Podcasts about lactococcus

Wisconsin's next official state symbol could be something you can't even see without a microscope. Sure the microbe Lactococcus lactis may be tiny in size, but its contributions to our state's dairy industry are huge. So say two UW-Madison graduate students campaigning for it to become Wisconsin's state microbe.  Producer Molly Stentz speaks with Natalia Rosario-Melendez and Austin Hall with the Catalysts for Science Policy group to learn why.

This episode: Adding tags to proteins to increase their degradation can help engineered bacteria grow and survive better under various conditions! Download Episode (7.3 MB, 10.4 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Lactococcus virus sk1 News item Takeaways Engineering bacteria with new genetic pathways allows us to use them in many new and promising applications. Some of these are industrial fermentations, growing large quantities of bacteria to use as catalysts for production of chemicals of interest, such as biofuels. But in other cases, engineered microbes can be most useful in less controlled environments, such as the soil. In these situations, the engineering can throw off their natural metabolic balance, making them less tolerant of the stresses of such environments. In this study, a solution to this issue was tested using protein tags that signal the bacterial enzymes to degrade the engineered proteins. A variety of tags allowed for a variety of rates of degradation, allowing engineers to tune in the ideal rate. Bacteria with these engineered tags grew better in nutrient limited conditions than those without.   Journal Paper: Szydlo K, Ignatova Z, Gorochowski TE. 2022. Improving the Robustness of Engineered Bacteria to Nutrient Stress Using Programmed Proteolysis. ACS Synth Biol 11:1049–1059.   Other interesting stories: Microbes found in tap water could influence composition of the gut microbiome (paper)   Email questions or comments to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening! Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, or RSS. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook.

免疫維持に役立つキリンホールディングスの独自素材「プラズマ乳酸菌」キリンホールディングスは８日、免疫機能の維持をうたう独自素材「プラズマ乳酸菌」で新型コロナウイルスの増殖や発症を抑えるための研究が、日本医療研究開発機構の助成事業に採択されたと発表した。 Kirin Holdings Co. said Monday its research on suppressing reproduction of the novel coronavirus and development of related symptoms using the company's proprietary "Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma" has been chosen for funding by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development.

Kirin Holdings Co. said Monday its research on suppressing reproduction of the novel coronavirus and development of related symptoms using the company's proprietary "Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma" has been chosen for funding by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development.

Back on the podcast today is Steven Wright, the man behind Healthy Gut, a cutting-edge supplement line devoted to helping those suffering with persistent GI problems. After being diagnosed with IBS by several doctors, Steven found relief from his own gut health problems by following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, and then spent years coaching others to do the same. His goal continues to be providing solutions for effective digestion, nutrient absorption, and microbiome balance. Today Steven is talking about targeting the gut for the purpose of optimising immune health. He discusses what to look for in a probiotic supplement, and explains how paraprobiotics are now being used to improve gut function. He describes some of the specific probiotic strains that have been found to modulate immune response, soothe rashes and improve exercise performance - and where you can find them. Steven also offers some of his best tips for supporting immune health and managing stress with nutrition. Here's the outline of this episode with Steven Wright: [00:00:07] Steve's previous NBT podcast: How to Stop Suffering and Restore Your Gut to Health. [00:00:26] How Steven connected supporting the immune system through the gut. [00:03:25] 5 different immune misfires (scroll down page). [00:06:05] Innate vs. adaptive immune system. [00:09:02] Leaky gut and its role in autoimmunity. [00:09:45] Alessio Fassano, MD; Study: Fasano, Alessio, and Terez Shea-Donohue. "Mechanisms of disease: the role of intestinal barrier function in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases." Nature clinical practice Gastroenterology & hepatology 2.9 (2005): 416-422. [00:16:06] Histamine intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). [00:18:19] Effect of butyrate on mast cells. [00:20:34] Paraprobiotics (heat-killed probiotics) vs. typical probiotics. [00:25:09] Importance of probiotic strain and concentration. [00:27:26] Probiotics found in HoloImmune; Lactococcus lactis JCM 5805 (Immuse ®, also called LC-Plasma in the literature). [00:30:31] Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 (Immuno-LP20 ®). [00:31:50] Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L-92. [00:34:49] 1-year study on LP20: Nakai, Hiroko, et al. "Safety and efficacy of using heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137: High-dose and long-term use effects on immune-related safety and intestinal bacterial flora." Journal of Immunotoxicology 18.1 (2021): 127-135. [00:34:49] Immuse ® - studied at 250mg; Study: Kato, Yukiko, et al. "Safety evaluation of excessive intake of Lactococcus lactis Subsp. lactis JCM 5805: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial." Food and Nutrition Sciences 9.04 (2018): 403. [00:37:07] Beta glucans for boosting Secretory IgA (SIgA). [00:41:20] Best interventions for gut and immune health. [00:45:20] Tips for optimizing nutritional status: Track your food, get a continuous glucose monitor, monitor vitamin D status. [00:45:30] Managing stress with nutritional and gut support. [00:48:06] Boosting butyrate: Tributyrin and L. rhamnosus GG. [00:48:43] HealthyGut.com - new customers use coupon code NOURISH15 to save $15.

