Samantha's Factual Notes:

Day 1 (Dec. 3) structure:

I found that leuconostoc menesteroids are usually in a cocci chain shape and are partially made up of amino acids. I also found that they are usually found in fermenting vegtables.it is also an active slime producer and is used as a plasma expander. It is also gram-positive and an anaerobic bacteria who's growth is dependent on a fermentable carbohydrate, which is a carbohydrate able to undergo fermentation which is the process for energy production in a cell in anaerobic conditions, which means they cannot tolerate oxygen. It is also nonpathogenic to plants or animals,which means it is not capable of including a disease.  I did not find much on the structure so my partner and I have decided to continue our research on habitat and structure another day. 

Day2 (Dec. 4) structure:

- The lactic acid bacteria are a group of Gram positive bacteria, non-respiring, non-spore forming, cocci or rods, which produce lactic acid as the major end product of the fermentation of carbohydrates. They are the most important bacteria in desirable food fermentations, being responsible for the fermentation of sour dough bread, sorghum beer, all fermented milks, cassava (to produce gari and fufu) and most "pickled" (fermented) vegetables. Historically, bacteria from the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Streptococcus are the main species involved. Several more have been identified, but play a minor role in lactic fermentations. Lactic acid bacteria were recently reviewed by Axelsson (1998). http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0560e/x0560e10.htm

- they have long, slender rods to short coccobacilli, which frequently form chains and some are strictly anaerobic. http://www.lactospore.com/back.htm

- The Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are rod-shaped bacilli or coccus. LAB are characterized by an increased tolerance to a lower pH range. This aspect partially enables LAB to outcompete other bacteria in a natural fermentation, as they can withstand the increased acidity from organic acid production (e.g. lactic acid). Laboratory media used for LAB typically includes a carbohydrate source as most species are incapable of respiration.e Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are rod-shaped bacilli or coccus. LAB are characterized by an increased tolerance to a lower pH range. This aspect partially enables LAB to outcompete other bacteria in a natural fermentation, as they can withstand the increased acidity from organic acid production (e.g. lactic acid). Laboratory media used for LAB typically includes a carbohydrate source as most species are incapable of respiration. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactic_acid_bacteria

Day 3 (Dec. 5) Gram stain:

The Gram stain procedure was originally developed by the Danish physician Hans Christian Gram to differentiate pneumococci from Klebsiella pneumonia. In brief, the procedure involves the application of a solution of iodine (potassium iodide) to cells previously stained with crystal violet or gentian violet. This procedure produces "purple colored iodine-dye complexes" in the cytoplasm of bacteria. The cells that are previously stained with crystal violet and iodine are next treated with a decolorizing agent such as 95% ethanol or a mixture of acetone and alcohol. The difference between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria is in the permeability of the cell wall to these "purple colored iodine-dye complexes" when treated with the decolorizing solvent. While Gram-positive bacteria retain purple iodine-dye complexes after the treatment with the decolorizing agent, Gram-negative bacteria do not retain complexes when decolorized. To visualize decolorized Gram-negative bacteria, a red counter -stain such as safranin is used after decolonization treatment

.These strains were identical to the type strain, ATCC 8293. Bacterial strains were identified as members of the genus Leuconostoc primarily on the basis of Gram-positive stain, coccoid morphology, lack of catalase, inability to hydrolyze arginine, and production of CO₂ from glucose; strain LMM 89-1 was identified as L. mesenteroides based, http://www.apsnet.org/phyto/SEARCH/1995/Phyto_85_593.asp

Day 4 (Dec. 6) Fun facts.

.- Leuconostoc Mesenteroides was identified for the first time as the problem of a postharvest decay of fresh tomatoes form California and Mexico.

 - Leuconostoc Mesenteorides are generally slime forming bacteria.

- They are responsible for sauerkraut because they give it the sour taste.

- Leuconostoc mesenteorides are capable of fermentation under salty and cold conditions.

- Fermentation is "the process of energy production in a cell under anaerobic conditions."

 -  Anaerobic is when a biological reaction or process can take place with the absence of oxygen.     

Day 5 (Dec. 7-9) Reproduction   

- Reproduction is chiefly by binary fission, cell division yielding identical daughter cells. Some bacteria reproduce by budding or fragmentation. Despite the fact that these processes should produce identical generations, the rapid rate of mutation possible in bacteria makes them very adaptable. Some bacteria are capable of specialized types of genetic recombination, which involves the transfer of nucleic acid by individual contact (conjugation), by exposure to nucleic acid remnants of dead bacteria (transformation), by exchange of plasmid genes, or by a viral agent, the bacteriophage (transduction). Under unfavorable conditions some bacteria form highly resistant spores with thickened coverings, within which the living material remains dormant in altered form until conditions improve. Others, such as the radioactivity-resistant Deinococcus radiodurans, can withstand serious damage by repairing their own DNA. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0856808.html

-Most prokaryotes reproduce by a process of binary fission, in which the cell grows in volume until it divides in half to yield two identical daughter cells. Each daughter cell can continue to grow at the same rate as its parent. For this process to occur, the cell must grow over its entire surface until the time of cell division, when a new hemispherical pole forms at the division septum in the middle of the cell. In gram-positive bacteria the septum grows inward from the plasma membrane along the midpoint of the cell; in gram-negative bacteria the walls are more flexible, and the division septum forms as the side walls pinch inward, dividing the cell in two. In order for the cell to divide in half, the peptidoglycan structure must be different in the hemispherical cap than in the straight portion of the cell wall, and different wall-cross-linking enzymes must be active at the septum than elsewhere. <bacteria." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. 9  Dec.  2007  <http://school.eb.com/eb/article-272360>.

