Screening of Bacterial Isolates with Probiotic Potential of Tiger Nut Drink, Ogi and Palm Wine

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are very beneficial to human health when consumed in a sufficient amount. Screening and fingerprinting of isolates with probiotic potentials from indigenous food products were evaluated. Fresh palm wine, Ogi and Tiger nut drinks were bought from retailers in Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Rivers State. These samples on getting to the lab in sterile containers were analysed using standard microbiological techniques for the enumeration and isolation of bacterial isolates. Identification of isolates relied on the biochemical and genomic techniques using standard methods. The probiotics were screened based on their ability to tolerate ethanol, bile salt, low pH, high salt concentration, lactose utilization and the production of biogenic amine. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterial isolates (probiotics) was carried out using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion. Forty-two bacterial isolates which belonged to the genera: Lactobacillus sp, Pediococcus sp, Enterococcus sp and Streptococcus sp were identified. Genomic characterization of isolates showed that isolate NO2 has 83.4% pairwise identity with Bacillus firmus strain T1, Isolate NP2 has 86.5% pairwise identity with Bacillus cereus strain PKID1, NT8 has 80.3% pairwise identity with Bacillus cereus strain PV-G21. Results of screened probiotics showed that out of the forty-two bacterial isolates, only fifteen were non-spore producers and that they were tolerant to ethanol, low pH, NaCl and bile salt at all concentrations. Results of lactose utilization showed that only twelve out of the fifteen bacterial isolates utilized lactose. Results of biogenic amine production showed that only five out of fifteen bacterial isolates produced biogenic amine. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the screened bacterial isolates showed that they exhibited resistance to Pefloxacin, Gentamycin, Ampiclox, Amoxicillin, Rocephin, Ciprofloxacin; Streptomycin, Sceptrin and Erythromycin. They were highly resistant to Gentamycin and Zinnacef. Bacillus firmus strain T1, Bacillus cereus strain PKID1 and Bacillus cereus strain PV-G21 were identified as bacterial probiotics. Consumption of palm wine, Ogi and tiger nut drinks is highly recommended due to the availability of probiotics.

Penggunaan Pestisida Biorasional untuk Pengendalian Penyakit Hawar Daun Bakteri pada Tanaman Padi

Bacterial leaf blight can cause rice loss between 15-80%. Biorational pesticides can be an alternative to controlling the disease. Bacillus firmus, Burkholderia sp, and Serratia marcescens against bacterial leaf blight on rice plants in the field. The study was conducted in Maret-Juni 2014 in the land of the Independent Farmers Group, Cipeuyeum Village, Haurwangi District, Cianjur Regency, West Java. The design uses a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 6 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments consist of: 1) Mekongga + biorational, 2) Inpari 14 + biorational, 3) Sintanur + biorasional, 4) Mekongga + without biorational, 5) Inpari 14 + without biorational, and 6) Sintanur + without biorational. The results of the study showed that the application of biorational pesticides can reduce the intensity of bacterial leaf blight disease. Sintanur varieties with the application of biorational pesticides produce higher and higher R / C ratios of 6.81 tons ha-1 and 2.79.

Controle biológico no manejo de Pratylenchus brachyurus em diferentes tratamentos na cultura da soja

A cultura da soja possui grande importância para a economia brasileira e pode enfrentar entraves dos fatores bióticos e abióticos em sua produção, sendo os nematoides expoentes na redução da produtividade desta cultura. Desse modo, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de produtos biológicos para o controle de Pratylenchus brachyurus na cultura da soja. O experimento foi realizado na casa de vegetação e no Laboratório de Fitopatologia e Nematologia do Centro Universitário Católica do Tocantins. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado consistindo em cinco tratamentos com diferentes produtos biológicos: T1 – testemunha (sem tratamento), T2 - Presence® (Bacillus subtilis e Bacillus licheniformis), T3 - Votivo Prime® (Bacillus firmus), T4 - Ecotrich® (Trichoderma harzianum) e T5 – Nemat® (Paecilomyces lilacinus) com quatro repetições. Para avaliação da eficiência do controle biológico de nematoides, procedeu-se o tratamento prévio das sementes de soja no momento da semeadura. O tratamento das sementes foi realizado individualmente, adicionando os produtos conforme dosagem estabelecida na recomendação da bula. Aos 30 dias após a inoculação, foram avaliadas a características, comprimento da raiz, tamanho de planta, número de nematoides e severidade. Os produtos utilizados não interferiram no comprimento da raiz e no número de nematoides. O produto T3 – Votivo Prime®, apresentou melhor resultado quando se avalia o comprimento de planta. A severidade foi menor quando se faz uso de algum tipo de produto para controle biológico.

