Phenotypic and molecular characterization of clinically isolated antibiotics-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), E. coli (ESBL) and Acinetobacter 1379 bacterial strains.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria causing nosocomial infections pose a significant global health concern. This study focused on examining the lipid profiles of both non-resistant and clinically resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA 1418), E. coli (ESBL 1384), and Acinetobacter 1379. The main aim was to investigate the relationship between lipid profiles, hydrophobicity, and antibiotic resistance so as to identify the pathogenic potential and resistance factors of strains isolated from patients with sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTIs). The research included various tests, such as antimicrobial susceptibility assays following CLSI guidelines, biochemical tests, biofilm assays, and hydrophobicity assays. Additionally, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) analysis were used for lipid profiling and composition. The clinically isolated resistant strains (MRSA-1418, ESBL-1384, and Acinetobacter 1379) demonstrated resistance phenotypes of 81.80%, 27.6%, and 63.6%, respectively, with a multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.81, 0.27, and 0.63. Notably, the MRSA-1418 strain, which exhibited resistance, showed significantly higher levels of hemolysin, cell surface hydrophobicity, biofilm index, and a self-aggregative phenotype compared to the non-resistant strains. Gene expression analysis using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Indicated elevated expression levels of intercellular adhesion biofilm-related genes (icaA, icaC, and icaD) in MRSA-1418 (pgaA, pgaC, and pgaB) and Acinetobacter 1379 after 24 h compared to non-resistant strains. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for structural investigation. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of biofilms in antibiotic resistance and suggest potential target pathways for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Modulation of gut-microbiota through probiotics and dietary interventions to improve host health.

Dietary patterns play an important role in regards to the modulation and control of the gut microbiome composition and function. The interaction between diet and microbiota plays an important role in order to maintain intestinal homeostasis, which ultimately affect the host's health. Diet directly impacts the microbes that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), which then contributes to the production of secondary metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters, and antimicrobial peptides. Dietary consumption with genetically modified probiotics can be the best vaccine delivery vector and protect cells from various illnesses. A holistic approach to disease prevention, treatment, and management takes these intrinsically linked diet-microbes, microbe-microbe interactions, and microbe-host interactions into account. Dietary components, such as fiber can modulate beneficial gut microbiota, and they have resulting ameliorative effects against metabolic disorders. Medical interventions, such as antibiotic drugs can conversely have detrimental effects on gut microbiota by disputing the balance between Bacteroides and firmicute, which contribute to continuing disease states. We summarize the known effects of various dietary components, such as fibers, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, phenolic acids, and antibiotics on the composition of the gut microbiota in this article in addition to the beneficial effect of genetically modified probiotics and consequentially their role in regards to shaping human health. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Positive and negative aspects of bacteriophages and their immense role in the food chain.

Bacteriophages infect and replicate inside a bacterial host as well as serve as natural bio-control agents. Phages were once viewed as nuisances that caused fermentation failures with cheese-making and other industrial processes, which lead to economic losses, but phages are now increasingly being observed as being promising antimicrobials that can fight against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Pathogen-free meals that fulfil industry requirements without synthetic additives are always in demand in the food sector. This study introduces the readers to the history, sources, and biology of bacteriophages, which include their host ranges, absorption mechanisms, lytic profiles, lysogenic profiles, and the influence of external factors on the growth of phages. Phages and their derivatives have emerged as antimicrobial agents, biodetectors, and biofilm controllers, which have been comprehensively discussed in addition to their potential applications in the food and gastrointestinal tract, and they are a feasible and safe option for preventing, treating, and/or eradicating contaminants in various foods and food processing environments. Furthermore, phages and phage-derived lytic proteins can be considered potential antimicrobials in the traditional farm-to-fork context, which include phage-based mixtures and commercially available phage products. This paper concludes with some potential safety concerns that need to be addressed to enable bacteriophage use efficiently.

Draft genome sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain D1418m22 isolated from human wound pus.

This study reveals the complete genome sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain d1418m22, sourced from a Karnal, Haryana, human skin wound. Classified as community-associated MRSA, it features a 2.78-MB genome harboring Staphylococcus-specific genetic elements, encompassing 2,625 protein-coding genes and 18 antimicrobial resistance genes.

