Biomedical subjects

M du Toit

Publications and source records attributed to M du Toit.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Identification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from South African brandy base wines.

In brandy base wines, no sulphur dioxide is used and it therefore is ideal for the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria. As part of an extensive taxonomic survey within the ecological framework of South African vineyards and wineries, and the influence of naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria on the quality of wine and brandy, a total of 54 strains were isolated from grape juice and at different stages of brandy base wine production. The strains were identified using numerical analysis of total soluble cell protein patterns, 16S rRNA sequence analyses and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using species-specific primers. The predominant species was Oenococcus oeni (22 strains), but Lactobacillus brevis (8 strains), Lactobacillus paracasei (8 strains) and Lactobacillus plantarum (6 strains) were also isolated frequently. Many of the O. oeni strains were isolated from brandy base wines after completion of spontaneous malolactic fermentation (MLF). The Lactobacillus spp. were isolated from all the different stages of brandy base wine production. Lb. plantarum was the dominant species in the juice, but disappeared during the later stages of production. However, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lb. brevis and Lb. paracasei were also isolated from base wine after spontaneous MLF. Strains identified as Lactobacillus vermiforme were isolated during the alcoholic fermentation and after MLF have been completed. Total soluble cell protein patterns grouped O. oeni strains into two phenotypic groups. Two phenotypic clusters have also been identified for the Lb. brevis isolates. The Lb. paracasei isolates all grouped in one cluster. This is the first report of the presence of Lb. paracasei and Lb. vermiforme in brandy base wines. The presence of the Lactobacillus spp. could be correlated to the decrease in quality of the base wine and distillate, while O. oeni strains were found to have a more favourable influence on the quality of base wine and distillates. These results shed some light on the ecology and oenological influence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the quality of South African brandy.

DNA, Bacterial↗

PubMed2003

Effect of potentially probiotic lactobacilli on faecal enzyme activity in minipigs on a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet-a preliminary in vivo trial.

Minipigs were fed a "Western-style", high-cholesterol diet for a baseline period, followed by the diet containing a mixture of three Lactobacillus strains with potential probiotic features, after which a normal pig diet was followed. The faecal enzyme activity for beta-glucuronidase and azoreductase, which are commonly considered as markers for procarcinogenic activity, was significantly reduced during the 5 weeks of "probiotic" supplementation. During the period of Lactobacillus administration, the cell counts for total anaerobes increased, whereas the total number of aerobes showed no change.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Expression of the Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its potential applications in wine production.

There is a growing consumer demand for wines containing lower levels of alcohol and chemical preservatives. The objectives of this study were to express the Aspergillus niger gene encoding a glucose oxidase (GOX; beta- d-glucose:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.3.4) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to evaluate the transformants for lower alcohol production and inhibition of wine spoilage organisms, such as acetic acid bacteria and lactic acid bacteria, during fermentation. The A. niger structural glucose oxidase (gox) gene was cloned into an integration vector (YIp5) containing the yeast mating pheromone alpha-factor secretion signal (MFalpha1(S)) and the phosphoglycerate-kinase-1 gene promoter (PGK1(P)) and terminator (PGK1(T)). The PGK1(P)- MFalpha1(S)- gox- PGK1(T) cassette (designated GOX1) was introduced into a laboratory strain (Sigma1278) of S. cerevisiae. Yeast transformants were analysed for the production of biologically active glucose oxidase on selective agar plates and in liquid assays. The results indicated that the recombinant glucose oxidase was active and was produced beginning early in the exponential growth phase, leading to a stable level in the stationary phase. The yeast transformants also displayed antimicrobial activity in a plate assay against lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. This might be explained by the fact that a final product of the GOX enzymatic reaction is hydrogen peroxide, a known antimicrobial agent. Microvinification with the laboratory yeast transformants resulted in wines containing 1.8-2.0% less alcohol. This was probably due to the production of d-glucono-delta-lactone and gluconic acid from glucose by GOX. These results pave the way for the development of wine yeast starter culture strains for the production of wine with reduced levels of chemical preservatives and alcohol.

