Genome mining of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PA21: insights into its antimicrobial potential.

BACKGROUND: The dramatic increase of antimicrobial resistance in the healthcare realm has become inexorably linked to the abuse of antibiotics over the years. Therefore, this study seeks to identify potential postbiotic metabolites derived from lactic acid bacteria such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum that could exhibit antimicrobial properties against multi-drug resistant pathogens. RESULTS: In the present work, the genome sequence of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PA21 consisting of three contigs was assembled to a size of 3,218,706 bp. Phylogenomic analysis and average nucleotide identity (ANI) revealed L. plantarum PA21 is closely related to genomes isolated from diverse niches such as dairy products, food, and animals. Genome mining through the BAGEL4 and antiSMASH database revealed four bacteriocins in a single cluster and four regions of biosynthetic gene clusters responsible for the production of bioactive compounds. The potential probiotic genes indirectly responsible for postbiotic metabolites production were also identified. Additionally, in vitro studies showed that the L. plantarum PA21 cell-free supernatant exhibited antimicrobial activity against all nine methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and three out of 13 Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates tested. CONCLUSION: Results in this study demonstrates that L. plantarum PA21 postbiotic metabolites is a prolific source of antimicrobials against multi-drug resistant pathogens with potential antimicrobial properties.

Evaluating the probiotic effects of spraying lactiplantibacillus plantarum P-8 in neonatal piglets.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbes play an important role in the growth and health of neonatal piglets. Probiotics can promote the healthy growth of neonatal piglets by regulating their gut microbes. The study investigated the effects of spraying Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P-8 (L. plantarum P-8) fermentation broth on the growth performance and gut microbes of neonatal piglets. RESULTS: The animals were randomly divided into probiotics groups (109 neonatal piglets) and control groups (113 neonatal piglets). The probiotics group was sprayed with L. plantarum P-8 fermented liquid from 3 day before the expected date of the sow to the 7-day-old of piglets, while the control group was sprayed with equal dose of PBS. Average daily gain (ADG), immune and antioxidant status and metagenome sequencing were used to assess the changes in growth performance and gut microbiota of neonatal piglets. The results showed that L. plantarum P-8 treatment significantly improved the average daily gain (P < 0.05) of neonatal piglets. L. plantarum P-8 increased the activities of CAT and SOD but reduced the levels of IL-2 and IL-6, effectively regulating the antioxidant capacity and immunity in neonatal piglets. L. plantarum P-8 adjusted the overall structure of gut microflora improving gut homeostasis to a certain extent, and significantly increased the relative abundance of gut beneficial bacteria such as L. mucosae and L. plantarum. CONCLUSION: Spraying L. plantarum P-8 can be a feasible and effective probiotic intervention not only improving the growth of neonatal piglets, regulating the antioxidant capacity and immunity of neonatal piglets, but also improving the gut homeostasis to a certain extent.

Fermentation of Polygonati Rhizoma aqueous extract using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum under the condition of eutrophication.

In this experiment, the eutrophication system was established by adding sucrose and yeast powder, and the pH and dissolved oxygen were measured in a bioreactor in real time to study the effect of aerobic environment on the fermentation process of Polygonati Rhizoma extract by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. To further analyze metabolic changes, UPLC-Q-Exactive MS was used for metabolomic analysis and metabolic profiling. Multivariate analysis was performed using principal component analysis and Orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis. Finally, 313 differential metabolites were selected, 196 of which were annotated through database matching. After fermentation, the content of short-chain fatty acids, lactic acid, and their derivatives increased significantly, and there were 13 kinds and 4 kinds, respectively. Both compounds and their derivatives are beneficial to the intestinal flora. Consequently, incorporating L. plantarum into the aerobic fermentation process of Polygonati Rhizoma extract within the eutrophic system is potentially advantageous in enhancing the impact of its fermentation solution on the gut microbiota and its effects on human health. Our findings for this kind of edible and medicinal material research and development offer useful insights.

In vitro assessment of biofunctional properties of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain Jb21-11 and the characterization of its exopolysaccharide.

