Abstract
The effect of the addition of hematin on the activities of nitrite reductase and catalase was studied with cell suspensions of strains of lactobacillus species. In cells of Lactobacillus plantarum grown under aerobic or anaerobic conditions nitrite reductase was present. This activity was not exhibited by cells of L. curvatus and only rarely by L. sake. In addition, catalase activity was detected in aerobically grown cells only, with all strains of L. plantarum and L. sake; again L. curvatus was devoid of this activity. Ammonia was formed as the main product of nitrite reduction by L. plantarum. With lactate as the electron donor, the end products of carbohydrate catabolism were carbon dioxide, acetoin and acetate. The activities of nitrite reductase and catalase in strains of lactobacillus species may be used for optimizing the quality of starter cultures applied for the production of raw sausages.
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Wolf, G., Hammes, W.P. Effect of hematin on the activities of nitrite reductase and catalase in lactobacilli. Arch. Microbiol. 149, 220–224 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422008
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422008