GABA Production in Coculture of Engineered Lactococcus lactis with Lactobacillus plantarum
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Javier Ochoa-Repáraz (Mentor), Boise State University
Abstract
Inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known to regulate various physiological and psychological processes and the dysfunction of the GABAergic system is implicated in many diseases including PTSD and multiple sclerosis. Prior studies identified an engineered GABA-producing GAD-Lactococcus lactis strain(P8) which yields elevated levels of GABA in the presence of glutamic acid. A potential probiotic mix was considered using known glutamic acid (GA)-producing Lactobacillus plantarum with P8. Using a competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the GABA output of P8 when co-cultured with known glutamic acid (GA)-producing Lactobacillus plantarum was compared to P8 cultured in a 200mM concentration of GA. In this initial trial, the coculture of P8 with L. plantarum produced 39.12(±10.48) µM/L of GABA, significantly less than the 801.18(±133.8) µM/L of GABA produced by P8 cultured with GA alone.
GABA Production in Coculture of Engineered Lactococcus lactis with Lactobacillus plantarum
Inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known to regulate various physiological and psychological processes and the dysfunction of the GABAergic system is implicated in many diseases including PTSD and multiple sclerosis. Prior studies identified an engineered GABA-producing GAD-Lactococcus lactis strain(P8) which yields elevated levels of GABA in the presence of glutamic acid. A potential probiotic mix was considered using known glutamic acid (GA)-producing Lactobacillus plantarum with P8. Using a competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the GABA output of P8 when co-cultured with known glutamic acid (GA)-producing Lactobacillus plantarum was compared to P8 cultured in a 200mM concentration of GA. In this initial trial, the coculture of P8 with L. plantarum produced 39.12(±10.48) µM/L of GABA, significantly less than the 801.18(±133.8) µM/L of GABA produced by P8 cultured with GA alone.