Tatsuro Hagi

Screening and characterization of potential probiotic lactic acid bacteria from cultured common carp intestine.

Screening of potential probiotic LAB for aquaculture from adult common carp intestine was performed seasonally. Lactococcus lactis h2 and Lactococcus raffinolactis h47, which show cholic acid resistance and strong antibacterial activity against fish pathogens, were selected from predominant LAB in summer and winter respectively. Enterococcus pseudoavium h50, with the strongest antimicrobial activity among the strains isolated through 1 year, was also selected. Streptococcus iniae I1, with strong antimicrobial activity, was selected from predominant LAB in young common carp intestine. Direct screening of LAB with cholic acid resistance was also carried out seasonally. The antibacterial activity of the isolates was tested, and Lactobacillus fuchuensis K11 was selected from the summer isolates. In addition, five candidate strains were selected from the winter samples. The candidates’ levels of cholic acid resistance and antibacterial activity were better than or at the least matched those of their corresponding type strains. All the candidates grew over a wide range of temperatures.

Correlation between in Vitro Mucus Adhesion and the in Vivo Colonization Ability of Lactic Acid Bacteria: Screening of New Candidate Carp Probiotics

We measured the adhesion of candidate probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to carp intestinal mucus. The percentage of adherent bacteria varied among strains. Four strains, two with high adhesion and two with low adhesion in vitro, were tested for in vivo colonization ability. Carp were fed LAB-containing feed for 12 d, and then unsupplemented feed until day 33, and the numbers and compositions of intestinal LAB were analyzed during the entire period. LAB with lower in vitro adhesion disappeared quickly from the intestine after LAB feeding stopped. LAB with higher in vitro adhesion remained in the intestine 3 weeks after LAB feeding stopped, indicating a strong correlation between mucus adhesion in vitro and colonization ability in vivo. Next we isolated nine candidate probiotic LAB with high in vitro mucus-binding ability. Three of them were fed to carp, and all three were stably maintained in the intestine.

Molecular-based analysis of changes in indigenous milk microflora during the grazing period.

Variations in milk microflora caused by changes in the cow feeding environment (from inside to outside grazing) were analyzed using a molecular-based approach comprising denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and real-time PCR. After 8 d of outside grazing, changes in milk microflora were observed. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed that the predominant bacterial group in the milk belonged to the Lactobacillus species during the experimental period, whereas the genus Staphylococcus gained in numbers during the outside grazing period in addition to Lactobacillus. To investigate the quantitative dynamics of staphylococci, real-time PCR was performed using staphylococcal-specific primers. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the population of staphylococci increased during the outside grazing period. Our combined denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and real-time PCR approach enables precise monitoring of the dynamics of both total bacteria and specific bacterial species in milk. Our results provide information on grazing management and the manufacture of dairy products.

Metabolome analysis of milk fermented by γ-aminobutyric acid–producing Lactococcus lactis

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the most important functional components in fermented foods because of its physiological functions, such as neurotransmission and antihypertensive activities. However, little is known about components other than GABA in GABA-rich fermented foods. A metabolomic approach offers an opportunity to discover bioactive and flavor components in fermented food. To find specific components in milk fermented with GABA-producing Lactococcus lactis 01-7, we compared the components found in GABA-rich fermented milk with those found in control milk fermented without GABA production using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A principal component analysis score plot showed a clear differentiation between the control milk fermented with L. lactis 01-1, which does not produce GABA, and GABA-rich milk fermented with a combination of L. lactis strains 01-1 and 01-7. As expected, the amount of GABA in GABA-rich fermented milk was much higher (1,216-fold) than that of the control milk. Interestingly, the amount of Orn was also much higher (27-fold) than that of the control milk. Peptide analysis showed that levels of 6 putative angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptides were also higher in the GABA-rich fermented milk. Furthermore, ACE-inhibitory activity of GABA-rich fermented milk tended to be higher than that of the control milk. These results indicate that the GABA-producing strain 01-7 provides fermented milk with other functional components in addition to GABA.

Aerobic condition increases carotenoid production associated with oxidative stress tolerance in Enterococcus gilvus

Although it is known that a part of lactic acid bacteria can produce carotenoid, little is known about the regulation of carotenoid production. The objective of this study was to determine whether aerobic growth condition influences carotenoid production in carotenoid-producing Enterococcus gilvus. Enterococcus gilvus was grown under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Its growth was slower under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions. The decrease in pH levels and production of lactic acid were also lower under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions. In contrast, the amount of carotenoid pigments produced by E. gilvus was significantly higher under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions. Further, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR revealed that the expression level of carotenoid biosynthesis genes crtN and crtM when E. gilvus was grown under aerobic conditions was 2.55-5.86-fold higher than when it was grown under anaerobic conditions. Moreover, after exposure to 16- and 32-mM H2O2, the survival rate of E. gilvus grown under aerobic conditions was 61.5- and 72.5-fold higher, respectively, than when it was grown under anaerobic conditions. Aerobic growth conditions significantly induced carotenoid production and the expression of carotenoid biosynthesis genes in E. gilvus, resulting in increased oxidative stress tolerance.

Aerobic conditions increase isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway gene expression levels for carotenoid production in Enterococcus gilvus

Some lactic acid bacteria that harbour carotenoid biosynthesis genes (crtNM) can produce carotenoids. Although aerobic conditions can increase carotenoid production and crtNM expression levels, their effects on the pathways that synthesize carotenoid precursors such as mevalonate and isoprene are not completely understood. In this study, we investigated whether aerobic conditions affected gene expression levels involved in the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway that includes the mevalonate and isoprene biosynthesis pathways in Enterococcus gilvus using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. NADH oxidase (nox) and superoxide dismutase (sod) gene expression levels were investigated as controls for aerobic conditions. The expression levels of nox and sod under aerobic conditions were 7.2- and 8.0-fold higher, respectively, than those under anaerobic conditions. Aerobic conditions concomitantly increased the expression levels of crtNM carotenoid biosynthesis genes. HMG-CoA synthase gene expression levels in the mevalonate pathway were only slightly increased under aerobic conditions, whereas the expression levels of HMG-CoA reductase and five other genes in the isoprene biosynthesis pathways were 1.2-2.3-fold higher than those under anaerobic conditions. These results demonstrated that aerobic conditions could increase the expression levels of genes involved in the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway via mevalonate in E. gilvus.

Complete Genome Sequence of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis G50 with Immunostimulating Activity, Isolated from Napier Grass

ABSTRACT Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis G50 is a strain with immunostimulating activity, isolated from Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum). We determined the complete genome sequence of this strain using the PacBio RS II platform. The single circular chromosome consists of 2,346,663 bp, with 35.03% G+C content and no plasmids.