Biochemical and phylogenetic analyses of a cold-active beta-galactosidase from the lactic acid bacterium Carnobacterium piscicola BA

We are investigating glycosyl hydrolases from new psychrophilic isolates to examine the adaptations of enzymes to low temperatures. A beta-galactosidase from isolate BA, which we have classified as a strain of the lactic acid bacterium Carnobacterium piscicola, was capable of hydrolyzing the chromogen 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal) at 4 degrees C and possessed higher activity in crude cell lysates at 25 than at 37 degrees C. Sequence analysis of a cloned DNA fragment encoding this activity revealed a gene cluster containing three glycosyl hydrolases with homology to an alpha-galactosidase and two beta-galactosidases. The larger of the two beta-galactosidase genes, bgaB, encoded the 76.8-kDa cold-active enzyme. This gene was homologous to family 42 glycosyl hydrolases, a group which contains several thermophilic enzymes but none from lactic acid bacteria. The bgaB gene from isolate BA was subcloned in Escherichia coli, and its enzyme, BgaB, was purified. The purified enzyme was highly unstable and required 10% glycerol to maintain activity. Its optimal temperature for activity was 30 degrees C, and it was inactivated at 40 degrees C in 10 min. The K(m) of freshly purified enzyme at 30 degrees C was 1.7 mM, and the V(max) was 450 micromol. min(-1). mg(-1) with o-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside. This cold-active enzyme is interesting because it is homologous to a thermophilic enzyme from Bacillus stearothermophilus, and comparisons could provide information about structural features important for activity at low temperatures.     

Characterization of two new glycosyl hydrolases from the lactic acid bacterium Carnobacterium piscicola strain BA.

Three genes with homology to glycosyl hydrolases were detected on a DNA fragment cloned from a psychrophilic lactic acid bacterium isolate, Carnobacterium piscicola strain BA. A 2.2-kb region corresponding to an alpha-galactosidase gene, agaA, was followed by two genes in the same orientation, bgaB, encoding a 2-kb beta-galactosidase, and bgaC, encoding a structurally distinct 1.76-kb beta-galactosidase. This gene arrangement had not been observed in other lactic acid bacteria, including Lactococcus lactis, for which the genome sequence is known. To determine if these sequences encoded enzymes with alpha- and beta-galactosidase activities, we subcloned the genes and examined the enzyme properties. The alpha-galactosidase, AgaA, hydrolyzes para-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside and has optimal activity at 32 to 37 degrees C. The beta-galactosidase, BgaC, has an optimal activity at 40 degrees C and a half-life of 15 min at 45 degrees C. The regulation of these enzymes was tested in C. piscicola strain BA and activity on both alpha- and beta-galactoside substrates decreased for cells grown with added glucose or lactose. Instead, an increase in activity on a phosphorylated beta-galactoside substrate was found for the cells supplemented with lactose, suggesting that a phospho-galactosidase functions during lactose utilization. Thus, the two beta-galactosidases may act synergistically with the alpha-galactosidase to degrade other polysaccharides available in the environment.     

Spoilage-related activity of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strains in air-stored and vacuum-packed meat

One hundred three isolates of Carnobacterium spp. from raw meat were analyzed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and PCR and were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Forty-five strains of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum were characterized for their growth capabilities at different temperatures, NaCl concentrations, and pH values and for in vitro lipolytic and proteolytic activities. Moreover, their spoilage potential in meat was investigated by analyzing the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in meat stored in air or vacuum packs. Almost all the strains were able to grow at 4, 10, and 20°C, at pH values of 6 to 9, and in the presence of 2.5% NaCl. The release of VOCs by each strain in beef stored at 4°C in air and vacuum packs was evaluated by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. All the meat samples inoculated and stored in air showed higher numbers of VOCs than the vacuum-packed meat samples. Acetoin, 1-octen-3-ol, and butanoic acid were the compounds most frequently found under both storage conditions. The contaminated meat samples were evaluated by a sensory panel; the results indicated that for all sensory odors, no effect of strain was significant (P > 0.05). The storage conditions significantly affected (P < 0.05) the perception of dairy, spoiled-meat, and mozzarella cheese odors, which were more intense in meat stored in air than in vacuum packs but were never very intense. In conclusion, different strains of C. maltaromaticum can grow efficiently in meat stored at low temperatures both in air and in vacuum packs, producing volatile molecules with low sensory impacts, with a negligible contribution to meat spoilage overall.     

