Phylogenetic diversity of culturable bacteria in surface seawater from the Drake Passage,Antarctica

The Drake Passage is located between the Antarctic Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego in the south of South America.Surface seawater samples were collected at seven sites in the Drake Passage during the austral summer of 2012.The 16 S rRNA sequences were analyzed from 187 isolated bacterial strains.Three phyla,29 genera and 56 species were identified.The three phyla were Actinobacteria,Firmicutes and Proteobacteria;the Proteobacteria included a-Proteobacteria,P-Proteobacteria and y-Proteobacteria.y-Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant class or phyla in terms of quantity and species.Gram-positive bacteria(Actinobacteria and Firmicutes) accounted for 57.8% of all types identified.There were nine dominant genera,including Curtobacterium,Staphylococcus,and Halomonas,and 14 dominant species including Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens,Curtobacterium pusillum,and Staphylococcus sciuri.Of the strains identified,87.2% were catalase positive or weakly positive.

Culturable bacterial diversity in hypolithic and peripheral soils in the west of the Hexi Corridor desert and its influencing factors

Microbes inhabiting the desert respond sensitively to environmental changes and may be an indicator for changes in the desert ecosystem.Hypolithic microbial communities in the desert play a vital role in ecosystem processes such as soil formation and organic matter accumulation.This study investigated and compared the culturable bacterial community structure and diversity in hypolithic and peripheral soils,and the interaction between bacteria and environmental factors.The bacteria were isolated using four different kinds of media and identified by 16S rRNA gene-sequence analysis.The numbers of culturable bacteria in the hypolithic and peripheral soils ranged from 3.0×104 to 3.6×105 CFU/g and from 6.5×104 to 5.3×105 CFU/g,respectively,indicating that the bacteria number in peripheral soil was higher than that in hypolithic soil.A total of 98 species belonging to 34 genera were identified,among which Arthrobacter,Bacillus,and Streptomyces were found dominantly and widely distributed.The community of culturable bacteria had obvious sample specificity,and the diversity in hypolithic soil was higher than that in peripheral soil.On the regional scale,the distribution of culturable bacteria and the environmental factors showed regular changes.On the local scale,the high heterogeneity of the hypolithic environment determined the specificity of the number and species of culturable bacteria.

Preparation of lactic acid bacteria compound starter cultures based on pasting properties and its improvement of glutinous rice flour and dough

The effects of 5 lactic acid bacteria(LAB)fermentation on the pasting properties of glutinous rice flour were compared,and suitable fermentation strains were selected based on the changes of viscosity,setback value,and breakdown value to prepare LAB compound starter cultures.The results revealed that Latilactobacillus sakei HSD004 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HSD005 had apparent advantages in increasing the viscosity and reducing the setback and breakdown values of glutinous rice flour.In particular,the compound starter created using the two abovementioned LAB in the ratio of 3:1 had better performance than that using a single LAB in improving the pasting properties and increasing the water and oil absorption capacity of glutinous rice flour.Moreover,the gelatinization enthalpy of the fermented samples increased significantly.For frozen glutinous rice dough stored for 28 days,the viscoelasticity of frozen dough prepared by compound starter was better than that of control dough,and the freezable water content was lower than that of control dough.These results indicate that compound LAB fermentation is a promising technology in the glutinous rice-based food processing industry,which has significance for its application.

An overview of probiotic health booster-kombucha tea

Traditional herbal medicine(THM)is a significant division of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)that plays an important role in maintaining health and disease prevention.WHO has consistently highlighted the significance of traditional,complementary,and alternative medicine in human healthcare.Most people in Eastern Asia will start their day with a cup of tea.The tea provides a nourishing effect,and it has become an inevitable part of life.There are several types of tea,like black tea,green tea,oolong tea,white tea,and herbal tea.Besides the refreshments,it is important to consume beverages that benefit health.One such alternative is a healthy probiotic drink called kombucha,a fermented tea.Kombucha tea is aerobically fermented by infusing sweetened tea with a cellulose mat/pellicle called SCOBY(symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast).Kombucha is a source of bioactive compounds that include organic acids and amino acids,vitamins,probiotics,sugars,polyphenols,and antioxidants.Currently,studies on kombucha tea and SCOBY are gaining attention for their remarkable properties and applications in the food and health industries.The review gives an overview of the production,fermentation,microbial diversity,and metabolic products of kombucha.The possible implications for human health are also discussed.