Apolipoprotein A-I: Potential Protection Against Intestinal Injury Induced by Dietary Lipid.

The intestinal barrier system protects the human body from harmful factors, by continuously renewing the intestinal epithelium, tight junctions and enteric microbes. However, dietary fat can harm the intestinal epithelial barrier enhancing gut permeability. In recent years, Apolipoprotein A-I has attracted much attention because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Apolipoprotein A-I can regulate mucosal immune cells, inhibit the progression of inflammation, promote epithelial proliferation and repair, and maintain physical barrier function; it can also regulate angiogenesis, thereby improving local circulation. This article is intended to elucidate the mechanism by which Apolipoprotein A-I improves intestinal barrier damage caused by dietary fat and to review the role of Apolipoprotein A-I in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.

The effect of Lonicerae flos and Rhizoma curcumae longae extract on the intestinal development and function of broilers.

This study was conducted to explore effects of Lonicerae flos and Rhomoma curcumae longae extracts (LR) on intestinal function of broilers. Three hundred broiler chickens were randomly assigned to the following 5 groups. The control group were fed the basal diet; the antibiotic group were fed the basal diet supplemented with spectinomycin hydrochloride (50 million units/ton) + lincomycin hydrochloride (25 g/ton); the LRH, LRM and LRL groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with a high dose (750 g/ton of feed), normal dose (500 g/ton of feed), or low dose (250 g/ton of feed) of LR, respectively. The changes of intestinal structure, intestinal digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant enzyme activities, inflammatory cytokines, and bacterial abundances in the colon and cecum contents were determined. The results indicated that compared with the control group and the antibiotic group, LR significantly increased the villus length/crypt depth (VCR) of the intestine, and significantly inhibited oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the broiler intestine. In addition, LR regulated intestinal function by increasing the abundance of the intestinal microorganisms in broilers. In conclusion, LR improved antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and microorganisms, and inhibited inflammatory response. The effect of high and medium doses of LR was better than lower doses.

Revealing nutrient limitation status of microorganisms in the soil of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation through soil stoichiometry and enzyme metrology.

Exploring nutrient limitation in forest soil holds significant implications for forest tending and management. However, current research on nutrient limitation status of microorganisms in Robinia pseudoacacia plantations within the Loess Plateau remains insufficient. To investigate soil microbial nutrient limitation of R. pseu-doacacia plantations on the Loess Plateau, we selected R. pseudoacacia plantations with different afforestation time series (15, 25, 35, and 45 years) and a pile of barren slope cropland (control) in Yongshou County, Shaanxi Province as the research objects. We analyzed the contents of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, and the activities of ß-1,4-glucosidase (BG), cellobiose hydrolase (CBH), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), ß-1,4-N-acetylglucoside (NAG) and phosphatase (AP). We analyzed the soil nutrient limitation by stoichiometry and enzyme metrology. The results showed a shift in soil pH from alkaline to acidic during vegetation restoration process, and that total phosphorus exhibited a gradual decrease over the course of 0 to 25 years. Soil orga-nic matter, total nitrogen and enzyme activities exhibited an increasing trend during the same time frame. However, between 25 and 45 years of age, soil total phosphorus, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, AP and LAP gradually declined while NAG, BG, and CBH initially increased and then decreased. Notably, the values of (BG+CBH)/(LAP+NAG), (BG+CBH)/AP and (LAP+NAG)/AP in R. pseudoacacia plantations were higher than the global average throughout the process of vegetation restoration. In the study area, the vector length was less than 1 and gradually increased, indicating that a progressive increase in microbial carbon limitation during the process of vegetation restoration. The vector angle exceeded 45° and exhibited an overall decreasing trend, suggesting that soil microorganisms were constrained by phosphorus (P) with a gradual deceleration of P limitation, without any nitrogen (N) limitation. The restoration of R. pseudoacacia plantation resulted in significant change in soil physical and chemical properties, while the time series of afforestation also influenced nutrient limitation of soil microorganisms.

Microbial community characteristics and their influencing factors in Caragana korshinskii sand-fixing forests of different restoration years in the Mu Us Desert, China.

