Summary
The degree of sensitivity of twelve Bifidobacterium (Lactobacillus bifidus) strains to O2 was determined by measuring the size of the inhibition zones obtained when the bacteria were grown in deep agar cultures under air, and by measuring growth in aerated cultures. The size of the inhibition zones varied from 1 to 23 mm. Growth in aerated cultures differed markedly for the strains investigated. No strain grew on agar plates under aerobic conditions.
The small inhibition zone of three Bifidobacterium strains might be explained by the presence of a weak catalase activity, which removes traces of H2O2 possibly formed. It is also possible that the NADH oxidase of these strains does not form H2O2 at all. Most probably, the lack of growth on an agar medium results from the fact that these strains only grow below a certain oxidation-reduction potential.
One strain, which was rather insensitive to O2, formed a small amount of H2O2 from NADH oxidation. The absence of H2O2 in aerated liquid cultures and cell suspensions of this strain, which lacked catalase and NAD peroxidase activity, must be explained by removal of the traces of H2O2 formed, by an unknown peroxidase system or by a chemical reaction with pyruvate formed during glucose fermentation.
For two strains, which were moderately sensitive to O2, accumulation of H2O2 seems to be the principal reason for anaerobiosis. H2O2 turned out to inactivate specifically fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase, a key enzyme of the fermentation pathway of bifidobacteria.
In the culture medium of two strains, which were extremely sensitive to O2, no H2O2 could be detected after aeration. During anaerobic growth of these strains, the oxidation-reduction potential of the culture decreased so much that neutral red was decolourized. Cell suspensions of these strains only fermented glucose when cysteine was added. It was concluded that these strains required a low oxidation-reduction potential for growth and fermentation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brent, E., and H. U. Bergmeyer: Anorganische Peroxyde. In: Methoden der enzymatischen Analyse. H. U. Bergmeyer ed., p. 633–635. Weinheim: Verlag Chemie 1962.
Dehnert, J.: Untersuchung über die grampositive Stuhlflora des Brustmilchkindes. II. Mitteilung. Zbl. Bact., I. Abt. Orig. 169, 66–79 (1957).
Fredette, V., C. Planté, and A. Roy: Numerical data concerning the sensitivity of anaerobic bacteria to oxygen. J. bact. 93, 2012–2017 (1967).
Johnston, M. A., and E. A. Delwiche: Isolation and characterization of the cyanide-resistant and azide-resistant catalase of Lactobacillus plantarum. J. Bact. 90, 352–356 (1965).
Jones, D., R. H. Deibel, and C. F. Niven, Jr.: Catalase activity of two Streptococcus faecalis strains and its enhancement by aerobiosis and added cations. J. Bact. 88, 602–610 (1964).
Lowry, O. H., N. J. Rosebrough, A. L. Farr, and R. J. Randall: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J.biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951).
Mickelson, M. N.: Effect of lactoperoxidase and thiocyanate on the growth of Streptococcos pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae in a chemically defined culture medium. J. gen. Microbiol. 43, 31–43 (1966).
Sebald, M., F. Gasser, et H. Werner: Teneur GC% et classification. Application au groupe des bifidobactéries et à quelques genres voisins. Ann. Inst. Pasteur 109, 251–269 (1965).
Smith, L. Ds.: Anaerobes and oxygen. In: The anaerobic bacteria. Proceedings of an international Workshop. V. Fredette ed., pp. 13–24. Laval-des-Rapides, Canada (1967).
Vries, W. de, Sj. J. Gerbrandy, and A. H. Stouthamer: Carbohydrate metabolism in Bifidobacterium bifidum. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 136, 415–425 (1967).
—, and A. H. Stouthamer: Pathway of glucose fermentation in relation to the taxonomy of bifidobacteria. J. Bact. 93, 574–576 (1967).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
De Vries, W., Stouthamer, A.H. Factors determining the degree of anaerobiosis of Bifidobacterium strains. Archiv. Mikrobiol. 65, 275–287 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407109
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407109