High Efficiency of Plating of the Thermophilic Sulfur-Dependent Archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

A procedure for plating Sulfolobus acidocaldarius using Gelrite as the gelling agent is presented. The technique uses a supporting gel of 0.8% (wt/vol) Gelrite and an overlay soft gel of 0.4% (wt/vol) Gelrite, in which the colonies are grown. The plating efficiency was essentially 100%.     

Nutrient-Enhanced Production of Remarkably High Concentrations of Ethanol by Saccharomyces bayanus through Soy Flour Supplementation

The supplementation of a simple medium with soy flour led to an increase in the specific growth rate and viable cell concentration of Saccharomyces bayanus during fermentation. Increasing the amount of soy flour led to an increase in the maximum number of viable yeast cells and the percentage of glucose fermented. It was possible in 64 h to reach 12.8% (wt/vol) ethanol by adding 4% soy flour (wt/vol) to a simple medium with 300 g of glucose per liter. The aqueous extract from soy flour was nearly as effective as whole-soy flour, whereas the lipidic fraction had no positive effect.     

Analysis of the Exudate Produced by Streptococcus mutans SL-1 Colonies on Sucrose-Containing Agar Media

The watery exudate produced by Streptococcus mutans SL-1 colonies on sucrose-containing agar media was found to contain about 7% (wt/vol) of a water-soluble, branched dextran, 4% sucrose, and smaller (less than 1%) amounts of fructose, Folin-phenol-positive material, and lactic acid.     

Ethanol Production by Thermophilic Bacteria: Physiological Comparison of Solvent Effects on Parent and Alcohol-Tolerant Strains of Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum

The effects of temperature, solvents, and cultural conditions on the fermentative physiology of an ethanol-tolerant (56 g/liter at 60°C) and parent strain of Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum were compared. An ethanol-tolerant mutant was selected by successive transfer of the parent strain into media with progressively higher ethanol concentrations. Physiological differences noted in the mutant included enhanced growth, tolerance to various solvents, and alterations in the substrate range and the fermentation end product ratio. Ethanol tolerance was temperature dependent in the mutant but not in the parent strain. The mutant grew with ethanol concentrations up to 8.0% (wt/vol) at 45°C, but only up to 3.3% (wt/vol) at 68°C. Low ethanol concentration (0.2 to 1.6% [wt/vol]) progressively inhibited the parent strain to where glucose was not fermented at 2.0% (wt/vol) ethanol. Both strains grew and produced alcohols on glucose complex medium at 60°C in the presence of either 5% methanol or acetone, and these solvents when added at low concentration stimulated fermentative metabolism. The mutant produced ethanol at high concentrations and displayed an ethanol/glucose ratio (mole/mole) of 1.0 in media where initial ethanol concentrations were ≤4.0% (wt/vol), whereas when ethanol concentration was changed from 0.1% to 1.6% (wt/vol), the ethanol/glucose ratio for the parent strain changed from 1.6 to 0.6. These data indicate that C. thermohydrosulfuricum strains are tolerant of solvents and that low ethanol tolerance is not a result of disruption of membrane fluidity or glycolytic enzyme activity.     

Helicobacter pylori in Liquid Culture: Evaluation of Growth Rates and Ultrastructure

This study investigated the growth of Helicobacter (H.) pylori in Brucella broth supplemented with either IsoVitaleX (1% vol/vol), hemin (0.1% wt/vol), agar (0.3% wt/vol), or blood agar blocks (1.5% wt/vol agar). IsoVitaleX was found to significantly shorten the lag phase, while hemin inhibited the growth within the first 24 hours but later acted as a growth stimulant. There was a tendency toward stronger growth when blood agar blocks were added to the medium. Subsequent electron microscopic evaluation revealed that cells of H. pylori were attached to blood agar block surfaces. In contrast, the supplementation of Brucella broth with agar did not significantly increase the cell density. When H. pylori was grown in the presence of IsoVitaleX, strongly stainable electron-dense bodies (140–200 nm) were seen in the cytoplasms. Incubation of cultures on rotary shakers at 120 rpm significantly enhanced growth. The addition of glycerol (15% vol/vol) or fetal bovine serum (15% vol/vol) showed good ultrastructural preservation of bacteria with undamaged cell walls and cytoplasmic membranes, and the cytoplasms were ribosome-dense. Cell counts revealed that cultures stored in glycerol or fetal bovine serum had a significantly lower loss in viability when compared with cultures stored without cryopreservatives. Unprotected cells of H. pylori showed on electron micrographs clumping, cell lysis, and flagellar damage. Finally, the survival rates of H. pylori after multiple thawing from storage at −80°C were best in Brucella broth/glycerol, Brucella broth/fetal bovine serum, and Brucella broth without cryopreservative (in descending order). Received: 10 November 1997 / Accepted: 29 January 1998     

