Utjecaj prijenosa gena na evoluciju bakterija mliječne kiseline

In the case of preparing various dairy products, the exploitation of lactic acid bacteria has been essential in the course of past millennia in all known nations. Numerous comparative analyses of gene and genome sequences reveal that the exchange of genetic material within and between bacterial species is far more general and frequent than has previously been thought. Consequently, the horizontal gene transfer between distant species or within the same species is an important factor in the Lactobacillales evolution. Knowledge about the exchange of lactobacillus genetic information through horizontal gene transfer, mobile genetic elements, and its evolution is very important due to characterizations and stability maintenance of autochthonous as well as industrial lactic acid bacteria strains in dairy products that benefit human health.Tijekom tisućljeća u cijelom su svijetu bakterije mliječne kiseline bile prijeko potrebne za pripremu raznovrsnih mliječnih proizvoda. Brojne usporedne analize sekvencija gena i genoma prokariota pokazuju da su izmjene genetičkoga materijala unutar i između bakterijskih vrsta mnogo uobičajenije i češće nego se prije mislilo. Stoga je horizontalni prijenos gena između udaljenih vrsta i unutar iste vrste osobito važan za evoluciju bakterija reda Lactobacillales. Radi dobrobiti za ljudsko zdravlje, izmjena genetičkih informacija tijekom horizontalnog prijenosa gena, pokretni genetički elementi i evolucija laktobacila vrlo su značajni zbog karakterizacije i očuvanja stabilnosti autohtonih, a i industrijskih sojeva bakterija mliječne kiseline u mliječnim proizvodima

Characterization of a S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-accumulating strain of Scheffersomyces stipitis

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) is an important molecule in the cellular metabolism of mammals. In this study, we examined several of the physiological characteristics of a SAM-accumulating strain of the yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis (M12), including SAM production, ergosterol content, and ethanol tolerance. S. stipitis M12 accumulated up to 52.48 mg SAM/g dry cell weight. Proteome analyses showed that the disruption of C-24 methylation in ergosterol biosynthesis, a step mediated by C-24 sterol methyltransferase (Erg6p), results in SAM accumulation by S. stipitis M12 compared to the wild-type strain. A comparative proteome-wide analysis identified 25 proteins that were differentially expressed by S. stipitis M12. These proteins are involved in ribosome biogenesis, translation, the stress response, ubiquitin-dependent catabolic processes, the cell cycle, ethanol tolerance, posttranslational modification, peroxisomal membrane stability, epigenetic regulation, the actin cytoskeleton and cell morphology, iron and copper homeostasis, cell signaling, and energy metabolism. [Int Microbiol 2015; 18(2):117-125]Keywords: Scheffersomyces stipitis · S-adenosyl- l-methionine (SAM) · SAM accumulating yeast · C-24 sterol methyltransferase (Erg6p

Analysis and Assessment of Efficiency Degree in Operation of Cargo Seaports in the Republic of Croatia

