Screening of radio-resistant lactic acid bacteria

Abstract

This study screened for radio-resistant strains lactic acid bacteria (LAB) by evaluating their capability to survive exposure to ionizing radiation. Ten strains of LAB - Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus delbruekii, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium breve, and Pediocuccos pentosaceus - were selected and subcultuted twice. The LAB was then further cultured for 3 d at 37°C to reach 7-10 Log colony-forming units (CFU)/mL prior to irradiation and immediately exposed to gamma rays or electron beams with absorbed doses of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 kGy. Gamma irradiation gradually decreased the number of the tested viable LAB, and the effect was irradiation dose dependent. A similar effect was found in electron beam-irradiated LAB. Radiation sensitivity of LAB was calculated as D10 values, which ranged from 0.26 kGy to 0.9 kGy and 0.5 kGy to 1.44 kGy with exposure to gamma and electron beam irradiation, respectively, in all tested LAB. L. acidophilus was the most resistant to gamma and electron beam irradiation, with D10 values of 0.9 kGy and 1.44 kGy, respectively. These results suggest that L. acidophilus might be suitable for the preparation of probiotics as direct-fed microbes for astronauts in extreme space environments.