Modifications of Lactobacillus Surface Under Environmental Stress Conditions

ALLIEVI MARIANA CLAUDIA; RUZAL SANDRA MÓNICA; PALOMINO MARÍA MERCEDES

Lactobacillus Genomics and Metabolic Engineering

Caister Academic Press

Año: 2019; p. 81 - 104

Lactobacilli are a diverse group of food-grade microorganisms widely applied in the fermented food industry due to their technological and health-promoting properties; these bacteria have been extensively used as starter cultures and as probiotics. In this way, Lactobacillus is exposed to different stress factors during food fermentation. In this chapter we will discuss the ability of Lactobacillus to respond to environmental conditions, focusing on osmotic stress, by altering the nature of their cell wall for adaptation. We will describe their modification, in particular those related to the structure of peptidoglycan, secondary cell-wall polymers, named teichoic acids and surface-layer proteins.