The gene encoding the general stress transcription factor ςB in the gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes was isolated with degenerate PCR primers followed by inverse PCR amplification. Evidence for gene identification includes the following: (i) phylogenetic analyses of reported amino acid sequences for ςB and the closely related ςFproteins grouped L. monocytogenes ςB in the same cluster with the ςB proteins from Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, (ii) the gene order in the 2,668-bp portion of the L. monocytogenes sigBoperon is rsbU-rsbV-rsbW-sigB-rsbX and is therefore identical to the order of the last five genes of the B. subtilis sigB operon, and (iii) an L. monocytogenesςB mutant had reduced resistance to acid stress in comparison with its isogenic parent strain. The sigB mutant was further characterized in mouse models of listeriosis by determining recovery rates of the wild-type and mutant strains from livers and spleens following intragastric or intraperitoneal infection. Our results suggest that ςB-directed genes do not appear to be essential for the spread of L. monocytogenes to mouse liver or spleen at 2 and 4 days following intragastric or intraperitoneal infection.

The mechanisms for the hypocholesterolemic and antiobesity effects of grape seed flours derived from white and red winemaking processing were investigated using male Golden Syrian hamsters fed high-fat (HF) diets supplemented with 10% partially defatted grape seed flours from Chardonnay (ChrSd), Cabernet Sauvignon (CabSd), or Syrah (SyrSd) pomace as compared to a HF control diet for 3 weeks. Hamsters fed the ChrSd diet had significantly lowered plasma total-, VLDL-, and LDL-cholesterol concentrations compared to the CabSd, SyrSd, and control diets. The improved plasma cholesterol after ChrSd was correlated with the up-regulation of hepatic genes related to cholesterol (CYP51) and bile acid (CYP7A1) synthesis as well as LDL-cholesterol uptake (LDLR). A reduction of hepatic lipid content was associated with altered expression of the genes related to lipid metabolism. However, fecal total lipid content was not changed. Expression of ileal apical sodium bile acid transporter (ASBT) was not affected by ChrSd, indicating unchanged ileal bile acid reabsorption. The antiobesity effect of the ChrSd diet appears to be related to expression of adipogenesis- and inflammation-related genes in adipose tissue. These findings suggest that flavonoid-rich Chardonnay grape seed flour induced cholesterol-lowering, antiobesity, and anti-inflammatory health benefits and attenuation of hepatic steatosis via regulation of gene expression related to cholesterol, bile acid, and lipid metabolism in liver and adipose tissue.

The relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the hypocholesterolemic and antiobesity effects of whole grape seed flour from white and red winemaking was evaluated. Male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed a high-fat (HF) control diet or a HF diet supplemented with 10% partially defatted grape seed flours from either Chardonnay (ChrSd) or Cabernet Sauvignon (CabSd) grapes for 3 weeks. The numbers of total bacteria and relative abundances of Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., and Firmicutes in feces were significantly lower, while the relative abundance of Bacteroides fragilis was greater than the control from feeding the ChrSd diet. The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) was lower in the ChrSd diet. There were significantly positive correlations between Lactobacillus spp., ratio of F/B, and plasma total- and LDL-cholesterol and liver weight. The reduction of Lactobacillus spp. by the ChrSd diet was accompanied by inhibition of Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) signaling in the intestine as expression of intestinal fibrablast growth factor (FGF)15, positively regulated by FXR, was decreased. Expression of CYP7A1, negatively regulated by FGF15, was up-regulated in the liver, which indicates that alteration of the intestinal microbiota may regulate bile acid and lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that beneficial health effects of Chardonnay grape seed flour on HF-induced metabolic disease relate in part to modulation of intestinal microbiota and their metabolic processes.

