The present invention provides a real-time PCR method that allows in a single step the simultaneous detection of etiological agents of bacterial meningitis, more specifically, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. For this, primers were used to amplify particular regions of the genomes of said bacteria. The presence of bacteria in a sample is indicated by the presence of amplicon, which is detected by means of detection methods appropriate to the PCR methodology employed.

Deposited Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) strains that e.g. are suitable to be used in an improved method for the manufacture of low browning mozzarella cheese.

The present invention provides for recombinant Endo-S mutants that exhibit reduced hydrolysis activity and increased transglycosylation activity for the synthesis of glycoproteins wherein a desired sialylated oxazoline or synthetic oligosaccharide oxazoline is added to a core fucosylated or nonfucosylated GlcNAc-protein acceptor. Such recombinant Endo-S mutants are useful for efficient glycosylation remodeling of IgG1-Fc domain to provide different antibody glycoforms carrying structurally well-defined Fc N-glycans.

A microbial-based composition provides a co-cultured microorganism consortium in culture medium that includes one or more Acetobacter sp., Bacillus sp., Bifidobacterium sp., Enter ococus sp., Gluconacetobacter sp., Lactobacillus sp., Rhodopseudomonas sp., Saccharomyces sp., Pichia sp., and Trichoderma sp., as well as a carbon source and chlorine-free water. In some embodiments, the microbial-based composition is useful in the agricultural industry as a plant growth promoting and silage-enhancing agent. For plant growth promotion applications, the microbial-based composition may be applied to the foliar surface of a plant or to the plant growth medium, such as soil or hydroponic solution, surrounding the plant. In silage operations, the microbial-based composition may be applied to a cut plant product during one or more stages in the silage process.

The present invention provides a method for producing a fermented food, comprising: a fermentation step of fermenting a raw material milk-containing milk preparation solution added with Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophilus carrying a prtS gene.

The invention relates to the use of a Streptococcus thermophilus strain with a deficiency in glucose metabolism for improving growth of a Lactobacillus strain in a process for producing a fermented milk product.

The present invention relates to a novel Streptococcus thermophilus strain having improved texturizing properties, compositions comprising said strain as well as fermented products manufactured using said strain.

A lactic acid bacterium having increased immunopotentiating activity with being mixed with no ester compound of polyol and a fatty acid is provided. A method for producing a lactic acid bacterium whose immunopotentiating activity is increased without coexisting with ester compound of polyol and a fatty acid, comprising: contacting a lactic acid bacterial immunopotentiating activity-increasing composition comprising an ester compound of a polyol and a fatty acid as an active ingredient with a lactic acid bacterium having immunopotentiating activity and then washing the lactic acid bacterium to remove the lactic acid bacterial immunopotentiating activity-increasing composition.

One embodiment provides a commensal gut production platform for ex vivo production of human gut commensal microbiota. Another embodiment provides devices, systems and methods for ex vivo culturing of gut microflora in a system that mimics the human gut environment. The culturing of the commensal microbiota in the disclosed systems produces gut microbiota having defined characteristics and properties that can be exploited to treat various conditions in a subject.

At least one isolated microorganism, which converts at least 10% by weight, and preferably 50% by weight, of cellulosic biomass to a lower alkyl alcohol by direct digestion, and which produces at least 4% by volume of the lower alkyl alcohol in an aqueous-based digestion medium.