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Identification and characterization of the eps (Exopolysaccharide) gene cluster from Streptococcus thermophilus Sfi6.

We report the identification and characterization of the eps gene cluster of Streptococcus thermophilus Sfi6 required for exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis. This report is the first genetic work concerning EPS production in a food microorganism. The EPS secreted by this strain consists of the following tetrasaccharide repeating unit:-->3)-beta-D-Galp-(1-->3)-[alpha-D-Galp-(1-->6)]-beta-D- D-Galp-(1-->3)-alpha-D-Galp-D-GalpNAc-(1-->. The genetic locus The genetic locus was identified by Tn916 mutagenesis in combination with a plate assay to identify Eps mutants. Sequence analysis of the gene region, which was obtained from subclones of a genomic library of Sfi6, revealed a 15.25-kb region encoding 15 open reading frames. EPS expression in the non-EPS-producing heterologous host, Lactococcus lactis MG1363, showed that within the 15.25-kb region, a region with a size of 14.52 kb encoding the 13 genes epsA to epsM was capable of directing EPS synthesis and secretion in this host. Homology searches of the predicted proteins in the Swiss-Prot database revealed high homology (40 to 68% identity) for epsA, B, C, D, and E and the genes involved in capsule synthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus agalactiae. Moderate to low homology (37 to 18% identity) was detected for epsB, D, F, and H and the genes involved in capsule synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus for epsC, D, and E and the genes involved in exopolysaccharide I (EPSI) synthesis in Rhizobium meliloti for epsC to epsJ and the genes involved in lipopolysaccharide synthesis in members of the Enterobacteriaceae, and finally for eps K and lipB of Neisseria meningitidis. Genes (epsJ, epsL, and epsM) for which the predicted proteins showed little or no homology with proteins in the Swiss-Prot database were shown to be involved in EPS synthesis by single-crossover gene disruption experiments.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Proton motive force mediates a reorientation of the cytosolic domains of the multidrug transporter LmrP.

LmrP from Lactococcus lactis is a 45-kDa membrane protein that confers resistance to a wide variety of lipophilic compounds by acting as a proton motive force-driven efflux pump. This study shows that both the proton motive force and ligand interaction alter the accessibility of cytosolic tryptophan residues to a hydrophilic quencher. The proton motive force mediates an increase of LmrP accessibility toward the external medium and results in higher drug binding. Residues Asp128 and Asp68, from cytosolic loops, are involved in the proton motive force-mediated accessibility change. Ligand binding does not modify the protein accessibility, but the proton motive force-mediated restructuring is prerequisite for a subsequent accessibility change mediated by ligand binding. Asp142 cooperates with other membrane-embedded carboxylic residues to promote a conformational change that increases LmrP accessibility toward the hydrophilic quencher. This drug binding-mediated reorganization may be related to the transition between the high- and low-affinity drug-binding sites and is crucial for drug release in the extracellular medium.

Acrylamide↗

A phase I trial with transgenic bacteria expressing interleukin-10 in Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The use of living, genetically modified bacteria is an effective approach for topical delivery of immunomodulatory proteins. This strategy circumvents systemic side effects and allows long-term treatment of chronic diseases. However, treatment of patients with a living, genetically modified bacterium raises questions about the safety for human subjects per se and the biologic containment of the transgene. METHODS: We treated Crohn's disease patients with genetically modified Lactococcus lactis (LL-Thy12) in which the thymidylate synthase gene was replaced with a synthetic sequence encoding mature human interleukin-10. Ten patients were included in a placebo-uncontrolled trial. Patients were assessed daily for the presence of potential adverse effects by direct questioning and assessment of disease activity. We evaluated the presence and kinetics of LL-Thy12 release in the stool of patients by conventional culturing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction of LL-Thy12 gene sequences. RESULTS: Treatment with LL-Thy12 was safe because only minor adverse events were present, and a decrease in disease activity was observed. Moreover, fecally recovered LL-Thy12 bacteria were dependent on thymidine for growth and interleukin-10 production, indicating that the containment strategy was effective. CONCLUSIONS: Here we show that the use of genetically modified bacteria for mucosal delivery of proteins is a feasible strategy in human beings. This novel strategy avoids systemic side effects and is biologically contained; therefore it is suitable as maintenance treatment for chronic intestinal disease.

C-Reactive Protein↗

Heterologous expression of lactose- and galactose-utilizing pathways from lactic acid bacteria in Corynebacterium glutamicum for production of lysine in whey.

