Complete genome sequence of bacteriocin-producing Lactobacillus plantarum KLDS1.0391, a probiotic strain with gastrointestinal tract resistance and adhesion to the intestinal epithelial cells.

Lactobacillus plantarum KLDS1.0391 is a probiotic strain isolated from the traditional fermented dairy products and identified to produce bacteriocin against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Previous studies showed that the strain has a high resistance to gastrointestinal stress and has a high adhesion ability to the intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2). We reported the entire genome sequence of this strain, which contains a circular 2,886,607-bp chromosome and three circular plasmids. Genes, which are related to the biosynthesis of bacteriocins, the stress resistance to gastrointestinal tract environment and adhesive performance, were identified. Whole genome sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum KLDS1.0391 will be helpful for its applications in food industry.

Screening Potential Probiotic Characteristics of Lactobacillus brevis Strains In Vitro and Intervention Effect on Type I Diabetes In Vivo.

Diabetes has become the third most serious threat to human health, after cancer and cardiovascular disease. Notably, Lactobacillus brevis is the most common species of LAB that produces γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The aim of this study is to clarify the effect of time, strain types, antibiotic concentrations, different levels of pH, and intestinal juices in aerobic or anaerobic conditions and the effect of interactions between these factors on the potential properties of KLDS 1.0727 and KLDS 1.0373, furthermore, antagonistic activity against foodborne pathogens. Moreover, another aim is to study the capability of KLDS 1.0727 and KLDS 1.0373 strains as gad gene carriers to express GABA that reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes in C57BL/6 mice as diabetic models. The obtained results exhibited the surprising tolerance of Lactobacillus brevis strains in vitro digestion models mimicking the conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, further, large antagonistic activity against foodborne pathogeneses. In vivo results displayed the significant effect on glucose level reduction, blood plasma, and histological assays of mice organs. As recommended, the use of Lactobacillus brevis strains should be widely shared in the market as a natural source of GABA in pharmaceutical and food applications.

Levels, congener profile and inventory of polychlorinated biphenyls in sediment from the Songhua River in the vicinity of cement plant, China: a case study.

This study investigated the contamination levels, homologue, and congener profiles and evaluated the residue inventory of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediment of the Songhua River in the vicinity of cement plant. The total concentration of detected 35 PCB congeners ranged from 1.12 to 2.19 ng/g dry weight (dw) in sediment, with a mean value of 1.56 ng/g dw, and the concentration of PCBs decreased in the following order: the downstream > cement plant > upstream. The results of total organic carbon (TOC)-normalized PCB concentrations indicate that the sediments have low potential ecological risk in this area. The study results on homologue and congener of PCBs show that the emissions from cement production could be the major sources of PCBs in sediment, and the low-chlorinated PCBs will be exchanged among air, water, and sediment with increasing temperature during summer and flow to downstream with water during the wet season. The spatial density and total burden of PCBs in the surface sediments were 17.2 ng/cm(2) and 1.2 kg, respectively. To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore the pollution characteristics of unintentionally produced PCB emissions from cement industry by means of monitoring sediment samples.

[Reduction of chromium (VI) by nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on Al-pillared bentonite].

In the presence of Al-pillared bentonite with good sorption capacity, nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on Al-pillared bentonite (NZVI/Al-PILC) was prepared with NaBH4 and FeSO4 aqueous solution. The structure of NZVI/Al-PILC was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The effects of pH values and initial chromium (VI) concentrations on its removal rate by NZVI/Al-PILC were investigated, and were compared with those of unsupported nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) containing the same iron mount of NZVI/Al-PILC. The results indicate that in the same experimental condition, the chromium (VI) removal by NZVI/Al-PILC reached 100% after 120 min. The removal is not only much higher than that (63.0%) of the NZVI containing same iron mount, but also superior to the sum of removal (75.4%) by NZVI containing the same iron amount and the Al-pillared bentonite containing the same clay amount with NZVI/Al-PILC.