-Sequential sampling and culturing over 5 days indicated a logarithmic increase of bacterial populations in fruit tissues. The average doubling time over these periods was 3.6 h for fruit incubated at 20 C and 2.9 h for fruit incubated at 33 C. Using aqueous cell suspensions, strain LMM 89-1 was found to be more virulent (sensu aggressive) to tomato fruit than was the type strainSequential sampling and culturing over 5 days indicated a logarithmic increase of bacterial populations in fruit tissues. The average doubling time over these periods was 3.6 h for fruit incubated at 20 C and 2.9 h for fruit incubated at 33 C. Using aqueous cell suspensions, strain LMM 89-1 was found to be more virulent (sense aggressive) to tomato fruit than was the type strain. http://www.apsnet.org/phyto/SEARCH/1995/Phyto_85_593.asp

History:

- A coccoid bacterium, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, was identified for the first time as the causal agent of a postharvest decay of fresh-market tomato fruit in California and MexicoA coccoid bacterium, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, was identified for the first time as the causal agent of a postharvest decay of fresh-market tomato fruit in California and Mexico. Leuconostoc-decayed or fungal-decayed fruit were identified as the heterofermentative, lactic acid–producing bacterium L. m. subsp. mesenteroides. These strains were identical to the type strain, ATCC 8293. Bacterial strains were identified as members of the genus Leuconostoc primarily on the basis of Gram-positive stain, coccoid morphology, lack of catalase, inability to hydrolyze arginine, and production of CO₂ from glucose; strain LMM 89-1 was identified as L. mesenteroides based, in part, on a fatty acid methyl ester analysis.

Day 6 (Dec. 10) problems associated with the loss of Leuconostoc mesenteroides:

- As the scale of industrial vegetable fermentations increases worldwide, the disposal of salt (chloride) waste, which is generated during processing of these products, has become a major problem. The development of new technology to reduce the amount of salt used in vegetable fermentations may require a greater understanding of the microbial ecology of these fermentations, and may also require the use of starter cultures. ( Breidt, Jr., F. 2004. A genomic study of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and the molecular ecology of sauerkraut fermentations. Journal of Food Science. http://arsserv0.tamu.edu/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=164419

- Sauerkraut fermentations rely upon selection of naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria by addition of

2.0% to 2.25% granulated sodium chloride (NaCl) to shredded cabbage. Excess brine generated is a waste product

with high levels of organic material (BOD) and nonbiodegradable NaCl

- L. Mesenteroides fermentations ensured that texture and flavor quality were retained, while allowing 50% NaCl reduction. Application

of this technology to commercial sauerkraut production could improve the uniformity of fermentations and

substantially reduce generation of nonbiodegradable chloride waste.

Day 7 (Dec. 11) The history of Sauerkraut:

- Although sauerkraut - German for "sour cabbage" - is thought of as a German invention, Chinese laborers building the Great Wall of China over 2,000 years ago ate it as standard fare. Chinese sauerkraut, made from shredded cabbage 

- Most likely it was brought to Europe 1000 years later by Gengis Kahn after plundering China.

- The Dutch, who were great sea-fearing traders, used sauerkraut on their ships as it did not need refrigeration and helped prevent scurvy.

- Today's sauerkraut is made by combining shredded cabbage, salt and sometimes spices, and allowing the mixture to ferment. Sauerkraut is an excellent source of vitamin C as well as of some of the B vitamins.

-first mentioned in American English in 1776

- Sauerkraut is made by placing salt between layers of finely shredded cabbage and then subjecting it to pressure, which bruises the cabbage and squeezes out its juices. It then ferments.

- Sauerkraut is prepared by finely shredding white cabbage and layering the vegetable with salt in a large crock or wooden tub. Preferably at below 60° F (15.5° C) for at least a month

<"sauerkraut." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. 11  Dec.  2007  <http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9065887>.

Day 8 (Dec. 12):

Today I am working on my lab and my partner and I are working on final touches for the website because we are done with our basic information. For the next couple days we will be working on colors and pictures to add to the site and we will also be figuring out how to add games and voice boxes. Today's task was to edit our paragraphs and add punctuation. Since there is no research being done for tonight I have no notes to document.  

Day 9 (Dec. 13) Games:

Today I do not have many notes because we are done with our major research. Today I double checked my punctuation and spelling and I also went on the internet to find ways to create games. I had a lot of trouble getting the games on to our web page so at school I am going to ask someone who knows how to apply a game and/or slideshow to the web page. I had typed in all of the information and questions but i just couldnt get them to come up on the web page, because i coudn't fully complete this I will get it done tomorrow.