Search

Sake (Japanese rice wine) was fermented in pottery for more than a millennium before wooden barrels were adopted to obtain a greater brewing capacity. Although a recently conducted analysis of sake brewed in pottery indicated that sake brewed in unglazed pottery contains more ethanol than that brewed in glazed pottery, little is known about the characteristics of sake brewed in pottery. In this study, we used two types of ceramic containers of identical size, one glazed and one unglazed, for small-scale sake brewing to evaluate the effects of glazing on fermentation properties. The following parameters were measured continuously in the sake samples over 3 weeks of fermentation: temperature, weight, ethanol concentration, and glucose concentration in sake mash. Taste-sensory values, minerals, and volatile components were also quantified in the final fermented sake mash. The results show that, in the unglazed containers, the temperature of the sake mash was lower and the weight loss was higher compared to the sake mash in the glazed containers. The quantity of ethanol and the levels of Na+, Fe3+, and Al3+ tended to be higher in the sake brewed in the unglazed pottery. A taste-sensory analysis revealed that umami and saltiness were also higher in the samples brewed in the unglazed pottery. These results suggest that glazing affects multiple fermentation parameters and the flavor of sake brewed in pottery. They may also suggest that the materials of the containers used in sake brewing generally affect the fermentation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the traditional (kimoto) method of sake (Japanese rice wine) brewing, Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells are exposed to lactate, which is produced by lactic acid bacteria in the seed mash. Lactate promotes the appearance of glucose‐repression‐resistant [GAR+] cells. Herein, we compared the resistance to glucose repression among kimoto, industrial, and laboratory yeast strains. We observed that the frequencies of the spontaneous emergence of [GAR+] cells among the kimoto strains were higher than those among the industrial and laboratory strains. The fermentation ability of a kimoto yeast (strain U44) was lower than that of an industrial strain (K701), as [GAR+] cells generally showed slower ethanol production. The addition of lactate decreased the fermentation abilities of the K701 strain by increasing the number of [GAR+] cells, but it did not affect those of the U44 strain. These results suggest that lactate controlled fermentation by promoting the appearance of [GAR+] cells in the industrial sake strains but not in the kimoto strains. Take‐away: Yeasts isolated from sake lees (paste) used in traditional kimoto‐style brewing were compared with industrial sake yeasts.Glucose‐repression‐resistant [GAR+] cells were detected at high frequency in the kimoto yeast strains.Lactate strongly promoted the emergence of [GAR+] cells in both kimoto and industrial sake yeasts.Lactate downregulated the fermentation efficiency in industrial sake yeast but not kimoto yeast.The ratio of [GAR+] cells in yeasts may affect the yeasts' fermentation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Funazushi is a Japanese traditional fermented fish made with boiled rice without the addition of microbial starter cultures. Isolates from various commercial funazushi products, as identified by 16S rDNA sequences, suggested that Lentilactobacillus buchneri strains are major lactic acid bacteria. Based on an analysis of the putative CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat) region, the genetic diversity of L. buchneri strains was examined. The data suggested that the diversity of L. buchneri strains depended on the factories at which funazushi was produced. An analysis of samples during fermentation indicated that the transition of microbes occurred, and L. buchneri was the dominant species. To determine the factors associated with domination, bacteriocin production and environmental stress tolerance, including NaCl and organic acid (lactate and acetate) tolerance, were evaluated. L. buchneri isolates did not produce bacteriocin. Although the isolates did not exhibit NaCl tolerance, they displayed higher lactate tolerance than other lactic acid bacteria isolated during funazushi fermentation. Based on reports that L. buchneri can convert lactate to acetate, the previous and present results suggested that lactate tolerance and lactate conversion in L. buchneri could explain its domination in funazushi. Our study presented a model for the domination mechanisms of specific microbes in fermented foods by spontaneous fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and spread of mutants resistant to bacteriocins would threaten the safety of using bacteriocins as food preservatives. To determine the physiological characteristics of resistant mutants, mutants of Enterococcus faecium resistant to mundticin KS, a class IIa bacteriocin, were isolated. Two types of mutant were found that had different sensitivities to other antimicrobial agents such as nisin (class I) and kanamycin. Both mutants were resistant to mundticin KS even in the absence of M[g.sup.2+] ions. The composition of unsaturated fatty acids in the resistant mutants was significantly increased in the presence of mundticin KS. The composition of the phospholipids in the two resistant mutants also differed from those in the wild-type strain. The putative zwitterionic amino-containing phospholipid in both mutants significantly increased, whereas amounts of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin decreased. These changes in membrane structure may influence resistance of enterococci to class IIa and class I bacteriocins.

