Oral Care and Probiotics

Pediococcus acidilactici is a Gram positive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) being used as a starter culture in dairy and meat industry to balance the microflora. It’s in vitro studies confirmed all the basic probiotic attributes. A range of proteolytic activites and β-galactosidase activity confer probiotic as well as industrial significance to P. acidilactici. It’s resistance to lysozyme suggest its usefulness for new born and infants being fed on mother’s milk. Recent studies were focused on extracellular enzymes of Pediococcus acidilactici. Peptidoglycan hydrolyses (PGHs) were partially purified and characterized. Spectrum of PGHs was studied in renaturing SDS-PAGE by varying substrates (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus albus and Micrococcus lysodeikticus). PGH band intensity decreased in the presence of NaCl whereas additional lytic bands appeared in the presence of EDTA. PGHs also exhibited broad growth inhibiting spectrum against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. They can be used in controlling harmful and pathogenic bacteria. PGHs studied under different conditions ranged within 11 to 50 KDa which was also confirmed by genome mining studies using bioinformatics. DPP-II, an exopeptidase was purified and characterized. This was 38.7 KDa homodimer that worked optimally at pH 7.0 and 370 C and retained more than 90% activity at 500C. TLC and HPLC analysis of DPP-II treated collagen revealed release of free amino acids and different metabolites of biological significance. Microscopic analyses of DPP II treated chicken’s chest muscles (meat) revealed change and hydrolysis of myofibrils thereby suggesting the possible role of this strain in affecting the flavor and texture of meat. Being protein of LAB, it is also expected to be safe. Future studies are in progress for gaining insight in mechanism of action of this probiotic as well as biochemical, molecular and metabolic characterization of this strain.