Stimulatory effects of novel glucosylated lactose derivatives GL34 on growth of selected gut bacteria

Previously we structurally characterized five glucosylated lactose derivatives (F1–F5) with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 3–4 (GL34), products of Lactobacillus reuteri glucansucrases, with lactose and sucrose as substrates. Here, we show that these GL34 compounds are largely resistant to the hydrolytic activities of common carbohydrate-degrading enzymes. Also, the ability of single strains of gut bacteria, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and commensal bacteria, to ferment the GL34 compounds was studied. Bifidobacteria clearly grew better on the GL34 mixture than lactobacilli and commensal bacteria. Lactobacilli and the commensal bacteria Escherichia coli Nissle and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron only degraded the F2 compound α-D-Glcp-(1 → 2)-[β-D-Galp-(1 → 4)-]D-Glcp, constituting around 30% w/w of GL34. Bifidobacteria digested more than one compound from the GL34 mixture, varying with the specific strain tested. Bifidobacterium adolescentis was most effective, completely degrading four of the five GL34 compounds, leaving only one minor constituent. GL34 thus represents a novel oligosaccharide mixture with (potential) synbiotic properties towards B. adolescentis, synthesized from cheap and abundantly available lactose and sucrose. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00253-018-9473-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.