Abstract Background Reproduction and sustainability are important for future society, and bioprocesses are one technology that can be used to realize these concepts. However, there is still limited variation in bioprocesses and there are several challenges, especially in the operation of energy-requiring bioprocesses. As an example of a microbial platform for an energy-requiring bioprocess, we established a process that efficiently and enzymatically synthesizes 2′-deoxyribonucleoside from glucose, acetaldehyde, and a nucleobase. This method consists of the coupling reactions of the reversible nucleoside degradation pathway and energy generation through the yeast glycolytic pathway. Results Using E. coli that co-express deoxyriboaldolase and phosphopentomutase, a high amount of 2′-deoxyribonucleoside was produced with efficient energy transfer under phosphate-limiting reaction conditions. Keeping the nucleobase concentration low and the mixture at a low reaction temperature increased the yield of 2′-deoxyribonucleoside relative to the amount of added nucleobase, indicating that energy was efficiently generated from glucose via the yeast glycolytic pathway under these reaction conditions. Using a one-pot reaction in which small amounts of adenine, adenosine, and acetone-dried yeast were fed into the reaction, 75 mM of 2′-deoxyinosine, the deaminated product of 2′-deoxyadenosine, was produced from glucose (600 mM), acetaldehyde (250 mM), adenine (70 mM), and adenosine (20 mM) with a high yield relative to the total base moiety input (83%). Moreover, a variety of natural dNSs were further synthesized by introducing a base-exchange reaction into the process. Conclusion A critical common issue in energy-requiring bioprocess is fine control of phosphate concentration. We tried to resolve this problem, and provide the convenient recipe for establishment of energy-requiring bioprocesses. It is anticipated that the commercial demand for dNSs, which are primary metabolites that accumulate at very low levels in the metabolic pool, will grow. The development of an efficient production method for these compounds will have a great impact in both fields of applied microbiology and industry and will also serve as a good example of a microbial platform for energy-requiring bioprocesses.

Abstract Background During the bread-making process, industrial baker's yeast, mostly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is exposed to baking-associated stresses, such as air-drying and freeze-thaw stress. These baking-associated stresses exert severe injury to yeast cells, mainly due to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to cell death and reduced fermentation ability. Thus, there is a great need for a baker's yeast strain with higher tolerance to baking-associated stresses. Recently, we revealed a novel antioxidative mechanism in a laboratory yeast strain that is involved in stress-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthesis from proline via proline oxidase Put1 and N-acetyltransferase Mpr1. We also found that expression of the proline-feedback inhibition-less sensitive mutant γ-glutamyl kinase (Pro1-I150T) and the thermostable mutant Mpr1-F65L resulted in an enhanced fermentation ability of baker's yeast in bread dough after freeze-thaw stress and air-drying stress, respectively. However, baker's yeast strains with high fermentation ability under multiple baking-associated stresses have not yet been developed. Results We constructed a self-cloned diploid baker's yeast strain with enhanced proline and NO synthesis by expressing Pro1-I150T and Mpr1-F65L in the presence of functional Put1. The engineered strain increased the intracellular NO level in response to air-drying stress, and the strain was tolerant not only to oxidative stress but also to both air-drying and freeze-thaw stresses probably due to the reduced intracellular ROS level. We also showed that the resultant strain retained higher leavening activity in bread dough after air-drying and freeze-thaw stress than that of the wild-type strain. On the other hand, enhanced stress tolerance and fermentation ability did not occur in the put1-deficient strain. This result suggests that NO is synthesized in baker's yeast from proline in response to oxidative stresses that induce ROS generation and that increased NO plays an important role in baking-associated stress tolerance. Conclusions In this work, we clarified the importance of Put1- and Mpr1-mediated NO generation from proline to the baking-associated stress tolerance in industrial baker's yeast. We also demonstrated that baker's yeast that enhances the proline and NO synthetic pathway by expressing the Pro1-I150T and Mpr1-F65L variants showed improved fermentation ability under multiple baking-associated stress conditions. From a biotechnological perspective, the enhancement of proline and NO synthesis could be promising for breeding novel baker's yeast strains.

