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Beta-galactosidase, commonly named lactase, is one of the most important enzymes used in dairy processing; it catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose to its constituent monosaccharides glucose and galactose. Here, a thermostable beta-galactosidase gene bgaB from Bacillus stearothermophilus was cloned and expressed in B. subtilis WB600. The recombinant enzyme was purified by a combination of heat treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange, and gel filtration chromatography techniques. The purified beta-galactosidase appeared as a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE gel with a molecular mass of approximately 70 kDa. Its isoelectric point, determined by polyacryl-amide gel isoelectric focusing, was close to 5.1. The optimum temperature and pH for this beta-galactosidase activity were 70 degrees C and pH 7.0, respectively. Kinetics of thermal inactivation and half-life times for this thermostable enzyme at 65 and 70 degrees C were 50 and 9 h, respectively, and the K(m) and V(max) values were 2.96 mM and 6.62 micromol/min per mg. Metal cations and EDTA could not activate this thermostable enzyme, and some divalent metal ions, namely, Fe(2+), Zn(2+), Cu(2+), Pb(2+), and Sn(2+), inhibited its activity. Thiol reagents had no effect on the enzyme activity, and sulfhydryl group blocking reagents inactivated the enzyme. This enzyme possessed a high level of transgalactosylation activity in hydrolysis of lactose in milk. The results suggest that this recombinant thermostable enzyme may be suitable for both the hydrolysis of lactose and the production of galactooligosaccharides in milk processing.

Aims To assess strains of lactobacilli for their capacity to produce functional fatty acid-conjugated linoleic acid. To assess the linoleate isomerase for CLA production in the most efficient CLA producer. Methods and Results In this study, strains of food-derived lactobacilli were cultured in media with linoleic acid and CLA production was assessed. Most of the selected strains produced CLA at different levels, with Lactobacillus plantarum ZS2058 being the most efficient CLA producer converting over 50% of linoleic acid to c9, t11-CLA and t9, t11-CLA. Some intermediates 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid, 10-oxo-cis-12-octadecenoic acid and 10-oxo-trans-11-octadecenoic acid were determined via GC-MS. The genes coding the multicomponent linoleate isomerase containing myosin-cross-reactive antigen, short-chain dehydrogenase/oxidoreductase and acetoacetate decarboxylase for CLA production in Lact. plantarum ZS2058 were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. With the mixture of recombinant E. coli, c9, t11-CLA and three kinds of intermediates were produced from linoleic acid, which were in line with those in the lactobacilli. Conclusions The ability for CLA production by lactobacilli exhibited variation. Lactobacillus plantarum and Lact. bulgaricus were the most efficient producers in the selected strains. Lact. plantarum ZS2058 converted linoleic acid to CLAs with 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid, 10-oxo-cis-12-octadecenoic acid and 10-oxo-trans-11-octadecenoic acid as intermediates. The multiple-step reactions for CLA production catalysed by multicomponent linoleate isomerase in Lact. plantarum ZS2058 were confirmed successfully. Significance and Impact of the study Multicomponent linoleate isomerase provides important results for the illustration of the mechanism for CLA production in lactic acid bacteria. Food-derived lactobacilli with CLA production ability offers novel opportunities for functional foods development.

Consumption of a mixture of Lactobacillus species may encourage faster recovery from antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis and gut microbiota-related immune disturbance.

Helicobacter pylori may cause stomach diseases such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer, and several studies reported that lactobacilli have inhibitory effects on H. pylori. In this study, 38 Lactobacillus strains were screened for anti-H. pylori activity using in vitro methods, including survivability under the simulated gastric conditions, agar plate diffusion, urease activity, coaggregation, autoaggregation, and hydrocarbon analysis. The results indicate that 2 Lactobacillus strains showed potential anti-H. pylori activity in vitro. Lactobacillus plantarum 18 had the largest zone of inhibition and markedly reduced the urease activity of H. pylori. Lactobacillus gasseri Chen had higher coaggregation rate (58.15%) and hydrophobicity (59.27%) compared with the other strains. Further research is needed to verify the activities of these strains against H. pylori.

A recombinant thermostable beta-galactosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus was immobilized onto chitosan using Tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine (THP) and glutaraldehyde, and a packed bed reactor was utilized to hydrolyze lactose in milk. The thermostability and enzyme activity of THP-immobilized beta-galactosidase during storage was superior to that of free and glutaraldehyde-immobilized enzymes. The THP-immobilized beta-galactosidase showed greater relative activity in the presence of Ca(2+) than the free enzyme and was stable during the storage at 4 degrees C for 6 wk, whereas the free enzyme lost 31% of the initial activity under the same storage conditions. More than 80% of lactose hydrolysis in milk was achieved after 2 h of operation in the reactor. Therefore, THP-immobilized recombinant thermostable beta-galactosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus has the potential for application in the production of lactose-hydrolyzed milk.

Multicomponent linoleic acid isomerase provided important results for illustration unique mechanism for CLA production in Lact. plantarum ZS2058. Lactobacilli with CLA production ability offer novel opportunities for functional food development.