OXYGEN EFFECT ON LACTOSE CATABOLISM BY A LEUCONOSTOC-MESENTEROIDES STRAIN - MODELING OF GENERAL O-2-DEPENDENT STOICHIOMETRY

Lactose metabolism of a Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain was studied i n batch cultures at a pH of 6.5 and 30 degrees C in 10 L of a modified MRS (De Man, Rogosa, Sharp) broth. The end products of this heterolac tic bacterium were D-lactate, acetate, ethanol, and carbon dioxide. To test the effect of oxygen on their synthesis, the medium was sparged with different gases: nitrogen, air, and pure oxygen. When oxygen was available, oxygen uptake occurred, which caused a modification in acet ate and ethanol production but not in lactate or carbon dioxide produc tion; acetate plus ethanol together were produced in constant amounts, which were independent of the level of aeration. The influence of oxy gen on end-product formation could be summed up by the general equatio n: lactose + x O-2 --> 2 D-lactate + (x + 0.1) acetate + (2 - x) ethan ol + 2 CO2. Maximal oxygen uptake (x = 2) was reached under a 120 Vh f low rate of pure oxygen. In addition, this equation provided useful in formation on the possible pathway of galactose catabolism by a heterof ermentative microorganism. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.