Genome level analysis of bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides which are ribosomally synthesized by mainly all bacterial species. LABs (lactic acid bacteria) are a diverse group of bacteria that include around 20 genera of various species. Though LABs have a tremendous potential for production of anti-microbial peptides, this group of bacteria is still underexplored for bacteriocins. To study the diversity among bacteriocin encoding clusters and the putative bacteriocin precursors, genome mining was performed on 20 different species of LAB not reported to be bacteriocin producers. The phylogenetic tree of gyrB, rpoB, and 16S rRNA were constructed using MEGA6 software to analyze the diversity among strains. Putative bacteriocins operons identified were found to be diverse and were further characterized on the basis of physiochemical properties and the secondary structure. The presence of at least two cysteine residues in most of the observed putative bacteriocins leads to disulphide bond formation and provide stability. Our data suggests that LABs are prolific source of low molecular weight non modified peptides.     

Enumeration of lactic acid bacteria: lacuna and improvement areas highlighted by proficiency testing

Accreditation and Quality Assurance - During the 2011 to 2018 food microbiology proficiency testing (PT) schemes organized by REQUASUD, a systematic analytical issue was detected. For the...     

Indication of proliferation of lactic acid bacteria in mixed cultures

The supply and consumption of probiotic foods, and particularly probiotic dairy products, has grown steadily in recent years. In the production of dairy products of this type other microbes must also be used in addition to the microbes which provide the probiotic effect and which generally have a proliferation optimum at 37°C. The probiotic microbes have a neutral taste in dairy products consequently the taste of fermented dairy products is supplied by other microbes. These microbes are likewise lactic acid bacteria, and their proliferation optima are either below (mesophilic) or above (thermophilic) that of the probiotic microbes. It is imperative to have an indication of whether the probiotic bacteria have multiplied at the fermentation temperature used during the technology, since they provide the beneficial physiological effect of the product. Isothermic calorimetry appeared a suitable method for the indication of this process, because the amount of heat released during lactic acid bacterial proliferation differs from the probiotic one. In order to analyze the heat flow curves a deconvolutional program was developed which decomposed them into Gaussian curves, because the proliferation of individual microbes follows a lognormal distribution. The Gaussian curve characteristic for the culture was determined, and from the area under the curve the heat liberated during the creation of one microbe was calculated.     

Production of lactic acid from food wastes

Conversion of food wastes into lactic acid by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) was investigated. The process involves saccharification of the starch component in food wastes by a commercial amylolytic enzyme preparation (a mixture of amyloglucosidase, α-amylase, and protease) and fermentation by Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The highest observed overall yield of lactic acid in the SSF was 91% of theoretical. Lactic acid concentration as high as 80 g/L was attainable in 48 h of the SSF. The optimum operating conditions for the maximum productivity were found to be 42°C and pH 6.0. Without supplementation of nitrogen-containing nutrients, the lactic acid yield in the SSF decreased to 60%: 27 g/L of lactic acid from 60 g/L of food waste. The overall performance of the SSF, however, was not significantly affected by the elimination of mineral supplements.     

Applying Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics to the characterization and identification of lactic acid bacteria

The infrared absorption spectra of 55 lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus, Weissella and Carnobacterium were obtained and mathematically analyzed. Sixteen reference strains and 39 food strains isolated from meat and meat products and belonging to the genera Lactobacillus (6 species), Weissella (3 species) and Carnobacterium (2 species) were processed under standardized conditions and their medium infrared spectra obtained using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Reproducibility indexes and similarities between FT-IR spectra were calculated using modified correlation coefficients to detect the ranges with the best reproducibility and discrimination properties. Hierarchical cluster analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA) were subsequently carried out to detect classes and create library groups. Reference strains could be distinguished on the basis of their spectral data and their clustering was in agreement with differences in chemical composition of the cell wall. For the 39 food isolates, the capability of two identification systems was compared. Unknown strains were identified (a) using the linear functions obtained from SDA (canonical variables) of the variables that provide the best discrimination of spectra, and (b) by calculating a differentiation index when a range of the unknown's transformed IR spectrum was compared to all spectra included in a reference library. The system based on the differentiation index obtained a higher rate of identification, allowing for detection of outliers. FT-IR spectroscopy is shown to afford additional information to phenotypic and genotypic data which may help to establish a more robust taxonomic classification.     

Influence of polar groups in thermal and Lewis acid promoted asymmetric diels-alder additions: lactic acid derivatives as practical highly selective and configurationally dichotomic reagents

Diels-Alder reactions of the acrylate of (S)-ethyl lactate with cyclopentadiene proceed with diastereoface-selectivity of up to 85:15 (non-catalyzed) and 93:7 (TiCl₄-promoted). Depending on the Lewis acid, products of inverse configuration are obtained. In conjunction with facile product analysis by LC, effective means for suppression of polymerization of the diene, and virtually epimerization-free ester hydrolysis these findings constitute a method for large scale practical applications of the asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction.     