The genetic determinants for lactose utilization from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC 11842 and galactose utilization from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG 1363 were heterologously expressed in the lysine-overproducing strain Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21253. The C. glutamicum strains expressing the lactose permease and beta-galactosidase genes of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus exhibited beta-galactosidase activity in excess of 1000 Miller units/ml of cells and were able to grow in medium in which lactose was the sole carbon source. Similarly, C. glutamicum strains containing the lactococcal aldose-1-epimerase, galactokinase, UDP-glucose-1-P-uridylyltransferase, and UDP-galactose-4-epimerase genes in association with the lactose permease and beta-galactosidase genes exhibited beta-galactosidase levels in excess of 730 Miller units/ml of cells and were able to grow in medium in which galactose was the sole carbon source. When grown in whey-based medium, the engineered C. glutamicum strain produced lysine at concentrations of up to 2 mg/ml, which represented a 10-fold increase over the results obtained with the lactose- and galactose-negative control, C. glutamicum 21253. Despite their increased catabolic flexibility, however, the modified corynebacteria exhibited slower growth rates and plasmid instability.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Survival of Enterococcus faecalis in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Enterococcus faecalis was tested for the ability to persist in mouse peritoneal macrophages in two separate studies. In the first study, the intracellular survival of serum-passaged E. faecalis 418 and two isogenic mutants [cytolytic strain FA2-2(pAM714) and non-cytolytic strain FA2-2(pAM771)] was compared with that of Escherichia coli DH5alpha by infecting BALB/c mice intraperitoneally and then monitoring the survival of the bacteria within lavaged peritoneal macrophages over a 72-h period. All E. faecalis isolates were serum passaged to enhance the production of cytolysin. E. faecalis 418, FA2-2(pAM714), and FA2-2(pAM771) survived at a significantly higher level (P = 0.0001) than did E. coli DH5alpha at 24, 48, and 72 h. Internalized E. faecalis 418, FA2-2(pAM714), and FA2-2(pAM771) decreased 10-, 55-, and 31-fold, respectively, over the 72-h infection period, while internalized E. coli DH5alpha decreased 20, 542-fold. The difference in the rate of survival of E. faecalis strains and E. coli DH5alpha was most prominent between 6 and 48 h postinfection (P = 0.0001); however, no significant difference in killing was observed between 48 and 72 h postinfection. In the second study, additional E. faecalis strains from clinical sources, including DS16C2, MGH-2, OG1X, and the cytolytic strain FA2-2(pAM714), were compared with the nonpathogenic gram-positive bacterium, Lactococcus lactis K1, for the ability to survive in mouse peritoneal macrophages. In these experiments, the E. faecalis strains and L. lactis K1 were grown in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth to ensure that there were equal quantities of injected bacteria. E. faecalis FA2-2(pAM714), DS16C2, MGH-2, and OG1X survived significantly better (P < 0.0001) than did L. lactis K1 at each time point. L. lactis K1 was rapidly destroyed by the macrophages, and by 24 h postinfection, viable L. lactis could not be recovered. E. faecalis FA2-2(pAM714), DS16C2, MGH-2, and OG1X declined at an equivalent rate over the 72-h infection period, and there was no significant difference in survival or rate of decline among the strains. E. faecalis FA2-2(pAM714), MGH-2, DS16C2, and OG1X exhibited an overall decrease of 25-, 55-, 186-, and 129-fold respectively, between 6 and 72 h postinfection. The overall reduction by 1.3 to 2.27 log units is slightly higher than that seen for serum-passaged E. faecalis strains and may be attributable to the higher level of uptake of serum-passaged E. faecalis than of E. faecalis grown in BHI broth. Electron microscopy of infected macrophages revealed that E. faecalis 418 was present within an intact phagocytic vacuole at 6 h postinfection but that by 24 h the infected macrophages were disorganized, the vacuolar membrane was degraded, and the bacterial cells had entered the cytoplasm. Macrophage destruction occurred by 48 h, and the bacteria were released. In conclusion, the results of these experiments indicate that E. faecalis can persist for an extended period in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Animals↗

A new experimental approach to detect long-range conformational changes transmitted between the membrane and cytosolic domains of LmrA, a bacterial multidrug transporter.