Carnobacterium divergens and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum as spoilers or protective cultures in meat and seafood: phenotypic and genotypic characterization

Carnobacterium, a genus of lactic acid bacteria, frequently dominate the microflora of chilled vacuum- or modified atmosphere-packed meat and seafood. In this study Carnobacterium isolates were characterized by phenotypic and molecular methods in order to investigate the association of species and intra-species groups with distinct kinds of meat and seafood. Of 120 test strains, 50 originated from meat (beef and pork products, including 44 strains isolated during this study and 6 strains obtained from culture collections) and 52 from seafoods (cod, halibut, salmon, shrimps and roe products). In addition, 9 reference strains of Carnobacterium spp from other sources than meat and fish and 9 reference strains of lactic acid bacteria belonging to other genera than Carnobacterium were included. Numerical taxonomy relying on classical biochemical reactions, carbohydrate fermentation and inhibition tests (temperature, salt, pH, chemical preservatives, antibiotics, bacteriocins), SDS-PAGE electrophoresis of whole cell proteins, plasmid profiling, intergenic spacer region (ISR) analysis and examination of amplified-fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) were employed to characterize the strains. The numerical taxonomic approach divided the carnobacteria strains into 24 groups that shared less than 89% similarity. These groups were identified as Carnobacterium divergens with one major cluster (40 strains) and 7 branches of one to four strains, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum (previous C. piscicola) with one major cluster (37 strains) and 9 branches of one to four strains and Carnobacterium mobile (three branches consisting in total of 4 strains). Branches consisting of references strains of the remaining Carnobacterium spp. were separated from clusters and branches of C. divergens, C. maltaromaticum and C. mobile. Isolates from the main clusters of C. divergens and C. maltaromaticum were found both in fresh and lightly preserved meat and seafood products. High phenotypic intra-species variability was observed for C. divergens and C. maltaromaticum but despite this heterogeneity in phenotypic traits a reliable identification to species levels was obtained by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis of whole cell proteins and by ISR based on 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region polymorphism. With AFLP, two distinct clusters were observed for C. divergens but only one for C. maltaromaticum. The two C. divergens clusters were not identical to any of the clusters observed by numerical taxonomy. A limited number of C. divergens and C. maltaromaticum isolates possessed a biopreservative potential due to their production of bacteriocins with a wide inhibition spectrum. This study serves as a base-line for further investigations on the potential role of species of Carnobacterium in foods where they predominate the spoilage microflora.     

Distribution and ecology of freshwater sponges in Connecticut

A survey of Connecticut lakes and rivers revealed the presence of 7 species of freshwater sponge: Spongilla lacustris, Ephydatia muelleri, Eunapius fragilis, Anheteromeyenia ryderi, A. argyrosperma, Corvomeyenia carolinensis, and Corvospongilla novaeterrae in order of decreasing frequency of occurrence. Corvomeyenia carolinensis has not been reported previously beyond its type locality in South Carolina. In addition, microscleres of Spongilla lacustris, Anheteromeyenia-like megascleres, Ephydatia muelleri-like megascleres, and smooth megascleres (amphioxeas), which could not be assigned to a particular species, were found in surface sediments from lake cores. Spongilla lacustris inhabiting small rivers produced brown, thick-capsuled gemmules during the summer and yellow, thin-capsuled gemmules during the fall. The thick-capsuled gemmules, but not the thin-capsuled gemmules, are tolerant of desiccation; and populations of Spongilla lacustris and Ephydatia muelleri survived severe drying of their habitats during the summer.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel lactic acid bacterium for the production of lactic acid

We isolated a novel lactic acid bacterium from a Korean traditional fermented food, soybean paste. The newly isolated strain, dubbed RKY2, grew well on glucose, sucrose, galactose, and fructose, but it could not utilize xylose, starch, or glycerol. When the partially amplified 16S rDNA sequence (772 bp) of the strain RKY2 was compared with 10 reference strains, it was found to be most similar toLactobacillus pentosus JCM 1588^T, with 99.74% similarity. Therefore, the strain RKY2 was renamedLactobacillus sp. RKY2, which has been deposited in the Korean Collection for Type Cultures as KCTC 10353BP.Lactobacillus sp. RKY2 was found to be a homofermentative lactic acid bacterium, because its end-product from glucose metabolism was found to be mainly lactic acid. It could produce more than 90 g/L of lactic acid from MRS medium supplemented with 100 g/L of glucose, with 5.2 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ of productivity and 0.95 g/g of lactic acid yield.     

