Streptococcus thermophilus explained

Streptococcus thermophilus formerly known as Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus[1] [2] is a gram-positive bacterium, and a fermentative facultative anaerobe, of the viridans group.[3] It tests negative for cytochrome, oxidase, and catalase, and positive for alpha-hemolytic activity. It is non-motile and does not form endospores. S. thermophilus is fimbriated.[4]

It is also classified as a lactic acid bacterium.[5] S. thermophilus is found in fermented milk products and is generally used in the production of yogurt,[6] alongside Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The two species are synergistic, and S. thermophilus probably provides L. d. bulgaricus with folic acid and formic acid, which it uses for purine synthesis.[7] S. thermophilus has an optimal growth temperature range of, while L. d. bulgaricus has an optimal range of .[8]

Classification

At least 26 strains of S. thermophilus have been identified and had their genomes sequenced.[9]

!Test type!Test!Characteristics
Colony charactersColorYellowish
ShapeConvex
TypeRound
Morphological charactersShapeRound
Size0.7-0.9 μm
Physiological charactersMotility-
Biological charactersGram stain+
Catalase-
Oxidase-
Cytochrome-

Uses

S. thermophilus is one of the most widely used bacteria in the dairy industry. USDA statistics from 1998 showed that more than 1.02 billion kilograms of mozzarella cheese and 621 million kilograms of yogurt were produced from S. thermophilus.[10] Although its genus, Streptococcus, includes some pathogenic species, food industries consider S. thermophilus a safer bacterium than many other Streptococcus species. In fact, yogurt and cheese that contain live cultures of S. thermophilus are thought to be beneficial to health.[11] Live cultures of S. thermophilus make it easier for people who are lactose-intolerant to digest dairy products. The bacteria breaks down lactose, the sugar in milk, that lactose-intolerant people find difficult to digest.[12]

Yogurt production

As early as the 1900s, S. thermophilus was used to make yogurt. Its purpose is to turn lactose, the sugar in milk, into lactic acid. The increase in lactic acid turns milk into the gel-like structure characteristic of yogurt.[13]

Nomenclature

"Streptococcus" derives from a Greek term meaning "twisted kernel" and refers to the way the bacterium is grouped in chains that resemble a string of beads.[14] "Thermophilus" derives from the Greek thermē, meaning "heat". It refers to an organism's ability to thrive at high temperatures.[15]

Research

Pathogenic potential

The genus Streptococcus includes several pathogenic species, such as S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes, but food industries consider S. thermophilus non-pathogenic. S. thermophilus is believed to have developed separately from pathogenic Streptococcus species for at least 3000 years. Research teams have sequenced the genome of two strains of S. thermophilus, CNRZ1066 and LMG13811, and stated that the bacteria are not dangerous.[16]

Adjuvant

S. thermophilus strain Orla-Jensen 1919[17] is a constituent in VSL#3. This standardized formulation of live bacteria may be used in combination with conventional therapies to treat ulcerative colitis.[18] [19] The use of the S. thermophilus-containing VSL#3 may reduce inflammation in mice.[20]

Reduced-fat cheese

S. thermophilus helps make reduced-fat cheese with similar characteristics to regular, full-fat cheese. In the experiment, two different strains of bacteria are used to make reduced-fat cheddar cheese: a strain of Lactococcus lactis and a strain of S. thermophilus. These bacteria are chosen because they produce exopolysaccharide (EPS), which give reduced-fat cheese a texture and flavor like that of regular cheese.

L. lactis produces cheese with higher moisture levels compared to other reduced-fat cheeses; S. thermophilus produces cheese with a lower moisture content and a less bitter taste. It was concluded that applying both L. lactis and S. thermophilus strains would create higher-quality reduced-fat cheese with characteristics like those of regular cheese.[21]

Cancer

Chemotherapy often causes mucositis, severe inflammation of primarily the small intestines. Currently, there is no treatment to alleviate the symptoms of mucositis caused by chemotherapy. When rats were inflicted with mucositis by chemotherapy drugs, the intestinal tissues in those pretreated with streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 functioned more healthily and were less distressed.[22]

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Strains of S. thermophilus have also reduced risks of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), an issue that results from taking antibiotics. Antibiotics can have the adverse effect of destroying beneficial bacteria and causing harmful bacteria to multiply, which invokes AAD. Adults who ate yogurt containing S. thermophilus while being treated with antibiotics had lower rates of AAD than the control group (12.4% vs. 23.7%).[23]