Soil microorganisms play a crucial role as a link between vegetation and soil nutrient cycling. However, it is unclear how vegetation and soil influence microbial community during the ecological restoration process of the Mu Us Desert. Using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) markers and integrating shrub, herbaceous plants, and soil factors, we explored the characteristics and regulations of soil microbial community changes. In this study, we used and took the soil after 10, 30, 50, and 70 years of Caragana korshinskii sand-fixing forest restoration, with moving dunes as a control (0 year). The results showed that the ecological restoration effect index increased significantly with the increase of recovery years. The total PLFA contents in 0, 10, 30, 50, and 70 years were 47.75, 55.89, 63.53, 67.23, and 82.29 nmol·g-1, respectively. With the increases of ecological restoration index, the biomass of fungi and bacteria, as well as the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria, all showed significant increase, while the biomass of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial communities, and the ratio of fungi to bacteria, demonstrated significant decrease. Shrub, herbaceous plants, and soil factors could explain 72.4% of the vari-ation of soil microbial community composition, with higher contribution of soil factors than vegetation factors. The total content of phospholipid fatty acids of soil microbial community in Mu Us Desert increased with the increases of restoration years. Soil water content, pH, total nitrogen, and soil organic carbon were the main driving factors affecting the characteristics of soil microbial community. With the increases of restoration years of C. korshinskii sand-fixation forests in the Mu Us Desert, there were significant changes in the structure of soil microbial communities, which were primarily driven by soil factors.

Microbiological safety of dry-aged meat: a critical review of data gaps and research needs to define process hygiene and safety criteria.

Dry-aged meat is gaining popularity among food business operators and private consumers. The process is carried out in aerobic conditions by hanging beef carcasses or placing subprimal or primal cuts in a dedicated cabinet for several weeks or even months while controlling the environment through the management of process parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, and airflow. In this review, we present a critical evaluation of the literature to evaluate tools to manage the process to guarantee food safety and identify critical control points, as well as good hygiene and manufacturing practices. In controlled aging conditions, only Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica can multiply, while a reduction in the number of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 is generally reported. Enterobacteriaceae usually decrease on the surface of the meat during maturation; thus, for the purpose of the hygiene evaluation of the production process, a count no higher than that of unmatured meat is expected. Besides, various studies report that the total bacterial count and the spoilage microorganisms significantly increase on the surface of the meat, up to 5-6 Log10 CFU/g in the absence of visible spoilage. Bacteria of the Pseudomonas genus tend to progressively replace other microorganisms during maturation; thus, the total mesophilic or psychrophilic bacterial load is not a good indicator of process hygiene for matured meat. Critical parameters for the control of the process are temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation, which should be monitored during the process. For this reason, equipment designed and certified for dry-aging must be used, and the manufacturer must validate the process. Food business operators must apply general good manufacturing practices (GMP) and good hygiene practices (GHP) for meat processing and some GMP and GHP specific for dry-aging. Several research needs were identified, among them the evolution of the populations of L. monocytogenes and Y. enterocolitica and the microbiology of the inner parts of the dry-aged meat.

[Characterizations of soil enzyme activities and stoichiometry in three subtropical forest stands]. / äºšçƒ­å¸¦ä¸‰ç§æž—åˆ†åœŸå£¤é ¶æ´»æ€§å’Œé ¶åŒ–å­¦è®¡é‡æ¯”ç‰¹å¾.

We conducted in a common garden experiment to explore the differences in soil enzyme activity, stoichiometry, and their influencing factors among a secondary Castanopsis carlesii forest, 10-year-old C. carlesii plantation, and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation. The results showed that compared to the secondary forest, the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and dissolved organic carbon significantly decreased by 42.6%, 47.4%, and 60.9% in C. carlesii plantation, and by 42.9%, 36.7%, and 61.1% in C. lanceolata plantation. Soil microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N (MBN), and microbial biomass phosphorus decreased significantly by 40.6%, 35.5%, and 45.9% in C. carlesii plantation, and by 53.7%、56.4%, and 61.7% in C. lanceolata plantation. Compared to the secondary forest, soil enzymes activities in C. carlesii plantation did not change significantly, but in C. lanceolata plantation, the activities of ß-1,4-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase significantly decreased by 51.2% and 59.8%, ß-N-acetyl glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase decreased significantly by 41.0% and 29.8%, and enzymatic C:N acquisition ratio and enzymatic C:P acquisition ratio significantly decreased by 11.3% and 7.7%, respectively. Results of redundancy analysis indicated that MBN and NO3--N were the primary factors influencing soil enzyme activity and enzymic stoichiometry. Collectively, there were significant differences in soil enzyme activity and microbial nutrient demands among different forest stands. Compared to secondary forests, the establishment of C. lanceolata plantations would intensify nutrient competition between plants and microbes, and exacerbate the N and P limitations for microbes.