Abstract Background Lignocellulosic materials are abundant and among the most important potential sources for bioethanol production. Although the pretreatment of lignocellulose is necessary for efficient saccharification and fermentation, numerous by-products, including furan derivatives, weak acids, and phenolic compounds, are generated in the pretreatment step. Many of these components inhibit the growth and fermentation of yeast. In particular, vanillin is one of the most effective inhibitors in lignocellulose hydrolysates because it inhibits fermentation at very low concentrations. To identify the genes required for tolerance to vanillin, we screened a set of diploid yeast deletion mutants, which are powerful tools for clarifying the function of particular genes. Results Seventy-six deletion mutants were identified as vanillin-sensitive mutants. The numerous deleted genes in the vanillin-sensitive mutants were classified under the functional categories for 'chromatin remodeling' and 'vesicle transport', suggesting that these functions are important for vanillin tolerance. The cross-sensitivity of the vanillin-sensitive mutants to furan derivatives, weak acids, and phenolic compounds was also examined. Genes for ergosterol biosynthesis were required for tolerance to all inhibitory compounds tested, suggesting that ergosterol is a key component of tolerance to various inhibitors. Conclusion Our analysis predicts that vanillin tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is affected by various complicated processes that take place on both the molecular and the cellular level. In addition, the ergosterol biosynthetic process is important for achieving a tolerance to various inhibitors. Our findings provide a biotechnological basis for the molecular engineering as well as for screening of more robust yeast strains that may potentially be useful in bioethanol fermentation.

Background: INTELLiVENT-ASV® (I-ASV) is a closed-loop ventilation mode that automatically controls the ventilation settings. Although a number of studies have reported the usefulness of I-ASV, the clinical situations in which it may be useful have not yet been clarified. We aimed to report our initial 3 years of experience using I-ASV, particularly the clinical conditions and the technical and organizational factors associated with its use. Furthermore, we evaluated the usefulness of I-ASV and determined the predictive factors for successful management with I-ASV. Methods: This single-center, retrospective observational study included patients who were ventilated using the Hamilton G5® ventilator (Hamilton Medical AG, Rhäzüns, Switzerland) from January 2016 to December 2018. The patients were categorized into the "I-ASV success" group and "I-ASV failure" group (those receiving mechanical ventilation with I-ASV along with any other mode). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with successful I-ASV management. Results: Of the 189 patients, 135 (71.4%) were categorized into the I-ASV success group. In the I-ASV success group, the reasons for ICU admission included post-elective surgery (94.1%), post-emergent surgery (81.5%), and other medical reasons (55.6%). I-ASV failure was associated with a low P/F ratio (278 vs. 167, P = 0.0003) and high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (21 vs. 26, P < 0.0001). The main reasons for not using I-ASV included strong inspiratory effort and asynchrony. The APACHE II score was an independent predictive factor for successful management with I-ASV, with an odds ratio of 0.92 (95% confidential interval 0.87–0.96, P = 0.0006). The area under the receiver operating curve for the APACHE II score was 0.722 (cut-off: 24). Conclusions: In this study, we found that 71.4% of the fully mechanically ventilated patients could be managed successfully with I-ASV. The APACHE II score was an independent factor that could help predict the successful management of I-ASV. To improve I-ASV management, it is necessary to focus on patient-ventilator interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-cloning diploid baker's yeast strains are constructed by disrupting PUT1, encoding proline oxidase, and replacing the wild-type PRO1, encoding [gamma]-glutamyl kinase, with a pro1(D154N) or pro1(1150T) allele. The results have shown that proline-accumulating baker's yeast is suitable for frozen-dough baking.

Gene disruptants of acid trehalase gene (ATH1) derived from commercial baker's yeast are constructed by using genetic modification and self-cloning techniques and then used as models of genetically engineered yeast. The disruption of ATH1 by genetic engineering apparently does not promote the survival of viable cells and DNA in natural environments.

Abstract Sporosarcina species are psychrotolerant endospore-forming bacteria that are predominantly isolated from processed minced fish meat (surimi). Their levels should be controlled to maintain the quality of surimi-based food products. Our previous study suggested that the fatty acid composition of the cell membrane is an important factor for the growth of Sporosarcina species under cold conditions. In this study, we examined the effects of alkyl gallates, fatty acids, and acylglycerols on the growth of Sporosarcina sp. S92h in TSB medium at 10 °C and 30 °C. The results illustrated that the alkyl gallates isoamyl gallate, octyl gallate, and lauryl gallate; the fatty acids oleic acid, linoleic acid, and α-linolenic acid; and the acylglycerol monolaurin inhibited the growth of Sporosarcina sp. S92h for 10 days at 10 °C at a concentration of 0.2 mM. We found that compounds that exerted significant growth-inhibitory effects have similar molecular weights (range, 240.3–338.4) and ACD/LogP values (range, 3.48–7.70). These data will be useful for exploring more effective compounds to inhibit the growth of Sporosarcina species and contribute to quality control for surimi-based foods. Highlights • Growth inhibition of Sporosarcina to control quality of surimi-based foods. • Effects of alkyl gallates, fatty acids, and acylglycerols on the growth. • Relationship between physicochemical properties and growth-inhibitory effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yeast strains IPM32-16, ISM28-8sT, and IPM46-17, isolated from plant and soil samples from Iriomote Island, Japan, were explored in terms of lipid production during growth in a mixture of glucose and xylose. Phylogenetically, the strains were most closely related to Cystobasidium slooffiae, based on the sequences of the ITS regions and the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene. The strains were oleaginous, accumulating lipids to levels > 20% dry cell weight. Moreover, kinetic analysis of the sugar-to-lipid conversion of a 1:1 glucose/xylose mixture showed that the strains consumed the two sugars simultaneously. IPM46-17 attained the highest lipid content (33%), mostly C16 and C18 fatty acids. Thus, the yeasts efficiently converted lignocellulosic sugars to lipids, aiding in biofuel production (which benefits the environment, promotes rural jobs, and strengthens fuel security). The strains constituted a novel species of Cystobasidium, for which we propose the name Cystobasidium iriomotense (type strain ISM28-8sT = JCM 24594T = CBS 15015T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of heat-killed Lactobacillus paracasei NFRI 7415 on kidney and bone in mice fed an ethanol-containing diet with stress. Eight-week-old Cril  :  CD1 mice were fed a control diet (CD), an alcohol diet (AD) (35.8% of total energy from ethanol), or an alcohol diet containing 20% heat-killed Lb. paracasei NFRI 7415 (107 CFU/g) (LD) for 4 weeks. Mice in the AD and LD groups also underwent restraint stress for two weeks from 13 days. The mice were placed in a 50 mL plastic tube, which had a small hole drilled around its base to allow ventilation, and restrained for 1 h every day. High final body weight was in the following order: CD, LD, and AD (p<0.05). The heat-killed Lb. paracasei NFRI 7415 lowered liver total cholesterol concentration and plasma glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) level. In addition, fecal bile acids of the LD group were higher than in the AD group (p<0.05). The glomerulus of the kidney in the AD group was observed to be more fibrotic than in the CD and LD groups with azan stain. Immunostaining confirmed that brown areas indicating the existence of mesangial cells were increased in the AD group, but not in the CD and LD groups. These results indicated that the heat-killed Lb. paracasei NFRI 7415 inhibited mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis by alcohol intake with stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in patients with sepsis is not fully understood. The aims of this study were to investigate changes in thrombopoietic activity over time by using absolute immature platelet counts (AIPC) and to examine the impact of platelet production on thrombocytopenia and mortality in patients with sepsis. Methods: This retrospective observational study included adult patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit at a university hospital. Two hundred five