Longevity in other organisms

Streptococcus thermophilus has been linked to longevity in some living organisms. In an experiment performed on the bacteriophagous nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans, consumption of S. thermophilus was shown to cause significant longevity when compared to specimens that consumed E. coli OP50, a strain used as a standard food source. Additionally, there was no significant deviation in growth rate or brood size, indicating that it wasn't caused by caloric restriction. Instead, its life-extending effects were linked to increased expression of the gene daf-16. This effect further enhances the expression of other antioxidant genes, thereby slowing down the aging process.[24]

Health concerns

Although probiotics, in general, are considered safe, there are concerns about their use in certain cases.[25] [26] Some people, such as those with compromised immune systems, short bowel syndrome, central venous catheters, heart valve disease and premature infants, may be at higher risk for adverse events.[27] Rarely, the use of probiotics has caused sepsis in children with lowered immune systems or in those who are already critically ill.[28]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Gerald W. . Tannock . Probiotics And Prebiotics: Scientific Aspects . Caister Academic Press . 2005 . 43 . 978-1-904455-01-1 . 2014-03-31.
  2. Validation of the Publication of New Names and New Combinations Previously Effectively Published Outside the IJSB: List No. 54 . 10.1099/00207713-45-3-619 . International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology . July 1995 . 45 . 3 . 619–620 . free .
  3. Web site: European Bioinformatics Institute . Bacteria Genomes – Streptococcus Thermophilus . https://web.archive.org/web/20130219070439/http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/bacteria/Streptococcus_thermophilus.html . 19 February 2013.
  4. Web site: Streptococcus_salivarius .
  5. Courtin . P. . Rul . F. O. . 10.1051/lait:2003031 . Interactions between microorganisms in a simple ecosystem: yogurt bacteria as a study model . Le Lait . 84 . 1–2 . 125–134 . 2003 . free.
  6. Kiliç . A. O. . Pavlova . S. I. . Ma . W. G. . Tao . L. . Analysis of Lactobacillus phages and bacteriocins in American dairy products and characterization of a phage isolated from yogurt . Applied and Environmental Microbiology . 62 . 6 . 2111–6 . 1996 . 10.1128/AEM.62.6.2111-2116.1996 . 8787408 . 167989 . 1996ApEnM..62.2111K.
  7. Sieuwerts . S. . Molenaar . D. . Van Hijum . S. A. F. T. . Beerthuyzen . M. . Stevens . M. J. A. . Janssen . P. W. M. . Ingham . C. J. . De Bok . F. A. M. . De Vos . W. M. . 10.1128/AEM.01122-10 . Van Hylckama Vlieg . J. E. T. . Mixed-Culture Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Basis of Mixed-Culture Growth in Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus . Applied and Environmental Microbiology . 76 . 23 . 7775–7784 . 2010 . 20889781. 2988612 . 2010ApEnM..76.7775S.
  8. Influence of Temperature on Associative Growth of Streptococcus therrnophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus . Lyn C. Radke-Mitchel . W. E. Sandine . J. Dairy Sci. . 69 . 2558–2568 . 1986 . 10 . 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(86)80701-9 . 3805441. free .
  9. Web site: Contributing Species, Genome: Streptococcus thermophilus LMD-9, Clique ID: 480 . The Integrated Microbial Genomes, The US Department of Energy Office of Science, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and The Regents of the University of California . 2016-06-25.
  10. Hutkins . Robert . 2002 . Streptococcus Thermophilus LMD-9 . JGI Microbes.
  11. Taylor, John R. and Mitchell, Deborah. The Wonder of Probiotics. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 2007.
  12. Book: Leboffe, Michael . 1 January 2012 . Microbiology: Laboratory Theory and Application . Morton Publishing Company . 33 . 978-1-61731-028-7.
  13. Delcour . J. . Ferain . T. . Hols . P. . 2000 . Advances in the Genetics of Thermophilic Lactic Acid Bacteria . Food Biotechnology . 11 . 5 . 497–504 . 10.1016/s0958-1669(00)00134-8 . 11024370.
  14. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/568809/Streptococcus "Streptococcus."
  15. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/591688/thermophile "Thermophile."