LmrA confers multidrug resistance to Lactococcus lactis by mediating the extrusion of antibiotics, out of the bacterial membrane, using the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis. Cooperation between the cytosolic and membrane-embedded domains plays a crucial role in regulating the transport ATPase cycle of this protein. In order to demonstrate the existence of a structural coupling required for the cross-talk between drug transport and ATP hydrolysis, we studied specifically the dynamic changes occurring in the membrane-embedded and cytosolic domains of LmrA by combining infrared linear dichroic spectrum measurements in the course of H/D exchange with Trp fluorescence quenching by a water-soluble attenuator. This new experimental approach, which is of general interest in the study of membrane proteins, detects long-range conformational changes, transmitted between the membrane-embedded and cytosolic regions of LmrA. On the one hand, nucleotide binding and hydrolysis in the cytosolic nucleotide binding domain cause a repacking of the transmembrane helices. On the other hand, drug binding to the transmembrane helices affects both the structure of the cytosolic regions and the ATPase activity of the nucleotide binding domain.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Impact of nisin producing culture and liposome-encapsulated nisin on ripening of Lactobacillus added-Cheddar cheese.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating liposome-encapsulated nisin Z, nisin Z producing Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis UL719, or Lactobacillus casei-casei L2A adjunct culture into cheese milk on textural, physicochemical and sensory attributes during ripening of Cheddar cheese. For this purpose, cheeses were made using a selected nisin tolerant cheese starter culture. Proteolysis, free fatty acid production, rheological parameters and hydrophilic/hydrophobic peptides evolution were monitored over 6 mo ripening. Sensory quality of cheeses was evaluated after 6 mo. Incorporating the nisin-producing strain into cheese starter culture increased proteolysis and lipolysis but did not significantly affect cheese rheology. Liposome-encapsulated nisin did not appear to affect cheese proteolysis, rheology and sensory characteristics. The nisinogenic strain increased the formation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic peptides present in the cheese water extract. Sensory assessment indicated that acidic and bitter tastes were enhanced in the nisinogenic strain-containing cheese compared to control cheese. Incorporating Lb. casei and the nisinogenic culture into cheese produced a debittering effect and improved cheese flavor quality. Cheeses with added Lb. casei and liposome-encapsulated nisin Z exhibited the highest flavor intensity and were ranked first for sensory characteristics.

Cheese↗

Rules for DNA target-site recognition by a lactococcal group II intron enable retargeting of the intron to specific DNA sequences.

Group II intron homing occurs primarily by a mechanism in which the intron RNA reverse splices into a DNA target site and is then reverse transcribed by the intron-encoded protein. The DNA target site is recognized by an RNP complex containing the intron-encoded protein and the excised intron RNA. Here, we analyzed DNA target-site requirements for the Lactococcus lactis Ll.LtrB group II intron in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest a model similar to yeast mtDNA introns, in which the intron-encoded protein first recognizes a small number of nucleotide residues in double-stranded DNA and causes DNA unwinding, enabling the intron RNA to base-pair with the DNA for reverse splicing. Antisense-strand cleavage requires additional interactions between the protein and 3' exon. Key nucleotide residues are recognized directly by the intron-encoded protein independent of sequence context, and there is a stringent requirement for fixed spacing between target site elements recognized by the protein and RNA components of the endonuclease. Experiments with DNA substrates containing GC-clamps or "bubbles" indicate a requirement for DNA unwinding in the 3' exon but not the distal 5' exon region. Finally, by applying the target-site recognition rules, we show that the L1.LtrB intron can be modified to insert at new sites in a plasmid-borne thyA gene in Escherichia coli. This strategy should be generally applicable to retargeting group II introns and to delivering foreign sequences to specific sites in heterologous genomes.

Base Pairing↗

Proteolysis and formation of volatile compounds in cheese manufactured with a bacteriocin-producing adjunct culture.

Hispánico cheese, a semi-hard Spanish variety, was manufactured from a mixture of pasteurized cows' and ewes' milks (4:1) using a commercial mesophilic LD-type starter comprising Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lc. lactis subsp. lactis, Lc. lactis subsp. lactis var diacetylactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris. Varying amounts (0-1.0 g/kg) of an Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4 culture in milk were added as a bacteriocin-producing adjunct. Differences in pH between cheeses manufactured with and without the bacteriocin producer did not exceed 0.11 pH units. Starter lactococci lost viability more rapidly in cheeses made with the bacteriocin producer, which reached counts of up to 6 x 10(7) cfu/g during ripening. Aminopeptidase activity in 1-d-old cheese made from milk inoculated with 1.0 g bacteriocin-producing culture/kg was twice that in control cheese. Degrees of overall proteolysis and levels of total free amino acids in 45-d-old cheese made with 1.0 g bacteriocin-producing culture/kg were 1.80-fold and 2.17-fold those in control cheese of the same age. Inoculating milk with 1.0 g/kg bacteriocin-producing culture reduced the level of hydrophobic peptides in the resultant cheese, increased the concentrations of 3-methyl-1-butanal, diacetyl and acetoin, and resulted in the highest scores for flavour quality and flavour intensity throughout ripening.

