Three glycoproteins with antimutagenic activity identified in Lactobacillus plantarum KLAB21

Antimutagenic substances were purified from a culture supernatant of Lactob acillus plantarum KLAB21 cells isolated from kimchi, a Korean traditional f ermented vegetable, and their characteristics were investigated. The antimu tagenic substances were separated into two fractions by DEAE-cellulose ion- exchange column chromatography, which were designated the R1 and R2 fractio ns. The R1 fraction was then divided into two fractions again by Sephadex G 200 gel filtration chromatography, and the fractions were designated R1-1 a nd R1-2. All three fractions were further purified using a Sepharose CL-6B gel filtration column. All the purified fractions were successfully stained with fuchsin as well as Coomassie brilliant blue, suggesting that they are glycoproteins. The purified fractions were confirmed to possess antimutage nic activity against N-methyl-N ' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine on Salmonella e nterica serovar Typhimurium TA100 cells. Their molecular masses were determ ined to be 16 (R1-1), 11 (R1-2), and 14 (R2) kDa on the Sepharose CL-6B col umn. Total sugar contents were 8.4% (R1-1), 7.3% (R1-2), and 9.4% (R2). The amino acid compositions of the fractions were different from each other; t he major amino acids were glutamic acid (21.5%) and phenylalanine (17.1%) i n the R1-1 fraction and glycine (41.3%) in the R1-2 fraction, but valine (3 1%) and phenylalanine (22.6%) were the major amino acids in the R2 fraction .