Effects of Different Spices Used in Production of Fermented Sausages on Growth of and Curvacin A Production by Lactobacillus curvatus LTH 1174

Lactobacillus curvatus LTH 1174, a fermented sausage isolate, produces the listericidal bacteriocin curvacin A. The effect of different spices relevant for the production of fermented sausages was investigated in vitro through laboratory fermentations with a meat simulation medium and an imposed pH profile relevant for Belgian-type fermented sausages. The influence on the growth characteristics and especially on the kinetics of curvacin A production with L. curvatus LTH 1174 was evaluated. Pepper, nutmeg, rosemary, mace, and garlic all decreased the maximum specific growth rate, while paprika was the only spice that increased it. The effect on the lag phase was minor except for nutmeg and especially for garlic, which increased it, yet garlic was stimulatory for biomass production. The maximum attainable biomass concentration (X_max) was severely decreased by the addition of 0.40% (wt/vol) nutmeg, while 0.35% (wt/vol) garlic or 0.80% (wt/vol) white pepper increased X_max. Nutmeg decreased both growth and bacteriocin production considerably. Garlic was the only spice enhancing specific bacteriocin production, resulting in higher bacteriocin activity in the cell-free culture supernatant. Finally, lactic acid production was stimulated by the addition of pepper, and this was not due to the manganese present because an amount of manganese that was not growth limiting was added to the growth medium. Addition of spices to the sausage mixture is clearly a factor that will influence the effectiveness of bacteriocinogenic starter cultures in fermented-sausage manufacturing.     

Factors influencing regeneration from protoplasts of Asparagus densiflorus cv. Sprengeri

This article describes conditions to optimize the yield of viable protoplasts from callus tissue of Asparagus densiflorus cv. Sprengeri and their subsequent regeneration into plantlets. Callus tissue was initiated by culturing spear sections (5–7 mm) on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.8% (wt/vol) Bacto agar, 3% (wt/vol) sucrose, 0.5 mg/l each of nicotinic acid, pyridoxine-HCl, and thiamine-HCl, 1 mg/l p-chlorophenoxyaceticacid (pCPA) and 1 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The maximum protoplast yield was obtained in a mixture of 1% (wt/vol) Cellulysin, 0.8% (wt/vol) Rhozyme HP 150 and 0.3% (wt/vol) Macerase, dissolved in cell protoplast wash salt solution with 7 mm CaCl₂ ^.2H₂O, 3 mm MES, 0.6 m glucose, and 0.1 m mannitol. First divisions were observed after 3–4 days of initial culture. The plating efficiency was highest (7.8%) in half-strength MS semisolid medium containing 1 g/l glutamine, 0.6 m glucose, 0.1 m mannitol, 0.5 mg/l folic acid, 0.05 mg/l biotin, 2 mg/l ascorbic acid, 1 mg/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid, 0.5 mg/l zeatin, and 0.1% (wt/vol) Gelrite. Protoplast-derived microcolonies and microcalli were cultured on the same medium on which the primary callus culture was initiated. After 10–12 weeks, calli were transferred to shoot regeneration medium containing MS salts, 1 mg/l BAP, 0.5 mg/l pCPA and 0.2% Gelrite. Shoots (3–4 cm) were then transferred to MS rooting medium with 2 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid, and 0.2% Gelrite. Plantlets were obtained within 4–5 weeks. Received: 9 August 1995 / Revision received: 27 June 1997 / Accepted: 17 July 1997     

Dual production of amylase and δ-endotoxin by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki during biphasic fermentation

