Emina Pustijanac

Bio: Emina Pustijanac is an academic researcher from Juraj Dobrila University of Pula. The author has contributed to research in topics: Mytilus & Mental health. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 15 publications receiving 104 citations.

Candida albicans-The Virulence Factors and Clinical Manifestations of Infection.

Abstract: Candida albicans is a common commensal fungus that colonizes the oropharyngeal cavity, gastrointestinal and vaginal tract, and healthy individuals' skin. In 50% of the population, C. albicans is part of the normal flora of the microbiota. The various clinical manifestations of Candida species range from localized, superficial mucocutaneous disorders to invasive diseases that involve multiple organ systems and are life-threatening. From systemic and local to hereditary and environmental, diverse factors lead to disturbances in Candida's normal homeostasis, resulting in a transition from normal flora to pathogenic and opportunistic infections. The transition in the pathophysiology of the onset and progression of infection is also influenced by Candida's virulence traits that lead to the development of candidiasis. Oral candidiasis has a wide range of clinical manifestations, divided into primary and secondary candidiasis. The main supply of C. albicans in the body is located in the gastrointestinal tract, and the development of infections occurs due to dysbiosis of the residential microbiota, immune dysfunction, and damage to the muco-intestinal barrier. The presence of C. albicans in the blood is associated with candidemia-invasive Candida infections. The commensal relationship exists as long as there is a balance between the host immune system and the virulence factors of C. albicans. This paper presents the virulence traits of Candida albicans and clinical manifestations of specific candidiasis.

Exploring Actinobacteria assemblages in coastal marine sediments under contrasted Human influences in the West Istria Sea, Croatia.

Abstract: The exploration of marine Actinobacteria has as major challenge to answer basic questions of microbial ecology that, in turn, will provide useful information to exploit Actinobacteria metabolisms in biotechnological processes. The ecological functions performed by Actinobacteria in marine sediments are still unclear and belongs to the most burning basic questions. The comparison of Actinobacteria communities inhabiting marine sediments that are under the influence of different contamination types will provide valuable information in the adaptation capacities of Actinobacteria to colonize specific ecological niche. In the present study, the characterization of different Actinobacteria assemblages according to contamination type revealed the ecological importance of Actinobacteria for maintaining both general biogeochemical functions through a “core” Actinobacteria community and specific roles associated with the presence of contaminants. Indeed, the results allowed to distinguish Actinobacteria genera and species operational taxonomic units (OTUs) able to cope with the presence of either (i) As, (ii) metals Ni, Fe, V, Cr, and Mn, or (iii) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxic metals (Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn). Such observations highlighted the metabolic capacities of Actinobacteria and their potential that should be taken into consideration and advantage during the implementation of bioremediation processes in marine ecosystems.

The Ecology of One Cosmopolitan, One Newly Introduced and One Occasionally Advected Species from the Genus Skeletonema in a Highly Structured Ecosystem, the Northern Adriatic.

Abstract: The diatom genus Skeletonema is globally distributed and often an important constituent of the phytoplankton community In the marine phytoplankton of the northern Adriatic Sea, we found three species of the genus Skeletonema: Skeletonema menzelii, Skeletonema marinoi and Skeletonema grevillei Making use of the steep ecological gradients that characterise the northern Adriatic, along which we could observe those species, we report here on the ecological circumstances under which those species thrive and how their respective populations are globally connected This is the first detailed ecological study for the species S grevillei This study is also the first report for S grevillei for the Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean together with additional electron microscopic details on fresh in situ samples for this species S marinoi appears to clearly prefer strong freshwater influence and high nutrient concentrations delivered by low salinity waters It can outcompete other diatom species and dominate microphytoplankton blooms S grevillei on the other hand appears to thrive in high nutrient concentrations triggered by water column mixing It also appears to prefer higher salinity waters and coastal embayments Genetic analysis of S grevillei demonstrated a peculiar dissimilarity with isolates from coastal waters off Yemen, India, Oman and China However, a closely related sequence was isolated from coastal waters off Japan These results indicate that S grevillei is an introduced species, possibly transported by ballast waters S menzelii is a sporadic visitor in the northern Adriatic, advected from rather oligotrophic middle Adriatic waters and never dominates the phytoplankton community in the northern Adriatic

Role of environmental factors and microorganisms in determining the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the marine environment

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread in marine ecosystems and originate from natural sources and anthropogenic activities. PAHs enter the marine environment in two main ways, corresponding to chronic pollution or acute pollution by oil spills. The global PAH fluxes in marine environments are controlled by the microbial degradation and the biological pump, which plays a role in particle settling and in sequestration through bioaccumulation. Due to their low water solubility and hydrophobic nature, PAHs tightly adhere to sediments leading to accumulation in coastal and deep sediments. Microbial assemblages play an important role in determining the fate of PAHs in water and sediments, supporting the functioning of biogeochemical cycles and the microbial loop. This review summarises the knowledge recently acquired in terms of both chronic and acute PAH pollution. The importance of the microbial ecology in PAH-polluted marine ecosystems is highlighted as well as the importance of gaining further in-depth knowledge of the environmental services provided by microorganisms.

