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Bacillus subtilis CU1 is a recently described probiotic strain with beneficial effects on immune health in elderly subjects. The following work describes a series of studies supporting the safety of the strain for use as an ingredient in food and supplement preparations. Using a combination of 16S rDNA and gyrB nucleotide analyses, the species was identified as a member of the Bacillus subtilis complex (B. subtilis subsp. spizizenii). Further characterization of the organism at the strain level was achieved using random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD PCR) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analyses. B. subtilis CU1 did not demonstrate antibiotic resistance greater than existing regulatory cutoffs against clinically important antibiotics, did not induce hemolysis or produce surfactant factors, and was absent of toxigenic activity in vitro. Use of B. subtilis CU1 as a probiotic has recently been evaluated in a 16-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study, in which 2 × 109 spores per day of B. subtilis CU1 were administered for a total 40 days to healthy elderly subjects (4 consumption periods of 10 days separated by 18-day washouts). This work describes safety related endpoints not previously reported. B. subtilis CU1 was safe and well-tolerated in the clinical subjects without undesirable physiological effects on markers of liver and kidney function, complete blood counts, hemodynamic parameters, and vital signs.

International audience; Probiotics represent a potential strategy to influence the host's immune system thereby modulating immune response. Lipoteichoic Acid (LTA) is a major immune-stimulating component of Gram-positive cell envelopes. This amphiphilic polymer, anchored in the cytoplasmic membrane by means of its glycolipid component, typically consists of a poly (glycerol-phosphate) chain with d-alanine and/or glycosyl substitutions. LTA is known to stimulate macrophages in vitro, leading to secretion of inflammatory mediators such as Nitric Oxide (NO). This study investigates the structure-activity relationship of purified LTA from three probiotic Bacillus strains (Bacillus cereus CH, Bacillus subtilis CU1 and Bacillus clausii O/C). LTAs were extracted from bacterial cultures and purified. Chemical modification by means of hydrolysis at pH 8.5 was performed to remove d-alanine. The molecular structure of native and modified LTAs was determined by 1H NMR and GC-MS, and their inflammatory potential investigated by measuring NO production by RAW 264.7 macrophages. Structural analysis revealed several differences between the newly characterized LTAs, mainly relating to their d-alanylation rates and poly (glycerol-phosphate) chain length. We observed induction of NO production by LTAs from B. subtilis and B. clausii, whereas weaker NO production was observed with B. cereus. LTA dealanylation abrogated NO production independently of the glycolipid component, suggesting that immunomodulatory potential depends on d-alanine substitutions. d-alanine may control the spatial configuration of LTAs and their recognition by cell receptors. Knowledge of molecular mechanisms behind the immunomodulatory abilities of probiotics is essential to optimize their use.

Lactobacilli are generally regarded as safe; however, certain strains have been associated with cases of infection. Our workgroup has already assessed many functional properties of Lactobacillus kefiri, but parameters regarding safety must be studied before calling them probiotics. In this work, safety aspects and antimicrobial activity of L. kefiri strains were studied. None of the L. kefiri strains tested caused 𝛼- or 𝛽-hemolysis. All the strains were susceptible to tetracycline, clindamycin, streptomycin, ampicillin, erythromycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin; meanwhile, two strains were resistant to chloramphenicol. On the other hand, all L. kefiri strains were able to inhibit both Gram(+) and Gram(−) pathogens. Regarding the in vitro results, L. kefiri CIDCA 8348 was selected to perform in vivo studies. Mice treated daily with an oral dose of 108 CFU during 21 days showed no signs of pain, lethargy, dehydration, or diarrhea, and the histological studies were consistent with those findings. Moreover, no differences in proinflammatory cytokines secretion were observed between treated and control mice. No translocation of microorganisms to blood, spleen, or liver was observed. Regarding these findings, L. kefiri CIDCA 8348 is a microorganism isolated from a dairy product with a great potential as probiotic for human or animal use., Facultad de Ciencias Exactas

The effect of tea on the fermentation and survival of yogurt microorganisms was studied. Green and black teas were added to milk at the beginning of fermentation. Acidity of yogurt products and survival of their microflora were studied during 42 days at 4 °C. Results showed that the presence of tea did not significantly (P

