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Simple Summary: Osteoporosis-related fractures are among the most common complications found in postmenopausal adults, which results in considerable economic impacts. Most treatments for osteoporosis increase bone formation or decrease bone resorption. While estrogen replacement therapy may be the gold standard for the treatment of osteoporosis, it also carries an increased risk of cardiac events and strokes in women. Thus, it is important to seek a safe and effective treatment method. Gut homeostasis is demonstrably linked to bone health. Probiotics are widely known to modulate gut microbiota, but with large strain differences. Our findings showed a strain of Lactobacillus brevis AR281 with an anti-osteoporotic property in ovariectomized mice, which may provide a new way to prevent osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a global disease characterized by weakened bone microarchitecture, leading to osteoporotic fractures. Estrogen replacement therapy is the traditional treatment for osteoporosis but carries with it an increased risk of cardiac events. In search of a safe and effective treatment, we used Lactobacillus brevis AR281, which has anti-inflammatory properties, to conduct a 7-week experiment, investigating its inhibitory effects on osteoporosis in an ovariectomized (ovx) mouse model. The results demonstrated that AR281 significantly improved bone microarchitecture and biomechanical strength in ovx mice by attenuating bone resorption. AR281 significantly decreased the critical osteoclast activator, the ratio of the receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL) to osteoprotegerin, and pro-inflammatory osteoclastogenic mediators, such as IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17, which can increase the RANKL expression. Moreover, AR281 modulated intestinal microbiota in ovx mice increased the abundance of Akkermansia, which is responsible for the improvement of gut epithelial barrier integrity. In an in vitro trial, AR281 suppressed the number of osteoclasts differentiated from the osteoclast precursor RAW264.7 cells caused by RANKL through the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6)/NF-κB/nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) pathway. Therefore, AR281 may be a natural alternative for combating osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freeze drying is one of the most convenient ways to preserve microorganisms, but in the freeze-drying process, strains will inevitably suffer varying degrees of damage under different conditions. The deterioration of cell membrane integrity is one of the main forms of damage. The type and ratio of fatty acids in the cell membrane affect its characteristics. Therefore, it is worth investigating whether certain fatty acids can increase freeze-drying resistance. In this study, we found that adding a low concentration of oleic acid to a cryoprotectant could increase survival rate of strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum following freeze drying, and the optimal concentration of oleic acid was determined to be 0.001%. When 0.001% oleic acid was added to phosphate-buffered saline, the freeze-drying survival rate of L. plantarum increased by up to 6.63 times. Adding 0.001% oleic acid to sorbitol, the survival rate of L. plantarum increased by as much as 3.65 times. The 0.001% oleic acid–sucrose cryoprotectant resulted in a freeze-drying survival rate of L. plantarum of about 90%, a 2.26-fold improvement compared with sucrose alone. Although the effect of oleic acid depends on the cryoprotectants used and the strain treated, addition of oleic acid showed significant improvement overall. Further experiments showed that adding a low concentration of oleic acid to the cryoprotectants improved the freeze-drying survival rate of L. plantarum by maintaining cell membrane integrity and lactate dehydrogenase activity. Our findings provide a new strategy for safeguarding bacterial viability in commonly used cryoprotectants by the addition of a common food ingredient, which may be extensively applied in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) is commonly used as a stabilizer, suspending agent, and thickener. In this study, the effects of tamarind seed polysaccharide on gelatinization, and the rheological and structural properties of waxy (WCS), normal (CS), and high amylose corn starch (HACS) were investigated. Rapid visco analysis (RVA) and thermal property analysis demonstrated that TSP molecules bind with starch granules to retard gelatinization. Steady flow test results showed that corn starch with different amylose/amylopectin ratios in the absence or presence of TSP presented non-Newtonian fluid properties. Further, the CS or WCS with TSP mixtures exhibited a typically rheological behavior of weak gel. TSP molecules enhanced the elastic properties of high amylose corn starch gels. The presence of TSP also influenced water distribution in the starch-TSP mixture system. Structural characteristic analysis suggested that TSP bound with starch molecules to change their conformation, and influence the gelatinization of starch, especially for amylopectin. The results demonstrated that TSP changes the physicochemical and structural properties of starch through interaction with it, and facilitates the effective bonding with amylopectin. Image 1 • Effects of TSP on physicochemical properties of corn starch were investigated. • TSP inclusion affected physicochemical properties of corn starch paste. • TSP inclusion changed the conformation and structure of starch molecules. • TSP was more easy to bind with amylopectin molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to identify active pectin fragments of high in vitro anti-proliferation activities against human colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells, using various pectin fragment preparations dominant with rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I), rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II), and galacturonic acid oligomers (GAOS). The samples were prepared from citrus high and low methoxy pectins ( HPE and LPE ) by endo-α-D-(1,4)-polygalacturonase action coupling with a green process as ultrafiltration (membrane molecular weight cut off > 10k, 1k-10k, and < 1k, giving fragment preparations I , II , and III , respectively). It is indicated that, in the fragment preparations HPE-I , II , and III , the molecular fractions HPE-F1 (RG-I), HPE-F2 (RG-II), and HPE-F3 (GAOS) showed an averaged M w  = 26.7k, 3.4k, and 0.3k, respectively, notably higher than their LPE counterparts. All fragment preparations exhibited concentration-dependent, inhibition effects on Caco-2 cells, where HPE-II (RG-II-domain) revealed an interesting inhibition effect, significantly higher than those did HPE-I (RG-I domain) and HPE-III (GAOS). The HPE-F2 (RG-II) was elucidated and found of IR  = 88% at 1.0 mg/mL and half-inhibition concentration ( IC 50 ) = 0.12 mg/mL, doubling the effect of HPE-F1 (RG-I) ( IR  = 45% at 1.0 mg/mL). Conclusively, citrus RG-II fragment showed a promisingly high anti-Caco-2 activity, significantly higher than did RG-I and GAOS, possibly attributed to its special branched structure and low molecular size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exopolysaccharide EPS333 was produced by a ropy Streptococcus thermophilus strain AR333 when grown on reconstituted skim milk. The molecular weight, radius of gyration (Rg), hydrodynamic radius (R h ) and intrinsic viscosity ([ η ]) of EPS333 were determined as 313.7 kDa, 33.96 nm, 25.98 nm, and 1.874 dL/g, respectively by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). The conformational analysis demonstrated that EPS333 presented as compact and semi-stiff or stiff chain in aqueous solution. Monosaccharide analysis identified that EPS333 was composed of galactose, glucose and galactosamine in a molar ratio of 3: 2: 1. The backbone of EPS333 consisted of β-(1→3)-Gal p , β-(1→3,6)-Glc p , α-(1→3)-2-Gal p NAc, and α-(1→4)-Glc p . The branch chain was terminated at O -6 position of β-(1→3,6)-Glc p by α-T-Gal p . With the help of 1D & 2D NMR spectroscopy, the repeating unit of EPS333 was proposed. Further studies revealed that the in situ produced EPS333 could improve the quality of fermented milk to be close to the commercial product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves of herb Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther are considered to be applied for functional drinks or isolated for nutraceutical ingredients. This study was to preliminarily elucidate the antioxidant activities and potentials for anti-colon cancer cells and anti-neuroinflammation of the hot-water extracts and its macromolecular hydrocolloids from freeze-dried G. paraguayense leaves, in relation to detectable polysaccharide compositions and associated phenolic and non-phenolic compounds. It is indicated that the 100 o C-water extract ( GW100 ) form G. paraguayense leaves contained glucans at a molar ratio of glucose (Glc): fucose (Fuc): xylose (Xyl): ribose (Rib) = 1:0.29:0.13:0.13 and a major macromolecular species with an averaged molecular weight ( M w ) = 2172. The macromolecular GW100E , i.e. 72%-ethanol precipitate of GW100 , contained pectin substance like arabino-rhamnogalactans at a molar ratio of galactose (Gal): arabinose (Ara): rhamnose (Rha): Glc = 1:0.81:0.34:0.32, and only one macromolecular species with an averaged M w = 2405. Both GW100 and GW100E exhibited excellent antioxidant activities in scavenging α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH⋅), 2,2-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] radicals (ABTS + ), and superoxide anions (O 2 − ), great potential in anti-proliferation against human colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells, and significant immunomodulatory activities on murine microglia BV-2 cells. Comparatively, GW100 was outstanding in scavenging ABTS + and O 2 − and inhibiting significantly tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukine-6 (IL-6) production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated BV-2 cells. GW100E excelled in scavenging DPPH⋅ and anti-Caco-2 proliferation. Conclusively, GW100 and GW100E could be good candidates for anti-neuro-inflammation potentials and anti-Caco-2 proliferation, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high-throughput screening (HTS) method was developed based on congo red staining. • The mutants with different yields of exopolysaccharide (EPS) were obtained by HTS. • The HTS method is efficient for isolating EPS-producing Streptococcus thermophilus. As a thickening or stabilizing agent, exopolysaccharide (EPS) can significantly enhance food texture. However, the conventional analytical and screening methods of EPS have been unable to meet the current needs of industrial production, owing to low efficiency and heavy time-consumption. A simple and rapid qualitative/quantitative method is needed to accelerate the selection of high EPS-producing strains. Here, a high-throughput screening (HTS) program for EPS production was established in S. thermophilus by combining Congo red agar method (CRA, primary screening) and microplate colorimetric assay (MPC, secondary screening). The correlation coefficient (R2) between CRA/MPC and the phenol-sulfuric acid assay (a classical EPS quantification method) were 0.779 and 0.862, respectively, suggesting the feasibility of this HTS method. A mutant library (>300 colonies) of S. thermophilus was constructed using ribosome engineering strategy, and EPS-producing mutants with the titer from 50 mg/L to 200 mg/L were rapidly obtained by our developed HTS method, confirming that the HTS method is simple and efficient for the isolation of EPS-producing S. thermophilus. Taken together, this HTS method was developed for rapidly screening of EPS-producing S. thermophilus , which could be a valuable tool not only for the rapid detection of EPS production capabilities, but also for the screening of strain libraries from genetic engineering with desirable characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Low field-NMR was firstly used in the age discrimination of Huangjiu. • Flavor compounds with ordor activity value (OAV) higher than 1 dominated the aging aroma of Huangjiu. • Basic amino acids greatly contributed to the flavor formation of Huangjiu during aging. • Molecular association promoted the accumulation of flavor compounds with OAV > 1. Aging is an essential operation to perfect the flavor quality of Hungjiu. In this study, formation mechanism of flavor compounds responsible for the characteristic flavor of aged Huangjiu was investigated. The contents of umami and bitter free amino acids (FAA) increased with the storage period prolonged, while that of sweet FAA showed downward trend. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry and principal component analysis indicated that the volatile flavor compounds with OAV exceed 1, especially middle-chain fatty-acid-ethyl-esters and aromatic compounds, dominated the characteristic flavor of aged Huangjiu. Low field-NMR was firstly applied to characterize the molecular association between water and dissolved flavor compounds in aged Huangjiu. The results showed that basic amino acids contributed greatly to the flavor formation of aged Huangjiu via molecular association. In addition, the molecular association significantly promoted the accumulation of flavor compounds with OAV > 1, especially ethyl esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-pressure homogenization (HPH) and Tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) are usually used to change structure and properties of native starch. In this study, native corn starch was treated by HPH at 0, 40, and 80 MPa, respectively, and physicochemical properties of the treated corn starch in the presence of TSP were analyzed. Results showed that TSP molecules interact with the high-pressure homogenized corn starch (40 MPa) to increase viscosity, thermal and freeze-thaw stability, and elasticity of starch paste, and limit starch digestion. After gelatinization, the homogenized starch formed a sponge-like network and stable gel with TSP inclusion. This resulted in a decrease in relative crystallinity from 6.77% to 3.22% (40 MPa treated starch with TSP inclusion) during the retrogradation process. This study showed that the addition of TSP to HPH treated corn starch can improve the thermal and freeze-thaw stability of the gel and delay the digestion and retrogradation of the starch. • TSP, Tamarind seed polysaccharide; HPH, high pressure homogenization. • TSP bound with 40 MPa high-pressure homogenized corn starch easily. • TSP combined with HPH improved thermal stability of starch gel. • TSP combined with HPH improved freeze-thaw stability of starch gel. • TSP combined with HPH retarded starch digestion and retrogradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Structure of TSPs determined their effects on physicochemical properties of CS. • HPH changed M w , conformational structure, and Gal/Glc ratio of TSP. • Different structural TSP had different effects on physicochemical properties of CS. • M w and Gal/Glc ratio of TSP influenced CS retrogradation and water distribution. In this work, structural characteristics of TSPs treated by high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and their effects on physicochemical properties of corn starch were analyzed. HPH induced monosaccharides change, Gal/Glc ratio decrease from 0.32 to 0.25, and molecular weight (M w) decrease from 10.55 to 4.47 × 105 Da through damaging glycosidic linkages in the backbone and side-chain of TSPs. Furthermore, 90 MPa homogenized TSP (higher Gal removal) showed inhibitory effects on starch paste retrogradation, and TSPs with a lower M w (homogenized at 60 and 90 MPa) could limit water precipitation during the long-term storage. Moreover, M w and Gal/Glc ratio were the major factors for the determined effects of TSPs on physicochemical properties of corn starch. The results could provide new insights into the relationship between TSP structure and their effects on the physicochemical properties of starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance of probiotics to bile salts is critical to their survive in the intestinal tract. Bile salt hydrolase (BSH) catalyzes the deconjugation of conjugated bile salts and is thought to be involved in bile salt resistance. The aim of this study was to explore the roles of different bsh genes in the bile salt resistance of Lactobacillus plantarum AR113. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing was used to construct single, double, and triple bsh knockout strains. The functions of the bsh 1, and bsh 3 genes were found to be critical for BSH activity in L. plantarum AR113. Examination of six bile salts revealed that glycine-conjugated bile salts were the preferred substrate of BSH. The growth of strains with bsh1 or bsh3 knockout was significantly inhibited when treated with glycine-conjugated bile salts. However, strains with bsh2 or bsh4 knockout were not affected. These results suggested that bsh 1 and bsh 3 are closely related to bile salt resistance. This result will be useful for the rational, high-throughput selection of strains with high tolerance to bile salts. • bsh 1 and bsh 3 are critical for BSH activity in Lactobacillus plantarum AR113. •glycine-conjugated bile salts are the preferred substrate of BSH. •bsh 1 and bsh 3 are closely related to bile salt resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• R. vinosa polysaccharides (WRP) were efficiently fractionated by gradient ethanol precipitation and gel chromatography. • WRP-1 was a branched β-(1→3)-glucan and formed helical structure in aqueous solution. • WRP-2 and WRP-3 were considered as galactoglucan with incompact flexible conformation. • WRP-1 was superior to WRP-2 and WRP-3 on the potential immunostimulatory activity. Water-extracted polysaccharides from Russula vinosa Lindblad (WRP) were separated into three fractions (WRP-1, WRP-2 and WRP-3) by gradient ethanol precipitation and gel chromatography. Structural characterization indicated that WRP-1 was a branched β-(1→3)-glucan and exhibited rigid helical conformation in aqueous solution with Mw of 2,180 kDa and radius of gyration (R g) of 123.4 nm. The galactoglucan of WRP-2 and WRP-3 were mainly composed of →6)-Gal p -(1→ and →4)-Glc p -(1→ terminated by glucose and mannose, presenting much lower Mw (392 and 93.6 kDa) and R g (57.6 and 42.6 nm), and more incompact flexible conformation than WRP-1. All fractions showed potential immunostimulatory activity by promoting macrophage proliferation, phagocytosis, as well as the release of nitric oxide and cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β). WRP-1 with unique structure and conformation showed the best immunostimulatory effects among them. This study suggests that WRP could be explored as natural immunostimulator used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An acidic polysaccharide was isolated from immature peach (Prunus persica) exudates (designated as PGP). The primary structure and conformational properties were characterized by methylation and GC-MS analysis, NMR spectra, and high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) coupled with multiple detectors. Results showed that PGP was mainly consisted of arabinose (48.5%, w/w) and galactose (33.8%, w/w), with small amount of xylose (4.0%, w/w), glucuronic acid (4.3%, w/w) and galacturonic acid (2.3%, w/w) as well as trace mannose. A β-(1 → 6)-galactan backbone with branches of long α-(1 → 3)-arabinan at O -4 position of galactose, and α-(1 → 5)-Ara f at O -3 position of galactose terminated by α-Ara f and occasionally β-4-OMe-Glc p A was proposed to PGP. Conformational studies revealed that PGP presented as hyper-branched compact spherical conformation, with weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 1.40 × 104 kDa, radius of gyration (R g) of 223.4 nm, and intrinsic viscosity ([ η ]) of 2.76 dL/g in aqueous solution. High concentrations of PGP (5% and 10%, w/v) demonstrated good emulsifying stability on the O/W emulsion by inhibiting coalescence and flocculation, stabilizing the particle size, and increasing the zeta-potential of emulsion system, suggesting it could be an alternative material as emulsion stabilizer used in food industry. Image 1 • A hyper-branched β-(1. → 6)-galactan-core arabinogalactan was proposed for PGP. • PGP presented as compact spherical conformation with high Mw in aqueous solution. • High concentration of PGP showed good emulsifying stability on O/W emulsion. • The highly branched and spherical structure were the pivotal factors for its emulsifying function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium oxalate stone is the main type of kidney stone, so far there is no specific drug treatment. Here, we screened for oxalate-degrading probiotics and evaluated the potential preventive effect of lactic acid bacteria in rats with hyperoxaluria-induced kidney stones. The oxalate degradation efficiencies of the probiotics were determined to be 5-20% by in vitro experiments, of which the degradation efficiencies of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR342 and L. plantarum AR1089 were 17.32% and 14.15%, respectively. Through animal experiments, we found that L. plantarum AR1089 significantly attenuated kidney injury, as demonstrated by improving renal dysfunction and renal fibrosis, lowering creatinine and urea nitrogen levels. L. plantarum AR1089 was also effective in decreasing the number of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine and kidneys as well as ameliorating oxidative stress as evidenced by lowering the level of MDA and decreasing the level of SOD and CAT. Moreover, supplementation of L. plantarum AR1089 inhibited renal crystalline deposition by down-regulating the expression of KIM-1, OPN and MCP-1, and prevented hyperoxaluria-induced kidney stones by regulating the gut microbiota. Taken together, the present study shows that oral administration of L. plantarum AR1089, by attenuating kidney injury and regulating gut microbiota, is a potential therapy to reduce calcium oxalate crystals and prevent the progression of kidney stones.

