Coffee silverskin extract protects against accelerated aging caused by oxidative agents

Nowadays, coffee beans are almost exclusively used for the preparation of the beverage. The sustainability of coffee production can be achieved introducing new applications for the valorization of coffee by-products. Coffee silverskin is the by-product generated during roasting, and because of its powerful antioxidant capacity, coffee silverskin aqueous extract (CSE) may be used for other applications, such as antiaging cosmetics and dermaceutics. This study aims to contribute to the coffee sector’s sustainability through the application of CSE to preserve skin health. Preclinical data regarding the antiaging properties of CSE employing human keratinocytes and Caenorhabditis elegans are col…

Tryptophan-Containing Dual Neuroprotective Peptides: Prolyl Endopeptidase Inhibition and Caenorhabditis elegans Protection from β-Amyloid Peptide Toxicity

Neuroprotective peptides represent an attractive pharmacological strategy for the prevention or treatment of age-related diseases, for which there are currently few effective therapies. Lactoferrin (LF)-derived peptides (PKHs) and a set of six rationally-designed tryptophan (W)-containing heptapeptides (PACEIs) were characterized as prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) inhibitors, and their effect on β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) toxicity in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was evaluated. Two LF-derived sequences, PKH8 and PKH11, sharing a W at the C-terminal end, and the six PACEI heptapeptides (PACEI48L to PACEI53L) exhibited significant in vitro PEP inhibition. The inhibitory pe…

Glycosidase enzymes stabilization through immobilization onto nanoparticulated bimodal organosilicas

Use of Medaka Fish as Vertebrate Model to Study the Effect of Cocoa Polyphenols in the Resistance to Oxidative Stress and Life Span Extension.

Oxidative stress (OS) can induce cell apoptosis and thus plays an important role in aging. Antioxidant foods protect tissues from OS and contribute to a healthier lifestyle. In this study, we described the used of medaka embryos (Oryzias latipes) to study the putative antioxidant capacity of dietary cocoa extract in vertebrates. A polyphenol-enriched cocoa extract regulated the expression of several genes implicated in OS, thereby protecting fish embryos from induced OS. The cocoa extract activated superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in embryos and adult fish tissues, suggesting a common mechanism for protection during embryonic development and adulthood. Furthermore, long-term feeding of …

Microbial Diversity in the Midguts of Field and Lab-Reared Populations of the European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis

Background: Insects are associated with microorganisms that contribute to the digestion and processing of nutrients. The European Corn Borer (ECB) is a moth present world-wide, causing severe economical damage as a pest on corn and other crops. In the present work, we give a detailed view of the complexity of the microorganisms forming the ECB midgut microbiota with the objective of comparing the biodiversity of the midgut-associated microbiota and explore their potential as a source of genes and enzymes with biotechnological applications. Methodological/Principal Findings: A high-throughput sequencing approach has been used to identify bacterial species, genes and metabolic pathways, parti…

Probiotic administration improves sperm quality in asthenozoospermic human donors

The objective of this study is to analyse the effect of the ingestion of two selected antioxidant probiotics strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT8361 and Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347) on sperm quality parameters in asthenozoospermic males after three and six weeks of administration. Nine asthenozoospermic men without any medical treatment under similar diet conditions participated in the study. The quality of individual sperm samples was evaluated before (previous to ingestion), during (after 3 and 6 weeks of ingestion) and after probiotic administration (3 and 6 weeks after finishing the treatment). Sperm motility was evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis system, DNA fragmenta…

Novel Probiotic Bifidobacterium bifidum CECT 7366 Strain Active against the Pathogenic Bacterium Helicobacter pylori▿

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is considered one of the major risk factors underlying the development of gastritis and gastric and duodenal ulcers. Moreover, 50% of the population carries this bacterium, and consequently, when it is detected, eradication of H. pylori is strongly recommended. Regarding the use of probiotics as functional agents, several studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between the addition of certain probiotic bacteria and in vitro inhibition of H. pylori ; however, in vivo studies showing bifidobacterial activity against H. pylori remain scarce. In this study, a Bifidobacterium bifidum strain which proved active in vitro against H. pylori has been isolat…

Antioxidant Effect of a Probiotic Product on a Model of Oxidative Stress Induced by High-Intensity and Duration Physical Exercise

This randomized double-blind and controlled single-center clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effect of a 6-week intake of a probiotic product (1 capsule/day) vs. a placebo on an oxidative stress model of physical exercise (high intensity and duration) in male cyclists (probiotic group, n = 22

Aurintricarboxylic acid as a nuclease inhibitor in fungal protoplasts

Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), a potent nuclease inhibitor, has been shown to prevent foreign DNA degradation in transformation of Penicillium chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ATA may be useful not only in vitro but also in vivo.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Strain CECT 8145, Able To Improve Metabolic Syndrome In Vivo.