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making yogurt by adding milk to yogurt to make more yogurt. Dr. Don - not risky

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making yogurt by adding milk to yogurt to make more yogurt.Dr. Don - not risky

News Reversing hearing loss with regenerative therapy | MIT News (01:28) Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing. The biotechnology company Frequency Therapeutics is seeking to reverse hearing loss — not with hearing aids or implants, but with a new kind of regenerative therapy.Using small molecules to program progenitor cells – a descendant of stem cells in the inner ear — to create the tiny hair cells that allow us to hear. In more detail, progenitor cells reside in the inner ear and generate hair cells when humans are in utero, but they become dormant before birth and never again turn into more specialized cells such as the hair cells of the cochlea. Frequency's drug candidate is designed to be injected into the ear to regenerate these cells within the cochlea.already improved people's hearing as measured by tests of speech perception The company has dosed more than 200 patients to date and has seen clinically meaningful improvements in speech perception in three separate clinical studies. MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer talked on the study results: “Some of these people [in the trials] couldn't hear for 30 years, and for the first time they said they could go into a crowded restaurant and hear what their children were saying … It's so meaningful to them. Obviously more needs to be done, but just the fact that you can help a small group of people is really impressive to me.” One company founder, Jeff Karp believes Frequency's work will advance researchers' ability to manipulate progenitor cells and lead to new treatments down the line.“I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 or 15 years, because of the resources being put into this space and the incredible science being done, we can get to the point where [reversing hearing loss] would be similar to Lasik surgery, where you're in and out in an hour or two and you can completely restore your vision … I think we'll see the same thing for hearing loss.” Engineered bacteria could help protect “good” gut microbes from antibiotics | Big Think (07:01) Following antibiotic treatment, some patients are at risk of developing inflammation or opportunistic infections.Antibiotics are indiscriminate with their attacks on bacteria, so they end up harming the beneficial microbes that live in the human gut. In an effort to reduce those risks, MIT engineers have developed a new way to help protect the natural flora of the human digestive tract. Beta-lactams make up about 60 percent of the antibiotics prescribed in the United States. Took a bacteria (Lactococcus lactis) safe for humans, and engineered it to produce enzymes that break down a class of antibiotics called beta-lactams (i.e. ampicillin, amoxicillin, etc.) It protects the microbiota in the gut but allows the levels of antibiotics circulating in the bloodstream to remain high. After the bacteria's job is finished, the engineered bacteria are excreted through the digestive tract. Andres Cubillos-Ruiz PhD talks on the effects of medication and diet can have on the gut microbiome:“Throughout your life, these gut microbes assemble into a highly diverse community that accomplishes important functions in your body … The problem comes when interventions such as medications or particular kinds of diets affect the composition of the microbiota and create an altered state, called dysbiosis. Some microbial groups disappear, and the metabolic activity of others increases. This unbalance can lead to various health issues.” To test their approach, the researchers gave the mice two oral doses of the engineered bacteria for every injection of ampicillin.In those mice, the researchers found that the amount of ampicillin circulating the bloodstream was as high as that in mice who did not receive the engineered bacteria. In the gut, mice that received engineered bacteria maintained a much higher level of microbial diversity compared to mice that received only antibiotics.  The researchers now plan to begin developing a version of the treatment that could be tested in people at high risk of developing acute diseases that stem from antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis.   Wireless camera tool could make intubation safer and easier | Futurity  (12:40) Intubation is the process of inserting a tube into the mouth or nose and then into the airway to help move air in and out of the lungs. used to support breathing during surgery or an emergency A team of Rice University bioengineering students designed a new handheld, 3D-printed device with a miniature wireless camera, which could make intubation easier and safer. Kenneth Hiller, an anesthesiologist in private practice, who initiated the project, discusses the current practice:“Current state-of-the-art devices have limitations … Placing an endotracheal tube can be challenging in a significant number of patients' airways. For years, I've mulled over what I'd like in a device that can simplify the process and improve patient safety.” Hiller, who approached the team of engineers at the university, knew what he wanted to build but didn't know how to build it himself. Had a model with popsicle sticks and metal. One of the engineering students, Victoria Kong, explains the two different scope types:“There are two main types of laryngoscopes: with straight blades and with curved blades, and all of the video laryngoscopes on the market are in the curved blade format. While that's great for compressing the tongue to get it out of the way, it has a very high displacement volume. It takes up a lot of room in the mouth …  The straight blade gives you a more direct line of sight. We wanted to combine the stabilization afforded by curved blades and a straight-blade profile, and we did that by tapering our blade.” The project is looking at a wireless camera, since current market scopes have wired cameras that makes it bulky and reduces the amount of people in the room at one time. A wireless camera will allow doctors to view it on a smaller screen (i.e. tablet) while not being in the room during the process. “Having the video accessible on a tablet means a doctor in another room can watch and give feedback about technique to the airway manager performing the actual procedure,” according to Rebecca Franklin, who was a part of the design team. The students say they anticipate future refinements to include stainless steel construction for durability. They also see uses for the device beyond the clinic.   A massive "space cannon" can shoot payloads into space at hypersonic speeds  | Interesting Engineering (16:31)  An alternative rocket launch firm called Green Launch is developing a system to send small launch vehicles into space using a massive gas cannon.  With a 54-foot (16.5-meter) launch tube, the company was able to fire a payload into the stratosphere at a velocity exceeding Mach 3. A little taller than the length of a Semi-Truck trailer.  If the company is able to scale the system, the explosive method has the potential to massively reduce the cost and carbon footprint of small satellite launches.BIG IF! The concept of an artillery gun used as a low-cost method for sending payloads into space dates back to the U.S. Army's High Altitude Research Project (HARP) of the 1960s.HARP set a record in 1966 by firing a projectile above the 100-kilometer Kármán Line —  considered by many to be the line between Earth and space. Then HARP transitioned to the SHARP program (S = super) developed the hydrogen impulse launcher, which features a long thin barrel filled with hydrogen mixed with helium and oxygen. Sounds familiar!The SHARP program's 400-foot (122-m) impulse launcher broke records in the 90s by launching payloads at speeds of up to Mach 9. Now, Green Launch wants to leverage that technology to disrupt the booming small satellite launch sector.Green Launch says its "proof of concept" impulse launch will allow it to attempt to send a projectile past the Kármán Line later this year.  The company believes its method could also eventually be scaled to reach hypersonic speeds as high as Mach 20.  Green Launch CTO Dr. John Hunter talks about the process:“The trick is using a light gas like hydrogen, which has a very low molecular weight … You can get very high velocities that aren't possible with railguns or other systems. This has zero carbon emission and will allow us to revolutionize access to space and open the solar system to manned exploration." Green Launch will eventually have to build a launch vehicle that fires a small amount of propellant for course correction and placement once in orbit.  If its upcoming launch tests prove successful, Green Launch says it first aims to deploy its system to send atmospheric sampling devices to space to collect data for climatologists.  A new heat engine with no moving parts is as efficient as a steam turbine | MIT News  (22:54) Engineers at MIT and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have designed a heat engine with no moving parts. Converts heat to electricity with over 40 percent efficiency — a performance better than that of traditional steam turbines. On average, steam turbines reliably convert about 35 percent of a heat source into electricity, with about 60 percent representing the highest efficiency of any heat engine to date.  The heat engine is a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell, similar to a solar panel's photovoltaic cells, that passively captures high-energy photons from a white-hot heat source and converts them into electricity.Generates electricity from a heat source of between 1,900 to 2,400 degrees Celsius, or up to about 4,300 degrees Fahrenheit. The researchers plan to incorporate the TPV cell into a grid-scale thermal battery. Would absorb excess energy from renewable sources such as the sun and store that energy in heavily insulated banks of hot graphite. When the energy is needed, such as on overcast days, TPV cells would convert the heat into electricity, and dispatch the energy to a power grid. As of right now, the new TPV cell, the team has now successfully demonstrated the main parts of the system in separate, small-scale experiments. They are working to integrate the parts to demonstrate a fully operational system.  They have hopes to scale up the system to replace fossil-fuel-driven power plants and enable a fully decarbonized power grid, supplied entirely by renewable energy. For a grid-scale thermal battery system, The TPV cells would have to scale up to about 10,000 square feet (about a quarter of a football field). Operate in climate-controlled warehouses to draw power from huge banks of stored solar energy. Robert N. Noyce Career, professor at MIT, states: “Thermophotovoltaic cells were the last key step toward demonstrating that thermal batteries are a viable concept … This is an absolutely critical step on the path to proliferate renewable energy and get to a fully decarbonized grid.”  

