Eerik Jõgi

Degradation of Fructans and Production of Propionic Acid by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron are Enhanced by the Shortage of Amino Acids.

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron is commonly found in the human colon and stabilizes its ecosystem by catabolism of various polysaccharides. A model of cross-talk between the metabolism of amino acids and fructans in B. thetaiotaomicron was proposed. The growth of B. thetaiotaomicron DSM 2079 in two defined media containing mineral salts and vitamins, and supplemented with either 20 or 2 amino acids, was studied in an isothermal microcalorimeter. The polyfructans inulin (from chicory) and levan (synthesized using levansucrase from Pseudomonas syringae), two fructooligosaccharide preparations with different composition, sucrose and fructose were tested as substrates. The calorimetric power-time curves were substrate specific and typically multiauxic. A surplus of amino acids reduced the consumption of longer oligosaccharides (degree of polymerization > 3). Bacterial growth was not detected either in the carbohydrate free medium containing amino acids or in the medium with inulin as a sole carbohydrate. In amino acid-restricted medium, fermentation leading to acetic acid formation was dominant at the beginning of growth (up to 24 h), followed by increased lactic acid production, and mainly propionic and succinic acids were produced at the end of fermentation. In the medium supplemented with 20 amino acids, the highest production of d-lactate (82 ± 33 mmol/gDW) occurred in parallel with extensive consumption (up to 17 mmol/gDW) of amino acids, especially Ser, Thr, and Asp. The production of Ala and Glu was observed at growth on all substrates, and the production was enhanced under amino acid deficiency. The study revealed the influence of amino acids on fructan metabolism in B. thetaiotaomicron and showed that defined growth media are invaluable in elucidating quantitative metabolic profiles of the bacteria. Levan was shown to act as an easily degradable substrate for B. thetaiotaomicron. The effect of levan on balancing or modifying colon microbiota will be studied in further experiments.

Comparative study of semi-specific Aeromonas hydrophila and universal Pseudomonas fluorescens biosensors for BOD measurements in meat industry wastewaters

Aeromonas hydrophila P69.1 (A. hydrophila) was used to construct a semi-specific biosensor to estimate biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in high fat and grease content wastewaters. A. hydrophila cells were grown in fat containing medium to induce necessary enzymes for transport and degradation of fatty substances. Universal biosensor based on non-specific Pseudomonas fluorescens P75 (P. fluorescens) was used to conduct comparison experiments. Biosensors were calibrated using OECD synthetic wastewater and steady-state method, subsequently several experiments with synthetic and industrial wastewaters were conducted. A linear range up to 45 mg l(-1) BOD(7) was gained using A. hydrophila biosensor, in comparison to 40 mg l(-1) BOD(7) obtained using P. fluorescens biosensors. The lower limit of detection was 5 mg l(-1) BOD(7). Service life of A. hydrophila and P. fluorescens biosensors were 110 and 115 days, respectively. The response time of the biosensors depended on the BOD(7) of measuring solution and was up to 20 min when analyzing different wastewaters. Both biosensors underestimated BOD in meat industry wastewater from 43% up to 71%, but more accurate results could be obtained with A. hydrophila biosensor. Semi-specific A. hydrophila biosensor was able to measure proportion of fat found in wastewater sample, while other refractory compounds remained undetectable to both biosensors.

Periodontal disease in mothers indicates risk in their children.

INTRODUCTION It is well established that severe periodontitis clusters in families, but there are no data about the relationship between mothers with chronic periodontitis and their childrens periodontal status. OBJECTIVE To evaluate a risk for periodontal diseases in children of periodontally diseased and healthy mothers. METHODS Four study groups were included: (I) 20 female patients with untreated generalized severe chronic periodontitis, (II) their children (34), (III) 13 periodontally healthy mothers and (IV) their children (13). Material was collected from years 2004-2006. The clinical examination included registration of visible plaque index, modified gingival index and, bleeding sites on probing. Periodontal microbiological samples were obtained from all study subjects and the isolates were identified according to morphology and biochemical profiles; similar interfamilial pathogens were compared by PCR-technique. RESULTS The children of diseased mothers more frequently had periodontal diseases, especially gingivitis. In addition, clinical parameters of gingival inflammation were more expressed and oral hygiene was worse in this group of children. VPI and VPI% of the diseased and healthy mothers differed significantly. The most common oral pathogens were P. intermedia/nigrescens and A. actinomycetemcomitans. The children of healthy mothers harboured pathogens less frequently than the children of diseased mothers. The sharing of P. intermedia/nigrescens was more frequent (5 families) than A. actinomycetemcomitans (2 families). CONCLUSION Maternal indicators, such as periodontitis, hygiene habits, and periodontal microflora are risk factors for childhood periodontal diseases, and might be predictive of future childhood and adolescent periodontitis.

Nitrosomonas sp. Based biosensor for ammonium nitrogen measurement in wastewater

A bacterial culture of Nitrosomonas sp. was isolated from a nitrifying biofilm to construct a biosensor for ammonium nitrogen (NH4+−N) measurements in high ammonia wastewaters. The pure culture of microorganisms was immobilized into agarose gel matrix to attain a stable biosensor with a long service life. Biosensors were calibrated using (NH4)2SO4 solution and a steady-state method. Subsequently, several experiments with synthetic and industrial wastewaters were conducted. A linear range up to 20 mg/L of NH4+−N, and sensitivities between 0.030 and 0.036 were gained with biosensors. During 14 days of stable service life of the Nitrosomonas sp. biosensors, variation of the signal was less than 7%. Response times of biosensors were 15 ∼ 25 min, while recovery times were up to 25 min. Measurements with high ammonia content synthetic and industrial wastewaters were conducted, and 8.3 and 5.6% over estimation of NH4+−N was gained, respectively, compared with results of Nessler method. In spite of the small overestimation, the biosensor based on a pure culture of Nitrosomonas sp. and calibrated with (NH4)2SO4 is suitable for the analysis of NH4+−N in high ammonia content wastewaters.