Diversity of heteropolysaccharide-producing lactic acid bacterium strains and their biopolymers

Thirty-one lactic acid bacterial strains from different species were evaluated for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production in milk. Thermophilic strains produced more EPS than mesophilic ones, but EPS yields were generally low. Ropiness or capsular polysaccharide formation was strain dependent. Six strains produced high-molecular-mass EPS. Polymers were classified into nine groups on the basis of their monomer composition. EPS from Enterococcus strains were isolated and characterized.     

Metabolic engineering of sugar catabolism in lactic acid bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria are characterized by a relatively simple sugar fermentation pathway that, by definition, results in the formation of lactic acid. The extensive knowledge of traditional pathways and the accumulating genetic information on these and novel ones, allows for the rerouting of metabolic processes in lactic acid bacteria by physiological approaches, genetic methods, or a combination of these two. This review will discuss past and present examples and future possibilities of metabolic engineering of lactic acid bacteria for the production of important compounds, including lactic and other acids, flavor compounds, and exopolysaccharides.     

灵昆岛围垦滩涂潮沟大型底栖动物群落生态学研究

于2003年秋季在浙江温州灵昆岛进行了不同围垦年份的潮沟大型底栖动物群落的研究,通过以空间替换代替时间替换的方法,研究了不同围垦年份滩涂潮沟大型底栖动物群落的差异,并探讨了差异产生的原因.主要研究结果如下(1)调查共发现大型底栖动物33种,隶属于6门8纲20科.主要是软体动物、节肢动物和环节动物多毛类.在潮沟的不同位置即草滩(GF)、边滩(BaC)和潮沟底(BoC),物种的组成和数量有所不同,草滩发现的大型底栖动物为18种,边滩23种,潮沟底13种.草滩上的种类主要是节肢动物和软体动物,环节动物多毛类种类较少,软体动物的种数多于节肢动物的种数,以底上运动迟缓型的面上生活类群(GS)为主.边滩底栖动物群落主要是由软体动物、节肢动物和环节动物多毛类组成,底内型和穴居型的面下生活类群(GSB)为主.潮沟底发现种类大多为甲壳动物,以底内型和游泳型种类为主.草滩、边滩和潮沟底的种类GS/GSB分别为1.43、0.44和0.44.(2)3条潮沟草滩、边滩和潮沟底的密度GS/GSB平均值分别为3.86、1.14和0.21.(3)3条潮沟同一站位生物量的平均值分别为草滩58.81g/m2,边滩67.07 g/m2,潮沟底14.38 g/m2,按照大小排序为边滩＞草滩＞潮沟底.潮沟3个站位的生物量的平均值分别为1987年潮沟30.15g/m2,1992年潮沟47.65g/m2,1997年潮沟57.56g/m2,按照大小排序为1997年潮沟＞1992年潮沟＞1987年潮沟.(4)不同围垦年份潮沟不同站位大型底栖动物群落的Margalef种类丰度,Shannon-Wiener指数,Pielou的均匀度指数,Simpson优势度指数,各有不同的表现.不考虑围垦年份因素,潮沟的3个站位Margalef指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均为边滩＞潮沟底＞草滩;Pielou均匀度指数潮沟底＞边滩＞草滩;Simpson优势度指数草滩＞边滩＞潮沟底.(5)以不同站位大型底栖动物群落结构物种密度的4次方根为基础所进行的系统聚类分析结果显示,3条潮沟共9个站位的大型底栖动物群落可以分为3组,即潮沟底、边滩、草滩,以聚类时得到的距离矩阵为基础的2维的非度量多维标度排序结果更为直观的显示了潮沟站位大型底栖动物群落的距离和相似情况,并支持聚类所得结果.讨论了围垦后潮沟大型底栖动物群落特点以及差异产生的原因.     