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.17.383745v1?rss=1 Authors: Reyes-Aldrete, E., Dill, E., Bussetta, C., Szymanski, M. R., Diemer, G. S., Maindola, P., White, M., Choi, K., Morais, M. Abstract: Double-stranded DNA viruses package their genomes into pre-assembled protein procapsids. This process is driven by macromolecular motors that transiently assemble at a unique vertex of the procapsid and utilize homomeric ring ATPases to couple genome encapsidation to ATP hydrolysis. Here we describe biochemical and biophysical characterization of the packaging ATPase from Lactococcus lactis phage ascc{varphi}28. Size-exclusion chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation, small angle x-ray scattering, and negative stain TEM indicate that the ~45 kDa protein formed a 443 kDa cylindrical assembly with a maximum dimension of ~155 Angstroms and radius of gyration of ~54 Angstroms. Together with the dimensions of the crystallographic asymmetric unit from preliminary X-ray diffraction experiments, these results indicate that gp11 forms a decameric D5-symmetric complex consisting of two pentameric rings related by 2-fold symmetry. Additional kinetic analysis shows that recombinantly expressed gp11 has ATPase activity comparable to that of functional ATPase rings assembled on procapsids in other genome packaging systems. Hence, gp11 forms rings in solution that likely reflect the fully assembled ATPases in active virus-bound motor complexes. Whereas ATPase functionality in other dsDNA phage packaging systems requires assembly on viral capsids, the ability to form functional rings in solution imparts gp11 with significant advantages for high resolution structural studies and rigorous biophysical/biochemical analysis. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Foods, drinks and supplements that boost those crucial good bacteria in your gut, with myriad healthy effects. Keywords gut bacteria, microbiome, neurotransmitters, dopamine, serotonin, strains, good bacteria, large intestine, yoghurt, Yakult, L. casei Shirota, probiotic, probiotics, supplements, Bio-Kult, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, inulin, prebiotic, Prebiotics, chicory root, fibre, Akkermansia muciniphila, saccharomyces boulardii, yeast, butyrate, SCFA, weight loss, fermented, unpasteurised, sauerkraut, kimchi, cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Roquefort, sourdough, kefir, kombucha, red wine, resistant starch, colon, potatoes, cooked, cooled, pasta, green bananas, cashew nuts

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.08.07.241463v1?rss=1 Authors: Tassis, K., Vietrov, R., Koning, M. d., de Boer, M., Gouridis, G., Cordes, T. Abstract: The current model of active transport via ABC importers is mostly based on structural, biochemical and genetic data. We here establish single-molecule Foerster-resonance energy transfer (smFRET) assays to monitor the conformational states and heterogeneity of the type-I ABC importer OpuA from Lactococcus lactis. Our studies include intradomain assays that elucidate conformational changes within the substrate-binding domain (SBD) OpuAC and interdomain assays between SBDs or transmembrane domains. Using the methodology, we studied ligand-binding mechanisms as well as ATP and glycine betaine dependences of conformational changes. Our study expands the scope of smFRET investigations towards a class of so far unstudied ABC importers, and paves the way for a full understanding of their transport cycle in the future. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

