An axenic culture of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-degrading symbiont, Pseudomonas sp. strain VM15C, was established on PVA with a crude preparation of the growth factor (factor A) produced by the symbiotic partner Pseudomonas putida VM15A. An increase of factor A in the culture medium enhanced the cell-associated PVA oxidase activity as well as the growth rate, but decreased production of extracel...

Two probiotic bacteria (Lb. acidophilus and B. lactis) were immobilized on the alginate coat of strawberry pieces and were added to the prepared sweet non fat dietary stirred yogurt. Physico-chemical parameters namely pH value, titratable acidity and synersis along with the viability of probiotic bacteria of the samples were evaluated over the 8 days of storage at 5 ºC at 2 day intervals. A sig...

In this study, immobilization of partially purified almond (Amygdalus communis) β-galactosidase on Con A layered calcium alginate-cellulose beads was investigated. Immobilized β-galactosidase retained 72% of theinitial activity after crosslinking by glutaraldehyde. Both soluble and immobilized enzyme exhibited the samepH and temperature optima at pH 5.5 and 50ºC, respectively. Howev...

Organophosphate pesticides are of great interest for research because they are currently the most commonly used pesticides. In this study, a bacterial strain capable of completely degrading methyl parathion (MP) was isolated from agricultural soils in central Mexico. This strain was designated strain S5-2 and was identified as Burkholderia cenocepacia. To increase degradation yields, cells were...

A novel, miniaturized biosensor system was created by combining the electrophysiological response of immobilized cells with superoxide-sensing technology, optical and fluorescence microscopy. Vero cells were immobilized in a calcium alginate matrix (at a density of 1.7 x 10(6) cells ml(-1)). A 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm piece of cell-containing gel matrix was aseptically adhered on a glass microscope slid...