published_or_final_version / Physiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Manure from animal farms and sewage sludge contain pathogens and opportunistic organisms in various concentrations depending on the health of the herds and human sources. Other than for the presence of pathogens, these waste substances are excellent nutrient sources and constitute a preferred organic fertilizer. However, because of the pathogens, the risks of infection of animals or humans increase with the indiscriminate use of manure, especially liquid manure or sludge, for agriculture. This potential problem can increase with the global connectedness of animal herds fed imported feed grown on fields fertilized with local manures. This paper describes a simple, easy-to-use, low-tech hygienization method which conserves nutrients and does not require large investments in infrastructure. The proposed method uses the microbiotic shift during mesophilic fermentation of cow manure or sewage sludge during which gram-negative bacteria, enterococci and yeasts were inactivated below the detection limit of 3 log10 cfu/g while lactobacilli increased up to a thousand fold. Pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli EHEC O:157 and vegetative Clostridium perfringens were inactivated within 3 days of fermentation. In addition, ECBO-viruses and eggs of Ascaris suum were inactivated within 7 and 56 days, respectively. Compared to the mass lost through composting (15–57%), the loss of mass during fermentation (< 2.45%) is very low and provides strong economic and ecological benefits for this process. This method might be an acceptable hygienization method for developed as well as undeveloped countries, and could play a key role in public and animal health while safely closing the nutrient cycle by reducing the necessity of using energy-inefficient inorganic fertilizer for crop production.

No description available.

Thesis (MSc (Institute for Wine Biotechnology))--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The process of winemaking involves a number of microorganisms, contributing both positively and negatively to the final product. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are present at all stages of vinification and therefore play a major role in the production of wine, especially red wine. LAB are responsible for malolactic fermentation (MLF), which can be desirable or unwanted depending on the style of wine. LAB can also be responsible for spoilage, and production of off flavours resulting in a decrease in the quality of the finished wine. Spoilage occurs if the wrong species are present at the wrong time and can also occur as a result of spontaneous MLF. It is therefore necessary to control the population of indigenous LAB present in the wine. Plantaricins are bacteriocins produced by Lactobacillus plantarum strains and have the potential to inhibit closely related strains that occupy the same ecological niche. This makes them promising for the control of LAB during the winemaking process. Inhibition of the indigenous LAB microflora could help to prevent the formation of undesirable off-flavours, as well as allowing for control over MLF. The use of plantaricin-producing starter cultures could also lead to a reduction in the amount of sulphur dioxide used in wine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of L. plantarum strains isolated from wine to produce plantaricins under winemaking conditions. This potential was evaluated by investigating the expression of plantaricin genes under winemaking conditions. The first objective was to screen nineteen strains of L. plantarum isolated from South African red wines, as well as a commercial strain; for various genes responsible for the production of plantaricins, including structural, transport and regulatory genes. Results showed that the twenty strains contained at least 16 of the 24 genes (previously reported to be associated with the plantaricin locus for various L. plantarum strains) screened for. Only orfZ123 and orf345 genes yielded no positive results in any of the strains. The second objective was to sequence selected plantaricin genes (plnE, plnF, plnN, plnG and plnB) to determine the variation in nucleotide and amino acid sequences of these genes among the different wine L. plantarum