This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Oterholm, A. Articles by Witter, L. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Oterholm, A. Articles by Witter, L. D. Agricola Articles by Oterholm, A. Articles by Witter, L. D.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1968 March; 16(3): 524-527
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Glycerol Ester Hydrolase Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Department of Food Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801

ABSTRACT

Seventeen strains of lactic acid bacteria were assayed for their glycerol ester hydrolase activity by using an improved agar-well technique, and eight strains by determining the activity in cell-free extracts using a pH-stat procedure. All cultures tested showed activity and hydrolyzed tributyrin more actively than they did tricaproin. The cell extract studies demonstrated that the cells contained intracellular esterases and lipases. The culture supernatant fluid was without activity. The lipase and the esterase differed in their relative activity to each other in the different extracts and in the ease by which they could be freed from the cellular debris. It is suggested that the lipase of these organisms is an endoenzyme and the esterase an ectoenzyme.

¹ Present address: Norske Meieriers Salgssentral, Oslo, Norway.