Under conditions of phosphate starvation Escherichia coli can solubilize mineral phosphates, such as dicalcium phosphate, to orthophosphate which is then available for uptake and cell growth processes. lac operon fusions were created using MudX phage, and mineral phosphate solubilization (Mps) mutants were identified by their inability to solubilize mineral phosphate on plate assays. Four of these mutants have been mapped on the E. coli chromosome via Hfr matings and are located at two distinct portions of the chromosome; between 23 and 50 minutes and between 60 and 90 minutes. One mutant in each region has phosphate starvation inducible (Psi) promoter activity. One of these mutants (DB1047) was mapped to between 69 and 75 minutes via F' matings, and fine structure mapped to 75 minutes by hybridization with λ clones from a genomic library of Escherichia coli. DB1047 was characterized more closely and found to exhibit pleiotropy with regard to several membrane related traits. Evidence that this is a single insertional event comes from the simultaneous loss of all traits tested in spontaneous revertants. Additionally, a Tn5 mutant was identified that was identical for these traits. Our data strongly support the hypothesis that the mutation carried by DB1047 is in the ompB locus. This locus consists of the two regulatory cotranscribed genes, ompR and envZ. This locus is involved in regulation of transcription of the ompC and ompF genes for outer membrane porin proteins, and is located at 75 minutes on the chromosome as is the DB1047 mutation. DB1047 lacks the outer membrane porin OmpF, a phenotype previously attributed to envZ mutants. However, the ompR321 mutant resembles DB1047 in reduced ability to solubilize phosphate. Additional supporting evidence for the DB1047 mutation belonging to the ompB locus comes from the most recent report that mutations in the himA gene, which I found to be deficient in the ability to solubilize phosphate, also affect the regulation of production of the outer membrane porin OmpF.

No description available.

Thesis (MSc. Agriculture (Soil Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / Phospho-composts of different mix ratios (5:5, 7:3, 8:2 and 9:1) were produced through thermophilic co-composting of poultry manure (PM) and sewage sludge (SS) with ground phosphate rock (GPR). Composted PM and SS without GPR addition were included as control. Cured phospho-composts were chemically characterised and used for both laboratory incubation and greenhouse studies, respectively for phosphorus (P) mineralisation and bioavailability, over a period of 42 days. Results revealed that Bray-P1 concentration measured in compost amended soils at 14, 21 and 42 DAI differed significantly (P<0.05) and ranged between 5.47 and 11.14 mg kg-1 and between 5.28 and 11.78 mg kg-1 in poultry manure and sewage sludge-based phospho-composts, respectively. The maximum amount of cumulative P mineralised of 16.06 and 9.98 mg kg -1, respectively in PM and SS-based phospho-composts were obtained from the 8:2 mix ratio. The content of the acid detergent fibre of the different phospho-composts showed positive and significant correlation with cellulose, lignin and total organic carbon (TOC). Similarly, cellulose as well as C:P ratio showed significant correlation with both lignin and TOC. The polynomial relationship between cumulative P mineralised and the various GRP and manure mix ratios revealed significant and positive R2- values of 0.731 and 0.613 for PM and SS-based phospho-composts, respectively. The maximum amount of maize tissue P uptake of 0.12 and 0.11 mg pot-1 in PM and SS-based phospho-compost respectively were also obtained from the 8:2 mix ratio while the least amount of 0.04 mg P pot-1 was obtained from GPR and unamended pots. Maize tissue P uptake following the phospho-compost application was significantly affected by the differences in soil type. Tissue P uptake was 0.06 and 0.11 mg P/pot, respectively in low potential and high potential soils with a significantly higher value. The use of the different phospho-composts showed great potential for amelioration of P-deficiency problems in crops while thermophilic cocomposting improved the solubility and bioavailability of P from non-reactive GPR. Keywords: Ground phosphate rock; poultry manure; sewage sludge; phosphocomposts; phosphorus mineralisation; soil fertility management.

