Adaptive Evolution of Lactococcus Lactis to Thermal and Oxidative Stress Increases Biomass and Nisin Production

High values of agitation and temperature lead to stressful conditions in the fermentations of Lactococcus lactis due to its aero-tolerant and mesophilic nature. Here, the adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) technique was applied to increase biomass and nisin production yields by enhancing L. lactis subsp. lactis robustness at higher growth temperature and aeration rates. In two separate ALE experiments, after 162 serial transfers, optimum agitation and growth temperature of L. lactis were shifted from 40 rpm and 30 °C to 200 rpm and 37 °C, respectively. Oxidative and acid resistance were enhanced in the evolved strain. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the emergence of five single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the genome of the evolved strain in jag, DnaB, ArgR, cation transporter genes, and one putative protein. The evolved strain of L. lactis in this study has more industrial desirable features and improved nisin production capability and can act more efficiently in nisin production in stressful conditions.