ABSTRACT Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain CECT 8145 is able to reduce body fat content and improve metabolic syndrome biomarkers. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, which may provide insights into its safety status and functional role.

Toxicological assessment of mesoporous silica particles in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

[EN] Here we report the toxicological evaluation of mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) in the nematode C. elegans. Specifically, we have investigated the effect of bare micro- (M0) and nano-sized (N0) MSPs, and their corresponding functionalized particles with a starch derivative (Glu-N) (M1 and N1, respectively) on C. elegans ageing parameters. The toxicity of MSPs, their impact on C. elegans lifespan, movement capacity, progeny and ability to survive upon exposure to acute oxidative stress were assessed. This study demonstrated that both size particles assayed (M0 and N0), labeled with rhodamine and monitored through fluorescence microscopy, are ingested by the nematode. Moreover, toxicit…

Isolation, identification and characterisation of three novel probiotic strains (Lactobacillus paracaseiCNCM I-4034,Bifidobacterium breveCNCM I-4035 andLactobacillus rhamnosusCNCM I-4036) from the faeces of exclusively breast-fed infants

The aim of the present study was to isolate, identify and characterise novel strains of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria with probiotic properties from the faeces of exclusively breast-fed infants. Of the 4680 isolated colonies, 758 exhibited resistance to low pH and tolerance to high concentrations of bile salts; of these, only forty-two exhibited a strong ability to adhere to enterocytesin vitro.The identities of the isolates were confirmed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing, which permitted the grouping of the forty-two bacteria into three different strains that showed more than 99 % sequence identity withLactobacillus paracasei,Lactobacillus rhamnosusandBifidobacterium breve,…

Evaluation of the use of phase-specific gene promoters for the expression of enological enzymes in an industrial wine yeast strain

Genes as POT1, HSP104 and SSA3, which are late expressed in laboratory culture conditions are expressed only during the first few days in microvinifications in wine yeast cells. This effect is probably due to the different growth conditions and leads to useless levels of enzyme activity for a reporter gene. However the ACT1 promoter, which is constitutively expressed in laboratory conditions, produces sufficient amounts of enzyme activity in late fermentation phases.

Toxicological Assessment of Recombinant Xylanase X22 in Wine

Toxicological evaluation of xylanase X(22) from Aspergillus nidulans expressed in a wine yeast strain was carried out. The safety of the X(22) intake was assessed by digestibility, bioinformatic, and mouse short-term repeated dosing studies, although X(22) shows resistance to proteolytic degradation in the gastrointestinal system, is a minority protein component (<0.5 10(-)(6) %) of the produced wine, and shows no significant amino acid sequence homology to any known food allergens. The 4-week oral toxicity study was performed in Swiss mice at a dose level of 0.01, 0.1, or 1 mg/kg/day (these dosages correlate to 8, 80, and 800 times, respectively, the enzyme amount contained in 250 mL of wi…

Mycobiota and mycotoxin producing fungi from cocoa beans.

The present study reports on the natural mycobiota occurring in cocoa beans, paying special attention to the incidence of fungal species that are potential producers of mycotoxins. The results show that predominant fungi were different species of the genus Aspergillus belonging to section Flavi and Nigri. Of the 214 strains of Aspergillus section Flavi collected from cocoa beans, 120 were identified as A. flavus and 94 as A. tamarii. Of Aspergillus section Nigri 138 strains were isolated, with 132 belonging to A. niger aggregate and 6 to A. carbonarius species. Potential ability to produce aflatoxins (AFs) B1, B2, G1 and G2, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and ochratoxin A (OTA) was studied by iso…

Construction of a genetically modified wine yeast strain expressing the Aspergillus aculeatus rhaA gene, encoding an -L-Rhamnosidase of enological interest

Monoterpenes such as geraniol, linalool, and -terpineol present in grapes determine the varietal flavor properties of young quality wines made from Muscat varieties (for reviews, see references 19 and 21). Geraniol and linalool are considered to be the most important of the monoterpene alcohols, as they are present in greater concentrations and have lower flavor thresholds than other major wine monoterpenes. In particular, linalool is thought to be responsible for the grapelike aroma of wines produced from the Muscat variety. A large proportion of

Competitive inhibition of three novel bacteria isolated from faeces of breast milk-fed infants against selected enteropathogens.

