RESUMO
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been studied for several decades to understand and determine their mechanism and interaction within the matrix into which they are introduced. This study aimed to determine the spatial distribution of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in a dairy matrix and to decipher its behaviour towards milk components, especially fat globules. Two strains of this widely studied bacterium with expected probiotic effects were used: LGG WT with pili on the cell surface and its pili-depleted mutant-LGG ΔspaCBA-in order to determine the involvement of these filamentous proteins. In this work, it was shown that LGG ΔspaCBA was able to limit creaming with a greater impact than the wild-type counterpart. Moreover, confocal imaging evidenced a preferential microbial distribution as aggregates for LGG WT, while the pili-depleted strain tended to be homogenously distributed and found as individual chains. The observed differences in creaming are attributed to the indirect implication of SpaCBA pili. Indeed, the bacteria-to-bacteria interaction surpassed the bacteria-to-matrix interaction, reducing the bacterial surface exposed to raw milk. Conversely, LGG ΔspaCBA may form a physical barrier responsible for preventing milk fat globules from rising to the surface.