Growth of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum in medium containing N-acetylsucrosamine: enzyme that induces the growth of this bacterium via degradation of this disaccharide.

Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum grows well in the early stages of cultivation in medium containing sucrose (Suc), whereas its growth in medium containing the analogue disaccharide N-acetylsucrosamine (SucNAc) tends to exhibit a considerable delay. To elucidate the cause of this phenomenon, we investigated the proliferation pattern of B. pseudocatenulatum in medium containing D-glucose (Glc) and SucNAc and identified the enzyme that degrades this disaccharide. We found that B. pseudocatenulatum initially proliferates by assimilating Glc, with subsequent growth based on SucNAc assimilation depending on production of the ß-fructofuranosidase, which can hydrolyze SucNAc, after Glc is completely consumed. Thus, B. pseudocatenulatum exhibited a diauxic growth pattern in medium containing Glc and SucNAc. In contrast, when cultured in medium containing Glc and Suc, B. pseudocatenulatum initially grew by degrading Suc via the phosphorolysis activity of Suc phosphorylase, which did not react to SucNAc. These observations indicate that B. pseudocatenulatum proliferates by assimilating Suc and SucNAc via different pathways. The ß-fructofuranosidase of B. pseudocatenulatum exhibited higher hydrolytic activity against several naturally occurring Suc-based tri- or tetrasaccharides than against Suc, suggesting that this enzyme actively catabolizes oligosaccharides other than Suc.

Utilization of sucrose and analog disaccharides by human intestinal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli: Search of the bifidobacteria enzymes involved in the degradation of these disaccharides.

The majority of oligosaccharides used as prebiotics typically consist of a combination of 3 kinds of neutral monosaccharides, d-glucose, d-galactose, and d-fructose. In this context, we aimed to generate new types of prebiotic oligosaccharides containing other monosaccharides, and to date have synthesized various oligosaccharides containing an amino sugar, uronic acid, and their derivatives. In this study, we investigated the effects of 4 kinds of sucrose (Suc) analog disaccharides containing d-glucosamine, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, d-glucuronic acid, or d-glucuronamide as constituent monosaccharides, on the growth of 8 species of bifidobacteria and 3 species of lactobacilli isolated from the human intestine. The results of these experiments were compared with those obtained from identical experiments using Suc. We confirmed that all bacterial strains could utilize Suc as a nutrient source for growth; in contrast, only specific species of bifidobacteria showed growth with Suc analog disaccharides. When oligosaccharides are utilized as a nutrient source by bacteria, they are often broken down into monosaccharides or their derivatives by cellular enzymes before entering the intracellular glycolytic pathway. Therefore, to clarify the above phenomenon involved in the growth of bifidobacteria using Suc analog disaccharides, we investigated the cellular glycosidases of 3 strains of bifidobacteria shown to be capable or incapable of growth in the presence of these disaccharides. As the result, it was confirmed that the strains capable of growth using Suc analog disaccharides show greater productivity of glycosidases that degrade these disaccharides than strains not capable of growth; however, we have not identified the enzymes here.

Enzymatic Synthesis and Structural Confirmation of Novel Oligosaccharide, D-Fructofuranose-linked Chitin Oligosaccharide.

Utilizing transglycosylation reaction catalyzed by ß- N -acetylhexosaminidase of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , ß-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1)-α- N , N ´diacetylchitobioside (GlcNAc 2 -Fru) was synthesized from N -acetylsucrosamine and N , N ´-diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc 2 ), and ß-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1)-α- N , N ´, N ´´-triacetylchitotrioside (GlcNAc 3 -Fru) was synthesized from GlcNAc 2 -Fru and GlcNAc 2 . Through purification by charcoal column chromatography, pure GlcNAc 2 -Fru and GlcNAc 3 -Fru were obtained in molar yields of 33.0 % and 11.7 % from GlcNAc 2 , respectively. The structures of these oligosaccharides were confirmed by comparing instrumental analysis data of fragments obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis and acid hydrolysis of them with known data of these fragments.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of sucuronic acid using d-glucurono-6,3-lactone and sucrose as raw materials, and properties of the product.

Using d-glucurono-6,3-lactone (GlcL) and sucrose (Suc) as raw materials, we synthesized sucuronic acid (SucA), in which the d-glucose (Glc) residue of Suc was replaced with d-glucuronic acid, by a three-step chemoenzymatic method. In the 1st chemical step, methyl d-glucuronate (GlcAM) was synthesized by treating GlcL with a strong base anion exchange resin, Amberlite IRA402BL OH AG, in anhydrous methanol. In the 2nd step, which included an enzyme reaction, methyl sucuronate (SucAM) was synthesized from GlcAM and fructose by exploiting the transfructosylation activity of the Microbacterium saccharophilum K-1 ß-fructofuranosidase, a reaction that is suppressed in the presence of high-concentration Glc. In this reaction, the addition of a Suc-non-assimilating yeast, Saccharomyces bisporus NBRC1131, to the reaction mixture increased the amount of SucAM generated, because Glc was removed from the mixture by this yeast. In the 3rd chemical step for producing sodium sucuronate (SucA·Na), SucAM was treated with Amberlite IRA402BL OH AG in water to hydrolyze SucAM's ester bond, and product was then treated with NaOH. The molar yield of SucA·Na from GlcL was 34.2%. SucA was stable at 37 °C in buffer solutions at pH 3, 5, 7, or 9. However, at temperatures exceeding 75 °C, the glycosidic bond of this disaccharide was hydrolyzed not only in acidic buffers (pH 3 and 5) but also in alkaline buffer (pH 9). SucA was not a suitable substrate for the ß-fructofuranosidases of M. saccharopilum K-1 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of a coronary sinus-ventricular accessory connection in dextrocardia with complete situs inversus and an anomalous inferior vena cava.

An anomalous inferior vena cava (IVC) is often associated with patients with dextrocardia. However, radiofrequency catheter ablation in such a case with that combination has not been reported. We encountered a case of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome with dextrocardia associated with complete situs inversus and an azygos continuation of the IVC. A steep angulation at the junction of the azygos vein and superior vena cava precluded the precise mapping of the anatomical right cavity with a femoral vein approach. Successful catheter ablation of an accessory connection between the coronary sinus and left ventricle could be achieved with a right cubital vein approach.