This study examined the efficacy of a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strain in producing amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) as a by-product without affecting its unique ability for producing δ-endotoxin, thus to establish a cultivation strategy for the dual production and recovery of both δ-endotoxin and amylase from the fermented medium with an industrial perspective. LB medium was individually supplemented (5 to 100%, wt/vol) with flour from six naturally available starchy stored foods (banana, Bengal gram, jack seed, potato, taro or tapioca); after initial fermentation (12 h), the supernatant in the medium obtained by centrifugation (1000 g, 10 min) was used for harvesting amylase and the resultant pellet was further incubated aseptically for the production of endospores and δ-endotoxin by solid-state fermentation. Maximum crude amylase activity (867 U/gram dry substrate, 12 h) was observed in potato flour-supplemented medium (10% wt/vol, 12 h), while the activity in LB control was only 4.36 U/mL. SDS-PAGE profile of the crude (supernatant), as well as partially purified (40–60% (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation) amylase showed that its apparent molecular mass was 51 kDa, which was further confirmed by native PAGE. The harvest of industrially significant extracellular amylase (probably α-amylase) produced as a byproduct during early growth phase would boost the economics of the Bt-based bio-industry engaged in δ-endotoxin production.     

High-Efficiency Carbohydrate Fermentation to Ethanol at Temperatures above 40°C by Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus Isolated from Sugar Mills

A number of yeast strains, isolated from sugar cane mills and identified as strains of Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus, were examined for their ability to ferment glucose and cane syrup to ethanol at high temperatures. Several strains were capable of rapid fermentation at temperatures up to 47°C. At 43°C, >6% (wt/vol) ethanol was produced after 12 to 14 h of fermentation, concurrent with retention of high cell viability (>80%). Although the type strain (CBS 712) of K. marxianus var. marxianus produced up to 6% (wt/vol) ethanol at 43°C, cell viability was low, 30 to 50%, and the fermentation time was 24 to 30 h. On the basis of currently available strains, we suggest that it may be possible by genetic engineering to construct yeasts capable of fermenting carbohydrates at temperatures close to 50°C to produce 10 to 15% (wt/vol) ethanol in 12 to 18 h with retention of cell viability.     

Sodium Chloride Reduces Production of Curvacin A, a Bacteriocin Produced by Lactobacillus curvatus Strain LTH 1174, Originating from Fermented Sausage

Lactobacillus curvatus LTH 1174, a strain originating in fermented sausage, produces the antilisterial bacteriocin curvacin A. Its biokinetics of cell growth and bacteriocin production as a function of various concentrations of salt (sodium chloride) were investigated in vitro during laboratory fermentations using modified MRS medium. A model was set up to describe the effects of different NaCl concentrations on microbial behavior. Both cell growth and bacteriocin activity were affected by changes in the salt concentration. Sodium chloride clearly slowed down the growth of L. curvatus LTH 1174, but more importantly, it had a detrimental effect on specific curvacin A production (k_B) and hence on overall bacteriocin activity. Even a low salt concentration (2%, wt/vol) decreased bacteriocin production, while growth was unaffected at this concentration. The inhibitory effect of NaCl was mainly due to its role as an a_w-lowering agent. Further, it was clear that salt interfered with bacteriocin induction. Additionally, when 6% (wt/vol) sodium chloride was added, the minimum biomass concentration necessary to start the production of curvacin A (X_B) was 0.90 g (cell dry mass) per liter. Addition of the cell-free culture supernatant or a protein solution as a source of induction factor resulted in a decrease in X_B, an increase in k_B, and hence an increase in the maximum attainable bacteriocin activity.     

Production of Solvents by Clostridium acetobutylicum Cultures Maintained at Neutral pH

The formation of acetone and n-butanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum NCIB 8052 (ATCC 824) was monitored in batch culture at 35°C in a glucose (2% [wt/vol]) minimal medium maintained throughout at either pH 5.0 or 7.0. At pH 5, good solvent production was obtained in the unsupplemented medium, although addition of acetate plus butyrate (10 mM each) caused solvent production to be initiated at a lower biomass concentration. At pH 7, although a purely acidogenic fermentation was maintained in the unsupplemented medium, low concentrations of acetone and n-butanol were produced when the glucose content of the medium was increased (to 4% [wt/vol]). Substantial solvent concentrations were, however, obtained at pH 7 in the 2% glucose medium supplemented with high concentrations of acetate plus butyrate (100 mM each, supplied as their potassium salts). Thus, C. acetobutylicum NCIB 8052, like C. beijerinckii VPI 13436, is able to produce solvents at neutral pH, although good yields are obtained only when adequately high concentrations of acetate and butyrate are supplied. Supplementation of the glucose minimal medium with propionate (20 mM) at pH 5 led to the production of some n-propanol as well as acetone and n-butanol; the final culture medium was virtually acid free. At pH 7, supplementation with propionate (150 mM) again led to the formation of n-propanol but also provoked production of some acetone and n-butanol, although in considerably smaller amounts than were obtained when the same basal medium had been fortified with acetate and butyrate at pH 7.     

