Potential probiotics for regulation of the gut-lung axis to prevent or alleviate influenza in vulnerable populations.

Influenza, also known as "flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Three types of influenza virus, A, B, and C, are able to infect humans. In most people, influenza causes mild symptoms, but it can also induce severe complications and death. Annual influenza vaccines are currently the main intervention used to minimize mortality and morbidity. However, vaccination frequently fails to provide adequate protection, especially in the elderly. Traditional flu vaccine targets hemagglutinin to prevent virus infection, but the constant mutation of hemagglutinin means that it is a challenge to develop vaccines quickly enough to keep up with mutations. Thus, other methods of curbing influenza incidence would be welcomed, especially for vulnerable populations. Although influenza viruses primarily infect the respiratory tract, influenza virus infection also induces intestinal dysbiosis. Through gut microbiota-derived secreted products and the circulating immune cells, gut microbiota can affect pulmonary immunity. The crosstalk between the respiratory tract and gut microbiota, termed the "gut-lung axis", is observed in the regulation of immune responses against influenza virus infection or inflammation-induced lung damage, indicating the possibility of using probiotics to prevent influenza virus infection or alleviate respiratory symptoms. In this review, we summarize the current findings on the antiviral functions of particular probiotics and/or combinations and discuss the antiviral mechanisms and immunomodulatory activities of probiotics in vitro, in mice, and in humans. Clinical studies show probiotic supplements can provide health benefits, not only to the elderly or children with compromised immune systems, but also to young- and middle-aged adults.

Screening of Lactic Acid Bacterial Strains with Antiviral Activity Against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea.

Newly emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases cause significant economic losses in swine production. Efficacious vaccines have not yet been developed for several major swine infectious diseases, including porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). We used the PEDV-infected Vero cell model to screen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains with antiviral activity. Sixty LAB strains were isolated from the feces of nursing piglets. After the elimination of LAB strains with high cytotoxicity to Vero cells, the protective effects of the remaining 6 strains against PEDV infection were determined. Vero cells pretreated with the intracellular extracts or cell wall fractions of YM22 and YM33 strains for 24 h before infection with PEDV showed significantly higher cell viabilities and lower mRNA expression of PEDV nucleocapsid (PEDV-N) than the unpretreated cells, indicating that the intracellular extracts and cell wall fractions of YM22 and YM33 possessed prophylactic effects on Vero cells against PEDV infection. PEDV-infection significantly increased the mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in Vero cells. However, pretreatment of Vero cells with the cell wall fractions of YM22 and YM33 decreased the mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-8, which could be a mechanism associated with the protective effects of YM22 and YM33 against PEDV. Based on the biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic analyses, YM22 and YM33 were identified as Ligilactobacillus agilis (basonym: Lactobacillus agilis) and Ligilactobacillus salivarius (basonym: Lactobacillus salivarius), respectively. These findings suggest that L. agilis YM22 and L. salivarius YM33 could provide some levels of protective effects against PEDV infections.

Effectiveness of Bacillus licheniformis-Fermented Products and Their Derived Antimicrobial Lipopeptides in Controlling Coccidiosis in Broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of Bacillus licheniformis-fermented products (BLFP) and their derived antimicrobial lipopeptide, surfactin, for the prevention of coccidiosis in broilers. Broilers were fed BLFP at 1.25 and 5 g/kg under Eimeria tenella challenge. At the end of experiment (35 days), the growth performance, survival rate, cecal morphology, cecal lesion scores, oocyst-count index, and anti-coccidial index were analyzed. The effects of the BLFP-derived surfactin on oocyst sporulation and sporozoite morphology in Eimeria species were also investigated in vitro. Results showed that BLFP supplementation at 1.25 and 5 g/kg improved cecal morphology and increased the survival rate of broilers under E. tenella challenge. Supplementation with 1.25 g/kg of BLFP reduced the lesion scores in the cecum of E. tenella-challenged broilers, while the oocyst-count index was reduced in broilers given 5 g/kg of BLFP. The anti-coccidial index of the 1.25 g/kg of BLFP-treated group was greater than 160, compared with the E. tenella-challenge-only group. Furthermore, surfactin inhibited Eimeria oocyst sporulation and disrupted sporozoite morphology. These results demonstrate that BLFPs and their derived antimicrobial lipopeptide, surfactin, exhibit anti-coccidial activity in vitro and in vivo. BLFP may be used as a natural feed additive for the prevention of coccidiosis in broilers, and 1.25 g/kg can be considered the optimum dosage.