"In vitro antimicrobial and synergistic effect of fermented Indian zebu (Sahiwal) cow colostrum whey derived peptides with Lactobacillus rhamnosus against pathogenic bacteria".

Bioactive peptides (BAPs) have been found to promote health through various mechanisms. Among them, antimicrobial peptides are gaining recognition as promising novel treatments. This study aims to generate BAPs from bovine colostrum whey using the proteolytic activity of Lactobacillus rhamnosus C25 and to evaluate their potential antibacterial efficacy, including their ability to synergistic efficacy against resistant bacteria. Bioactive peptides were successfully generated from lactobacillus culture proteases that were cultivated through batch fermentation. The resulting peptide fractions were then evaluated for their antibacterial efficacy against a selection of strains, including E. coli ATCC25922, S. aureus MTCC1144, Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978, as well as clinically isolated resistant strains of E. coli (ESBL 1384), Acinetobacter 1379, and S. aureus (MRSA 1418). Notably, the peptide fractions with a molecular weight of < 10 kDa (0-10 kDa) significantly increased the membrane permeability of both E. coli (70.30 ± 0.41%) and S. aureus (63.04 ± 0.31%) as assessed by the crystal violet assay. The checkerboard method was utilized to perform synergistic tests with peptides and antibiotics. The peptide fractions with a molecular weight of (< 10 kDa) demonstrated synergistic effects with several antibiotics, including gentamycin, Rifampicin, Levofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, and Chloramphenicol, against the resistant ESBL 1384 strain, as indicated by ΣFICI values of 0.55, 0.53, 0.52, 0.54, and 0.52, respectively. Furthermore, the HT-29 cell line remained completely unaffected by both peptide fractions. These findings suggest that the < 10 kDa peptide fraction possesses significant antibacterial efficacy against both reference and ESBL 1384 resistant bacterial strain. Additionally, both MRSA 1418 and Acinetobacter 1379 displayed resistance to all fractions tested. To summarize the findings of this study, colostrum whey peptides with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity can be efficiently produced through fermentation. This method could prove valuable for both the pharmaceutical and food industries. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05776-2.

Controlling Intestinal Infections and Digestive Disorders Using Probiotics.

After consumption, probiotics provide health benefits to the host. Probiotics and their metabolites have therapeutic and nutritional properties that help to alleviate gastrointestinal, neurological, and cardiovascular problems. Probiotics strengthen host immunity through various mechanisms, including improved gut barrier function, receptor site blocking, competitive exclusion of pathogens, and the production of bioactive molecules. Emerging evidence suggests that intestinal bowel diseases can be fatal, but regular probiotic consumption can alleviate disease symptoms. The use and detailed description of the health benefits of probiotics to consumers in terms of reducing intestinal infection, inflammation, and digestive disorders are discussed in this review. The well-designed and controlled studies that examined the use of probiotics to reduce life-threatening activities caused by intestinal bowel diseases are also covered. This review discussed the active principles and potency of probiotics as evidenced by the known effects on host health, in addition to providing information on the mechanism of action.

Isolation and characterization of reductive acetogens from rumen fluid samples of Murrah buffaloes.

In the present study, attempts have been made to isolate reductive acetogens from the rumen fluid samples of Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Out of 32 rumen samples 51 isolates were isolated, and based on autotrophic growth for production of acetate and presence of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase gene (FTHFS) 12 isolates were confirmed as reductive acetogens. Microscopic observations showed that ten isolates as Gram-positive rods (ACB28, ACB29, ACB66, ACB73, ACB81, ACB91, ACB133, ACB229, ACB52, ACB95) and two isolates as Gram-positive cocci (ACB19, ACB89). All isolates tested negative for catalase, oxidase, and gelatin liquefaction, whereas the production of H2S was detected for two (ACB52 and ACB95) of the above isolates. All these isolates showed autotrophic growth from H2 and CO2, and heterotrophic growth with different fermentable sugars, viz., d-glucose, D-fructose, and D-trehalose but failed to grow on salicin, raffinose, and l-rhamnose. Out of the isolates, two showed amylase activity (ACB28 and ACB95), five showed CMCase activity (ACB19, ACB28, ACB29, ACB73 and ACB91), three showed pectinase activity (ACB29, ACB52 and ACB89), whereas none of the isolates was found positive for avicellase and xylanase activity. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates showed their phylogenetic relationship with maximum similarity up to 99% to different strains of earlier reported known acetogens of clostridia group including Clostridium sp. (6), Eubacterium limosum (1), Ruminococcus sp. (1) and Acetobacterium woodii (1) except one, i.e., Vagococcus fluvialis. The results indicate that reductive acetogens isolated from the rumen fluid samples of Murrah buffalos are both autotrophic and heterotrophic in nature and further investigations are required to exploit and explore their potential as an alternate hydrogen sink.

