Proteomic analysis of lactose-starved Lactobacillus casei during stationary growth phase

Starvation stress is a condition that nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) normally encounter. This study was aimed to investigate starvation-induced proteins in Lactobacillus casei during stationary growth phase.

The impact of carbohydrate starvation on L. casei GCRL163 was investigated using two different media (a modified de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe broth and a semi-defined medium). Cells were grown in the presence of excess lactose (1%) or starvation (0%) and differences in the patterns of one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and two-dimensional electrophoresis of the cytosolic protein fractions were investigated. Differentially regulated proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Many differentially regulated proteins were enzymes of various metabolic pathways involved in carbohydrate metabolism to yield energy. Differences in protein expression were also observed in the two culture conditions tested in this experiment.

Numerous glycolytic enzymes were differentially regulated under lactose starvation. The differential expression of these glycolytic enzymes suggests a potential survival strategy under harsh growth conditions (i.e. lactose starvation).

This paper reports improved understanding of stress responses and survival mechanism of NSLAB under lactose-depleted cheese-ripening condition. This knowledge of how NSLAB bacteria adapt to lactose starvation could be applied to predict the performances of bacteria in other industrial applications.