Whole Genome Sequencing and Tn5-Insertion Mutagenesis of Pseudomonas taiwanensis CMS to Probe Its Antagonistic Activity Against Rice Bacterial Blight Disease.

The Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas taiwanensis is a novel bacterium that uses shrimp shell waste as its sole sources of carbon and nitrogen. It is a versatile bacterium with potential for use in biological control, with activities including toxicity toward insects, fungi, and the rice pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae (Xoo). In this study, the complete 5.08-Mb genome sequence of P. taiwanensis CMS was determined by a combination of NGS/Sanger sequencing and optical mapping. Comparison of optical maps of seven Pseudomonas species showed that P. taiwanensis is most closely related to P. putida KT 2400. We screened a total of 11,646 individual Tn5-transponson tagged strains to identify genes that are involved in the production and regulation of the iron-chelator pyoverdine in P. taiwanensis, which is a key anti-Xoo factor. Our results indicated that the two-component system (TCS) EnvZ/OmpR plays a positive regulatory role in the production of pyoverdine, whereas the sigma factor RpoS functions as a repressor. The knowledge of the molecular basis of the regulation of pyoverdine by P. taiwanensis provided herein will be useful for its development for use in biological control, including as an anti-Xoo agent.

Isolation of a Leuconostoc mesenteroides Strain With Anti-Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Activities From Kefir Grains.

Swine grown under commercial conditions are vulnerable to environmental exposure to several viruses, which may cause infectious diseases and spread easily and rapidly, resulting in significant economic losses in animal husbandry. Previous studies have suggested that probiotics seem to be a new and promising alternative to vaccinations to protect animals against potential viral infections. In this study, we used the Vero cell culture model of infection to study porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). We screened lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with anti-PEDV potential from kefir grains, which are starter cultures used to ferment milk into kefir. Twenty-nine LAB strains were isolated and identified as Enterococcus durans, Lactobacillus kefiri, Lactococcus lactis, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides, according to 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and rpoA gene sequence analyses. The anti-PEDV activities of the LAB intracellular extracts were compared, and the intracellular extracts of Ln. mesenteroides showed higher anti-PEDV activities than that of the other species. Among the Ln. mesenteroides strains, a strain designated YPK30 showed a higher growth rate than that of the other strains and was further evaluated for its anti-PEDV activity. The results showed that the intracellular extracts of Ln. mesenteroides YPK30 possessed in vitro prophylactic, therapeutic, and direct-inhibitory effects against PEDV in the Vero cell model. The expression levels of Type 1 interferon (IFN)-dependent genes, including Myxovirus resistance 1 (MX1) and interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), were significantly increased after treatment with intracellular extracts of Ln. mesenteroides YPK30 for 24 h. Such expression suggests that the anti-PEDV activity of Ln. mesenteroides YPK30 could be attributed to its up-regulatory effect on the expression of MX1 and ISG15 genes. These results suggested that Ln. mesenteroides YPK30 has the potential to provide some levels of host protection against PEDV infections.

Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on Energy Metabolism, Leptin Resistance, and Gut Microbiota in Mice with Diet-Induced Obesity.

Obesity is closely associated with various metabolic disorders, including leptin resistance, which is characterized by high circulating leptin levels. Probiotics can decrease circulating leptin levels by alteration of the gut microbiota. Thus, they may have anti-obesogenic effects. In this study, the effects of administration of a probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), on gut microbiota and modulation of leptin resistance were evaluated in mice. Male Balb/C mice aged 7 weeks were fed either a normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD supplemented with low-dose LGG (108 CFU/mouse/day), or HFD supplemented with high-dose LGG (1010 CFU/mouse/day) for 10 weeks. Significantly increased body weight, epididymal fat weight, and decreased leptin responsiveness to exogenous leptin treatment and ratio of villus height to crypt depth were observed in the HFD-fed mice compared to the ND-fed mice. Moreover, a remarkable increase in the proportion of Proteobacteria and ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in the fecal microbiota were also observed in the HFD-fed mice. Supplementation of HFD with high-dose LGG restored exogenous leptin responsiveness, increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, and decreased the proportion of Proteobacteria in fecal microbiota. These findings suggest that LGG supplementation might alleviate leptin resistance caused by an HFD through the improvement of the digestive health of the host.

