Identification and selection of a new Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain isolated from Brazilian ethanol fermentation process for application in beer production.

The fermented beverage industry is always pursuing alternatives to make products that delight consumers with special or unique characteristics. The identification and improvement of new yeast strains emerge as an opportunity; however, wild strains usually have a limitation in maltose fermentation and/or off-flavors production. Here we report the production of a Blond-style ale beer using a bioethanol isolated strain (LBGA-287) with flavor complexity approved in sensorial panels. LBGA-287 also showed an increase in maltose consumption, growth and fermentation rates when compared to the commercial yeast. Using qPCR analysis, genes related to the (i) efficiency of fermentation (ii) production of aromas/off-flavors, and (iii) metabolization of carbohydrates were found as differentially expressed in the isolated strains when compared to industrial yeast. This suggests that LBGA-287 could have an important impact on beer production, improving brewing efficiency, quality and diversity of this beverage, and most importantly satisfying the final consumer.

Discovery of a Novel Lineage Burkholderia cepacia ST 1870 Endophytically Isolated from Medicinal Polygala paniculata Which Shows Potent In Vitro Antileishmanial and Antimicrobial Effects.

In this study, we report the isolation and identification of an endophytic strain of Burkholderia cepacia (COPS strain) associated with Polygala paniculata roots. Polygala plants are rich sources of promising microbiomes, of which the literature reports several pharmacological effects, such as trypanocidal, antinociceptive, anesthetic, anxiolytics, and anticonvulsant activities. B. cepacia COPS belongs to a new sequence type (ST 1870) and harbors a genome estimated in 8.3 Mbp which exhibits the aminoglycosides and beta-lactams resistance genes aph(3')-IIa and bla TEM-116, respectively. Analysis performed using MLST, average nucleotide identity, and digital DNA-DNA hybridization support its species-level identification and reveals its novel housekeeping genes alleles gyrB, lepA, and phaC. The root endophyte B. cepacia COPS drew our attention from a group of 14 bacterial isolates during the primary screening for being potentially active against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and exhibited the broad-spectrum activity against phytopathogenic fungi. In addition, COPS strain showed production of protease, lipase, and esterase in solid media, and its natural product extract showed potent inhibition against fungal plant pathogens, such as Moniliophthora perniciosa, whose antagonism index (89.32%) exceeded the positive control (74.17%), whereas Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Ceratocystis paradoxa showed high percentages of inhibition (85.53% and 82.69%, respectively). COPS crude extract also significantly inhibited S. epidermidis ATCC 35984, E. faecium ATCC 700221 (MIC values of 32 µg/mL for both), E. faecalis ATCC 29212 (64 µg/mL), and S. aureus ATCC 25923 (128 µg/mL). We observed moderate antagonistic activity against A. baumannii ATCC 19606 and E. coli ATCC 25922 (both at 512 µg/mL), as well as potent cytotoxic effects on Leishmania infantum and Leishmania major promastigote forms with 78.25% and 57.30% inhibition. In conclusion, this study presents for the first time the isolation of an endophytic B. cepacia strain associated with P. paniculata and enough evidence that these plants may be considered a rich source of microbes for the fight against neglected diseases.

Microbiological characterization of the surface contamination in surgical room areas in a Hospital in Sao Paulo (Brazil) / Caracterización microbiológica de la contaminación de la superficie de áreas del quirófano en un hospital de Sao Paulo (Brasil)

Objective: To describe the microorganisms present on surface areas of surgical rooms, in a medium-sized hospital in Sao Paulo state (Brazil). Materials and method: Sixty samples were collected with the aid of sterile swabs soaked in peptone water and rubbed into quadrants of 20 cm 2 . The surfaces investigated were: medication tables, surgical tables, marble countertops and air conditioning grilles. Results: Staphylococcus aureus , coagulase negative, was the microorganism most frequently found on the surgical tables and on the medication tables (50.7% of the samples). This microorganism is also the most frequent cause of post-surgical infection at the same hospital. Conclusions: Prophylactic measures should include proper hand washing, the use of personal protective equipment, appropriate uniforms, and cleaning and sterilization of surface and medical and hospital equipment.

Objetivo: Describir los microorganismos presentes en las superficies del área de quirófanos de un hospital de tamaño medio en el estado de Sao Paulo (Brasil). Materiales y métodos: Se recolectaron y cultivaron 60 muestras con la ayuda de hisopos estériles en agua peptonada y aplicadas sobre cuadrantes de 20 cm 2 . Las superficies investigadas fueron: tabla de medicamentos, mesa operatoria, terminaciones de mármol de la sala y grillas del aire acondicionado. Resultados: El organismo aislado de manera más frecuente fue Staphylococcus aureus coagulasa negativa y se encontró sobre la mesa operatoria y en la mesa de drogas (50,7% de las muestras). Este es el microorganismo reportado como la causa más frecuente de infecciones post-quirúrgicas en el mismo hospital. Conclusiones: Las medidas profilácticas deben incluir un apropiado lavado de manos, uso de equipo personal protector y limpieza y esterilización del equipo médico y hospitalario y de las superficies de trabajo.

Expression, purification, and biochemical characterization of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin 1.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) heat-stable enterotoxin 1 (EAST1) is a 4.1k Da protein originally discovered in EAEC but known to be scattered in other diarrheagenic E. coli as well, possibly causing diarrhea in humans and animals. We report for the first time a method to express and purify EAST1 using the Glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion system. The gst and astA genes were fused together on a pGEX-2T plasmid vector to produce a GST-EAST1 fusion protein. Using Glutathione Sepharose affinity chromatography and C(8) reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography, EAST1 was purified to homogeneity with a yield of 0.29 mg/L of culture. The protein purified by this method was confirmed to be EAST1 by NH(2)-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry. The molecular weight of EAST1 is 4104.0 Da, confirming a 38 amino acid peptide as predicted by the astA gene sequence. Mass spectrometry analysis of EAST1 and of two generated peptides established the presence and suggested the position of two disulfide bridges of EAST1 in the conformations C1-C2 and C3-C4. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against EAST1 in New Zealand white rabbits to a titer of 1:8000 using affinity-purified GST-EAST1 fusion protein and to a titer of 1:100 using HPLC-purified EAST1. The biological activity of various EAST1 preparations was tested using the suckling mouse assay with CD-1 and CFW mice strains, but failed to produce fluid accumulation in the intestine.