RESUMEN
AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the probiotic properties of Enterococcus strains isolated from Turkish traditional cheeses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-two Enterococcus spp. were taxonomically determined as follows: Enterococcus faecium (26), Enterococcus faecalis (18), Enterococcus durans (6), and Enterococcus italicus (2). The ability of isolates/strains to survive the harsh conditions (acidity and in-vitro gastric solution) of the gastrointestinal tract was established. They also showed auto-aggregation, hydrophobicity, and co-aggregation ability. Hydrophobicities of the strains were found between 0.8%-21%, 0.7%-56%, and 2%-63% for xylene, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, respectively. Autoaggregation values of the Enterococcus strains were 4%-20%, 7%-30%, and 36%-98% after 2, 4, and 24-h incubation, respectively. In this study, the Enterococcus strains tested showed co-aggregation ability with the Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The results of PCR amplification revealed that only five strains possess virulence factor genes (gelE,asa1,cyl A,esp). We determined antibiotic resistance, biofilm forming abilities, and hemolytic activity for safety evaluation of strains. CONCLUSIONS: In this large and comprehensive study, we found that only few of Enterococcus strains have promising probiotic potential, among which E. faecalis ES1 and E. faecium EM1 showed the best probiotic properties (are the most promising probiotic candidates).