A NEW SCREENING METHOD FOR THE SELECTION OF LACTOBACILLUS-ACIDOPHILUSGROUP LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA WITH HIGH ADHESION TO HUMAN COLONIC MUCOSA

A hemagglutination (HA) assay was done for the screening of lectin-lik e components in surface layer protein (SLP) from Lactobacillus (L.) ac idophilus A group strains, The new screening method, using polystyrene beads coated with rat-colonic mucin (RCM), which combines sugar chain s similar to those of human colonic mucin, was also done, The results showed that the HA assay was not a good indicator for selecting strain s having high adhesion to the human intestinal tract, The SLPs from 3 strains that strongly bound to RCM also bound web to carbohydrate port ions of Carnoy's-fixed human colonic mucous layer, These results sugge st that this method is a new promising screening technique for the L. acidophilus strains having high adhesion to the human intestinal tract .