Figure 1.

Strain-specific levels of adhesion and tolerance towards low pH and bile salts of lactobacilli. The level of adhesion to mucin is expressed in OD_583nm value - higher OD signifies better adhesion capacity. Control strains used to assess the level of adhesion: L. lactis TIL448 (strongly adherent strain; OD_583nm 0.54 ± 0.11), L. lactis IBB477 (semi-adherent strain; OD_583nm 0.27 ± 0.05) and L. lactis IL1403 (non-adherent strain; OD_583nm 0.18 ± 0.03). Sensitivity to bile salts (3 g/L) and low pH (pH 3) are expressed as the level of decrease in the viability of the tested strain in orders of magnitude relative to the viability of the same strain under control conditions (pH 7.4). Strains are ordered from lowest to highest sensitivity to bile salts and low pH (combined), and from highest to lowest adhesion within a given level of resistance to bile salts and pH.