  16. "Streptococcus Thermophilus: A Bacterium Which Is Harmless to Health". International Research Associates. 14 November 2006. Web. 25 April 2011.
  17. Hood. Kerenza. Nuttall. Jacqui. Gillespie. David. Shepherd. Victoria. Wood. Fiona. Duncan. Donna. Stanton. Helen. Espinasse. Aude. Wootton. Mandy. Acharjya. Aruna. Allen. Stephen. 2014. Probiotics for Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhoea (PAAD): a prospective observational study of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (including Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea) in care homes. Health Technology Assessment. 18. 63. 1–84. 10.3310/hta18630. 1366-5278. 4781053. 25331573. Carter. Christopher C.. Bayer. Antony. Butler. Cohen. Alun. Toghill. Emma. Thomas-Jones. Efi. Mantzourani. Robin. Howe. Nick. Francis. David. Ben.
  18. Yezaz A. . Ghouri . David M. . Richards . Erik F. . Rahimi . Joseph T. . Krill . Katherine A. . Jelinek . Andrew W. . DuPont . Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics in inflammatory bowel disease . 9 December 2014 . 10.2147/CEG.S27530 . Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology . 7 . 473–487 . 4266241 . 25525379 . free .
  19. Mardini . Houssam E. . Grigorian . Alla Y. . Probiotic Mix VSL#3 Is Effective Adjunctive Therapy for Mild to Moderately Active Ulcerative Colitis . Inflammatory Bowel Diseases . 20 . 9 . 2014 . 1562–1567 . 1078-0998 . 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000084 . . 24918321 . 36218602. free .
  20. Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health . The probiotic mixture VSL#3 has differential effects on intestinal immune parameters in healthy female BALB/c and C57BL/ . 23 October 2014 . 2016-05-24.
  21. Awad . S. . Hassan . A. N. . Muthukumarappan . K. . 2005 . Application of Exopolysaccharide-Producing Cultures in Reduced-Fat Cheddar Cheese . Journal of Dairy Science . 88 . 12 . 4204–4213 . 10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(05)73106-4 . 16291611 . free.
  22. 19305160 . 2009 . Whitford . E. J. . Effects of Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 on intestinal mucositis induced by the chemotherapeutic agent, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) . Cancer Biology & Therapy . 8 . 6 . 505–11 . Cummins . A. G. . Butler . R. N. . Prisciandaro . L. D. . Fauser . J. K. . Yazbeck . R . Lawrence . A . Cheah . K. Y. . Wright . T. H. . Lymn . K. A. . Howarth . G. S. . 10.4161/cbt.8.6.7594 . free.
  23. Ripudaman S. Beniwal . Vincent C. Arena . Leno Thomas . Sudhir Narla . Thomas F. Imperiale . Rauf A. Chaudhry . Usman A. Ahmad . 2003 . A Randomized Trial of Yogurt for Prevention of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea . Digestive Diseases and Sciences . 48 . 10 . 2077–2082 . 10.1023/A:1026155328638 . 14627358 . 23021761.
  24. Desaka . Natsumi . Ota . Chinatsu . Nishikawa . Hitomi . Yasuda . Kayo . Ishii . Naoaki . Bito . Tomohiro . Kishinaga . Yukio . Naito . Yuji . Higashimura . Yasuki . January 2022 . Streptococcus thermophilus extends lifespan through activation of DAF-16-mediated antioxidant pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans . Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition . 70 . 1 . 7–13 . 10.3164/jcbn.21-56 . 0912-0009 . 8764109 . 35068675.
  25. Durchschein F. . Petritsch W. . Hammer H. F. . Diet therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases: The established and the new . World Journal of Gastroenterology . 2016 . 22 . 7 . 2179–94 . 26900283 . 10.3748/wjg.v22.i7.2179 . 4734995 . Review . free .
  26. Boyle R. J. . Robins-Browne R. M. . Tang M. L. . Probiotic use in clinical practice: what are the risks? . American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . 2006 . 83 . 6 . 1256–1264; quiz 1446–1447 . 16762934 . 10.1093/ajcn/83.6.1256 . Review . free.
  27. Doron S. . Snydman D. R. . Risk and safety of probiotics . Clinical Infectious Diseases . 2015 . 60 . Suppl 2 . S129–S134 . 25922398 . 10.1093/cid/civ085 . 4490230 . Review.
  28. Singhi S. C. . Kumar S. . Probiotics in critically ill children . F1000Research . 2016 . 5 . 27081478 . 10.12688/f1000research.7630.1 . 4813632 . Review . 407 . free .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Streptococcus thermophilus".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.