Aminopeptidases↗

Bacteriophage-triggered defense systems: phage adaptation and design improvements.

A novel bacteriophage defense system, based on an inducible suicide gene, was challenged with a lactococcal bacteriophage to investigate the potential for phage adaptation. The defense system was encoded by pTRK414H, a high-copy-number replicon encoding a tightly regulated phi 31p trigger promoter fused to the lethal LlaIR+ restriction endonuclease cassette. Repeated transfers of Lactococcus lactis NCK690(pTRK414H) in the presence of phi 31 selected for phage phi 31 derivatives which were markedly less sensitive to phi 31p-LlaIR(+)-encoded restriction than the parental phage, phi 31. The efficiency of plaquing (EOP) on L. lactis NCK690(pTRK414H) was 10(-4) for phi 31 versus 0.4 for the derived phages. The mutant phages remained fully sensitive to LlaIR+ restriction, suggesting an alteration in the recognition or firing of the phi 31p promoter. Sequencing over the promoter region in four mutant phages revealed the identical C-to-A transversion, generating a Phe-to-Leu substitution, in a transcriptional activator of the phi 31p promoter, designated ORF2. The mutant phages were analyzed for their ability to induce the native phi 31p promoter element fused to a lacZst reporter gene. Compared to the parental phage, phi 31, lower levels of beta-galactosidase activity were induced throughout the lytic cycle, indicating that the strength at which the mutant phages activated the phi 31p promoter was altered. Based on these observations, improvements were made in promoter strength and restriction activity in an attempt to elevate the effectiveness of the phage-triggered suicide system. When the phi 31p-LlaIR+ cassette was paired with other abortive defense systems, Per31 and AbiA, the EOP of phi 31 was reduced to < 10(-10) and the level of phage in the culture was lowered below the detection limits of the assay.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Malolactic fermentation: electrogenic malate uptake and malate/lactate antiport generate metabolic energy.

The mechanism of metabolic energy production by malolactic fermentation in Lactococcus lactis has been investigated. In the presence of L-malate, a proton motive force composed of a membrane potential and pH gradient is generated which has about the same magnitude as the proton motive force generated by the metabolism of a glycolytic substrate. Malolactic fermentation results in the synthesis of ATP which is inhibited by the ionophore nigericin and the F0F1-ATPase inhibitor N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Since substrate-level phosphorylation does not occur during malolactic fermentation, the generation of metabolic energy must originate from the uptake of L-malate and/or excretion of L-lactate. The initiation of malolactic fermentation is stimulated by the presence of L-lactate intracellularly, suggesting that L-malate is exchanged for L-lactate. Direct evidence for heterologous L-malate/L-lactate (and homologous L-malate/L-malate) antiport has been obtained with membrane vesicles of an L. lactis mutant deficient in malolactic enzyme. In membrane vesicles fused with liposomes, L-malate efflux and L-malate/L-lactate antiport are stimulated by a membrane potential (inside negative), indicating that net negative charge is moved to the outside in the efflux and antiport reaction. In membrane vesicles fused with liposomes in which cytochrome c oxidase was incorporated as a proton motive force-generating mechanism, transport of L-malate can be driven by a pH gradient alone, i.e., in the absence of L-lactate as countersubstrate. A membrane potential (inside negative) inhibits uptake of L-malate, indicating that L-malate is transported an an electronegative monoanionic species (or dianionic species together with a proton). The experiments described suggest that the generation of metabolic energy during malolactic fermentation arises from electrogenic malate/lactate antiport and electrogenic malate uptake (in combination with outward diffusion of lactic acid), together with proton consumption as result of decarboxylation of L-malate. The net energy gain would be equivalent to one proton translocated form the inside to the outside per L-malate metabolized.

Biological Transport↗

Expression and site-directed mutagenesis of the lactococcal abortive phage infection protein AbiK.