ABSTACT: The microbiota of traditional food provides a rich reservoir of biodiversity to find new strains with interesting features for novel functional food formulation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the biofunctional potential of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain Jb21-11 isolated from Jben, a traditional Algerian fresh cheese. This isolate was selected out of a collection of 154 LAB based on its exopolysaccharide (EPS) phenotype and was preliminarily identified by polyphasic characterization as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (previously known as Lactobacillus plantarum) and its biofunctional properties were then assessed in vitro. The tested strain demonstrated good resistance to gastric juice, acidity around pH 2, and 2% (v/v) bile salts, which are important characteristics for potential biofunctional LAB candidates. It also showed a good production of ropy EPS with 674 mg/L on MRS medium. However, this ability appears to compromise the adhesion of the strain to Caco-2 cells (less than 1%), which according to our results, seems not to be related to autoaggregation and hydrophobicity (44.88 ± 0.028% and 16.59 ± 0.012%). Furthermore, promising antimicrobial activity against three pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella) was detected probably due to antimicrobial metabolites excreted during fermentation process into the medium. Moreover, the strain L. plantarum Jb21-11 displayed a therapeutic functionality with both anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory action using RAW 264.7 cells. The chemical features of the novel ropy Jb21-11-EPS were also investigated revealing the presence of three monosaccharides, namely, mannose, galactose, and glucose, with a molar ratio of 5.42:1.00:4.52 linked together by α- and ß-glycosidic bonds, presenting a relatively high molecular weight of 1.08 × 105 Da of interest for a texturing potential. Therefore, the new producing EPS strain Jb21-11 is a promising candidate for use as an adjunct culture for improving the texture of functional food.

The anti-hyperuricemic and gut microbiota regulatory effects of a novel purine assimilatory strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum X7022.

PURPOSE: Probiotics have been reported to effectively alleviate hyperuricemia and regulate the gut microbiota. The aim of this work was to study the in vivo anti-hyperuricemic properties and the mechanism of a novel strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum X7022. METHODS: Purine content and mRNA expression of purine assimilation related enzymes were determined by HPLC and qPCR, respectively. Hyperuricemic mice were induced by potassium oxonate and hypoxanthine. Uric acid (UA), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and renal inflammation were examined by kits. The expression of renal UA transporters was subjected to western blotting. Kidney tissues were sectioned for histological analysis. The fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were determined by HPLC, and gut microbiota was investigated using the 16S rDNA metagenomic sequencing. RESULTS: L. plantarum X7022 possesses a complete purine assimilation pathway and can exhaust xanthine, guanine, and adenine by 82.1%, 33.1%, and 12.6%, respectively. The strain exhibited gastrointestinal viability as 44% at the dose of 109 CFU/mL in mice. After four-week administration of the strain, a significant decrease of 35.5% in the serum UA level in hyperuricemic mice was achieved. The diminished contents of fecal propionate and butyrate were dramatically boosted. The treatment also alleviated renal inflammation and restored renal damage. The above physiological changes may due to the inhibited xanthine oxidase (XO) activity, as well as the expressional regulation of UA transporters (GLUT9, URAT1 and OAT1) to the normal level. Notably, gut microbiota dysbiosis in hyperuricemic mice was improved with the inflammation and hyperuricemia related flora depressed, and SCFAs production related flora promoted. CONCLUSION: The strain is a promising probiotic strain for ameliorating hyperuricemia.

Key factors for the survival of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum IDCC 3501 in manufacturing and storage.

Functional microbiome development has steadily increased; with this, the viability of microbial strains must be maintained not only after the manufacturing process but also at the time of consumption. Survival is threatened by various unavoidable factors during freeze-drying and shelf storage. Here, the aim was to optimize the manufacturing process of the functional strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum IDCC 3501 after freeze-drying and storage. Explosive growth was achieved using a medium composition with two nitrogen sources and a mineral, and growth was drastically improved by neutralizing the medium pH during the culture of L. plantarum IDCC 3501. Culture optimization involved a smaller cell size, leading to less intracellular free water. Moreover, when maltodextrin (MD) powder was directly added to the harvested cells, some intracellular free water was extracted from the bacterial cells, resulting in a dramatic increase in the viability of L. plantarum IDCC 3501 after freeze-drying and subsequent storage. Furthermore, MD enhanced survival in a dose-dependent manner. Bacterial survival was correlated with lysozyme tolerance; therefore, the positive result might have been caused by the osmotic dehydration of intracellular free water, which would potentially damage the bacterial cells via ice crystallization and/or a phase transition during freeze-drying. These critical factors of L. plantarum IDCC 3501 processing provide perspectives on survival issues for manufacturing microbiome strains. KEY POINTS: • Culture conditions for probiotic bacteria were optimized for high growth yield. • Osmotic dehydration improved bacterial survival after manufacturing and shelf storage. • Reduction in intracellular free water content is crucial for intact survival.

Selenized lactic acid bacteria microencapsulated by spray drying: A promising strategy for beef cattle feed supplementation.