consecutive sepsis patients were stratified into four groups according to nadir platelet count: severe (nadir ≤40×103/μL), moderate (41–80×103/μL), or mild thrombocytopenia (81–120×103/μL), or normal-increased platelet count (>120×103/μL). The development of thrombocytopenia was assessed during the first week; mortality was assessed at day 28. Result: Of the 205 patients included, 61 (29.8%) developed severe thrombocytopenia. On admission, AIPC did not differ among the four groups. In patients with severe thrombocytopenia, AIPC decreased significantly from days 2 to 7, but remained within or above the normal range in the other three groups (overall group comparison, P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis including coagulation biomarkers revealed that AIPC was independently associated with the development of severe thrombocytopenia (day 3 AIPC, odds ratio 0.49 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35–0.66], P<0.0001; day 5 AIPC, 0.59 [95% CI 0.45–0.75], P<0.0001). AIPC was a significant predictor of 28-day mortality in Cox hazard models adjusted for Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (day 3 AIPC, hazard ratio 0.70 [95% CI 0.52–0.89], P = 0.0029; day 5 AIPC, 0.68 [95% CI 0.49–0.87], P = 0.0012). Conclusions: Thrombopoietic activity was generally maintained in the acute phase of sepsis. However, a decrease in AIPC after admission was independently associated with the development of severe thrombocytopenia and mortality, suggesting the importance of suppressed thrombopoiesis in the pathophysiology of sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endothelial activation and damage occur early during sepsis, with activated coagulopathy and playing a major role in the pathophysiology of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of this study was to compare the various biomarkers of endothelial injury with the biomarkers of coagulation and inflammation and to determine a significant predictor of AKI in patients with sepsis.Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective, observational study on patients with sepsis fulfilling the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock criteria admitted to an adult intensive care unit (ICU) at a university hospital from June 2011 to December 2016. Levels of 13 biomarkers were measured on ICU admission, including markers of endothelial injury (soluble thrombomodulin [sTM], E-selectin, protein C, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI-1]) and markers of coagulation derangement (platelet count, fibrin degradation product [FDP], prothrombin time [PT], fibrinogen, α2-plasminogen inhibitor [α2-PI], antithrombin III [AT III], plasminogen, thrombin-antithrombin complex, and plasmin-α2-plasmin inhibitor complex). All patients with sepsis were reviewed, and the development of AKI was evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify significant independent predictive factors for AKI.Results: Of the 514 patients admitted with sepsis, 351 (68.3%) developed AKI. Compared with the non-AKI group, all the endothelial biomarkers were significantly different in the AKI group (sTM [23.6 vs. 15.6 U/ml, P < 0.0001], E-selectin [65.5 vs. 46.2 ng/ml, P = 0.0497], PAI-1 [180.4 vs. 75.3 ng/ml, P = 0.018], and protein C [45.9 vs. 58.7 ng/ml, P < 0.0001]). Biomarkers of coagulopathy and inflammation, platelet counts, FDP, PT, α2-PI, AT III, plasminogen, and C-reactive protein were significantly different between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that sTM was an independent predictive factor of AKI, with an AUROC of 0.758 (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Endothelial biomarkers were significantly changed in the sepsis patients with AKI. Particularly, sTM was an independent predictive biomarker for the development of AKI that outperformed other coagulation and inflammation biomarkers as well as organ function in patients with sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and starch accumulation ability of two types of duckweeds ( Wolffia globosa ), designated as duckweeds J and B, respectively, were investigated under different nutrition conditions using HYPONeX. Both duckweeds J and B grew better in rich nutrient condition (5,000-fold diluted HYPONeX solution) than in poor nutrient condition (80,000-fold diluted HYPONeX solution). In terms of starch accumulation, duckweed J accumulated more starch in the rich nutrient condition, whereas duckweed B accumulated more starch in the poor nutrient condition. In the rich nutrient condition, the dry weight of duckweed J increased by about 5.1 folds and the accumulated starch content was about 22% (w/w) of dry duckweed after 1-week cultivation. In the poor nutrient condition, the dry weight of duckweed B increased by about 5.0 folds