isolates. High homology was found between the nucleotide sequences of the strains and none of the amino acid substitutions in the protein sequences occurred in conserved regions. The nucleotide sequence of plnN was identical in all but one of the strains and similarity of the plnB sequence ranged from 96% to 100%. Similarity of the plnG nucleotide sequence ranged from 99% to 100%. The plnE nucleotide sequence was identical in all but two strains and there were only two groups in terms of nucleotide sequence for plnF, with only two changes between the groups. The third objective was the evaluation of plantaricin production using plate assays mimicking certain wine parameters (pH and ethanol concentration). All twenty strains showed inhibitory activity to varying degrees against a panel of nine indicator microorganisms, including Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes and potential wine spoilage organisms, Lactobacillus spp, Pediococcus spp and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Addition of 10% ethanol and a low pH of 3.5 decreased both the bacteriocin production as well as the spectrum of activity. Seven of the twenty strains, however, showed good bacteriocin activity under all conditions. The fourth objective was to investigate the expression of two plantaricin structural genes (plnEF and plnJK) and the transporter gene (plnG) under winemaking conditions. Two strains (R1122 and 113.1) were chosen, based on the results from the previous objectives, as starter cultures for MLF in synthetic wine media and Riesling wine. Low wine pH (3.2) and high wine pH (3.8) levels were investigated in conjunction with ethanol concentrations of 0%, 12% and 15%. All three of the genes were expressed to varying degrees depending on the fermentation condition. High ethanol and low pH generally decreased expression of the structural plantaricin genes. The influence on expression of the transporter gene was different, with low pH and presence of ethanol resulting in an increase in gene expression. The genes were also expressed in wine, although at a lower level relative to expression in the synthetic wine media. The presence of sensitive bacteria in the wine seemed to increase expression of the structural genes. Furthermore, expression of the mle gene responsible for MLF was investigated under the same winemaking conditions. Expression was shown to be inducible by malic acid, and negatively affected by the presence of ethanol but positively influenced by a lowering in pH from 3.8 to 3.2. This study confirms that plantaricin genes are expressed under winemaking conditions, which in turn indicates that the plantaricins could be produced under winemaking conditions. This confirms the potential use of these plantaricin-producing strains as starter cultures for MLF with the ability to inhibit indigenous LAB, however, presence of the plantaricin protein in wine still needs to be confirmed. It will also need to be established whether the protein is biologically active and not inhibited by wine-related factors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proses van wynmaak bevat 'n verskeidenheid mikroorganismes, wat postiewe en negatiewe bydrae kan lewer tot die finale produk. Melksuurbakterieë is teenwoordig by alle stadiums van wynmaak en speel 'n belangrike rol in die produksie van wyn. Melksuurbakterieë is verantwoordelik vir appelmelksuur gisting (AMG), wat gewens of ongewens kan wees, afhangende van die styl van die wyn. Melksuurbakterieë kan ook verantwoordelik wees vir bederf van wyn, asook die produksie van ongewenste geure wat bydrae tot ʼn toename in die kwaliteit van die wyn. Bederf van wyn kan gebeur as die verkeerde spesies voorkom op die verkeerde tyd en kan ook gebeur as ʼn gevolg van spontane AMG. Dit is dus nodig om die populasie van natuurlike melksuurbakterieë in wyn te beheer. Plantarisiene, geproduseer deur Lactobacillus plantarum wyn-isolate, het die potensiaal om naby verwante stamme se groei te inhibeer wat in dieselfde nis voorkom. Hierdie eienskap maak hul belowend vir die beheer van melksuurbakterieë se groei gedurende die wynmaakproses. Inhibering van die natuurlike mikroflora kan help om die vorming van ongewenste geure te verhoed, sowel as om AMG te beheer. Die gebruik van aanvangskulture, wat plantarisiene kan produseer, kan