Bacillus firmus I-1582 promotes plant growth and impairs infection and development of the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii over two generations

Plant-parasitic nematodes wreak havoc on crops by root parasitism worldwide. An approach to combat nematode root parasitism is the application of antagonistic microbes like the rhizobacterium Bacillus firmus I-1582 which is promoted as biological control agent. Although B. firmus is a known nematode antagonist in general, the underlying mechanisms about its interaction with nematodes and plants have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we explored the influence of B. firmus I-1582 as well as its extracellular and secreted molecules on plant–nematode interaction utilizing the plant–pathogen system Arabidopsis thaliana–Heterodera schachtii. We demonstrated that B. firmus I-1582 is attracted by A. thaliana root exudates, particularly by those of young plants. The bacterium colonized the root and showed a strictly pH-dependent development and plant growth promotion effect. Our results revealed that root colonization by B. firmus I-1582 significantly protected A. thaliana from infestation by the beet cyst nematode whereas dead bacterial cells or the culture supernatant were not effective. The bacterium also negatively affected nematode reproduction as well as pathogenicity and development of next generation nematodes. The obtained results highlight B. firmus I-1582 as a promising biocontrol agent that is well suited as an element of integrated control management strategies in sustainable agriculture.

Effects of Bacillus firmus e volumine ex muris cellulae 6x on cytolytic activity of natural killer cells in vitro

Natural killer (NK) cells are among the first in defense of the innate immune system by eliminating a variety of abnormal or stressed cells such as cancer cells or virus-infected cells. Individuals who exhibit low cytolytic NK cell activity are believed to be at higher risk of viral infection, tumorigenesis, and various other diseases of the immune system. Therefore, restoration of impaired NK cell function might be an essential step in immunostimulatory therapy of immunocompromised patients. Bacillus firmus is a non-pathogenic gram-positive bacterium of the environment, which possesses various immunomodulatory properties in vitro and in vivo. This retrospective study reports on the effect of B. firmus on the activity of NK cells in vitro. Basal cytolytic NK cell activity against tumor cells among peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of routine patients was determined in a standardized NK cell cytotoxicity assay. The impact of cultivation of PBMCs with B. firmus preparation Bacillus firmus e volumine ex muris cellulae (Bacillus firmus (evc)) 6x on tumor cell killing by NK cells was monitored in relation to basal NK cell activity. This study showed that stimulation of PBMCs with Bacillus firmus (evc) 6x in vitro led to a significant increase in NK cell function. Substantial improvement in cytolytic NK cell activity (more than 1.3-fold of basal activity) was much more pronounced for patients with compromised NK cell function. Due to its immunostimulatory mode of action, Bacillus firmus (evc) may be of particular importance in therapy of patients with NK cell deficiency.

Production, Purification, and Characterization of Extracellular Alkaline Protease From Bacillus Firmus Var. Arosia NCIB 10557

The most important alkaline proteases from the commercial standpoint are produced by bacteria of the genus Bacillus and used mainly in the formulation of detergents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the production, partial purification, and characteristics of alkaline protease obtained by Bacillus firmus var. arosia NCIB 10557 in fed-batch fermentation with constant feeding profile and carbon source restriction. Firstly, it was carried out on batch fermentation and after 6.5 h of fermentation, glucose became limiting, and then the fed-batch was started with a flow rate of 0.0802 mL/min. Maximum activity (998.1 U/mL) was reached after 10.5 h of fed-batch, with a subsequent 60.91 % drop in activity after two hours. The purification steps resulted in a 1.65-fold increase in the value of the specific activity. The protease showed optimum activity at 37°C and pH 9 and residual activity above 80 % at pH 11 and 12. Residual activity was greater than 70 % at temperatures ranging from 30 to 70 °C and 90 % of this activity was maintained for 30 minutes at 70 °C until the occurrence of complete inactivation. Enzyme activity was estimated using SDS. The organic solvents Triton X-100, Tween-20, EDTA and β-mercaptoethanol and the ions Zn2+, Fe2+, Cu2+ and Ni2+ partially inhibited the activity of the protease. Ca2+, Mn2+ and Mg2+ had no stimulating action on the enzyme.