Numerousin vitroandin vivostudies conducted using different probiotic micro-organisms have demonstrated their ability to interfere with the growth and virulence of a variety of enteropathogens. The reported beneficial effects of the use of probiotics to complement antibiotic therapy or prevent diarrhoea or gastrointestinal infection in infants have increased in recent years. In the present study, we demonstrated the capacity of supernatants obtained from three novel probiotics (Lactobacillus paracaseiCNCM I-4034,Bifidobacterium breveCNCM I-4035 andLactobacillus rhamnosusCNCM I-4036) isolated from the faeces of breastfed infants to inhibit the growth of enterotoxigenic and enteropathogenic (…

A Comparative Study of Different Methods of Yeast Strain Characterization

Summary An extensive survey of different methods of yeast strain identification (classical microbiological tests, whole-cell protein electrophoresis, chromosomal patterns, DNA hybridization and mitochondrial DNA restriction analysis) has been carried out in order to differentiate, with industrial purposes, strains present in the Alicante wine ecosystem. Only chromosomal patterns and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis show differences between strains. Both techniques are very complex to be used in bio technological industries. For this reason, we have developed a new, simple, unexpensive and rapid method based on mtDNA restriction analysis.

Hierarchical bimodal porous silicas and organosilicas for enzyme immobilization

This work shows the ability of a hierarchical porous silica-based network with pore systems at two different length scales for enzyme immobilization. Two different enzymes have been selected, lysozyme, a relatively small globular enzyme, and α-L-arabinofuranosidase, a large enzyme of interest in the winemaking industry. The lysozyme immobilization on several silica supports (bimodal porous silicas denoted UVM-7 materials and conventional silica xerogels) has been studied and the loading amounts can be correlated to the open nature and accessibility of the internal surface area. Bimodal UVM-7 silicas present a very quick adsorption rate and high enzyme loading. α-L-Arabinofuranosidase has be…

Protoplasts fromPodospora anserina: Isolation, purification, and transformation

Protoplasts fromPodospora anserina mycelium were produced using the commercially available enzyme Novozym 234. Different parameters involved in protoplast isolation were analyzed in order to establish optimal conditions, and protoplast production was notably increased. For the purification of protoplasts, several techniques based on both centrifugation and filtration were assayed, with filtration yielding the best results. Regeneration of protoplasts was studied on different media and osmostic stabilizers, and about 80% regeneration was obtained. The good physiological condition of the protoplasts produced with this method is demonstrated by the lack of cell wall and high regeneration rate …

Molecular cloning ofTrichophyton mentagrophytes DNA sequences with promoter activity inEscherichia coli

A promoter probe library from the dermatophyte fungusTrichophyton mentagrophytes has been constructed in the pVB32 plasmid vector. Using this library, a set ofT. mentagrophytes DNA sequences with promoter activity inEscherichia coli has been cloned. The size and the resistance phenotype conferred by these DNA fragments varied. Southern blot analysis confirmed that they were derived fromT. mentagrophytes genomic DNA.

Antioxidant properties of polyphenol-rich cocoa products industrially processed

Fermentation and roasting are the main causes of polyphenol degradation during the process for obtaining cocoa products. In the present study, a process for obtaining polyphenol-rich cocoa products on an industrial scale is described. The process avoids the fermentation and roasting steps and includes a step for the inactivation of the enzyme Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), which helps preserve the polyphenol content present in the raw cocoa bean. In addition, our study evaluates the antioxidant capacity and characterizes the flavonoid profile of the polyphenol-rich cocoa products obtained from the natural polyphenolrich cocoa cake. Using different protocols, we have obtained three cocoa extracts…