Simultaneous production of nisin and lactic acid from cheese whey

A biorefinery process that utilizes cheese whey as substrate to simultaneously produce nisin, a natural food preservative, and lactic acid, a raw material for biopolymer production, was studied. The conditions for nisin biosynthesis and lactic acid coproduction by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (ATCC 11454) in a whey-based medium were optimized using statistically based experimental designs. A Plackett-Burman design was applied to screen seven parameters for significant factors for the production of nisin and lactic acid. Nutrient supplements, including yeast extract, MgSO₄, and KH₂PO₄, were found to be the significant factors affecting nisin and lactic acid formation. As a follow-up, a central-composite design was applied to optimize these factors. Second-order polynomial models were developed to quantify the relationship between nisin and lactic acid production and the variables. The optimal values of these variables were also determined. Finally, a verification experiment was performed to confirm the optimal values that were predicted by the models. The experimented results agreed well with the model prediction, giving a similar production of 19.3 g/L of lactic acid and 92.9 mg/L of nisin.     

Lactic acid bacteria production from whey

The main purpose of this work was to isolate and characterize lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains to be used for biomass production using a whey-based medium supplemented with an ammonium salt and with very low levels of yeast extract (0.25 g/L). Five strains of LAB were isolated from naturally soured milk after enrichment in whey-based medium. One bacterial isolate, designated MNM2, exhibited a remarkable capability to utilize whey lactose and give a high biomass yield on lactose. This strain was identified as Lactobacillus casei by its 16S rDNA sequence. A kinetic study of cell growth, lactose consumption, and titratable acidity production of this bacterial strain was performed in a bioreactor. The biomass yield on lactose, the percentage of lactose consumption, and the maximum increase in cell mass obtained in the bioreactor were 0.165 g of biomass/g of lactose, 100%, and 2.0 g/L, respectively, which were 1.44, 1.11, and 2.35 times higher than those found in flask cultures. The results suggest that it is possible to produce LAB biomass from a whey-based medium supplemented with minimal amounts of yeast extract.     

阴离子交换离子色谱法测定乳酸催化制备的丙烯酸

通过乳酸催化脱水制备丙烯酸具有良好的应用前景。为了对其中的催化过程进行有效、及时的监控,建立了一种同时测定乳酸及丙烯酸的阴离子交换色谱法(AEC)。选择Metrohm A Supp 5阴离子交换柱(150 mm×4.0 mm),以2 mmol/L Na2CO3+2 mmol/L NaHCO3混合水溶液为流动相,采用化学抑制电导检测技术,乳酸和丙烯酸在6 min内即可实现完全分离。乳酸和丙烯酸工作曲线的线性范围分别为0.1～500 mg/L和0.1～200 mg/L,检出限分别为0.030 mg/L和0.035 mg/L,加标回收率分别为100.7%～106%和99.6%～103%,相对标准偏差分别为2.16%~2.49%和2.42%~2.48%。该方法准确、快速、灵敏、重现性好。     

Recovery and purification of lactic acid from fermentation broth by adsorption

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Riedel-de-Haen VI-15, Dowex MWA-1 and Amberlite IRA-35 were employed for lactic acid recovery using model fermentation broth. The broth was first acidified...     

Optically active cyclopentadienyl and indenyl ligands obtained from lactic acid esters

Asymmetric cyclopentadienes and indenes are easily prepared by nucleophilic attack of LiCp or LiInd on tosylate or triflate of ethyl (S)-(−) lactate. The selectivity of the reaction depends on the nature of the leaving group. This is particularly true in the case of the reaction of LiCp with sulfonates of ethyl (S)-(−) lactate. Indeed, only the monosubstituted cyclopentadiene lactate 2 is obtained from the triflate 6, whereas from the tosylate 1, besides 2 (20%) a 1,3-disubstituted cyclopentadiene lactate 3 is isolated (16.5%). From cyclopentadiene and indene lactate 2 and 7, optically active β-hydroxycyclopentadiene 10 and β-hydroxyindene 11 are obtained by reduction with LiAlH₄. Two rhodium(I) complexes 14 and 15 have been synthesized from (R,S)-2-(cyclopentadienyl)N,N-dimethylpropanamide 12 and (S)-2-(cyclopentadiene)propan-1-ol 10, respectively. The molecular structure of these complexes has been determined. Analytical and preparative chiral HPLC have been used to determine the optical purity of the ligands and to isolate enantiopure cyclopentadienyl complexes from racemic or enantiomerically enriched rhodium(I) complexes.     