A confined environment is a special kind of extreme working environment, and prolonged exposure to it tends to increase psychological stress and trigger rhythmic disorders, emotional abnormalities and other phenomena, thus seriously affecting work efficiency. However, the mechanisms through which confined environments affect human health remain unclear. Therefore, this study simulates a strictly controlled confined environment and employs integrative multi-omics techniques to analyze the alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites of workers under such conditions. The aim is to identify metabolic biomarkers and elucidate the relationship between gut microbiota and metabolites. High-throughput sequencing results showed that a confined environment significantly affects gut microbial composition and clusters subjects' gut microbiota into two enterotypes (Bla and Bi). Differences in abundance of genera Bifidobacterium , Collinsella , Ruminococcus&#95;gnavus &#95;group, Faecalibacterium , Bacteroides , Prevotella and Succinivibronaceae UCG-002 were significant. Untarget metabolomics analyses showed that the confined environment resulted in significant alterations in intestinal metabolites and increased the activity of the body's amino acid metabolism and bile acid metabolism pathways. Among the metabolites that differed after confined environment living, four metabolites such as uric acid and beta-PHENYL-gamma-aminobutyric acid may be potential biomarkers. Further correlation analysis demonstrated a strong association between the composition of the subjects' gut microbiota and these four biomarkers. This study provides valuable reference data for improving the health status of workers in confined environments and facilitates the subsequent proposal of targeted prevention and treatment strategies.

