Growth of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria on lactose and lactose-related mono-, di- and trisaccharides and correlation with distribution ofβ–galactosidase and phospho-β–galactosidase

Summary Spectrophotometric assays ofβ–galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) and phospho-β–galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.85) activity were used to survey the lactose utilization pathways of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.β–Galactosidase activity was found in all six genera represented (Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, PediococcusandBifidobacterium) while phospho-β–galactosidase was restricted to the lactococci, twoLactobacillusand twoLeuconostocspecies. A number of strains ofLactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus caseiandLeuconostocspp. contained both enzymes. Enzyme activities varied when cells were grown on different sugars, but in general were low or absent for cells grown on glucose compared with lactose. Two lactose-related compounds, lactulose and galactosyl lactose, believed to be specific growth factors for bifidobacteria, supported growth amongst a wide range of lactic acid bacteria in addition to bifidobacteria. Growth on galactosyl lactose was restricted to some but not all strains containingβ–galactosidase, implying that the presence ofβ–galactosidase is insufficient by itself to ensure utilization of galactosyl lactose. DNA fragments that encoded theLactococcus lactissubsp.cremorisphospho-β–galactosidase gene or theβ–galactosidase genes ofStreptococcus salivariussubsp.thermophilusorLactobacillus delbrueckiisubsp.bulgaricuswere isolated and used as probes in DNA-DNA hybridizations. Little or no hybridization was detected between these probes and plasmid or genomic DNA isolated from heterologous species, despite the presence of the corresponding enzyme activity in the strains probed.