Spore-forming bacilli are being explored for the production and preservation of food for many centuries. The inherent ability of production of large number of secretory proteins, enzymes, antimicrobial compounds, vitamins, and carotenoids specifies the importance of bacilli in food chain. Additionally, Bacillus spp. are gaining interest in human health related functional food research coupled with their enhanced tolerance and survivability under hostile environment of gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Besides, bacilli are more stable during processing and storage of food and pharmaceutical preparations, making them more suitable candidate for health promoting formulations. Further, Bacillus strains also possess biotherapeutic potential which is connected with their ability to interact with the internal milieu of the host by producing variety of antimicrobial peptides and small extracellular effector molecules. Nonetheless, with proposed scientific evidences, commercial probiotic supplements and functional foods comprising of Bacillus spp. had not gained much credential in general population, since the debate over probiotic vs pathogen tag of Bacillus in the research and production terrains is confusing consumers. Hence, it’s important to clearly understand the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of selective beneficial Bacillus spp. and their substantiation with those having GRAS status, to reach a consensus over the same. This review highlights the probiotic candidature of spore forming Bacillus spp. and presents an overview of the proposed health benefits, including application in food and pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, the growing need to evaluate the safety of individual Bacillus strains as well as species on a case by case basis and necessity of more profound analysis for the selection and identification of Bacillus probiotic candidates are also taken into consideration.

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Bacillus As Potential Probiotics: Status, Concerns, and Future Perspectives.

To date, over 1500 prokaryotes have been characterized by small subunit rRNA sequencing and molecular phylogeny has had an equally profound effect on our understanding of relationship among eukaryotic microorganisms. The universal phylogenetic tree readily shows however how artificial the strong distinction between the eukaryote and prokaryotes has become. The split between the Archaea and the Bacteria is now recognized as the primary phylogenetic division and that the Eucarya have branched from the same side of the tree as the Archaea. Both prokaryotic domains would seem to be of thermophilic origin suggesting that life arose in a very warm environment. Among the Archaea, all of the Crenarchaeota cultured to date are thermophiles, and the deepest euryarchaeal branchings are represented exclusively by thermophiles. Among the Bacteria, the deepest known branchings are again represented exclusively by thermophiles, and thermophilia is widely scattered throughout the domain. The Archaea comprise a small number of quite disparate phenotypes that grow in unusual niches. All are obligate or facultative anaerobes. All cultured crenarchaeotes are thermophilic, some even growing optimally above the normal boiling temperature of water. The Archaeoglobales are sulfate reducers growing at high temperatures. The extreme halophiles grow only in highly saline environments. The methanogens are confined to a variety of anaerobic niches, often thermophilic. The Bacteria, on the other hand, are notable as being the source of life`s photosynthetic capacity. Five kingdoms of bacteria contain photosynthetic species; and each of the five manifests a distinct type of (chlorophyll-based) photosynthesis.

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The winds of (evolutionary) change: Breathing new life into microbiology

Enzymes as industrial biocatalysts offer numerous advantages over traditional chemical processes with respect to sustainability and process efficiency. Enzyme catalysis has been scaled up for commercial processes in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage industries, although further enhancements in stability and biocatalyst functionality are required for optimal biocatalytic processes in the energy sector for biofuel production and in natural gas conversion. The technical barriers associated with the implementation of immobilized enzymes suggest that a multidisciplinary approach is necessary for the development of immobilized biocatalysts applicable in such industrial-scale processes. Specifically, the overlap of technical expertise in enzyme immobilization, protein and process engineering will define the next generation of immobilized biocatalysts and the successful scale-up of their induced processes. This review discusses how biocatalysis has been successfully deployed, how enzyme immobilization can improve industrial processes, as well as focuses on the analysis tools critical for the multi-scale implementation of enzyme immobilization for increased product yield at maximum market profitability and minimum logistical burden on the environment and user.

Industrial Applications of Enzymes: Recent Advances, Techniques, and Outlooks

http://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/145/12/852/24134232/milmed-145-12-852.pdf

Zoonoses and Communicable Diseases Common to Man and Animals

Enhancing the functional properties of thermophilic enzymes by chemical modification and immobilization.