Effectively managing foodborne pathogens is imperative in food processing, where probiotics play a crucial role in pathogen control. This study focuses on the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR113 and its gene knockout strains, exploring their antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus . Antimicrobial assays revealed that the inhibitory effect of AR113 increases with its growth and the potential bacteriostatic substance is acidic. AR113Δ ldh, surpassed AR113Δ 0273&2024 , exhibited a complete absence of bacteriostatic properties, which indicates that lactic acid is more essential than acetic acid in the bacteriostatic effect of AR113. However, the exogenous acid validation test affirmed the equivalent superior bacteriostatic effect of lactic acid and acetic acid. Notably, AR113 has high lactate production and deletion of the ldh gene not only lacks lactate production but also affects acetic production. This underscores the ldh gene's pivotal role in the antimicrobial activity of AR113. In addition, among all the selected knockout strains, AR113Δ tagO and Δ ccpA also had lower antimicrobial effects, suggesting the importance of tagO and ccpA genes of AR113 in pathogen control. This study contributes insights into the antimicrobial potential of AR113 and stands as the pioneering effort to use knockout strains for comprehensive bacteriostatic investigations.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the metabolic diseases with the highest morbidity rates in the world. Probiotics have positive health impacts on human health and a considerable amount of research has demonstrated their beneficial effects in treating T2DM. However, probiotic intervention in T2DM has complex mechanisms because the pathogenesis of T2DM is complex. This review summarized the mechanisms of probiotic intervention in diabetes from the perspective of diabetes pathogenesis. First, the objectives of probiotic intervention in diabetes aimed at the intestinal tract reparative effects, pancreatic function, host metabolism and self-recovery were comprehensively reviewed. Next, we concluded the clinical application status of ingested probiotics in patients with T2DM, and an obvious imbalance exists between theoretical probiotic research and clinical applications. Finally, we summarized the emerging research on probiotic interventions in T2DM and analyzed the literature in this regard, including next-generation probiotics; suggestions for probiotics consumption with the aim of diabetic complications; as well as the association between novel mechanisms of diabetes remission with the potential for probiotic intervention. In conclusion, this review sheds light on the potential role of probiotics, from proposed mechanisms to prospects in relieving T2DM.

