Tahl Zimmerman1,2, Rabin Gyawali3, Salam Ibrahim3. 1. Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, USA. tzimmerman@ncat.edu. 2. Department of Food and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University, 163 Carver Hall, 1601 Market St., Greensboro, NC, 27411, USA. tzimmerman@ncat.edu. 3. Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, USA.
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.
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.