Oral administration with a traditional fermented multi-fruit beverage modulates non-specific and antigen-specific immune responses in BALB/c mice.

Fruits have been widely considered as the default "health foods" because they contain numerous vitamins and minerals needed to sustain human health. Fermentation strategies have been utilized to enhance the nutritive and flavor features of healthy and readily consumable fruit products while extending their shelf lives. A traditional fermented multi-fruit beverage was made from five fruits including kiwi, guava, papaya, pineapple, and grape fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae along with lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. The immunomodulatory properties of the fermented multi-fruit beverage, in vivo nonspecific and ovalbumin (OVA)-specific immune response experiments using female BALB/c mice were performed. Administration of the fermented multi-fruit beverage reduced the calorie intake, thus resulting in a less weight gain in mice compared to the water (placebo)-fed mice. In the nonspecific immune study model, the fermented multi-fruit beverage enhanced phagocytosis and T cell proliferation but did not affect B cell proliferation and immunoglobulin G (IgG) production. Analysis of cytokine secretion profile also revealed that the fermented multi-fruit beverage enhanced proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and T helper (Th)1-related cytokine interferon (IFN)-γ production, thus creating an immunostimulatory effect. Nonetheless, in the specific immune study model, the results showed that the fermented multi-fruit beverage decreased the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α production in OVA-immunized mice. Moreover, it also caused a decrease in the production of anti-OVA IgG1, which was accompanied by a decrease in Th2-related cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 production and an increase in Th1-related cytokine IFN-γ production, indicating that it may have the potential to shift the immune system from the allergen-specific Th2 responses toward Th1-type responses. The results indicate that fermented multi-fruit beverage has the potential to modulate immune responses both in a nonspecific and specific manners.

Construction of a Lactobacillus plantarum Strain Expressing the Capsid Protein of Porcine Circovirus Type 2d (PCV2d) as an Oral Vaccine.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a pathogenic virus that causes high rates of porcine death, resulting in severe economic losses to the swine industry. In recent years, the prevalence of PCV2d genotype infection in pigs has increased, but most commercially available vaccines were developed against the PCV2a strain and do not ensure complete protection from PCV2d. Here, we first constructed an expression vector for the antigenic ORF2-encoded capsid protein of PCV2d (pLp3050-His6-tag-capsid). We then utilized Lactobacillus plantarum to express the protein at mucosal sites in orally vaccinated mice. After transducing L. plantarum with pLp3050-His6-tag-capsid, the expressed protein could be found in cell wall and cell-free supernatant fractions by Western blotting. Using flow cytometry, we found that L. plantarum cells with surface-displayed capsid protein increased with time after SppIP induction. Finally, mice that were orally immunized 18 times with capsid-expressing L. plantarum showed increased levels of capsid-specific sIgA and virus neutralizing activity at mucosal sites, suggesting mucosal immunity had been stimulated by the vaccine. Overall, our findings demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a PCV2d-based vaccine, which may be of great value in porcine agriculture.

A combination of Lactobacillus mali APS1 and dieting improved the efficacy of obesity treatment via manipulating gut microbiome in mice.

The difficulty of long-term management has produced a high rate of failure for obesity patients. Therefore, improving the efficacy of current obesity treatment is a significant goal. We hypothesized that combining a probiotic Lactobacillus mali APS1 intervention with dieting could improve the efficacy of obesity and hepatic steatosis treatment compared to dieting alone. Mice were fed a high-fat diet for 6 weeks and then treated with: saline + normal diet and APS1 + normal diet (NDAPS1) for 3 weeks. NDAPS1 accelerated body weight loss and reduced caloric intake and fat accumulation. The fecal microbiome showed that accelerating weight loss by NDAPS1 resulted in restoring intestinal microbiota toward a pre-obese state, with alteration of specific changes in the obesity-associated bacteria. APS1 manipulated the gut microbiome's obesity-associated metabolites, followed by regulation of lipid metabolism, enhancement of energy expenditure and inhibition of appetite. The specific hepatic metabolites induced by the APS1-manipulated gut microbiome also contributed to the amelioration of hepatic steatosis. Our results highlighted a possible microbiome and metabolome that contributed to accelerating weight loss following treatment with a combination of APS1 and dieting and suggested that probiotics could serve as a potential therapy for modulating physiological function and downstream of the microbiota.