Large-Scale Production of Poly(3-Hydroxyoctanoic Acid) by Pseudomonas putida GPo1 and a Simplified Downstream Process

The suitability of Pseudomonas putida GPo1 for large-scale cultivation and production of poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) (PHO) was investigated in this study. Three fed-batch cultivations of P. putida GPo1 at the 350- or 400-liter scale in a bioreactor with a capacity of 650 liters were done in mineral salts medium containing initially 20 mM sodium octanoate as the carbon source. The feeding solution included ammonium octanoate, which was fed at a relatively low concentration to promote PHO accumulation under nitrogen-limited conditions. During cultivation, the pH was regulated by addition of NaOH, NH₄OH, or octanoic acid, which was used as an additional carbon source. Partial O₂ pressure (pO₂) was adjusted to 20 to 40% by controlling the airflow and stirrer speed. Under the optimized conditions, P. putida GPo1 was able to grow to cell densities as high as 18, 37, and 53 g cells (dry mass) (CDM) per liter containing 49, 55, and 60% (wt/wt) of PHO, respectively. The resulting 40 kg CDM from these three cultivations was used directly for extraction of PHO. Three different methods of extraction of PHO were applied. From these, only acetone extraction showed better performance and resulted in 94% recovery of the PHO contents of cells. A novel mixture of precipitation solvents composed of 70% (vol/vol) methanol and 70% (vol/vol) ethanol was identified in this study. The ratio of PHO concentrate to the mixture was 0.2:1 (vol/vol) and allowed complete precipitation of PHO as white flakes. However, at a ratio of 1:1 (vol/vol) of the solvent mixture to PHO concentrate, a highly purified PHO was obtained. Precipitation yielded a dough-like polymeric material which was cast into thin layers and then shredded into small strips to allow evaporation of the remaining solvents. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed a purity of about 99% ± 0.2% (wt/wt) of the polymer, which consisted mainly of 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid (96 mol%).     

Comparison of alcohol dehydrogenases from wild-type and mutant strain,JW200 Fe 4, of ‘Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus’

Summary A mutant strain of Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus (ATCC 31 550) designated JW200 Fe 4 contains primary and secondary alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs). The primary ADH from JW000 Fe 4 was formed early in the growth cycle compared to the primary ADH form the wild-type strain (JW200 wt). The secondary ADH displayed 2.5-fold greater activity during the growth cycle of JW200 Fe 4 compared to the secondary ADH form JW200 wt. Both primary and secondary ADHs from JW200 Fe 4 were purified to homogeneity ADHs from JW200 Fe 4 were purified to homogeneity as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-gel electrophoresis. Relative molecular weight estimations indicated that both ADHs were tetrameric. Each ADH from JW200 Fe 4 contained approximately four Zn atoms per subunit and displayed Arrhenius plots similar to the ADHs from JW200 wt. The substrate specificity for the ADHs from JW200 Fe 4 was similar to that of the ADHs from JW200 wt. The secondary ADH oxidized 2-propanol at 51 times the rate of ethanol. Both ADHs from JW200 Fe 4 apparently reduce acetaldehyde to ethanol while only the secondary ADH from JW200 wt was suggested to contribute significantly to ethanol production.     

Protamylasse, a Residual Compound of Industrial Starch Production, Provides a Suitable Medium for Large-Scale Cyanophycin Production