(0:41) Welcome Welcome back, listeners! Stacy had an emergency room visit over the weekend The doctor said it was all good news because they couldn't find anything wrong with Stacy Shortly after Stacy then came down with a stomach bug She is feeling a bit better now Stacy is excited to discuss vitamin D on this week's episode because it ties in very well with the start of summer and some of the health issues she has been dealing with as of late This is the first episode sponsored by EverlyWelland Stacy wants to take a moment to welcome and thank them for their support Stacy and Sarah will be sharing more about EverlyWellwithin this episode, but to check them out and receive 15% off your order, visit this linkand enter 'ThePaleoView' at checkout Sarah loves EverlyWellbecause they search for the labs that have the best quality of each kind of test and then they facilitate the tests through the best labs and then get the results to you very quickly They offer blood spot, salvia, and urine tests They take data very seriously and keep everything confidential Everything is processed through certified labs It is cheaper for Sarah to go through EverlyWellfor her vitamin D test than it is to go through her medical provider because of the copay fee associated with her primary doctor A lot of these tests are often not available through conventional doctors Sarah wants to note to be careful to not self diagnose based on the lab results; to instead take the results to a doctor so they can provide an official medical opinion Be sure to refer to this podcast episodefor more information on how to select a doctor when determining who best to work with when reviewing your lab results (7:31) Why is Vitamin D so important? It is estimated that as much as 75% of people living in Western countries are deficient in vitamin D This is because we grow our food indoors, our diet is deficient in vitamin D, and we spend less time outside It is incredibly challenging to get vitamin D from our diet We are not spending enough time outside to make our own vitamin D There are also a lot of things that can interfere with vitamin D synthesis (ex: if you are inflamed, if you are overweight, fructose consumption) Vitamin D deficiency is rampant, and not just in those who consume a SAD, but also in the Paleo community Once you are deficient in vitamin D there is no amount of sunbathing or fresh seafood eating that will help you restore those levels You will have to supplement once deficient Sarah doesn't typically support supplementation unless for targeted reasons after testing and under the supervision of a healthcare provider She far prefers that we get all of the nutrients that our body needs from food Vitamin D is really different from other nutrients though Stacy and Sarah discussed how very important it is to not let this topic overwhelm you but to take note that this is an important area to address in your overall health and well-being work Vitamin D is not just a vitamin, it is a hormone This is a steroid hormone like cortisol, testosterone, estrogen It has a cholesterol backbone We get a little bit from our diet, but most of it is synthesized by our skin cells from cholesterol using UVB energy from the sun to drive that formation We need UV radiation from the sun for this particular vitamin synthesis A lot of other vitamins are often used as cofactors, they are used to help facilitate some type of chemical reaction But vitamin D actually causes communication between different systems in the body It can turn on or off more than 200 different genes Diverse functions: mineral metabolism bone mineralization and growth biosynthesis of neurotrophic factors hormone regulation cell survival and division circadian rhythms immune system regulates the formation of antioxidants modulates the activity of macrophages and dendritic cells controls subpopulations of T cells (decreases Th1 cells) modulates the activity of T cells and B cells regulatory T cell function is dependent on vitamin D gut health protects mucosal barrier homeostasis deficiency exaggerates intestinal permeability caused by infection deficiency leads to shifting toward pathogenic bacteria (Helicobacter, Veillonella, and Erysipelotrichaceae) supplementation restores levels of probiotic bacteria (Lactococcus, Akkermansia) supplementation increases microbial diversity Pretty much every important function of the immune system is regulated by vitamin D Vitamin D deficiency essentially causes increased susceptibility to infection, that's why it is linked with cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disease, kidney diseases, osteoporosis, and all other chronic illnesses Sarah has been digging into the research on vitamin D and gut health It has been known for a very long time that vitamin D is responsible for regulating the integrity of barrier tissues within the body Vitamin D deficiency causes increased intestinal permeability, which causes leaky gut and exaggerates how leaky our gut gets in response to an infection What is really interesting to Sarah is that fairly new research is showing that the composition of our gut microbiome is sensitive to our vitamin D status So it is a new idea that our gut microbiome is shaped by our hormones Vitamin D deficiency by itself causes gut dysbiosis and there are a number of studies that show that vitamin D supplementation can restore levels of probiotic bacteria There is also evidence that supplementing can dramatically increase microbial diversity Vitamin D is basically a linchpin - if we get this one thing dialed in, we can essentially get all these other things to fall into place This is a super hormone, where vitamin D's roles are so diverse that if you can get vitamin D dialed in, it will make all the other pieces fall into place Getting enough vitamin D naturally is a huge challenge for most of us Vitamin D impacts other linchpins This is why Sarah feels that testing vitamin D levels is something that we should all do (27:08) Where do we get vitamin D from? How much vitamin D we produce in response to sun exposure depends on a lot of factors Latitude of your location Time of year Cloud coverage Time of day outside How much of your skin is exposed In ideal conditions, and with your internal health at optimal levels, you will synthesize adequate levels of vitamin D in seven minutes of sunbathing If you live farther north, it would take somewhere between thirty minutes and an hour and a half of sun exposure every single day, in the middle of the day, in the summer on a sunny day, to get enough vitamin D The time extends based on how much you are covered up The older you are, the less efficient your vitamin D synthesis is The more tan you are or the more naturally dark skin you are the less efficient you are at making vitamin D - so you need to spend even more time outside to make the same amount of vitamin D Even indoors there aren't UV wavelengths that we are getting exposed to even if we are sitting near a window or sitting in our car Given that we are spending more time indoors than ever before in human history and that there aren't even small amounts of UV radiation getting indoors that would have years ago, this is the biggest reason why we are so vitamin D deficient as a society Vitamin D is measured in IU (international units) and about 40 IUs is equivalent to one microgram Wild fish is the highest vitamin D food and pasture raised meat is second A serving size would have between 600 and 1,000 IUs of vitamin D A therapeutic dose of vitamin D from a supplement typically has between 5,000 and 50,000 IUs of vitamin D While vitamin D deficiency is rampant, it is not just a question of supplementing blindly because you don't want to overshoot the mark The functional medicine defined optimal range of vitamin D is between 50 and 70 nanograms per milliliter Sarah tries to keep her levels in that middle range, around 60 There is some research showing that between 70 and 100 nanograms per milliliter may have some therapeutic benefit in cancer and heart disease If you wanted to shoot for these kinds of levels, it would be situation dependent and only ever under medical supervision There is nothing in the human body where more is better Too much vitamin D is associated with brittle bones, too high of calcium levels, and a variety of GI issues (like nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea) Elevated calcium levels can be a strain on the heart and the kidneys This is why retesting is so important Sarah recommends testing every three months to see how the changes you are making are impacting your numbers and to see what is placing you in the Goldilocks range Vitamin D is a slow mover - the vitamin D cycle in our body is about 2 months, so it takes a while to alter these levels within our body Continue to keep an eye on vitamin D levels and continue to adjust vitamin D supplementation as you are working on the lifestyle things to try to find that happy medium where you have a lifestyle that is sustainable and you are keeping your vitamin D levels in range (47:50) Closing Thoughts Stacy now understands why Sarah is encouraging Stacy to use EverlyWellto test her vitamin D levels Stacy ordered the vitamin D and inflammation test However, there is just a vitamin D test available on their siteas well Sarah is very impressed with what EverlyWellis doing and even had the chance to talk with their Medical Director about what they are doing for quality control and their model They are really about empowering the population to make testing accessible and affordable EverlyWelloffers such a huge variety of tests to help you dig deeper to troubleshoot and find the underlying factors that are holding our body back from responding to all of our good healthy choices Their mission and where this company's heart is at is so amazing So, if you are wanting to test your Vitamin D levels, be sure to visit: https://everlywell.com/thepaleoview Enter the code 'ThePaleoView' at checkout to receive 15% off your order A huge thank you to EverlyWell for sponsoring this show and for all the great work you are doing Thank you, listeners, for tuning in - we will be back again next week! Stacy's family is preparing to leave for their cross country road trip, so Sarah and Stacy will be a doing a little time warp in the next couple of weeks

