Characterisation of anti-Listeria monocytogenes bacteriocins from Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from dairy products

Bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria were isolated from 34 samples of dairy products. Nine bacteriocin producers were phenotypically and genotypically identified as Enterococcus faecium . By means of PCR-techniques, enterocin A was characterised in all of the nine bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus isolates. Enterocin-producing lactic acid bacteria were the most abundant in dairy products collected from different areas in Iran. Maximum bacteriocin production by Enterococcus faecium strains was detected in the stationary phase of growth. Bacteriocins produced by all isolates were found to have anti-listerial activity in sterile milk. The purified bacteriocins were identified as <6.5 kDa peptide by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE). The molecular weights of bacteriocins were found to be the same in all strains. This bacteriocin might be useful as a natural preservative.     

Incidence and antibiotic susceptibility of bacteriocin‐producing lactic acid bacteria from dairy products

Screening for bacteriocin production by strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from local dairy products in Iran resulted in the detection of 10 bacteriocin‐producing strains. Among 105 isolated, 10 bacteriocin producers were phenotypically and genotypically identified as Enterococcus spp. The antimicrobial compounds produced by these novel strains were inactivated by trypsin, proteinase k. These bacteriocins also were active in a wide range of pH and temperature values, and inhibited not only the closely related LAB, but also Listeria monocytogenes.     

Production and immobilization of alkaline protease by Bacillus polymyxa which degrades various proteins

An aerobic gram positive spore forming bacterium, identified as Bacillus polymyxa was isolated from an alkaline soil. This isolated Bacillus produced maximum protease in milk at pH 7. The protease activity against casein was 580 Uml^??1 in milk, as the only source of carbon and energy. However, the maximum activity of protease on sorghums extracts, as the only carbon source was 525 Uml^??1. The best pH for enzyme production was 7, but the enzyme was active at pH 11. It was shown that the enzyme was stable at 55°C for 10 min. The imobilized enzyme with perlite was stable for more than 6 months. This enzyme hydrolyzed casein, gelatin and fibres. Hence it could be used in wastewater treatment, detergents and leathering.     

Molecular typing of methicillin and vancomycin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> isolated from clinical specimens by doublelocus sequence typing (DLST) method

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are the essential cause of infections in communities and hospitals. The present study was conducted to determine the molecular typing of MRSA, isolated from hospitalized patients, using the double-locus sequence typing (DLST). In total, 280 S. aureus isolated from clinical specimens by phenotypic (catalase, coagulase, DNase, oxacillin, vancomycin screening agar and antibiotic disk diffusion), and molecular methods (PCR for determining the mecA, vanA and nuc genes). The DLST and sequencing was performed for MRSA containing mecA. Out of 280 specimens, confirmed as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), 123 (43.9%) strains were MRSA. The highest resistance toward the erythromycin (15 μg), followed by ciprofloxacin (5 μg), clindamycin (2 μg), tetracycline (30 μg), gentamicin (10 μg) and rifampicin (5 μg), was 98.3%, 97.5%, 94.3%, 90.2%, 83.7% and 41.4%, respectively. Also, the least resistance (0%) was observed in each of teicoplanin (30 μg), linzolide (30 μg), and vancomycin (30 μg). All (100%) of MRSA strains had the mecA, and none of them have had the vanA. The results of DLST showed that the most common sequence types were BPH 2003 and 0217. The DLST type 18-32 was a significant cluster of MRSA. By sequencing MRSA and comparing the dominant types via the DLST, it is possible to establish the etiology of the disease in a much shorter time, and prevent the complications of the disease. Therefore, the combination of partial sequences of clfB and spa can serve as useful genetic markers for MRSA typing. It concluded that the MRSA in our region was relatively high, but no vancomycin resistance was found. The majority of the MRSA DLST type was 18–32.