title: Biochemical effects on germ-free mice of association with several strains of anaerobic bacteria.
abstract: The effects of the following changes throughout the association of germ-free mice with increasing numbers of anaerobic bacteria were studied: (i) elution patterns obtained by gel-filtration chromatography of caecal diffusates; (ii) concentration of beta-aspartylglycine in caecal and faecal contents; (iii) polypeptide patterns obtained by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of caecal supernatants; (iv) free amino acid content of caecal supernatants; (v) faecal bile acids, analysed by gas-liquid chromatography; (vi) colonization-resistance. The results indicate that monitoring the normalization (association) process can be accomplished in several ways, but the level of colonization-resistance is most easily measured by high-voltage paper electrophoresis of faecal supernatants to determine the concentration of beta-aspartylglycine. During association, the concentration of beta-aspartylglycine decreased and became undetectable after association with 40 to 50 different strains of bacteria. There was a good negative correlation between the level of colonization-resistance and the concentration of beta-aspartylglycine.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D004151:Dipeptides; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D005998:Glycine