Diversity of lactic acid bacteria associated with fresh coffee cherries in Taiwan.

A total of 102 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from three different coffee farms in Taiwan. These isolates were classified and identified by the restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. Heterofermentative Leuconostoc, and Weissella species were the most common LAB found in two farms located at an approximate altitude of 800 m.

Role of the C-terminal domain of Thermus thermophilus trehalose synthase in the thermophilicity, thermostability, and efficient production of trehalose.

Trehalose synthase (TS) from Thermus thermophilus (TtTS) is a thermostable enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of maltose into trehalose by intramolecular transglucosylation. It has a relatively higher thermophilicity and thermostability and a better conversion ratio for trehalose production than other known TSs from different sources at present. By amino acid sequences and the schematic motif alignment of trehalose synthase-related enzymes, it was found that TtTS (965 amino acid residues) contains a particular C-terminal fragment that is not found in most other TSs.