The present research was focused on probiotic characterization of lactic acid bacteria from fermented foods and beverage of Ladakh. Twenty five lactic acid bacteria were examined in vitro for potential probiotic properties based on their low pH tolerance, bile-salt resistance, lysozyme tolerance, cholesterol removal, hydrophobicity, autoaggragation, production of antimicrobial substances, exopolysaccharide production, β-galactosidase activity and haemolytic activity. The outcome of these studied parameters was used as input data for a principal component analysis (PCA) to select the most promising isolate and ten most potential probiotic isolates were identified through 16S rDNA sequencing. On the basis of PCA, isolate 84 (Lactobacillus plantarum KJ722784) showed similar trend to Lactobacillus casei Shirota used as reference strain in terms of probiotic properties. Fermented milk sample inoculated with L. plantarum KJ722784 exhibited decrease in viable count during storage at 4 °C on day 28. However, the survival count is greater than 7 log CFU/ml which is higher than the requirement of 6 log CFU/ml to exhibit health benefit.

Probiotic characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented foods and beverage of Ladakh

L-asparaginase (LA) can be effectively used for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and tumour cells. Interest in this enzyme arose few decades ago when it was discovered that the antilymphoma activity of the guinea pig serum was due to LA. For pharmacological and clinical tests, microbial sources are best for the bulk production of LA. Initially this drug failed to fall in antineoplastic category due to the immunogenic reactions caused by the foreign protein. With the development of protein engineering, modifications carried out in purified LA either reduced or completely eliminated the immunogenicity of LA in test model. The improved therapeutic activity and decreased immunogenicity of LA can be of immense use as an antineoplastic agent.

Microbial L-Asparaginase: A Potent Antitumour Enzyme

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Microbial Proteases and Application as Laundry Detergent Additive

Traditional fermented foods and beverages are very popular in the tribal and rural areas of Himachal Pradesh. A number of fermented foods and beverages were identified and the traditional fermentation processes were studied. Some of the popular fermented foods and beverages were analysed for their microbiological characteristics. The fermented products that are unique to the tribal and rural belts of Himachal are Bhaturu, Siddu, Chilra, Manna, Marchu, Bagpinni, Seera, Dosha, Sepubari, Sura, Chhang, Lugri, Daru, Angoori and Behmi. Besides source of nutrition, these fermented foods e.g. Bhaturu, constitute staple food in larger part of rural areas of Kullu, Kangra, Mandi and Lahaul & Spiti districts of the state while others are consumed during local festivals, marriages and special occasions. Traditional starter cultures like ‘Phab’ (dehydrated yeast formulations), ‘Treh’ (previously fermented wheat flour slurry) and ‘Malera’ (previously fermented wheat flour dough) are the inocula used in preparing fermented products. Microbiological studies revealed that species of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a dominant microorganism in fermentation along with species of Candida, Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus. The ethanol content of some of the fermented beverages was also analysed.

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/9365/1/IJTK%20%283%29%20325-335.pdf

Characterization of some traditional fermented foods and beverages of Himachal Pradesh

Nitrile metabolizing enzymes, i.e., aldoxime dehydratase, hydroxynitrile lyase, nitrilase, nitrile hydratase, and amidase, are the key catalysts in carbon nitrogen triple bond anabolism and catabolism. Over the past several years, these enzymes have drawn considerable attention as prominent biocatalysts in academia and industries because of their wide applications. Research on various aspects of these biocatalysts, i.e., sources, screening, function, purification, molecular cloning, structure, and mechanisms, has been conducted, and bioprocesses at various scales have been designed for the synthesis of myriads of useful compounds. This review is focused on the potential of nitrile metabolizing enzymes in the production of commercially important fine chemicals such as nitriles, carboxylic acids, and amides. A number of opportunities and challenges of nitrile metabolizing enzymes in bioprocess development for the production of bulk and fine chemicals are discussed.

Savitri

Papers

Probiotic characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented foods and beverage of Ladakh

Microbial L-Asparaginase: A Potent Antitumour Enzyme

Microbial Proteases and Application as Laundry Detergent Additive

Characterization of some traditional fermented foods and beverages of Himachal Pradesh

Nitrile Metabolizing Enzymes in Biocatalysis and Biotransformation.