Catechin to Catechol Biotransformation in Lactobacillus Hilgardii and Paracasei: Detection and Optimization
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. John F. Trant
Proposal
Type II diabetes (T2D) constitutes approximately 90 percent of diabetes cases in Canada. If left untreated, the high blood sugar that results from the illness can precipitate stroke, blindness, and other complications. Many current oral medications for T2D have severe side-effects, but catechol, a natural biomolecule, may be an alternative. Although only trace amounts of catechol occur in fruits and vegetables, one of its biosynthetic pathways starts with the compound catechin, which is common in berries and green tea. Bacteria native to the human gut can degrade catechin into catechol, so we aimed to optimize this biotransformation in Lactobacillus hilgardii and paracasei. Since many environmental factors affect bacterial growth, we also sought to optimize the number of experiments using a statistical method called design of experiment (DOE). To our knowledge, this is the first application of a DOE to bacterial growth. We grew L. hilgardii and L. paracasei at 35 °C while varying carbon dioxide levels, glucose levels, and the density of bacteria at which we fed cultures with catechin. We monitored colonies’ growth by measuring their optical density with a UV-Vis spectrometer, and we fed them once this measurement matched the value indicated in the DOE. For each experiment, we incubated three samples for 24 hours, and one for 48. We then quantified the amount of catechol produced using high-performance liquid chromatography. Preliminary results suggest that catechol production varies based on the strain and environment, and L. hilgardii biotransformation seems more efficient in slightly anaerobic conditions than aerobic ones.
Availability
Mar. 29: 12-1:30, 2:30-3. Mar. 30: 1-2:30. Mar. 31: 12-1:30, 2:30-3. Apr. 1: 12-2
Catechin to Catechol Biotransformation in Lactobacillus Hilgardii and Paracasei: Detection and Optimization
Type II diabetes (T2D) constitutes approximately 90 percent of diabetes cases in Canada. If left untreated, the high blood sugar that results from the illness can precipitate stroke, blindness, and other complications. Many current oral medications for T2D have severe side-effects, but catechol, a natural biomolecule, may be an alternative. Although only trace amounts of catechol occur in fruits and vegetables, one of its biosynthetic pathways starts with the compound catechin, which is common in berries and green tea. Bacteria native to the human gut can degrade catechin into catechol, so we aimed to optimize this biotransformation in Lactobacillus hilgardii and paracasei. Since many environmental factors affect bacterial growth, we also sought to optimize the number of experiments using a statistical method called design of experiment (DOE). To our knowledge, this is the first application of a DOE to bacterial growth. We grew L. hilgardii and L. paracasei at 35 °C while varying carbon dioxide levels, glucose levels, and the density of bacteria at which we fed cultures with catechin. We monitored colonies’ growth by measuring their optical density with a UV-Vis spectrometer, and we fed them once this measurement matched the value indicated in the DOE. For each experiment, we incubated three samples for 24 hours, and one for 48. We then quantified the amount of catechol produced using high-performance liquid chromatography. Preliminary results suggest that catechol production varies based on the strain and environment, and L. hilgardii biotransformation seems more efficient in slightly anaerobic conditions than aerobic ones.