Did you know that there is a lucrative black market in stolen Parmiggiano Reggiano in Italy?  Neither did I, but there is such an issue.  Listen to the podcast to find out more! Download podcast episode here Cheese news Thieves in Italy targeting precious Parmiggiano Reggiano This week's Listener questions are from the following curd nerds; Carlos wanted to know what cultures to use for specific cheeses and some cheese making suppliers in the US/CA For Cheddar use a Mesophilic culture that contains; Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris and Lactococcus lactis ssp. Lactis For Swiss cheeses use a Thermophilic culture that contains; Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus with the addition of Propionic Shermanii Cheese making suppliers in US; New England Cheesemaking Supply, Canada; Glengarry Cheesemaking, Phil was unsure when his Raclette was ready, Justine rescued her Colby after forgetting to mill in the salt, and April wanted to know how salty cheese crystals are formed in some cheese aka Calcium Lactate and Tyrosine crystals. ASK A QUESTION FOR THE PODCAST Don’t forget that you can leave a voicemail message that I will answer and feature during the show.  Just remember that I cannot answer them straight away, so please don’t expect an instant reply. Support the show! If you would like to support the podcast and YouTube channel so I can make new and interesting cheeses and cheese related content, then please support me via Patreon. SPONSORED BY… This podcast is sponsored by Little Green Workshops where you can pick up your cheese making kits and supplies.  We stock a large range of cheese making gear and ship to Australia and most countries throughout the world. Until next time Curd Nerds, Keep Calm and Make Cheese! LIKE WHAT YOU'VE READ OR HEARD? I have read and agreed to your Privacy Policy.

This month in Food Micro Minutes, Emma Farquharson and Genevieve Sullivan discuss Salmonella response to high-pressure processing, fruit flies as potential vectors of foodborne illness, the involvement of hly and prfA in Listeria biofilm formation, and heat stability of Lactococcus lactis phage due to mutations within the tape measure protein. Papers discussed in this month’s episode: Tamber, S. (2018). Population-Wide Survey of Salmonella enterica Response to High-Pressure Processing Reveals a Diversity of Responses and Tolerance Mechanisms. Appl Environ Microbiol, 84(2). doi:10.1128/aem.01673-17 Black, E. P., Hinrichs, G. J., Barcay, S. J., & Gardner, D. B. (2018). Fruit Flies as Potential Vectors of Foodborne Illness. J Food Prot, 509-514. doi:10.4315/0362-028x.Jfp-17-255 Price, R., Jayeola, V., Niedermeyer, J., Parsons, C., & Kathariou, S. (2018). The Listeria monocytogenes Key Virulence Determinants hly and prfA are involved in Biofilm Formation and Aggregation but not Colonization of Fresh Produce. Pathogens, 7(1). doi:10.3390/pathogens7010018 Geagea, H., Labrie, S. J., Subirade, M., & Moineau, S. (2018). The Tape Measure Protein Is Involved in the Heat Stability of Lactococcus lactis Phages. Appl Environ Microbiol, 84(3). doi:10.1128/aem.02082-17

