Summary. The effects of three unsaturated free fatty acids on Helicobacter pylori growth in vitro was determined. Growth of H. pylori in Brucella broth was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by arachidonic, linoleic and oleic acids. The degree of inhibition at any one concentration was related to the degree of fatty acid unsaturation. Triolein, a triacylglycerol ester of oleic acid did not inhibit growth. Inhibition of H. pylori growth was associated with disruption of cell membranes. Incubation with 14C linoleic acid and 14C oleic acid showed incorporation of these fatty acids into H. pylori cell mass and phospholipids leading to alteration of the phospholipid composition of the organism. Incorporation was greater with linoleic than oleic acid and this was associated with a greater inhibition of growth. These findings indicate that H. pylori is sensitive to unsaturated free fatty acids through their incorporation into phospholipids and membrane destruction. This may have therapeutic implications.

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Hemicellulose degrading enzymes play an important role in bioconversion of agro and agro-industrial wastes. In this study, production of hemicellulase by six fungal isolates was determined under submerged culture using corn cobs xylan as a carbon source and enzyme inducer at different incubation periods. The results indicated that Alternariatenuisshowed the lowest enzyme productivity (156.95 ± 2.07U/l)while the highest enzyme production (2,594.44 ± 62.25U/l) was found by Fusariummoniliforme. One-factor-at-atime (OFAT) revealed maximum enzyme productivity of 10,950.11 ± 98.45 U/l at; corn cobs xylan (6g/l), yeast extract (4g/l), inorganic salts (MgSO 4 , KH 2 PO 4 , CaCl 2 , FeSO 4 , and MnSO 4 ), initial pH (5), initial inoculum size (4%), 150 rpm and temperature (30℃ ).