CHOLESTEROL BIOTRANSFORMATION TO CHOLESTA-4, 6-DIEN-3-OL AND EFFECT OF ASSIMILATION ON ADHESION PROPERTIES OF LACTOBACILLUS HELVETICUS CD6

Abstract

Cholesterol biotransformation by Lactobacillus helveticus CD6 was observed in minimal medium supplemented with 3 mM cholesterol when grown for 120 h at 37 °C. Its gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed production of cholesta-4, 6-dien-3-ol and cholest-5-en-3-ol (3.beta) with 12 U ∕mg cholesterol oxidase-like enzyme activity. The cholesterol assimilation was evaluated at varied concentrations of bile salt in MRS medium. The cell survival and cholesterol assimilation was found to be adversely affected in presence of bile salt. Microscopic studies revealed changed cell morphology when grown with cholesterol. The cell adhesion properties like autoaggregation, microbial adhesion to solvents where found to be affected by cholesterol. The 7.49 % cell adhesion to ethyl acetate indicates the decrease in electron accepting properties of cell surface, while 9 % decrease in xylene adhesion and 13 % decrease in autoaggregation was observed which would be helpful in cholesterol lowering when supplemented in the form of probiotic preparation.