Depression of lactose hydrolysis by yeasts

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Gastroenterology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Infant gastroenteritis is often associated with Candida albicans.
• Disaccharide intolerance is a common symptom in infants with Candida gastroenteritis.
• The role of yeast-induced disaccharidase depression in this condition requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of disaccharidase depression in the etiology of infant gastroenteritis caused by Candida albicans.
• To determine if Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae depress lactose hydrolysis.

Main Methods:

• Three different experimental methods were employed.
• Studies were conducted on beta-galactosidase activity in vitro.
• Experiments involved ligated small intestines of infant rabbits, both in vivo and in a physiological bath.

Main Results:

• Both Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly depressed beta-galactosidase lactose-hydrolysis activity.
• Both yeast types also depressed lactose hydrolysis in the ligated small intestine of infant rabbits.
• The depression of lactose activity was independent of temperature and yeast viability.

Conclusions:

• The depression of lactose hydrolysis by yeasts is not a virulence factor of Candida albicans.
• This yeast-induced depression of lactose hydrolysis contributes to disaccharide intolerance observed in infant Candida gastroenteritis.