A modified method for the detection of microbial proteases on agar plates using tannic acid

In routine assay for the screening of microbes producing proteases, 10% trichloroaceticacid (TCA) is flooded on the milk agar plates after inoculation and required incubation to precipitate the protein. However, the clarity of the hydrolyzed zone is not very sharp and distinct. We herein present an improved assay for detecting the presence of extracellular protease from microorganisms on agar plates. In this method 10% tannic acid is flooded on the milk agar plate (in place of, TCA) to observe the zone of hydrolysis. Tannic acid sharply increases the colour intensity of the plate, as it favours the precipitation of the unhydrolyzed protein in the plate, thereby improving the contrast between the intact zones and the enzymatic lyses zones of the substrate. Our results indicate that this method is useful to detect extracellular proteases produced by both fungi as well as bacteria. The method used in the present study is sensitive, and can be easily performed for screening of large number of microbial cultures. This is the first report on the use of tannic acid for the detection of microbial proteases.     

A Rapid and Easy Method for the Detection of Microbial Cellulases on Agar Plates Using Gram’s Iodine

Screening for cellulase-producing microorganisms is routinely done on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) plates. The culture plates are flooded either with 1% hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide or with 0.1% Congo red followed by 1 M NaCl. In both cases, it takes a minimum of 30 to 40 minutes to obtain the zone of hydrolysis after flooding, and the hydrolyzed area is not sharply discernible. An improved method is reported herein for the detection of extracellular cellulase production by microorganisms by way of plate assay. In this method, CMC plates were flooded with Gram's iodine instead of the reagents just mentioned. Gram's iodine formed a bluish-black complex with cellulose but not with hydrolyzed cellulose, giving a sharp and distinct zone around the cellulase-producing microbial colonies within 3 to 5 minutes. The new method is rapid and efficient; therefore, it can be easily performed for screening large numbers of microbial cultures of both bacteria and fungi. This is the first report on the use of Gram's iodine for the detection of cellulase production by microorganisms using plate assay.     

A rapid,sensitive, simple plate assay for detection of microbial alginate lyase activity

Screening of microorganisms capable of producing alginate lyase enzyme is commonly carried out by investigating their abilities to grow on alginate-containing solid media plates and occurrence of a clearance zone after flooding the plates with agents such as 10% (w/v) cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC), which can form complexes with alginate. Although the CPC method is good, advantageous, and routinely used, the agar in the media interferes with the action of CPC, which makes judgment about clearance zones very difficult. In addition, this method takes a minimum of 30 min to obtain the zone of hydrolysis after flooding and the hydrolyzed area is not sharply discernible. An improved plate assay is reported herein for the detection of extracellular alginate lyase production by microorganisms. In this method, alginate-containing agar plates are flooded with Gram's iodine instead of CPC. Gram's iodine forms a bluish black complex with alginate but not with hydrolyzed alginate, giving sharp, distinct zones around the alginate lyase producing microbial colonies within 2–3 min. Gram's iodine method was found to be more effective than the CPC method in terms of visualization and measurement of zone size. The alginate-lyase-activity area indicated using the Gram's iodine method was found to be larger than that indicated by the CPC method. Both methods (CPC and Gram's iodine) showed the largest alginate lyase activity area for Saccharophagus degradans (ATCC 43961) followed by Microbulbifer mangrovi (KCTC 23483), Bacillus cereus (KF801505) and Paracoccus sp. LL1 (KP288668) grown on minimal sea salt medium. The rate of growth and metabolite production in alginate-containing minimal sea salt liquid medium, followed trends similar to that of the zone activity areas for the four bacteria under study. These results suggested that the assay developed in this study of Gram's iodine could be useful to predict the potential of microorganisms to produce alginate lyase. The method also worked well for screening and identification of alginate lyase producers and non-producers from environmental samples on common laboratory media. They did this by clearly showing the presence or absence of clearance zones around the microbial colonies grown. This new method is rapid, efficient, and could easily be performed for screening a large number of microbial cultures. This is the first report on the use of Gram's iodine for the detection of alginate lyase production by microorganisms using plate assay.     