Premda se više desetljeća proučava i unapređuje poslovanje teretnih morskih luka, one u Republici Hrvatskoj još uvijek nisu konkurentne takvim lukama u Jadranskome i Sredozemnom moru, stoga je predmet istraživanja u ovom radu bio da se uz pomoć teorijske i praktične spoznaje utvrde aktivnosti koje će dovesti do unapređenja u poslovanju hrvatskih teretnih morskih luka. Na početku razmatranja, poradi boljeg razumijevanja same problematike, predočene su važnije značajke o pomorskom prometu i morskim lukama, kao što su pojam pomorskog prometa i morskih luka, njihove vrste i funkcije. Nakon detaljno elaboriranih značajki posebna je pozornost posvećena teretnim morskim lukama, iznoseći zakonske odrednice za upravljanje njima, opseg teretnog prometa i, konačno, ocjena upravljanja teretnim morskim lukama u Republici Hrvatskoj. S obzirom na činjenicu da je kontejnerski promet vrlo perspektivan oblik prijevoza tereta, izvršena je analiza kontejnerskog prometa te je predstavljena ocjena upravljanja kontejnerskim prometom u morskim lukama. Na temelju dobivenih pokazatelja izneseno je i elaborirano nekoliko prijedloga kojima bi se poboljšalo poslovanje teretnih morskih luka uz podršku Ministarstva, udruženja luka, lučkih uprava i važnijih sudionika u njihovu poslovanju. Na kraju, zaključeno je da bi pritom bilo prijeko potrebno uspostaviti konzistentnu prometnu i lučku politiku koja će biti usklađena sa standardima i propisima Europske unije.Although in the past decades a number of studies and activities to improve business of cargo ports were carried out, still the cargo seaports in the Republic of Croatia are not competitive in relation to the cargo seaports in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, thereby the objective of this thesis was to use theoretical and practical knowledge to establish activities which will lead to improvement in the business activities of cargo seaports in Croatia. At the beginning of this thesis work for a better understanding of the issues, important features of maritime transport and seaports are presented, such as: the concept of maritime transport and ports, types of maritime transport and ports and the function of maritime ports. After thoroughly elaborated features of maritime transport and seaports special attention was paid to the cargo seaports, setting out the legal guidelines of management of seaports, the movement of freight traffic in seaports and assessment of management of cargo seaports in Croatia. Given the fact that container traffic is one of the most promising forms of transport, an analyze has been made in container traffic and an assessment of container traffic management in the seaports of Croatia is presented. Based on the analysis and evaluation of the degree of business efficiency of cargo ports and container traffic in Croatia a few suggestions for improvement of cargo ports are laid out by the Ministry, port associations, port authorities and major actors in the business of cargo seaports. In the end, it was concluded that to improve freight operations of Croatian ports it is necessary to set a consistent transport and port policies that will be consistent with standards and regulations of the European Union

Evolucija bakterija tijekom stacionarne faze rasta

Metagenomics and advances in molecular biology methods have enhanced knowledge of microbial evolution, metabolism, functions, their interactions with other organisms and their environment. The ability to persist and adapt to changes in their environment is a common lifestyle of 1 % of the known culturable bacteria. Studies in the variety of species have identified an incredible diversity of bacterial lifespan. The holy grail of molecular biology is to understand the integrated genetic and metabolic patterns of prokaryotic organisms like the enteric bacterium Escherichia coli. The usual description of E. coli life cycle comprises four phases: lag, logarithmic, stationary, and death phase, omitting their persistence and evolution during prolonged stationary phase. During prolonged stationary/starvation period, in batch bacterial culture, selected mutants with increased fitness express growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP), which enables them to grow and displace the parent cells as the majority population. The analyses of growth competition of Gram-negative and/or Gram-positive mixed bacterial cultures showed that GASP phenomenon can result in four GASP phenotypes: strong, moderate, weak or abortive. Bacterial stress responses to starvation include functions that can increase genetic variability and produce transient mutator state, which is important for adaptive evolution.Metagenomika i suvremene metode molekularne biologije omogućili su razumijevanje evolucije, metabolizma i funkcije mikroorganizama te njihovih interakcija s drugim organizmima u okolišu. Otpornost i prilagodba na promjene u okolišu uobičajeni su za 1 % poznatih bakterija što se mogu uzgajati u laboratoriju. Istraživanjem različitih bakterijskih vrsta uočena je njihova velika raznolikost. Escherichia coli je „sveti gral“ molekularne biologije u razumijevanju genetike i metaboličkih modela. Životni se ciklus E. coli sastoji od četiri faze: lag, logaritamske, stacionarne i faze odumiranja, zanemarujući bakterijsku postojanost i evoluciju tijekom produljene stacionarne faze. U šaržnoj bakterijskoj kulturi, tijekom produljene stacionarne faze ili vremena izgladnjivanja, preživjele stanice mutanata brže rastu (engl. growth advantage in stationary phase - GASP), pa prerastaju i zamjenjuju većinu roditeljskih stanica. Analiza kompetitivnoga rasta Gram-pozitivnih i/ili Gram-negativnih bakterija, tijekom produljene stacionarne faze u mješovitim kulturama, pokazala je postojanje četiriju GASP fenotipova: jaki, umjereni, slabi i nerazvijeni. Bakterijski odgovor na izgladnjivanje obuhvaća stanične funkcije koje mogu povećati genetičku raznolikost i stvarati mutator stanice bitne za adaptivnu evoluciju bakterija