Influence of exopolysaccharide EPSKar1-iron complexation on iron bioavailability and alleviating iron deficiency anaemia in Wistar rats.

The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia is a significant issue worldwide, affecting individuals of all ages and often associated with inadequate iron bioavailability. Despite the use of ferrous salt supplements to address anaemia, their limited bioaccessibility and bioavailability in human GIT and adverse impact on food properties remain significant challenges. Hence, this study aims to explore the iron chelation mechanism of an exopolysaccharide EPSKar1 to enhance iron bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and anti-anaemic effects using cell culture and an anaemic rat model. EPSKar1 was extracted from Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Kar1 and complexed with FeSO4 to form "EPSKar1-iron". This novel complex, besides being bio-accessible after in vitro gastric digestion, demonstrated 61.27 ± 1.96% iron bioavailability to the Caco-2 cells. In line with these in vitro findings, intragastric administration of the EPSKar1-iron complex to anaemic Wistar rats at 25 and 50 mg per kg body weight significantly restored blood haemoglobin levels and re-established the morphological features of red blood cells. Furthermore, the apparent digestibility co-efficient and iron uptake improved significantly without adversely affecting the serum biochemical parameters in these anaemic rats. The levels of iron-transport proteins including serum transferrin and ferritin in tissue and plasma have increased remarkably upon oral administration of EPSKar1-iron at a higher dose of 50 mg per kg body weight. Oral supplementation of EPSKar1-iron did not foster adverse histological changes in the liver, kidneys, and spleen. In fact, the treatment with the EPSKar1-iron complex had a restitution effect on the tissue architecture, thereby ameliorating the tissue lesions. These findings collectively indicate that the EPSKar1-iron complex shows nutraceutical potential in enhancing the bioavailability of iron and could be a promising approach to tackle iron deficiency anaemia.

Nutritional and health-promoting attributes of millet: current and future perspectives.

Millet is consumed as a staple food, particularly in developing countries, is part of the traditional diet in a number of relatively affluent countries, and is gaining popularity throughout the world. It is a valuable dietary energy source. In addition to high caloric value, several health-promoting attributes have been reported for millet seeds. This review describes many nutritional characteristics of millet seeds and their derivatives that are important to human health: antioxidant, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory, antibacterial or antimicrobial, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, and anti-carcinogenic potential, and their role as modulators of gut health. There are several varieties, but the main focus of this review is on pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus [synonym Pennisetum glaucum]), one of the most widely eaten millet crops grown in India, though other millet types are also covered. In this article, the health-promoting properties of the natural components (ie, proteins, peptides, polyphenols, polysaccharides, oil, isoflavones, etc.) present in millet seeds are discussed. Although many of these health benefits have been demonstrated using animal models in vitro studies, human intervention-feeding trials are required to confirm several of the potential health benefits of millet seeds. Based on the nutritional and health-promoting attributes known for pearl millet (discussed in this review), finger millet and foxtail millet are suggested as good candidates for use in future nutritional interventions for improved human health.

Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain: Trends, Mechanisms, Pathways, and Possible Regulation Strategies.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains of major interest for different types of food stakeholders since it can negatively impact human health on a global scale. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and/or antimicrobial resistance genes (transfer in pathogenic bacteria) may contaminate food at any stage, from the field to retail. Research demonstrates that antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infection(s) occur more frequently in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than in developed countries. Worldwide, foodborne pathogens are a primary cause of morbidity and mortality. The spread of pathogenic bacteria from food to consumers may occur by direct or indirect routes. Therefore, an array of approaches both at the national and international level to control the spread of foodborne pathogens and promote food safety and security are essential. Zoonotic microbes can spread through the environment, animals, humans, and the food chain. Antimicrobial drugs are used globally to treat infections in humans and animals and prophylactically in production agriculture. Research highlights that foods may become contaminated with AMR bacteria (AMRB) during the continuum from the farm to processing to retail to the consumer. To mitigate the risk of AMRB in humans, it is crucial to control antibiotic use throughout food production, both for animal and crop agriculture. The main inferences of this review are (1) routes by which AMRB enters the food chain during crop and animal production and other modes, (2) prevention and control steps for AMRB, and (3) impact on human health if AMR is not addressed globally. A thorough perspective is presented on the gaps in current systems for surveillance of antimicrobial use in food production and/ or AMR in the food chain.

