Production of yoghurt with mild taste by a Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus mutant with altered proteolytic properties

In this communication, we describe the isolation of a Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 92063 mutant strain named pH-P11, which differed from the parent strain by low proteolytic activity and altered regulation of expression of lacZ in the presence of glucose or lactose. In the presence of lactose, beta-galactosidase activity was approximately twice as high in pH-P11 than in the wild type. pH-P11 exhibited protosymbiosis together with Streptococcus thermophilus. Yoghurt produced with pH-P11 was characterized by low acidity and little post-acidification during storage. The organoleptic properties (absence of bitterness and other off-flavors, weak sourness, and clear yoghurt taste) were those of a typical "yoghurt mild". This mild flavor was achieved at rather high cell counts of lactobacilli even at the end of shelf-life. High cell counts in conjunction with high beta-galactosidase activity make pH-P11 an interesting strain for application in yoghurt especially designed for consumers with lactose malabsorption. In contrast to "yoghurt mild", which is predominantly produced with Lactobacillus acidophilus together with Streptococcus thermophilus, the product obtained by fermentation with pH-P11 and Streptococcus thermophilus concurs with international standards for yoghurt. During frequent sub-culturing, strain pH-P11, which is supposed to differ from the wild type by one or a few so-far-not-characterized mutations, showed sufficient stability for application in industrial production.     

An Investigation on Strains of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in North and North West of Iran

Tomato bacterial canker disease was first reported from Urmiyeh in West Azerbaijan province in Iran. The disease causes lesion (canker), wilting and dryness of infected plants, leaf and fruit spots and the decline of the whole plant. Out of 102 isolates obtained from the fields in the major tomato producing areas of understudy regions, 98 were found Gram positive, yellow‐pigmented isolates, identified as Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis based on the morphological and biochemical characteristics described in previous studies. Among these strains, 64 were virulent and 34 showed poor virulence. A strain of Cmm (NCPPB382) was used as a check (standard) in all steps of this study. DNA fingerprinting with repetitive‐sequence‐based PCR (rep‐PCR) (BOX primer) carried out among 11 representative strains (eight strains from West Azerbaijan, two from Golestan and one as standard). The most virulent strain was chosen as representative in each location. Dendrograms were prepared using NTSYS‐pc version 2/o2e software, unweighted pair group with arithmetic average method and simple matching similarity coefficient. According to the site of cut‐off line, three groups (clusters) with 82/5% similarity and six groups with 55% similarity were separated based on biochemical and SDS‐PAGE data, and rep‐PCR reactions respectively. Low similarity among groups (55%) can be explained as high genetic diversity among the strains. One strain of west Azerbaijan and the strains of Golestan, clustered in the same group suggesting that they may have been originated from a common source. Other strains of west Azerbaijan were clustered into different groups including II, III, IV, V and VI, suggesting the possibility of occurrence of different populations in a geographical region.     

Industrial scale of optimization for the production of carboxymethylcellulase from rice bran by a marine bacterium, Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis A-53

Rice bran and yeast extract were found to be the best combination of carbon and nitrogen sources for the production of carboxymethycellulase (CMCase) by Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtlis A-53. Optimal concentrations of rice bran and yeast extract for the production of CMCase were 5.0% (w/v) and 0.10% (w/v), respectively. Optimal temperature and initial pH of medium for cell growth of B. subtilus subsp. subtilis A-53 were 35 °C and 7.3, whereas those for the production of CMCase by B. subtilus subsp. subtilis A-53 were 30 °C and 6.8. Optimal agitation speed and aeration rate in a 7 L bioreactor were 300 rpm and 1.0 vvm, respectively. The optimal agitation speed and aeration rate for the production of CMCase by B. subtilus subsp. subtilis A-53 were lower than those for cell growth. The highest productions of CMCase by B. subtilus subsp. subtilis A-53 in 7 and 100 L bioreactors were 150.3 and 196.8 U mL⁻¹, respectively.     

NAADP-induced intracellular calcium ion is mediated by the TPCs (two-pore channels) in hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a form of obstructive vascular disease. Chronic hypoxic exposure leads to excessive proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells and pulmonary arterial endothelial cells. This condition can potentially be aggravated by [Ca²⁺] _i mobilization. In the present study, hypoxia exposure of rat's model was established. Two-pore segment channels (TPCs) silencing was achieved in rats' models by injecting Lsh-TPC1 or Lsh-TPC2. The effects of TPC1/2 silencing on PAH were evaluated by H&E staining detecting pulmonary artery wall thickness and ELISA assay kit detecting NAADP concentrations in lung tissues. TPC1/2 silencing was achieved in PASMCs and PAECs, and cell proliferation was detected by MTT and BrdU incorporation assays. As the results shown, NAADP-activated [Ca²⁺]_i shows to be mediated via two-pore segment channels (TPCs) in PASMCs, with TPC1 being the dominant subtype. NAADP generation and TPC1/2 mRNA and protein levels were elevated in the hypoxia-induced rat PAH model; NAADP was positively correlated with TPC1 and TPC2 expression, respectively. In vivo, Lsh-TPC1 or Lsh-TPC2 infection significantly improved the mean pulmonary artery pressure and PAH morphology. In vitro, TPC1 silencing inhibited NAADP-AM-induced PASMC proliferation and [Ca²⁺]_i in PASMCs, whereas TPC2 silencing had minor effects during this process; TPC2 silencing attenuated NAADP-AM- induced [Ca²⁺]_i and ECM in endothelial cells, whereas TPC1 silencing barely ensued any physiological changes. In conclusion, TPC1/2 might provide a unifying mechanism within pulmonary arterial hypertension, which can potentially be regarded as a therapeutic target.     

一株地衣芽孢杆菌碱性蛋白酶的研究I.

从皖北盐碱地土样中分离到 0 1 1菌株 ,对其进行了菌种鉴定以及胞外碱性蛋白酶的初步研究。结果表明 :0 1 1菌株符合地衣芽孢杆菌种的特征 ,但该菌芽孢端生、孢囊膨大、中度耐盐、高度耐碱 ,可在NaCl浓度为 1 3%和pH1 1的培养基中生长 ,这些特征又不同于该种几个模式株 ,因而将 0 1 1菌株鉴定为地衣芽孢杆菌的一个亚种 ,命名为地衣芽孢杆菌砀山亚种(Bacilluslicheniformissubsp .dangshanensis)。该菌在发酵培养基中能产生较高产量的胞外碱性蛋白酶 ( 72 5u/mL)。酶的最适作用条件 :60℃、pH9.0 ,该酶在pH6.0～ 1 1范围内稳定     

小鼠巨噬细胞内游离钙离子变化介导的吞噬作用

为评估小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬死亡细胞时胞质内游离钙离子的变化。实验使用F luo-3标记巨噬细胞内钙离子和碘化丙碇对死亡细胞核染色,观察吞噬过程中细胞内钙离子的变化和显示巨噬细胞的吞噬功能,检测含死亡细胞的巨噬细胞内荧光密度图像。利用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜检测钙离子的释放。在缺钙的溶液中,可见巨噬细胞接触死细胞时细胞内钙离子快速地聚集和增高。在吞噬体形成时,巨噬细胞内钙离子上升到较高的水平。快速上升后,当吞噬小泡消化时,细胞内游离钙下降,随后钙离子恢复到低水平。研究显示伴随着吞噬小泡中红色荧光的死细胞的出现和消失,巨噬细胞内出现一系列钙离子变化的图像。提示巨噬细胞内钙离子改变在细胞吞噬作用中具有一定的作用。     

The effect of 5-Iodouracil on the growth and biosynthetic processes of bacteriophage T4td8 in the absence of light

5-Iodouracil (IUra)-substituted progeny bacteriophage T4td8 were grown under conditions such that, upon CsCl equilibrium isopycnic gradient centrifugation, progeny with density distributions about the median similar to that of unsubstituted phage are obtained. In the absence of light a monotonie relationship exists between decreasing progeny viability and increasing percent IUra substitution. IUra is equivalent to thymine as a growth factor on a molar basis, and at concentrations of IUra plus thymine above that required for maximum particle production, the percent IUra substitution in phage DNA is determined by the mole fraction of IUra in the medium. The lethal effects of 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IdUrd) and IUra are equivalent, and are not produced by a direct effect on the phage particles. At equivalent percent substitution in phage DNA the order of lethality is IUra > 5-bromouracil (BrUra) > 5-chlorouracil (ClUra). There is no interference with the transfer of thymine from host cell to progeny phage by the presence of IUra in the medium, and IUra affects neither the time of lysis nor the content of phage DNA in the infected cells.     

链霉菌属菌株AS4.693和AS4.702的分类学研究

链霉菌属“Setae”种群原为北里孢菌属Kitasatosporia (Omura,1982)。1992年,Wellington根据16S rRNA序列分析结果将其并入链霉菌属,并建立“Setae”种群。通过对保藏的链霉菌AS 4.693、AS 4.702进行的形态学、细胞化学、分子遗传分类研究结果表明,它们与链霉菌属“Setae”种群中的典型种——西唐链霉菌Streptomyces setae(JCM3304’)具有相似性。它们的rDNA相似性高达100％,证明它们应归属于同一种群。AS.4.693定名为西唐链霉菌不规则新亚种Streptomyces setae subsp.irregularis nov.,AS 4.702定名为西唐链霉菌波曲弗氏新亚种Streptomyces setae subsp.flexuofradiae nov.。     

Characteristics of androgen binding in rat adrenal tissue using [3H]methyltrienolone (R1881) as tracer

A high level of binding of [3H]methyltrienolone (R1881 = 17beta-hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-estra-4, 9, 11-trien-3-one) was found in cytosol prepared from adrenals of castrated male rats. Binding of [3H]R1881 was of high affinity (DK = 6.2 nM) and highly specific for androgens. The [3H]R1881 complex migrates at 7-9S on sucrose gradients in low ionic strength buffer and at 4-5S in buffer containing 0.4M KC1. All binding studies have been performed in parallel with rat ventral prostate and adrenal cytosol. The present data suggest the presence of an androgen binding component in rat adrenal tissue.