Lactobacillus plantarum AR495 is a widely used probiotic for the treatment of various digestive diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the specific mechanisms of L. plantarum AR495 in alleviating IBS remain unclear. Abnormal intestinal tryptophan metabolism can cause disordered immune responses, gastrointestinal peristalsis, digestion and sensation, which is closely related to IBS pathogenesis. The aim of this study is to explore the effects and mechanisms of L. plantarum AR495 in regulating tryptophan metabolism. Primarily, tryptophan and its related metabolites in patients with IBS and healthy people were analyzed, and an IBS rat model of acetic acid enema plus restraint stress was established to explore the alleviation pathway of L. plantarum AR495 in tryptophan metabolism. It was found that the 5-HT pathway was significantly changed, and the 5-HTP and 5-HT metabolites were significantly increased in the feces of patients with IBS, which were consistent with the results obtained for the IBS rat model. Maladjusted 5-HT could increase intestinal peristalsis and lead to an increase in the fecal water content and shapeless stool in rats. On the contrary, these two metabolites could be restored to normal levels via intragastric administration of L. plantarum AR495. Further study of the metabolic pathway showed that L. plantarum AR495 could effectively reduce the abundance of 5-HT by inhibiting the expression of enterochromaffin cells rather than promoting its decomposition. In addition, the results showed that L. plantarum AR495 did not affect the expression of SERT. To sum up, L. plantarum AR495 could restore the normal levels of 5-HT by inhibiting the abnormal proliferation of enterochromaffin cells and the excessive activation of TPH1 to inhibit the intestinal peristalsis in IBS. These findings provide insights for the use of probiotics in the treatment of IBS and other diarrheal diseases.

Phyllanthus emblica Linn. (PE) fresh fruits contain high concentrations of polyphenolics, of which free and bound phenolics are rich in biological activities. In this study, the inhibitory activity and mechanism of PEFP and PEBP on α-glucosidase (α-GLU) were investigated using spectroscopic techniques, kinetic analysis, and molecular docking. The results showed that 13 PEFP and 12 PEBP were identified by UPLC-MS/MS analysis, and Bis-HHDP-hexose and castalagin (vesgalagin) were found for the first time in PE fresh fruits. Kinetic analysis of enzyme inhibition showed that a mixture of free and bound phenolics inhibited α-GLU, and the effect of the conformational relationship of PEFP and PEBP with α-GLU on hypoglycemia was further explored by fluorescence quenching, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and molecular docking analysis. The findings demonstrated the inhibitory activity and mechanism of free and bound phenolics on α-GLU and provided a theoretical basis for PE polyphenolics as α-GLU inhibitors for hypoglycemia.

Certain workplaces, like deep-sea voyages, subject workers to chronic psychological stress and circadian rhythm disorders due to confined environments and frequent shifts. In this study, participants lived in a strictly controlled confined environment, and we analyzed the effects of a confined environment on gut microbiota and metabolites. The results showed that living in confined environments can significantly alter both the gut microbiota and the gut metabolome, particularly affecting lipid metabolism pathways like glycerophospholipid metabolism. There was a significant reduction in the abundance of Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides , while Blautia , Bifidobacterium , and Collinsella showed significant increases. An association analysis revealed a strong correlation between changes in the gut microbiota and the metabolome. Four upregulated lipid metabolites may serve as biomarkers for damage induced by confined environments, and certain gut microbiota alterations, such as those involving Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides , could be potential psychobiotics or therapeutic targets for enhancing mental health in a confined environment.

This study investigates the impact of urea and β-GP on the growth of Streptococcus thermophilus S-3, a bacterium commonly used in industrial fermentation processes. Through a series of growth experiments, transcriptome, metabolome, and omics-based analyses, the research demonstrates that both urea and β-GP can enhance the biomass of S. thermophilus , with urea showing a more significant effect. The optimal urea concentration for growth was determined to be 3 g/L in M17 medium. The study also highlights the metabolic pathways influenced by urea and β-GP, particularly the galactose metabolism pathway, which is crucial for cell growth when lactose is the substrate. The integration of omics data into the genome-scale metabolic model of S. thermophilus , iCH502, allowed for a more accurate prediction of metabolic fluxes and growth rates. The study concludes that urea can serve as a viable substitute for β-GP in the cultivation of S. thermophilus , offering potential cost and efficiency benefits in industrial fermentation processes. The findings are supported by validation experiments with 11 additional strains of S. thermophilus , which showed increased biomass in UM17 medium.

Adjunct cultures strongly determined the distinguishing sensorial and nutritional characteristics of cheeses. Metabolites, flavor profiles and ripening characteristics of Monascus-ripened cheese enhanced by the co-fermentation of Ligilactobacillus salivarius AR809 were investigated. The AR809 significantly increased the contents of soluble nitrogen, small peptides (<1200 Da), free amino acids, and casein degradation degree in the resulting cheese. Furthermore, AR809 significantly promoted the formation of methyl ketones during cheese maturation. Based on untargeted metabolomics analysis, metabolites related to fatty acids metabolism and lysine degradation were highly enriched in Monascus-rich region of cheese. AR809 was primarily engaged in amino acid metabolism, promoting the synthesis of amino acids and dipeptide. L. salivarius and Monascus co-fermentation produced more beneficial bioactive metabolites involved in amino acids and lipid metabolisms than Monascus used alone in cheese ripening. Therefore, as adjunct culture, L. salivarius AR809 exhibited tremendous potential in improving nutrition and flavor quality during cheese ripening., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ligilactobacillus salivarius (basonym: Lactobacillus salivarius , L. salivarius ) is a type of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) commonly found in the oropharyngeal-gastrointestinal tract (OGT). It has gained significant attention due to its probiotic and functional properties as well as its various health-promoting roles. L. salivarius strains exhibit strong resistance and adhesion in the OGT along with outstanding antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Additionally, numerous L. salivarius strains have the ability to produce bacteriocins with antagonistic activity. These probiotic characteristics of L. salivarius indicate its remarkable potential in promoting favorable effects on human health. It has also been observed that L. salivarius has a positive effect on the composition of intestinal microbiota, thereby improving the metabolic profiling of intestinal microbiota, promoting a healthy and balanced internal environment. In recent years, multi-omics technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics have been employed to gain a deeper understanding of the roles and mechanisms of L. salivarius associated with its functional properties. This review aims to provide an overview of the probiotic characteristics of L. salivarius , containing its specific interactions with the host microflora, as well as insights from omics studies.

