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Characterisation and differentiation of lactobacilli by lectin typing

HEIDI ANNUK, SEAN O. HYNES^*, SIIRI HIRMO, MARIKA MIKELSAAR and TORKEL WADSTRÖM

Department of Microbiology, Medical Faculty, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu, Estonia, *Department of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland and Department of Medical Microbiology, Dermatology and Infection, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 23, S-22362 Lund, Sweden

Corresponding author: Dr H. Annuk (e-mail: heidiann{at}ut.ee).

Received 15 Jan. 2001; revised version received 9 April 2001; accepted 27 April 2001.

Abstract

Lactobacillus isolates from healthy Estonian and Swedish children were characterised by a lectin typing technique; 56 isolates from six species (L. acidophilus, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. fermentum, L. brevis and L. buchneri) were tested. The typing system was based on an agglutination assay with a panel of six commercially available lectins, which were chosen on the basis of their carbohydrate specificities. The isolates were also subjected to proteolytic degradation before lectin typing to decrease auto-agglutination of whole cells in the assay. The 56 isolates were divided into 15 different lectin types by their lectin agglutination patterns. Proteolytic treatment reduced auto-agglutination for the majority of species, apart from L. acidophilus, which remained predominantly auto-agglutinating (eight of nine strains). The system produced stable and reproducible results under standardised culture conditions. Lactobacilli are important bacteria for use as probiotics and this system may supplement current molecular typing techniques and may help in identification of strains that could be useful in this role.