Probiotic characteristics and zearalenone-removal ability of a Bacillus licheniformis strain.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, which is one of the main animal feed contaminants causing reproductive disorders in livestock. The aim of this study was to evaluate the probiotic characteristics and ZEN removal ability of a Bacillus licheniformis strain CK1. The probiotic properties, including acidic tolerance, bile salt tolerance, adherence capability, and anti-pathogenic activities of CK1 were evaluated. CK1 survived after incubation at pH 2.0 or 3.0 for 3 h, grew well in LB broth containing 0.3% oxgall, possessed adherence capability to Caco-2 cells, and inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. The ZEN removal ability of CK1 was compared with a mineral mycotoxin-adsorbing agent, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), and a well-characterized biological mycotoxin-adsorbing agent, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). At 37°C in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.0) containing 5 µg mL-1 of ZEN, the ZEN removal percentage of CK1 was 73.0%, which was significantly higher than that of HSCAS and LGG (45.9% and 48.4%, respectively). In the pH range of 2.5-8.0, CK1 removed up to 65% of ZEN. At temperatures between 4 and 42°C, CK1 removed more than 75% of ZEN. In the adsorption stability analysis, the amounts of ZEN removed by CK1 was over 30% even after five consecutive rounds of washing procedures. These findings demonstrated that CK1 displayed probiotic characteristics and removed ZEN effectively. Therefore, CK1 has a great potential for the development of feed additive to remove ZEN.

Protective and Detoxifying Effects Conferred by Dietary Selenium and Curcumin against AFB1-Mediated Toxicity in Livestock: A Review.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), among other aflatoxins of the aflatoxin family, is the most carcinogenic and hazardous mycotoxin to animals and human beings with very high potency leading to aflatoxicosis. Selenium is an essential trace mineral possessing powerful antioxidant functions. Selenium is widely reported as an effective antioxidant against aflatoxicosis. By preventing oxidative liver damage, suppressing pro-apoptotic proteins and improving immune status in AFB1 affected animals; selenium confers specific protection against AFB1 toxicity. Meticulous supplementation of animal feed by elemental selenium in the organic and inorganic forms has proven to be effective to ameliorate AFB1 toxicity. Curcumin is another dietary agent of importance in tackling aflatoxicosis. Curcumin is one of the major active ingredients in the tubers of a spice Curcuma longa L., a widely reported antioxidant, anticarcinogenic agent with reported protective potential against aflatoxin-mediated liver damage. Curcumin restricts the aflatoxigenic potential of Aspergillusflavus. Curcumin inhibits cytochrome P450 isoenzymes, particularly CYP2A6 isoform; thereby reducing the formation of AFB1-8, 9-epoxide and other toxic metabolites causing aflatoxicosis. In this review, we have briefly reviewed important aflatoxicosis symptoms among animals. With the main focus on curcumin and selenium, we have reviewed their underlying protective mechanisms in different animals along with their extraction and production methods for feed applications.

Isolation and characterization of a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain with zearalenone removal ability and its probiotic potential.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, which has been shown to be associated with reproductive disorders in livestock, and to a lesser extent with hyperoestrogenic syndromes in humans. The aim of this study was to characterize a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain with ZEN removal ability. A pure culture of a strain designated LN isolated from moldy corn samples showed a high ZEN removal capability. Based on microscopic observations, biochemical characteristics, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, LN was identified as B. amyloliquefaciens. After incubation of B. amyloliquefaciens LN in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium containing 3.5 ppm of ZEN, the ZEN concentration fell below the detection limit within 24 h. In ZEN-contaminated corn meal medium, B. amyloliquefaciens LN decreased ZEN concentration by 92% after 36 h of incubation. In phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing 5 ppm of ZEN, B. amyloliquefaciens LN reduced the ZEN concentration from 5 ppm to 3.28 ppm immediately after coming into contact with ZEN, and further reduced the ZEN concentration to 0.36 ppm after 4 h of incubation. The amounts of ZEN adsorbed by the cells of B. amyloliquefaciens LN did not increase with the extension of incubation time, indicating that B. amyloliquefaciens LN not only possessed ZEN adsorption ability, but also exhibited the ability to degrade ZEN. In addition, B. amyloliquefaciens LN was non-hemolytic, non-enterotoxin producing, and displayed probiotic characteristics including acidic tolerance, bile salt tolerance, and anti-pathogenic activities. These findings suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens LN has a potential to be used as a feed additive to reduce the concentrations of ZEN in feedstuffs.

Expression of the Clonostachys rosea lactonohydrolase gene by Lactobacillus reuteri to increase its zearalenone-removing ability.