Abortive infection mechanisms of Lactococcus lactis form a heterogeneous group of phage resistance systems that act after early phage gene expression. One of these systems, AbiK, aborts infection of the three most prevalent lactococcal phage groups of the dairy industry. In this study, it is demonstrated that the antiphage activity depends on the level of expression of the abiK gene and on the presence of a reverse transcriptase (RT) motif in AbiK. The abiK gene was shown to be part of an operon that includes two additional open reading frames, with one of these encoding a phage-related transcriptional repressor named Orf4. Expression of AbiK is driven by two promoters, PabiK and Porf3, the latter being repressed by Orf4 in vivo. Binding of the purified Orf4 to the Porf3 promoter was demonstrated in vitro by gel retardation assays. The N-terminal half of the deduced AbiK protein possesses an RT motif that was modified by site-directed mutagenesis. Conservative mutations in key positions resulted in the complete loss of the resistance phenotype. These data suggest that an RT activity might be involved in the phage resistance activity of AbiK. A model for the mode of action of AbiK is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Modulation of gene expression made easy.

A new approach for modulating gene expression, based on randomization of promoter (spacer) sequences, was developed. The method was applied to chromosomal genes in Lactococcus lactis and shown to generate libraries of clones with broad ranges of expression levels of target genes. In one example, overexpression was achieved by introducing an additional gene copy into a phage attachment site on the chromosome. This resulted in a series of strains with phosphofructokinase activities from 1.4 to 11 times the wild-type activity level. In this example, the pfk gene was cloned upstream of a gusA gene encoding beta-glucuronidase, resulting in an operon structure in which both genes are transcribed from a common promoter. We show that there is a linear correlation between the expressions of the two genes, which facilitates screening for mutants with suitable enzyme activities. In a second example, we show that the method can be applied to modulating the expression of native genes on the chromosome. We constructed a series of strains in which the expression of the las operon, containing the genes pfk, pyk, and ldh, was modulated by integrating a truncated copy of the pfk gene. Importantly, the modulation affected the activities of all three enzymes to the same extent, and enzyme activities ranging from 0.5 to 3.5 times the wild-type level were obtained.

Biotechnology↗

Lactococcal plasmid pNP40 encodes a novel, temperature-sensitive restriction-modification system.

A novel restriction-modification system, designated LlaJI, was identified on pNP40, a naturally occurring 65-kb plasmid from Lactococcus lactis. The system comprises four adjacent similarly oriented genes that are predicted to encode two m(5)C methylases and two restriction endonucleases. The LlaJI system, when cloned into a low-copy-number vector, was shown to confer resistance against representatives of the three most common lactococcal phage species. This phage resistance phenotype was found to be strongly temperature dependent, being most effective at 19 degrees C. A functional analysis confirmed that the predicted methylase-encoding genes, llaJIM1 and llaJIM2, were both required to mediate complete methylation, while the assumed restriction enzymes, specified by llaJIR1 and llaJIR2, were both necessary for the complete restriction phenotype. A Northern blot analysis revealed that the four LlaJI genes are part of a 6-kb operon and that the relative abundance of the LlaJI-specific mRNA in the cells does not appear to contribute to the observed temperature-sensitive profile. This was substantiated by use of a LlaJI promoter-lacZ fusion, which further revealed that the LlaJI operon appears to be subject to transcriptional regulation by an as yet unidentified element(s) encoded by pNP40.

Bacteriophages↗

Effects of pH profiles on nisin production in biofilm reactor.

Apart from its widely accepted commercial applications as a food preservative, nisin emerges as a promising alternative in medical applications for bacterial infection in both humans and livestock. Improving nisin production through optimization of fermentation parameters would make nisin more cost-effective for various applications. Since nisin production by Lactococcus lactis NIZO 22186 was highly influenced by the pH profile employed during fermentation, three different pH profiles were evaluated in this study: (1) a constant pH profile at 6.8 (profile 1), (2) a constant pH profile with autoacidification at 4 h (profile 2), and (3) a stepwise pH profile with pH adjustment every 2 h (profile 3). The results demonstrated that the low-pH stress exerted during the first 4 h of fermentation in profile 3 detrimentally affected nisin production, resulting in a very low maximum nisin concentration (593 IU ml(-1)). On the other hand, growth and lactic acid production were only slightly delayed, indicating that the loss in nisin production was not a result of lower growth or shifting of metabolic activity toward lactic acid production. Profile 2, in which pH was allowed to drop freely via autoacidification after 4 h of fermentation, was found to yield almost 1.9 times higher nisin (3,553 IU ml(-1)) than profile 1 (1,898 IU ml(-1)), possibly as a result of less adsorption of nisin onto producer cells. Therefore, a combination of constant pH and autoacidification period (profile 2) was recommended as the pH profile during nisin production in a biofilm reactor.