International audience; The group of exported proteins of a bacterium are those proteins that are sorted from the cytoplasm to the bacterial surface or to the surroundings of the microorganism. In probiotic bacteria, these proteins are of special relevance because they might determine important traits such as adhesion to intestinal surfaces and molecular cross-talking with the host. Current knowledge about the presence and biological relevance of exported proteins produced by the main genera of probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal environment is reviewed in this minireview. As will be seen, some of these proteins are involved in host adhesion or are able to modify certain signalization pathways within host cells, whereas others are important for the physiology of probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

Aims: To conduct in vitro and in vivo assessments of the safety of two species of Bacillus, one of which, Bacillus subtilis, is in current use as a food supplement. Methods and Results: Cultured cell lines, Caco-2, HEp-2 and the mucus-producing HT29-16E cell line, were used to evaluate adhesion, invasion and cytotoxicity. The Natto strain of B. subtilis was shown to be able to invade and lyse cells. Neither species was able to adhere significantly to any cell line. The Natto strain was also shown to form biofilms. No strain produced any of the known Bacillus enterotoxins. Disc-diffusion assays using a panel of antibiotics listed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) showed that only Bacillus indicus carried resistance to clindamycin at a level above the minimum inhibitory concentration breakpoints set by the EFSA. In vivo assessments of acute and chronic dosing in guinea pigs and rabbits were made. No toxicity was observed in animals under these conditions. Conclusions: Bacillus indicus and B. subtilis should be considered safe for oral use although the resistance of B. indicus to clindamycin requires further study. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results support the use of B. subtilis and B. indicus strains as food supplements.

Two Gram-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacteria (strains CR-119T and CR-95T) were isolated from brackish sediments in the mouth of the river Vélez in Málaga, southern Spain, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Phenotypic tests showed that these strains were related to other Bacillus species at a similarity level of less than 87·6 %. Both strains are halotolerant, aerobic, chemoheterotrophic, motile with peritrichous flagella and biosurfactant producers. Their endospores are oval, subterminal and non-deforming structures. The predominant menaquinone in both strains is MK-7. The fatty-acid profiles of both strains contain large quantities of branched and saturated fatty acids. The major fatty acids (%) are 15 : 0 anteiso (32·4), 15 : 0 iso (16·8), 17 : 0 iso (13·4), 16 : 0 (11·5) and 17 : 0 anteiso (10·2) in strain CR-119T and 15 : 0 anteiso (37·5), 17 : 0 iso (16·0) and 17 : 0 anteiso (15·8) in strain CR-95T. The G+C contents of strains CR-119T and CR-95T are 41·0 and 42·5 mol%, respectively. RAPD analysis confirmed the low degree of similarity between the two strains and also amongst other Bacillus species. 16S rRNA gene analysis of strain CR-119T showed the highest sequence similarity to be 97·4 %, with Bacillus mojavensis and Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii. In the case of strain CR-95T, the maximum similarity value was 99·5 %, with B. mojavensis. DNA–DNA hybridization of strains CR-119T and CR-95T with the above species produced values lower than 46·9 %. Therefore, on the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic data and genomic distinctiveness, we conclude that these Bacillus strains merit classification as novel species, for which we propose the names Bacillus axarquiensis sp. nov. (type strain CR-119T=CECT 5688T=LMG 22476T) and Bacillus malacitensis sp. nov. (type strain CR-95T=CECT 5687T=LMG 22477T).

Aims: This study was focused on the identification of associated outer membrane proteins which may play a role in the specific interactions between Flavobacterium psychrophilum (the aetiological agent of cold-water disease and rainbow trout fry syndrome in salmonid fish worldwide) and the fish tissues. Methods and Results: The surface protein interactions with the outer membrane being mainly ionic, different methods were used for the detachment of proteins from the cell surface of Fl. psychrophilum involving detergent-free buffers or solutions known to perturb the ionic interactions. Such treatments led to the isolation of a surface protein, named P18 in accordance with its relative molecular mass. The expression of P18 was not related to the growth conditions (liquid or solid medium, temperature and aeration) or the strains of Fl. psychrophilum tested here. Conclusions: Preliminary characterization indicated that P18 is a surface antigen which is not sugar-modified and might be a subunit of a surface layer (i.e. S-layer), one of the most common surface structures on bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: Data reported here should be used as the basis for further works involving the purification and characterization of P18 to identify the specific roles of such a surface protein, especially the interaction between this protein and the host surface.

A Lactobacillus plantarum strain producing exopolysaccharides (EPSs) was isolated from corn silage. When this strain, named L. plantarum EP56, was grown on a chemically defined medium, two EPS fractions were isolated. The cell-bound EPS fraction (EPS-b) was composed of a single high-molecular-mass polymer of 8.5x10(5) Da containing glucose, galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine in a molar ratio of approximately 3:1:1 and traces of glycerol and phosphoglycerol. The released EPS fraction (EPS-r) was composed of the high-molecular-mass bound polysaccharide and a second polymer of 4x10(4) Da containing glucose, galactose and rhamnose in a molar ratio of 3:1:1 and traces of glycerol and phosphoglycerol. EPS-b and EPS-r contained phosphate which contributes to their negative net charge. Studies on polysaccharide production and location showed that both polymers were synthesized during the exponential growth phase and that the EPS-b polymer was progressively released into the culture medium during the stationary growth phase. Carbon source and temperature influenced EPS synthesis when L. plantarum EP56 was grown in a chemically defined medium. Lactose was the most efficient carbon source among the five tested (glucose, galactose, fructose, lactose and sucrose). EPS production was also increased when the incubation temperature is lowered.

C. M ERLE, D. F AURE, M.-C. U RDACI A ND M. L E H EN A F F. 2003. Aims: The cell envelope of the fish pathogen Flavobacterium psychrophilum contains more than 50 polypeptides resolved by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylaminde gel electrophoresis analysis including a major component named P60. Here, we have developed a simple and efficient procedure for the purification of P60 and therefore permitting its biochemical characterization. Methods and Results: Membrane proteins were selectively extracted from isolated cell envelopes with the mild non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. About 10 polypeptides were identified from the detergent fraction, including P60. The P60-enriched fraction was thereafter subjected to an anion exchange chromatographic step in the presence of Triton X-100. The molecule was purified at the milligram level (yield, about 75%; purification factor, 6.2). Analyses performed by charge shift electrophoresis, Triton X-114 phase separation and by detection of sugar- modified components showed that P60 is a true amphiphilic membrane-associated glycoprotein. Conclusions: The method described in this paper provides pure and non-denaturated P60 and should prove to be easily scaled-up. As sugar-modified protein, P60 should be included in the growing list of glycosylated prokaryotic proteins. Significance and Impact of the Study: It offers the possibility of obtaining P60 in amounts allowing the testing of the potential of P60 as a candidate for anti-flavobacteria subunit vaccines, as P60 is one of the major antigens.

The evaluation of the impact of probiotics on host health could help to understand how they can be used in the prevention of diseases. On the basis of our previous studies and in vitro assays on PBMC and Caco-2 ccl20:luc reporter system presented in this work, the strain Lactobacillus kefiri CIDCA 8348 was selected and administrated to healthy Swiss mice daily for 21 days. The probiotic treatment increased IgA in feces and reduced expression of proinflammatory mediators in Peyer Patches and mesenteric lymph nodes, where it also increased IL-10. In ileum IL-10, CXCL-1 and mucin 6 genes were upregulated; meanwhile in colon mucin 4 was induced whereas IFN-γ, GM-CSF, and IL-1β genes were downregulated. Moreover, ileum and colon explants showed the anti-inflammatory effect of L. kefiri since the LPS-induced increment of IL-6 and GM-CSF levels in control mice was significantly attenuated in L. kefiri treated mice. Regarding fecal microbiota, DGGE profiles allowed differentiation of experimental groups in two separated clusters. Quantitative PCR analysis of different bacterial groups revealed only significant changes in Lactobacillus population. In conclusion, L. kefiri is a good candidate to be used in gut inflammatory disorders., Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos

Nonculturable segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) have been described in the gut of rats, mice and chickens, and 16S rRNA sequences for these organisms are available. These organisms, peripherically related to Clostridium phylogenetic group I, have been provisionally named 'Candidatus Arthromitus'. This work reports the observation of similar bacteria in the intestinal content of the distal intestine, preferentially, in the adult rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that exhibited episodic acute diarrhea, usually during the summer. Abdominal distension, intestinal fluid-mucus content and epithelium detachment were observed in trout. The demonstration that the observed microorganisms are bacteria and belong in the 'Candidatus Arthromitus' group was achieved by in situ hybridization with, respectively, a eubacterial probe and an oligonucleotide probe designed to react specifically with SFB 16S rRNA (encoded by the rrs gene) sequences. The sequenced rrs gene was compared with published sequences and found to be closely related to (although distinct from) other SFB sequences. Implication of these bacteria in trout diarrheic illness remains hypothetical.

A PCR-based method was developed to identify and detect Flavobacterium psychrophilum , the causative agent of “cold-water disease” and “rainbow trout fry syndrome” in salmonid fish. Two oligonucleotide primers were designed by comparing the 16S rRNA sequence of all taxa in the genus Flavobacterium and of representative species in most related genera within rRNA superfamily V. Purified chromosomal DNAs from all these bacterial species, from 25 F. psychrophilum isolates and from several other fish-pathogenic bacteria were used to assess the specificity of the reaction. Amplification products were generated only with F. psychrophilum DNA. The detection level, equivalent to approximately 10 to 100 bacterial cells, was increased 10-fold by hybridization with a radioactive probe. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that this procedure can also be applied to samples of infected tissue. This PCR assay is therefore a rapid, specific, and sensitive alternative to conventional plate culture methods for the identification and detection of F. psychrophilum .

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract mucosa and is related to an abnormal immune response to commensal bacteria. Our aim of the present work has been to explore the levels of antibodies (IgG and IgA) raised against extracellular proteins produced by LAB and its association with IBD. We analyzed, by Western-blot and ELISA, the presence of serum antibodies (IgA and IgG) developed against extracellular protein fractions produced by different food bacteria from the genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. We used a sera collection consisting of healthy individuals (HC, n=50), Crohn's disease patients (CD, n=37), and ulcerative colitis patients (UC, n=15). Levels of IgA antibodies developed against a cell-wall hydrolase from Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus GG (CWH) were significantly higher in the IBD group (P, Borja Sánchez and Arancha Hevia were recipients of a Ramón y Cajal postdoctoral contract and a FPI Grant, respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Research in our group is supported by Grants AGL2010-14952 and RM2010-00012-00-00 from the Spanish Plan Nacional de I+D.

A 300 bp DNA fragment of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was cloned and sequenced. This fragment was tested using a dot-blot DNA hybridization to technique for its ability to identify Lact. plantarum strains. This probe hybridized with all Lact. plantarum strains tested and with some strains of Lact. pentosus, albeit more weakly. Two internal primers of this probe were selected (LbP11 and LbP12) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out. All Lact. plantarum strains tested amplified a 250 bp fragment contrary to the other LAB species tested. This specific PCR for Lact. plantarum was also performed from colonies grown on MRS medium with similar results. These methods enabled the rapid and specific detection and identification of Lact. plantarum.

The aim of this study was to study the interference of the extracellular proteins produced by Lactobacillus plantarum BMCM12 with the adhesion of some well-known gut pathogens. The extracellular proteins secreted by L. plantarum BMCM12 in MRS broth were precipitated, resolved by SDS-PAGE, and identified by tandem mass spectrometry. Discordances between the observed and the theoretical molecular masses of several proteins suggested the presence of protein glycosylation, corroborated with specific glycoprotein staining after protein de-glycosylation using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Experiments of exclusion, competition, or prevention of the pathogen adhesion to mucin were performed using BMCM12 extracellular proteins, using Escherichia coli LMG2092 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica LMG15860. Extracellular proteins from BMCM12 reduced significantly the adhesion of the pathogens when they were added prior to adhesion assays. These proteins play thus important roles in preventing pathogen adhesion to the mucin layer., This study has been supported with grant (RM2010-00012-00-00) from the Spanish MICINN.

