Inhibitory effect of various breads on DMH-induced aberrant crypt foci and colorectal tumours in rats.

Bread is rich in dietary fibre and many phytochemical compounds, which may influence chemoprevention of colon cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of three kinds of bread on DMH-induced colorectal tumours in F344 rats. F344 rats were divided into four groups (Steinmetz Three-Grain bread, Steinmetz Country bread, White bread, and MF). All groups were injected with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH, 20 mg/kg body weight) once a week for 8 consecutive weeks from 5 weeks of age. To investigate the antioxidant effect of bread, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging rate of bread and the serum levels of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in rats were examined. The number of colorectal aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and the incidence of colorectal tumours were studied after 34 weeks of DMH treatment. The Steinmetz Three-Grain and Steinmetz Country bread groups had higher scavenging rates of the DPPH free radical and lower serum levels of 8-OHdG and incidence of ACF, adenomas, and adenocarcinomas of colon than the White bread and MF group. Steinmetz Three-Grain bread and Steinmetz Country bread have various ingredient combinations that may inhibit colorectal cancer progression.

Effects of accumulated S-adenosylmethionine on growth of yeast cells.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) accumulated in cultured yeast cells and affected growth in two ways. High levels of intracellular SAM in yeast inhibited early growth, but increased growth in medium without sources of nitrogen and sulfur. Accumulated SAM in the yeast cells was recycled as a nutritional source depending on the sulfur and nitrogen contents of the medium.

Genome-wide expression profile of sake brewing yeast under shaking and static conditions.

To identify the genes responsible for characteristics, that are different as between sake brewing yeasts and laboratory yeast strains, we used a DNA microarray to compare the genome-wide gene expression profiles of a sake yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae K-9 (kyokai 9), and a laboratory yeast, S. cerevisiae X2180-1A, under shaking and static conditions. The genes overexpressed in K-9 more than in X2180-1A were related to C-metabolism, including the HXT, ATP, and COX genes, ergosterol biosynthesis, ERG genes, and thiamine metabolism, THI genes. These genes may contribute to higher growth rates and fermentation ability and the ethanol tolerance of sake yeast. The genes underexpressed in K-9 more than in X2180-1A were CUP1-1 and CUP1-2, PHO genes, which may explain the low copper tolerance and low acid phosphatase activity of sake yeast. These underexpressed genes agree with the features and the alteration of the genome structure of sake yeast.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-accumulating sake yeast suppresses acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

The suppressive effects on acute alcoholic liver injury of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and the sake yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kyokai No. 9, have been shown previously. To enhance the suppression of acute alcoholic liver injury by sake yeast, we prepared SAM-accumulating sake yeast (SAM yeast). Male C57BL/6 mice that had been fed on a diet containing 0.25% SAM yeast or sake yeast for two weeks received three doses of ethanol (5 g/kg BW). In the mice fed on the SAM yeast, the ethanol-induced increases in both triglyceride (TG) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly repressed. In addition, the SAM yeast-fed mice did not show an ethanol-induced decrease in hepatic SAM level, suggesting that a disorder of methionine metabolism in the liver caused by ethanol was relieved by the SAM yeast. These results suggest that the SAM yeast had a stronger effect suppressing acute alcoholic liver injury in mice than the sake yeast.

Sake yeast suppresses acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

Brewer's and baker's yeasts appear to have components that protect from liver injury. Whether sake yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kyokai no. 9, also has a hepatoprotective effect has not been examined. Here we show that sake yeast suppresses acute alcoholic liver injury in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice that had been fed a diet containing 1% sake yeast for two weeks received three doses of ethanol (5 g/kg BW). In the mice fed sake yeast, ethanol-induced increases in triglyceride (TG) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were significantly attenuated and hepatic steatosis was improved. In addition, sake yeast-fed mice showed a smaller decrease in hepatic S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) level and a smaller increase in plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level after ethanol treatment than the control mice, suggesting that a disorder of methionine metabolism in the liver caused by ethanol was relieved by sake yeast. These results indicate that sake yeast protects against alcoholic liver injury through maintenance of methionine metabolism in the liver.

