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In our survey for antifungal compounds, a fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp. HA81-2 was found to inhibit the in vitro growth of Aspergillus fumigatus IFO 5840 accompanied by hyphal morphological abnormalities. One of the isolated antibiotics was identified as phoslactomycin E based on LC-MS and NMR spectral data. In a preliminary assay using the membrane fractions of A. fumigatus, phoslactomycin E was found to inhibit the activity of 1,3-b glucan synthase.Keywords antifungal activity, phoslactomycin E, Aspergillus fumigatus, hyphal morphological abnormalities, 1,3-b glucan synthase Opportunistic fungal infections are a major cause of serious morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. However, there are few drugs for antifungal chemotherapy of deep-seated mycosis. As both human and fungal cells are eukaryotes, it is difficult to develop antifungal drugs without side effects in human hosts. Current targets are limited to ergosterol, cell wall components, biosynthetic pathways of cell wall and cytosine deaminase [1,2]. Therefore, there is a great need for novel antifungal drugs with new mechanisms of action. Morphological deformation of fungal hyphae is often induced by antifungal drugs [3]. As this phenomenon is specific to fungi, it could be used to screen for selective antifungal antibiotics [4]. In addition, this hyphal deformation is expected to reflect the disruption of cell wall biosynthesis, which is a specific target of antifungal agents. Moreover, investigating the mechanism of antifungal-induced hyphal morphological abnormalities is potentially useful for understanding the morphogenesis of fungal hyphae.In the course of our search for antifungal antibiotics, we found that a fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp. HA81-2 exhibited antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus IFO 5840 accompanied by hyphal abnormalities. The isolated active fraction was identified as phoslactomycin E (PLME) [5] based on LC-MS and NMR spectral data. We herein report the isolation procedures for PLME, its molecular characteristics, and its induction of morphological changes in fungal cells.Active principles were isolated as follows; fermentation broth was filtered, the filtrate was applied on Diaion HP-20 column, and then eluted using an increasing gradient of aq MeOH (10ϳ100%). The 80ϳ90% MeOH fractions were concentrated in vacuo to afford crude extract, which was partitioned between water and CHCl 3 . Purification of

Our recent study indicated that dietary Aspergillus oryzae-derived protease preparation (AP), through its enzymatic activity, exerted a bifidogenic effect in rats. We hypothesized that dietary AP links to protein degradation and subsequently elevates gut-protective amino acids (AAs) in rats fed adequate protein diet. In this study, dietary AP markedly increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and the levels of free threonine, alanine, proline, taurine, ornithine, phenylalanine, cystine, and γ-aminobutyric acid in the cecum contents of rats fed with an adequate protein diet, but not in those fed with a low-protein diet. The elevated AAs, except ornithine and phenylalanine, potentially have gut-related health benefits. Some of the AP-modulated free AAs appeared to be associated with the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Thus, AP combined with adequate protein diet is likely to increase the levels of cecum beneficial free AAs, which is partially associated with the relative abundance of the probiotics.

IntroductionRecently, the population of individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) who do not have celiac disease but show improved symptoms with a gluten-free diet, has increased. Enzyme replacement therapy using digestive enzymes is expected to improve the symptoms of NCGS and be sustainable, since gluten-related proteins that are indigestible by the digestive system have been considered triggers of NCGS.MethodsWe selected patients with NCGS by screening demographic interviews, as well as performing medical evaluations, anti-gluten antibody tests, and gluten challenge tests. We performed a single-blind and crossover clinical trial with these subjects using a gluten challenge with the enzyme mixture or a placebo. Our designed enzyme mixture contained peptidase, semi alkaline protease, deuterolysin, and cysteine protease derived from Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus melleus, Penicillium citrinum, and Carica papaya L., respectively.ResultsAdministration of the enzyme mixture significantly decreased the change in the score of the symptom questionnaire before and after the gluten challenge compared with administration of the placebo in patients with NCGS without adverse events. In particular, the changes in the score of the gluten-induced incomplete evacuation feeling and headaches were significantly improved. The serum levels of interleukin (IL)-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, andregulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in subjects were not significantly changed by gluten, as expected from previous studies, and the enzyme mixture did not affect these inflammatory markers.ConclusionIn this human clinical study, we demonstrated the efficacy of the enzyme mixture derived from microorganisms and papaya in improving the symptoms of NCGS.