title: Investigations on the taxonomy and the genetics of caldoactive bacteria

authors: Martin, Andrea Muriel

abstract: The technique of pyrolysis mass spectrometry was used to attempt to obtain taxonomic groupings for a number of extremely thermophilic bacteria isolated from New Zealand hot springs. The New Zealand isolates were compared with a number of appropriate reference strains obtained from culture collections or as gifts from other laboratories.
Three groups of bacteria were analysed. The Thermus-like group was found to consist of three species - level groupings with most of the New Zealand isolates belonging to a single species group. The two reference species T. aquaticus and T. thermophilus apparently belong to separate species groups.
Bacillus-like strains grown at neutral pH formed three separate species groups which could correspond to the three species of thermophilic Bacilli proposed by Wolf and Sharp (1981).
Analysis of a number of archaebacteria confirmed the unique nature of AN1 isolated from a New Zealand hot spring by Morgan and Daniels (1982). The Thermoproteus-type strains isolated from New Zealand seem rather different from the type strain T. tenax which also has some different physiological properties. An interesting feature of these strains was the contribution of sulphur to the mass spectra. 
Taxonomic groupings did not show a close relationship with source temperature and pH but regional groupings were obtained in some cases. The distribution of AN1-like strains seems to be related to the Na⁺ content of source pools. 
The majority of New Zealand isolates tended to form rather large clusters, probably at the species level, although sub-species level clusters existed within these. This suggests that although extreme thermophiles may be very variable as reported, this variability is limited. Differences in clustering patterns of different isolates from the same source confirm a considerable level of sub-species level variability does exist.
A method for cloning Themrus genes by cosmid packaging was attempted and was apparently successful but gene expression was not demonstrated.
A UV inducible temperate phage was isolated from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius strain B-12. It was purified and partially characterised and a method of growing Sulfolobus on solid medium obtained.

text: Investigations on the taxonomy and the genetics of caldoactive bacteria The technique of pyrolysis mass spectrometry was used to attempt to obtain taxonomic groupings for a number of extremely thermophilic bacteria isolated from New Zealand hot springs. The New Zealand isolates were compared with a number of appropriate reference strains obtained from culture collections or as gifts from other laboratories.
Three groups of bacteria were analysed. The Thermus-like group was found to consist of three species - level groupings with most of the New Zealand isolates belonging to a single species group. The two reference species T. aquaticus and T. thermophilus apparently belong to separate species groups.
Bacillus-like strains grown at neutral pH formed three separate species groups which could correspond to the three species of thermophilic Bacilli proposed by Wolf and Sharp (1981).
Analysis of a number of archaebacteria confirmed the unique nature of AN1 isolated from a New Zealand hot spring by Morgan and Daniels (1982). The Thermoproteus-type strains isolated from New Zealand seem rather different from the type strain T. tenax which also has some different physiological properties. An interesting feature of these strains was the contribution of sulphur to the mass spectra. 
Taxonomic groupings did not show a close relationship with source temperature and pH but regional groupings were obtained in some cases. The distribution of AN1-like strains seems to be related to the Na⁺ content of source pools. 
The majority of New Zealand isolates tended to form rather large clusters, probably at the species level, although sub-species level clusters existed within these. This suggests that although extreme thermophiles may be very variable as reported, this variability is limited. Differences in clustering patterns of different isolates from the same source confirm a considerable level of sub-species level variability does exist.
A method for cloning Themrus genes by cosmid packaging was attempted and was apparently successful but gene expression was not demonstrated.
A UV inducible temperate phage was isolated from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius strain B-12. It was purified and partially characterised and a method of growing Sulfolobus on solid medium obtained.

year: 1985

title: Editorial: Biotechnological Uses of Archaeal Proteins

authors: Pecorari, Frédéric

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Many industrial/biotechnological processes take place under extreme conditions of temperature, pH, salinity, or pressure which are not suitable for activities of proteins from model eukaryotic or common neutrophilic, mesophilic, and prokaryotic microorganisms. In contrast, Archaea offer a large panel of extremophile organisms that express proteins that are able to remain properly folded and functional under the harshest biophysical conditions.

text: Editorial: Biotechnological Uses of Archaeal Proteins Many industrial/biotechnological processes take place under extreme conditions of temperature, pH, salinity, or pressure which are not suitable for activities of proteins from model eukaryotic or common neutrophilic, mesophilic, and prokaryotic microorganisms. In contrast, Archaea offer a large panel of extremophile organisms that express proteins that are able to remain properly folded and functional under the harshest biophysical conditions.

year: 2015-01-01

title: Using a digital library as a Māori language learning resource: Issues and possibilities

authors: Mato, Paora James

subjects: Digital Library

abstract: The development of electronic language learning resources, founded on digital library technology, is a capability that, to date, is largely unrealised. The Flexible Language Acquisition (FLAX) project is a digital library initiative at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. The current FLAX activities provide practice for students who are learning English as an additional language. The prospect of extending this resource to include te reo Māori is as exciting as it is groundbreaking. The outcomes of this research inform the issues and possibilities involved in creating such resources.