Aspergillus niger↗

PubMed2002

The occurrence of malolactic fermentation in brandy base wine and its influence on brandy quality.

AIMS: In this study we determined the extent to which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) occurred in brandy base wines, their ability to catalyse the malolactic fermentation (MLF) and the effect of MLF on the quality of the base wine and the brandy distillate. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lactic acid bacteria were isolated and enumerated from grape juice, experimental and commercially produced brandy base wines. Spontaneous MLF occurred in approximately 50% of the commercial base wines. The occurrence of MLF had an influence on the quality of the base wines and the resulting distillates. In samples where MLF occurred there was a loss of fruitiness and in the intensity of aroma. Volatile compounds like iso-amyl acetate, ethyl acetate, ethyl caproate, 2-phenethyl acetate and hexyl acetate decreased in samples having undergone MLF, while ethyl lactate, acetic acid and diethyl succinate increased in the same samples. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous malolactic fermentation does occur in commercial brandy base wines and it has an influence on base wine and brandy quality. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study showed that MLF influences the quality of the base wine and the resulting distillate and with this in mind commercial base wine producers should be able to produce brandy of higher quality.

Fermentation↗

PubMed2000

Preliminary characterization of bacteriocins produced by Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis isolated from pig faeces.

A total of 92 enterococci, isolated from the faeces of minipigs subjected to an in vivo feeding trial, were screened for the production of antimicrobial substances. Bacteriocin production was confirmed for seven strains, of which four were identified as Enterococcus faecalis and three as Enterococcus faecium, on the basis of physiological and biochemical characteristics. The bacteriocins produced by the Ent. faecalis strains showed a narrow spectrum of activity, mainly against other Enterococcus spp., compared with those from the Ent. faecium strains showing a broader spectrum of activity, against indicator strains of Enterococcus spp., Listeria spp., Clostridium spp. and Propionibacterium spp. The bacteriocins of all seven Enterococcus strains were inactivated by alpha-chymotrypsin, proteinase K, trypsin, pronase, pepsin and papain, but not by lipase, lysozyme and catalase. The bacteriocins were heat stable and displayed highest activity at neutral pH. The molecular weight of the bacteriocins, as determined by tricine SDS-PAGE, was approximately 3.4 kDa. Only the strains of Ent. faecalis were found to contain plasmids. PCR detection revealed that the bacteriocins produced by Ent. faecium BFE 1170 and BFE 1228 were similar to enterocin A, whereas those produced by Ent. faecium BFE 1072 displayed homology with enterocin L50A and B.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Characterisation and selection of probiotic lactobacilli for a preliminary minipig feeding trial and their effect on serum cholesterol levels, faeces pH and faeces moisture content.

Three out of 297 Lactobacillus strains isolated from pig faeces were selected for a feeding trial on account of their high bile-salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, bile-salt resistance, low pH tolerance and the production of antimicrobial substances. Two strains were identified as Lactobacillus johnsonii and one as Lactobacillus reuteri by DNA-DNA hybridisation. L. johnsoniii BFE 1061 produced a bacteriocin active against a range of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and nonrelated bacteria including Clostridium perfringens. Six minipigs were maintained on a high-fat, high-cholesterol ('Western Style') diet for 17 weeks after which the diet was supplemented with the 'probiotic mixture' containing the above mentioned three Lactobacillus strains at 2 x 10(12) CFU per pig per day for five weeks. The mixture was given as a resuspended lyophilisate. During a two week follow-up period the minipigs received only the 'Western-style' diet without probiotic supplementation. A lowering effect on serum cholesterol levels was indicated after three weeks probiotic feeding, concomitant with an increase in the moisture content of the faeces and Lactobacillus cell numbers. Triglycerides, pH and number of lactic acid bacteria in faeces were not significantly influenced by probiotic supplementation.

Animals↗