Protamylasse is a residual compound occurring during the industrial production of starch from potatoes. It contains a variety of nutrients and all necessary minerals and could be used as a carbon, nitrogen, and energy source for the growth of bacteria and also for cyanophycin (CGP) biosynthesis. Media containing protamylasse as the sole compound diluted only in water were therefore examined for their suitability in CGP production. Among various bacterial strains investigated in this study, a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli DH1 harboring plasmid pMa/c5-914::cphA₆₈₀₃, which carries the cyanophycin synthetase structural gene (cphA) from Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803, was found to be most suitable. Various cultivation conditions for high CGP contents were first optimized in shake flask cultures. The optimized conditions were then successfully applied to 30- and 500-liter fermentation scales in stirred tank reactors. A maximum CGP content of 28% (wt/wt) CGP per cell dry matter was obtained in 6% (vol/vol) protamylasse medium at an initial pH of 7.0 within a cultivation period of only 24 h. The CGP contents obtained with this recombinant strain employing protamylasse medium were higher than those obtained with the same strain cultivated in mineral salts medium or in expensive commercial complex media such as Luria-Bertani or Terrific broth. It was shown that most amino acids present in the protamylasse medium were almost completely utilized by the cells during cultivation. Exceptions were alanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and most interestingly, arginine. Furthermore, CGP was easily isolated from protamylasse-grown cells by applying the acid extraction method. The CGP exhibited a molecular mass of about 26 to 30 kDa and was composed of 50% (mol/mol) aspartate, 46% (mol/mol) arginine, and 4% (mol/mol) lysine. The use of cheap residual protamylasse could contribute in establishing an economically and also ecologically feasible process for the biotechnological production of CGP.     

Osmoadaptation Strategy of the Most Halophilic Fungus,Wallemia ichthyophaga,Growing Optimally at Salinities above 15% NaCl

Wallemia ichthyophaga is a fungus from the ancient basidiomycetous genus Wallemia (Wallemiales, Wallemiomycetes) that grows only at salinities between 10% (wt/vol) NaCl and saturated NaCl solution. This obligate halophily is unique among fungi. The main goal of this study was to determine the optimal salinity range for growth of the halophilic W. ichthyophaga and to unravel its osmoadaptation strategy. Our results showed that growth on solid growth media was extremely slow and resulted in small colonies. On the other hand, in the liquid batch cultures, the specific growth rates of W. ichthyophaga were higher, and the biomass production increased with increasing salinities. The optimum salinity range for growth of W. ichthyophaga was between 15 and 20% (wt/vol) NaCl. At 10% NaCl, the biomass production and the growth rate were by far the lowest among all tested salinities. Furthermore, the cell wall content in the dry biomass was extremely high at salinities above 10%. Our results also showed that glycerol was the major osmotically regulated solute, since its accumulation increased with salinity and was diminished by hypo-osmotic shock. Besides glycerol, smaller amounts of arabitol and trace amounts of mannitol were also detected. In addition, W. ichthyophaga maintained relatively small intracellular amounts of potassium and sodium at constant salinities, but during hyperosmotic shock, the amounts of both cations increased significantly. Given our results and the recent availability of the genome sequence, W. ichthyophaga should become well established as a novel model organism for studies of halophily in eukaryotes.     

Growth characteristics and salt requirement ofDeleya halophila in a defined medium

Growth characteristics ofDeleya halophila (CCM 3662^T), were determined using a defined medium.Deleya halophila presented its optimal growth at 7.5% (wt/vol) total salts when it was grwon at incubation temperatures of 32° and 42°C; when the temperature was lowered to 22°C, it had optimal growth at 5% (wt/vol) total salts. This bacterium had an absolute requirement for the Na⁺ cation; it could not be replaced by other cations. NaBr, Na₂SO₄, or Na₂S₂O₃ could be substituted for NaCl in the growth medium, but, when MgCl₂, KCl, LiCl, NaI, NaF, or NaNO₃ was substituted for NaCl, the medium did not support growth. Growth rates of the strain were diverse when NaCl was partially replaced by other sodium salts. Finally,D. halophila suffered loss of viability when the culture was diluted into different low NaCl concentrations (0, 0.5%, and 1%, wt/vol) at various incubation temperatures.     

Effects of Carboxymethylcellulose and Carboxypolymethylene on Morphology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus fumigatus</Emphasis> NRRL 2346 and Fumagillin Production

Aspergillus fumigatus NRRL 2346 is the producer of fumagillin, an antitumor antibiotic that inhibits angiogenesis. This strain is very difficult to grow reproducibly in shake flasks owing to an extreme form of pellet growth and extensive wall growth. The effects of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and carboxypolymethylene (Carbopol) on growth and fumagillin production by A. fumigatus were investigated. By adding the polymers to the fermentation medium, the growth form of the mold was changed from a single large glob to small reproducible pellets, and wall growth was diminished to a minimum. Carbopol, at a lower concentration, was more effective than CMC in improving both morphology and production. Small pellets were produced which favored fumagillin biosynthesis. 1.5% (wt/vol) CMC and 0.3% (wt/vol) Carbopol were found to be the optimum concentrations; higher levels increased viscosity to an unacceptable level. Received: 1 November 2001 / Accepted: 27 March 2002     

