Biochemical properties of Streptococcus macedonicus strains isolated from Greek Kasseri cheese

Fermentative Foods: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Potential Human Health Benefits and Public Health Issues

Fermented foods identify cultures and civilizations. History, climate and the particulars of local production of raw materials have urged humanity to exploit various pathways of fermentation to produce a wide variety of traditional edible products which represent adaptations to specific conditions. Nowadays, industrial-scale production has flooded the markets with ferments. According to recent estimates, the current size of the global market of fermented foods is in the vicinity of USD 30 billion, with increasing trends. Modern challenges include tailor-made fermented foods for people with special dietary needs, such as patients suffering from Crohn's disease or other ailments. Another major challenge concerns the safety of artisan fermented products, an issue that could be tackled with the aid of molecular biology and concerns not only the presence of pathogens but also the foodborne microbial resistance. The basis of all these is, of course, the microbiome, an aggregation of different species of bacteria and yeasts that thrives on the carbohydrates of the raw materials. In this review, the microbiology of fermented foods is discussed with a special reference to groups of products and to specific products indicative of the diversity that a fermentation process can take. Their impact is also discussed with emphasis on health and oral health status. From Hippocrates until modern approaches to disease therapy, diet was thought to be of the most important factors for health stability of the human natural microbiome. After all, to quote Pasteur, "Gentlemen, the microbes will have the last word for human health." In that sense, it is the microbiomes of fermented foods that will acquire a leading role in future nutrition and therapeutics.

Metagenomics-based approach for studying and selecting bioprotective strains from the bacterial community of artisanal cheeses

A metagenome-based approach was used to assess the taxonomic affiliation and functional potential for bacteriocin production of the bacterial community in cow's milk artisanal cheeses from Northwestern Argentina. Three different samples were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomics. Taxonomic analysis showed that cheese A and C were quite similar whereas cheese B displayed a rather different bacterial composition. Overall, two families, Streptococceae and Enterococceae, dominated the artisanal cheese microbiota, being the former family prevalent in cheese B and the later family the most important in samples A and C. Besides the usual species associated to cheeses, a number of bacterial taxa that have not been previously found in Argentinean artisanal cheeses were reported in the present work such as Macrococcus caseolyticus and Streptococcus macedonicus Functional metagenomics analysis using the bacteriocin mining software BAGEL3, identified 2 ORFs encoding antimicrobial peptides in cheese B and 42 different peptides in sample C. The bacteriocin genes found showed good correlation with taxonomy. Based on the microbial diversity and functional features found through shotgun metagenomic sequencing, a culture-dependent approach was applied aiming to isolate bacteriocin-producing bacteria able to inhibit the growth of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. From 151 bacterial colonies derived from the cheese samples, 10 were associated to high anti-Listeria activity. Based on partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and RAPD-PCR analysis, all bacteriocinogenic isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium. Finally, we carried out a pilot experiment with L. monocytogenes-contaminated cheese using one of the enterococcal isolates as a bioprotective adjunct culture. The use of E. faecium CRL1879 during artisanal cheese manufacturing did not alter the main organoleptic properties of the cheese and ensured an efficient control of the foodborne pathogen up to 30 days. This finding supports the use of E. faecium CRL1879 as an adjunct culture in the cheese-making process with a combination of both safety and minimal processing.

Selection of raw cow’s milk thermophilic lactic acid bacteria obtained from southwest Parana, Brazil, with potential use as autochthonous starter

