Acta Microbiologica Bulgarica

10-16

Authors: Lukova, P., Karcheva-Bahchevanska, D., Mladenov, R., Nikolova, M., Iliev, I.

The dynamics of hydrolysis of total acid-extractable polysaccharides from leaves of the medicinal plant Plantago major L. using hemicellulase and xylanase were studied. The degree of polysaccharide hydrolysis and the monomeric units were experimentally determined. Hemicellulase and xylanase hydrolysis both indicated larger amounts of detected monosaccharides with increasing the reaction time. The enzymatic hydrolysis conducted with hemicellulase showed a higher degree of hydrolysis (93.7% after 28 h) compared to the hydrolysis carried out with the enzyme xylanase (27.8% after 28 h). Galactose was the prevalent monosaccharide identified by HPLC analysis. It could be proposed that in the total acid-extractable polysaccharides from P. major leaves a smaller number of the monomer residues are linked by β-1,4-glycosidic linkages. Probably β-1,3 or β-1,6-linkages prevail, which are the basis of arabinogalactan II, or α-1,4-linkages, building pectic type polysaccharides. Our results from the enzymatic reactions demonstrated the in vitro capacity of β-xylosidase from L. plantarum S26 and L. brevis S27 to hydrolyse xylobiose and polysaccharide hydrolysates from P. major leaves.

24-29

Authors: Raykova, V., Baykushev, R., Mitov, I.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection worldwide. The objective of this study was to apply a PCR-based method for detection of BV-associated organisms in symptomatic and asymptomatic women and to assess the need of PCR in the diagnostic algorithm of BV. Two vaginal samples were taken from 98 women (74 symptomatic, 24 controls). Amsel criteria and Nugent scoring were used together with tests such as: vaginal pH, Gram staining, routine culture, culture on dextrose agar with Gentamycin and Chromagar candida, and PCR for identification of Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Eggerthella-like bacterium, Leptotrichia, BVAB1, BVAB2, and Megasphera type1. In the symptomatic group 17 swabs were with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC); 24 with BV, 8 with intermediate BV, 13 with co-infections, and 12 with other infections. In the control group 2 swabs were with VVC, 1 with BV and 1 with other infection. Using PCR in the group with complaints G. vaginalis was found in 59 samples (79.7%), A. vaginae in 21 (28.4%), Eggerthella-like bacterium in 15 (20.3%), Leptotrichia in 21 (28.4%), BVAB1 in 3 (4.1%), BVAB2 in 16 (21.6%), Megasphera type1 in 25 (33.8%). In the control group G. vaginalis was identified in 4 samples, A. vaginae in 2, PCR for other bacteria remained negative. Eggerthella-like bacterium, Leptotrichia, BVAB2, and Megasphera type1 could be used as strong markers of BV meanwhile G. vaginalis could not. PCR-based technique is sensitive and specific, but a combined approach is needed in the diagnosis of vaginal discharge conditions.

36-43

Authors: Dikova, B., Dobreva, A., Djurmanski, А.

Commercial batches of pepper fruits, a variety of the long red fleshy pepper with serious deformities were established in the period 2014-2016. Analyses of spotted and deformed fruits purchased from supermarkets in the summer months were carried out by the serological method ELISA, variant DAS-ELISA and artificial inoculation of test (indicator) plants. The studies showed that the deformities in the pepper fruits were caused mainly by Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). The latter is an important viral pathogen of pepper. We tested essential oils from lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and fennel (Foeniculum officinale All. var. dulce) by dilutions in concentrations of 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm, 3000 ppm, 5000 ppm and 10000 ppm as a possible means of control against TSWV. The diluted essential oils were mixed with TSWV infectious sap (inoculum) and pepper plants of the variety Sofiyska kapiya were inoculated in each variant. The results showed that lavender essential oil inhibited TSWV in vitro in the pepper plants in the following concentrations: 3000 ppm, 5000 ppm and 10000 ppm. Fennel essential oil did not show an inhibiting effect in any of the five concentrations. The initial results suggested that the studies on lavender essential oil as a possible means with an inhibiting effect against TSWV should be continued by an in vivo trials.