This study aimed to assess the technical feasibility of incorporating selenized Lactobacillus spp. microencapsulated via spray drying into cattle feed. Gum Arabic and maltodextrin were used as encapsulating agents. The encapsulation process was carried out with a drying air flow rate of 1.75 m3/min, inlet air temperature of 90°C, and outlet air temperature of 75°C. The viability of the encapsulated microorganisms and the technological characteristics of the obtained microparticles were evaluated. Microorganisms were incorporated into beef cattle feed to supplement their diet with up to 0.3 mg of Se per kilogram of feed. The encapsulated particles, consisting of a 50/50 ratio of gum Arabic/maltodextrin at a 1:20 proportion of selenized biomass to encapsulant mixture, exhibited superior technical viability for application in beef cattle feed. Supplemented feeds displayed suitable moisture, water activity, and hygroscopicity values, ensuring the preservation of viable microorganisms for up to 5 months of storage, with an approximate count of 4.5 log CFU/g. Therefore, supplementing beef cattle feed with selenized and microencapsulated lactic acid bacteria represents a viable technological alternative, contributing to increased animal protein productivity through proper nutrition.

Lactic Acid Bacteria isolated from traditional and innovative alheiras as potential biocontrol agents.

From a selection of seven traditional and 14 innovative alheiras, 491 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated and tested for their antimicrobial activity against several food-borne pathogens. Among these, six strains revealed antimicrobial activity through potential bacteriocin production against 14 Listeria monocytogenes strains, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Clostridium sporogenes ESB050, and Clostridium perfringens ESB054. Through whole genome sequencing (WGS), these strains were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (2), Leuconostoc mesenteroides (1), and Pediococcus acidilactici (3). Furthermore, several orthologues of class II bacteriocins genes were identified, including Plantaricin E, Plantaricin F, Pediocin PA, Enterocin X, Leucocin A, and Coagulin A. No virulence or antibiotic resistance genes' orthologues were detected by WGS analysis. However, the selected LAB strains showed variable phenotypic patterns related to virulence genes and antibiotic resistance when assessed through classical methodologies. None of these strains demonstrated the production of biogenic amines, gelatinase or DNase. Additionally, no hemolytic activity or lipase enzyme production was observed. However, only Lpb. plantarum 9A3 was sensitive to all tested antibiotics and was thus chosen for further examination. The bacteriocins produced by Lpb. plantarum (9A3) exhibited stability across a broad range of conditions, including temperatures from 4 to 100 °C, pH values ranging from 2 to 8, exposure to surfactants and detergents (Tween 20 and 80, SDS, EDTA 0.1, 2 and 5 mM, urea and sodium deoxycholate), and enzymes (papain and catalase). Their maximum activity (AU/mL = 12,800) against four L. monocytogenes strains was observed between 21 and 36 h of growth of Lbp. plantarum 9A3, indicating a bacteriostatic mode of action. Therefore, this strain appears to be a robust candidate for potential application as a protective strain to be used in the food industry. Not only is it safe, but it also produces stable bacteriocins (harbouring genes encoding for the production of three) effectively inhibiting significant pathogens such as L. monocytogenes and C. perfringens.

Effects of community ecological network construction on physicochemical, microbial, and quality characteristics of inoculated northeast sauerkraut: A new insight in food fermentation processes.

The enhancement of the quality of northeast sauerkraut can be achieved by inoculation with lactic acid bacteria. However, a comprehensive ecological understanding of the intricate dynamic processes involved is currently lacking, which could yield valuable insights for regulating sauerkraut fermentation. This study compares spontaneously sauerkrauts with the sauerkrauts inoculated with autochthonous Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SC-MDJ and commercial L. plantarum, respectively. We examine their physicochemical properties, quality characteristics, bacterial community dynamics, and ecological network interactions. Inoculation with L. plantarum leads to reduced bacterial community richness and niche breadth, but an increase in robustness, interactions, and assembly processes. Notably, there appears to be a potential correlation between bacterial community structure and quality characteristics. Particularly, sauerkraut inoculated with L. plantarum SC-MDJ may produce a sourness more quickly, possibly attributed to the enhanced ecological role of L. plantarum SC-MDJ. This study establishes a foundation for the targeted regulation of sauerkraut fermentation.

Metabolomics study on fermentation of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ST-III with food grade proliferators in milk.

