Potential probiotic and functional properties of strains isolated from kombucha tea.

Kombucha, a beverage traditionally obtained through the fermentation of tea, is believed to have beneficial health properties. Therefore, characterizing the microorganisms responsible for this fermentation is essential to demonstrate its potential health benefits and to identify candidates for new probiotics. In this study, four probiotic yeast strains isolated from kombucha tea were identified, by the PCR-RFLP analysis of the ribosomal ITS region and the sequence of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA, as (UVI55 and UVI56) and (UVI57 and UVI58).

Oral lichen planus: a microbiologist point of view.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic disease of uncertain etiology, although it is generally considered as an immune-mediated disease that affects the mucous membranes and even the skin and nails. Over the years, this disease was attributed to a variety of causes, including different types of microorganisms. This review analyzes the present state of the art of the disease, from a microbiological point of view, while considering whether or not the possibility of a microbial origin for the disease can be supported.

Phage Therapy, Lysin Therapy, and Antibiotics: A Trio Due to Come.

Since their introduction, at the beginning of the 20th century, antibiotics were regarded as "magic-bullets", a term coined by Paul Ehrlich, and, for several decades, considered as the universal panacea to combat pathogenic and/or undesirable bacteria [...

A Hundred Years of Bacteriophages: Can Phages Replace Antibiotics in Agriculture and Aquaculture?

Agriculture, together with aquaculture, supplies most of the foodstuffs required by the world human population to survive. Hence, bacterial diseases affecting either agricultural crops, fish, or shellfish not only cause large economic losses to producers but can even create food shortages, resulting in malnutrition, or even famine, in vulnerable populations. Years of antibiotic use in the prevention and the treatment of these infections have greatly contributed to the emergence and the proliferation of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Bacteriophages and Lysins as Possible Alternatives to Treat Antibiotic-Resistant Urinary Tract Infections.

Urinary tract infections represent a major public health problem as the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains among uropathogens is causing the failure of many current treatments. The use of bacteriophages (phages) and their derivatives to combat infectious diseases is an old approach that has been forgotten by the West for a long time, mostly due to the discovery and great success of antibiotics. In the present so-called "post-antibiotic era", many researchers are turning their attention to the re-discovered phage therapy, as an effective alternative to antibiotics.

Evaluation of Malolactic Bacteria Associated with Wines from Albariño Variety as Potential Starters: Screening for Quality and Safety.

The biodiversity of lactic acid bacteria in musts and wines of Albariño variety has been studied. The identification of species was addressed through a combination of biochemical and genetic methods (API 50 CHL test, 16S rDNA and gene sequences, Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis -ARDRA- and 16S-26S intergenic region analysis). The results grouped the isolates into six species predominating those of the genus and showing a typical biogeographical distribution.

Optimizing the expression of a Heterologous chitinase: A study of different promoters.

Many relevant applications have been demonstrated for chitinolytic enzymes. However, their successful exploitation depends upon the availability of strains and expression conditions that allow the production of active forms and large quantities of these enzymes. Escherichia coli has been commonly used to express and overproduce different proteins, among them chitinases.

Optimized expression conditions for enhancing production of two recombinant chitinolytic enzymes from different prokaryote domains.

Enhancing functional gene expression is key to high-level production of active chitinases. For this purpose, the effects of culture cell density, inducer concentration, post-induction time and induction temperatures on the functional expression of two different chitinases (HsChiA1p, a family 18 archaeal chitinase and PtChi19p, a family 19 bacterial chitinase) were comparatively investigated. Results showed that the effect of each parameter on the activity of both chitinases was specific to each enzyme.

Albariño wine aroma enhancement through the use of a recombinant polygalacturonase from Kluyveromyces marxianus.

The possible biotechnological application of a recombinant endopolygalacturonase of Kluyveromyces marxianus (KMPG) for the aroma enhancement of Albariño wine was studied. The addition of this enzyme to the must gives rise to a significant increase of the total compounds responsible for the aroma as opposed to the effect when using a commercial pectic enzyme. This increase also results in a significant rise of the odoriferous aglycones which are direct determinants of the aroma.

Functional expression and characterization of a chitinase from the marine archaeon Halobacterium salinarum CECT 395 in Escherichia coli.

The HschiA1 gene of the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum CECT 395 was cloned and overexpressed as an active protein of 66.5 kDa in Escherichia coli. The protein called HsChiA1p has a modular structure consisting of a glycosyl hydrolase family 18 catalytic region, as well as a N-terminal family 5 carbohydrate-binding module and a polycystic kidney domain.

Chitosan and silver nanoparticles as pudding with raisins with antimicrobial properties.

Chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NP) containing small silver nanoparticles are reported (Ag@CS-NP). CS-NP was synthesized using tripolyphosphate (TPP) as a polyanionic template. TPP also served to electrostatically attract Ag(+) inside CS-NP, where it was reduced by the terminal glucosamine units of the biopolymer.

Cloning, characterization, and functional analysis of the EPG1-2 gene: a new allele coding for an endopolygalacturonase in Kluyveromyces marxianus.

A new allele, the EPG1-2 gene, which codes for an endopolygalacturonase in Kluyveromyces marxianus CECT1043, has been cloned. The gene has 1086 bp and the protein 362 amino acids, one more than the previously described Epg1p. Epg1-2p shows a high degree of similarity with the polygalacturonases of fungi and yeasts.

Contribution by Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast to fermentative flavour compounds in wines from cv. Albariño.

A comparative study was made of the fermentation products of Spanish Albariño wines produced with spontaneous yeast flora and an indigenous selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain (Alb16). The content of fermentative volatile compounds was determined by gas-chromatography-FID. Fifteen compounds (5 alcohols, 7 esters and 3 acetates) were identified in the two Albariño wines studied.