Evolucija bakterija tijekom stacionarne faze rasta

Metagenomics and advances in molecular biology methods have enhanced knowledge of microbial evolution, metabolism, functions, their interactions with other organisms and their environment. The ability to persist and adapt to changes in their environment is a common lifestyle of 1 % of the known culturable bacteria. Studies in the variety of species have identified an incredible diversity of bacterial lifespan. The holy grail of molecular biology is to understand the integrated genetic and metabolic patterns of prokaryotic organisms like the enteric bacterium Escherichia coli. The usual description of E. coli life cycle comprises four phases: lag, logarithmic, stationary, and death phase, omitting their persistence and evolution during prolonged stationary phase. During prolonged stationary/starvation period, in batch bacterial culture, selected mutants with increased fitness express growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP), which enables them to grow and displace the parent cells as the majority population. The analyses of growth competition of Gram-negative and/or Gram-positive mixed bacterial cultures showed that GASP phenomenon can result in four GASP phenotypes: strong, moderate, weak or abortive. Bacterial stress responses to starvation include functions that can increase genetic variability and produce transient mutator state, which is important for adaptive evolution.Metagenomika i suvremene metode molekularne biologije omogućili su razumijevanje evolucije, metabolizma i funkcije mikroorganizama te njihovih interakcija s drugim organizmima u okolišu. Otpornost i prilagodba na promjene u okolišu uobičajeni su za 1 % poznatih bakterija što se mogu uzgajati u laboratoriju. Istraživanjem različitih bakterijskih vrsta uočena je njihova velika raznolikost. Escherichia coli je „sveti gral“ molekularne biologije u razumijevanju genetike i metaboličkih modela. Životni se ciklus E. coli sastoji od četiri faze: lag, logaritamske, stacionarne i faze odumiranja, zanemarujući bakterijsku postojanost i evoluciju tijekom produljene stacionarne faze. U šaržnoj bakterijskoj kulturi, tijekom produljene stacionarne faze ili vremena izgladnjivanja, preživjele stanice mutanata brže rastu (engl. growth advantage in stationary phase - GASP), pa prerastaju i zamjenjuju većinu roditeljskih stanica. Analiza kompetitivnoga rasta Gram-pozitivnih i/ili Gram-negativnih bakterija, tijekom produljene stacionarne faze u mješovitim kulturama, pokazala je postojanje četiriju GASP fenotipova: jaki, umjereni, slabi i nerazvijeni. Bakterijski odgovor na izgladnjivanje obuhvaća stanične funkcije koje mogu povećati genetičku raznolikost i stvarati mutator stanice bitne za adaptivnu evoluciju bakterija

Analysis and Assessment of Efficiency Degree in Operation of Cargo Seaports in the Republic of Croatia