Areas at steep slopes in the catchments with high occupation by family farmers in Southern Brazil, even with a high surface covered with regenerated forests, are characterized by the persistence of sources of rural and urban pollution that are undermining the quality of aquatic systems. The unfair use of soil outside its capability, the adoption of inadequate soil tillage systems, the integrated system of animal production (poultry and swine) in quantities environmentally intolerable and the untreated domestic sewage from small villages are the main factors responsible for the input of high amounts of phosphorus into watercourses. In this context, the present doctoral thesis aims (i) monitoring the temporal variation in sediment-bound phosphorus in sub-catchments under different land-use and soil tillage systems and (ii) assessment of the potential of sediments from rural and urban sources to behave as source or sink of phosphorus for aquatic systems. In the Guaporé River catchment, six representative headwater sub-catchments with contrasting land-use and soil management were monitored. The selected sub-catchments were characterized by: (i) predominance of native forest (control); (ii) predominance of areas transformed to agriculture recently, but under conventional tillage CT (sub1); (iii) areas under CT, but with predominance of Ilex plantations (sub2); (iv) predominance of tobacco cultivation of long term under CT (sub3); (v) intensive agriculture under no-tillage NT (sub4); and (vi) intensive agriculture under NT and receiving untreated sewage of a twenty thousand inhabitant town (sub5). In addition, five points of the main river (P1 to P5) were monitored: the first one is located near to the junction of the sub-catchments 4 and 5, and the last one at the outlet of the watershed. Suspended and bed sediments were collected, comprising ten field campaigns performed in the monitoring period of 24 months (October 2012 to October 2014). The different fractions of phosphorus (P) of sediment were analyzed considering the bioavailability. The P sorption-desorption parameters in the sediments were estimated. The conversion of native forest for annual crops production areas promotes the production of sediments with higher amounts of total, inorganic and labile phosphorus. The values of maxima phosphorus adsorption capacity, instantaneous available and potentially available phosphorus forms, desorption rate and mobility index of phosphorus in sediments collected in the different sub-catchments in the following order: native forest < CT < CT with the intensive production of tobacco < NT < NT in the rural area plus urban sewage. A highly positive correlation was observed between different phosphorus fractions (especially the labile phosphorus), as well as different parameters of sorption/desorption, and amounts of iron and aluminum in sediments. It was found the highest amount of labile phosphorus in sediments collected at the end of winter and beginning of spring, particularly in the areas where tobacco is cultivated under CT. / As áreas de bacias hidrográficas declivosas e densamente ocupadas pela agricultura familiar no Sul do Brasil, apesar de apresentarem grande superfície com florestas regeneradas, caracterizam-se pela persistência de fontes de poluição rurais e urbanas que vêm comprometendo a qualidade dos sistemas aquáticos. O uso do solo fora de sua aptidão, a adoção de sistemas de manejo inadequados, o sistema integrado de produção animal (aves e suínos) em quantidades ambientalmente intoleráveis e o não tratamento dos esgotos domésticos das pequenas cidades são fatores responsáveis pelo aporte de grandes quantidades de fósforo aos cursos d água. Nesse contexto, a presente tese de doutorado visa (i) monitorar a variação temporal do fósforo ligado aos sedimentos em sub-bacias com diferentes usos e manejo do solo e (ii) avaliar o potencial dos sedimentos de fontes rurais e urbana em atuarem como fonte ou dreno de fósforo aos sistemas aquáticos.Na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Guaporé RS/Brasil foram monitoradas seis sub-bacias de cabeceira representativas de uso da terra e de sistemas de manejo do solo contrastantes. As sub-bacias selecionadas caracterizavam-se por:i) predomínio demata nativa (controle); (ii) predomínio de áreas transformadas em agricultura recentemente, mas sob sistema de cultivo convencional SCC (sub1); (iii) áreas emSCC, mas com predomínio de produção de erva-mate (sub2); (iv) predomínio de áreas emSCC há longa data para cultivo do tabaco (sub3 ); (v) predomínio de agricultura intensiva, mas sob o sistema plantio direto SPD (sub4); e (vi) predomínio de agricultura intensiva sobSPD e recebendo esgoto não tratada de uma cidade com 20 mil habitantes (sub5). Adicionalmente, monitoraram-se cinco pontos no rio principal (P1 a P5), sendo que o primeiro está localizado na junção das sub-bacias 4 e 5 e o último é o exutório da bacia.Coletaram-se sedimentos de fundo e em suspensão, em dez campanhas de campo, durante 24 meses (10/2012 a 10/2014). Foram analisadas as diferentes frações de fósforo no sedimento, de acordo com a biodisponibilidade e estimaram-se os parâmetros de adsortividade e dessortividade do fósforo no sedimento. A conversão da mata nativa para implantação de culturas anuais induz a produção de sedimentos com maiores teores de fósforo total, fósforo inorgânico e fósforo lábil. Os valores da capacidade máxima de adsorção, fósforo instantaneamente disponível, fósforo potencialmente disponível, taxa de dessorção e índice de mobilidade de fósforo dos sedimentos coletados nas diferentes sub-bacias aumentaram na seguinte ordem: mata nativa < SCC < SCC intenso com produção de tabaco < SPD < SPD no meio rural mais esgoto urbano. Foram observadas correlações positivas dasdiferentes frações de fósforo (em especial aquela relacionada ao P lábil), bem como dos diferentes parâmetros de sorção/dessorção, com os teores de ferro e alumínio do sedimento.Foi encontrado maior teor de fósforo lábil nos sedimentos coletados no final do inverno e início da primavera,particularmente naqueles correspondentes aos locais onde se cultiva tabaco em SCC.