Lactobacillus acidophilus
Probiotics & Enzymes
Overview
- Description: Lactobacillus acidophilus is a Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the lactic-acid-producing (LAB) family.
- Natural Habitat: It naturally colonizes the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.
- Use: Widely used as a probiotic to support microbial balance and host health.
Chemistry
- Nature: Lactobacillus acidophilus is a living bacterial cell; it does not have a single molecular formula.
- Genome: The organism’s genome averages 1.9–2.0 Mbp, encoding ~1,800–2,000 proteins.
- Cell Wall: The cell wall is a thick peptidoglycan layer (type A1γ), comprising N-acetyl-muramic acid linked to L-alanine, D-glutamic acid, L-lysine, and D-alanine residues, cross-linked via peptide bridges.
- Surface Components: Surface-associated lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) contain glycerol-phosphate repeats with D-alanine esterification, conferring a net negative charge.
- Metabolic Product: The bacteria’s primary metabolic product is L-lactic acid (C₃H₆O₃), a result of homolactic fermentation of glucose via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway.
- Enzyme: Enzyme β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) is a key glycosidase enabling lactose hydrolysis.
- Nomenclature: No IUPAC name exists for the organism; the standard taxonomic designation is Lactobacillus acidophilus (formerly Lactobacillus acidophilus).
Sources & Quality
- Origin: Commercial L. acidophilus strains are isolated from human feces, vaginal swabs, or fermented dairy products (yogurt, kefir).
- Industrial Production: Industrially, strains are cultured in controlled bioreactors using sterilised milk, whey, or defined carbohydrate media (e.g., glucose, sucrose) under anaerobic, 35–37 °C conditions.
- Processing: After growth, cells are harvested, washed, and lyophilised (freeze-drying) with cryoprotectants (trehalose, skim-milk powder) to achieve stable CFU counts.
- Quality Control: Quality-focused manufacturers verify strain identity via 16S rRNA sequencing and confirm absence of contaminants (pathogenic bacteria, yeast, endotoxin) through GMP-compliant testing.
- Supplement Standards: For supplements, a minimum of 10⁸ CFU per dose is required for label claims in most jurisdictions, and third-party certification (e.g., USP, NSF) is recommended to ensure potency and purity.
Where to Buy Lactobacillus acidophilus
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