Potential Application of Apilactobacillus kunkeei for Human Use: Evaluation of Probiotic and Functional Properties

Apilactobacillus kunkeei is an insect symbiont with documented beneficial effects on the health of honeybees. It belongs to fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB), a subgroup of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) notably recognized for their safe status. This fact, together with its recurrent isolation from hive products that are traditionally part of the human diet, suggests its possible safe use as human probiotic. Our data concerning three strains of A. kunkeei isolated from bee bread and honeybee gut highlighted several interesting features, such as the presence of beneficial enzymes (β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase and leucine arylamidase), the low antibiotic resistance, the ability to inhibit P. aeruginosa and, for one tested strain, E. faecalis, and an excellent viability in presence of high sugar concentrations, especially for one strain tested in sugar syrup stored at 4 °C for 30 d. This datum is particularly stimulating, since it demonstrates that selected strains of A. kunkeei can be used for the probiotication of fruit preparations, which are often used in the diet of hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. Finally, we tested for the first time the survival of strains belonging to the species A. kunkeei during simulated gastrointestinal transit, detecting a similar if not a better performance than that showed by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, used as probiotic control in each trial.

Effects of Various Environmental Conditions on Pulcherrimin Production and Extracellular Enzyme Profiles of Metschnikowia pulcherrima

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of various stress conditions on pulcherrimin pigment secretion and extracellular enzyme profiles of isolated Metschnikowia pulcherrima yeast strains. In order to analyse the effects of heat stress and osmotic stress on pulcherrimin pigment synthesis, different temperatures and NaCl concentrations were used, respectively. The enzymatic profiles of M. pulcherrima yeast strains were determined by API-ZYM. The results indicated that the amount of pigment synthesis and the localization were changed depending on the growth conditions. All yeast strains showed a high leucine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, alpha-glucosidase and beta-glucosidase activities.

IDENTIFIKASI LACTOBACILLUS GASSERI DARI ASI: KARAKTERISASI DAN PENGUJIAN BIOKIMIA

ABSTRAK ASI dari ibu yang sehat memiliki potensi yang besar mengandung bakteri probiotik spesies Lactobacillus. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa 20% dari sampel lima ASI Ibu menyusui usia 12 – 60 hari setelah melahirkan mengandung bakteri probiotik Lactobacillus gasseri dengan karakteristik morfologi: gram positif, katalase negative, non motil, anaerob, bentuk koloni bulat dengan permukaan cembung, warna koloni putih susu agak krem, tekstur koloni agak keras, koloni tumbuh dibagian tengah media agar (anaerob), sel berbentuk basil dengan ukuran sel 2,0 µm. sedangkan uji biokimia menunjukkan bahwa isolate L. glasseri terseleksi mampu menguraikan: D-Cellobiose, Saccharose, Maltotriose, Phosphatase, Leucine Arylamidase, Tryosine Arylamidase, Arbutin, Esculin hydrolysis, Ala-Phe-Pro_Arylamidase, N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, Phenylalanine Arylamidase, D-Glukose, 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl-beta-glucoside, L-Proline Arylamidase, D-Mannose, Arginine GP, D-Maltose. Kata kunci: Lactobacillus gasseri, probiotik, ASI. ABSTRACT Breast milk from healthy mothers has a great potential to contain the probiotic bacteria of the Lactobacillus species. The results showed that 20% of the five samples of breast milk, at days 12 to 60 after birth contained probiotic bacteria of Lactobacillus gasseri with morphology of bacterial: gram-positive, catalase- negative, non-motile, anaerob, rounded colony shape with convex surface, the color colony of slightly creamy, rather hard colony texture, anaerobic, basil-shaped cells with a cell size of 2.0 μm. Biochemical tests show that selected L. glasseri isolates are able to decipher: D-Cellobiose, Saccharose, Maltotriose, Phosphatase, Leucine Arylamidase, Tryosine Arylamidase, Arbutin, Esculin hydrolysis, Ala-Phe-Pro_Arylamidase, N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, Phenylalanine Arylamidase, D-Glukose, 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl-beta-glucoside, L-Proline Arylamidase, D-Mannose, Arginine GP, D-Maltose. Keywords: Lactobacillus gasseri, probiotic, breast milk