Abstract This work aimed to isolate and identify Streptococcus and Lactobacillus species from raw cow’s milk obtained from Southwest Paraná - Brazil. We used randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR to identify and type 58Streptococcus and 48 Lactobacillus isolates, of which 04 Streptococcus thermophilus and 02 Streptpcoccus macedonicus were confirmed by species-specific PCR and by sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA of 02Streptococcus lutetiensis/infantarius, 10 Lactobacillus fermentum, 03 Lactobacillus delbrueickii subspecies bulgaricus, 01 Lactobacillus rhamnosus/casei and 02 Lactobacillus helveticus. The results indicated predominance of Streptococcus thermophillus and Lactobacillus fermentum. Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueickii subspecies bulgaricus strains were tested on the basis of their acidification kinetics. Considerable variation between the Streptococcus thermophilus was observed for the maximum rate of acidification (Vm), with a maximum of -4.5 and minimum of -4.2 pH milliunits min-1. The Lactobacillus delbrueickii subspecies bulgaricus showed values between -8.4 and -7.1 pH milliunits min-1. These results suggest that strains characterized as having a high acidifying capacity, could be used as starters in cheesemaking. The ferments presented an excellent performance in the acidification process, generating adequate curves, characteristics of a starter culture.

Biogenic Amine Production by Lactic Acid Bacteria: A Review

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered as the main biogenic amine (BA) producers in fermented foods. These compounds derive from amino acid decarboxylation through microbial activities and can cause toxic effects on humans, with symptoms (headache, heart palpitations, vomiting, diarrhea) depending also on individual sensitivity. Many studies have focused on the aminobiogenic potential of LAB associated with fermented foods, taking into consideration the conditions affecting BA accumulation and enzymes/genes involved in the biosynthetic mechanisms. This review describes in detail the different LAB (used as starter cultures to improve technological and sensorial properties, as well as those naturally occurring during ripening or in spontaneous fermentations) able to produce BAs in model or in real systems. The groups considered were enterococci, lactobacilli, streptococci, lactococci, pediococci, oenococci and, as minor producers, LAB belonging to Leuconostoc and Weissella genus. A deeper knowledge of this issue is important because decarboxylase activities are often related to strains rather than to species or genera. Moreover, this information can help to improve the selection of strains for further applications as starter or bioprotective cultures, in order to obtain high quality foods with reduced BA content.

A Perspective Study of Koumiss Microbiome by Metagenomics Analysis Based on Single-Cell Amplification Technique

Koumiss is a traditional fermented dairy product and a good source for isolating novel bacteria with biotechnology potential. In the present study, we applied the single-cell amplification technique in the metagenomics analysis of koumiss. This approach aimed at detecting the low-abundant bacteria in the koumiss. Briefly, each sample was first serially diluted until reaching the level of approximately 100 cells. Then, three diluted bacterial suspensions were randomly picked for further study. By analyzing 30 diluted koumiss suspensions, a total of 24 bacterial species were identified. In addition to the previously reported koumiss-associated species, such as Lactobacillus (L.) helveticus. Lactococcus lactis. L. buchneri, L. kefiranofaciens, and Acetobacter pasteurianus, we successfully detected three low-abundant taxa in the samples, namely L. otakiensis. Streptococcus macedonicus, and Ruminococcus torques. The functional koumiss metagenomes carried putative genes that relate to lactose metabolism and synthesis of typical flavor compounds. Our study would encourage the use of modern metagenomics to discover novel species of bacteria that could be useful in food industries.

Fibrolytic Bacteria Isolated from the Rumen of North American Moose (Alces alces) and Their Use as a Probiotic in Neonatal Lambs

