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Title: INFLUENCE OF PREBIOTIC CARBOHYDRATES ON ENZYME ACTIVITY IN BIFIDOBACTERIUM

Author
item HOLT, S - WESTERN ILL UNIV
item HANSEN, J - WESTERN ILL UNIV
item Cote, Gregory

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2006
Publication Date: 4/22/2006
Citation: Holt, S.M., Hansen, J.M., Cote, G.L. 2006. Influence of prebiotic carbohydrates on enzyme activity in bifidobacterium [abstract]. Illinois State Academy of Science. 99:52.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the influence of prebiotic carbohydrates on enzyme activity in Bifidobacterium. Carbohydrates tested included a prebiotic fructooligosaccharide and newer alternansucrase-derived oligosaccharides (AOS). B. adolescentis was grown on each test carbohydrate and enzyme activities (alpha-galactosidase and alpha-glucosidase) were determined from cell extracts. Both enzyme activities were detected on all carbohydrates tested including glucose indicating that a basal level of each enzyme was always expressed. Enzyme activity detected on glucose was used as the baseline for all comparisons. Each enzyme displayed a significantly different pattern of activity toward the battery of test carbohydrates. Expression of each enzyme appeared to be controlled by different mechanisms. Alpha-Galactosidase appeared to be less stringently controlled than alpha-glucosidase since most carbohydrates displayed a significant increase in activity on the former enzyme. The highest activities for both enzymes were obtained on several of the AOS prebiotic carbohydrates. In conclusion, the AOS prebiotic carbohydrates significantly enhanced enzyme activity in B. adolescentis compared to most of the carbohydrates tested. Alpha-Galactosidase appears to be an important enzyme in carbohydrate metabolism in B. adolescentis.