Historical and Contemporary NaCl Concentrations Affect the Duration and Distribution of Lag Times from Individual Spores of Nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum

In this study we determined the effect of NaCl concentration during sporulation (0 or 3.0% [wt/vol] added NaCl) and subsequent growth (0 or 2.0% [wt/vol] added NaCl) on the distributions of times associated with various stages of the lag phase of individual spores of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum strain Eklund 17B. The effects of NaCl on the probability of germination and the probability of subsequent growth were also determined. Spore populations exhibited considerable heterogeneity at all stages of lag phase for each condition tested. Germination time did not correlate strongly with the times for later stages in the lag phase, such as outgrowth and doubling time. Addition of NaCl to either the sporulation or growth media increased the mean times for, and variability of, all the measured stages of the lag phase (germination, emergence, time to one mature cell, and time to first doubling). There was a synergistic interaction between the inhibitory effects of NaCl in the sporulation medium and the inhibitory effects of NaCl in the subsequent growth medium on the total lag time and each of its stages. Addition of NaCl to either the sporulation medium or the growth medium reduced both the probability of germination and the probability of a germinated spore developing into a mature cell, but the interaction was not synergistic. Spores formed in medium with added NaCl were not better adapted to subsequent growth in suboptimal osmotic conditions than spores formed in medium with no added NaCl were. Knowledge of the distribution of lag times for individual spores and quantification of the biovariability within lag time distributions may provide insight into the underlying mechanisms and can be used to improve predictions of growth in food and to refine risk assessments.     

Adventitious shoot formation and plant regeneration from Pinus pinaster Sol. ex Aiton

Summary Pinus pinaster plants were regenerated from cotyledons excised from in vitro germinated seeds and axenically cultured on induction medium (GMD). 6-Benzyladenine (2.2 μM) induced the highest frequency of direct bud formation from cotyledons. An average of 13.1 ± 2.1 elongated shoots per cotyledon was obtained. Germination time influenced shoot induction, and the organogenic potential decreased with explant age. Cotyledons remained for 21 d on induction medium, and in order to promote adventitious shoot elongation, they were transferred to Gupta and Durzan’s DCR medium without growth regulators, containing 0.5% (wt/vol) activated charcoal and 3% (wt/vol) sucrose. Rooting was achieved by application of an indole-3-butyric acid, (396.6 μM) pulse (24 h at 4° C), followed by transfer to a sterile mixture of peat plus perlite (1:1 vol/vol). Ninety-eight to 100% of the regenerated plants were successfully acclimatized. All plants have survived after transfer to the field.     

Optimization of Cholesterol Removal by Probiotics in the Presence of Prebiotics by Using a Response Surface Method

Lactobacillus casei ASCC 292 was grown in the presence of six prebiotics, namely, sorbitol, mannitol, maltodextrin, high-amylose maize, fructooligosaccharide (FOS), and inulin, in order to determine the combination of probiotic and prebiotics that would remove the highest level of cholesterol. A first-order model showed that the combination of L. casei ASCC 292, FOS, and maltodextrin was the most efficient for the removal of cholesterol, and the optimum experimental region was developed by using the steepest ascent. This led to the middle points of probiotic (1.70% [wt/vol]), FOS (4.80% [wt/vol]), and maltodextrin (6.80% [wt/vol]) for the development of a central composite design for optimization. Perturbation plot, response surface, and coefficient estimates showed that all three factors had significant quadratic effects on cholesterol removal, with FOS showing the most conspicuous quadratic change. A second-order polynomial regression model estimated that the optimum condition of the factors for cholesterol removal by L. casei ASCC 292 is 1.71% (wt/vol) probiotic, 4.95% (wt/vol) FOS, and 6.62% (wt/vol) maltodextrin. Validation experiments showed that the predicted optimum conditions were more efficient than the high and low levels of the factors and the center points. A response surface method proved reliable for developing the model, optimizing factors, and analyzing interaction effects. Analyses of growth, substrate utilization, growth yield, mean doubling time, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production by the use of quadratic models indicated that cholesterol removal was growth associated. The concentration of L. casei ASCC 292 had the most significant quadratic effect on all responses studied, except for substrate utilization and SCFA production, which were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the interactions between the probiotic and both prebiotics, indicating that they were closely associated with the uptake of prebiotics.