Unraveling microbial landscapes: high-throughput amplicon sequencing reveals distinct bacterial communities and potential health risks in potable springs of the Indian Himalayas.

Spring water is a vital drinking resource for residents in the Eastern Himalayas' Sikkim, India. While our initial investigations into spring water quality highlighted concerning levels of fecal coliform bacteria, the bacterial community composition (BCC) of these springs remains largely unexplored. This study sought to elucidate the BCC of Himalayan spring water, exploring its effects on water quality and delving into the unique bacterial ecology of these high-altitude springs.

Exploring peptidomes of by-products generated during production using WS4 for identification of novel bioactive peptides.

The considerable value of whey is evident from its significant potential applications and contributions to the functional food and nutraceutical market. The by-products were individually obtained during functional and novel soy cheese production using defined lactic acid bacterial strains of Sikkim Himalaya's traditional . Hydrolysis of substrate proteins by starter proteinases resulted in a comparable peptide content in whey and soy whey which was associated with antioxidant and ACE inhibition potential.

Lactic acid bacteria in the functional food industry: biotechnological properties and potential applications.

With the growing demand for functional foods having better nutraceutical properties, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has become an important industrial microorganism. LAB play a significant role in the functional food industry by exhibiting probiotic properties and has the ability to produce various biologically active metabolites such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), exopolysaccharides (EPSs), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), bacteriocins, reuterin and reutericyclin, which provides enhanced nutraceutical properties to the final food products. LAB are also known to produce several specific enzymes essential for producing substrate-derived bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, bioactive peptides, inulin-type fructans and β-glucans, fatty acids, and polyols.

Cold-adaptive traits identified by comparative genomic analysis of a lipase-producing Pseudomonas sp. HS6 isolated from snow-covered soil of Sikkim Himalaya and molecular simulation of lipase for wide substrate specificity.

The genomic analysis of industrially important bacteria can help in understanding their capability to withstand extreme environments and shed light on their metabolic capabilities. The whole genome of a previously reported broad temperature active lipase-producing Pseudomonas sp. HS6, isolated from snow-covered soil of the Sikkim Himalayan Region, was analyzed to understand the capability of the bacterium to withstand cold temperatures and study its lipolytic nature.

Characterization of ACE inhibitory and antioxidant peptides in yak and cow milk hard cheese of the Sikkim Himalayan region.

In this study, simulated GI digestion of the Himalayan hard cheese resulted in the increase of hydrolyzed protein content, antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory activities. LC-MS/MS-based peptidomics revealed a total of 1473 peptides in the samples originating from different milk proteins, including α-S1-casein, α-S2-casein, β-casein, κ-casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin, out of which 60 peptides have been reported for different functional properties. A total of 101 peptides were predicted to be antihypertensive using the bioactivity prediction web servers, AHTpin and mAHTPred.

Production and characterization of bioactive peptides in novel functional soybean chhurpi produced using Lactobacillus delbrueckii WS4.

A novel soy chhurpi product was developed by fermentation of soymilk using proteolytic Lactobacillus delbrueckii strains isolated from traditional chhurpi production of Sikkim Himalaya. Soymilk fermentation by L. delbrueckii WS4 was associated with the hydrolysis of globulin proteins, with observed antioxidant, and ACE-inhibitory activity which further increased upon simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.

Peptide candidates for the development of therapeutics and vaccines against β-coronavirus infection.

Betacoronaviruses (β-CoVs) have caused major viral outbreaks in the last two decades in the world. The mutation and recombination abilities in β-CoVs resulted in zoonotic diseases in humans. Proteins responsible for viral attachment and replication are highly conserved in β-CoVs.

A Potential Peptide From Soy Cheese Produced Using WS4 for Effective Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease and S1 Glycoprotein.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by novel SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in an unprecedented loss of lives and economy around the world. In this study, search for potential inhibitors against two of the best characterized SARS-CoV-2 drug targets: S1 glycoprotein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and main protease (3CL), was carried out using the soy cheese peptides. A total of 1,420 peptides identified from the cheese peptidome produced using WS4 were screened for antiviral activity by employing the web tools, AVPpred, and meta-iAVP.

Biotechnological approaches for the production of designer cheese with improved functionality.

Cheese is a product of ancient biotechnological practices, which has been revolutionized as a functional food product in many parts of the world. Bioactive compounds, such as peptides, polysaccharides, and fatty acids, have been identified in traditional cheese products, which demonstrate functional properties such as antihypertensive, antioxidant, immunomodulation, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities. Besides, cheese-making probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exert a positive impact on gut health, aiding in digestion, and improved nutrient absorption.

Metagenomics revealing molecular profiling of community structure and metabolic pathways in natural hot springs of the Sikkim Himalaya.

Background: Himalaya is an ecologically pristine environment. The geo-tectonic activities have shaped various environmental niches with diverse microbial populations throughout the Himalayan biosphere region. Albeit, limited information is available in terms of molecular insights into the microbiome, including the uncultured microbes, of the Himalayan habitat.