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A novel facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, Gram-stain-negative, non-endospore-forming alphaproteobacterium, strain 1011MAR3C25T, was isolated from a white biofilm colonizing the walls of the Andalusian show cave Gruta de las Maravillas (Huelva, Spain). Strain 1011MAR3C25T grew at 8–42 °C (optimum, 20–30 °C), at pH 5.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 5.0–6.0) and in the presence of 0–12 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3–5 %). Cells were catalase- and oxidase-positive. The strain grew heterotrophically with various carbon sources and chemoautotrophically with thiosulfate under aerobic conditions. Results of phylogenetic analysis showed that strain 1011MAR3C25T was related to Paracoccus saliphilus DSM 18447T and Paracoccus alkanivorans LMG 30882T (97.90 % and 97.32 % 16S rRNA sequence identity values, respectively). The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10 and the predominant fatty acid was C18 : 1 ω7c. The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified polar lipid. The DNA G+C content was 60.3 mol%. Based on a polyphasic taxonomic study it is proposed that strain 1011MAR3C25T (=CECT 9092T=LMG 29414T) represents a novel species of the genus Paracoccus , for which the name Paracoccus onubensis sp. nov. is proposed.

The bioreceptivity, and the consequent biodeterioration of contemporary glass, used by artists worldwide, was studied. The two main objectives were: first, to verify if fungi with some culture media would produce more damages than the same fungi without a nutritional source, and to verify if the two genera of fungi produce the same damage on the same glass. Colourless glass samples with Spruce Pine 87 Batch (SPB-87) composition were inoculated with two distinct fungal species, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger, separately: (i) half with fungal spores (simulating primary bioreceptivity), and (ii) half with fungi in a small portion of culture media (simulating organic matter that can be deposited on exposed glassworks, i.e., secondary bioreceptivity). The alteration of glass surfaces were analysed by Optical Microscopy, SEM-EDS and µ-Raman. The mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum generated a higher amount of fingerprints, stains and iridescence, whereas Aspergillus niger produced more biopitting and crystals on the glass surface. However, both species damaged the glass to different degrees in 4 and 6 months after the inoculation, producing physico-chemical damage (e.g., iridescence, biopitting), and chemical alterations (e.g., depletion and deposition of elements and crystals). The primary bioreceptivity experiment of glass samples inoculated with Aspergillus niger results in less damage than in the case of secondary bioreceptivity, being almost similar for Penicillium chrysogenum. The new and in-depth understanding of the bioreceptivity and deterioration of post-modern glass art and cultural heritage provided here is of paramount importance for the scientific, conservation and artistic communities – to protect glass cultural materials, or seen by artists as innovative and inspirational ways of creating glass art in the future.