Fernanda C. Domingues

The influence of culture conditions on mycelial structure and cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30

The morphology of Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30, during submerged cultivations in shake flask, was examined. The influence of the size inoculum and the composition of the fermentation medium on the morphology and cellulase production was studied. Different inoculum sizes were studied but the significative change in fungus morphology was observed for spores concentration between 10(5) and 10(7) spores/ml (i.e. 10(2) and 10(4) spores/ml in pre-culture medium). In the medium without Tween 80, at low inoculum size, the majority of the pellets were large and well individualized, in contrast, at higher inoculation densities small flocs were obtained, with higher production of soluble protein and higher filter paper activity. It was found that the average pellet size seems to be inversely proportional to the inoculum size. Medium composition, namely Tween 80, also influences the morphology of T. reesei Rut C-30 and enzyme production. The presence of Tween 80 in fermentation medium inhibited the pellet formation of this strain.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil: its antibacterial activity and mode of action evaluated by flow cytometry

The aim of this work was to study the antibacterial effect of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) essential oil against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Antibacterial susceptibility was evaluated using classical microbiological techniques concomitantly with the use of flow cytometry for the evaluation of cellular physiology. Our results showed that coriander oil has an effective antimicrobial activity against all bacteria tested. Also, coriander oil exhibited bactericidal activity against almost all bacteria tested, with the exception of Bacillus cereus and Enterococcus faecalis. Propidium iodide incorporation and concomitant loss of all other cellular functions such as efflux activity, respiratory activity and membrane potential seem to suggest that the primary mechanism of action of coriander oil is membrane damage, which leads to cell death. The results obtained herein further encourage the use of coriander oil in antibacterial formulations due to the fact that coriander oil effectively kills pathogenic bacteria related to foodborne diseases and hospital infections.

Synergistic activity of coriander oil and conventional antibiotics against Acinetobacter baumannii

In this study we investigated the existence of synergistic antibacterial effect between coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil and six different antibacterial drugs (cefoperazone, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tetracycline and piperacillin). The antibacterial activity of coriander oil was assessed using microdilution susceptibility testing and synergistic interaction by checkerboard assays. The association of coriander essential oil with chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and tetracycline against Acinetobacter baumannii showed in vitro effectiveness, which is an indicator of a possible synergistic interaction against two reference strains of A. baumannii (LMG 1025 and LMG 1041) (FIC index from 0.047 to 0.375). However, when tested the involvement between coriander essential oil and piperacillin or cefoperazone, the isobolograms and FIC index showed an additive interaction. The in vitro interaction could improve the antimicrobial effectiveness of ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and tetracycline and may contribute to resensitize A. baumannii to the action of chloramphenicol.

Antistaphylococcal and biofilm inhibitory activities of gallic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen which is able to form biofilms, exhibiting a more pronounced resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. The hurdles posed in eradicating biofilms have driven the search for new compounds able to fight these structures. Phenolic compounds constitute one of the most numerous and ubiquitous group of plant secondary metabolites with many biological activities. The aim of the present work was to study the potential antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of gallic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids against S. aureus as well to elucidate its mechanism of action. It was concluded that the phenolic acids studied in this work have antistaphylococcal properties. For instance, gallic acid is able to influence the adhesion properties of S. aureus. The phenolic acids tested were also able to inhibit the production of α-hemolysin by this microorganism, with the exception of chlorogenic acid. Regarding its mechanism of action, caffeic acid interferes with the stability of the cell membrane and with the metabolic activity of the cells of S. aureus.

Strategies to improve the solubility and stability of stilbene antioxidants: A comparative study between cyclodextrins and bile acids

Aiming at the development of an active food packaging, the goal of this study was to increase stilbenes (resveratrol (RV), pterostilbene (PT) and pinosylvin (PS)) aqueous solubility and stability using hydropropyl-cyclodextrins (HP-CDs) and bile salts. To evaluate stilbene concentration, an HPLC-DAD method was validated. Stilbene solubility was improved by the formation of inclusion complexes and micellar systems with higher solubility values obtained for the inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins. Inclusion complexes revealed a 1:1 stoichiometry for RV and PT and a 1:2 for PS. Solid state characterisation was carried out using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. (1)H NMR studies were also performed to characterise the prepared complexes. Photostability studies revealed that CDs were able to increase stilbene photostability at 4 °C. This work showed that stable stilbene solutions can be achieved using hydroxypropyl-CDs, contributing for their incorporation in several materials for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Genetic diversity, antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming ability of Arcobacter butzleri isolated from poultry and environment from a Portuguese slaughterhouse

