sei=Tanakamaru en-aut-mei=Shigemi kn-aut-name=田中丸重美 kn-aut-sei=田中丸 kn-aut-mei=重美 aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=MoriIzumi C. en-aut-sei=Mori en-aut-mei=Izumi C. kn-aut-name=森泉 kn-aut-sei=森 kn-aut-mei=泉 aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=TaniAkio en-aut-sei=Tani en-aut-mei=Akio kn-aut-name=谷明生 kn-aut-sei=谷 kn-aut-mei=明生 aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=UtsugiShigeko en-aut-sei=Utsugi en-aut-mei=Shigeko kn-aut-name=宇都木繁子 kn-aut-sei=宇都木 kn-aut-mei=繁子 aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=EnomotoTakashi en-aut-sei=Enomoto en-aut-mei=Takashi kn-aut-name=榎本敬 kn-aut-sei=榎本 kn-aut-mei=敬 aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=MaitaniToshihiko en-aut-sei=Maitani en-aut-mei=Toshihiko kn-aut-name=米谷俊彦 kn-aut-sei=米谷 kn-aut-mei=俊彦 aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 affil-num=6 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 affil-num=7 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学資源生物科学研究所 en-keyword=Roof greening kn-keyword=Roof greening en-keyword=wetland type greening kn-keyword=wetland type greening en-keyword=thin-Iayer/ Excel soil© system kn-keyword=thin-Iayer/ Excel soil© system en-keyword=cooling effect kn-keyword=cooling effect END