Studies Of Protoplast Fusion In Bifidobacterium And Lactobacillus

Bifidobacterium, which constitute one of the predominant bacterial groups of human and animal intestines, have stimulatedthe interest of many investigators not only because of their function in physiological role but also their potential use in people's daily life. They can be used as dietary adjuncts in dairy foods and in prophylactic and therapeutic preparations for human and animal gastrointestinal disturbances. However, Bifidobacterium, which are exposed to the air, soon die because of their obligate anaerobic character. For this it is inconvenient or disadvantageous to exploitation and applications of Bifidobacterium. Utilizing the technology of protoplast fusion, facultative Lactobacillus's aerotolerant gene was integratedinto Bbifidobacterium's chromosomes randomly to improve their tolerance of aerobic life or change their obligate anaerobic character. The result shows that this can be completed by the technology of protoplast fusion in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. In addition, fusants are more convinent to exploitation and applications of Bifidobacterium in the near future.