lei tot ’n vermindering in die gebruik van swaweldioksied in die wynindustrie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die potensiaal van L. plantarum stamme, geïsoleer vanuit wyn, te ondersoek vir hul vermoë om plantaricins te produseer in toestande wat die wynmaakproses naboots. Die potensiaal was ondersoek deur te kyk na die uitdrukking van plantarisien-produserende gene onder wynmaak toestande. Die eerste objektief was om die 19 L. plantarum stamme, geïsoleer vanuit Suid-Afrikaanse rooi wyne, asook n kommersiele stam, te ondersoek vir die teenwoordigheid van verskeie gene wat verantwoordelik is vir die produksie van plantarisiene, sowel as strukturele, transporter en regulerende gene. Al twintig van hierdie stamme het ten minste 16 uit die 24 gene bevat waarvoor ondersoek was. OrfZ123 en orf345 het egter geen positiewe resultate opgelewer in enige van die stamme nie. Die tweede objektief was om die DNA-volgorde te bepaal van spesifieke gene (plnE, plnF, plnN, plnG, sowel as plnB) en sodoende die variasie in nukleotied en aminosuur volgorde van hierdie gene in die verskillende L. plantarum wyn-isolate te bepaal. Hoë vlakke van homologie was gevind en geen van die aminosuur veranderings het in behoue gebiede plaasgevind nie. Die nukleotied volgorde van plnN was identies in al die stamme, behalwe vir een, en die ooreenkomste tussen die plnB volgorde het varieër van 96% tot 100%. Die ooreenkomste tussen die plnG nukleotied volgorde het varieër van 99% to 100%. Die plnE nukleotied volgorde was identies in al die stamme, behalwe vir twee, en daar was net twee groepe in terme van nukleotied volgorde vir plnF, met net twee veranderinge tussen die groepe. Die derde objektief was om die vermoë van die stamme om plantaricins the produseer, deur gebruik te maak van plaat assays, onder verskillende wyntoestande te ondersoek. Die twinting stamme het verskillende vlakke van inhibering teenoor die nege toets-organismes getoon, wat Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes sowel as potensiele wyn bederf organismes, Lactobacillus spp, Pediococcus spp and Leuconostoc mesenteroides insluit. Die byvoeging van 10% etanol en ’n lae pH van 3.5, het beide bakteriosien produksie inhibeer, sowel as die spektrum van aktiwiteit verminder. Sewe van die stamme het egter steeds goeie aktiwiteit getoon onder al die kondisies wat getoets was. Die vierde objektief was om die uitdrukking van twee plantaricin strukturele gene (plnEF en plnJK), sowel as die transporter geen (plnG) onder wynmaak omstandighede te ondersoek. Twee stamme (R1122 en 113.1) was gekies as aanvangskulture vir AMG in sintesiese wyn media, sowel as Riesling wyn. Hierdie twee stamme was gekies op grond van die resultate wat van die vorige objektiewe verkry was. Lae wyn pH (3.2) en hoë wyn pH (3.8) was ondersoek in samewerking met verskillende etanol konsentrasies wat 0%, 12% en 15% etanol insluit. Al drie hierdie gene was uitgedruk teen verskillende vlakke, afhangende van die verskeie fermentasie kondisies. Hoë etanol en lae pH lei oor die algemeen tot ʼn toename in uitdrukking van die strukturele plantarisien gene. Die invloed op uitdrukking van die transporter geen was verskillend, want lae pH en die teenwoordigheid van etanol het gelei tot ʼn verhoging in geen uitdrukking. Die gene was uitegdruk in wyn, maar was teen laer vlakke relatief tot uitdrukking in die sintetiese wyn media. Dit blyk dat die teenwoordigheid van sensitiewe bakterieë in die wyn tot ‘n hoër uitdrukking van die strukturele gene lei. Die uitdrukking van die mle geen, verantwoordelik vir AMG, was ook onder dieselfde wynmaak kondisies ondersoek. Die uitdrukking was geïnduseer deur appelsuur, negatief beïnvloed deur die teenwoordigheid van etanol, maar positief beïnvloed deur ’n verlaging in pH van 3.8 tot 3.2. Hierdie studie toon dat plantaricin gene uitegedruk word onder wynmaak toestande en dat plantaricins moontlik onder hierdie toestande geproduseer kan word. Die potensiaal van hierdie stamme word getoon om as aanvangskulture gebruik te word vir AMG, om sodoende die groei van natuurlike melksuur bakterieë te inhibeer. Die teenwoordigheid van die plantarisien peptied in die wyn moet egter nog bewys word. Daar sal ook vasgestel moet word of die peptied biologies aktief is en nie deur wynverwante faktore geïnhibeer word nie.