Peptidomics-based identification of an antimicrobial peptide derived from goat milk fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus (C25).

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as promising novel drug applicants. In the present study, goat milk was fermented using Lactobacillus rhamnosus C25 to generate bioactive peptides (BAPs). The peptide fractions generated were separated using ultrafiltration membranes with molecular weight cut-offs of 3, 5, and 10 kDa, and their antimicrobial activity toward Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was investigated. Isolated AMPs were characterized using RP-HPLC and identified by LC-MS/MS. A total of 569 sequences of peptides were identified by mass spectrometry. Out of the 569, 36 were predicted as AMPs, 21 were predicted as cationic, and out of 21, 6 AMPs were helical peptides. In silico analysis indicated that the majority of peptides were antimicrobial and cationic in nature, an important factor for peptide interaction with the negative charge membrane of bacteria. The results showed that the peptides of <5 kDa exhibited maximum antibacterial activity against E. faecalis, E. coli, and S. typhi. Further, molecular docking was used to evaluate the potent MurD ligase inhibitors. On the basis of ligand binding energy, six predicted AMPs were selected and then analyzed by AutoDock tools. Among the six AMPs, peptides IGHFKLIFSLLRV (-7.5 kcal/mol) and KSFCPAPVAPPPPT (-7.6 kcal/mol), were predicted as a high-potent antimicrobial. Based on these findings, in silico investigations reveal that proteins of goat milk are a potential source of AMPs. This is for the first time that the antimicrobial peptides produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus (C25) fermentation of goat milk have been identified via LC-MS/MS and predicted as AMPs, cationic charges, helical structure in nature, and potent MurD ligase inhibitors. These peptides can be synthesized and improved for use as antimicrobial agents. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Goat milk is considered a high-quality source of milk protein. According to this study, goat milk protein is a potential source of AMPs, Fermentation can yield goat milk-derived peptides with a broad antibacterial activity spectrum at a low cost. The approach described here could be beneficial in that the significant AMPs can be synthesized and used in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Health-Promoting and Therapeutic Attributes of Milk-Derived Bioactive Peptides.

Milk-derived bioactive peptides (BAPs) possess several potential attributes in terms of therapeutic capacity and their nutritional value. BAPs from milk proteins can be liberated by bacterial fermentation, in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis, food processing, and gastrointestinal digestion. Previous evidence suggested that milk protein-derived BAPs have numerous health-beneficial characteristics, including anti-cancerous activity, anti-microbial activity, anti-oxidative, anti-hypertensive, lipid-lowering, anti-diabetic, and anti-osteogenic. In this literature overview, we briefly discussed the production of milk protein-derived BAPs and their mechanisms of action. Milk protein-derived BAPs are gaining much interest worldwide due to their immense potential as health-promoting agents. These BAPs are now used to formulate products sold in the market, which reflects their safety as natural compounds. However, enhanced commercialization of milk protein-derived BAPs depends on knowledge of their particular functions/attributes and safety confirmation using human intervention trials. We have summarized the therapeutic potentials of these BAPs based on data from in vivo and in vitro studies.

Antimicrobial bioactive peptides from goat Milk proteins: In silico prediction and analysis.