Selection of New Probiotics for Endometrial Health

Microbiota is a crucial player in gynecologic health, in which bacteria can shift to a dysbiotic state triggering a pathogenic process. Based on an ecological understanding of the problem, the aim of this study is to select a potential probiotic strain to improve female reproductive tract based on its capacity to initially lower pH and to promote the reduction of pathogenic bacteria. Based on this rationale, strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus BPL005 was initially selected for its capacity to reduce in vitro pH levels and produce organic acids. Subsequently, strain L. rhamnosus BPL005 (CECT 8800) was demonstrated to have a protective role on endometrial infections in an in vitro model of bacteri…

Acyl Transferase Domains of Putative Polyketide Synthase (PKS) Genes in Aspergillus and Penicillium Producers of Ochratoxin A and the Evaluation of PCR Primers to Amplify PKS Sequences in Black Aspergillus Species

Fungal polyketide synthases (PKS) are responsible for the biosynthesis of several mycotoxins and other secondary metabolites. PKS genes in ochratoxin producing species from Aspergillus and Penicillum genera have been identified using a degenerate primer pair developed for the acyl transferase (AT) domain of fungal PKSs. Sequences of AT domains were aligned and analyzed using phylogenetic methods. The AT domain sequences appeared to be specific for a particular type of fungal PKSs and were related to PKSs involved in different mycotoxin biosynthesis pathways, including ochratoxin A. We have also developed primers suitable for amplifying AT domain sequences in strains belonging to the A. nig…

Complete Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Strain BPL5 (CECT 8800), a Probiotic for Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis

ABSTRACT Lactobacillus rhamnosus BPL5 (CECT 8800), is a probiotic strain suitable for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Here, we report its complete genome sequence deciphered by PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology. Analysis of the sequence may provide insight into its functional activity.

In silico prospection of microorganisms to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate from whey: Caulobacter segnis DSM 29236 as a suitable industrial strain

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Safety and immunomodulatory effects of three probiotic strains isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants in healthy adults: SETOPROB study.

We previously described the isolation and characterization of three probiotic strains from the feces of exclusively breast-fed newborn infants: Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-4034, Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-4035 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036. These strains were shown to adhere to intestinal mucus in vitro, to be sensitive to antibiotics and to resist biliary salts and low pH. In the present study, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 100 healthy volunteers in three Spanish cities was carried out to evaluate the tolerance, safety, gut colonization and immunomodulatory effects of these three probiotics. Volunteers underwent a 15-day washout perio…

Standards not that standard

There is a general assent on the key role of standards in Synthetic Biology. In two consecutive letters to this journal, suggestions on the assembly methods for the Registry of standard biological parts have been described. We fully agree with those authors on the need of a more flexible building strategy and we highlight in the present work two major functional challenges standardization efforts have to deal with: the need of both universal and orthogonal behaviors. We provide experimental data that clearly indicate that such engineering requirements should not be taken for granted in Synthetic Biology. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s1303…

Probiotics in transition: novel strategies

Regulations regarding health claims made for probiotics demand their proven effectiveness and limit the array of microbial species regarded as safe for live consumption. Novel strategies such as moving to postbiotics and genetically modified probiotics may be necessary to increase the effectiveness of microbial products.

Estimation of recombinant protein production in Pichia pastoris base don a constraint-based model

[EN] A previously validated constraint based model and possibilistic MFA have been used to design a simple estimator of protein production rate in Pichia pastoris cultures. A structured model of the yeast P. pastoris metabolism is used to predict the balance of key energetic equivalents such as ATP from available measurements, mainly substrate consumption, gases exchange rates and biomass specific growth. It has been shown that ATP flux can be related to biomass growth and protein productivity specific rates by linear regression. Cross-validation has been applied for robust parameter fitting on the basis of chemostat, steady-state experimental conditions. In this way, protein estimation can…

Presence of nucleosomes inPenicillium chrysogenum

We have studied the chromatin structure ofPenicillium chrysogenum. This fungus presents the typical nucleosomal repeat and the core DNA size characteristic of all the eukaryotes. The repeat length (about 180 base pairs) is in the range of those obtained for most fungi (160–180 base pairs) and shorter than in higher eukaryotes. Knowledge aboutP. chrysogenum chromatin structure opens the way to the study of the mechanisms of genetic regulation in this filamentous fungus.

