http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6416 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:44:42 GMT 2026-04-13T12:44:42Z http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6428 Title: Chryseomicrobium excrementi sp. nov., a Gram-stain-positive rod-shaped bacterium isolated from an earthworm (Eisenia fetida) cast Authors: Saha, Tilak; Chakraborty, Biswanath; Das, Sayak; Thakur, Nagendra; Chakraborty, Ranadhir Abstract: A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, slightly halotolerant, nitrate-reducing bacterial strain, designated ET03T, was isolated from the cast of an earthworm (Eisenia fetida) reared at the Centre of Floriculture and Agribusiness Management, University of North Bengal at Siliguri, West Bengal, India. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny, the closest relative of strain ET03T was Chryseomicrobium palamuruense PU1T (99.1 % similarity). The DNA G+C content of strain ET03T was 42.9 mol%. Strain ET03T contained menaquinone-8 as the most predominant menaquinone and phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and phosphatidylglycerol as the main polar lipids. The diagnostic diamino acid was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c alcohol and iso-C16 : 0. Other biochemical and physiological analyses supported genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of the strain ET03T from its nearest taxonomic neighbours: Chryseomicrobium palamuruense, Chryseomicrobium amylolyticum , Chryseomicrobium imtechense , Chryseomicrobium aureum and Chryseomicrobium deserti. The draft genome of strain ET03T consisted of 2.64 Mb distributed in 14 scaffolds (N50 894072). A total of 2728 genes were predicted and, of those, 2664 were protein-coding genes including genes involved in the degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl and several aromatic compounds. The isolate, therefore, represents a novel species, for which the name Chryseomicrobium excrementi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ET03T (=KCTC 33943T=LMG 30119T=JCM Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6428 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6424 Title: Geobacillus yumthangensis sp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium isolated from a North-East Indian hot spring Authors: Najar, Ishfaq Nabi; Sherpa, Mingma Thundu; Das, Sayak; Verma, Kamalesh; Dubey, Vikash Kumar; Thakur, Nagendra Abstract: A thermophilic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium isolated from the Yumthang hot spring in North Sikkim, India was subjected to taxonomic studies. The thermophilic bacterial isolate was designated as strain AYN2T. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped, catalase-positive and methyl red-negative. Strain AYN2T was able to grow in the pH range from 6 to 10 (optimum, pH 7.5–8.0), at 40–70 °C (60 °C) and in NaCl concentrations of 0–4 % (1 %). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (12.8 %), iso-C16 : 0 (13.9 %) and iso-C17 : 0 (13.8 %). No matches were found in the rtsba6 Sherlock libraries. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 42.11 mol%. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain AYNT showed highest sequence similarity to the type strain of Geobacillus toebii (96 %). However, the phenotypic properties of strain AYN2T were clearly distinct from those of G. toebii and related species. On the basis of polyphasic analysis, strain AYN2T represents a novel species in the genus Geobacillus, for which the name Geobacillus yumthangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AYN2T(MTCC=12749=KCTC=33950= JCM 32596). Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6424 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6423 Title: Bacterial diversity in an alpine Debris-Free and Debris-Cover accumulation zone glacier ice, North Sikkim, India Authors: Sherpa, Mingma Thundu; Najar, Ishfaq Nabi; Das, Sayak; Thakur, Nagendra Abstract: The Himalayas are water tower for billions of people; however in recent years due to climate change several glaciers of Himalaya are receding or getting extinct which can lead to water scarcity and political tensions. Thus, it requires immediate attention and necessary evaluation of all the environmental parameters which can lead to conservation of Himalayan glaciers. This study is the first attempt to investigate the bacterial diversity from debris-free Changme Khang (CKG) and debris-cover Changme Khangpu (CK) glacier, North Sikkim, India. The abundance of culturable bacteria in CKG glaciers was 1.5 × 104 cells/mL and CK glacier 1.5 × 105 cells/mL. A total of 50 isolates were isolated from both the glacier under aerobic growth condition. The majority of the isolates from both the glaciers were psychrotolerant according to their growth temperature. Optimum growth temperatures of the isolates were between 15 and 20 °C, pH 6–8 and NaCl 0–2%. The phylogenetic studies of 16S RNA gene sequence suggest that, these 21 isolates can be assigned within four phyla/class, i.e., Firmicutes, Beta-proteobacteria, Gamma-proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The dominant phyla were Firmicutes 71.42% followed by Actinobacteria 14.28%, Alpha-proteobacteria 9.52% and Beta-proteobacteria 4.76%. The isolate Bacillus thuringiensis strain CKG2 showed the highest protease activity (2.24 unit/mL/min). Considering the fast rate at which Himalayan glaciers are melting and availability of limited number of research, there is urgent need to study the microbial communities confined in such environments. Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6423 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6422 Title: Prevalence and risk factors associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Sikkim Authors: Rajapure, Vikram; Tirwa, Ranjan; Poudyal, Hemant; Thakur, Nagendra Abstract: The population of Sikkim is a unique blend of multi-tribal and metropolitan culture. However, till date, no data regarding prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (henceforth abbreviated as STDs) among this population is available and hence requires attention. Hence the objective is to determine the prevalence of STDs in Sikkim and to describe associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study involving ‘Questionnaire-based anonymous feedback system’ was followed to collect data from 2,000 individuals across the society. The four most common STDs, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and HIV, were considered for the study. Total 69 (3.6 %) cases of STDs were found in 1,918 individuals was affected by at least one of the STDs, out of which 43 were males and 26 were females. Cases of gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydiasis and HIV were 25, 22, 4 and 18 respectively. Out of total 69 cases of STDs, 20 individuals were also suffering from some kind of hepatitis. Addictions like alcoholism, smoking and drugs were also found in significant number, with 1,019 (>50 %) individuals with at least one of these addictions. Relative risk analysis indicates that gender-wise females are more vulnerable to STDs than males. The number of partners, addictions, especially alcohol and drug abuse, also contribute to STD cases. STDs act as a significant risk factor in transmitting some of the types of hepatitis. In such cases, females are more vulnerable than males. The results suggest that new community health programs are essential for both, HIV and non-HIV STDs in Sikkim. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://dspace.cus.ac.in/jspui/handle/1/6422 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z