The main goal of this study was to assess the potential proteins of goat milk (i.e. α-s1-casein, α-s2-casein, ß-casein, κ-casein, α-lactoglobulin and ß-lactalbumin) as precursors of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Bioinformatics tools such as BIOPEP-UWM (enzyme action) were used for the in silico gastrointestinal digestion via a cocktail of pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin A. The antimicrobial activity of peptides was predicted by using four algorithms, including Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, Artificial Neural Network and Discriminant Analysis on CAMPR3 online server, which works on Hidden Markov Models. Different online tools predicted the physiochemical properties, allergenicity, and toxicity of peptides as well. In silico gastrointestinal digestion simulation of proteins by enzymes cocktail yielded a total of 83 potential AMPs, with thirteen peptides being confident by all four algorithms. More AMPs were released from ß-casein (21) than from ß-lactoglobulin (16), α-s1-casein (15), α-s2-casein (12), κ-casein (11) and α-lactalbumin (9). A total of 17 peptides were cationic, and the majority of the peptides were extended AMPs. These peptides were released from α-s1-casein (SGK, IQK), α-s2-casein (SIR, AIH, TQPK), ß-casein (GPVR, AVPQR, AIAR, GVPK, SQPK, PVPQK, IH, VPK), k-casein (AIPPK, QQR, IAK, TVPAK). All of the AMPs were anticipated to be non-toxic, and 54 of the 83 peptides were confirmed to be non-allergic, with the remaining 29 suspected of being allergenic and 31 to be predicted to have good water solubility. Further the molecular docking was used to evaluate the potent dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) inhibitors. On the basis of ligand binding energy, 17 predicted AMPs were selected and then analyzed by AutoDock tools. Among the 17 AMPs, 3 AMPs were predicted as high-potent antimicrobial. Based on these findings, in silico investigations reveal that proteins of goat milk are a potential source of AMPs. These peptides can be synthesized and improved for use in the food sector. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Goat milk is regarded as a high-quality milk protein source. According to this study, goat milk protein is a possible source of AMPs, and therefore, most important AMPs can be synthesized and developed for use in the food sector.

Impact of Probiotics on Dairy Production Efficiency.

There has been growing interest on probiotics to enhance weight gain and disease resistance in young calves and to improve the milk yield in lactating animals by reducing the negative energy balance during the peak lactation period. While it has been well established that probiotics modulate the microbial community composition in the gastrointestinal tract, and a probiotic-mediated homeostasis in the rumen could improve feed conversation competence, volatile fatty acid production and nitrogen flow that enhances the milk composition as well as milk production, detailed changes on the molecular and metabolic level prompted by probiotic feed additives are still not understood. Moreover, as living biotherapeutic agents, probiotics have the potential to directly change the gene expression profile of animals by activating the signalling cascade in the host cells. Various direct and indirect components of probiotic approaches to improve the productivity of dairy animals are discussed in this review.

Antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties of the red biopigment extract from Monascus purpureus (MTCC 369).

In this study, the Monascus purpureus (MTCC 369) extracted biopigment produced by solid-state fermentation was evaluated for its therapeutic potential using human prostate LNCaP cells. Antioxidant efficacy of the red biopigment determined using 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays was found to be 53.16%, 86.27%, and 13.83%, respectively. In addition, expression studies of target gene superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD-2) showed that increasing concentrations (10-50 µg/ml) of the biopigment enhanced its expression from 0.91- to 1.905-fold. An inhibitory effect of 0.424-0.627-fold was observed in the expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) with a similar increase in biopigment concentration. Addition of quercetin (positive control) at 50 µg/ml led to 0.295-fold decrease in GPX expression. In contrast, the expression of SOD-2 increased by 1.026-fold in the presence of quercetin. The biopigment also showed an increased serological IL-10 expression (an anti-inflammatory agent) ranging from 1034.58 to 4657.89 pg/ml. Treatment of LNCaP cells with the red biopigment (10-100 µg/ml) resulted in significant (p < .05) reduction (upto 79.86%) in viability and 51.79%-89.86% reduction in cell metabolic activity. Fluorescent microscopy examination of red biopigment-treated cells showed significant inhibition of normal cellular morphology including condensed nuclei, membrane blebbing, and apoptotic bodies, thus confirming its cytotoxic potential. Results of this study revealed that the red biopigment has the potential to modulate the expression of antioxidative and anti-inflammatory markers in addition to being cytotoxic to the LNCaP cancer cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: These findings indicate that cell treatment with red biopigment has the potential to modulate anti-oxidative, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory genes for therapeutic effects, which is further enhanced by its cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. Considering these cell-based observations, Monascus red biopigment has ample potential as a useful supplement to formulate therapeutic products that delay the development of inflammatory-related diseases and associated complications.