Read the full story with photos at: https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2014/0402_01.html A new Office for National Statistics (ONS) study has indicated that Japanese women have the longest life expectancy among women in 21 selected countries – an average of 86.4 years.*1 In an aging society with an increasing average lifespan, data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare indicate that the gap between healthy life expectancy and average life expectancy is 9.2 years for men and 12.8 years for women. This means that women are spending around one-seventh of their actual life either bedridden or in care. Because the extension of healthy life expectancy and better quality of life for women is becoming more important, the Japanese government has made women’s health one of the pillars of the government’s "New Health Frontier Strategy". Research into equol began in 1996 at the Saga Nutraceuticals Research Institute For many years of soy research, Otsuka Pharmaceutical has focused on the relationship between equol and psychological and physical changes in menopausal women. In 2002 the Lactococcus 20-92, which produces equol, was successfully isolated. Both the Pharmaceuticals Business Division and the Nutraceuticals*2 Business Division have conducted a range of research in both Japan and the US into the safety and efficacy of equol produced using this lactic acid bacterium to ferment soy germ (natural S-equol). After 18 years of research Otsuka launches EQUELLE, a food product containing equol for women during and after menopause EQUELLE is a processed food made with lactic acid bacteria from fermented soy germ containing equol. Equol, produced from a soy isoflavone, especially daidzein, in the intestine is known to act like an estrogen. But only around 50% of Japanese women and 30% of European and American women have the capacity to produce it. It is important to all women to continuously take equol to maintain and improve health. A joint US-Japan equol research collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Business Division of Otsuka Pharmaceutical proves that we are the field leader in the research of safety and efficacy of equol. This study contributes to women’s health who are 40 and over during and after menopause. The company has also isolated the lactic acid bacterium that produces equol and developed technology to produce equol by fermenting soy germ. Caring for their health during this stage of life will enhance the quality of life and life expectancy Rapid falls in estrogen levels among women from their forties onwards causes a range of physical and psychological changes, and accurate knowledge and information about these changes is desirable for proper management. In addition, proper care during this stage of life has significant implications for the lives of women as they age, and is important for extending healthy life expectancy. However, women sometimes suffer alone, unable to obtain information on what they need to do, and when. Staff with expert knowledge will be located throughout Japan to explain to women 40 and over about the importance of healthcare and the role of equol at their health stage. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. launched EQUELLE at pharmacies, hospitals and clinics across Japan and the product will also be available via the Otsuka Plus One e-commerce website.

Here's my summary of the fourth and final day of ASM2013, with a special surprise guest appearance at the end! Download Episode (5.5 MB, 6 minutes) Session 1: Synthetic Genomics to Create a Minimal Bacterial Cell and Some Other Neat Stuff Presented by John I. Glass He talked about the cell with the synthetic genome (full episode 13), and about how important it is to determine what is the minimal amount of genome a cell needs to grow--knowing that, you can start there and build almost anything you want. He also talked about a new method of producing new flu strains for vaccine production using synthetic nucleic acids, which could greatly shorten the time it takes to get a new vaccine going to counter a pandemic. Session 2: C. difficile vs. the Microbiota: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend Presented by Shonna McBride When a probiotic (Lactococcus lactis) was grown with C. difficile, the latter was killed. Session 3: An Intriguing Bacterial Symbiont in the Nucleus of Amoebae Presented by Frederik SchulzInteractions between amoebae and bacteria are interesting and also relevant to our health, considering the similarities between amoebae and cells of our immune system. This interaction is particularly interesting: bacteria living inside the nucleus. Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening! Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

A continuacion: El maravilloso mundo de los microbios de las cuevas, clonación para obtener alimentos de calidad, el esfuerzo de cizalla y el bacteriófago, y un cóctel que mata virus. El maravilloso mundo de los microbios de las cuevas Las bolas de flema y las estalactitas mucosas son microbios que viven en las cuevas y que forman biopelículas mucosas. Los microbios presentes en las estalactitas mucosas oxidan las formas reducidas del hierro y del manganeso en los carbonatos de las paredes de las cuevas, mientras que las bolas de flema recubren los cuellos de los escapes de ácido sulfhídrico. Estos microbios toman el ácido sulfhídrico gaseoso y lo oxidan, liberando electrones y produciendo energía. Se está comenzando a descubrir la enorme diversidad de microbios que viven en las cuevas. Clonación para obtener alimentos de calidad El queso, el yogurt y otros alimentos fermentados son posibles gracias a Lactococcus spp., un género de bacterias ácido lácticas. Para que su empleo sea seguro para los humanos, estas tienen que tener el grado de “calidad alimenticia”. Sin embargo, estas bacterias son susceptibles a bacteriófagos, que pueden detener la fermentación que ellas llevan a cabo. Se está desarrollado un proceso para transferir a estas bacterias genes de resistencia a estos fagos, logrando cepas más seguras para la alimentación. Las fuerzas centrifugales y los bacteriófagos Los fagos son virus que matan las bacterias. A comienzos del siglo veinte se utilizaron para tratar las infecciones pero, con la llegada de los antibióticos, su uso fue despareciendo. Actualmente, la aparición de infecciones resistentes a los antibióticos ha renovado el interés en los fagos como agentes bactericidas, como vectores de vacunas e incluso en terapia génica. En los procesos de obtención de fagos, se emplean  fuerzas centrífugas que pueden fragmentarlos. Por eso, se ha iniciado un proyecto para obtener de forma segura un fago natural llamado M-13, sometiéndolo a fuerzas centrífugas y fermentación, un proceso que puede reproducirse a  gran escala. Esto permitirá utilizar los fagos masivamente en el tratamiento de infecciones y de otras enfermedades resistentes a los antibióticos. Un cóctel que mata virus En un experimento se demostró que el zumo de arándanos fue eficaz para eliminar varios reovirus, que son virus que infectan a animales. Por esto, se ha usado zumo de arándanos para probar su efecto sobre un virus animal intestinal introducido en un ratón vivo. Se encontró que cuando se suministró el zumo y el reovirus de modo simultáneo, no hubo signos de diarrea ni de daño tisular en el intestino del animal. Se cree que los componentes del zumo que son capaces de inhibir el crecimiento de los microorganismos pueden ser unos taninos llamados proantocianinas.  

