Abstract
The caseinolytic, and the endo- and aminopeptidase activities of the intracellular (IC) and cell-envelope-associated (CE) fractions of selected strains of Lactococcus, Lactobacillus and Propionibacterium have been compared. With the exception of one Lactococcus strain, most of the caseinolytic activity of the three genera was located in the IC fraction, as was the case for the amino- and endopeptidases. The lactococci showed low activity on Pro-pNA and high activity on Gly-Pro-pNA, the reverse was characteristic for the propionibacteria (PAB) while lactobacilli took an intermediary position. Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris INF-C12 was the strain with the highest total endopeptidase activity. The experiment with phosphoramidon and a peptide inhibitor, β-casein f58–72 (β-CN f58–72), indicated differences of IC endopeptidases of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and PAB. In contrast to the LAB endopeptidases, the PAB endopeptidases were little inhibited by β-CN f58–72, and were not affected by phosphoramidon. Lysozyme was used to produce spheroplasts from whole cells; however, the susceptibility to such treatment varied. Intracellular material, ≥97%, was easily released from the lactococci strains, for other strains additional sonication was most often necessary for ≥93% lactate dehydrogenase release.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 12 February 1996/Revised version: 27 June 1996
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tobiassen, R., Stepaniak, L. & Sørhaug, T. Screening for differences in the proteolytic systems of Lactococcus, Lactobacillus and Propionibacterium. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch 204, 273–278 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002170050076
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002170050076