Milk is a naturally complex medium that is suitable for the growth of most lactic acid bacteria. Unfortunately, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ST-III grow poorly in milk without supplementation. To solve this problem, we use fresh pineapple and mung beans juice to develop an edible proliferator for L. plantarum ST-III. Our comparative analysis of metabolomics changes before and after fermentation reveals that amino acids and dipeptides are the most consumed compounds, with other substances including nucleotides and vitamins, implying the mechanism of proliferation. Combining the KEGG metabolic pathway analysis, substances that may promote the growth of L. plantarum ST-III in milk were screened. To explore which component of the proliferator is required for L. plantarum ST-III cultivate, we supplemented with several combinations of molecules aforementioned in milk. The simulation addition experiment results of L. plantarum ST-III in milk show that if any additions are missing, the concentration of viable bacteria is lower. Only when it contains all additives can the highest concentration of viable bacteria be obtained. Compared with the control, the fold change of the viable bacteria is about 32. Thus, it proves that milk primarily lacked available amino acids, dipeptides, uracil, xanthine, nicotinamide, and manganese for the growth of L. plantarum ST-III.

Effect of postbiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LRCC5314 supplemented in powdered milk on type 2 diabetes in mice.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic multifactorial disease characterized by a combination of insulin resistance and impaired glucose regulation. The alleviative effects of probiotics on T2D have been widely studied. However, studies on the effects of postbiotics, known as inactivated probiotics, on dairy products are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of postbiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LRCC5314 in milk powder (MP-LRCC5314) in a stress-induced T2D (stress-T2D) mouse model. Compared with probiotic MP-LRCC5314, postbiotic MP-LRCC5314 significantly influenced stress-T2D-related factors. The administration of heat-killed MP-LRCC5314 reduced corticosterone levels, increased short-chain fatty acid production by modulating gut microbiota, and regulated immune response, glucose metabolism, stress-T2D-related biomarkers in the brain, gut, and adipose tissues, as well as glucose and insulin sensitivity. In addition, heat-killed MP-LRCC5314 treatment led to a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. Overall, these findings suggest that adding postbiotic MP-LRCC5314 to milk powder could serve as a potential supplement for stress-T2D mitigation.

Lactiplantibacillusplantarum JS19-adjunctly fermented goat milk alleviates D-galactose-induced aging by modulating oxidative stress and intestinal microbiota in mice.

Oxidative stress is a crucial factor in the age-related decline in physiological, genomic, metabolic, and immunological functions. We screened Lactiplantibacillus plantarum JS19 (L. plantarum JS19), which has been shown to possess therapeutic properties in mice with ulcerative colitis. In this study, L. plantarum JS19-adjunctly fermented goat milk (LAF) was employed to alleviate D-galactose-induced aging and regulate intestinal flora in an aging mouse model. The oral administration of LAF effectively improved the health of spleen and kidney in mice, while mitigating the hepatocyte and oxidative damage induced by D-galactose. Additionally, LAF alleviated D-galactose-induced dysbiosis of the intestinal flora by reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria Desulfovibrio and Helicobacter, while greatly promoting the growth of beneficial Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Eubacterium. Biomarker 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid was found to be positively linked with those harmful bacteria, while bio-active metabolites were strongly correlated with the beneficial genus. These observations suggest that LAF possesses the capability to mitigate the effects of D-galactose-induced aging in a mouse model through the regulation of oxidative stress, the gut microbiota composition, and levels of fecal metabolites. Consequently, these findings shed light on the potential of LAF as a functional food with anti-aging properties.

Protective effect of the mixture of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KC3 and Leonurus Japonicas Houtt extract on respiratory disorders.

Air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and diesel exhaust particles (DEP), are associated with respiratory diseases. Therefore, preventive and therapeutic strategies against PM-and DEP (PM10D)-induced respiratory diseases are needed. Herein, we evaluate the protective effects of a mixture of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KC3 and Leonurus Japonicas Houtt (LJH) extract against airway inflammation associated with exposure to PM10D. To determine the anti-inflammatory effects of the LJH extract, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the expression of inflammatory pathways were determined in PM10-induced MH-S cells. For the respiratory protective effects, BALB/c mice were exposed to PM10D via intranasal injection, and a mixture of L. plantarum KC3 and LJH extract was administered orally for 12 days. LJH extract inhibited ROS production and the phosphorylation of downstream factors of NF-κB in PM10-stimulated MH-S cells. The mixture of L. plantarum KC3 and LJH repressed the infiltration of neutrophils, reduced the immune cells number, and suppressed the proinflammatory mediators and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expressions in PM10D-induced airway inflammation with reduced phosphorylation of downstream factors of NF-κB. In addition, these effects were not observed in an alveolar macrophage depleted PM10D-induced mouse model using clodronate liposomes. The extract mixture also regulated gut microbiota in feces and upregulated the mRNA expression of Foxp3, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, and interleukin (IL)-10 in the colon. The L. plantarum KC3 and LJH extract mixture may inhibit alveolar macrophage- and neutrophil-mediated inflammatory responses and regulate gut microbiota and immune response in PM10D-induced airway inflammation, suggesting it is a potential remedy to prevent and cure airway inflammation and respiratory disorders.