Pathogenic microorganism DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing to diagnose peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis, and the prevention and treatment of this condition are important for improving the long-term survival and quality of life of patients. However, peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is relatively rare and not easily diagnosed. Here, we present a case of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified by pathogenic microbial DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing. This case demonstrates that pathogenic microbial DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing could be used to improve the detection rate of pathogenic microorganisms in patients with complex conditions, thereby allowing for earlier initiation of treatment.

Harnessing microbial antigens as cancer antigens: a promising avenue for cancer immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by leveraging the immune system's innate capabilities to combat malignancies. Despite the promise of tumor antigens in stimulating anti-tumor immune responses, their clinical utility is hampered by limitations in eliciting robust and durable immune reactions, exacerbated by tumor heterogeneity and immune evasion mechanisms. Recent insights into the immunogenic properties of host homologous microbial antigens have sparked interest in their potential for augmenting anti-tumor immunity while minimizing off-target effects. This review explores the therapeutic potential of microbial antigen peptides in tumor immunotherapy, beginning with an overview of tumor antigens and their challenges in clinical translation. We further explore the intricate relationship between microorganisms and tumor development, elucidating the concept of molecular mimicry and its implications for immune recognition of tumor-associated antigens. Finally, we discuss methodologies for identifying and characterizing microbial antigen peptides, highlighting their immunogenicity and prospects for therapeutic application.

Integrated analysis of intestinal microbial community and muscle transcriptome profile in rabbits.

Intestinal microbial community plays an important part in maintaining health and skeletal muscle development in livestock. This study is the first of its kind in the world. In order to better understand the relationship between gut microbiota and gene expression in skeletal muscle of rabbits, caecum contents and longissimus dorsi tissues of rabbits at 0 d (S1), 35 d (S2) and 70d (S3) were collected and subjected for 16S rRNA sequencing and transcriptome sequencing. Our results showed that, among three groups of rabbits, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla at the phylum level, while Akmansia, Bacteroides and Ruminobacter were the dominant genera at the genus level, and the relative abundance of Akmansia and Bacteroides increased firstly and then decreased from 0 d to 70 d. By analyzing the transcriptome sequencing data, we identified 2866, 2446 and 4541 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in S1 vs S2, S2 vs S3 and S1 vs S3 groups, respectively. Finally, we performed correlation analysis between gut microbiota and the expression levels of muscle development-related genes of rabbits at 0 d and 70 d. Compared with 0 day old rabbits, in 70 day old rabbits Acinetobacter and Cronbacter with decreased abundance, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 and Ruminococcus_1 with increase abundance is beneficial to caecum health in rabbits. These results will lay a foundation for further re-searches about the relationship between caecum microflora and muscle development in rabbits.

The regulating mechanisms of Triton X-100 affected oxidation of PAHs in site soil aggregates using sodium citrate assisted Fe2+-persulfate.

Here, we present a first investigation of the inhibition mechanism of surfactant Triton X-100 (TX-100) on the oxidation degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in site soil aggregates using sodium citrate assisted Fe2+-activated persulfate (SC/Fe2+/PS). First, TX-100 was not only competed the adsorption sites of soil aggregates with PS, but also consumed PS, which inhibit the PAHs remediation rate in the TX-100 elution followed by the SC/Fe2+/PS oxidation system from 55.6 % in the oxidation system to 50.3 %. Furthermore, in the oxidation followed by elution system, PAHs was adsorbed on the iron minerals produced during the oxidation, which would be form a bound PAHs that was difficult to react with PS, and then re-eluted to the soil by the TX-100. Additionally, it was found that the oxidative and the elution efficiency of PAHs exhibited negative correlations with aggregate particle sizes. Finally, soil microorganism communities were more strongly changed by SC/Fe2+/PS oxidation and PAHs concentration than that of TX-100 elution, with obvious alterations bacteria than fungi, the effects of SC/Fe2+/PS and PAHs concentration on microorganism communities were opposite. This study provided a proof of regulating mechanisms for the site soil remediation using surfactants combined with the iron-PS system.

Association between Oral Microbiome and Gastroesophageal Reflux Severity.