The groESL operon of the halophilic lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila

The groESL operon of the halophilic lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila was cloned by a PCR-based method. The molecular masses of GroES and GroEL proteins were calculated to be 10,153 and 56,893 Da, respectively. The amount of groESL mRNA was increased 3.8-fold by heat shock (45 degrees C), and 4-fold by high NaCl (3-4 M). The Bacillus subtilis sigmaA-like constitutive promoter existed in front of groES, and was used under both normal and stress (heat shock and high salinity) conditions.     

Distribution of spermine in bacilli and lactic acid bacteria

Obligate moderately thermophilic bacilli and obligate moderately thermoacidophilic bacilli contained spermine as the major polyamine in addition to putrescine and spermidine. The identity of spermine was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography before and after treatment with putrescine oxidase. Using these methods, thermospermine and spermine can be separated; thermospermine was not present in these organisms. On the other hand, various facultative thermophiles and mesophilic strains of the genus Bacillus, including alkalophiles and halophiles, lack spermine and other tetraamines. No spermine was detected in several strains of mesophilic or facultative slightly thermophilic lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus.     

Metabolic characterization of lactic acid bacterium Lactococcus garvieae sk11, capable of reducing ferric iron, nitrate, and fumarate

A lactic acid bacterium capable of anaerobic respiration was isolated from soil with ferric iron-containing glucose basal medium and identified as L. garvieae by using 16S rDNA sequence homology. The isolate reduced ferric iron, nitrate, and fumarate to ferrous iron, nitrite, and succinate, respectively, under anaerobic N2 atmosphere. Growth of the isolate was increased about 30-39% in glucose basal medium containing nitrate and fumarate, but not in the medium containing ferric iron. Specifically, metabolic reduction of nitrate and fumarate is thought to be controlled by the specific genes fnr, encoding FNR-like protein, and nir, regulating fumarate-nitrate reductase. Reduction activity of ferric iron by the isolate was estimated physiologically, enzymologically, and electrochemically. The results obtained led us to propose that the isolate metabolized nitrate and fumarate as an electron acceptor and has specific enzymes capable of reducing ferric iron in coupling with anaerobic respiration.     

Metabolic engineering of lactic acid bacteria for the production of nutraceuticals

Lactic acid bacteria display a relatively simple and well-described metabolism where the sugar source is converted mainly to lactic acid. Here we will shortly describe metabolic engineering strategies on the level of sugar metabolism, that lead to either the efficient re-routing of the lactococcal sugar metabolism to nutritional end-products other than lactic acid such as L-alanine, several low-calorie sugars and oligosaccharides or to enhancement of sugar metabolism for complete removal of (undesirable) sugars from food materials. Moreover, we will review current metabolic engineering approaches that aim at increasing the flux through complex biosynthetic pathways, leading to the production of the B-vitamins folate and riboflavin. An overview of these metabolic engineering activities can be found on the website of the Nutra Cells 5th Framework EU-project (www.nutracells.com). Finally, the impact of the developments in the area of genomics and corresponding high-throughput technologies on nutraceutical production will be discussed.     

水霉拮抗菌的筛选及其拮抗作用的初步研究

为了获得水产动物水霉病病原菌的拮抗微生物,以水霉为靶标,对其拮抗菌进行了筛选,并研究了拮抗作用最强菌株的拮抗活性.实验结果表明:从发生过水霉病害的水体中分离得到了130株细菌,能抑制水霉菌落生长的有三株:LD038、LD057和LD106,其中以LD038的拮抗作用最强,经梅里埃ATB微生物自动鉴定系统鉴定为黏质沙雷氏菌(Serratia marcescens).培养基对LD038的拮抗活性影响显著,LD038在PDA平板上表现出的拮抗活性最强,大小依次为PDA＞BHI＞GY＞CA＞Sabouraud.进一步对菌株LD038体外拮抗活性进行了研究.平板抑制实验表明,LD038能抑制水霉菌丝生长和孢子萌发.琼脂扩散法中,LD038菌落周围产生的抑菌圈直径为20mm,而无菌水对照组中水霉菌丝蔓过滤纸纸片并长至平板边缘;D38菌线间孢子的萌发与孢子距菌线的距离有关,距LD038菌线22mm范围内,孢子的萌发完全被抑制.无菌发酵上清液实验表明,与对照组相比,LD038无菌发酵上清液对孢子的萌发和菌丝生长都表现出显著的抑制作用.其中孢子较菌丝对上清液更为敏感,5倍稀释上清液下的孢子萌发率仅为10%,且萌发后的菌丝生长也同样受到抑制,整个实验过程中菌丝均未形成网状,对照组中萌发形成的菌丝在16h后呈网状.无菌上清原液和2倍稀释上清液中孢子均未萌发.对菌丝而言,仅无菌上清原液能彻底抑制菌丝生长,与对照组相比,2倍和5倍稀释上清液显著延缓了菌丝的生长.当对照组中的菌丝铺满整孔时,2倍和5倍稀释上清液中的菌丝长度分别为0和2.6mm.显微观察表明LD038的无菌发酵上清液导致水霉菌丝形态发生变化,较正常菌丝短而粗大,且出现了黑色原生质聚集.本研究为水霉病害的生物防治提供了一定的理论基础和依据.     

