CELL SURFACE PROPERTIES OF HALOTOLERANT PROBIOTIC LACTOBACILLI

Abstract

Cell surface characteristics of two halotolerant commercial probiotics (Lactobacillus casei Shirota and L. plantarum 299v) and three halotolerant potential probiotics (L. plantarum, L. pentosus and L. acidipiscis) isolated from Chiapas cheese were evaluated as well as the presence of exopolysaccharides (EPS) in their cell surface. Results showed no differences between the commercial probiotics and the strains of potential probiotics analyzed. All lactobacilli had similar autoaggregation levels (between 19.22 to 21.08%) and were able to coaggregate with gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. The hydrophobicity to non-polar solvents (xylene, octane and hexadecane) was low. L. casei Shirota and L. plantarum isolated from Chiapas cheese had high affinity to chloroform; furthermore, it was possible to demonstrate the presence of capsular exopolysaccharides (CPS) in these strains because of the presence of carboxyl groups. From the results obtained in this work, it may be concluded that low hydrophobicity affinity to chloroform in these strains is related to the presence of CPS and that the higher affinity to chloroform might be related to CPS in the surface of halotolerant lactobacilli.