Correlation between microbial communities and key odourants in fermented capsicum inoculated with Pediococcus pentosaceus and Cyberlindnera rhodanensis.

BACKGROUND: Fermented capsicum (i.e. pickled pepper) is one of the most popular fermented vegetables. However, the effect of inoculated microbial fermentation on pickled pepper is not yet fully understood. RESULTS: Cyberlindnera rhodanensis J52 with a rich ester flavour and Pediococcus pentosaceus AL with a strong inhibitory effect on foodborne pathogenic bacteria were selected to prepare single- and double-strain fermented capsicum under low salt (< 10 g L-1 sodium chloride) conditions. The inhibition zone of P. pentosaceus AL against Escherichia coli was up to 44 mm in diameter. Biochemical indicator analyses found that co-fermentation of P. pentosaceus AL and C. rhodanensis J52 changed the contents of vitamin C and short-chain fatty acids. Analysis of microbial diversity and volatile metabolome showed that 125 microbial species and 72 volatile compounds were detected, and P. pentosaceus was the dominant bacterium that inhibited the growth of other bacteria, while C. rhodanensis was the fungus that contributed the most to flavour. Correlation analysis between microorganisms and flavour compounds showed 725 correlations, and 124 microbial species may have participated in the formation of 69 compounds. Furthermore, 10 and 29 correlations were detected between P. pentosaceus AL or C. rhodanensis J52 and flavour compounds, respectively. Among them, 3-methyl-1-butanol acetate is speculated to be the main substance affecting the flavour of fermented capsicum by inoculation with C. rhodanensis J52. CONCLUSION: The inoculation of P. pentosaceus and C. rhodanensis had a significant impact on the microbial community and volatile compounds of fermented capsicum and helped to improve its organoleptic qualities. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gut Microbiota Alterations from Three-Strain Yogurt Formulation Treatments in Slow-Transit Constipation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a three-strain yogurt formulation in slow-transit constipation (STC) patients. Each individual in both treatment groups consumed 250 mL of the formulated yogurt daily for a week (7 days), and fecal samples were collected for gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analyses. A significant increase in the defection frequency (p < 0.001) and bacterial diversity (p=0.027) at the 100% sequence homology level and a decrease in the concentrations of acetic acid (p=0.014), propionic acid (p=0.019), and butanoic acid (p=0.005) were observed after the STC patients consumed three-strain yogurt formulation. In addition, the consumption of the three-strain yogurt formulation significantly altered the composition of the intestinal bacteria in the STC patients. The relative abundances of 23 genera in the top dominating genera were altered significantly after the STC patients consumed the yogurt. In summary, the consumption of 250 mL day- the three-strain yogurt formulation described in this study can play a role in improving the symptoms of STC.

Is the delivery mode a critical factor for the microbial communities in the meconium?

BACKGROUND: Mothers are the primary source of bacteria for newborns, but it is unclear whether mother-to-newborn transmission occurs prior to, during or after birth. Similarly, the effect of the delivery mode on neonatal microorganisms has been the focus of controversy. METHODS: Healthy maternal and neonatal pairs that underwent vaginal birth and caesarean section were enrolled in this study. Meconium, placenta, membrane and amniotic fluid samples for newborns and vaginal, rectal and oral samples for mothers were collected. All samples were amplified and sequenced by a 16S rRNA gene primer set targeting bacteria and archaea. FINDINGS: A total of 550 samples from 36 mother-neonate pairs with vaginal births and 42 mother-neonate pairs with caesarean sections were included in this study. The negative controls showed that the data analysis in this study was not affected by contamination. There was a high diversity of microbial communities in the pregnancy environment of the foetus. Meconium samples could be divided into three distinct types that were not influenced by the delivery method. INTERPRETATION: The distribution patterns of bacterial communities in the meconium, placenta, and foetal membranes were highly similar and had nothing to do with the mode of delivery. For approximately half of the placental microorganisms, the same sequence could be found in the vaginal, rectal, and oral samples of the mother.

Analysis of the antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus plantarum YM-4-3: implications of suitable conditions for extending the shelf life of fermented soybean products.

Lactobacillus (Lb.) plantarum is typically used as a starter culture in salt-fermented foods. Here we report 3-4% NaCl reducing the antimicrobial activity of Lb. plantarum strain YM-4-3, owing to the decrease of bacterial growth, plantaricin activity and expression levels of plantaricin biosynthesis-related genes (PBGs). Meanwhile, 1% NaCl promoted slightly the growth of YM-4-3 and up-regulated the expression of PBGs to the greatest level. The results from a spoilage experiment of fermented soybean products revealed that the 1% NaCl and YM-4-3 treatment group had the longest shelf life representing the minimum number of pathogenic bacteria and the lowest degree of mildew. Therefore, a combination of Lb. plantarum with a low concentration of salt, such as 1% NaCl, is a recommended condition for preparing fermented foods.

Transcriptomic analysis of de novo folate biosynthetic genes in Lactobacillus plantarum strain 4_3 in fermented soybean.

Folate is an important intermediate in cellular metabolism. However, because of a lack of key enzymes in the folate biosynthetic pathway, humans require supplementation with dietary folate. Some Lactobacillus plantarum strains have the ability to produce folate. To gain a better understanding of the folate biosynthetic pathway in the L. plantarum strain 4_3, which generates high folate yields, L. plantarum strain 4_3 was grown in folic acid casei medium (FACM) and fermented soybean, after obtaining a draft genome sequence. The pH values and folate yields were monitored during culturing, as were the transcriptomic profiles of cultured bacteria. The folate content increased for 12 h and then decreased before increasing again. All the genes involved in the de novo biosynthesis of folate were detected in both the genomic and transcriptomic data. The upregulation of the para-aminobenzoate biosynthesis pathway could explain the folate production in fermented soybean. Soybeans are a good substrate for the production of functional foods because of their well-suited cultivation and nutritional quality. The results of this study provide a good explanation for the high folate production observed during the fermentation of soybeans.

Intestinal bacteria detected in cancer and adjacent tissue from patients with colorectal cancer.

Intestinal bacteria are symbiotic microbiota within the human gut and are implicated in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The current study investigated the changes in bacterial composition prior to and following surgery, as well as the differences in the bacterial community structure between cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue. The diversity of the bacterial community and the composition of the bacteria were assessed. In addition, phylogenetic analysis and principle component analysis (PCA) were performed. The results revealed that cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue exhibited similar bacterial compositions. However, a significant difference was identified in the composition of intestinal bacteria in stool samples collected from patients following surgery compared with stool samples collected prior to surgery. Each patient had their own unique intestinal bacterial community, likely due to a number of factors, including diet, genetic factors and health status. In addition, phylogenetic trees revealed that the most abundant operational taxonomic unit, 0001, was associated with Escherichia coli in all samples. Finally, PCA suggested that the bacterial community structure in all patient stools was similar following surgery. The current study provides information regarding the diversity of the intestinal bacterial community of patients with CRC and provides a basis for postoperative intestinal assessments.

Cloning, expression and characterization of two S-ribosylhomocysteine lyases from Lactobacillus plantarum YM-4-3: Implication of conserved and divergent roles in quorum sensing.

Quorum sensing (QS) is a means of cell-to-cell communication that regulates, via small signalling molecules, expression of a series of genes and controls multicellular behaviour in many bacterial species. The enzyme S-ribosylhomocysteine lyase (LuxS) transforms S-ribosylhomocysteine (SRH) into 4, 5-dihydroxy-2, 3-pentanedione (DPD), the precursor of the interspecies QS signalling molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2). In this study, two LuxS-coding genes, luxS1 and luxS2, with 70% sequence identity were isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum YM-4-3, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), and the protein products were purified successfully. After incubation of LuxS1 or LuxS2 with SRH, the reaction products were able to induce Vibrio harveyi BB170 bioluminescence, clearly demonstrating that both LuxS1 and LuxS2 synthesize AI-2 from SRH in vitro. Ellman's assay results revealed optimal temperatures for LuxS1 and LuxS2 of 45 and 37 °C, respectively, and their activities were stimulated or inhibited by several metal ions and chemical reagents. In addition, enzyme kinetics data showed that Km, Vmax and Kcat value of LuxS1 for the substrate (SRH) were higher than that of LuxS2. These results suggest that LuxS1 and LuxS2 mediate QS in a temperature-dependent manner and may play conserved roles in AI-2 synthesis but exhibit different activities in response to external environmental stress. To our knowledge, this paper is the first report of two luxS genes present in one bacterial genome and the subsequent comparative elucidation of their functions in AI-2 production. Collectively, our study provides a solid basis for future research concerning the AI-2/LuxS QS system in L. plantarum YM-4-3.