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The yeast, Brettanomyces bruxellensis (Brett) is a significant cause of quality defects associated with red wine spoilage. At least some wine producers spend significant resources to prevent, detect, and mitigate damage from Brett, and many express concern about it, but some producers and consumers say they like it in small doses. Brett damage is especially of concern in premium red wine and has become more of a concern to producers in recent years as consumers have become better informed about it. We combine information from diverse sources to develop an initial understanding of the economics of Brettanomyces and management practices to mitigate its consequences. An analysis of detailed confidential data from three wineries in California reveals that at least some wineries are incurring significant costs to reduce the risk of infection with Brettanomyces. Some other wineries that opt not to spend so much on prevention are incurring higher costs in treating infected wines and in lost value from wines being downgraded to lower-valued blends. Results from an online survey of industry participants reinforce the analysis of the detailed data from the three wineries and suggest that the findings may be indicative of conditions more generally across the industry. (JEL Classifications: D22, D24, L66)

Dekkera/Brettanomyces bruxellensis has long been recognized as a common contaminant in wine (Custers 1940, van der Walt andvan Kerken 1958). Brettanomyces can produce potent off-flavors (horse sweat, Band Aid, barnyard, and burnt plastic), which devalue the quality of wines. However, not all characteristics produced by Brettanomyces are universally disliked. There are anecdotal reports of Brettanomyces that grow faster or produce less acetic acid and of strains that only produce "good Brettanomyces" characteristics, but there is no rigorous analysis of any of these isolates. Studies have been done on the factors controlling the production of known chemicals that contribute to the characteristic flavors associated with Brettanomyces (Heresztyn 1986a,b, Ciani and Ferraro 1997, Rodrigues et al. 2001). Rodrigues et al. (2001 also investigated the effect of media components on a few strains, to develop a differential medium. Published data on some growth parameters are inconsistent. Rose and Harrison (1971) found that pyridoxine had a positive affect on the growth of Brettanomyces bruxellensis, while Uscanga et al. ( 2000) more recently found contradictory results. Different strains and different growth conditions were used in each case, which could explain the discrepancy in observations. Brettanomyces bruxellensis can utilize several carbon sources, including ethanol (Dias et al. 2003). The yeast produces a wide range of metabolites, the most significant of which are acetic acid and ethyl phenols, such as 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol (Chatonnet et al. 1995(Chatonnet et al. , 1997, and several other known and unknown compounds (Licker 1998). Although as many as 10 compounds are denoted as being related to the "Brett" defect in wines, 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol are two chemicals that have been specifically linked to the presence and activity of this yeast (Heresztyn 1986a,b, Chatonnet 1997. Recently, 4-ethylcatechol has been found as a Brettanomyces-related metabolite and is responsible for some of the aroma character found in Brettanomyces-contaminated wines (Hesford et al. 2004).O'Donnell (1993) reported the use of 26S rDNA gene primers to amplify a divergent region (D1/D2 region) demarcated by nucleotides 63-642 of the 5'-end of the large subunit of rDNA genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sequence of the region of the 26S rDNA gene was published for more than 500 yeast species and can be accessed via the Internet Robnett 1998, Altschul et al. 1990).Little information is available about physiological and genetic differences among Brettanomyces isolates from wine. In this work, 47 strains of Brettanomyces were characterized genetically and physiological characterization was performed on 35 of these isolates. The strains of Brettanomyces selected were isolated from wines from diverse geographic regions, from different vintage years, made with different varietals. The principal aim was to

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Research continues to provide compelling insights into potential health benefits associated with diets rich in plant-based natural products (PBNPs). Coupled with evidence from dietary intervention trials, dietary recommendations increasingly include higher intakes of PBNPs. In addition to health benefits, PBNPs can drive flavor and sensory perceptions in foods and beverages. Chardonnay marc (pomace) is a byproduct of winemaking obtained after fruit pressing that has not undergone fermentation. Recent research has revealed that PBNP diversity within Chardonnay marc has potential relevance to human health and desirable sensory attributes in food and beverage products. This review explores the potential of Chardonnay marc as a valuable new PBNP ingredient in the food system by combining health, sensory, and environmental sustainability benefits that serves as a model for development of future ingredients within a sustainable circular bioeconomy. This includes a discussion on the potential role of computational methods, including artificial intelligence (AI), in accelerating research and development required to discover and commercialize this new source of PBNPs.