Biochemical Effects on Germ-free Mice of Association with Several Strains of Anaerobic Bacteria

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Abstract
The effects of the following changes throughout the association of germ-free mice with increasing numbers of anaerobic bacteria were studied: elution patterns obtained by gel-filtration chromatography of cecal diffusates; concentration of .beta.-aspartylglycine in cecal and fecal contents; polypeptide patterns obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of caecal supernatants; free amino acid content of cecal supernatants; fecal bile acids, analyzed by GLC; colonization-resistance. The results indicate that monitoring the normalization (association) process can be accomplished in several ways, but the level of colonization-resistance is most easily measured by high-voltage paper electrophoresis of fecal supernatants to determine the concentration of .beta.-aspartylglycine. During association, the concentration of .beta.-aspartylglycine decreased and became undetectable after association wih 40-50 different strains of bacteria. There was a good negative correlation between the level of colonization-resistance and the concentration of .beta.-aspartylglycine.