The ldh Gene Plays a Crucial Role in Mediating the Pathogen Control of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR113.

Effectively managing foodborne pathogens is imperative in food processing, where probiotics play a crucial role in pathogen control. This study focuses on the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR113 and its gene knockout strains, exploring their antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial assays revealed that the inhibitory effect of AR113 increases with its growth and the potential bacteriostatic substance is acidic. AR113Δldh, surpassed AR113Δ0273&2024, exhibited a complete absence of bacteriostatic properties, which indicates that lactic acid is more essential than acetic acid in the bacteriostatic effect of AR113. However, the exogenous acid validation test affirmed the equivalent superior bacteriostatic effect of lactic acid and acetic acid. Notably, AR113 has high lactate production and deletion of the ldh gene not only lacks lactate production but also affects acetic production. This underscores the ldh gene's pivotal role in the antimicrobial activity of AR113. In addition, among all the selected knockout strains, AR113ΔtagO and ΔccpA also had lower antimicrobial effects, suggesting the importance of tagO and ccpA genes of AR113 in pathogen control. This study contributes insights into the antimicrobial potential of AR113 and stands as the pioneering effort to use knockout strains for comprehensive bacteriostatic investigations.

A Novel Bioprotective Strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum F2-Physiological, Genetical, and Antimicrobial Characterization.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a member of lactic acid bacteria that improves the quality of fermented foods while also having a positive impact on human health. In this study, L. plantarum F2 was studied for characteristics such as biochemical and genetic identification, metabolite production, antimicrobial activity, and plasmid content. This strain exerts antimicrobial activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli) with inhibition zone diameters ranging between 17.0 and 29.0 mm; it can ferment glucose, arabinose, galactose, lactose, and demonstrated the ability to grow at high temperature (50°C). Another physiological specification of the strain was the morphology of the isolate in selective medium, the de Man, Rogosa, Sharpe medium (MRS medium containing triphenyl tetrazolium chloride), which exhibits a chromogenic colony (characterized as purple colonies) on the modified-MRS (mMRS) medium. Metabolites such as lactic acid and diacetyl production of the strain F2 were also investigated using chromatography and found to be 10.07 and 0.05 µg/mL, respectively. The peptides of the isolate's cell-free supernatant were determined to be ∼80 kDa, and finally, the plasmid isolated from the strain F2 was identified as L. plantarum strain KLDS1.0386 plasmid p4, which may be responsible for some characteristic properties, such as antimicrobial peptide production of the strain.

Psychobiotic Properties of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neurodegenerative disorders are the main cause of cognitive and physical disabilities, affect millions of people worldwide, and their incidence is on the rise. Emerging evidence pinpoints a disturbance of the communication of the gut-brain axis, and in particular to gut microbial dysbiosis, as one of the contributors to the pathogenesis of these diseases. In fact, dysbiosis has been associated with neuro-inflammatory processes, hyperactivation of the neuronal immune system, impaired cognitive functions, aging, depression, sleeping disorders, and anxiety. With the rapid advance in metagenomics, metabolomics, and big data analysis, together with a multidisciplinary approach, a new horizon has just emerged in the fields of translational neurodegenerative disease. In fact, recent studies focusing on taxonomic profiling and leaky gut in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders are not only shedding light on an overlooked field but are also creating opportunities for biomarker discovery and development of new therapeutic and adjuvant strategies to treat these disorders. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LBP) strains are emerging as promising psychobiotics for the treatment of these diseases. In fact, LBP strains are able to promote eubiosis, increase the enrichment of bacteria producing beneficial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, boost the production of neurotransmitters, and support the homeostasis of the gut-brain axis. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders with a particular focus on the benefits of LBP strains in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, anxiety, and depression.

Evolution and Competitive Struggles of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum under Different Oxygen Contents.

