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Autolyse the cell in order to save it? Inducing, then blocking, autolysis as a strategy for delaying cell death in the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri

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Abstract

Objective

To examine whether choline and its derivatives can be used to preserve viable cells of Lactobacillus reuteri in autolytic models.

Results

A phosphate-induced autolytic model in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium (MRS) was used. Viable cell counts were determined by plated on MRS-agar. Choline and hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) significantly blocked autolysis of L. reuteri at 360 mM and 4 mM, respectively. Viable cell counts corroborated these observations. Importantly, autolytically induced cells treated with choline and hemicholinium-3 were significantly more viable then even non-induced cells. Over-production of a known autolytic protein, spirosin, was not attenuated in the presence of choline and hemicholinium-3.

Conclusion

Inducing autolysis and then blocking it with choline and its analogs is a promising approach for retaining the viability of L. reuteri cells.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Agricultural Research Program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project number NC. X-234-5-09-170-1.

Supporting information

Supplementary Table 1—Initial pH values and the calculated buffer capacities of MRS-KP alone and with choline or HC-3

Supplementary Figure 1—Densiometry values for the intensity of spirosin band

Supplementary Figure 2—Titration curves for MRS-KP alone and with choline and HC-3

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, USA

    Tahl Zimmerman, Rabin Gyawali & Salam Ibrahim

  2. Department of Food and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University, 163 Carver Hall, 1601 Market St., Greensboro, NC, 27411, USA

    Tahl Zimmerman

Authors
  1. Tahl Zimmerman
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  2. Rabin Gyawali
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  3. Salam Ibrahim
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Correspondence to Tahl Zimmerman.

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The authors declares that they do not have conflict of interest.

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Zimmerman, T., Gyawali, R. & Ibrahim, S. Autolyse the cell in order to save it? Inducing, then blocking, autolysis as a strategy for delaying cell death in the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri . Biotechnol Lett 39, 1547–1551 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-017-2380-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-017-2380-8

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