Autolytic systems in propionic acid bacteria

Abstract

This review summarises the present knowledge of autolysis and autolytic systems of dairy propionibacteria. Details of physical and biochemical parameters affecting autolysis in media and buffer are presented. The effect of strain variation, temperature of incubation, growth phase, pH, ionic strength and cations is discussed. In addition, different methods to follow autolysis and specificity studies of autolytic enzymes are described. Autolytic enzymes in specific cell fractions were studied by renaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE); all strains showed lytic activity by this method. © Inra/Elsevier, Paris.