Transcriptomic profiling of Alternaria longipes invasion in tobacco reveals pathogenesis regulated by AlHK1, a group III histidine kinase.

Tobacco brown spot, caused by Alternaria species, is a devastating tobacco disease. To explore the role of a group III histidine kinase (AlHK1) on A. longipes pathogenesis, the invasion progress of A. longipes was monitored. We found that the wild-type strain C-00 invaded faster than the AlHK1-disrupted strain HK∆4 in the early and middle infection stages and the reverse trend occurred in the late infection stage. Then, eight invasion transcriptomes were performed using RNA-Seq and 205 shared, 505 C-00 and 222 HK∆4 specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The annotation results showed seven antioxidant activity genes were specifically identified in the HKΔ4 DEGs. A subsequent experiment confirmed that HKΔ4 was more resistant to low concentrations oxidative stress than C-00. In addition, the results from 1) statistics for the number of DEGs, GO enriched terms, DEGs in clusters with rising trends, and 2) analyses of the expression patterns of some DEGs relevant for osmoadaptation and virulence showed that changes in C-00 infection existed mainly in the early and middle stages, while HKΔ4 infection arose mainly in the late stage. Our results reveal firstly the pathogenesis of A. longipes regulated by AlHK1 and provide useful insights into the fungal-plant interactions.

The ecological filter system for treatment of decentralized wastewater.

A vertical flow constructed wetland was combined with a biological aerated filter to develop an ecological filter, and to obtain the optimal operating parameters: The hydraulic loading was 1.55 m3/(m2·d), carbon-nitrogen ratio was 10, and gas-water ratio was 6. The experimental results demonstrated considerable removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in wastewater by the ecological filter, with average removal rates of 83.79%, 93.10%, 52.90%, and 79.07%, respectively. Concentration of NH4+-N after treatment met the level-A discharge standard of GB18918-2002. Compared with non-plant filter, the ecological filter improved average removal efficiency of COD, NH4+-N, TN, and TP by 13.03%, 25.30%, 14.80%, and 2.32%, respectively: thus, plants significantly contribute to the removal of organic pollutants and nitrogen. Through microporous aeration and O2 secretion of plants, the ecological filter formed an aerobic-anaerobic-aerobic alternating environment; thus aerobic and anaerobic microbes were active and effectively removed organic pollutants. Meanwhile, nitrogen and phosphorus were directly assimilated by plants and as nutrients of microorganisms. Meanwhile, pollutants were removed through nitrification, denitrification, filtration, adsorption, and interception by the filler. High removal rates of pollutants on the ecological filter proved that it is an effective wastewater-treatment technology for decentralized wastewater of mountainous towns.

Complete genome sequences and comparative genome analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum strain 5-2 isolated from fermented soybean.

Lactobacillus plantarum is an important probiotic and is mostly isolated from fermented foods. We sequenced the genome of L. plantarum strain 5-2, which was derived from fermented soybean isolated from Yunnan province, China. The strain was determined to contain 3114 genes. Fourteen complete insertion sequence (IS) elements were found in 5-2 chromosome. There were 24 DNA replication proteins and 76 DNA repair proteins in the 5-2 genome. Consistent with the classification of L. plantarum as a facultative heterofermentative lactobacillus, the 5-2 genome encodes key enzymes required for the EMP (Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas) and phosphoketolase (PK) pathways. Several components of the secretion machinery are found in the 5-2 genome, which was compared with L. plantarum ST-III, JDM1 and WCFS1. Most of the specific proteins in the four genomes appeared to be related to their prophage elements.

Bacterial communities in neonatal feces are similar to mothers' placentae.

