Production kinetics of acidophilin 801, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801

Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801 produces a small bacteriocin, designated acidophilin 801. Studying the relationship between growth and bacteriocin b iosynthesis revealed primary metabolite kinetics of bacteriocin production with a peak activity at the end of the exponential growth phase followed by a decrease during the stationary phase. Both microbial growth and bacterio cin production was inhibited by lactic acid. Whereas volumetric bacteriocin production (activity units (AU) ml(-1)) was favoured under pH-controlled c onditions, bacteriocin titres rapidly decreased because of strong adsorptio n of the bacteriocin molecules to the producing cells under less acidic con ditions. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Publish ed by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.