Premda se više desetljeća proučava i unapređuje poslovanje teretnih morskih luka, one u Republici Hrvatskoj još uvijek nisu konkurentne takvim lukama u Jadranskome i Sredozemnom moru, stoga je predmet istraživanja u ovom radu bio da se uz pomoć teorijske i praktične spoznaje utvrde aktivnosti koje će dovesti do unapređenja u poslovanju hrvatskih teretnih morskih luka. Na početku razmatranja, poradi boljeg razumijevanja same problematike, predočene su važnije značajke o pomorskom prometu i morskim lukama, kao što su pojam pomorskog prometa i morskih luka, njihove vrste i funkcije. Nakon detaljno elaboriranih značajki posebna je pozornost posvećena teretnim morskim lukama, iznoseći zakonske odrednice za upravljanje njima, opseg teretnog prometa i, konačno, ocjena upravljanja teretnim morskim lukama u Republici Hrvatskoj. S obzirom na činjenicu da je kontejnerski promet vrlo perspektivan oblik prijevoza tereta, izvršena je analiza kontejnerskog prometa te je predstavljena ocjena upravljanja kontejnerskim prometom u morskim lukama. Na temelju dobivenih pokazatelja izneseno je i elaborirano nekoliko prijedloga kojima bi se poboljšalo poslovanje teretnih morskih luka uz podršku Ministarstva, udruženja luka, lučkih uprava i važnijih sudionika u njihovu poslovanju. Na kraju, zaključeno je da bi pritom bilo prijeko potrebno uspostaviti konzistentnu prometnu i lučku politiku koja će biti usklađena sa standardima i propisima Europske unije.Although in the past decades a number of studies and activities to improve business of cargo ports were carried out, still the cargo seaports in the Republic of Croatia are not competitive in relation to the cargo seaports in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, thereby the objective of this thesis was to use theoretical and practical knowledge to establish activities which will lead to improvement in the business activities of cargo seaports in Croatia. At the beginning of this thesis work for a better understanding of the issues, important features of maritime transport and seaports are presented, such as: the concept of maritime transport and ports, types of maritime transport and ports and the function of maritime ports. After thoroughly elaborated features of maritime transport and seaports special attention was paid to the cargo seaports, setting out the legal guidelines of management of seaports, the movement of freight traffic in seaports and assessment of management of cargo seaports in Croatia. Given the fact that container traffic is one of the most promising forms of transport, an analyze has been made in container traffic and an assessment of container traffic management in the seaports of Croatia is presented. Based on the analysis and evaluation of the degree of business efficiency of cargo ports and container traffic in Croatia a few suggestions for improvement of cargo ports are laid out by the Ministry, port associations, port authorities and major actors in the business of cargo seaports. In the end, it was concluded that to improve freight operations of Croatian ports it is necessary to set a consistent transport and port policies that will be consistent with standards and regulations of the European Union

The influence of gene transfer on the lactic acid bacteria evolution

In the case of preparing various dairy products, the exploitation of lactic acid bacteria has been essential in the course of past millennia in all known nations. Numerous comparative analyses of gene and genome sequences reveal that the exchange of genetic material within and between bacterial species is far more general and frequent than has previously been thought. Consequently, the horizontal gene transfer between distant species or within the same species is an important factor in the Lactobacillales evolution. Knowledge about the exchange of lactobacillus genetic information through horizontal gene transfer, mobile genetic elements, and its evolution is very important due to characterizations and stability maintenance of autochthonous as well as industrial lactic acid bacteria strains in dairy products that benefit human health

Bacterial Stationary-Phase Evolution

Metagenomics and advances in molecular biology methods have enhanced knowledge of microbial evolution, metabolism, functions, their interactions with other organisms and their environment. The ability to persist and adapt to changes in their environment is a common lifestyle of 1 % of the known culturable bacteria. Studies in the variety of species have identified an incredible diversity of bacterial lifespan. The holy grail of molecular biology is to understand the integrated genetic and metabolic patterns of prokaryotic organisms like the enteric bacterium Escherichia coli. The usual description of E. coli life cycle comprises four phases: lag, logarithmic, stationary, and death phase, omitting their persistence and evolution during prolonged stationary phase. During prolonged stationary/starvation period, in batch bacterial culture, selected mutants with increased fitness express growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP), which enables them to grow and displace the parent cells as the majority population. The analyses of growth competition of Gram-negative and/or Gram-positive mixed bacterial cultures showed that GASP phenomenon can result in four GASP phenotypes: strong, moderate, weak or abortive. Bacterial stress responses to starvation include functions that can increase genetic variability and produce transient mutator state, which is important for adaptive evolution