Production of conjugated linoleic acid by Lactobacillus reuteri

Cells of L. reuteri 55739 grown in MRS broth with and without linoleic acid (LA, 0.2%) were harvested and washed. The washed cells were added to buffer containing LA (0.2%) and exposed to glycocholic acid (0.3%) to determine its influence on CLA production. Experiments also were conducted to confirm CLA production and to study the effect of different linoleic acid concentrations added as well as sonication on CLA production by washed cells of L. reuteri 55739.; In this study the ability to produce CLA by L. reuteri 55739 was confirmed, it was primarily exogenous CLA (mainly c9t11-C18:2). The amounts of CLA formed were nearly constant when the amount of free linoleic acid gradually increased from 0.15 to 0.30%. Washed cells of L. reuteri 55739 previously grown without LA produced more CLA than did those cells previously grown with LA. Possibly because washed cells previously grown on LA are less active than unexposed washed cells in converting LA into CLA. However, when glycocholic acid was added to washed cells no increase in production of CLA was observed regardless of whether of not the cells had been grown in its presence. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...