A simple and effective plating method to screen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria under various redox conditions

Agar plates with a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) layer have been used to screen for microorganisms that degrade PAHs, leaving clear zones around colonies; however, there are several problems with previous methods such as undesired contamination in the fume hood and difficulty in controlling the amount of PAH on the plates. In this study, we developed a modified screening method to address the drawbacks encountered with previous screening methods. A uniform white layer of PAHs was generated by spreading PAHs dissolved in volatile solvents over a surface of solidified agar medium, followed by the evaporation of the solvents. An inoculation was then performed by spreading a molten agar medium containing microbial samples over the solidified agar medium with a PAH layer. Subsequently, the white PAH layer migrated to the surface of the molten agar medium. This essential modification enabled us not only to solve problems of the previous screening methods but also to prepare an agar plate with a PAH layer without a complicated experimental scheme in the anaerobic chamber. After solidification of the molten agar medium and incubation of the plates, clear zones were successfully detected around colonies with aerobic and anaerobic PAH-degrading microbial cultures.     

Detection of microbial proteolytic activity by a cultivation plate assay in which different proteins adsorbed to a hydrophobic surface are used as substrates.

A screening technique for microbial proteases, the thin-layer enzyme assay cultivation technique, was developed. The inner surface of a polystyrene petri dish was coated with protein and then covered with a culture agar medium. The enzymes, produced during growth of the microorganisms, reach the protein-coated surface by diffusion in the agar. Degradation of the protein was visualized by condensation of water vapor on the surface after removal of the agar medium. The wettability of the enzyme-affected protein-coated polystyrene surface was decreased compared with the unaffected protein surface. Enzyme substrates used were fibrinogen, immunoglobulin G, egg albumin, human serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, hemoglobin, mucin, and gelatin. It was possible to use a variety of culture agar media, nonselective as well as selective, in the assay. The technique provides a sensitive, convenient, and inexpensive method for screening various microbial proteases. In addition, the technique can be used for screening proteolytic enzyme activity of specific microbial species in a mixed microbial sample as well as for studies of factors that influence the cultivation conditions for protease production and activity.     

Detection of microbial proteolytic activity by a cultivation plate assay in which different proteins adsorbed to a hydrophobic surface are used as substrates

A screening technique for microbial proteases, the thin-layer enzyme assay cultivation technique, was developed. The inner surface of a polystyrene petri dish was coated with protein and then covered with a culture agar medium. The enzymes, produced during growth of the microorganisms, reach the protein-coated surface by diffusion in the agar. Degradation of the protein was visualized by condensation of water vapor on the surface after removal of the agar medium. The wettability of the enzyme-affected protein-coated polystyrene surface was decreased compared with the unaffected protein surface. Enzyme substrates used were fibrinogen, immunoglobulin G, egg albumin, human serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, hemoglobin, mucin, and gelatin. It was possible to use a variety of culture agar media, nonselective as well as selective, in the assay. The technique provides a sensitive, convenient, and inexpensive method for screening various microbial proteases. In addition, the technique can be used for screening proteolytic enzyme activity of specific microbial species in a mixed microbial sample as well as for studies of factors that influence the cultivation conditions for protease production and activity.     

湛江沿海潮间带产胞外纤溶活性酶类海洋真菌的生物多样性分析

【目的】研究湛江沿海硇洲岛和徐闻珊瑚礁自然保护区潮间带产胞外纤溶酶样酶和纤溶酶原激活物海洋真菌的生物多样性,为发掘新型溶栓药物奠定基础。【方法】采用马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂(PDA)和酵母膏蛋白胨葡萄糖(YPD)培养基分离培养海洋真菌,采用真菌r DNA转录间隔区1-5.8S r DNA-转录间隔区2(ITS1-5.8S-ITS2)片段的序列分析及其系统进化树构建的方法鉴定分离培养的海洋真菌,采用脱脂牛奶马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂(SM-PDA)培养基培养法筛选产胞外蛋白酶的海洋真菌,采用海水纤维蛋白马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂(FN-PDA)培养基培养法筛选产胞外纤溶酶样酶和/或纤溶酶原激活物的海洋真菌。【结果】从湛江沿海的硇洲岛和徐闻珊瑚礁自然保护区潮间带分离、培养和鉴定了海洋真菌446株,含真菌的98个种,分布于真菌域子囊菌门(Ascomycota)和担子菌门(Basidiomycota)的6个纲、18个目、46个科、65个属;其中产胞外蛋白酶的海洋真菌有265株,61个种,分布于41个属;产胞外纤溶酶样酶的海洋真菌有67株,22个种,分布于14个属;产胞外纤溶酶原激活物的海洋真菌有84株,23种,分布于13个属;优势属为曲霉属(Aspergillus),其次为青霉属(Penicillium)。【结论】湛江沿海潮间带可分离培养的产胞外纤溶酶样酶和纤溶酶原激活物的海洋真菌物种丰富多样,是发掘新型溶栓药的丰富资源。     

Diffusion through a Double-Sided Plate: Development of a Method to Study Alga-Bacterium Interactions

Bacteria and algae isolated from a wastewater oxidation pond were inoculated onto opposing surfaces of double-layer agar plates (Lutri plates) to determine the usefulness of such plates for studying microbial interactions. The altered growth characteristics of various algae depending on the species of bacteria on the adjacent medium surface indicated that there was diffusion of extracellular products through the agar, suggesting that this simple assay can be used for screening potential interactions of actively growing organisms.     

双平板对照筛选跟踪分离细菌外排泵抑制剂

建立了细菌外排泵抑制剂的筛选与活性跟踪方法.准备2个平板,一个为普通营养琼脂平板,另一个为舍小蘖碱的普通营养琼脂平板,通过比较两个平板含药纸片周围抑菌圈的直径大小判断筛选结果,方法可靠稳定.筛选发现某霉菌提取物对细菌外排泵有抑制活性,经活性跟踪分离,得到单体化合物,经NMR鉴定为4′,5,7-三羟基异黄酮.方法简便易行,成本低,适宜于对大批样本进行快速筛选并在分离时进行活性跟踪.     

Prescreening bacterial colonies for bioactive molecules with Janus plates, a SBS standard double-faced microbial culturing system

Despite the availability of many culture-based antibiotic screening methods, the lack of sensitive automated methods to identify functional molecules directly from microbial cells still limits the search for new biologically active compounds. The effectiveness of antibiotic detection is influenced by the solubility of the assayed compounds, indicator strain sensitivity, culture media and assay configuration. We describe a qualitative high throughput screening system for detecting cell-perturbing molecules from bacterial colonies employing two opposed agar layers sequentially formed in prototype Society for Biomolecular Screening (SBS) plates, named Janus plates. Direct assay of microbial colonies against target organisms in opposed agar layers overcomes some of the limitations of agar overlay methods. The system enables the rapid detection of extracellular cell-perturbing molecules, e.g., antibiotics, excreted directly from environmental isolates. The source bacterial colonies remain separate from the target organism. The growth layer is prepared and grown independently, so environmental strains can be grown for longer intervals, at temperatures and in media that favor their growth and metabolite expression, while the assay layer with pathogens, usually requiring nutrient-rich medium and elevated temperatures, are added later. Colonies to be tested can be precisely arrayed on the first agar surface, thus avoiding dispersion and disturbance of potential antibiotic-producing colonies by overlaying agar with the target strain. The rectangular SBS configuration facilitates factorial replication of dense microbial colony arrays for testing with multiple assays and assay conditions employing robotic colony pickers and pin tools. Opposed agar layers only slightly reduced the effectiveness for detecting growth inhibition from pure antibiotics compared to single-layer agar diffusion assays. The Janus plate enabled an automation-assisted workflow where a lone operator can effectively identify and accumulate bioactive soil bacterial strains within a few weeks. We also envisage the method’s utility for functional prescreening colonies of clones from genomic and metagenomic libraries or improved strains originating from mutagenized cells.     

Novel screening assay for the detection of phenolic acid esterases

A novel plate assay method, developed for the screening of microorganisms or enzyme preparations for phenolic acid esterases, involves incorporating ethyl cinnamate into an agar medium. After inoculation and incubation, the plate is flooded with a pH-sensitive dye to reveal yellow zones around positive cultures against a blue background. A number of yeasts (Rhodotorula spp. and Candida spp.) and fungi (Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp.) gave positive results, while a number of commercial enzymes, particularly pectinases, also exhibited good phenolic acid esterase.J.A. Donaghy and A.M. McKay are with the Food Microbiology Research Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UK. A.M. McKay is also with the Department of Food Science (Microbiology), The Queen's University of Belfast, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UK.     