Rapid Plasmid Isolation. A Laboratory Experiment for Intermediate and Advanced Students

Nucleotide sequence of a Trichophyton mentagrophytes HindIII mitochondrial DNA fragment containing at RNA gene cluster

A 0.85-kb HindIII mitochondrial DNA fragment of the dermatophytic fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes has been sequenced. The fragment contains eight complete genes which corresponds to a tRNA gene cluster. From 5′ to 3′, the sequenced genes code for tRNAthr, tRNAglu, tRNAval, tRNAmet1, tRNAmet3, tRNAleu, tRNAala, and tRNAphe. This tRNA gene cluster is located downstream of the larger ribosomal RNA gene. The particularities ofthe sequenced genes and their comparison with other fungal tRNA mitochondrial genes are reported.

Molecular characterization of the black Aspergillus isolates responsible for ochratoxin A contamination in grapes and wine in relation to taxonomy of Aspergillus section Nigri.

This work examines ochratoxigenic mycobiota in grapes by ap-PCR analysis sequence analysis of the ITS and IGS regions and ability to produce OTA. A comparison was also made with many reference strains of Aspergillus section Nigri. Based on ap-PCR profiles, derived from two microsatellite primers, three main groups were obtained by UPGMA cluster analysis corresponding to A. carbonarius, A. niger and A. tubingensis. The cophenetic correlation values corresponding to ap-PCR UPGMA analysis revealed a higher genetic variability in A. niger and A. tubingensis than in A. carbonarius. In addition, no genotypical differences could be established between OTA producers and nonproducers in all species …

Identification of the mstE Gene Encoding a Glucose-inducible, Low Affinity Glucose Transporter in Aspergillus nidulans

The mstE gene encoding a low affinity glucose transporter active during the germination of Aspergillus nidulans conidia on glucose medium has been identified. mstE expression also occurs in hyphae, is induced in the presence of other repressing carbon sources besides glucose, and is dependent on the function of the transcriptional repressor CreA. The expression of MstE and its subcellular distribution have been studied using a MstE-sGFP fusion protein. Concordant with data on mstE expression, MstE-sGFP is synthesized in the presence of repressing carbon sources, and fluorescence at the periphery of conidia and hyphae is consistent with MstE location in the plasma membrane. Deletion of mstE …

A highly diverse, desert-like microbial biocenosis on solar panels in a Mediterranean city

AbstractMicroorganisms colonize a wide range of natural and artificial environments although there are hardly any data on the microbial ecology of one the most widespread man-made extreme structures: solar panels. Here we show that solar panels in a Mediterranean city (Valencia, Spain) harbor a highly diverse microbial community with more than 500 different species per panel, most of which belong to drought-, heat- and radiation-adapted bacterial genera, and sun-irradiation adapted epiphytic fungi. The taxonomic and functional profiles of this microbial community and the characterization of selected culturable bacteria reveal the existence of a diverse mesophilic microbial community on the …

Genome sequence of the butanol hyperproducer Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4

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Heat-Treated Bifidobacterium longum CECT-7347: A Whole-Cell Postbiotic with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Gut-Barrier Protection Properties

Non-viable preparations of probiotics, as whole-cell postbiotics, attract increasing interest because of their intrinsic technological stability, and their functional properties, such as immune system modulation, gut barrier maintenance, and protection against pathogens. However, reports on Bifidobacteria-derived postbiotics remain scarce. This study aims to demonstrate the functional properties of a heat-treated (HT), non-viable, Bifidobacterium longum strain, CECT-7347, a strain previously selected for its anti-inflammatory phenotype and ability to improve biomarkers of intestinal integrity in clinical trials. The study used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and HT-29 cell cultures as e…

Novel biocatalysts for glycerol conversion into 2,3-butanediol

Abstract Bioconversion of biodiesel-derived waste glycerol into high-value products is proposed as a solution to improve economic viability of biorefineries. Several microorganisms are able to metabolize glycerol into 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD), a promising bulk chemical with wide applications: solvent, fuel additive, and feedstock for synthetic rubber production, among them. In the present work, a wide screening of microorganisms present both into the waste water treatment system in a biodiesel industry and in culture collections was carried out in order to evaluate their potential as new 2,3-BD producer biocatalysts. Two microorganisms for 2,3-BD production from glycerol as sole carbon sourc…

Metagenomic Analysis of Milk of Healthy and Mastitis-Suffering Women.