and the accumulated starch content was about 28% (w/w) of dry duckweed after 1-week cultivation. Furthermore, ethanol production from the duckweeds was investigated using Saccharomyces cerevisiae NBRC0224. The most effective pretreatment of duckweeds for ethanol production was treatment with 1% hydrogen peroxide for 1 h, followed by treatment with 1% sodium hydroxide for 1 h. In the case of the duckweed J, 69 g/L ethanol was produced from 30% (w/v) of the pretreated duckweed with 20 mM urea or 0.1% yeast extract and 30 mM ammonium sulfate. In the case of the duckweed B, 30 g/L ethanol was produced from 30% (w/v) of the non-pretreated duckweed without nitrogen source. In conclusion, the duckweeds, W. globosa , were found to be a promising renewable carbon source for the production of third-generation bioethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, oxidative stress plays an inhibitory role during industrial fermentation. Although previous reports have identified genes required for oxidative stress tolerance, employing the yeast genome-wide screening, these screenings used a homozygous mutant collection which did not include the essential genes whose deletions result in lethality. Here, we report a truly genome-wide screening for the genes required for oxidative stress tolerance, using a heterozygous mutant collection which includes both essential and nonessential genes. Approximately 6300 heterozygous deletion mutants were grown in the presence or absence of H2O2. The screening identified a total of 331 genes whose heterozygotes conferred hypersensitivity to H2O2, indicating that these genes are required for oxidative stress tolerance. Notably, among these genes, 71 were essential genes. We classified these 71 essential genes based on localization, indicating that the localization of gene products from these essential genes was enriched in the nucleus and nucleolus. Classification of these essential genes based on functional categorizations showed that r RNA synthesis and t RNA synthesis were over-represented, suggesting that nuclear function, such as RNA synthesis, is important in the response to oxidative stress. These results provide a helpful resource for the understanding of the molecular basis of oxidative stress-tolerant mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) is thought to play a role in stress tolerance. In this study it was found that bottom-fermenting yeast strains, in which the V-ATPase-related genes DBF2, VMA41/CYS4/NHS5 and RAV2 were overexpressed, exhibited stronger ethanol tolerance than the parent strain and showed increased fermentation rates in a high-sugar medium simulating high-gravity fermentation. Among the strains examined, the DBF2-overexpressing bottom-fermenting yeast strain exhibited the highest ethanol tolerance and fermentation rate in YPM20 medium. Using this strain, high-gravity fermentation was performed by adding sugar to the wort, which led to increased fermentation rates and yeast viability compared with the parent strain. These findings indicate that V-ATPase is a stress target in high-gravity fermentation and suggests that enhancing the V-ATPase activity increases the ethanol tolerance of bottom-fermenting yeast, thereby improving the fermentation rate and cell viability under high-gravity conditions. Copyright © 2012 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A bacterium, Variovorax sp. JH2, has an ability to degrade (S)-β-phenylalanine stereoselectively. The enzyme involved in the degradation, (S)-β-phenylalanine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, was purified to homogeneity from Variovorax sp. JH2 and characterized. The enzyme was useful for (R)-β-phenylalanine production from racemic β-phenylalanine by enantioselective decomposition of (S)-β-phenylalanine through transamination. (S)-β-Phenylalanine and (S)-3-amino-3-(3-pyridyl)propionate served as good amino-donors in the transamination and 2-oxoglutarate, oxaloacetate, pyruvate, and 1,3-acetonedicarboxylate served as amino-acceptors. The enzyme had a molecular weight of about 72,000 and consisted of two identical subunits. Three internal amino acid sequences (54, 67, and 63 residues) were determined and showed homology with glutamate-1-semialdehyde 2,1-aminomutases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses enhancement in the fermentation capability of industrial baker's yeast by overexpression of the transcription activator Msn2 in frozen dough. The cloned yeast was found to have higher tolerance to freeze thaw stress with higher intracellular trehalose level when compared with the wild type strain. The desired feature of cloned yeast which provides protection to various cellular components against freeze thaw stress including proteins, membrane lipids is also described.