In this work, a zein-tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) co-delivery system was fabricated using an anti-solvent precipitation method. The formation mechanism, characterization, and effect on alleviating colitis and gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice of zein-TSP-curcumin (Z/T-Cur) nanocomplexes were investigated. Hydrogen bonding and the hydrophobic effect played a key role in the formation of Z/T-Cur nanocomplexes, and the interactions were spontaneous and driven by enthalpy. The encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, and bioavailability increased from 60.8% (Zein-Cur) to 91.7% (Z/T-Cur 1:1 ), from 6.1% (Zein-Cur) to 18.3% (Z/T-Cur 1:1 ), and from 4.7% (Zein-Cur) to 20.0% (Z/T-Cur 1:1 ), respectively. The Z/T-Cur significantly alleviated colitis symptoms in DSS-treated mice. Additionally, the prepared nanocomplexes rebalanced the gut microbiota composition of colitis mice by increasing the abundance of Akkermansia . Odoribacter and Monoglobus were rich in the Z-T-Cur treatment group, and Turicibacter and Bifidobacterium were rich in the zein-TSP treatment group. This study demonstrated that the TSP could be helpful in the targeted drug delivery system.

Background: The two essential editing elements in the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) editing system are promoter and single-guide RNA (sgRNA), the latter of which determines whether Cas protein can precisely target a specific location to edit the targeted gene. Therefore, the selection of sgRNA is crucial to the efficiency of the CRISPR editing system. Various online prediction tools for sgRNA are currently available. These tools can predict all possible sgRNAs of the targeted gene and rank sgRNAs according to certain scoring criteria according to the demands of the user., Results: We designed sgRNAs for Lactococcus lactis NZ9000 LLNZ&#95;RS02020 (ldh) and LLNZ&#95;RS10925 (upp) individually using online prediction software - CRISPOR - and successfully constructed a series of knockout strains to allow comparison of the knockout efficiency of each sgRNA and analyze the differences between software predictions and actual experimental results., Conclusion: Our experimental results showed that the actual editing efficiency of the screened sgRNAs did not match the predicted results - a phenomenon that suggests that established findings from eukaryotic studies are not universally applicable to prokaryotes. Software prediction can still be used as a tool for the initial screening of sgRNAs before further selection of suitable sgRNAs through experimental experience. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: It has been well accepted that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the main bacterial genera present during the brewing of Chinese rice wine (CRW). LAB plays a decisive role in the flavor quality of CRW; however, its application in CRW has previously been overlooked. Therefore, effects of different LAB as co-fermenter on the flavor characteristics of CRW were investigated., Results: Co-fermentation of LAB increased the utilization rate of reducing sugar, concentration of lactic acid, amino acid nitrogen and total acidity, as well as the content of volatile flavor compounds. Different LAB doses had little effect on the flavor profiles of CRW, but the species of LAB greatly affected the flavor characteristic. The flavor of CRW co-fermented with Lactococcus lactis was characterized by long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters, while co-fermentation with Weissella confusa highlighted the ethyl esters of low molecular weight and short carbon chains in the resultant CRW. Alcohol compounds were dominant in the CRW co-fermented using Pediococcus pentosaceus., Conclusion: The co-fermentation of LAB increased the number of volatile flavor compounds, especially esters. LAB exhibited great potential in the application of CRW industry to enrich the flavor characteristics and enhance the flavor diversity of the final product. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Western diet is thought to increase susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and probiotics are a potential therapeutic agent for IBD. This study revealed the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum AR113 and L. plantarum AR113Δ bsh 1 on a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model under the Western diet (WD). After four weeks of WD and low-sugar and low-fat diet (LD) intervention, induction with 3% DSS, and intragastric administration of probiotics, we found that L. plantarum AR113 could regulate blood glucose and lipid levels and have a certain protective effect on hepatocytes. Our results suggested that the L. plantarum AR113 alleviated DSS-induced colitis under the Western diet by improving dyslipidemia, repairing intestinal barrier dysfunction, and inhibiting the TLR4/Myd88/TRAF-6/NF-κB inflammatory pathway. However, these changes were not demonstrated in the L. plantarum AR113Δ bsh 1, and therefore, we reasoned that the presence of bsh 1 may play a crucial role in the L. plantarum AR113 exerting its anti-inflammatory function. The relationship between bile salt hydrolase (BSH) and colitis was worthy of further exploration.

