ABSTRACT
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have evolved into fastidious microorganisms that require amino acids from environmental sources. Some LAB have cell envelope proteases (CEPs) that drive the proteolysis of high molecular weight proteins like casein in milk. CEP activity is typically studied using casein as the predominant substrate, even though CEPs can hydrolyze other protein sources. Plant protein hydrolysis by LAB has rarely been connected to the activity of specific CEPs. This study aims to show the activity of individual CEPs using LAB growth in a minimal growth medium supplemented with high molecular weight casein or potato proteins. Using Lactococcus cremoris MG1363 as isogenic background to express CEPs, we demonstrate that CEP activity is directly related to growth in the protein-supplemented minimal growth media. Proteolysis is analyzed based on the amino acid release, allowing a comparison of CEP activities and analysis of amino acid utilization by L. cremoris MG1363. This approach provides a basis to analyze CEP activity on plant-based protein substrates as casein alternatives and to compare activity of CEP homologs.
Subject(s)
Lactococcus lactis , Peptide Hydrolases , Animals , Peptide Hydrolases/metabolism , Caseins/metabolism , Molecular Weight , Endopeptidases/chemistry , Lactococcus lactis/metabolism , Amino Acids/metabolismABSTRACT
Plant genetic resources conservation may be a potential option for the improvement of agricultural crops through modern biotechnologies, and in vitro conservation is a tool available to safeguard plant biodiversity. Ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources using the in vitro procedures is in progress in many countries. The slow growth storage (SGS) technique is a valid in vitro approach to preserve several vegetatively propagated species by controlling the growth and development of plantlets, economizing storage space and labor and reducing costs. Moreover, SGS prolongs the timing between subcultures, lowers the risk of losing germplasm through handling errors, such as contamination problems, and decreases the risk of genetic instability due to the reduction in the number of subcultures. SGS is applied by considering different factors: temperature, light or darkness conditions, medium composition, including mineral or sucrose concentrations, and the presence/absence of plant growth regulators, osmotic agents and growth inhibitors. SGS protocols for some fruit species have been well defined, others require additional research. The present review focuses on the effect of several factors that influence the SGS of in vitro shoots derived from temperate and tropical fruit species during the last ten years.
ABSTRACT
Sporulation is the most enduring survival strategy developed by several bacterial species. However, spore development of the model organism Bacillus subtilis has mainly been studied by means of media or conditions optimized for the induction of sporogenesis. Here, I show that during prolonged growth during stationary phase in minimal medium, B. subtilis undergoes an asymmetric cell division that produces small and round-shaped, DNA containing cells. In contrast to wild-type cells, mutants harboring spo0A or spoIIIE/sftA double mutations neither sporulate nor produce this special cell type, providing evidence that the small round cells emerge from the abortion of endospore formation. In most cases observed, the small round cells arise in the presence of sigma H but absence of sigma F activity, different from cases of abortive sporulation described for rich media. These data suggest that in minimal media, many cells are able to initiate but fail to complete spore development, and therefore return to normal growth as rods. This work reveals that the continuation of asymmetric cell division, which results in the formation of the small round cells, is a way for cells to delay or escape from-unsuccessful-sporulation. Based on these findings, I suggest to name the here described cell type as "dwarf cells" to distinguish them from the well-known minicells observed in mutants defective in septum placement or proper chromosome partitioning.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pleurotus sapidus secretes a huge enzymatic repertoire including hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes and is an example for higher basidiomycetes being interesting for biotechnology. The complex growth media used for submerged cultivation limit basic physiological analyses of this group of organisms. Using undefined growth media, only little insights into the operation of central carbon metabolism and biomass formation, i.e., the interplay of catabolic and anabolic pathways, can be gained. RESULTS: The development of a chemically defined growth medium allowed rapid growth of P. sapidus in submerged cultures. As P. sapidus grew extremely slow in salt medium, the co-utilization of amino acids using 13C-labelled glucose was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. While some amino acids were synthesized up to 90% in vivo from glucose (e.g., alanine), asparagine and/or aspartate were predominantly taken up from the medium. With this information in hand, a defined yeast free salt medium containing aspartate and ammonium nitrate as a nitrogen source was developed. The observed growth rates of P. sapidus were well comparable with those previously published for complex media. Importantly, fast growth could be observed for 4 days at least, up to cell wet weights (CWW) of 400 g L-1. The chemically defined medium was used to carry out a 13C-based metabolic flux analysis, and the in vivo reactions rates in the central carbon metabolism of P. sapidus were investigated. The results revealed a highly respiratory metabolism with high fluxes through the pentose phosphate pathway and TCA cycle. CONCLUSIONS: The presented chemically defined growth medium enables researchers to study the metabolism of P. sapidus, significantly enlarging the analytical capabilities. Detailed studies on the production of extracellular enzymes and of secondary metabolites of P. sapidus may be designed based on the reported data.
