The impact of l -lanthionine supplementation on the production of nisin by lactococci

The combination of cost-effective synthesis of l-lanthionine in conjunction with a fermentation process could be considered as an original approach. Innovative biosynthesis of nisin is easy to scale-up. After the selective organic synthesis of the thioether building block, cultivation medium M17 broth with glucose (0.5% w/w) was supplemented with l-lanthionine (0.78, 3.91 and 7.82 mg ml−1) to stimulate nisin biosynthesis by lactococci. The viability of nisin-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains (CCDM 731, NIZO R5, LTM 32, CCDM 416) and nisin production were evaluated. Nisin synthesis was significantly influenced by l-lanthionine supplementation and it increased for all the strains tested in comparison with a control. The most significant increase in nisin concentration was observed for strains CCDM 731 and LTM 32, where up to 88.6% and 90.0%, respectively, were achieved. The influence of l-lanthionine concentration was shown to be strain specific.