Abstract
Lactobacillus salivarius, a probiotic bacterium, encounters acidic conditions in its passage through the gastrointestinal tract of human and animal hosts. We studied the effect of a rapid downshift in extracellular pH from 6.5 to 4 on cell growth. The maximum growth rate was higher in low pH medium with glutathione supplementation than without. Cells developed a GSH-mediated acid-tolerance response and, when grown with 0.5 mM GSH, reached a higher final density than with other conditions. These findings suggest that the increased growth rate is caused by uptake of GSH which acts as a nutrient source as well as having protective functions, allowing for continued growth.
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This study was partially supported by a graduate fellowship from the Brain Korea 21 and the Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University.
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Lee, K., Pi, K., Kim, E.B. et al. Glutathione-mediated response to acid stress in the probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus salivarius . Biotechnol Lett 32, 969–972 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-010-0244-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-010-0244-6