Enzymatic activity and biotypes of Candida fungi isolated from the surfaces of mobile phones and hands

Introduction: The secretion of hydrolytic enzymes is a factor facilitating pathogenic fungi invasion into the tissues. Purpose: To assess hydrolytic activity and biotypes of Candida strains isolated from samples collected from the surfaces of mobile phones and the hands of their owners. Materials and methods: The study included 175 mobile telephones and hands. The API ZYM test was used to assess enzymatic activity; biotyping was performed according to Williamson’s classification. Results: Among the strains isolated from hand surfaces, the highest activity was shown for C. albicans (acid phosphatase, esterase), C. glabrata (leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, esterase), and C. krusei (acid phosphatase). Of the strains isolated from phone surfaces, the highest activity was shown for C. albicans (leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase), C. glabrata (esterase, leucine arylamidase, esterase lipase), and C. krusei (acid phosphatase). Biotypes G, B and F were dominant for all types of fungi, both for strains isolated from phones and hand surfaces. Additionally, biotype A was dominant for C. krusei. Conclusions: C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. krusei showed activity for all hydrolytic enzymes. The strongest correlation between the hydrolytic activity of fungi isolated from hand and phone surfaces was shown for C. albicans.

Sporothrix schenckii COMPLEX: SUSCEPTIBILITIES TO COMBINED ANTIFUNGAL AGENTS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ENZYMATIC PROFILES

SUMMARY Sporothrix schenckiiwas reclassified as a complex encompassing six cryptic species, which calls for the reassessment of clinical and epidemiological data of these new species. We evaluated the susceptibility of Sporothrix albicans (n = 1) , S. brasiliensis (n = 6) , S. globosa (n = 1), S. mexicana(n = 1) and S. schenckii(n = 36) to terbinafine (TRB) alone and in combination with itraconazole (ITZ), ketoconazole (KTZ), and voriconazole (VRZ) by a checkerboard microdilution method and determined the enzymatic profile of these species with the API-ZYM kit. Most interactions were additive (27.5%, 32.5% and 5%) or indifferent (70%, 50% and 52.5%) for TRB+KTZ, TRB+ITZ and TRB+VRZ, respectively. Antagonisms were observed in 42.5% of isolates for the TRB+VRZ combination. Based on enzymatic profiling, the Sporothrix schenckii strains were categorized into 14 biotypes. Leucine arylamidase (LA) activity was observed only for S. albicans and S. mexicana. The species S. globosaand S. mexicanawere the only species without β-glucosidase (GS) activity. Our results may contribute to a better understanding of virulence and resistance among species of the genus Sporothrixin further studies.

Enzymatic Activity of Prototheca zopfii Strains Isolated from Cows with Mastitis

Bovine mastitis caused by Prototheca spp. can be a disease of high significance because of economic losses and the potential risk to public health. The aim of our study was to evaluate enzymatic activity of Prototheca zopfii. For this study, we used 15 P. zopfii strains previously isolated from cows with clinical and subclinical mastitis in Poland. We determined enzymatic profile of Prototheca species using the API ZYM system. Of the enzymatic activities detected during the study, acid phosphatase, leucine arylamidase, naphthol-as-bi-phosphohydrolase, esterase, lipase esterase, valine arylamidase, alkaline phosphatase, and lipase C14 were found in high percentage of strains.

Enzymatic activity of yeasts isolated from the inflamed mammary secretion in dairy cows

Enzymatic activity of yeasts isolated from the inflamed mammary secretion in dairy cows The aim of the study was to evaluate enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from inflammatory mammary secretion. The yeasts isolated from cows with clinical and sub-clinical mastitis (134 strains) included: Candida krusei (62 strains), Candida kefyr (48 strains), Candida lusitaniae (17 strains) and Candida famata (7 strains). The API ZYM system was used containing substrates to assess 19 hydrolytic enzymes. Substantial differences in the number and activity of hydrolyses were demonstrated in individual species. In Candida krusei, acid phosphatase showed the highest activity (4.36 points), in Candida kefyr and Candida lusitaniae - leucine arylamidase (4.93 and 4.25 points, respectively), in Candida famata - α-glucosidase (4.75 points). No activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, α-galactosidase, β-glucuronidase, α-mannosidase or α-fucosidase was observed in any of the yeasts examined.