Nearly 60 m tonnes of waste is produced annually in Europe from “plastic packaging” engendering significant challenges for legislative controls and minimisation of environmental impact. There is an increasing demand for biodegradable packaging, which can be disposed of with minimum environmental impact, but the growing market is still in its infancy predominantly due to a lack of materials having environmental, practical and economic suitability. This research project dealt with some processing challenges of environmentally friendly packaging materials from renewable resources, as a long term solution to mitigate some issues associated with oil based plastic packaging. In this work, novel Polylactic acid (PLA) and starch based composites were developed with the requisite technical properties to fill the gap in the food packaging and cosmetic packaging industry. It was found that starch can be incorporated in a PLA matrix at the 10% level without difficulty in processing in the presence of 2% methyldiphenyl diisocyante. The blend shows properties similar to pure PLA. It was also found that the elongation at break and impact properties of PLA can be increased remarkably by the addition of a biostrength impact modifier. Furthermore, mixing of PLA and starch in the blend is efficient when the PLA particle size is reduced. It was also found that flexible and tougher PLA/starch blend pellets, that can be injection moulded, can be produced by an extrusion process with a range of additives. Each additive has a maximum level that exhibits optimum properties. The blends also established that 15% starch can be incorporated into the PLA matrix to reduce the cost without any processing difficulties. Encouragingly, the presence of an impact modifier in the PLA/starch blends has shown more desirable properties. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the pellets exposed to increased residence time in the injection moulding barrel and of the test specimens stored for 9 months at 21ºC were also satisfactory for the new blend. The overall results exhibited some attractive properties in the tri blend system, which can be easily adopted by the plastics industry for development of an injection moulded product within the scope of applications such as dry food packaging or cosmetic packaging. A further finding of this project is that biodegradation under a home composting environment can be improved by incorporating starch and certain other modifiers into PLA.

Implanted biomaterials often induce inflammation that frequently leads to the foreign body response, fibrosis, and the failure of the implant. Thus, it is important to evaluate how cells interact with materials to promote a more regenerative response. It is critical to determine how to modulate the response of tissue resident innate immune cells, as they are among the first cells to interact with implanted materials. Among tissue resident innate immune cells are mast cells, which are inflammatory sentinels that degranulate and orchestrate the fate of other cell populations, such as monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes. Mast cells have also been reported to play a vital role in the foreign body response of implanted biomaterials as well as angiogenesis. The goal of this study was to determine how to modulate mast cell responses to electrospun scaffolds by altering scaffold architecture and composition to promote anti-inflammatory and regenerative cell-scaffold interactions. Scaffold architecture was manipulated by changing either fiber diameter or pore diameter and mast cell responses were mediated by endogenous and exogenous DAMPs (i.e. IL-33 and LPS, respectively). Particularly in response to IL-33, scaffolds with increased fiber and pore diameter promoted less inflammatory cytokine and chemokine release while increasing angiogenic cytokine release. Additionally, taking scaffolds that promoted increased inflammatory cytokine expression and increasing the pore diameter alone dampened inflammatory cytokine expression. The next question we wanted to answer was how might the degradative byproducts of scaffolds alter mast cell inflammatory responses. Given the widespread use of polylactic acid, we decided to investigate this question using lactic acid as a degradative byproduct. In the presence of physiologically relevant levels of lactic acid, IL-33- and IgE-mediated inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are suppressed, while angiogenic cytokines are enhanced. This response was shown to be pH- and MCT1-dependent and was recapitulated in primary human skin mast cells as well as in vivo. In summary, scaffold architecture and the presence of select polymer degradative byproducts have the potential of selectively suppressing inflammatory cytokines and enhancing angiogenic cytokines.

This study shows for the first time the effect that L-(+)-lactic acid has on mast cell activation. Lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis and is associated with inflammatory environments such as wounds, tumors and, asthma. In this study, pre-treatment with lactic acid altered cytokine production by bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC). Specifically, lactic acid enhanced cytokine secretion following IgE cross-linking, but decreased IL-33 mediated cytokine production. These effects were altered by genetic background, since C57BL/6 mast cells demonstrated the aforementioned result, but lactic acid had no effect on IgE-mediated cytokine production in 129/SvJ mast cells. The affected cytokines included IL-6, TNF, MCP-1, MIP-1α, IL-13, and VEGF. Lactic acid pretreatment promoted a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Investigation into the IL-33 signaling pathway showed lactic acid decreased TAK1 and JNK phosphorylation, while increasing phosphorylated AKT levels. Blocking JNK and TAK1 with a small molecule inhibitor mimicked the effects of lactic acid. Interestingly, lactic acid significantly increased IL-33 mediated VEGF. An in vitro angiogenesis assay confirmed that mast cells were pro-angiogenic in a lactic acid-rich environment. Taken together, these data show that lactic acid impacts mast cell function, possibly promoting a pro-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory phenotype.