Los temas que vamos a tratar esta semana son: digestión anaeróbica, transmisión viral, economía basada en el hidrógeno y, para terminar, productos lácteos endulzados con bacterias.Digestión anaeróbica¿Se han preguntado alguna vez qué le sucede a la basura en los vertederos? Los microorganismos se alimentan de residuos orgánicos, incluidos el papel y las sobras de comida, en un proceso denominado digestión anaeróbica. El producto final de la digestión anaeróbica es el biogas, un gas rico en el valioso metano.     Cuando se produce digestión anaeróbica en la naturaleza o en un vertedero, el biogas sube a la atmósfera. sin embargo, Ann Wilkie, catedrática asociada de ciencias del suelo y del agua de la universidad de Florida, afirma que los seres humanos podemos controlar la digestión anaeróbica para nuestro beneficio. La profesora Wilkie explica que los microbios son flexibles y que la digestión anaeróbica puede utilizarse para transformar todo tipo de residuos en biogas.      Lo que hay que recordar, nos sigue diciendo, es que todos los residuos que produce nuestra sociedad son fuentes de energía en potencia.    La doctora Wilkie indica que la digestión anaeróbica ya se usa en muchas granjas lecheras para reciclar el estiércol y obtener biogas para electricidad y calefacción. Esto permite que las granjas reduzcan tanto su impacto medioambiental como sus facturas energéticas.Transmisión viralCuando alguien se contagia de la gripe no suele pasar mucho tiempo hasta que el resto de personas que viven en la misma casa se enfermen  también. Esto se debe a que la gripe se transmite fácilmente entre los seres humanos. Sorprendentemente, sin embargo, nadie sabía con certeza cuánto tiempo tardaba una persona expuesta al virus en volverse contagiosa.                                    Por esa razón el epidemiólogo Fabrice Carrat, junto con equipos del Ministerio Francés de Salud, recopiló datos de 62 estudios sobre la gripe. A partir de allí, el profesor Carrat descubrió que la transmisión del virus, o el momento en que una persona se vuelve infecciosa, puede empezar incluso un día después de la exposición al mismo, lo que hace que sea prácticamente imposible contener con eficacia un brote de gripe.          Carrat descubrió que solamente el 60% de los individuos infectados desarrollarán síntomas clínicos, y que solo un 30% de los infectados desarrollarán síntomas graves. Indica que los casos invisibles, o sea, aquellos en los que los infectados no muestra síntomas, pueden complicar bastante los esfuerzos para aplicar tratamientos efectivos.                  Economía basada en el hidrógeno    Las reservas mundiales de petróleo no durarán para siempre, pero ¿con qué podemos sustituirlo? Algunos dicen que la respuesta está en el hidrógeno. El hidrógeno puede utilizarse en pilas de combustible para producir electricidad, pero fabricar hidrógeno no es fácil en absoluto: puede ser caro y en el proceso se puede gastar más energía de la que se conseguirá con el hidrógeno producido.      Hay muchos tipos de bacterias que fabrican hidrógeno, pero el oxígeno las paraliza porque les resulta tóxico. Sin embargo, es difícil eliminar por completo el oxígeno de los reactores de hidrógeno. Pero Daniel Van Der Lelie (lay-lee), biólogo de los laboratorios nacionales de Brookhaven, afirma que ya están trabajando con una bacteria fabricante de hidrógeno llamada thermotoga neapolitana (ther-me-toe-gah nee-ah-paul-it-ann-uh) que es inmune a la presencia de oxígeno.     El doctor Van Der Lelie indica que la thermotoga neapolitana puede digerir residuos agrícolas y convertir materiales de desecho en energía. aunque esta bacteria probablemente no será útil en la producción a gran escala de hidrógeno, Van Der Lelie dice que podría ser muy útil en pequeñas instalaciones.Productos lácteos endulzados con bacterias    En los Países bajos hay científicos estudiando formas de alargar la fecha de caducidad y mejorar el sabor de los productos lácteos mediante la biotecnología. Con una pequeña modificación genética han conseguido invertir la acción natural del Lactococcus lactis (lack-toh-kock-tus lac-tis), un microbio usado comúnmente en la fermentación del queso y el suero de la leche.                                  Esta bacteria no patógena suele consumir glucosa, la molécula dulce de la lactosa o azúcar de la leche que es responsable de producir el ácido láctico que cuaja la leche.                                  El catedrático Oscar Kuiper (kye-pers), de la universidad de groningen (hroh-ning-in), explica que quiso invertir este proceso para que la bacteria consumiese la galactosa de la lactosa y secretase la glucosa.                                 Cuando el microbio genéticamente alterado se come la galactosa, que es la otra mitad de la molécula de azúcar lactosa, y expele la glucosa, el resultado final es un endulzante natural. El proceso también pone en cuestión el uso de la lactosa y reduce su concentración, lo que es una ventaja potencial para las personas que son intolerantes a la lactosa.                                                              Aunque esta técnica solo se ha empleado en laboratorios de investigación, el profesor Kuiper afirma que ofrece interesantes posibilidades para productos lácteos ácidos como el suero de leche y el yogurt.