Metabolic and functional paths of lactic acid bacteria in plant foods: get out of the labyrinth

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Distribution and purification of aspartate racemase in lactic acid bacteria

The distribution of aspartate racemase (EC 5.1.1.13) in various kinds of bacteria demonstrated that the enzyme occurs in lactic acid bacteria, such as Streptococcus species and Lactobacillus species. The enzyme from Streptococcus thermophilus IAM10064 was more thermostable than that from Streptococcus lactis IAM1198 which contained the enzyme most abundantly among the lactic acid bacteria we examined here. We purified the enzyme about 3400-fold to homogeneity from cell-free extract of S. thermophilus, which is composed of two identical subunits with a molecular weight of 28,000 as a homodimer. The enzyme utilizes specifically aspartate as a substrate, but not alanine and glutamate. Maximal reaction velocity was observed at 37 degrees C and around pH 8.0. The sequence of the NH2-terminal amino acids of the enzyme was determined to be Met-Glu-Asn-Phe-Phe-Ser-Ile-Leu-Gly-XXX-Met-Gly-Thr-Met-Ala-Thr-Glu-Ser- Phe-.     

The effects of aeration on the bioreductive abilities of some heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria

The growth in glucose media of many heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria is greatly improved by the provision of an ancillary oxidant which serves as a terminal electron sink. Lactobacillus brevis is representative of those organisms for which dioxygen is preferentially used for this purpose. Here the authors report that some other species including Lact. hilgardii, Lact. suebicus and Lact. vaccinostercus do not utilize dioxygen in this manner and consequently are able to catalyse bioreductions (e.g. of ketones) under aerobic culture conditions or in aerated cell suspension. The explanation for this lies in the NADP-dependence of their glucose 6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases plus the total or near absence of any NADPH oxidase activity. Lactobacillus hilgardii possesses virtually no NADH oxidase activity, and although both Lact. suebicus and Lact. vaccinostercus inducibly synthesize a NADH oxidase, in the absence of an auxiliary oxidant they still grow aerobically on glucose as poorly as they do anaerobically.     

一株广谱抑菌活性乳酸菌的筛选及特性研究

【目的】从贵州剑河采集的传统自然发酵豆酱中分离筛选具有广谱抑菌效果的乳酸菌,并进行肠道益生特性的研究。【方法】通过抑菌试验分离筛选得到菌株DJ-04,对其进行人工胃肠液耐受性、胆盐耐受性和渗透压耐受性的研究,并对其进行生理生化鉴定和16S r RNA鉴定。【结果】菌株DJ-04对大肠杆菌、沙门氏菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、志贺氏菌和铜绿假单胞菌的生长有很好的抑制作用;在p H值为2.5的人工胃液中处理3 h活菌数达到107 CFU/m L以上;在人工肠液中处理3 h活菌数达到108 CFU/m L以上,对人工胃肠液表现出良好的耐受性。能耐受一定浓度的牛胆盐,在质量浓度0.2 g/100 m L的牛胆盐环境中活菌数可达到107 CFU/m L;具有较高的渗透压耐受能力,在Na Cl质量浓度为10 g/100 m L的液体MRS中培养24 h后,活菌数仍在107 CFU/m L以上。经鉴定,DJ-04为植物乳杆菌。【结论】植物乳杆菌DJ-04具有良好的人工胃肠液耐受性以及耐胆盐和耐渗透压能力,具有肠道益生菌的潜能。