Natural pigment from Monascus: The production and therapeutic significance.

OBJECTIVE: The present review highlights the advantages of using natural colorant over the synthetic one. We have discussed the fermentation parameters that can enhance the productivity of Monascus pigment on agricultural wastes. BACKGROUND: Food industry is looking for natural colours because these can enhance the esthetic value, attractiveness, and acceptability of food while remaining nontoxic. Many synthetic food colours (Azorubine Carmoisine, quinoline) have been prohibited due to their toxicity and carcinogenicity. Increasing consumer awareness towards the food safety has forced the manufacturing industries to look for suitable alternatives. In addition to safety, natural colorants have been found to have nutritional and therapeutic significance. Among the natural colorants, microbial pigments can be considered as a viable option because of scalability, easier production, no seasonal dependence, cheaper raw materials and easier extraction. Fungi such as Monascus have a long history of safety and therefore can be used for production of biopigments. METHOD: The present review summarizes the predicted biosynthetic pathways and pigment gene clusters in Monascus purpureus. RESULTS: The challenges faced during the pilot-scale production of Monascus biopigment and taming it by us of low-cost agro-industrial substrates for solid state fermentation has been suggested. CONCLUSION: Keeping in mind, therapeutic properties of Monascus pigments and their derivatives, they have huge potential for industrial and pharmaceutical application. APPLICATION: Though the natural pigments have wide scope in the food industry. However, stabilization of pigment is the greatest challenge and attempts are being made to overcome this by complexion with hydrocolloids or metals and by microencapsulation.

Etiology and management of Alzheimer's disease: Potential role of gut microbiota modulation with probiotics supplementation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading type of dementia in aging people and is a progressive condition that causes neurodegeneration, resulting in confusion, memory loss, and deterioration of mental functions. AD happens because of abnormal twisting of the microtubule tau protein in neurons into a tangled neurofibrillary structure. Different factors responsible for AD pathogenesis include heavy metals, aging, cardiovascular disease, and environmental and genetic factors. Market available drugs for AD have several side effects that include hepato-toxicity, accelerated cognitive decline, worsened neuropsychiatric symptoms, and triggered suicidal ideation. Therefore, an emerging alternative therapeutic approach is probiotics, which can improve AD by modulating the gut-brain axis. Probiotics modulate different neurochemical pathways by regulating the signalling pathways associated with inflammation, histone deacetylation, and microglial cell activation and maturation. In addition, probiotics-derived metabolites (i.e., short-chain fatty acid, neurotransmitters, and antioxidants) have shown ameliorative effects against AD. Probiotics also modulate gut microbiota, with a beneficial impact on neural signalling and cognitive activity, which can attenuate AD progression. Therefore, the current review describes the etiology and mechanism of AD progression as well as various treatment options with a focus on the use of probiotics. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In an aging population, dementia concerns are quite prevalent globally. AD is one of the most commonly occurring cognition disorders, which is linked to diminished brain functions. Scientific evidence supports the findings that probiotics and gut microbiota can regulate/modulate brain functions, one of the finest strategies to alleviate such disorders through the gut-brain axis. Thus, gut microbiota modulation, especially through probiotic supplementation, could become an effective solution to ameliorate AD.

Efficacy of BOX-PCR fingerprinting for taxonomic discrimination of bifidobacterial species isolated from diverse sources.

The genus Bifidobacterium are extensively used as probiotics in food applications, for their potential role to combat different lifestyle diseases. This has necessitated a great importance for their species, sub-species and even at the strain level characterization. In the present study, attempts have been made to target repetitive DNA element-based BOX-PCR fingerprinting to judge its potential in taxonomic discrimination of Bifidobacterium species. The BOXA1R primer-based repetitive PCR amplified products were analysed for 93 identified bifidobacterial isolates collected from diverse sources of human and animal origin along with 12 DSMZ procured standard reference strains. Dendrograms constructed from the fingerprint patterns of BOX-PCR differentiated all the isolated strains into 10 different groups, grouped with one standard reference isolates and successfully discriminated all isolates up to subspecies level as identified. The BOX-PCR method used in this study effectively resolved the taxonomic status and differentiated all 93 bifidobacterial species isolated from diverse faecal origins of human and animal samples.