Background/Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is caused by gastric contents refluxing back into the oesophagus and oral cavity. It can lead to injuries to the mucosa in the form of erosion and ulcers. Our past research have shown acid reflux severity and disease progression is associated with alternations in the microbiota of the distal oesophagus. The aim of this study was to explore whether changes in the oral microbiota occurred in GORD patients and establish any associations with reflux severity. Methods: Fresh mouthwash samples were collected from 58 patients experiencing reflux symptoms referred for 24 h pH monitoring. The participants were categorised into three groups based on their DeMeester scores: Normal (<14.72), Mild (14.2-50), and Moderate/severe (>51). Microorganism identity and diversity were generated using hypervariable tag sequencing and analysing the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results: No differences in microbiota diversity were found in oral microbiota between groups using the Chiao1 diversity index and Shannon diversity index. Microbiota in the Mild group showed reductions in Rothia dentocariosa and Lautropia, while Moryella and Clostridiales_1 were increased compared with the Normal group. In the Moderate/severe group, the abundance of Rothia aeria was reduced compared with the Normal group, while Schwartzia, Rs_045, Paludibacter, S. satelles, Treponema, and T. socranskii all had increased abundance. The abundance of Prevotella pallens was higher in the Mild group compared with Moderate/severe, while S. satelles and Paludibacter abundances were lower. Conclusions: Our study shows the oral microbiome show significant differences between acid reflux severity groups, as categorised by DeMeester score.

A Valuable Source of Promising Extremophiles in Microbial Plastic Degradation.

Plastics have accumulated in open environments, such as oceans, rivers, and land, for centuries, but their effect has been of concern for only decades. Plastic pollution is a global challenge at the forefront of public awareness worldwide due to its negative effects on ecological systems, animals, human health, and national economies. Therefore, interest has increased regarding specific circular economies for the development of plastic production and the investigation of green technologies for plastic degradation after use on an appropriate timescale. Moreover, biodegradable plastics have been found to contain potential new hazards compared with conventional plastics due to the physicochemical properties of the polymers involved. Recently, plastic biodegradation was defined as microbial conversion using functional microorganisms and their enzymatic systems. This is a promising strategy for depolymerizing organic components into carbon dioxide, methane, water, new biomass, and other higher value bioproducts under both oxic and anoxic conditions. This study reviews microplastic pollution, the negative consequences of plastic use, and the current technologies used for plastic degradation and biodegradation mediated by microorganisms with their drawbacks; in particular, the important and questionable role of extremophilic multi-enzyme-producing bacteria in synergistic systems of plastic decomposition is discussed. This study emphasizes the key points for enhancing the plastic degradation process using extremophiles, such as cell hydrophobicity, amyloid protein, and other relevant factors. Bioprospecting for novel mechanisms with unknown information about the bioproducts produced during the plastic degradation process is also mentioned in this review with the significant goals of CO2 evolution and increasing H2/CH4 production in the future. Based on the potential factors that were analyzed, there may be new ideas for in vitro isolation techniques for unculturable/multiple-enzyme-producing bacteria and extremophiles from various polluted environments.

Safety evaluation of the food enzyme ß-galactosidase from the genetically modified Bacillus licheniformis strain DSM 34099.

The food enzyme ß-galactosidase (ß-d-galactoside galactohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.23) is produced with the genetically modified Bacillus licheniformis strain DSM 34099 by Kerry Group Services International, Ltd. (KGSI). The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. The production strain met the requirements for the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach. The food enzyme is intended to be used in two food manufacturing processes. Dietary exposure was estimated to be up to 7.263 mg total organic solids/kg body weight per day in European populations. Given the QPS status of the production strain and the absence of concerns resulting from the food enzyme manufacturing process, toxicity tests, other than an assessment of allergenicity, were considered unnecessary by the Panel. A search for the identity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and one match with a food allergen from kiwi fruit was found. The Panel considered that a risk of allergic reactions upon dietary exposure to this food enzyme, particularly in individuals sensitised to kiwi fruit, cannot be excluded. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns, under the intended conditions of use.

Safety evaluation of a second extension of use of the food enzyme α-amylase from the non-genetically modified Cellulosimicrobium funkei strain AE-AMT.

The food enzyme α-amylase (4-α-d-glucan glucanohydrolase i.e. EC 3.2.1.1) is produced with the non-genetically modified Cellulosimicrobium funkei strain AE-AMT by Amano Enzyme Inc. A safety evaluation of this food enzyme was made previously, in which EFSA concluded that the food enzyme did not give rise to safety concerns when used in seven food manufacturing processes. Subsequently, the applicant has requested to extend its use to include three additional processes. In this assessment, EFSA updated the safety evaluation of this food enzyme when used in a total of ten food manufacturing processes. As the food enzyme-total organic solids (TOS) are removed from the final foods in one food manufacturing process, the dietary exposure to the food enzyme-TOS was estimated only for the remaining nine processes. The dietary exposure was calculated to be up to 0.049 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. When combined with the no observed adverse effect level previously reported (230 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested), the Panel derived a margin of exposure of at least 4694. Based on the data provided for the previous evaluation and the revised margin of exposure in the present evaluation, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme pullulanase from the non-genetically modified Pullulanibacillus naganoensis strain AE-PL.