Les Escherichia coli producteurs de Shiga-Toxines (STEC) sont responsables de maladies humaines sévères. Les ruminants sont considérés comme étant leur principal réservoir. La dissémination des STEC au sein des élevages est liée en partie à l’alimentation des animaux et donc potentiellement à l’ingestion d’ensilages contaminés. Les bactéries lactiques peuvent être employées comme agents technologiques ou dans des stratégies de bio-protection. Sur le plan de l’ensilage, elles jouent un rôle de préservation mais peuvent également représenter une barrière à la survie de pathogènes comme les STEC. Ce travail a permis de sélectionner des bactéries lactiques inhibitrices de la croissance de divers sérogroupes de STEC. Les études de compétitions ont mis en évidence un phénomène bactéricide sur certaines souches, dont le mécanisme reste encore non élucidé. Le potentiel inhibiteur des bactéries lactiques sélectionnées a été testé indépendamment dans des ensilages de maïs contaminés à différentes étapes de leur réalisation : à la mise en silos, à l’ouverture ou après une période d’exposition aérobie. En cas de contamination à la mise en silos, les souches de STEC testées n’ont pas survécu dans des ensilages correctement menés. Une souche de Ln. mesenteroides a permis de limiter la survie des souches de STEC dans les ensilages contaminés à l’ouverture. Cependant, après 144h d’aération, aucun additif n’a montré d’effet protecteur avéré. Le contrôle de l’alimentation animale afin de limiter l’entrée des STEC dans le cycle épidémiologique pourrait donc passer par l’emploi de bactéries lactiques ; sans négliger cependant les Bonnes Pratiques nécessaires à la réalisation de l’ensilage. / Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are responsible for severe human diseases. Cattle are considered as the main reservoir of this pathogen. STEC dissemination in farm environment is linked to cattle feed and potentially to ingestion of contaminated silage. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) could be employed as starters in fermentations or in strategies of bioprotection. In silage, LAB play a preservative role and could also represent a barrier for the survival of pathogenic bacteria such as STEC. The selection of LAB strains, able to inhibit the growth of several serogroups of STEC strains, was performed in this study. Competitions assays have shown a bactericidal effect on some STEC strains, but reasons of this phenomenon remain unclear. Inhibiting potential of the selected LAB strains was tested independently in corn silages contaminated at different steps of their realizations : at ensiling, at opening or after aerobic exposure. In case of contamination at ensiling, STEC strains tested did not survive in well-made silages. A Ln. mesenteroides strain allowed the limitation of the STEC strains survival in silage contaminated at opening. However, after 144 h of aerobic exposure, no inoculant showed any protective effect. Control of cattle feed, in order to limit STEC entry in their epidemiological cycle, could be reached through LAB utilization ; however, Good Manufacturing Practices involved in silage making should not be omitted.

Depuis quelques années, les probiotiques sont devenus un front de science très actif. La majorité des bactéries probiotiques actuellement sur le marché sont des bactéries lactiques. L’identification de nouvelles souches bactériennes aux propriétés probiotiques est l’objectif principal de ces travaux de thèse, et s’inscrivent dans le cadre du projet Probiotique en partenariat avec deux groupes industriels et le pôle de compétitivité VITAGORA. / In recent years, probiotics market is boosting. Most probiotic bacteria on the market today are lactic acid bacteria. The identification of novel bacterial strains with probiotic properties is the main objective of this thesis, which is part of the Probiotic project in partnership with two industry groups and the network innovation VITAGORA.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 T39 / Master of Science / Animal Sciences and Industry