Long-term exposure to adverse life events that provoke acute or chronic psychological stress (hereinafter "stress") can negatively affect physical health and even increase susceptibility to psychological illnesses, such as anxiety and depression. As a part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) released from the hypothalamus is primarily responsible for the stress response. Typically, CRF disrupts the gastrointestinal system and leads to gut microbiota dysbiosis, thereby increasing risk of functional gastrointestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Furthermore, CRF increases oxidative damage to the colon and triggers immune responses involving mast cells, neutrophils, and monocytes. CRF even affects the differentiation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs), causing enterochromaffin cells to secrete excessive amounts of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Therefore, stress is often accompanied by damage to the intestinal epithelial barrier function, followed by increased intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation. There are multi-network interactions between the gut microbiota and stress, and gut microbiota may relieve the effects of stress on the body. Dietary intake of probiotics can provide energy for ISCs through glycolysis, thereby alleviating the disruption to homeostasis caused by stress, and it significantly bolsters the intestinal barrier, alleviates intestinal inflammation, and maintains endocrine homeostasis. Gut microbiota also directly affect the synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters, such as CRF, 5-HT, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet enhances the stress resistance to some extent by regulating the intestinal flora. This article reviews recent research on how stress damages the gut and microbiota, how the gut microbiota can improve gut health by modulating injury due to stress, and how the diet relieves stress injury by interfering with intestinal microflora. This review gives insight into the potential role of the gut and its microbiota in relieving the effects of stress via the gut-brain axis., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Bile salt hydrolases are thought to be the gatekeepers of bile acid metabolism. To study the role of BSH in colitis, we investigated the ameliorative effects of different BSH-knockout strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR113. The results showed that L. plantarum Δ bsh 1 and Δ bsh 3 treatments did not improve body weight and alleviate the hyperactivated myeloperoxidase activity to the DSS group. However, the findings for L. plantarum AR113, L. plantarum Δ bsh 2 and Δ bsh 4 treatments were completely opposite. The double and triple bsh knockout strains further confirmed that BSH 1 and BSH 3 are critical for the ameliorative effects of L. plantarum AR113. In addition, L. plantarum Δ bsh 1 and Δ bsh 3 did not significantly inhibit the increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines or the decrease in an anti-inflammatory cytokine. These results suggest that BSH 1 and BSH 3 in L. plantarum play important roles in alleviating enteritis symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Background: Probiotic lactic acid bacterium Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is widely used in the dairy and other fermented food industries. L. plantarum AR113 harbors a C 30 carotenoid operon crtNM based on genomic analysis, but the yield of C 30 carotenoid is only 8.1 μg g -1 DCW., Results: To improve the productivity of C 30 carotenoid, crtNM from L. plantarum AR113 was cloned and reconstructed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The proteins crtN and crtM were successfully expressed based on a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis, and the carotenoid was detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In comparison with the constitutive promoter P 44 , the use of the inducible T7 promoter significantly increased the carotenoid content in E. coli. The fermentation conditions were also optimized with induction by 0.5 mmol/L IPTG at 20 °C for 7 h. The yield of C 30 carotenoid reached 154.5 μg g -1 DCW, which was 18-fold higher than that of L. plantarum AR113. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity of C 30 carotenoids synthesized by heterologous expression in E. coli was also higher than that of the antioxidant food additive butylated hydroxytoluene., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that E. coli has strong potential as a basic chassis for the production of C 30 carotenoids from Lactiplantibacillus with high antioxidant activity. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Confined environments increase psychological stress and lead to health problems such as abnormal mood and rhythm disruption. However, the mechanism by which confined environments impact health has remained unclear. Significant correlations have been reported between psychological stress and changes in gut microbiota. Therefore, we investigated the effect of a confined environment on the composition of the gut microbiota by 16s rDNA high-throughput sequencing, and analyzed the correlation between gut microbiota and health indicators such as uric acid (UA), sleep, and mood. We found that the gut microbiota of the subjects clustered into two enterotypes (Bi and Bla), and that the groups differed significantly. There were notable differences in the abundances of genera such as Bifidobacterium , Dorea , Ruminococcus&#95;torques&#95;group , Ruminococcus&#95;gnavus&#95;group , Klebsiella , and UCG-002 ( p  < 0.05). A confined environment significantly impacted the subjects' health indicators. We also observed differences in how the subjects of the two enterotypes adapted to the confined environment. The Bi group showed no significant differences in health indicators before and after confinement; however, the Bla group experienced several health problems after confinement, such as increased UA, anxiety, and constipation, and lack of sleep. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that UA, RBC, mood, and other health problems were significantly correlated with the structure of the gut microbiota. We concluded that genera such as UCG-002, Ruminococcus , CAG352, and Ruminococcus&#95;torques&#95;group increased vulnerability to confined environments, resulting in abnormal health conditions. We found that the differences in the adaptability of individuals to confined environments were closely related to the composition of their gut microbiota., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Chen, Wang, Li, Zhu, Xia, Wang, Ai, Zhang and Wang.)

There have been many studies on the activities and polysaccharide production of Sanghuangporus vaninii. However, few studies have looked at triterpene production from S. vaninii using liquid-state fermentation. A method for enhancing the production of triterpenes by in situ extractive fermentation (ISEF) was studied. Eight solvents were investigated as extractants for triterpene production in the ISEF system. The results showed that using vegetable oil as an extractant significantly increased the yield of total triterpenes and biomass of S. vaninii YC-1, reaching 18.98 ± 0.71 and 44.67 ± 2.21 g/L, respectively. In 5 L fermenter experiments, the added vegetable oil improved the dissolved oxygen condition of the fermentation broth and promoted the growth of S. vaninii YC-1. Furthermore, adding vegetable oil increased the expression of fatty acid synthesis-related genes such as FAD2 and SCD, thereby increasing the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane of S. vaninii YC-1. Therefore, the cell membrane permeability of S. vaninii YC-1 increased by 19%. Our results indicated that vegetable oil increased the permeability of S. vaninii YC-1 cell membranes to promote the production of total triterpenes. The use of vegetable oil as an extractant was thus effective in increasing the yield of triterpenes in the ISEF system., (© 2021 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

The probiotics market is one of the fastest growing segments of the food industry as there is growing scientific evidence of the positive health effects of probiotics on consumers. Currently, there are various forms of probiotic products and they can be categorized according to dosage form and the site of action. To increase the effectiveness of probiotic preparations, they need to be specifically designed so they can target different sites, such as the oral, upper respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Here we review the characteristics of different dosage forms of probiotics and discuss methods to improve their bioavailability in detail, in the hope that this article will provide a reference for the development of probiotic products.

Antrodia camphorata is rich in a variety of bioactive ingredients; however, the utilization efficiency of the residue of A. camphorata is low, resulting in serious waste. It is necessary to deeply study the functional components of A. camphorata residues to achieve high-value utilization. In this study, the components, structural characteristics, and functional properties of alkali-extracted dietary fiber extracted from residues of A. camphorata (basswood and dish cultured fruiting body, respectively) were investigated. There were similar components and structural characteristics of ACA-DK (extract from basswood cultured) and ACA-DF (extract from dish cultured). The two alkali-extracted dietary fiber were composed of mainly cellulose and xylan. However, ACA-DK has better adsorption capacities than ACA-DF on lipophilic substances such as oil (12.09 g/g), cholesterol (20.99 mg/g), and bile salts (69.68 mg/g). In vitro immunomodulatory assays stated that ACA-DK had a good effect on promoting the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells and can activate cell phagocytosis, NO synthesis, and other immune capabilities. The edible fungus A. camphorata is a good source of functional dietary fiber. The alkali-extracted dietary fiber of A. camphorata might be used as a functional ingredient in the medicine and food industry., Competing Interests: JL was employed by Honest and Humble Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Xia, Meng, Liu, Tan, Yang, Liang, Xie, Zhang, Wang, Xiong, Lo and Ai.)

Probiotics have attracted much attention due to their ability to modulate host intestinal microbe, participate in nutrient metabolism or immunomodulatory. Both inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and bowel cancer are digestive system disease, which have become a global public health problem due to their unclear etiology, difficult to cure, and repeated attacks. Disturbed gut microbiota and abnormal lipid metabolism would increase the risk of intestinal inflammation. However, the link between lipid metabolism, probiotics, and IBD is unclear. In this review, we found that different lipids and their derivatives have different effects on IBD and gut microbes. ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and their derivatives resolvin E1, resolvin D can inhibit oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species activate NFκB and MAPk pathway. While ω-6 PUFAs linoleic acid and arachidonic acid can be derived into leukotrienes and prostaglandins, which will aggravate IBD. Cholesterol can be converted into bile acids to promote lipid absorption and affect microbial survival and colonization. At the same time, it is affected by microbial bile salt hydrolase to regulate blood lipids. Low denstiy lipoprotein (LDL) is easily converted into oxidized LDL, thereby promoting inflammation, while high denstiy lipoprotein (HDL) has the opposite effect. Probiotics compete with intestinal microorganisms for nutrients or ecological sites and thus affect the structure of intestinal microbiota. Moreover, microbial short chain fatty acids, bile salt hydrolase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, etc. can affect lipid metabolism and IBD. In conclusion, probiotics are directly or indirectly involved in lipids metabolism and their impact on IBD, which provides the possibility to explore the role of probiotics in improving gut health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wu, Wang, Xiong, Xia, Song, Zhang, Wu and Ai.)