Fibrolytic bacteria were isolated from the rumen of North American moose (Alces alces), which eat a high-fiber diet of woody browse. It was hypothesized that fibrolytic bacteria isolated from the moose rumen could be used as probiotics to improve fiber degradation and animal production. Thirty-one isolates (Bacillus, n = 26; Paenibacillus, n = 1; and Staphylococcus, n = 4) were cultured from moose rumen digesta samples collected in Vermont. Using Sanger sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, culturing techniques, and optical densities, isolates were identified and screened for biochemical properties important to plant carbohydrate degradation. Five isolates were selected as candidates for use as a probiotic, which was administered daily to neonate lambs for 9 weeks. It was hypothesized that regular administration of a probiotic to improve fibrolysis to neonate animals through weaning would increase the developing rumen bacterial diversity, increase animal production, and allow for long-term colonization of the probiotic species. Neither weight gain nor wool quality was improved in lambs given a probiotic, however, dietary efficiency was increased as evidenced by the reduced feed intake (and rearing costs) without a loss to weight gain. Experimental lambs had a lower acetate to propionate ratio than control lambs, which was previously shown to indicate increased dietary efficiency. Fibrolytic bacteria made up the majority of sequences, mainly Prevotella, Butyrivibrio, and Ruminococcus. While protozoal densities increased over time and were stable, methanogen densities varied greatly in the first six months of life for lambs. This is likely due to the changing diet and bacterial populations in the developing rumen.

Sensory and protein profiles of Mexican Chihuahua cheese

Native microflora in raw milk cheeses, including the Mexican variety Queso Chihuahua, contribute to flavor development through degradation of milk proteins. The effects of proteolysis were studied in four different brands of Mexican Queso Chihuahua made from raw milk. All of the cheeses were analyzed for chemical and sensory characteristics. Sensory testing revealed that the fresh cheeses elicited flavors of young, basic cheeses, with slight bitter notes. Analysis by gel electrophoresis and reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) revealed that the Queseria Blumen (X) and Queseria Super Fino (Z) cheeses show little protein degradation over time while the Queseria America (W) and Queseria Lago Grande (Y) samples are degraded extensively when aged at 4 °C for 8 weeks. Analysis of the mixture of water-soluble cheese proteins by mass spectrometry revealed the presence of short, hydrophobic peptides in quantities correlating with bitterness. All cheese samples contained enterococcal strains known to produce enterocins. The W and Y cheese samples had the highest number of bacteria and exhibited greater protein degradation than that observed for the X and Z cheeses.

Short communication: technological and genotypic comparison between Streptococcus macedonicus and Streptococcus thermophilus strains coming from the same dairy environment

The species Streptococcus thermophilus is widely used for the preparation of several dairy products, and its technological contribution is clear. On the other hand, although Streptococcus macedonicus was first described more than 10 yr ago and, despite the scientific interest around this issue, the exact role of Strep. macedonicus in cheese making has yet to be clarified. In this study, 121 strains belonging to both species and isolated from the same dairy environment were genetically characterized by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR and compared for the main biochemical features of technological interest, such as acid production, galactose utilization, citrate metabolism, exopolysaccharide production, and lipolytic, ureolytic, exocellular proteolytic, and decarboxylasic activities. Analysis by RAPD-PCR highlighted a remarkable genotypic heterogeneity among strains in both species, and, at a similarity level of 78%, all the isolates and reference strains of Strep. thermophilus grouped together and were well separated from the strains of Strep. macedonicus, confirming that these 2 species are different microbial entities. Comparison between genetic and phenotypic or biotechnological data did not reveal any relationships.

Food fermentations: microorganisms with technological beneficial use

Microbial food cultures have directly or indirectly come under various regulatory frameworks in the course of the last decades. Several of those regulatory frameworks put emphasis on "the history of use", "traditional food", or "general recognition of safety". Authoritative lists of microorganisms with a documented use in food have therefore come into high demand. One such list was published in 2002 as a result of a joint project between the International Dairy Federation (IDF) and the European Food and Feed Cultures Association (EFFCA). The "2002 IDF inventory" has become a de facto reference for food cultures in practical use. However, as the focus mainly was on commercially available dairy cultures, there was an unmet need for a list with a wider scope. We present an updated inventory of microorganisms used in food fermentations covering a wide range of food matrices (dairy, meat, fish, vegetables, legumes, cereals, beverages, and vinegar). We have also reviewed and updated the taxonomy of the microorganisms used in food fermentations in order to bring the taxonomy in agreement with the current standing in nomenclature.