International audience; This paper examines the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and how it reacts to the presence of mucin in its extracellular milieu. Parameters studied included cell clustering, adhesion to mucin, extracellular protein production, and formation of final metabolites. L. rhamnosus GG was found to grow efficiently in the presence of glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, or mucin (partially purified or purified) as sole carbon sources. However, it was unable to grow using other mucin constituents, such as fucose or glucuronic acid. Mucin induced noticeable changes in all the parameters studied when compared with growth using glucose, including in the formation of cell clusters, which were easily disorganized with trypsin. Mucin increased adhesion of the bacterium, and modulated the production of extracellular proteins. SDS-PAGE revealed that mucin was not degraded during L. rhamnosus GG growth, suggesting that this bacterium is able to partially use the glucidic moiety of glycoprotein. This study goes some way towards developing an understanding of the metabolic and physiological changes that L. rhamnosus GG undergoes within the human gastrointestinal tract.

The filamentous ascomycete Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is well known for its ability to produce a large variety of hydrolytic enzymes for the degradation of plant polysaccharide material. Two alpha-amylases designated as ScAmy54 and ScAmy43 were biochemically characterized and predicted to play an important role in starch degradation. Those enzymes produce specific oligosaccharides, essentially maltotriose, that have a considerable commercial interest. The primary structures of the two enzymes were analyzed by N-terminal sequencing, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and cDNA cloning, and implied that the two proteins have the same N-terminal catalytic domain and ScAmy43 was produced from ScAmy54 by truncation of 96 amino acids at the carboxyl-terminal region. The result of genomic analysis suggested that the two enzymes originated from the same alpha-amylase gene and that truncation of ScAmy54 to ScAmy43 occurred probably during the S. sclerotiorum cultivation. The structural gene of ScAmy54 consisted of 9 exons and 8 introns, containing a single 1,500-bp open reading frame encoding 499 amino acids including a signal peptide of 21 amino acids. ScAmy54 exhibited high amino acid identity to other liquefying fungal alpha-amylases, essentially in the four conserved regions and in the putative catalytic triad. A 3D structure model of ScAmy54 and ScAmy43 was built using the 3D structure of 2guy from A. niger as template. ScAmy54 with three domains A, B, and C, including the well-known (beta/alpha)8-barrel motif in domain A, has a typical structure of the alpha-amylase family. ScAmy43 composed only of domains A and B constitutes a smallest fungal alpha-amylase with only a catalytic domain.

International audience; The aim of this study was to provide new insight into the mechanism whereby the housekeeping enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) locates to cell walls of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v. After purification, cytosolic and cell wall GAPDH (cw-GAPDH) forms were characterized and shown to be identical homotetrameric active enzymes. GAPDH concentration on cell walls was growth-time dependent. Free GAPDH was not observed on the culture supernatant at any time during growth, and provoked cell lysis was not concomitant with any reassociation of GAPDH onto the cell surface. Hence, with the possibility of cw-GAPDH resulting from autolysis being unlikely, entrapment of intracellular GAPDH on the cell wall after a passive efflux through altered plasma membrane was investigated. Flow cytometry was used to assess L. plantarum 299v membrane permeabilization after labeling with propidium iodide (PI). By combining PI uptake and cw-GAPDH activity measurements, we demonstrate here that the increase in cw-GAPDH concentration from the early exponential phase to the late stationary phase is closely related to an increase in plasma membrane permeability during growth. Moreover, we observed that increases in both plasma membrane permeability and cw-GAPDH activity were delayed when glucose was added during L. plantarum 299v growth. Using a double labeling of L. plantarum 299v cells with anti-GAPDH antibodies and propidium iodide, we established unambiguously that cells with impaired membrane manifest five times more cw-GAPDH than unaltered cells. Our results show that plasma membrane permeability appears to be closely related to the efflux of GAPDH on the bacterial cell surface, offering new insight into the understanding of the cell wall location of this enzyme.