The food enzyme pullulanase (pullulan 6-α-glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.41) is produced with the non-genetically modified Pullulanibacillus naganoensis strain AE-PL by Amano Enzyme Inc. A safety evaluation of this food enzyme was made previously, in which EFSA concluded that this food enzyme did not give rise to safety concerns when used in one food manufacturing process. Subsequently, the applicant has requested to extend its use to include seven additional processes and to revise the previous use level. In this assessment, EFSA updated the safety evaluation of this food enzyme when used in a total of eight food manufacturing processes. As the food enzyme-total organic solids (TOS) are not carried into the final foods in two food manufacturing processes, the dietary exposure was estimated only for the remaining six processes. The dietary exposure was calculated to be up to 0.004 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. The Panel evaluated the repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study in rats submitted in the previous application and identified a no observed adverse effect level of 643 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested. When compared with the calculated dietary exposure, this resulted in a margin of exposure of at least 160,750. Based on the data provided for the previous evaluation and the revised margin of exposure in the present evaluation, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the revised intended conditions of use.

Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the non-genetically modified Aspergillus luchuensis strain AE-L.

The food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase; EC 3.1.1.3) is produced with the non-genetically modified Aspergillus luchuensis strain AE-L by Amano Enzyme Inc. A safety evaluation of this food enzyme was made previously, in which EFSA concluded that this food enzyme did not give rise to safety concerns when used in one food manufacturing process. Subsequently, the applicant has requested to extend its use to include four additional processes and to revise the previous use level. In this assessment, EFSA updated the safety evaluation of this food enzyme when used in a total of five food manufacturing processes. The dietary exposure to the food enzyme-total organic solids (TOS) was calculated to be up to 0.458 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. When combined with the no observed adverse effect level previously reported (1726 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested), the Panel derived a revised margin of exposure of at least 3769. Based on the data provided for the previous evaluation and the revised margin of exposure in the present evaluation, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the revised intended conditions of use.

Interactions Between Oral Microbiota and Cancers in the Aging Community: A Narrative Review.

The oral microbiome potentially wields significant influence in the development of cancer. Within the human oral cavity, an impressive diversity of more than 700 bacterial species resides, making it the second most varied microbiome in the body. This finely balanced oral microbiome ecosystem is vital for sustaining oral health. However, disruptions in this equilibrium, often brought about by dietary habits and inadequate oral hygiene, can result in various oral ailments like periodontitis, cavities, gingivitis, and even oral cancer. There is compelling evidence that the oral microbiome is linked to several types of cancer, including oral, pancreatic, colorectal, lung, gastric, and head and neck cancers. This review discussed the critical connections between cancer and members of the human oral microbiota. Extensive searches were conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases to provide an up-to-date overview of our understanding of the oral microbiota's role in various human cancers. By understanding the possible microbial origins of carcinogenesis, healthcare professionals can diagnose neoplastic diseases earlier and design treatments accordingly.

Interactions between oral microbiota shifts and cancer: The oral microbiome potentially wields significant influence in the development of cancer. Within the human oral cavity, an impressive diversity of more than 700 bacterial species resides, making it the second most varied microbiome in the body. This finely balanced oral microbiome ecosystem is vital for sustaining oral health. However, disruptions in this equilibrium, often brought about by dietary habits and inadequate oral hygiene, can result in various oral ailments like periodontitis, cavities, gingivitis, and even oral cancer. There is compelling evidence that the oral microbiome is linked to several types of cancer, including oral, pancreatic, colorectal, lung, gastric, and head and neck cancers. This review discussed the critical connections between cancer and members of the human oral microbiota. Extensive searches were conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases to provide an up-to-date overview of our understanding of the oral microbiota's role in various human cancers. By understanding the possible microbial origins of carcinogenesis, healthcare professionals can diagnose neoplastic diseases earlier and design treatments accordingly.

Potentiality of Beneficial Microbe Bacillus siamensis GP-P8 for the Suppression of Anthracnose Pathogens and Pepper Plant Growth Promotion.