A new method for isolation of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-accumulating yeast.

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) is an important metabolite that participates in many reactions as a methyl group donor in all organisms, and has attracted much interest in clinical research because of its potential to improve many diseases, such as depression, liver disease, and osteoarthritis. Because of these potential applications, a more efficient means is needed to produce SAM. Accordingly, we developed a positive selection method to isolate SAM-accumulating yeast in this study. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one of the main reactions consuming SAM is thought to be the methylation reaction in the biosynthesis of ergosterol that is catalyzed by Erg6p. Mutants with deficiencies in ergosterol biosynthesis may accumulate SAM as a result of the reduction of SAM consumption in ergosterol biosynthesis. We have applied this method to isolate SAM-accumulating yeasts with nystatin, which has been used to select mutants with deficiencies in ergosterol biosynthesis. SAM-accumulating mutants from S. cerevisiae K-9 and X2180-1A were efficiently isolated through this method. These mutants accumulated 1.7-5.5 times more SAM than their parental strains. NMR and GC-MS analyses suggested that two mutants from K-9 have a mutation in the erg4 gene, and erg4 disruptants from laboratory strains also accumulated more SAM than their parental strains. These results indicate that mutants having mutations in the genes for enzymes that act downstream of Erg6p in ergosterol biosynthesis are effective in accumulating SAM.

Effects of culture conditions on ergosterol biosynthesis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Ergosterol is an essential component of yeast cells that maintains the integrity of the membrane. It was investigated as an important factor in the ethanol tolerance of yeast cells. We investigated the effects of brewing conditions on the ergosterol contents of S. cerevisiae K-9, sake yeast, several kinds of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that produce more than 20% ethanol, and X2180-1A, laboratory yeast. K-9 had a higher total ergosterol contents under all the conditions we examined than X2180-1A. Ethanol and hypoxia were found to have negative and synergistic effects on the total ergosterol contents of both strains, and significantly reduced the free ergosterol contents of X2180-1A but only slightly reduced those of K-9. The maintenance of free ergosterol contents under brewing conditions might be an important character of sake yeast strains. DNA microarray analysis also showed higher expression of ergosterol biosynthesis genes in K-9 than in X2180-1A.

Cloning, characterization, and expression of cDNA encoding a lipase from Kurtzmanomyces sp. I-11.

A cDNA clone of the lipase secreted by Kurtzmanomyces sp. I-11 was isolated from a cDNA library of this yeast by PCR screening using oligonucleotide primers designed on the basis of the partial amino acid sequence of the lipase. The cloned cDNA (lip1) encoded a hydrophobic protein of 484 amino acids, where the first 20 amino acids and the following 6 amino acid sequences were predicted to be the signal sequence for secretion and a pro-sequence, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Kurtzmanomyces lipase was most similar to Candida antarctica DSM 3855 lipase A (74% identity) and weakly to other lipases. The consensus pentapeptide (-Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly-) that forms a part of the interfacial lipid recognition site in lipases was conserved. A high level of lipase was produced by Pichia pastoris transformed with the lip1 cDNA, indicating that the cloned cDNA indeed encodes a lipase.

Purification and characterization of a lipase from the glycolipid-producing yeast Kurtzmanomyces sp. I-11.

An extracellular lipase produced by the glycolipid-producing yeast Kurtzmanomyces sp. I-11 was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex A-25, SP-Sephadex C-50, and Sephadex G-100. Based on the analysis of the purified lipase on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the purified lipase was judged to be homogeneous and its molecular mass was estimated to be approximately 49 kDa. The optimum temperature for the activity was 75 degrees C, and the activity was very stable at temperatures below 70 degrees C. The active pH range of this lipase was 1.9-7.2, and the activity was stable at pH below 7.1. The lipase showed a preference for C18 acyl groups by measurements with p-nitrophenyl esters and triglycerides as substrates. The lipase was very stable in the presence of various organic solvents at a concentration of 40%. Although the N-terminal sequence of the Kurtzmanomyces lipase was very similar to that of lipase A from Candida antarctica, the pH profiles of the two lipases were significantly different.