Abstract
The effect of saturated fatty acids from 6∶0 to 16∶0 and oleic acid was determined onLactobacillus leichmannii growing in skim milk. The growth of this strain was markedly inhibited by fatty acids from 8∶0 to 12∶0 but not by straight chain fatty acids greater than 13∶0 or less than 7∶0 and oleate. Laurate was the fatty acid with the highest bactericidal effect. Similar results, with little changes depending on strains, were obtained withL. casei, L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus, L. lactis, L. helveticus. Mutants from theseLactobacillus organisms, resistant to fatty acid inhibition, were isolated by a recycling selection procedure. These mutants exhibited high levels of oxidation for laurate. The presence of 2 mM of this compound in the skim milk culture increased the fatty acid oxidation activity four to ten times higher than was exhibited by the parent strains. The practical implications of these observations are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Adams, M. H. 1959. Bacteriophages. New York: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 446.
Anders, R. F., Jago, G. R. 1964. The effect of fatty acids on the metabolism of lactic streptococci. Journal of Dairy Sciences21:81–88.
Astrup, H. M., Baevre, L., Vik-Mo, L., Ekern, A. 1980. Effect on milk lipolysis of restricted feeding with and without supplementation with protected rape seed oil. Journal of Dairy Research47:287–294.
Costillow, R. N., Speck, M. L. 1951. Inhibition of Streptococcus lactic in milk by fatty acids. Journal of Dairy Science34:1104–1111.
Downey, W. K. 1980. Review of the progress of dairy science. Flavour impairment from pre-and post-manufacture lipolysis in milk and dairy products. Journal of Dairy Research47:237–252.
Fay, J. P., Farías, R. N. 1981. β-Oxidation mediated resistance ofEscherichia coli to inhibition by long-chain fatty acids. Current Microbiology5:145–150.
Nieman, C. 1954. Influence of trace amounts of fatty acids on the growth of microorganisms. Bacteriological Review18:147.
Sheu, C. W., Freese, E. 1973. Lipopolysaccharide layer protection of Gram-negative bacteria against inhibition by long chain fatty acids. Journal Bacteriology115:869–875.
Weeks, G. M., Shapiro, M., Burns, R. O., Wakil, S. J. 1969. Control of fatty acid metabolism. I. Induction of the enzyme of fatty acid oxidation inEscherichia coli. Journal of Bacteriology97:827–836.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Núñez de Kairúz, M.S., Oliver, G., de Ruiz Holgado, A.P. et al. Isolation of mutants ofLactobacillus bacterias, grown in skim milk, that resist fatty acid inhibition. Current Microbiology 8, 169–172 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568852
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568852