Lactiplantibacillus (Lb.) plantarum is known as a benign bacterium found in various habitats, including the intestines of animals and fermented foods. Since animal intestines lack oxygen, while fermented foods provide a limited or more oxygen environment, this study aimed to investigate whether there were genetic differences in the growth of Lb. plantarum under aerobic vs. anaerobic conditions. Genomic analysis of Lb. plantarum obtained from five sources-animals, dairy products, fermented meat, fermented vegetables, and humans-was conducted. The analysis included not only an examination of oxygen-utilizing genes but also a comparative pan-genomic analysis to investigate evolutionary relationships between genomes. The ancestral gene analysis of the evolutionary pathway classified Lb. plantarum into groups A and B, with group A further subdivided into A1 and A2. It was confirmed that group A1 does not possess the narGHIJ operon, which is necessary for energy production under limited oxygen conditions. Additionally, it was found that group A1 has experienced more gene acquisition and loss compared to groups A2 and B. Despite an initial assumption that there would be genetic distinctions based on the origin (aerobic or anaerobic conditions), it was observed that such differentiation could not be attributed to the origin. However, the evolutionary process indicated that the loss of genes related to nitrate metabolism was essential in anaerobic or limited oxygen conditions, contrary to the initial hypothesis.

Phosphate Uptake and Its Relation to Arsenic Toxicity in Lactobacilli.

The use of probiotic lactobacilli has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate damage associated with exposure to toxic metals. Their protective effect against cationic metal ions, such as those of mercury or lead, is believed to stem from their chelating and accumulating potential. However, their retention of anionic toxic metalloids, such as inorganic arsenic, is generally low. Through the construction of mutants in phosphate transporter genes (pst) in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strains, coupled with arsenate [As(V)] uptake and toxicity assays, we determined that the incorporation of As(V), which structurally resembles phosphate, is likely facilitated by phosphate transporters. Surprisingly, inactivation in Lc. paracasei of PhoP, the transcriptional regulator of the two-component system PhoPR, a signal transducer involved in phosphate sensing, led to an increased resistance to arsenite [As(III)]. In comparison to the wild type, the phoP strain exhibited no differences in the ability to retain As(III), and there were no observed changes in the oxidation of As(III) to the less toxic As(V). These results reinforce the idea that specific transport, and not unspecific cell retention, plays a role in As(V) biosorption by lactobacilli, while they reveal an unexpected phenotype for the lack of the pleiotropic regulator PhoP.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HY7718 Improves Intestinal Integrity in a DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis Mouse Model by Suppressing Inflammation through Modulation of the Gut Microbiota.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic condition that causes persistent inflammation in the digestive system, is closely associated with the intestinal microbiome. Here, we evaluated the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HY7718 (HY7718) on IBD symptoms in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Oral administration of HY7718 led to significant improvement in the disease activity index score and the histological index, as well as preventing weight loss, in model mice. HY7718 upregulated the expression of intestinal tight junction (TJ)-related genes and downregulated the expression of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines and genes involved in the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. Additionally, HY7718 reduced the blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as reversing DSS-induced changes to the composition of the intestinal microbiome. HY7718 also increased the percentage of beneficial bacteria (Lactiplantibacillus and Bifidobacterium), which correlated positively with the expression of intestinal TJ-related genes. Finally, HY7718 decreased the population of pathogens such as Escherichia, which correlated with IBD symptoms. The data suggest that HY7718 improves intestinal integrity in colitis model mice by regulating the expression of TJ proteins and inflammatory cytokines, as well as the composition of the intestinal microflora. Thus, L. plantarum HY7718 may be suitable as a functional supplement that improves IBD symptoms and gut health.

Lactiplantibacillus (Lactobacillus) plantarum as a Complementary Treatment to Improve Symptomatology in Neurodegenerative Disease: A Systematic Review of Open Access Literature.

This systematic review addresses the use of Lactiplantibacillus (Lactobacillus) plantarum in the symptomatological intervention of neurodegenerative disease. The existence of gut microbiota dysbiosis has been associated with systemic inflammatory processes present in neurodegenerative disease, creating the opportunity for new treatment strategies. This involves modifying the strains that constitute the gut microbiota to enhance synaptic function through the gut-brain axis. Recent studies have evaluated the beneficial effects of the use of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on motor and cognitive symptomatology, alone or in combination. This systematic review includes 20 research articles (n = 3 in human and n = 17 in animal models). The main result of this research was that the use of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum alone or in combination produced improvements in symptomatology related to neurodegenerative disease. However, one of the studies included reported negative effects after the administration of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. This systematic review provides current and relevant information about the use of this probiotic in pathologies that present neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Multiple Sclerosis.