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Pracparatum mungo (Lu-Do Huang) is a traditional Chinese functional medicine made from the natural fermentation of mung bean (綠豆 Lǜ Dou) mixed with other Chinese medicines. It has been recognized as having liver protecting and detoxifying effects. As mung beans have been verified to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipyretic, and whitening actions, the present research utilized the in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experimental models to investigate the antioxidant and melanin inhibiting effects of P. mungo on the skin. The in vitro experiment revealed that P. mungo methanol extract (PMME) and P. mungo ethanol extract (PMEE) possess the capacity to clear α,α-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and inhibit tyrosinase activity. The ex vivo experiment indicated that PMEE can promote the growth of MDCK cells and increase the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in MDCK cells. On the other hand, PMME and PMEE can suppress the proliferation of A375 cells, and PMEE can reduce the enzymatic activities of SOD and catalase in A375 cells. The in vivo results showed that P. mungo can enhance the enzymatic performance of SOD, Catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver. The results also showed that P. mungo has antioxidant characteristics and can inhibit tyrosinase activity, thereby promoting the growth of skin tissues and suppressing the proliferation of A375 cells, and thus enhancing the effects that the antioxidant enzymatic performance has on the liver. These results can be applied in the development of tyrosinase inhibitors or antioxidants used for the inhibition of melanin biosynthesis or for auto-oxidation in further industrial applications, particularly those relating to functional food or cosmetic compositions.

A millet alcoholic beverage that is made primarily from glutinous rice or millet is a traditional drink of indigenous Taiwanese tribes. In this study, we used both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods to analyse the diversity of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that are present during the process of millet alcohol fermentation, including during starter preparation and brewing. Based on random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR fingerprinting profiles, 147 LAB isolates were identified and categorised into 38 groups. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase alpha subunit (pheS) and RNA polymerase alpha subunit (rpoA) gene sequences identified representative strains from each of the 38 groups as belonging to the following ten species: Enterococcus faecium group, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactococcus garvieae, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc carnosum, Leuconostoc (Leu.) mesenteroides, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus stilesii, Weissella cibaria and Weissella soli. The results of the LAB species diversity studies were confirmed using 16S rRNA gene-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), which showed that P. pentosaceus was mainly involved in the fermentation in both the starter preparation and at the brewing stage. However, L. brevis, Leu. mesenteroides and P. stilesii were the predominant LAB strains found during the brewing stage.

Three Gram-positive, catalase-negative, motile, rod-shaped bacteria were isolated from fermented stinky tofu brine. These strains, designated YIT 11306(T), YIT 11317 and YIT 11318, were discriminated from five isolates on the basis of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA profiles. They produced l-lactic acid as the main end product from glucose without gas formation, synthesized dextran from sucrose and hydrolysed aesculin. Ammonia was not produced from arginine. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis demonstrated that the novel isolates were members of the genus Lactobacillus. Based on levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the three novel strains were related most closely to the type strains of Lactobacillus mali (97.2 %) and Lactobacillus satsumensis (96.8 %). However, levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between the novel isolates and the type strains of L. mali and L. satsumensis were less than 10 %. The phenotypic and genotypic data demonstrate that the three strains represent a single novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus capillatus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIT 11306(T) (=JCM 15044(T)=BCRC 17811(T)=DSM 19910(T)).

Asia differs substantially among and within its regions populated by diverse ethnic groups, which maintain their own respective cultures and dietary habits. To address the diversity in their gut microbiota, we characterized the bacterial community in fecal samples obtained from 303 school-age children living in urban or rural regions in five countries spanning temperate and tropical areas of Asia. The microbiota profiled for the 303 subjects were classified into two enterotype-like clusters, each driven by Prevotella (P-type) or Bifidobacterium/Bacteroides (BB-type), respectively. Majority in China, Japan and Taiwan harbored BB-type, whereas those from Indonesia and Khon Kaen in Thailand mainly harbored P-type. The P-type microbiota was characterized by a more conserved bacterial community sharing a greater number of type-specific phylotypes. Predictive metagenomics suggests higher and lower activity of carbohydrate digestion and bile acid biosynthesis, respectively, in P-type subjects, reflecting their high intake of diets rich in resistant starch. Random-forest analysis classified their fecal species community as mirroring location of resident country, suggesting eco-geographical factors shaping gut microbiota. In particular, children living in Japan harbored a less diversified microbiota with high abundance of Bifidobacterium and less number of potentially pathogenic bacteria, which may reflect their living environment and unique diet.

From fermented Taiwan foods, we have isolated numerous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of plant origin and investigated their biological activities. This study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effect and mechanism ofLactococcus lactisA17 (A17), isolated from Taiwan fermented cabbage, on ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used to verify immune responses of A17 by IFN-γproduction. Live (A17-A) and heat-killed A17 (A17-H) were orally administered to OVA-sensitized BALB/c mice to investigate their effects on immunoglobulin (Ig) and cytokine production. The mRNA expression of Toll-like receptors (TLR) and nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like protein receptors in spleen cells was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. Both live and heat-killed A17 modulate OVA-induced allergic effects. B-cell response was modulated by diminishing IgE production and raising OVA-specific IgG2a production, while T-cell response was modulated by increasing IFN-γproduction and decreasing IL-4 production. The mRNA expression of NOD-1, NOD-2, and TLR-4 was down-regulated by A17 as well. This is the first report to describe a naïveLactococcus lactisA17 strain as a promising candidate for prophylactic and therapeutic treatments of allergic diseases via oral administration. Our results suggest the ameliorative effects of A17 may be caused by modulating NOD-1 NOD-2, and TLR-4 expression.

In Taiwanese alternative medicine Lu-doh-huang (also called Pracparatum mungo), mung beans are mixed with various herbal medicines and undergo a 4-stage process of anaerobic fermentation. Here we used high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to profile the bacterial community structure of Lu-doh-huang samples. Pyrosequencing of samples obtained at 7 points during fermentation revealed 9 phyla, 264 genera, and 586 species of bacteria. While mung beans were inside bamboo sections (stages 1 and 2 of the fermentation process), family Lactobacillaceae and genus Lactobacillus emerged in highest abundance; Lactobacillus plantarum was broadly distributed among these samples. During stage 3, the bacterial distribution shifted to family Porphyromonadaceae, and Butyricimonas virosa became the predominant microbial component. Thereafter, bacterial counts decreased dramatically, and organisms were too few to be detected during stage 4. In addition, the microbial compositions of the liquids used for soaking bamboo sections were dramatically different: Exiguobacterium mexicanum predominated in the fermented soybean solution whereas B. virosa was predominant in running spring water. Furthermore, our results from pyrosequencing paralleled those we obtained by using the traditional culture method, which targets lactic acid bacteria. In conclusion, the microbial communities during Lu-doh-huang fermentation were markedly diverse, and pyrosequencing revealed a complete picture of the microbial consortium.

An oligopeptidase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 23-7A was characterized along with its biochemical activities and structural gene. The protein's amino acid sequence and enzymatic activities were similar to those of other bacterial PepFs, which belong to metallopeptidase family M3. While most bacterial PepFs are cytoplasmic endopeptidases, the identified PepF Ba oligopeptidase is a secreted protein and may facilitate the process of sporulation.