Background: Some studies have been conducted to assess the composition of the bacterial communities inhabiting human milk, but they did not evaluate the presence of other microorganisms, such as fungi, archaea, protozoa, or viruses. Objective: This study aimed to compare the metagenome of human milk samples provided by healthy and mastitis-suffering women. Methods: DNA was isolated from human milk samples collected from 10 healthy women and 10 women with symptoms of lactational mastitis. Shotgun libraries from total extracted DNA were constructed and the libraries were sequenced by 454 pyrosequencing. Results: The amount of human DNA sequences was ≥ 90% in all the samples. Among the bacteri…

Transformation of the dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes to hygromycin B resistance.

A transformation system for the ringworm-producing dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes has been developed. The system employs the plasmid pHIS, which contains a bacterial hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene linked to Cochliobolus heterostrophus regulatory sequences (B. G. Turgeon, R. C. Garber, and O. C. Yoder, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:3297-3305, 1987). This plasmid confers hygromycin B resistance to T. mentagrophytes. The DNA was stably integrated into the fungal genome, and the number and sites of integrations varied among transformants. Transformant clones were capable of infecting guinea pigs. This system opens the way for the molecular genetic analysis of the interaction of T. mentagro…

A new PCR-based method for monitoring inoculated wine fermentations.

A new PCR-based method has been developed to monitor inoculated wine fermentations. The method is based on the variation in the number and position of introns in the mitochondrial gene COX1. Oligonucleotide primers homologous to the regions flanking the Saccharomyces cerevisiae COX1 introns have been designed and tested for S. cerevisiae wine yeast strain differentiation. Four primers were selected for their subsequent use in a multiplex PCR reaction and have proved to be very effective in uncovering polymorphism in natural and commercial yeast strains. An important point is that the speed and simplicity of the technique, which does not require the isolation of DNA, allows early detection o…

Novel Probiotic Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis CECT 7210 Strain Active against Rotavirus Infections

ABSTRACT Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis among children worldwide. It is well known that breast-feeding and vaccination afford infants protection. Since breast-feeding has drastically decreased in developed countries, efforts have been focused on the potential use of probiotics as preventive agents. In this study, a novel Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis strain was isolated from infant feces and selected, based on its capacity to inhibit in vitro rotavirus Wa replication (up to 36.05% infectious foci reduction) and also to protect cells from virus infection (up to 48.50% infectious foci reduction) in both MA-104 and HT-29 cell lines. Furthermore, studies…

GM foods in Spanish newspapers.

Questions linger over European GM food regulations

Evidence that the endometrial microbiota has an effect on implantation success or failure

Background Bacterial cells in the human body account for 1–3% of total body weight and are at least equal in number to human cells. Recent research has focused on understanding how the different bacterial communities in the body (eg, gut, respiratory, skin, and vaginal microbiomes) predispose to health and disease. The microbiota of the reproductive tract has been inferred from the vaginal bacterial communities, and the uterus has been classically considered a sterile cavity. However, while the vaginal microbiota has been investigated in depth, there is a paucity of consistent data regarding the existence of an endometrial microbiota and its possible impact in reproductive function. Objecti…

α-L-rhamnosidases: Old and New Insights

L-Rhamnose is a component of plant cell wall pectic polysaccharides (Mutter et al., 1994; Ridley et al., 2001), glycoproteins (Haruko and Haruko, 1999) and secondary metabolites such as anthocyanins (Renault et al., 1997), flavonoids (Bar-Peled et al., 1991) and triterpenoids (Friedman and McDonald, 1997). It has also been found in bacterial heteropolysaccharides (Hashimoto and Murata, 1998), rhamnolipids (Ochsner et al., 1994) and in the repeating units of the O-antigen structure of the lipopolysaccharide component of bacterial outer membranes (Chua et al., 1999). Some rhamnosides are important bioactive compounds, e.g. cytotoxic saponins (Bader et al., 1998; Yu et al., 2002), antifungal p…

Anti-obesity properties of the strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 in Zücker fatty rats

We evaluated the effect of oral administration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 strain in Zücker fatty rats. The Zücker fatty rats were randomly divided into two groups (n=10 each) and administered either B. animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 (1010 cfu/day) suspended in skim milk, or skim milk alone (control group). Each treatment was administered in drinking bottles from week 5 until week 17 of age. A lean Zücker rat group (standard group) was included to provide normal values for the Zücker strain. This group was administered skim milk in the drinking bottle for the same experimental period as Zücker fatty rats. Body weight gain was greater in the fatty control group tha…

Anti-inflammatory Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 strain protects against oxidative stress and increases lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans.