Milk protein fragments induce the biosynthesis of macedocin, the lantibiotic produced by Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198

The aim of the present work was to study the mode of the induction of the biosynthesis of macedocin, the lantibiotic produced by Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198. Macedocin was produced when the strain was grown in milk but not in MRS or M17 broth. No autoinduction mechanism was observed. Production did not depend on the presence of lactose or galactose in the culture medium or on a coculture of the producer strain with macedocin-sensitive or macedocin-resistant strains. Induction seemed to depend on the presence of one or more heat-stable protein components produced when S. macedonicus ACA-DC 198 was grown in milk. The partial purification of the induction factor was performed by a combination of chromatography methods, and its activity was confirmed by a reverse transcription-PCR approach (RT-PCR). Mass spectrometric (MS) and tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) analyses of an induction-active fraction showed the presence of several peptides of low molecular mass corresponding to fragments of alpha(S1)- and beta-casein as well as beta-lactoglobulin. The chemically synthesized alpha(S1)-casein fragment 37-55 (2,253.65 Da) was proven to be able to induce macedocin biosynthesis. This is the first time that milk protein degradation fragments are reported to exhibit a bacteriocin induction activity.

In vitro and in vivo safety evaluation of the bacteriocin producer Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198

Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198, a bacteriocin producer isolated from Greek Kasseri cheese, was used in a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments in order to evaluate its pathogenic potential. The strain was examined in vitro for haemolytic activity, antibiotic resistance and presence of pathogenicity genes encountered in Streptococcus pyogenes. Subsequently, the strain was orally administered to mice (8.9 log cfu daily), continuously over a period of 12 weeks, in order to ascertain the effects of its long term consumption on animal health and gastric inflammation. S. macedonicus ACA-DC 198 was found to be non-haemolytic and sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and vancomycin, with the only resistance observed against kanamycin. PCR amplification and DNA-DNA hybridization did not reveal the presence of any of the S.pyogenes pathogenicity genes examined, namely emm, scpA, hasA, speB, smez2, speJ, sagAB, hylA, ska, speF, speG, slo, hylP2 and mga. In the mouse study, no detrimental effects were observed in the behaviour, general well being, weight gain and water consumption of the animals receiving S. macedonicus ACA-DC 198. Histologic analysis showed no evidence of inflammation in the stomach of the animals receiving S. macedonicus ACA-DC 198, while faecal microbiological analysis revealed that the strain retained its viability passing through the mouse gastrointestinal tract. Finally, no evidence of translocation to the liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes was observed. In conclusion, none of the examined virulence determinants were detected in S. macedonicus ACA-DC 198 and its long term, high dosage oral administration did not appear to induce any pathogenic effect in mice.

Use of artificial neural networks and a gamma-concept-based approach to model growth of and bacteriocin production by Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198 under simulated conditions of Kasseri cheese production

Growth of and bacteriocin production by Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198 were assessed and modeled under conditions simulating Kasseri cheese production. Controlled fermentations were performed in milk supplemented with yeast extract at different combinations of temperature (25, 40, and 55 degrees C), constant pH (pHs 5 and 6), and added NaCl (at concentrations of 0, 2, and 4%, wt/vol). The data obtained were used to construct two types of predictive models, namely, a modeling approach based on the gamma concept, as well as a model based on artificial neural networks (ANNs). The latter computational methods were used on 36 control fermentations to quantify the complex relationships between the conditions applied (temperature, pH, and NaCl) and population behavior and to calculate the associated biokinetic parameters, i.e., maximum specific growth and cell count decrease rates and specific bacteriocin production. The functions obtained were able to estimate these biokinetic parameters for four validation fermentation experiments and obtained good agreement between modeled and experimental values. Overall, these experiments show that both methods can be successfully used to unravel complex kinetic patterns within biological data of this kind and to predict population kinetics. Whereas ANNs yield a better correlation between experimental and predicted results, the gamma-concept-based model is more suitable for biological interpretation. Also, while the gamma-concept-based model has not been designed for modeling of other biokinetic parameters than the specific growth rate, ANNs are able to deal with any parameter of relevance, including specific bacteriocin production.

