Uncovering carbohydrate metabolism through a genotype-phenotype association study of 56 lactic acid bacteria genomes.

Owing to their unique potential to ferment carbohydrates, both homo- and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely used in the food industry. Deciphering the genetic basis that determine the LAB fermentation type, and hence carbohydrate utilization, is paramount to optimize LAB industrial processes. Deep sequencing of 24 LAB species and comparison with 32 publicly available genome sequences provided a comparative data set including five major LAB genera for further analysis.

Butanol production by immobilised Clostridium acetobutylicum in repeated batch, fed-batch, and continuous modes of fermentation.

Clostridium acetobutylicum immobilised in polyvinylalcohol, lens-shaped hydrogel capsules (LentiKats(®)) was studied for production of butanol and other products of acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation. After optimising the immobilisation protocol for anaerobic bacteria, continuous, repeated batch, and fed-batch fermentations in repeated batch mode were performed. Using glucose as a substrate, butanol productivity of 0.

[Dose-related effect of dexamethasone on the poly-(ADP ribose) synthesis of human lymphocytes].

Poly (ADP-ribose) synthesis and DNA synthesis after medication of dexamethasone was determined in 16 cases. Poly (ADP-ribose) synthesis in peripheral lymphocytes decreased after low dose dexamethasone. In a second trial with double doses of dexamethasone no significant decrease of Poly (ADP-ribose) in relation to DNA synthesis could be shown.

Influence of nicotine on DNA metabolism.

We investigated the influence of nicotine and its metabolites on semiconservative DNA synthesis, DNA repair processes, and the rejoining of DNA strand breaks. Using a combined treatment with nicotine and gamma irradiation and counting the number of sister chromatid exchanges, we evaluated the action of nicotine on the whole DNA repair process, especially examining the possibility that DNA is damaged by the action of nicotine. All tests were performed on HeLa cells and verified with human lung fibroblasts.

Evidences for the function of DNA polymerase-beta in unscheduled DNA synthesis.

The activities of DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta isolated from pig spleen were determined at different temperatures and in the presence of different concentrations of inhibitors. The results were compared with parallel estimations of replicative DNA synthesis and UV-induced repair synthesis in spleen cells. In respect to pCMB and aCTP, polymerase-alpha is more sensitive than polymerase-beta and similarly is replication more sensitive than repair.