Biotechnological production and application of antimicrobial biomolecules by Lactobacillus plantarum in milk whey

Abstract

Bacteriocins are ribosomal peptides that have antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic microorganisms. The plantaricin is a bacteriocin produced by the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum that has been studied as a food biopreservative and also demonstrate great potential for application in the pharmaceutical field. The use of milk whey as natural alternative, praises the concept of a biomolecule production with high added value associate with the environmental aspect. Moreover, an alternative for improving the biotechnological production of biomolecules on industrial level would be through the use of renewable substrates, providing for bacteriocin producer microorganisms a carbon source and appropriate nutrients coming from waste. In this context, this project aims to study variables that influence the production of plantaricina produced by L. plantarum in shaker and 3 liter bioreactor. Furthermore, it is considered interesting to investigate other antibacterial biomolecules produced by this microorganism. In this context, this project will be developed in 2 stages. The first one is already being developed in Brazil (Universidade de São Paulo) and the second will be developed in Spain (University of Vigo). Briefly, in Brazil the activities will be developed using whey powder and the influence of variables relevant to the production of bacteriocin by L. plantarum and L. plantarum CECT ST16Pa -221 will be investigated. In Spain, will be used natural whey for cultivation of the strain that showed the best results in relation to the bacteriocin production. This step aims to obtain not only bacteriocins from an industrial waste but also other biomolecules that have preservative character, as feniláctico acid, which is characterized by being safe and healthy for consumers. (AU)