Electrosynthesis of lactic acid and 2,3-dimethyltartaric acid from pyruvic acid on lead cathode in aqueous medium

Lactic and 2,3-dimethyltartaric acids have been synthesized from pyruvic acid by changing the nature of the supporting electrolyte and the electrode potential of lead cathode.     

Membrane-mediated extractive fermentation for lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass

Lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass by cellulase andLactobacillus delbrueckii was studied in a fermenter-extractor employing a microporous hollow fiber membrane (MHF). This bioreactor system was operated under a fed-batch mode with continuous removal of lactic acid by anin situ extraction. A tertiary amine (Alamine 336) was used as an extractant for lactic acid. The extraction capacity of Alamine 336 is greatly enhanced by addition of alcohol. Long-chain alcohols serve well for this purpose since they are less toxic to micro-organism. Addition of kerosene, a diluent, was necessary to reduce the solvent viscosity. A solvent mixture of 20% Alamine 336, 40% oleyl alcohol, and 40% kerosene was found to be most effective in the extraction of lactic acid. Progressive change of pH from an initial value of 5.0 down to 4.3 has significantly improved the overall performance of the simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation over that of constant pH operation. The change of pH was applied to promote cell growth in the early phase, and extraction in the latter phase.     

Development of a flow injection method for monitoring cell membrane damage of wine lactic acid bacteria

A flow injection analysis (FIA) system was developed for the determination of phosphate efflux from wine lactic acid bacteria (Oenococus oeni and Lactobacillus hilgardii) as an indication of cell membrane damage. The system allowed the direct injection of the cell suspension, avoiding the filtration step, with minimum sample treatment and minimized reagent consumption. The developed system is characterized by a linear concentration zone between 3.23 × 10⁻⁵ and 4.84 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ PO₄ ³⁻ and repeatability better than 2.9%. Bacterial suspensions were exposed to a chemical stress with phenolic acids and injected in the FIA system at regular intervals. The extracellular concentration of phosphate was measured spectrophotometrically. The experimental results obtained indicate that hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, ferulic and caffeic) induced faster phosphate leakage rates than hydroxybenzoic acids (vanillic and p-hydroxybenzoic) in both strains tested, which could be related to their higher lipophilic character.     

The conductometric titration of carboxylic and phenolic acids in non-aqueous solutions: The resolution of acid mixtures and some practical applications

A detailed study has been made of non-aqueous conductometric titrations suitable for the resolution of acid mixtures. The optimum conditions for the various determinations with respect to base and solvent are extensively discussed. The applications include determinations of diphen-ylolpropane, naphthenic acids, perchloric acid and mixtures containing sulphuric acid.     

Resin selection and single-step production and recovery of lactic acid from pretreated wood

Four ion-exchange resins (Amberlite IRA 900, IRA 400, IRA 96, and IRA 67) were employed for lactic acid recovery from simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) media. The best resins (Amberlite IRA 900 and IRA 400) were assayed for capacity, regenerant consumption, percentage of lactic acid recovery, and product concentration. Almost quantitative lactic acid recoveries at constant capacities were achieved in four sequential loading/regeneration cycles. A strong-base resin (Amberlite IRA 400) was selected for intermittent lactic acid separation in a typical SSF process, in which pretreated wood was saccharified by cellulases in the presence of Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The dynamics of lactic acid generation and lactic acid recovery were established.     

In-situ changes of thermo-mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) film immersed in alcohol solutions

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) has properties suitable for many applications. However, PLA's properties are affected by environmental conditions. In this study, the glass-rubber transition temperatures (T_g) of PLA films were measured during immersion (i.e., in-situ) in pure alcohols and alcohol aqueous solutions using a dynamic mechanical analysis technique. The T_g of PLA decreased when immersed in alcohols. For pure aliphatic alcohols, the T_g reduction became smaller as the number of carbons (C1–C10) in the alcohol main chains increased. The Fox equation and the Hansen solubility parameters (HSP)/Flory-Huggins (FH) model were used to explain the T_g reduction. The relationships explained the interactions between PLA and pure alcohols with small molecules (C1–C8), but bigger pure alcohols (C9–C10) did not fit the prediction. The chemical isomerism in pure propanol (i.e., propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol) did not affect the T_g reduction. The T_g reduction in propan-2-ol aqueous solutions was concentration dependent although the partition coefficients based on the HSP and the FH parameters did not fit this relationship. The in-situ immersion of PLA in alcohol solutions could be used to evaluate the change in T_g from the T_g of dry PLA.