A method and system for the treatment of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus Kluk (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to protect them from various life-threatening conditions, including the negative effects of various pesticides, provides Monarch butterflies with the ability to assimilate and degrade pesticides such as neonicotinoids and fipronil. Certain embodiments involve the inoculation of flowers by honey bees with desired bacteria that are able to degrade pesticides, such that when Monarch butterflies visit such flowers, they are exposed to such bacteria, transforming the microbiome of the Monarch butterflies so that pesticides can be degraded, thus enhancing the health of the Monarch butterflies.

The invention relates to a polynucleotide comprising a lacZ gene (lacZ.sup.FS) encoding a β-galactosidase characterized by a particular profile regarding its efficiency of hydrolysis of lactose. The invention is also directed to a Streptococcus thermophilus strain comprising a lacZ.sup.FS allele and bacterial composition thereof, and their use to obtain fermented milk not undergoing post-acidification.

The present disclosure provides recombinant bacterial cells that have been engineered with genetic circuitry which allow the recombinant bacterial cells to sense a patient's internal environment and respond by turning an engineered metabolic pathway on or off. When turned on, the recombinant bacterial cells complete all of the steps in a metabolic pathway to achieve a therapeutic effect in a host subject. These recombinant bacterial cells are designed to drive therapeutic effects throughout the body of a host from a point of origin of the microbiome. Specifically, the present disclosure provides recombinant bacterial cells comprising a heterologous gene encoding a branched chain amino acid catabolism enzyme. The disclosure further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the recombinant bacteria, and methods for treating disorders involving the catabolism of branched chain amino acids using the pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein.

This invention relates to the use of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and/or Bacillus subtilis for the enhancement of active probiotic compositions or for the activation of inactive probiotic compositions for use in the prevention and/or treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis and microscopic colitis, the compositions thus obtained, and a method for the enhancement of active probiotic compositions or for the activation of inactive probiotic compositions for use in the prevention and/or treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis and microscopic colitis.

The present invention relates a heteropolysaccharide characterized in that it is substantially composed of the monosaccharides glucose and galactose and rhamnose and N-acetylgalactosamine and a process for the production thereof. The invention further relates to a bacterium capable of producing said heteropolysaccharide and to the use of the heteropolysaccharide and the bacterium for improving the texture of fermented milk products.

The invention is directed to a lactose-positive, galactose-negative, Streptococcus thermophilus strain releasing glucose during milk fermentation. This Streptococcus thermophilus strain carries mutation in the glcK gene, in the ccpA gene, in the lacZ gene and/or in the ptsH gene, and optionally in one or more genes, in particular one gene, encoding a protein of the mannose-glucose-specific PTS. The invention also concerns a composition comprising at least one, lactose-positive, galactose-negative, Streptococcus thermophilus strain of the invention, and the use of this strain or composition to manufacture a fermented dairy product.

A feed including cashew nut shell liquid and bacterial cells is provided for raising non-human monogastric animals such as chickens or pigs, wherein the cashew nut shell liquid content is not more than 500 ppm by mass with respect to the total amount of the feed. The feed can stimulate weight gain in non-human monogastric animals such as chickens or pigs and increase the efficiency in, for example, meat production.

The present invention relates to isolated plant growth promoting microbes (PGPMs), isolated cultures of these PGPMs and compositions comprising same, including compositions comprising plants or parts thereof, particularly seeds. The present invention further relates to methods of using these isolated PGPMs, isolated cultures and compositions comprising same for enhancing plant health, plant growth and/or plant yield.

Compositions are provided for providing support to companion animals affected by Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and/or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In some embodiments, the composition comprises at least one isolated strain of wolf probiotic bacteria and at least one isolated strain of canine probiotic bacteria. In some embodiments, the composition further comprises at least one prebiotic. Also provided are related methods for preparing a composition and for treating IBS and/or IBD in a subject.

Provided herein are fermented beverages comprising symbiotic microbial communities, and methods of production thereof.