International audience; Numerous studies have shown that resistance to oxidative stress is crucial to stay healthy and to reduce the adverse effects of aging. Accordingly, nutritional interventions using antioxidant food-grade compounds or food products are currently an interesting option to help improve health and quality of life in the elderly. Live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) administered in food, such as probiotics, may be good antioxidant candidates. Nevertheless, information about LAB-induced oxidative stress protection is scarce. To identify and characterize new potential antioxidant probiotic strains, we have developed a new functional screening method using the nematode Caenorhabdit…

Bacteria from acidic to strongly alkaline insect midguts: Potential sources of extreme cellulolytic enzymes

Abstract Bacterial isolates from the European Corn Borer (ECB) Ostrinia nubilalis and the coleopteran Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) Leptinotarsa decemlineata midguts were identified and characterized. Twenty-four colonies, selected on solid media with cellulose as the sole carbon source and pH values ranging from 5 to 12, were identified through 16S sequencing as members of the genera Acinetobacter , Comamonas , Klebsiella , Microbacterium , Micrococcus and Sphingobacterium . A complete enzymatic characterization revealed widespread – albeit moderate – cellulase properties in all but one isolate and high xylanase activity in the four CPB isolates. Different enzymatic patterns in terms of opt…

Use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans as model organisms to study the effect of cocoa polyphenols in the resistance to oxidative stress.

Developing functional foods to improve the quality of life for elderly people has great economic and social impact. Searching for and validating ingredients with in vivo antioxidant effects is one of the key steps in developing this kind of food. Here we describe the combined use of simple biological models and transcriptomics to define the functional intracellular molecular targets of a polyphenol-enriched cocoa powder. Cocoa powder supplemented culture medium led to increased resistance to oxidative stress, in both the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and, in the latter, lifespan was also increased. These effects are fully dependent on the po…

Glucose uptake in germinating Aspergillus nidulans conidia: involvement of the creA and sorA genes

d-Glucose uptake in germinating wild-typeAspergillus nidulansconidia is an energy-requiring process mediated by at least two transport systems of differing affinities for glucose: a low-affinity system (Km∼1·4 mM) and a high-affinity system (Km∼16 μM). The low-affinity system is inducible by glucose; the high-affinity system is subject to glucose repression effected by the carbon catabolite repressor CreA and is absent insorA3mutant conidia, which exhibit resistance tol-sorbose toxicity. An intermediate-affinity system (Km∼400 μM) is present insorA3conidia germinating in derepressing conditions.creAderepressed mutants show enhanced sensitivity tol-sorbose. The high-affinity uptake system ap…

Genome Sequence of the Methanotrophic Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate Producer Methylocystis parvus OBBP

-- PAGS 2 5709-5710

Evaluation of Carotenoids Protection Against Oxidative Stress in the Animal Model Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a versatile and powerful model organism for animal experimental research and, despite being an invertebrate, displays remarkably similar molecular bases and conserved cellular pathways to those of humans. Oxidative stress is an etiological factor that influences numerous diseases, degenerative processes and aging. C. elegans has revealed as an opportune and feasible organism to investigate the antioxidant effects of different bioactives or complex food matrices, and a number of protocols have been developed by using different oxidative stressors. Carotenoids are recognized as quenchers and scavengers of reactive oxygen species, and many of their relate…

Bioprospecting the solar panel microbiome: High-throughput screening for antioxidant bacteria in a caenorhabditis elegansModel

Microbial communities that are exposed to sunlight typically share a series of adaptations to deal with the radiation they are exposed to, including efficient DNA repair systems, pigment production and protection against oxidative stress, which makes these environments good candidates for the search of novel antioxidant microorganisms. In this research project, we isolated potential antioxidant pigmented bacteria from a dry and highly-irradiated extreme environment: solar panels. High-throughput in vivo assays using Caenorhabditis elegans as an experimental model demonstrated the high antioxidant and ultraviolet-protection properties of these bacterial isolates that proved to be rich in car…