Strains of Lactobacillus casei capable of growing on either ribitol or xylitol carry out a heterolactic fermentation producing ethanol, acetate, and a mixture of D- and L-lactate. Following conversion of the pentitols to ribulose 5-phosphate or xylulose 5-phosphate via enzymatic steps unique to these organisms, the intermediate products are further metabolized by enzymes of the pentose pathway....

We examined the effect of a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, on cytokine production and natural killer (NK) cell activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC). The cellular mechanisms of immunoregulation by L. casei strain Shirota were also investigated. L. casei strain Shirota stimulated PBMNC to secrete interleukin-12 (IL-12), gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), ...

Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393-loaded microcapsules based on alginate and gelatin had been prepared by extrusion method and the product could increase the cell numbers of L. casei ATCC 393 to be 10(7) CFU g(-1) in the dry state of microcapsules. The microparticles homogeneously distributed with size of 1.1 ± 0.2 mm. Four kinds of microcapsules (S(1), S(2), S(3) and S(4)) exhibited swelling in sim...

A simple procedure for preparing glycerol-cryoprotected Lactobacillus casei cultures has been developed. L. casei grown in medium supplemented with low concentrations of folic acid (0.3 micrograms/L) is diluted with an equal volume of glycerol (800 mL/L) and stored at -20 degrees C. Growth response of the glycerol-cryoprotected L. casei to low concentrations of folic acid exceeded that of cult...

Gut microbiota mediated low-grade inflammation is involved in the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In this study, we used a high fat sucrose (HFS) diet-induced pre-insulin resistance and a low dose-STZ HFS rat models to study the effect and mechanism of Lactobacillus casei Zhang in protecting against T2DM onset. Hyperglycemia was favorably suppressed by L. casei Zhang treatment. Moreover, the h...

This study describes a novel strategy to regulate the metabolic flux for lactic acid production in Lactobacillus casei. The ldhL gene encoding L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH) was overexpressed in L. casei, and a two-stage oxygen supply strategy (TOS) that maintained a medium oxygen supply level during the early fermentation phase, and a low oxygen supply level in the later phase was carried out...

Morphological, cultural, physiological and biochemical characteristics were employed to identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB), isolated from drinking yoghurt in different areas in Fars province, Iran. From 18 drinking yoghurt samples a total of 673 LAB positives were determined, in which 117 (17.38%) and 556 (82.62%) were identified as lactic acid cocci and lactic acid bacilli, respectively. Addi...

The conversion of folic acid to citrovorum factor (N5-formyl tetrahydrofolic acid) had been demonstrated for preparations of Streptococcusfaecalis (Broquist et al., 1953), Lactobacillus arabinosus (Hendlin et al., 1953), Lactobacillus casei (Bond, 1953), and a number of animal tissues (Winsten and Eigen, 1950; Nichol and Welch, 1950; Nichol, 1952). It has been shown that ascorbic acid, ATP,3 Mg...

In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the probiotic characteristics of lactobacilli and yeast strains isolated from whey beverage under conditions simulating the in vivo stresses encountered in the gastrointestinal tract i.e. acid, alkaline, proteolytic enzymes and bile stress. The therapeutic potential of probiotics Lactobacillus casei or Lactobacillus yoghurt was assessed i...