This study was carried out to screen the antifungal activity against Colletotrichum acutatum, Colletotrichum dematium, and Colletotrichum coccodes. Bacterial isolate GP-P8 from pepper soil was found to be effective against the tested pathogens with an average inhibition rate of 70.7% in in vitro dual culture assays. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis result showed that the effective bacterial isolate as Bacillus siamensis. Biochemical characterization of GP-P8 was also performed. According to the results, protease and cellulose, siderophore production, phosphate solubilization, starch hydrolysis, and indole-3-acetic acid production were shown by the GP-P8. Using specific primers, genes involved in the production of antibiotics, such as iturin, fengycin, difficidin, bacilysin, bacillibactin, surfactin, macrolactin, and bacillaene were also detected in B. siamensis GP-P8. Identification and analysis of volatile organic compounds through solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS) revealed that acetoin and 2,3-butanediol were produced by isolate GP-P8. In vivo tests showed that GP-P8 significantly reduced the anthracnose disease caused by C. acutatum, and enhanced the growth of pepper plant. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of pepper fruits revealed that GP-P8 treated pepper plants showed increased expression of immune genes such as CaPR1, CaPR4, CaNPR1, CaMAPK4, CaJA2, and CaERF53. These results strongly suggest that GP-P8 could be a promising biocontrol agent against pepper anthracnose disease and possibly a pepper plant growth-promoting agent.

Safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucan 1,4-α-maltohydrolase from the genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain LALL-MA.

The food enzyme glucan 1,4-α-maltohydrolase (4-α-d-glucan α-maltohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.133) is produced with the genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain LALL-MA+ by Danstar Ferment AG. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. It is intended to be used in the processing of cereals and other grains for production of baked products. Dietary exposure was estimated to be up to 0.014 mg TOS/kg body weight per day in European populations. Given the QPS status of the production strain and the absence of concerns resulting from the food enzyme manufacturing process, toxicity tests were considered unnecessary by the Panel. A search for the identity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and four matches were found, three with respiratory allergens and one with an allergen from mosquito (injected). The Panel considered that the risk of allergic reactions upon dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is low. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns, under the intended conditions of use.

Structure and function of rhizosphere soil microbial communities associated with root rot of Knoxia roxburghii.

The microbial communities in rhizosphere soil play important roles in plant health and crop productivity. However, the microbial community structure of rhizosphere soil still remains unclear. In this study, the composition, diversity and function of the microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of healthy and diseased plants were compared using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The Sobs (richness) and Shannon (diversity) indices of the soil microbial communities were higher in the rhizospheres of 2- and 3-year-old susceptible plants than in those of the healthy plants. With the increase in planting time, the numbers of fungi tended to decrease, while those of the bacteria tended to increase. Fungal diversity could be used as a biological indicator to measure the health of Knoxia roxburghii. The microbial composition and differential analyses revealed that the rhizosphere soil infested with fungi had a higher relative abundance at the phylum level in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, while the bacteria had a higher relative abundance of Chloroflexi and a lower relative abundance of Actinobacteriota. At the genus level, the rhizosphere soil infested with fungi had relatively more abundant unclassified_f__Didymellaceae and Solicoccozyma and relatively less abundant Saitozyma and Penicillium. The bacterial genus norank_f__Gemmatimonadaceae was the most abundant, while Arthrobacter was less abundant. In addition, the abundance of Fusarium in the fungal community varied (p = 0.001). It tended to increase in parallel with the planting years. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the change in the community composition of Fusarium may be the primary reason for the occurrence of root rot in K. roxburghii, and the change in the abundance of Fusarium OTU1450 may be an indication of the occurrence of root rot in this species. The community function and prediction analyses showed that the pathogenic fungi increased with the increase in planting years. In general, soil fungi can be roughly divided into three types, including pathotrophs, symbiotrophs, and saprotrophs. An analysis of the differences in the prediction of different rhizosphere functions showed that D and L were significantly different in the COG enrichment pathway of the K. roxburghii rhizosphere bacteria (p < 0.05). The soil physical and chemical properties, including the pH, AK, total potassium (TK), and catalase (S_CAT), had the most significant effect on the soil fungal community, and most of the soil physical and chemical properties significantly correlated with the bacterial community. This study demonstrated that the occurrence of root rot had an important effect on the diversity, structure and composition of microbial communities. In addition, the results will provide a theoretical basis to prevent and control root rot in K. roxburghii.