A rapid simple procedure for direct measurement of excreted thiamine from yeast

A new rapid method for the detection of extracellular thiamine production in yeast is described. This method is based on a modified thiochrome assay where fluorescent zones surrounding thiamine excretor colonies can be directly visualized under UV light on agar plates. This new procedure is simple to perform on a large number of colonies simultaneously and results can be obtained within minutes.     

Antimicrobial activity of formylchromones: detection by a micro-scale method

We report the antimicrobial activity of formylchromones. These compounds are remote structural analogues of nalidixic acid and quinolone antibiotics, and their activity was investigated by a simple micro-scale method designed for the determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of drug candidates and antibiotics against aerobic bacteria and yeasts. Minimal bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations (MBC and MFC, respectively) were also determined in connection with the MIC determinations. The results obtained were compared with those obtained using classical agar diffusion methodology. In the MIC method, deep-well micro-titration plates are used, covered by silicone sealing mats that allow diffusion of oxygen to the wells. The appropriate broth is pipetted into the wells, followed by a standardized microbial suspension (except for sterile controls) and a dilution series of the test substance or control antibiotic or a mere control solvent. The use of white non-transparent polypropylene plates allows easy visual inspection of microbial growth. For the MBC and MFC methods, samples are taken from all wells that contain a test substance or control antibiotic and do not display growth in the MIC test. The samples are streaked on agar plates, the liquid is allowed to absorb into the agar, and finally the microbes are spread all over the plate with a bent rod. Colony counts are compared with that of the untreated microbial suspension at the beginning of the MIC test. The MIC method is suitable for high-throughput screening.     

盐度对稀释平板法研究红树林区土壤微生物数量的影响

在使用稀释平板法分离潮间带红树林及其对照光滩土壤微生物以及计数时,多数情况下使用陈海水制作培养基和稀释水,很少考虑培养基和稀释水的盐度对最终计数结果的影响.使用稀释平板法研究了盐度对福建九龙江口红树林区与深圳福田红树林保护区土壤微生物平板计数的影响,结果表明培养基与稀释水盐度对微生物数量有明显的影响.统计分析显示细菌的海水稀释效果优于淡水,而放线菌与真菌则刚好相反(P<0.05,一个例外).海水不适合配制红树林区土壤微生物平板计数的培养基,从0～35,高盐度的平板培养基会降低微生物的数量,尤其是放线菌的数量,尽管培养基的盐度对真菌影响无规律,但细菌数量在低盐度时比在高盐度和不加氯化钠时要多.根据盐度效应,提出了稀释平板技术应用于潮间带的红树林及其相应光滩时的优化方法,认为细菌应该用海水作无菌稀释水,而放线菌和真菌则应用淡水作稀释水;包括光滩在内的红树林区土壤微生物分离与计数的培养基宜控制较低盐度范围.     

Distribution of acetyl esterase in wood-rotting fungi

The distribution of acetyl esterase was studied in 30 strains of wood-rotting fungi. A screening test on agar plates using glucose β-d-pentaacetate as a substrate indicated that all tested fungi produced acetyl esterase to form a clear zone on the culture. All fungi also showed positive responses in an agar test using carboxymethyl cellulose acetate. Enzyme assay showed that extracellular acetylxylan esterase activity was present in the filtrates of wood-meal culture of all these fungi. The ratio of fungal acetylxylan esterase activity to 4-nitrophenyl acetyl esterase activity were higher than that of porcine liver esterase, indicating that fungal esterases have high affinity for acetylated carbohydrates. Acetyl esterase is suggested to be distributed widely in wood-rotting fungi for degradation of native acetylated hemicelluloses.     

