Lactic Acid Bacteria from Sourdough and Impact on Gluten Sensitivity

With Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity diagnoses rising fermentation of bread starter, typically termed sourdough, has shown promising potential to play a critical role in providing a safe, highly nutritious and flavorful addition to a strict gluten-free diet. During extensive, spontaneous, fermentation of whole wheat products microorganisms establish themselves degrading gluten/gliadin. Focusing on isolating and identifying a variety of bacteria, especially lactic acid bacteria, the ability to degrade gluten will be tested using a variety of standardized assays including SDS-PAGE, ELISA, Western blot, and 16s RNA gene sequence for identifying bacteria. In addition a new enzyme activity test developed by the University of Washington International Genetically Engineered Machine Team will be used. This work will determine which lactic acid bacterium degrades gluten/gliadin best