The present disclosure provides isolated Paenibacillus strains useful for fixing atmospheric nitrogen and enhancing crop yield, as well as inoculant compositions comprising one or more of the isolated strains, seeds that have been treated with one or more of the isolated strains, and methods of using the isolated strains to improve nitrogen content, crop yield, etc.

Disclosed is a mutant strain having the ability to produce polyhydroxybutyrate. The novel strain has a significantly high growth rate and an improved ability to produce PHB compared to existing PHB-producing cyanobacterial strains. Therefore, the novel strain is suitable for use in the production of PHB and the development of various products using PHB. In addition, the novel strain is useful as a photosynthetic strain for developing a PHB production process using industrial flue gas due to its ability to produce PHB from only CO.sub.2 without any additional organic carbon source. Also disclosed is a method for producing polyhydroxybutyrate using the mutant strain.

There is provided a novel Lactobacillus fermentum strain (Accession No. KCTC 14105BP) and a composition for preventing or treating a metabolic disease including the same. A Lactobacillus fermentum according to the present invention may inhibit fat accumulation in white adipose tissue and increase anti-inflammatory cells. The Lactobacillus fermentum strain may exhibit excellent blood glucose improvement effect, and in particular, may reduce a fasting blood glucose level. The Lactobacillus fermentum strain may effectively ameliorate insulin resistance by improving glucose tolerance and increasing insulin sensitivity. In addition, the Lactobacillus fermentum strain may regulate a concentration of metabolic hormones and adipokines in blood. Therefore, the Lactobacillus fermentum strain may be usefully used to prevent and treat a metabolic disease such as obesity.

Provided are a method of manufacturing a functional polysaccharide, the method including: preparing a cell containing a polysaccharide; crushing the cell to extract polysaccharide to the outside of the cell to obtain an extract; and purifying the extract by removing at least one of crude protein, crude fat, and crude powder from the extract, and a cosmetic composition for skin moisturizing or skin elasticity improvement, the cosmetic composition including the functional polysaccharide as an active ingredient.

Whole cell based biostimulant compositions and methods for improving agricultural productivity the compositions including: a microbial consortium having gammaproteobacterial methanotroph. As a result of these methanotrophs, the biostimulant composition enables plant performance improvement, utilization of methane, and facilitates improved nitrogen fixation in plants. The composition also helps in reducing the need of external chemical fertilizers for plant growth, development, performance and/or survival.

The present disclosure provides a microbial agent YF, including four strains: Bacillus sonorensis B-2, Bacillus paralicheniformis B-26, Bacillus sonorensis N-16, and Bacillus pumilus N-17. The four strains were all deposited in the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) on Mar. 5, 2020. The Bacillus sonorensis B-2 has a deposit accession number of CGMCC NO. 19454, the Bacillus paralicheniformis B-26 has a deposit accession number of CGMCC NO. 19449, the Bacillus sonorensis N-16 has a deposit accession number of CGMCC NO. 19448, and the Bacillus pumilus N-17 has a deposit accession number of CGMCC NO. 19450. The microbial agent provided by the present disclosure can effectively prevent stem rot of corn in saline-alkali land, improve the quality of saline-alkali land, and significantly promote the growth of corn.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to compositions of bacterial isolates with probiotic activity. Compositions and methods described herein may confer health benefits to subjects in need thereof. This may be accomplished by administering to the subject an effective amount of the microorganism isolates and may include also administering an effective amount of a prebiotic, stabilizer, antibacterial agent, antifungal agent, and/or media component. Probiotic compositions may also be in combination with a suitable delivery system, such as a food product or a beverage, a food or beverage compositions, a food or beverage supplement or adjuvant.

A method of generating a variant cyanobacterium (e.g., Synechococcus elongatus, in particular S. elongatus sp. PCC11801) for photoautotrophic production of an amino acid (e.g., L-phenylalanine); the variant so produced; a method of extending growth of a culture of a variant cyanobacterium and its photoautotrophic production of an amino acid; and a method of photo-autotrophically producing L-phenylalanine.

A cognitive function-improving agent containing one or both of Bifidobacterium breve FERM BP-11175 and a culture of Bifidobacterium breve FERM BP-11175 as an active ingredient for administration to a subject who has not developed dementia is provided.

Disclosed is Lactobacillus helveticus ZJUIDS12 for treating alcoholic liver disease and application thereof, belonging to food microorganisms. The Lactobacillus helveticus ZJUIDS12 has a strain preservation number of CGMCC NO. 23997. Moreover, disclosed is an application of the Lactobacillus helveticus ZJUIDS12 in preparing products for treating liver injury.