title: Presence of sialic acids in Lactobacillus plantarum.
abstract: It was found that Lactobacillus plantarum (strain BA 11) is able to synthesize sialic acids during its growth in MRS medium and that these molecules are located mainly on the surface of the bacterium. It was demonstrated also that the addition externally of N-acetylneuraminic acid in concentrations ranged from 10 to 500 microM into the culture medium, resulted to a substantial increase of the growth rate of the bacterium. Bacterial cultures in presence of added sialic acid (100 microM) for 24 hours, resulted to a two fold increase of the final bacterial mass compared to the cultures in absence of sialic acid. Maximum levels of sialic acids were observed after 48 h of bacterial growth. It was also found that neuraminic acids production was increased when Mn++ and Mg++ ions were added in the culture medium, while the addition of Co++, Ca++, Ba++, Cu++ and Ni++ had a negative effect.
authors.affiliation: National Hellenic Research Foundation, Institute of Biological Research, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakellaris
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Kolisis
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulos
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000032:analysis*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012794:Sialic Acids; D004247:DNA; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid