Hydration of Oleic Acid by Enterococcus gallinarum, Pediococcus acidilactici andLactobacillus sp. Isolated from the Rumen

Three ruminal bacteria found to convert oleic acid to 10-hydroxystearic acid were identified asEnterococcus gallinarum , Pediococcus acidilactici and a lactobacillus physiologically similar toLactobacillus reuteri and L. fermentum. The oleic acid-hydrating properties of the three bacteria were determined and hydration was shown to be predominantly a feature of anaerobic culture with relatively little hydration occurring in aerobic culture. Hydration was highly pH dependent and not related to cell growth. At the optimal hydration pH for each bacterium, hydration yields were 97%, 93% and 76% for the E. gallinarum, P. acidilactici andLactobacillus strains, respectively. The enterococcus and the lactobacillus hydrated oleic acid only after growth ceased whereas the pediococcus hydrated oleic acid during the late logarithmic growth. Hydration was not specific for oleic acid with all three bacteria hydrating the oleic acid homologue palmitoleic acid. None of the bacteria hydrogenated oleic acid to stearic acid. Our results suggest that a capacity to hydrate oleic acid may be a property of many lactic acid bacteria.