Abstract: Thermostable alkaline protease (TAP) harbored by Pseudomonas fluorescens decomposes protein in milk and dairy products, leading to milk and dairy product spoilage during storage. Thus, a specific, sensitive, rapid, and simple method is required to detect TAP-harboring P. fluorescens. Two sets of primers targeting the aprX and gyrB genes of P. fluorescens were designed. The detection system and conditions were optimized, and a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (real-time LAMP) method was developed for the simultaneous detection of TAP-harboring P. fluorescens in two separate reaction tubes. The phylogenetic tree targeting aprX showed that P. fluorescens and Pseudomonas lurida clustered on the same branch. The phylogenetic tree targeting gyrB showed that P. fluorescens clustered on the same branch with 95% confidence value, whereas P. lurida clustered on different branches. DNA of 16 strains of P. fluorescens and 34 strains of non-P. fluorescens was detected by real-time LAMP. TAP-harboring P. fluorescens can only be identified when the real-time LAMP detection results of both aprX and gyrB are positive. The dissociation temperatures of aprX and gyrB in the real-time LAMP-amplified products were approximately 90.0 and 88.0°C, respectively. The detection limits of the real-time LAMP targeting aprX and gyrB were 4.9 CFU per reaction in pure culture and 2.2 CFU per reaction in skimmed milk. The coefficient of variation of the repeatability test was less than 2%, indicating that the established real-time LAMP of P. fluorescens targeting gyrB and aprX has good stability and repeatability. Real-time LAMP was used to test 200 raw milk samples for the presence of TAP-harboring P. fluorescens in 3 h, and the coincidence rate of the results with those obtained using the traditional method, which takes at least 5 to 7 days, was 100%. Real-time LAMP will be a practical and effective method for accurate and rapid identification of TAP-harboring P. fluorescens in raw milk., (Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection.)

The resistance of Lactobacillus plantarum to vancomycin depends on its peptidoglycan composition. Vancomycin has poor binding affinity with peptidoglycan precursors ending in D-alanyl-D-lactate (D-Ala-D-Lac) but binds strongly to peptidoglycan precursors ending in D-alanyl-D-alanine (D-Ala-D-Ala), resulting in resistance and sensitivity, respectively. The ligase Ddl, which generates D-Ala-D-Lac or D-Ala-D-Ala incorporated into the peptidoglycan precursor chain, is responsible for this specificity. To study the effect of peptidoglycan precursors on immunity, we constructed several strains of L. plantarum expressing the ddl gene of Lactococcus lactis to change their peptidoglycan precursors. The change in the termini of the peptidoglycan precursors was determined by the sensitivity of the strains to vancomycin. The overexpression of ddl increased the susceptibility of the strains to vancomycin. We further explored the regulation of the macrophage inflammatory response pathway by the wild-type and constructed strains, and found that these strains induced the MyD88-dependent TRAF6/MAPK pathway, and the increase in D-Ala L. plantarum peptidoglycan precursors increased the secretion of the inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α. These results indicate that D-Ala-ended peptidoglycan precursors play a central role in the variable immunomodulatory ability of L. plantarum ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Song, Li, Zhang, Xia, Ai and Wang.)

Probiotics plays an important role in regulating gut microbiota and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from probiotics have emerged as potential mediators of host immune response and anti-inflammatory effect. However, the anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of probiotics derived EVs on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains unclear. In this study, the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum Q7-derived extracellular vesicles (Q7-EVs) on gut microbiota and intestinal inflammation was investigated in C57BL/6J mice. The results showed that Q7-EVs alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms, including colon shortening, bleeding, and body weight loss. Consumption of Q7-EVs reduced the degree of histological damage. DSS-upregulated proinflammatory cytokine levels including IL-6, IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-α were reduced significantly by Q7-EVs ( p < 0.05). 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that Q7-EVs improved the dysregulation of gut microbiota and promoted the diversity of gut microbiota. It was observed that the pro-inflammatory bacteria (Proteobacteria) were reduced and the anti-inflammatory bacteria ( Bifidobacteria and Muribaculaceae ) were increased. These findings indicated that Q7-EVs might alleviate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis by regulating the gut microbiota., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Hao, Zhang, Tong, Liu, Liang, Bu, Gong, Liu, Zhang, Xia, Ai and Yi.)

Hong Qu Huangjiu (HQW) is distinguished by its inclusion of Monascus pigments, meaning that photosensitivity strongly affects the sensory quality of the wine. In this study, the effects of Flos sophorae immaturus ( FSI ) on the stability of Monascus pigments, the flavor profiles, and the sensory characteristics of HQW were investigated. After sterilization, the addition of FSI increased the preservation rate of Monascus pigments in HQW by up to 93.20%, which could be accounted for by the synergy of rutin and quercetin in FSI . The total content of the volatile flavor compounds in HQW increased significantly as the added amounts of FSI were increased, especially 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, and short-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (SCFAEE). Sensory evaluation and partial least-squares regression revealed that the concentration of FSI significantly affected the aroma characteristics of HQW but had little effect on the mouthfeel. The addition of 0.9 mg/mL FSI yielded a satisfactory HQW with high scores in terms of mouthfeel and aroma. The strong correlation between fruit-aroma, full-body, and SCFAEE suggests that FSI might alter the aroma of HQW by enhancing the synthesis of SCFAEE. Summarily, treatment with FSI represents a new strategy for improving the stability of photosensitive pigments and thus adjusting the aroma of HQW or similar beverages., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yang, Xia, Song, Mu, Qiu, Tao and Ai.)

Antroquinonol (AQ) has several remarkable bioactivities in acute myeloid leukaemia and pancreatic cancer, but difficulties in the mass production of AQ hamper its applications. Currently, molecular biotechnology methods, such as gene overexpression, have been widely used to increase the production of metabolites. However, AQ biosynthetic genes and enzymes are poorly understood. In this study, an integrated study coupling RNA-Seq and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) were used to identify AQ synthesis-related genes and enzymes in Antrodia camphorata during coenzyme Q 0 -induced fermentation (FM). The upregulated genes related to acetyl-CoA synthesis indicated that acetyl-CoA enters the mevalonate pathway to form the farnesyl tail precursor of AQ. The metE gene for an enzyme with methyl transfer activity provided sufficient methyl groups for AQ structure formation. The CoQ2 and ubiA genes encode p-hydroxybenzoate polyprenyl transferase, linking coenzyme Q 0 and the polyisoprene side chain to form coenzyme Q 3 . NADH is transformed into NAD+ and releases two electrons, which may be beneficial for the conversion of coenzyme Q 3 to AQ. Understanding the biosynthetic genes and enzymes of AQ is important for improving its production by genetic means in the future.

