Lactobacillus plantarum

Taxobox
color = lightgrey
name = "Lactobacillus plantarum"
regnum = Bacteria
divisio = Firmicutes
classis = Bacilli
ordo = Lactobacillales
familia = Lactobacillaceae
genus = "Lactobacillus"
species = "L. plantarum"
binomial = "Lactobacillus plantarum"
binomial_authority = (Orla-Jensen 1919)
Bergey "et al." 1923

"Lactobacillus plantarum" is a widespread member of the genus "Lactobacillus", commonly found in sauerkraut, pickles, brined olives, Korean kimchi, Nigerian ogi, sourdough and other fermented plant material and also in some cheeses and fermented sausages. It is also present in saliva (from which it was first isolated). This microorganism is Gram-positive, grows at 15 but not at 45 °C, and produces both isomers of lactic acid (D and L). It has the ability to liquefy gelatin. [http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/bacteria/Lactobacillus_plantarum.html] "L. plantarum" has one of the largest genomes known among the lactic acid bacteria and is a very flexible and versatile species.

"L. plantarum" and related lactobacilli are unusual in that they can respire oxygen but have no respiratory chain or cytochromes—the consumed oxygen ultimately ends up as hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide probably acts as a weapon to exclude competing bacteria from the food source. In place of the protective enzyme superoxide dismutase present in almost all other oxygen-tolerant cells, this organism accumulates millimolar quantities of manganese polyphosphate. Because the chemistry by which manganese complexes protect the cells from oxygen damage is subverted by iron, these cells contain virtually no iron atoms; in contrast, a cell of "Escherichia coli" of comparable volume contains over one million iron atoms.

"L. plantarum" is the most common bacterium used in silage inoculants. It is also commonly employed as the indicative organism in niacin bioassay experiments, particularly AOAC International Official Method 944.13, as it is a niacin auxotroph.

External links

* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11711768 PubMed] a study of the use of Lactobacillus Plantarum 299v in treatment of IBS
* [http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256AF100531E24 www.DocGuide.com] another reference about IBS