BACKGROUND: Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that can contaminate agricultural crops in the field as well as during harvest, transportation, processing, or storage. Zearalenone (ZEN), a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin, produced by Fusarium species, has been shown to be associated with reproductive disorders in farm animals and to a lesser extent in hyperoestrogenic syndromes in humans. Thus, the decontamination of ZEN in foods and feeds is an important issue. RESULTS: In this study, the gene encoding ZHD101, a ZEN-degrading enzyme produced by Clonostachys rosea IFO 7063, was cloned into an Escherichia coli-Lactobacillus shuttle vector, pNZ3004, and the resultant plasmid pNZ-zhd101 was then introduced via electroporation into Lactobacillus reuteri Pg4, a probiotic strain isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of broilers. The transformed strain L. reuteri pNZ-zhd101 acquired the capacity to degrade ZEN. In addition, the production of recombinant ZHD101 did not affect cell growth, acid and bile salt tolerance, and had only a minor effect on the adhesion ability of L. reuteri pNZ-zhd101. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of successful expression of a ZEN-degrading enzyme by intestinal lactobacilli.

Involvement of type VI secretion system in secretion of iron chelator pyoverdine in Pseudomonas taiwanensis.

Rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is one of the most destructive rice diseases worldwide. Therefore, in addition to breeding disease-resistant rice cultivars, it is desirable to develop effective biocontrol agents against Xoo. Here, we report that a soil bacterium Pseudomonas taiwanensis displayed strong antagonistic activity against Xoo. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry, we identified an iron chelator, pyoverdine, secreted by P. taiwanensis that could inhibit the growth of Xoo. Through Tn5 mutagenesis of P. taiwanensis, we showed that mutations in genes that encode components of the type VI secretion system (T6SS) as well as biosynthesis and maturation of pyoverdine resulted in reduced toxicity against Xoo. Our results indicated that T6SS is involved in the secretion of endogenous pyoverdine. Mutations in T6SS component genes affected the secretion of mature pyoverdine from the periplasmic space into the extracellular medium after pyoverdine precursor is transferred to the periplasm by the inner membrane transporter PvdE. In addition, we also showed that other export systems, i.e., the PvdRT-OpmQ and MexAB-OprM efflux systems (for which there have been previous suggestions of involvement) and the type II secretion system (T2SS), are not involved in pyoverdine secretion.

Structural analyses and yeast production of the ß-1,3-1,4-glucanase catalytic module encoded by the licB gene of Clostridium thermocellum.

A thermophilic glycoside hydrolase family 16 (GH16) ß-1,3-1,4-glucanase from Clostridium thermocellum (CtLic16A) holds great potentials in industrial applications due to its high specific activity and outstanding thermostability. In order to understand its molecular machinery, the crystal structure of CtLic16A was determined to 1.95Å resolution. The enzyme folds into a classic GH16 ß-jellyroll architecture which consists of two ß-sheets atop each other, with the substrate-binding cleft lying on the concave side of the inner ß-sheet. Two Bis-Tris propane molecules were found in the positive and negative substrate binding sites. Structural analysis suggests that the major differences between the CtLic16A and other GH16 ß-1,3-1,4-glucanase structures occur at the protein exterior. Furthermore, the high catalytic efficacy and thermal profile of the CtLic16A are preserved in the enzyme produced in Pichia pastoris, encouraging its further commercial applications.

Immobilization of Piromyces rhizinflata ß-glucanase on poly(dimethylsiloxane) and Si wafer and prediction of optimum reaction for enzyme activity.

EglA, a ß-1,4-glucanase isolated from the ruminal fungus Piromyces rhizinflata, shows promise in a wide range of industrial applications because of its broad substrate specificity. In this study, EglA was immobilized on different supporting materials including poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), Si wafer, textured Si wafer, and indium tin oxide-coated (ITO-coated) glass. The binding abilities of PDMS and Si wafer toward EglA were significantly higher than those of the other supporting materials. The optimized temperature and pH conditions for EglA immobilized on PDMS and on Si wafer were further determined by a response surface methodology (RSM) combined with a central composite design (CCD). The results indicated that the optimum pH and temperature values as well as the specific ß-glucanase activity of EglA on PDMS were higher than those of free-form EglA. In addition, EglA immobilized on PDMS could be reused up to six times with detectable enzyme activity, while the enzyme activity of Eg1A on Si wafer was undetectable after three cycles of enzyme reaction. The results demonstrate that PDMS is an attractive supporting material for EglA immobilization and could be developed into an enzyme chip or enzyme tube for potential industrial applications.