The World Wide Web has allowed an everyday access to the Internet, but finding and retrieving pertinent information is often a convoluted and time-consuming exercise. The normal outcome is that users are unable to take full advantage of the available resources. Digital libraries have an unprecedented power in terms of organising and storing vast amounts of information and, with built-in retrieval functionality, serve as ideal repositories. The ability to focus the information within these repositories is extremely significant because there is no longer the chaff that normally results from Internet searches. Purposeful learning activities can be presented exploiting an assortment of media and drawing on stored information that can be assembled in a range of formats. Such capacity, flexibility and diversity is normally only encountered at traditional, physical libraries.

The research includes an overview of digital libraries and some of the language learning resources that are currently available on the Internet. Since the target language is te reo Māori, a critical review on the features of kaupapa Māori theory, pedagogy and Māori pedagogy is undertaken. Using the concepts discussed in this review, the language learning activities associated with the FLAX project are analysed to determine their suitability for learning te reo Māori. Further feedback was provided by a sample group following their testing of a selection of activities that were based on text written in te reo Māori. 
 

The analysis suggests the current range of FLAX activities have more benefit to students as tools that allow practice of the learning that has been delivered in face-to-face classroom settings, rather than as a standalone language learning resource. In their present form, the main benefits of the activities predominantly rest in the way they were performed rather than in the activities themselves. Furthermore, commentary from the testing group regarded the activities as more beneficial for practicing sentence structures, grammar and punctuation, rather than actual language learning. The group generally agreed, however, that combining the activities with methods of oral and aural transmission, in te reo Māori, would certainly result in more effective language learning outcomes.

The legitimacy of digital library-based language learning activities lies in designs that promote learner-centred interaction that is consistent with best practice communicative learning theory. When the target language is te reo Māori, it is of the utmost importance that the activities are tailored to embrace a Māori world view in ways that promote the learning rather than the activity or the content.

text: Using a digital library as a Māori language learning resource: Issues and possibilities The development of electronic language learning resources, founded on digital library technology, is a capability that, to date, is largely unrealised. The Flexible Language Acquisition (FLAX) project is a digital library initiative at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. The current FLAX activities provide practice for students who are learning English as an additional language. The prospect of extending this resource to include te reo Māori is as exciting as it is groundbreaking. The outcomes of this research inform the issues and possibilities involved in creating such resources.

The World Wide Web has allowed an everyday access to the Internet, but finding and retrieving pertinent information is often a convoluted and time-consuming exercise. The normal outcome is that users are unable to take full advantage of the available resources. Digital libraries have an unprecedented power in terms of organising and storing vast amounts of information and, with built-in retrieval functionality, serve as ideal repositories. The ability to focus the information within these repositories is extremely significant because there is no longer the chaff that normally results from Internet searches. Purposeful learning activities can be presented exploiting an assortment of media and drawing on stored information that can be assembled in a range of formats. Such capacity, flexibility and diversity is normally only encountered at traditional, physical libraries.

The research includes an overview of digital libraries and some of the language learning resources that are currently available on the Internet. Since the target language is te reo Māori, a critical review on the features of kaupapa Māori theory, pedagogy and Māori pedagogy is undertaken. Using the concepts discussed in this review, the language learning activities associated with the FLAX project are analysed to determine their suitability for learning te reo Māori. Further feedback was provided by a sample group following their testing of a selection of activities that were based on text written in te reo Māori. 
 

The analysis suggests the current range of FLAX activities have more benefit to students as tools that allow practice of the learning that has been delivered in face-to-face classroom settings, rather than as a standalone language learning resource. In their present form, the main benefits of the activities predominantly rest in the way they were performed rather than in the activities themselves. Furthermore, commentary from the testing group regarded the activities as more beneficial for practicing sentence structures, grammar and punctuation, rather than actual language learning. The group generally agreed, however, that combining the activities with methods of oral and aural transmission, in te reo Māori, would certainly result in more effective language learning outcomes.

The legitimacy of digital library-based language learning activities lies in designs that promote learner-centred interaction that is consistent with best practice communicative learning theory. When the target language is te reo Māori, it is of the utmost importance that the activities are tailored to embrace a Māori world view in ways that promote the learning rather than the activity or the content.

year: 2009