Rapid Screen for Bacteria Degrading Water-Insoluble, Solid Hydrocarbons on Agar Plates

A rapid procedure was devised for detecting on solid media bacteria able to degrade water-insoluble, solid hydrocarbons such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons phenanthrene, anthracene, and biphenyl. After Alcaligenes faecalis AFK2 was inoculated on a plate containing mineral salts agar, an ethereal solution of phenanthrene (about 10%, wt/vol) was sprayed on the surface of the plate, and the plate was incubated at 30°C for 2 to 3 days. Colonies showing degradation were surrounded with clear zones on the opaque plate. A similar clear zone also was formed around colonies which had been grown on a succinate-mineral salts agar or nutrient agar, followed by spraying of the ethereal solution of phenanthrene and further incubating for 1 day. Other phenanthrene-assimilating bacteria, including Beijerinckia Bwt and Pseudomonas SPM64, also formed clear zones on phenanthrene-covered agar plates. This method was applicable to detection of bacteria able to assimilate anthracene, naphthalene, and biphenyl.     

Disc Plate Method of Microbiological Antibiotic Assay: II. Novel Procedure Offering Improved Accuracy 1

A detailed disc plate procedure is introduced for assay of antibiotics. The procedure is based on a previous study by the authors and deviates from conventional procedures in several respects: selected plastic petri dishes are employed; critical temperature control is simply provided at all stages of the test with refrigeration of the plates never used; all dilution is done with displacement microburettes; six pads (6.3 mm diameter) per dish are employed, all filled with the same unknown or reference solution; the sequence of all plates handled on 1 day is made a part of the protocol which allows accounting for the influence of the order of pouring and setting the plates; external reference plates are set at specified locations in the sequence; and, by averaging the diameters of all zones on a plate, most of the consequence of wedge shape of agar in plates, which is common and almost unavoidable, is removed. The present method is economical, uses simple facilities, and provides good accuracy of test results. Bacillus subtilis was most commonly employed, but other organisms may be employed in the present procedure.     

Mutation and screening to increase chymosin yield in a genetically-engineered strain ofAspergillus awamori

Summary Through the course of five rounds of mutagenesis of a genetically-engineered strain ofAspergillus awamori, the yield of a heterologous protein (the acid protease, calf chymosin) increased four-fold. This was accomplished through the use of an agar plate screen incorporating the colony restrictor 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline (dichloran) and the acid protease inhibitor diazoacetyl-norleucine methyl ester (DAN) to reduce high background concentrations of the native acid protease. A miniaturized liquid culture growth method using 24-well culture plates was an intermediate screen between agar plate and shake flask cultures. Analysis of broth samples for active calf chymosin was accomplished with a highly specific, 96-well microtiter plate turbidimetric assay.     

Anticapsin, a New Biologically Active Metabolite: Screening and Assay Procedures

In addition to its implication in the virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes, the hyaluronic acid capsule produced by this bacterium renders it resistant to infection by bacteriophage. A method employing S. pyogenes and a bacteriophage incorporated into an agar plate was devised as a screen to detect compounds that inhibit the formation of the hyaluronic acid capsule. Filter-paper discs saturated with experimental compounds were applied to the surface of test plates containing host plus phage and control plates of host only. After incubation, inhibition of capsule synthesis was indicated by the presence of clear zones where phage infection and lysis had occurred. Zones of growth inhibition on control plates represented classical antibacterial activity. During the testing of over 6,000 fermentation samples, anticapsin, a unique metabolite, was discovered. Modification of incubation temperature, thickness of agar layers, and host-phage input ratios resulted in a quantitative assay method having a dose-response range of 4 to 160 μg of anticapsin.     

Agar plate screening procedure for cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate and inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase.

A procedure is described for the semiquantitative measurement of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and detection of inhibitors of cAMP phosphodiesterase by an agar plate test. The assay organism was an adenyl cyclase-deficient mutant derived from Escherichia coli HfrH. In the presence of an acid base indicator, acid production from barbohydrate metabolism was observed as a yellow zone around filter paper disks containing cAMP. Since yellow zone formation reflects the presence of cAMP, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor can be detected indirectly by the presence of a yellow zone on assay plates from a reaction mixture of an inhibitor, phosphodiesterase, and cAMP. Three known cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors were active against beef brain phosphodiesterase in this system.