The genus Arcobacter is an emerging pathogen associated with several clinical symptoms. This genus is widely distributed and has been isolated from environmental, animal, food and human samples, where poultry is considered the major source. In this study, forty three Arcobacter butzleri strains isolated from poultry and environment of a Portuguese slaughterhouse, were characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility and ability to form biofilms. PFGE patterns obtained using restriction enzymes SmaI and SacII revealed high genetic diversity, with 32 distinct PFGE patterns. Most of A. butzleri isolates presented multiple antimicrobial resistance, exhibiting four different resistance profiles. All 43 isolates were susceptible to gentamicin and 2.3% were resistant to chloramphenicol, in contrast to twenty four (55.8%) that were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Among 36 selected isolates, 26 strains presented biofilm-forming ability, which was dependent on the atmosphere and initial inoculum density. Overall, the results showed that A. butzleri displays a high genetic diversity, and presents resistance to several antibiotics, which together with its biofilm formation ability may represent a potential hazard for foodborne infections and a considerable risk for human health.

Insights in the pathogenesis and resistance of Arcobacter: A review

Abstract Arcobacter genus currently comprises 18 recognized species, among which Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus and Arcobacter skirrowii have been associated with human and animal disease. Although these organisms, with special emphasis A. butzleri, are emerging as clinical pathogens, several aspects of their epidemiology and virulence are only starting to be clarified. In vitro human and animal cell culture assays have been used to show that several Arcobacter species can adhere to and invade eukaryotic cells, induce an immune response and produce toxins that damage host cells. In addition, data from genome sequencing highlighted several potential markers that may be helpful candidates for the study and understanding of these mechanisms; however, more work is necessary to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in Arcobacter virulence. Arcobacter can be considered a relatively robust organism showing to be able to survive in adverse conditions, as the ones imposed by food processing and storage. Moreover, these bacteria have shown increased antibiotic resistance, along with high multidrug resistance. In this review, we seek to update the state-of-the-art concerning Arcobacter distribution, its interaction with the host, the trends of antibiotic resistance, its ability to survive, and finally the use of natural antimicrobials for control of Arcobacter.

Production of cellulases in batch culture using a mutant strain of Trichoderma reesei growing on soluble carbon source

Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30 is a highly derepressed mutant which synthesised active cellulases in culture media containing glucose and lactose as the only carbon sources. The maximum biomass, filter paper and specific filter paper activities for cell growth on 20 g glucose l−1 were 20 g dry cell wt l−1, 1.9 FPU ml−1 and 4.8 FPU mg−1 protein respectively, while on 40 g glucose l−1 were 25 g dry cell wt l−1, 4.5 FPU ml−1 and 6.2 FPU mg−1 protein, respectively. This strain had a higher specific filter paper activity (6.2 FPU mg−1 protein) than was produced by other T. reesei mutants (3.6 FPU mg−1 protein).

Development and validation of an analytical method for the determination of trans- and cis-resveratrol in wine: analysis of its contents in 186 Portuguese red wines.

A simple procedure based on solid-phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detector has been developed and validated for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of cis- and trans-resveratrol in wines. The method was linear from 0.025 (lower limit of quantitation, LLOQ) to 15 μg/mL for trans-resveratrol and from 0.023 (LLOQ) to 0.92 μg/mL for cis-resveratrol, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.99 for both isomers. Intra- and interday precision and accuracy were in conformity with the criteria normally accepted in method validation, that is, CVs inferior to 15% and mean relative errors within a ±14% interval. The extraction presented mean efficiencies close to 100% for both analytes. The validated methodology was applied to 186 Portuguese red wines from different regions, grape varieties and vintage. The results obtained showed that the content of trans-resveratrol in red wines ranged from 0.05 to 10.9 μg/mL, while the concentrations of cis-resveratrol ranged from 0.04 to 8.71 μg/mL.

Influence of buffer systems on Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30 morphology and cellulase production

The cellulase enzyme production is a key issue in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials. Since fungal morphology influences the productivity of fungal fermentations, it is of major importance to well know the fungal behavior during culture for cellulase production. In this work, the influence of medium supplementation, with different buffer systems at two different concentrations and pH conditions, on the morphology of T. reesei Rut C-30 and cellulase production, was investigated. A medium without buffer was used as control. The results suggest that fungal morphology is significantly dependent on the addition of different buffer systems to the nutrient broth. The mycelial morphology shows a clear transition from clumped to pelleted forms in cultures with variation of buffer systems and concentration. The higher filter paper activity was obtained using 100 mM succinate buffer, at pH 4.8, in the medium supplementation, corresponding to a dispersed mycelial morphology.