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota plays an important role in human health. It is essential to understand how the composition of the gut microbiota in neonates is established. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the nature of the microbial community in the first feces of newborn infants compared with the mothers' placentae and vaginas. METHODS: One infant who was delivered via Cesarean section was compared with an infant who was delivered vaginally. Bar-coded pyro-sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA genes was used to investigate the bacterial community composition and structure of each site. RESULTS: Neonatal feces of both infants had similar bacterial communities, and they were similar to the mother's placenta regardless of the method of delivery. The vaginal bacterial community differed between the two mothers, but not different sites within the vagina. The bacteria in the neonatal feces and the mothers' placentae demonstrated considerably higher diversity compared with the vaginas. The family Lactobacillaceae dominated in the vaginal samples, while the most abundant family in the fecal and placental samples was Micrococcineae. CONCLUSIONS: These results may provide new directions for the study of infant gut microbial formation.

HISTORIQUE: Le microbiote intestinal joue un rôle important dans la santé humaine. Il est essentiel de comprendre comment il s'établit chez les nouveau-nés. OBJECTIFS: Examiner la structure et la composition de la communauté microbienne des premières fèces des nouveau-nés par rapport à celles du placenta et du vagin de la mère. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Les chercheurs ont comparé un nourrisson né par césarienne à un nourrisson né par voie vaginale. Ils ont utilisé le pyroséquençage à code-barres des gènes d'ARN ribosomique 16S pour examiner la composition et la structure de la communauté bactérienne de chaque foyer. RÉSULTATS: Les fèces des nouveau-nés contenaient des communautés bactériennes similaires, qui étaient également similaires à celles du placenta de la mère, quel que soit le mode d'accouchement. La communauté bactérienne vaginale n'était pas la même chez les deux mères, mais étaient similaires dans les différents foyers du vagin. Les bactéries contenues dans les fèces néonatales et le placenta de la mère ont démontré une beaucoup plus grande diversité que celles des vagins. La famille de Lactobacillaceae dominait dans les échantillons vaginaux, tandis que la famille des Micrococcineae était plus abondante dans les échantillons fécaux et placentaires. CONCLUSIONS: Ces résultats fournissent de nouvelles voies pour étudier la formation de la flore microbienne intestinale du nourrisson.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum Strain AY01, Isolated from the Raw Material of Fermented Goat Milk Cheese.

Lactobacillus plantarum is an important probiotic that is isolated mostly from fermented foods. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of L. plantarum strain AY01, isolated from the raw material of fermented goat milk cheese. This bacterium, with optimum growth at 30°C, has a G+C content of 43.68%.

The group III two-component histidine kinase AlHK1 is involved in fungicides resistance, osmosensitivity, spore production and impacts negatively pathogenicity in Alternaria longipes.

Members of group III histidine kinases from different filamentous fungi were previously shown to mediate osmoregulation and resistance to dicarboximide, phenylpyrrole and, aromatic hydrocarbon fungicides. In this study, we report the disruption of the gene encoding group III histidine kinase, AlHK1, in the economically important plant pathogen Alternaria longipes. The AlHK1 gene disruption had pleiotropic effects on this fungus. Besides the expected osmosensitivity and fungicides resistance, AlHK1 participated in the spore production process. In addition, the ΔAlHK1 strains had stronger aggressive ability to infect their host plant than that of their parental strain, the wild-type strain C-00, suggested that AlHK1 was involved in the pathogenicity of A. longipes and performed in this function by a negative manner. This is the first report to our knowledge.

Penetration and saturation of lysozyme in phospholipid bilayers.

We show that the combination of X-ray reflectivity, tryptophan fluorescence spectrum, and fluorescence quenching by bromine provides a useful tool to probe the location of lysozyme in lipid bilayers. To this end, we prepare lamellar complexes composed of phospholipids and lysozyme on solid surfaces using a solution-casting method. The proteins lie spontaneously between adjacent bilayers in the complexes. The results indicate that lysozyme may penetrate into the lipid bilayers. But the penetration depth is very shallow, and the tryptophan residues do not penetrate beyond the interface between the hydrocardon core and the headgroup region of the lipid bilayer. The penetration becomes saturated when more proteins are incorporated into the lamellar complex. The excess proteins stay in the interlamellar aqueous layers.