Patterns of benthic bacterial diversity in coastal areas contaminated by heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Abstract: Prokaryotes in coastal sediments are fundamental players in the ecosystem functioning and regulate processes relevant in the global biogeochemical cycles. Nevertheless, knowledge on benthic microbial diversity patterns across spatial scales, or as function to anthropogenic influence, is still limited. We investigated the microbial diversity in two of the most chemically polluted sites along the coast of Italy. One site is the Po River Prodelta (Northern Adriatic Sea), which receives contaminant discharge from one of the largest rivers in Europe. The other site, the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea), is a chronically polluted area due to steel production plants, oil refineries, and intense maritime traffic. We collected sediments from 30 stations along gradients of contamination, and studied prokaryotic diversity using Illumina sequencing of amplicons of a 16S rDNA gene fragment. The main sediment variables and the concentration of eleven metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured. Chemical analyses confirmed the high contamination in both sites, with concentrations of PCBs particularly high and often exceeding the sediment guidelines. The analysis of more than 3 millions 16S rDNA sequences showed that richness decreased with higher contamination levels. Multivariate analyses showed that contaminants significantly shaped community composition. Assemblages differed significantly between the two sites, but showed wide within-site variations related with spatial gradients in the chemical contamination, and the presence of a core set of OTUs shared by the two geographically distant sites. A larger importance of PCB-degrading taxa was observed in the Mar Piccolo, suggesting their potential selection in this historically polluted site. Our results indicate that sediment contamination by multiple contaminants significantly alter benthic prokaryotic diversity in coastal areas, and suggests considering the potential contribution of the resident microbes to contaminant bioremediation actions.

Diat.barcode, an open-access curated barcode library for diatoms

Abstract: Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are ubiquitous microalgae which produce a siliceous exoskeleton and which make a major contribution to the productivity of oceans and freshwaters. They display a huge diversity, which makes them excellent ecological indicators of aquatic ecosystems. Usually, diatoms are identified using characteristics of their exoskeleton morphology. DNA-barcoding is an alternative to this and the use of High-Throughput-Sequencing enables the rapid analysis of many environmental samples at a lower cost than analyses under microscope. However, to identify environmental sequences correctly, an expertly curated reference library is needed. Several curated libraries for protists exists; none, however are dedicated to diatoms. Diat.barcode is an open-access library dedicated to diatoms which has been maintained since 2012. Data come from two sources (1) the NCBI nucleotide database and (2) unpublished sequencing data of culture collections. Since 2017, several experts have collaborated to curate this library for rbcL, a chloroplast marker suitable for species-level identification of diatoms. For the latest version of the database (version 7), 605 of the 3482 taxonomical names originally assigned by the authors of the rbcL sequences were modified after curation. The database is accessible at https://www6.inra.fr/carrtel-collection_eng/Barcoding-database .

Variation in Actinobacterial Community Composition and Potential Function in Different Soil Ecosystems Belonging to the Arid Heihe River Basin of Northwest China.

Abstract: Actinobacteria are known for their metabolic potential of producing diverse secondary metabolites such as antibiotics. Actinobacteria also playimportant roles in biogeochemical cycling and how soils develop. However, little is known about the effect of the vegetation type on the actinobacterial community structures in soils from arid regions. For these reasons, we have analyzed the actinobacterial communities of five types of ecosystem (tree grove, shrub, meadow, desert, and farm) in the Heihe river basin. Using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, we found 11 classes of Actinobacteria, with dominant classes of Actinobacteria (36.2%), Thermoleophilia (28.3%), Acidimicrobiia (19.4%). Five classes, 15 orders, 20 families and 36 genera were present in all samples. The dominant generalist genera were Gaiella, Solirubrobacter, Nocardioides, Mycobacterium, and Pseudonocardia. The actinobacterial community structures were significantly affected by the environment and vegetation type. The diversity of the actinobacterial community in the desert ecosystem was high, and this ecosystem harbored the highest proportion of unclassified sequences, representing rare Actinobacteria. Functional metagenomic prediction, using PICRUSt, indicated that Actinobacteria play an important role in nitrogen cycling in both desert and cultivated farm ecosystems.