Optimization of temperature and pH forthe growth and bacteriocin production of Enterococcus faecium. B3L3

Abstract

The knowledge of the optimum condition for growth of Ent. FaeciumstrainB3L31 and its bacteriocin production are important when deciding on mass production of both the organism and its bacteriocin for probiotic use and as an antimicrobial agent respectively.The optimum condition viz: temperature, pH and incubation period were used to determined parameters most suitable for growthandbacteriocin production fromEnt. faecium B3L3. These three variables of optimization for growth and bacteriocin production were determined based on the growth curves. The bacteriocin production was done by growing strain of LAB onMRS broth the bacteriocin harvest was done following the chloroform precipitation. Resultobtained showed that maximum bacteriocin production occur at the tail end of the exponential phase. The most optimum pH and temperaturefor growth and bacteriocin production were found to be pH8 and37 O Crespectively. The partially purified protein when resolved on SDS-PAGE was shown to be of molecular weight 10kD. The bacteriocin also produced an inhibitory action against methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus.