Concomitant extracellular accumulation of alpha-keto acids and higher alcohols by Zygosaccharomyces rouxii

Alpha-keto acids are key intermediates in the formation of higher alcohols, important flavor components in soy sauce, and produced by the salt-tolerant yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Unlike most of the higher alcohols, the alpha-keto acids are usually not extracellularly accumulated by Z. rouxii when it is cultivated with ammonium as the sole nitrogen source. To facilitate extracellular accumulation of the alpha-keto acids from aspartate-derived amino acid metabolism, the amino acids valine, leucine, threonine and methionine were exogenously supplied during batch and A-star cultivations of (routants of) Z. rouxii. It was shown that all alpha-keto acids from the aspartate-derived amino acid metabolism, except alpha-ketobutyrate, could be extracellularly accumulated. In addition, it appeared from the concomitant extracellular accumulation of alpha-keto acids and higher alcohols that in Z. rouxii, valine, leucine and methionine were converted via Ehrlich pathways similar to those in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Unlike these amino acids, threonine was converted via both the Ehrlich and amino acid biosynthetic pathways in Z. rouxii.     

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.     

Efficient Exact Algorithms on Planar Graphs: Exploiting Sphere Cut Decompositions

We present a general framework for designing fast subexponential exact and parameterized algorithms on planar graphs. Our approach is based on geometric properties of planar branch decompositions obtained by Seymour and Thomas, combined with refined techniques of dynamic programming on planar graphs based on properties of non-crossing partitions. To exemplify our approach we show how to obtain an  $O(2^{6.903\sqrt{n}})We present a general framework for designing fast subexponential exact and parameterized algorithms on planar graphs. Our approach is based on geometric properties of planar branch decompositions obtained by Seymour and Thomas, combined with refined techniques of dynamic programming on planar graphs based on properties of non-crossing partitions. To exemplify our approach we show how to obtain an  O(2^6.903?n)O(2^{6.903\sqrt{n}}) time algorithm solving weighted Hamiltonian Cycle on an n-vertex planar graph. Similar technique solves Planar Graph Travelling Salesman Problem with n cities in time O(2^9.8594?n)O(2^{9.8594\sqrt{n}}) . Our approach can be used to design parameterized algorithms as well. For example, we give an algorithm that for a given k decides if a planar graph on n vertices has a cycle of length at least k in time O(2^13.6?kn+n³)O(2^{13.6\sqrt{k}}n+n^{3}) .