Occurrence ofStreptococcus macedonicusin Italian cheeses

A new approach for the detection and enumeration of Streptococcus macedonicus in cheese was developed. The method which is based on a first screening of cheeses by a PCR assay specific for S. macedonicus followed by plating positive samples on a differential medium (SM medium) was applied to 51 samples derived from PDO and traditional Italian cheeses. Streptococcus macedonicus was found in 16 of the 51 samples examined in the present work. With the exclusion of an Asiago cheese sample in which very high numbers of S. macedonicus (7.13 log CFU g(-1)) were found, the counts of S. macedonicus in SM medium ranged from 2.48 to 4.70 log CFU g(-1). In the same cheeses, total streptococci enumerated onto M17 agar were found at higher concentrations with values up to 7.88 log CFU g(-1). The system developed was particularly useful for the differential count of S. macedonicus in cheese and allowed to evaluate the occurrence of this species within the complex microbial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population, which is typical of traditional cheeses. Results showed that in the examined cheeses S. macedonicus cannot be considered as a dominant LAB species.

Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198 produces the lantibiotic, macedocin, at temperature and pH conditions that prevail during cheese manufacture

Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198, a natural cheese isolate, produces the anticlostridial bacteriocin, macedocin. Bacteriocin activity was detected from the mid-exponential growth phase and remained constant during the stationary phase. A secondary model was setup to describe the influence of temperature (20-45 degrees C) and pH (5.1-6.9) on cell growth of and bacteriocin production by S. macedonicus ACA-DC 198 during in vitro laboratory fermentations. The optimum temperature for bacteriocin production (20-25 degrees C) was markedly lower than the optimum growth temperature (42.3 degrees C). In contrast, the specific macedocin production was maximal around pH 6.0, whereas growth was optimal at pH 6.4. Consequently, the maximum bacteriocin activity was reached between pH 6.0 and 6.5.

Macedocin, a food-grade lantibiotic produced by Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198

Streptococcus macedonicus ACA-DC 198, a strain isolated from Greek Kasseri cheese, produces a food-grade lantibiotic named macedocin. Macedocin has a molecular mass of 2,794.76 +/- 0.42 Da, as determined by electrospray mass spectrometry. Partial N-terminal sequence analysis revealed 22 amino acid residues that correspond with the amino acid sequence of the lantibiotics SA-FF22 and SA-M49, both of which were isolated from the pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. Macedocin inhibits a broad spectrum of lactic acid bacteria, as well as several food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, including Clostridium tyrobutyricum. It displays a bactericidal effect towards the most sensitive indicator strain, Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei LMG 13558(T), while the producer strain itself displays autoinhibition when it is grown under conditions that do not favor bacteriocin production. Macedocin is active at pHs between 4.0 and 9.0, and it retains activity even after incubation for 20 min at 121 degrees C with 1 atm of overpressure. Inhibition of macedocin by proteolytic enzymes is variable.

Reevaluation of Streptococcus bovis endocarditis cases from 1975 to 1985 by 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis

Studies that detected an association between Streptococcus bovis endocarditis and colon carcinoma have not taken into account the recently identified genetic diversity among organisms historically classified as S. bovis. With near full-length 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, organisms cultured from the blood of endocarditis patients at the Mayo Clinic from 1975 to 1985 and previously identified as S. bovis or streptococcus group D nonenterococci were shown to represent S. bovis biotypes I (11 isolates) and II/2 (1 isolate), S. salivarius (1 isolate), and S. macedonicus (1 isolate). Two of the S. bovis biotype I cases were associated with colon cancer. Whether S. bovis biotype II or other organisms closely related to and historically identified as S. bovis (e.g., S. macedonicus) are associated with malignant (or premalignant) colon lesions in humans remains to be definitively determined.