Reaction of Enzymes of Lactobacillus bifidus var. pennsylvanicus with Bifidus Factor

Abstract

Summary

1. The effect of the constituent monosaccharides on the enzymatic inactiva-tion of high molecular forms of bifidus factor has been studied. The most marked effect was observed with fucose when it was used with human milk or purified fractions from human milk. 2. The significance of this effect of fucose on the inactivation of the bifidus factor in vitro was emphasized by the experiments in vivo. L-Fucose markedly inhibited growth of L. bifidus var. pennsylvani-cus when the source of bifidus factor was human milk, but not when it was supplied as mucin or the simple N-acetyl-D-glucosamine-containing compounds.