ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITHLACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS

Abstract
Strains of L. acidophilus obtained from mice, rats, rabbits, hamsters, and man were found to produce an antimicrobiol agent, termed lactocidin, when grown on liver-veal agar. Two methods of assay were devised and employed to pick the most productive strains, isolated from rabbit, and to follow purification. Lactocidin was concentrated 2500-fold. Crude lactocidin had a broad antibacterial spectrum and was active in serum. Purified lactocidin was unstable and inactive in serum.