The article offers information on the study that investigates the effects of live Lactobacillus (Lb.) paracasei NFRI 7415 on alcoholic liver disease. It mentions male Fischer rats that were fed with control diet (CD), ethanol diet, or ethanol diet with 20% live Lb. paracasei. It says that total cholesterol concentration in the plasma and liver of the rats reduced after the feeding of Lb. Paracasei. It states that Lb. paracasei could help adjust fatty acid composition and reduced liver damage.

EOS1 is required for tolerance to oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; mutants are defective in the gene sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and tolerant to tunicamycin. To clarify the function of Eos1, we screened yeast genomic DNA libraries for heterologous genes that, when overexpressed from a plasmid, can suppress the hydrogen peroxide-sensitive eos1 mutation. We identified one such gene, IZH2, which has previously been reported to be a Zap1-regulated gene. However, the EOS1 and IZH2 genes do not themselves appear to be functionally interchangeable. Double disruption of the EOS1 and IZH2 genes yielded a slow-growth phenotype, suggesting that the two proteins are involved in related cellular processes. DNA microarray analysis revealed decreased expression of Zap1-regulated genes in the eos1-deletion mutant (Δ eos1). Thus, it is likely that Eos1 is involved in zinc homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vanillin-tolerant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was screened and its intracellular ergosterol levels were compared with several laboratory yeast strains to study the potential relationship between ergosterol content and vanillin tolerance. Saccharomyces cerevisiae NBRC1950 was selected as a vanillin-tolerant strain. Its ergosterol content was higher than those of the laboratory strains. The results of DNA microarray and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that five genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis ( ERG28, HMG1, MCR1, ERG5, and ERG7) were upregulated in NBRC 1950 compared with strain X2180, suggesting that high expression of genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis may cause high ergosterol content in strain NBRC 1950. The S. cerevisiae HX strain, which was a high-ergosterol-containing strain derived from X2180, was more tolerant to vanillin than the parental strain, suggesting that high ergosterol content may, in part, be responsible for vanillin tolerance. These findings provide a biotechnological basis for the molecular engineering of S. cerevisiae with increased tolerance to vanillin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeasts used in bread making are exposed to air-drying stress during dried yeast production processes. To clarify the genes required for air-drying tolerance, we performed genome-wide screening using the complete deletion strain collection of diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The screening identified 278 gene deletions responsible for air-drying sensitivity. These genes were classified based on their cellular function and on the localization of their gene products. The results showed that the genes required for air-drying tolerance were frequently involved in mitochondrial functions and in connection with vacuolar H+-ATPase, which plays a role in vacuolar acidification. To determine the role of vacuolar acidification in air-drying stress tolerance, we monitored intracellular pH. The results showed that intracellular acidification was induced during air-drying and that this acidification was amplified in a deletion mutant of the VMA2 gene encoding a component of vacuolar H+-ATPase, suggesting that vacuolar H+-ATPase helps maintain intracellular pH homeostasis, which is affected by air-drying stress. To determine the effects of air-drying stress on mitochondria, we analysed the mitochondrial membrane potential under air-drying stress conditions using MitoTracker. The results showed that mitochondria were extremely sensitive to air-drying stress, suggesting that a mitochondrial function is required for tolerance to air-drying stress. We also analysed the correlation between oxidative-stress sensitivity and air-drying-stress sensitivity. The results suggested that oxidative stress is a critical determinant of sensitivity to air-drying stress, although ROS-scavenging systems are not necessary for air-drying stress tolerance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on results of a study of glutamate decarboxylase from a high gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producer, Lactobacillus paracasei. A description of the experimental set-up and measurement methods is provided. The study concluded that the ability of Lactobacillus paracasei to produce high levels of GABA results to a low Km value and activity at low pH.