ABILITY OF NEONATAL HUMAN LACTOBACILLUS ISOLATES TO REMOVE CHOLESTEROL FROM LIQUID-MEDIA

The activity of a number of human intestinal strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus, including newly isolated neonatal strains, have been exam ined for their ability to remove cholesterol from liquid medium. In co mmon with other authors we find that cholesterol will co-precipitate w ith deconjugated bile acids as pH falls to values less than 5.0. But w e also report that for some strains removal of cholesterol can occur i n the absence of bile and that co-precipitation at low pH values canno t account for all cholesterol removed. The activity is unlikely to be as a result of bacterial cholesterol oxidase or dehydrogenase but may be one of physical association with the bacterial cell surface.