Immobilization is one of the most effective and powerful tools used in industry, which has been studied and improved since the last century. Various immobilization techniques and support materials have been used on both laboratory and industrial scale. Each immobilization technique is applicable for a specific production mostly depending on the cost and sensibility of process. Compared to free biocatalyst systems, immobilization techniques often offer better stability, increased activity and selectivity, higher resistance, improved separation and purification, reuse of enzymes, and consequently more efficient process. Recently, many reviews have been published about immobilization systems; however, most of them have focused on a specific application or not emphasized in details. This review focuses on most commonly used techniques in industry with many recent applications including using bioreactor systems for industrial production. It is also aimed to emphasize the advantages and disadvantages of the immobilization techniques and how these systems improve process productivity compared to non-immobilized systems.

The objectives of this work was to isolate endophytic bacteria from Jacaranda decurrens Cham. and screening of some enzymes of biotechnological interest. Ten (10) bacterial species were isolated and identified from the leaves and steams. All the isolates presented enzymatic activity, which was ranked as follows: proteolytic (60%) and amilolytic activity (60%), lipolytic (40%), esterasic (40%). However, cellulolytic and pectinolytic activities were not detected. This is the first report on the isolation and identification of endophytic bacteria from Jacaranda decurrensCham.

Microorganisms play a vital role in maintaining soil fertility and plant health. They can act as biofertilizers and increase the resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. This study aimed at isolating and characterizing plant growth-promoting bacteria associated with sugarcane, as well as assessing their ability to promote plant growth. Endophytic bacteria from leaf, stem, root and rhizosphere were isolated from the RB 867515 commercial sugarcane variety and screened for indole acetic acid (IAA) production, ability to solubilize phosphate, fix nitrogen and produce hydrogen cyanide (HCN), ammonia and the enzymes pectinase, cellulase and chitinase. A total of 136 bacteria were isolated, with 83 of them presenting some plant growth mechanism: 47 % phosphate solubilizers, 26 % nitrogen fixers and 57 % producing IAA, 0.7 % HCN and chitinase, 45 % ammonia, 30 % cellulose and 8 % pectinase. The seven best isolates were tested for their ability to promote plant growth in maize. The isolates tested for plant growth promotion belong to the Enterobacteriaceae family and the Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Pantoea genera. Five isolates promoted plant growth in greenhouse experiments, showing potential as biofertilizers.

The evaluation of workers as potential reservoirs and disseminators of pathogenic bacteria has been described as a strategy for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of Enterobacteriaceae in the oral cavity of workers at an oncology hospital in the Midwest region of Brazil, as well as to characterize the phenotypic profile of the isolates. Saliva samples of 294 workers from the hospital’s healthcare and support teams were collected. Microbiological procedures were performed according to standard techniques. Among the participants, 55 (18.7%) were colonized by Enterobacteriaceae in the oral cavity. A total of 64 bacteria were isolated, including potentially pathogenic species. The most prevalent species was Enterobacter gergoviae (17.2%). The highest rates of resistance were observed for β-lactams, and 48.4% of the isolates were considered multiresistant. Regarding the enterobacteria isolated, the production of ESBL and KPC was negative. Nevertheless, among the 43 isolates of the CESP group, 51.2% were considered AmpC β-lactamase producers by induction, and 48.8% were hyper-producing mutants. The significant prevalence of carriers of Enterobacteriaceae and the phenotypic profile of the isolates represents a concern, especially due to the multiresistance and production of AmpC β-lactamases.

A importância clínica dos bastonetes Gram-negativos não fermentadores (BGNNF) tem aumentado significativamente devido à gravidade da infecção, elevada taxa de morbidade e mortalidade, principalmente em pacientes hospitalizados 2 . Esse grupo de microrganismos também apresenta resistência intrínseca a vários antimicrobianos, representando um grande desafio na terapêutica. Dentre os BGNNF, Pseudomonas aeruginosa é um dos principais agentes causadores de infecção em pacientes hospitalizados em unidades de terapia intensiva (UTI) e queimados 15 . ABSTRACTPseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium frequently isolated from hospital environments. This study had the aims of evaluating the susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa previously isolated from patients in a hospital in Goiânia (Goiás, Brazil), performing phenotypic screening for metallobeta-lactamase production and detecting its genes using the polymerase chain reaction technique. Seventy-five 75 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were evaluated between January 2005 and January 2007. Biochemical identification was performed using the API 20E ® system and an antibiogram was produced using the Kirby-Bauer method. Among the 62 isolates that were resistant to imipenem and ceftazidime, 35 (56.4%) produced metallo-betalactamase, while 26 (74.3%) showed the bla SPM-1 gene. The frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that produces metallo-beta-lactamase suggests that greater control over the dissemination of resistance in hospital environments is needed. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produtora de metalo-betalactamase (MBL) tem sido reportada como importante causa de infecções hospitalares. Apesar da prevalência destes microrganismos em hospitais ainda ser pouco investigada, os mesmos estão associados aos casos de disseminação clonal e surtos hospitalares 5 7 . A emergência de bactérias produtoras de MBL requer mudanças na rotina dos laboratórios de Microbiologia, Key