B38 bacterial strain, isolated from Tunisian soil showed a strong antimicrobial activity. Based on biochemical characterization and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, B38 strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis. Cell culture supernatant showed antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species and several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi was also observed. Antibacterial activity production started at early exponential growth phase, and maximum activity was reached at the stationary phase. This antibacterial activity was neither affected by proteases, lipase, and organic solvents, nor by surfactants. It was stable over a wide pH range and still active after autoclaving at 121 °C during 20 min. Thin layer chromatography followed by bioautography assay allowed the detection of four active spots with R f values of 0.30, 0.47, 0.70, and 0.82. The single spot with R f 0.30 showed antifungal activity, whereas the spots with R f values of 0.47, 0.70, and 0.82 exhibited antibacterial activity.

International audience; We studied exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by Halomonas ventosae and Halomonas anticariensis, two novel species of halophilic bacteria. Under optimum environmental and nutritional conditions, H. ventosae strains Al12(T) and Al16 excreted 28.35 mg and 28.95 mg of EPS per 100 ml of culture medium (34.55 and 38.6 mg of EPS per gram of dry cell weight) respectively. The molecular masses of the polymers were about 50 kDa and their main components were glucose, mannose and galactose. They had high protein fractions and showed emulsifying activity on several hydrophobic substrates. Under optimum environmental and nutritional conditions, H. anticariensis strains FP35(T) and FP36 excreted about 29.65 and 49.95 mg of EPS per 100 ml of culture medium (43.6 and 50.95 mg of EPS per gram of dry cell weight) respectively. The molecular masses of the polymers were about 20 and 46 kDa respectively and were composed mainly of glucose, mannose and galacturonic acid. All EPSs produced solutions of low viscosity and pseudoplastic behaviour. They also had a high capacity for binding cations and incorporated considerable quantities of sulphates, which is highly unusual in bacterial polysaccharides. All strains assayed formed biofilms both in polystyrene wells and borosilicate test tubes.

One of the most interesting groups of phenolic compounds is comprised of the low molecular weight phenylpropanol derivative substances named isocoumarins, which possess important biological activities. In this study, the isocoumarin production and genetic diversity of 51 Bacillus strains isolated from different geographical and ecological niches were studied. Using molecular identification techniques, 47 strains were identified as B. subtilis, three as B. licheniformis and one as B. pumilus. When these strains were screened for isocumarin production, 11 belonging to the species B. subtilis produced amicoumacins, antibiotics of the isocoumarin group. RAPD analysis demonstrated that these strains fell into two groups which contained only these amicoumacin producers. No association was detected between RAPD profiles and the geographic origin or habitat of the strains tested. In conclusion, production of amicoumacin antibiotics by B. subtilis is a common characteristic of individual strains that presented genetic and physiological homogeneity.

A protease-sensitive antibacterial substance produced by Bacillus coagulans I4 strain, isolated from cattle faeces, was classified as a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance and named coagulin. The inhibitory spectrum included B. coagulans and unrelated bacteria such as Enterococcus, Leuconostoc, Oenococcus, Listeria and Pediococcus. Coagulin was stable at 60 degrees C for 90 min, at a pH ranging from 4 to 8 and appeared to be unaffected by alpha-amylase, lipase or organic solvents (10% v/v). Coagulin exhibited a bactericidal and a bacteriolytic mode of action against indicator cells. The apparent molecular mass was estimated to be about 3-4 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The B. coagulans I4 strain harbours a plasmid, pI4, approximately 14 kb in size. Novobiocin curing experiments yielded two derivatives that no longer produced the bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance. Plasmid content of these two derivatives showed that one had lost pI4, whereas the second harboured a deleted form of this plasmid, thus suggesting a plasmid location for the genes for coagulin production.

The distribution of Vibrio species in water and seafood collected from Arcachon Bay (located in the southwest of France) was studied. All invertebrate animals collected were associated with one or more Vibrio species. Eighty strains corresponding to 14 species were precisely identified. The identification of strains with V. parahaemolyticus was checked by DNA/DNA hybridization. The most frequently recovered species were V. alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus (non-haemolytic strains), V. harveyi and V. metschnikovii. The three V. cholerae non-O1 strains isolated from water and crab did not produce immunologically detectable cholera toxin and had no DNA fragment hybridizing with a cholera-toxin-gene-specific probe. It is suggested that the sanitary surveillance of seafood in France should include the precise characterization of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species.