ABSTRACT
El mantenimiento en campo de los Bancos de Germoplasma resulta muy costoso, además de los riesgos a que se exponen. El cultivo de tejidos constituye una solución a estos problemas siendo conveniente utilizar una combinación de técnicas de almacenamiento en los cultivos de propagación vegetativa para no depender de una sola. El cultivo in vitro ofrece nuevas alternativas para el mejoramiento de la productividad y la producción de material de siembra sano en malanga (Xanthosoma spp.). La presente investigación se desarrolló en el Laboratorio de Cultivo de Tejidos del Instituto de Investigaciones de Viandas Tropicales (INIVIT), Cuba, con el objetivo de estudiar las condiciones para la conservación en crecimiento mínimo in vitro de germoplasma de esta especie. Como material vegetal se utilizó el clon de Malanga Xanthosoma "INIVIT MX-2008". El establecimiento del material vegetal y su posterior multiplicación fueron realizadas según la metodología recomendada por García et al. (1999). Para la conservación en medio de cultivo de crecimiento mínimo se utilizó el medio basal MS y se estudiaron 15 tratamientos que combinaron concentraciones de Manitol (regulador osmótico) (1,5; 3 y 4%) y Nitrato de plata (inhibidor de la acción etileno) (0, 2, 4, 8, 10 mg.L-1). Se concluye que es posible conservar in vitro los recursos genéticos de malanga Xanthosoma durante más de 10 meses, en un medio de cultivo compuesto por sales y vitaminas MS suplementado con 4% de manitol y 4 mg.L-1 de Nitrato de plata. Las plantas propagadas a partir de este medio de cultivo se recuperaron exitosamente. La mayor concentración de manitol en el medio de cultivo pudo haber influido en la mejor recuperación del material conservado.
Maintenance field genebanks are costly, in addition to the risks they face; to that effect on tissue culture is a solution to these problems. In vegetative propagated crops is desirable to use a combination of storage technology rather than relying on just one. in vitro culture provides an alternative for improving productivity and production of healthy planting material of taro (Xanthosoma spp.). This research was conducted in the Tissue Culture Laboratory of the Research Institute of Tropical Crops. Our objective was study the conditions for minimal growth conservation in vitro germplasm in this species. As plant material was used clone of Taro Xanthosoma 'INIVIT MX-2008'. The establishment of the plant material and its subsequent multiplication were carried out according to the methodology recommended by García et al. (1999). For the maintenance in culture of minimal growth basal medium MS was used and studied 15 treatments with combined concentrations of mannitol (osmotic regulator) (1.5, 3 and 4%) and silver nitrate (Ethylene inhibitor) (0, 2, 4, 8, 10 mg.L-1). It concludes that it is possible to conserve taro Xanthosoma genetic resources in vitro, for over 10 months in a culture medium composed of MS salts and vitamins and supplemented with 4% mannitol and 4 mg.L-1 of silver nitrate. Plants propagated from this culture medium were recovered successfully. The presence of higher concentrations of mannitol, may have influenced that increases survival of preserved material. O3.
Subject(s)
Mannitol , Silver Nitrate , Xanthosoma , GrowthABSTRACT
A conservação in vitro é uma estratégia de conservação ex situ que garante a manutenção da integridade genética e biológica das espécies. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de agentes osmóticos e temperatura na conservação in vitro de Syngonanthus mucugensis Giul. subsp. mucugensis. Os brotos foram inoculados em meio de cultura MS ½ contendo 7g L-1 de ágar e suplementado com 60g L-1 de sacarose, e com as concentrações de sacarose 15, 30 e 45g L-1 combinados com 0 e 15g L-1 de sorbitol ou manitol. As culturas foram mantidas em duas temperaturas (18 e 25°C). A porcentagem de sobrevivência das plantas foi avaliada mensalmente e ao final de 180 dias foram analisados o comprimento da parte aérea e da raiz, a porcentagem de folhas verdes, a porcentagem de explantes com brotos, o número de brotos por explante e o comprimento dos brotos. Os agentes osmóticos promoveram um decréscimo no crescimento das plantas, no entanto reduziram a sua viabilidade. Os resultados observados nos experimentos mantidos a 18°C foram significativamente superiores aos encontrados a 25°, para todas as variáveis analisadas. A conservação de S. mucugensis subsp. mucugensis pode ser feita à 18°C em meio de cultura MS ½ contendo 15g L-1 de sacarose, por até 180 dias, sem subcultivo.
The in vitro conservation is an ex situ conservation strategy that ensures the maintenance of genetic and biological integrity of species. The present study evaluated the effects of, osmotic agents and different temperature regimes on the in vitro conservation of Syngonanthus mucugensis Giul. subsp. mucugensis. The shoots were inoculated into half salt strength Murashige and Skoog culture medium (MS ½) containing 7g L-1 of agar. The culture medium was supplemented with 60gL-1 sucrose and with the sucrose concentrations 15, 30 and 45g L-1 combined with 0 and 15g L-1 of sorbytol or mannitol. Two different temperatures were used in these experiments (18 and 25°C). The percentage of plant survival was evaluated monthly and at 180 days were analyzed length of shoot and root, the percentage of green leaves, the percentage of explants with shoots and number of shoots per explants and shoot length. The addition of osmotic agents resulted in decreased growth of the plants and therefore reduced their viability. The averages observed in the experiments undertaken at 18°C were significantly superior to those observed at 25°C for all of the variables analyzed. S. mucugensis subsp. mucugensis can be cultured at 18°C in MS½ culture medium containing 15g L-1 of sucrose, for up to 180 days, without subculturing.
ABSTRACT
Pasteuria penetrans is an obligate, mycelial, and endospore-forming bacterial parasite of Meloidogyne spp. with promise for the management of root-knot nematodes. Our objective was to use regression analysis of developmental time (days) to various temperatures to determine the minimal temperature for growth and development of P. penetrans in Meloidogyne spp. The data set for regression originated from a previously published report. The data fit well to hyperbolic equations. For various developmental stages of P. penetrans, the minimal growth temperature ranged from 16.7 degrees C to 17.8 degrees C and averaged 17.2 degrees C.