Following oxidative stress often two kinds of DNA-lesions can be found: 8-OxodG and the 2,6-Diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (FaPydG). Both derive from the DNA-Nucleobase guanine. The FaPydG-lesion can exist both in the beta-configuration and the alpha configuration. To clarify biological questions concerning the basepairing and the encoding features of both forms it was necessary to synthesise of the alpha-anomer of the carbocyclic FaPydG-DNA-lesion. The synthesis of the beta-cFaPydG-lesion was already finished in 2005 in the Carell group. In a sixteen-step synthesis the alpha-lesion could be prepared in the form of its phosphoramidite component. Oligonucleotides could be prepared on solid support using automated DNA-synthesis. Some of the synthesised DNA-Nucleotides contained the inserted FaPydG-lesion. Others showed an oxidation to alpha-c8-OxodG. This reaction is not known for natural lesion. Just a de-hydration to guanosine under harsh conditions is described. The observations can be ex-plained by formulation of a cyclic intermediate, which is possibly oxidized by the oxidation di-lution during the DNA-synthesis. If the sequence-dependent equilibrium between alpha cFaPydG and alpha c8-Hydro,hydroxydG is at the side of the closed form, an oxidation from this interme-diate directly to 8-OxodG is imaginable. This assumption is proven by the fact that at the same time synthesised and completely identically treated DNA-strands of different sequence didn´t show oxidation products. This could be ascertained by high resolution ESI-FTICR-mesurement. With this analytical method even smallest variations are detectable in a reliable way, whereas the often used MALDI-TOF-mesurements not always show these variations. Thermodynamic studies showed that alpha-cFaPydG doesn´t form a preferred DNA-basepair. All possible basepairs showed a strong destabilisation in comparison to the undamaged, cor-rect basepair. In vitro elongation experiments with S. cerevisiae polymerase Pol eta, G. stearothermophilus DNA-polymerase I and DinB from G. stearothermophilus showed that the alpha-lesion is a definitive block for all mentioned polymerases. Only by applying rigorous re-action conditions an elongation of the primer with BstPol I could be detected. This elongation showed a favored incorporation of dCTP, followed by an incorporation of dATP. In the time to come experiments to avoid the unwanted oxidation of alpha-cFaPydG will be es-sential to promote the cocristallisation of the alpha-cFaPydG-oligomere with the Fpg-protein from Lactococcus lactis and the BstPol I. In the second part of the thesis attempts were taken to prepare tetrafunctional amino acid derivatives, which were planned to be used in a PNA-template directed ligation reaction. Liga-tion takes place between two amino acids, so that for a ligation attempt with this method there is always needed a matching pair of amino acids. This pair requires a connection of the aminoacid to the PNA over the side chain of the amino acid. The N- and C-terminus of the amino acid had to be unprotected for the ultimate ligation reaction. These termini must not react during the solid support PNA-synthesis. After ligation the template should be separated selectively. Thus, the following requirements for the pair of amino acids result: The amino acids have to possess functional side chains, which exist naturally after cleavage of the PNA-template. For the selective cleavage of the template a con-nection orthogonal to acid and base unstable protecting groups is necessary, because these are already needed for the solid support synthesis on the residual three termini of the compound. Imaginable orthogonal cleavable links are allylic compounds, which are cleavable with Pd(0), but also silicon based compounds, which are cleavable with fluoridions, would be appropriate. In the area of the Pd(0)-cleavable link a retrosynthetic cut at this funtionality should be adequate. Here, e.g. a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons-reaction is imaginable. The aldehydes and phosphorylides needed for this key step could be prepared with good yields, however only one of the two amino acid derivatives was obtained. The synthesis of the other compound didn´t succeed under diverse reaction conditions. Also efforts to prepare analogue Pd(0)-cleavable link molecules through classic Wittig or metathese reactions with Grubbs catalysts of the first and second generation were unsuccessful. The most successful efforts to make a target molecule synthetically accessible for a first liga-tion attempt involved the preparing of a fluorid-cleavable silyl link. Here all requirements stay the same, just instead of allylic compounds silyl ethers are needed. The acid stability of the silyl protecting group depends on the size of the alkyl groups (tert-butyl>isopropyl>ethyl). Firstly, substitution experiments with the compounds Di-tert-butylchlorosilane, Di-tert-butyl-dichlorosilane and Di-tert-butylsilylbis(trifluoromethanesulfonate) were undertaken to estab-lish a connection between PNA and the amino acid through a Di-tert-butyldisilylether. How-ever, the substitutions produced just monosubstituted silanoles, irrespective of the choice of reaction conditions and substitution order. The experiments with the commercially available (3-Cyanopropyl)-diisopropyl-chlorosilane were more successfull. Here the synthesis of one of the target molecules could be achieved.