This study describes the application of in situ extractive fermentation (ISEF) to increase the yields of antroquinonol (AQ) and antrodin C (AC) from Antrodia camphorata S-29. In initial screening experiments, nine solvents were tested to identify the most suitable extractant for the in situ extraction of AQ and AC. These solvents included n-tetradecane, n-dodecane, n-decane, heavy paraffin, light paraffin, oleyl alcohol, oleic acid, butyl oleate, and isopropyl myristate. Of these, oleic acid was the most suitable solvent for the in situ extraction of AQ and AC. The use of oleic acid as an in situ extractant significantly improved AQ and AC productions, which were approximately 5-fold and 8-fold that of the control, respectively. The recovered oleic acid was treated with a silica gel solid-phase extraction column, which was able to rapidly adsorb the bioactive metabolites. The separated solvent hardly contained fermentation products and could be directly reused in ISEF. AQ and AC were obtained with purities of over 75% by silica gel column chromatography. The recoveries of AQ and AC reached 70.7 ± 0.8% and 81.5 ± 1.2%, respectively.

Traditional sterilization leads to poor vinosity of Chinese rice wine (CRW). Effects of boiling, ultra-high temperature (UHT) and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on CRW quality were investigated. Thermal treatment resulted in a decrease of total free amino-acids (FAA), whereas HHP-treatment caused an increase. However, UHT and HHP treatments had little effect on FAA with sweet and umami-like flavor. HHP-treated CRW contained 7.35% higher content of flavors relative to untreated wine, while thermally-treated CRW revealed 4.68-8.61% losses. Based on principal component analysis, CRW processed at 400 or 600 MPa for 10 min exhibited similar flavor to the untreated wine, which was highly associated with long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (C 13 -C 18 ). Moreover, partial least squares regression demonstrated that sensory attributes of cereal aroma and astringency were highlighted after thermal treatment, while fruit aroma, continuation and full body were dominant after HHP treatment. HHP treatment effectively enhanced the quality of CRW, which could be applied in other alcoholic beverages., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Flagellin (also called Hag) is the main component of bacterial flagellum and is transported across the cytoplasmic membrane by flagellar secretion apparatus. Because flagella play an essential role in the pathogenesis of numerous pathogens, the flagellins of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni, and Vibrio cholerae have been intensively studied; however, very few studies have focused on the flagellin of Bacillus subtilis, which is considered to be a model organism with which to study the secretion of bacteria and is used on an industrial scale for the secretion of proteins. The signal of B. subtilis flagellin is still debated. This study was performed to seek the export signals of flagellin from B. subtilis. The naturally nonsecretory, intrinsically disordered domain of nucleoskeletal-like protein (Nsp) was used as the reporter protein. Our results demonstrate that the export signal is contained within the first 50 amino acids of B. subtilis flagellin. Nsp is easily degraded inside the cell and can be exported into culture medium with the aid of the signal of flagellin. This method provides a new potential strategy for the expression of proteins with high proteolytic susceptibility via fusion to export signals.

The non-classically secreted proteins are the proteins that are located in the extracellular milieu despite the absence of known signal peptides or other targeting peptides. Numerous experimental studies have discovered many non-classically secreted proteins, but there are many inconsistencies in these reports even on a specific organism. In order to reduce the impact of artefactual contamination of protein samples and cell lysis, this review listed 45 common non-classically secreted proteins. The list of non-classically secreted proteins was complied from studies carried out by different groups in various bacterial species. The complied list can provide a reliable experimental material for further research on non-classical protein secretion. It is noticeable that some of these proteins are hyper-secreted when expressed in specific species or under some induction conditions. So we also discussed the possibilities of using the non-classical secretion pathway for the production of recombinant proteins in the review.

Objective: To objectively evaluate the voice rehabilitation status in different period after treatment of Tis--T1 glottic carcinoma by CO2 laser with voice parameters., Method: A retrospective review of 41 cases with Tis--T1 glottic carcinoma treated by CO2 laser was performed, 23 cases were stage Tis (Tis group) and 18 cases with stage T1N0M0 (T1 group). The range of excision of the lesion by CO2 laser was according to the different stages of the tumor, and ensured theoperation negative margin was by intraoperative frozen pathological examination. We tested and compared the actual voice (coritaine F0, Jitter, Shimmer, NNE and MPT) of 30 cases of healthy middle-aged and old male(normal group) and all the patients at one day prior to operation, three months, six months and one year after operation respectively, which was to evaluate the voice rehabilitation status in different period after operation objectively., Result: Postoperative pathological examination revealed, 23 cases were squamous epithelium severe atypical hyperplasia, 16 cases were well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, and 2 cases were moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Palatoglossal arch mucosal tear occurred in 3 patients. Respiratory difficulties were not seen in all cases, and normal oral feeding was obtained in all cases in postoperative three days. All patients were followed up for one year. There was statistical significance in F0, Jitter, Shimmer of both Tis group and T1 group after operation in different periods(P<0.05). But there was no statistical significance in NNE and MPT between six months and one years after operation in the two groups(P>0.05)., Conclusion: CO2 laser surgery is an effective treatment for early glottic carcinoma. Postoperative vocal function was improved in varying degrees, and voice quality gradually improved with the rehabilitation time. Partly objective parameters reflecting the vocal function gradually stabilized after half a year after operation.

Objective: To objectively evaluate the effectiveness of the ventricular fold pull-down combined with strip myofascial flap to repair laryngeal defect after early glottic carcinoma operation with glottic morphological parameters and voice parameters., Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2012, 47 patients with early glottic carcinoma and anterior commissure involvement underwent partial laryngectomy. All patients were male, aged from 60 to 75 years (mean, 68.5 years). The disease duration was 4-11 months (mean, 7.2 months). According to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM criteria, 28 cases were classified as T1aN0M0, 14 cases as T1bN0M0, and 5 cases as T2NoMo. Laryngeal defect after resection of tumor was repaired by ventricular fold pull-down combined with strip myofascial flap. At 1 day before operation and at 1 year after operation, multilayer spiral CT was used to scan larynx, to measure and compare the anteroposterior diameter of vocal area, the distance between both sides of the vocal process, and the thickness of soft tissue of vocal area, and the effect of combined soft tissue flap was objectively assessed in laryngeal morphology reconstruction. The actual voice parameters [including Fo, Jitter, Shimmer, normalized noise energy (NNE), and maximum phonatory time (MPT)] were tested and compared, and the effect of the combined soft tissue flap on postoperative laryngeal pronunciation was evaluated., Results: Postoperative pathological examination revealed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in 38 cases, and moderately-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in 9 cases; no tumor was found in the resection margin. Healing of neck incision was obtained in all patients at 7-9 days after operation. Forty-four cases were decannulated at 9-11 days after operation and the remaining 3 cases were decannulated at 3 weeks after operation. Oral feeding usually started in all cases at 3-4 days after operation. All patients were followed up 1 year. At 1 year after operation, the anteroposterior diameter of vocal area was significantly reduced when compared with preoperative one (t = 15.161, P = 0.000); the distance between both sides of the vocal process and the thickness of soft tissue of vocal area had no significant changes (P > 0.05). Compared with preoperative ones, there were significant differences in Shimmer, NNE, and MPT (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in Fo and Jitter (P > 0.05) at 1 year after operation., Conclusion: Ventricular fold pull-down combined with strip myofascial flap can repair laryngeal defect effectively after partial laryngectomy and maintain the effective airway after operation. It not only has no effect on postoperative laryngeal morphology, but also can be used as new laryngeal voice vibration body.