Biofilms↗

Efficient succinic acid production from glucose through overexpression of pyruvate carboxylase in an Escherichia coli alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase mutant.

An adhE, ldhA double mutant Escherichia coli strain, SBS110MG, has been constructed to produce succinic acid in the presence of heterologous pyruvate carboxylase (PYC). The strategic design aims at diverting maximum quantities of NADH for succinate synthesis by inactivation of NADH competing pathways to increase succinate yield and productivity. Additionally an operational PFL enzyme allows formation of acetyl-CoA for biosynthesis and formate as a potential source of reducing equivalents. Furthermore, PYC diverts pyruvate toward OAA to favor succinate generation. SBS110MG harboring plasmid pHL413, which encodes the heterologous pyruvate carboxylase from Lactococcus lactis, produced 15.6 g/L (132 mM) of succinate from 18.7 g/L (104 mM) of glucose after 24 h of culture in an atmosphere of CO(2) yielding 1.3 mol of succinate per mole of glucose. This molar yield exceeded the maximum theoretical yield of succinate that can be achieved from glucose (1 mol/mol) under anaerobic conditions in terms of NADH balance. The current work further explores the importance of the presence of formate as a source of reducing equivalents in SBS110MG(pHL413). Inactivation of the native formate dehydrogenase pathway (FDH) in this strain significantly reduced succinate yield, suggesting that reducing power was lost in the form of formate. Additionally we investigated the effect of ptsG inactivation in SBS110MG(pHL413) to evaluate the possibility of a further increase in succinate yield. Elimination of the ptsG system increased the succinate yield to 1.4 mol/mol at the expense of a reduction in glucose consumption of 33%. In the presence of PYC and an efficient conversion of glucose to products, the ptsG mutation is not indispensable since PEP converted to pyruvate as a result of glucose phosphorylation by the glucose specific PTS permease EIICB(glu) can be rediverted toward OAA favoring succinate production.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of lcnB, a third bacteriocin determinant from the lactococcal bacteriocin plasmid p9B4-6.

On the bacteriocin plasmid p9B4-6 of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris 9B4, a third bacteriocin determinant was identified. The genes encoding bacteriocin production and immunity resided on a 1.2-kb CelII-ScaI fragment and were located adjacent to one of two previously identified bacteriocin operons (M. J. van Belkum, B. J. Hayema, R. E. Jeeninga, J. Kok, and G. Venema, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 57:492-498, 1991). The fragment was sequenced and analyzed by deletion and mutation analyses. The bacteriocin determinant consisted of two genes which were transcribed as an operon. The first gene (lcnB), containing 68 codons, was involved in bacteriocin activity. The second gene (lciB) contained 91 codons and was responsible for immunity. The specificity of this novel bacteriocin, designated lactococcin B, was different from that of the other two bacteriocins specified by p9B4-6. Part of the nucleotide sequence of the lactococcin B operon was similar to a nucleotide sequence also found in the two other bacteriocin operons of p9B4-6. This conserved region encompassed a nucleotide sequence upstream of the bacteriocin gene and the 5' part of the gene. When the lactococcin B operon was expressed in Escherichia coli by using a T7 RNA polymerase-specific promoter, antagonistic activity could be detected.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

In vitro evaluation of coating polymers for enteric coating and human ileal targeting.

Recombinant interleukin-10 producing Lactococcus lactis is an alternative therapy for Crohn's disease. For in vivo interleukin-10 production, thymidine, the essential feed component of these recombinant bacteria should be coadministered. Different coating polymers were evaluated in vitro for enteric properties and targeting suitability to the ileum, the major site of inflammation in Crohn's disease. To guarantee ileal delivery, the polymer must dissolve from pH 6.8 and allow complete release within 40 min. Aqoat AS-HF coated pellets (15%) showed poor enteric properties and thymidine was released below pH 6.8. Eudragit FS30D coated pellets (15%) showed good enteric properties, but no thymidine was released within 40 min at pH 6.8. Eudragit S coated pellets (15%) showed good enteric properties after curing at elevated temperature while no thymidine was released within 40 min at pH 6.8. In another approach to pass the proximal small intestine intact, pellets were coated with 30% Eudragit L30D-55. At pH 6.0, they showed a lag-phase of 20 min. No influence of layer thickness was seen above pH 6.5. Alternatively, pellets were coated with a mixture of Eudragit FS30D/L30D-55 but they showed poor enteric properties and thymidine was released below pH 6.8. In conclusion, none of the tested polymers/mixtures ensured enteric properties and ileal targeting.

Humans↗