Characterization of two truncated forms of xylanase recombinantly expressed by Lactobacillus reuteri with an introduced rumen fungal xylanase gene.

The xylanase R8 gene (xynR8) from uncultured rumen fungi was cloned and successfully expressed in Lactobacillus reuteri. A xylanase activity of 132.1 U/mL was found in the broth of L. reuteri R8, the transformant containing pNZ3004 vector with xynR8 gene insertion. Two distinct forms of recombinant xylanase with different hydrophobicities and molecular weights were found in the broth after purification. According to the results of Western blotting, only the T7-tag, fused in the N-terminus of XynR8, could be bound to the expressed proteins, which indicated that the C-terminus of XynR8 had been truncated. These results, combined with tryptic digestion and mass spectrometry analyses, allow us to attribute the two xylanase forms to an optional cleavage of C-terminal sequences, and XynR8A, a 13 amino acid residues truncated form, and XynR8B, a 22 amino acid residues truncated form, were the main products in the extracellular fraction of L. reuteri R8. The specific activities of XynR8A and R8B were 1028 and 395 U/mg protein. Both forms of recombinant xylanase displayed a typical endoxylanase activity when they were reacted with xylan, but XynR8A demonstrated a better specific activity, catalytic efficiency and thermostability than XynR8B according to the results of enzyme characterization. These changes in enzyme properties were highly possibly caused by the present of the ß-sheet in the C-terminal undeleted fragment of XynR8A. This study demonstrates that modified forms with different enzyme properties could be produced when a gene was recombinantly expressed by a L. reuteri transformant.

Characterization of an insecticidal toxin and pathogenicity of Pseudomonas taiwanensis against insects.

Pseudomonas taiwanensis is a broad-host-range entomopathogenic bacterium that exhibits insecticidal activity toward agricultural pests Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera exigua, Spodoptera litura, Trichoplusia ni and Drosophila melanogaster. Oral infection with different concentrations (OD = 0.5 to 2) of wild-type P. taiwanensis resulted in insect mortality rates that were not significantly different (92.7%, 96.4% and 94.5%). The TccC protein, a component of the toxin complex (Tc), plays an essential role in the insecticidal activity of P. taiwanensis. The ΔtccC mutant strain of P. taiwanensis, which has a knockout mutation in the tccC gene, only induced 42.2% mortality in P. xylostella, even at a high bacterial dose (OD = 2.0). TccC protein was cleaved into two fragments, an N-terminal fragment containing an Rhs-like domain and a C-terminal fragment containing a Glt symporter domain and a TraT domain, which might contribute to antioxidative stress activity and defense against macrophagosis, respectively. Interestingly, the primary structure of the C-terminal region of TccC in P. taiwanensis is unique among pathogens. Membrane localization of the C-terminal fragment of TccC was proven by flow cytometry. Sonicated pellets of P. taiwanensis ΔtccC strain had lower toxicity against the Sf9 insect cell line and P. xylostella larvae than the wild type. We also found that infection of Sf9 and LD652Y-5d cell lines with P. taiwanensis induced apoptotic cell death. Further, natural oral infection by P. taiwanensis triggered expression of host programmed cell death-related genes JNK-2 and caspase-3.

Immobilization of Clostridium cellulolyticum D-psicose 3-epimerase on artificial oil bodies.

The rare sugar D-psicose possesses several fundamental biological functions. D-Psicose 3-epimerase from Clostridium cellulolyticum (CC-DPEase) has considerable potential for use in D-psicose production. In this study, CC-DPEase was fused to the N terminus of oleosin, a unique structural protein of seed oil bodies and was overexpressed in Escherichia coli as a CC-DPEase-oleosin fusion protein. After reconstitution into artificial oil bodies (AOBs), refolding, purification, and immobilization of the active CC-DPEase were simultaneously accomplished. Immobilization of CC-DPEase on AOB increased the optimal temperature but decreased the optimal pH of the enzyme activity. Furthermore, the AOB-immobilized CC-DPEase had a thermal stability and a bioconversion rate similar to those of the free-form enzyme and retained >50% of its initial activity after five cycles of enzyme use. Thus, AOB-immobilized CC-DPEase has potential application in the production of d-psicose at a lower cost than the free-form enzyme.