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Microorganisms
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Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods
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Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 24118

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mariantonietta Succi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
Interests: probiotics; fermented foods; food quality; gut microbiota; antimicrobial activity; gastro-intestinal survival
Prof. Elena Sorrentino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
Interests: food biotechnology; starter, protective, and probiotics cultures; lactic acid bacteria
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our intention is to add new information to the current body of evidence regarding species belonging to the Lactobacillus genus. For this purpose, this Special Issue is addressed to all colleagues who want to share with readers their studies on new identification methods, new features and positive or negative roles of lactobacilli or new genera and species, also considering reclassifications proposed in the last few years by different researchers. Studies on their efficacy in different environments, intended as the enhancement of food quality/safety, as well as positive roles on human/animal/insect/plant health, are welcome. Studies on detrimental effects are also accepted. Proposals of new isolation, identification and characterization methods are equally welcome.

Prof. Dr. Mariantonietta Succi
Dr. Elena Sorrentino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial cultures
  • niche specific adaptation
  • host-microbe interaction
  • functional properties
  • antagonistic activity
  • novel species
  • Lactobacillus basonym

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1290 KiB  
Article
Probiotic Potentiality from Versatile Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strains as Resource to Enhance Freshwater Fish Health
by Massimo Iorizzo, Gianluca Albanese, Francesco Letizia, Bruno Testa, Patrizio Tremonte, Franca Vergalito, Silvia Jane Lombardi, Mariantonietta Succi, Raffaele Coppola and Elena Sorrentino
Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020463 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3545
Abstract
Dietary probiotic supplementation has the potential to enhance the health of fish and their disease resistance. In this study, some properties of ten Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains have been evaluated, for their potential use as probiotics in freshwater fish diet. In particular, antimicrobial activity, [...] Read more.
Dietary probiotic supplementation has the potential to enhance the health of fish and their disease resistance. In this study, some properties of ten Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains have been evaluated, for their potential use as probiotics in freshwater fish diet. In particular, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, the potentiality to survive the gastrointestinal transit and persist in the intestine, were evaluated in vitro. The experimental tests were carried out at 15 °C and 30 °C to determine the suitability of these lactic acid bacteria to be used as probiotics in the diet of fish grown at different temperatures. The results demonstrated that the evaluated Lp. plantarum strains, which often have significant differences among themselves, are characterized by important functional characteristics such as cell surface properties (auto-aggregation and hydrophobicity), ability to produce antioxidant substances, capacity to survive in the presence of 0.3% bile salts and acidic environment (2.5 pH), antagonistic activity against some fish opportunistic pathogens (A. salmonicida, Ps. aeruginosa, E. coli and C. freundii) and other unwanted bacteria present in fish products (S. aureus and L. innocua). The outcomes suggest that these Lp. plantarum strains may be candidates as probiotics in warm- and cold-water aquaculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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14 pages, 1796 KiB  
Article
Genome Sequence and Assessment of Safety and Potential Probiotic Traits of Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM I-4884
by Anne-Sophie Boucard, Isabelle Florent, Bruno Polack, Philippe Langella and Luis G. Bermúdez-Humarán
Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020273 - 25 Jan 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4607
Abstract
The probiotic strain Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM I-4884 exhibits anti-Giardia activity in vitro and in vivo in a murine model of giardiasis. The aim of this study was the identification and characterization of the probiotic potential of L. johnsonii CNCM I-4884, as well [...] Read more.
The probiotic strain Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM I-4884 exhibits anti-Giardia activity in vitro and in vivo in a murine model of giardiasis. The aim of this study was the identification and characterization of the probiotic potential of L. johnsonii CNCM I-4884, as well as its safety assessment. This strain was originally classified as Lactobacillus gasseri based on 16S gene sequence analysis. Whole genome sequencing led to a reclassification as L. johnsonii. A genome-wide search for biosynthetic pathways revealed a high degree of auxotrophy, balanced by large transport and catabolic systems. The strain also exhibits tolerance to low pH and bile salts and shows strong bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity. Sequencing results revealed the absence of antimicrobial resistance genes and other virulence factors. Phenotypic tests confirm that the strain is susceptible to a panel of 8 antibiotics of both human and animal relevance. Altogether, the in silico and in vitro results confirm that L. johnsonii CNCM I-4884 is well adapted to the gastrointestinal environment and could be safely used in probiotic formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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11 pages, 1765 KiB  
Article
Effect of Fluidized Bed Drying, Matrix Constituents and Structure on the Viability of Probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei ATCC 55544 during Storage at 4 °C, 25 °C and 37 °C
by Devastotra Poddar, Jon Palmer, Shantanu Das, Manju Gaare, Arup Nag and Harjinder Singh
Microorganisms 2022, 10(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10010074 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2272
Abstract
The stabilization of probiotics for application in non-refrigerated food products is a challenging task. In the present study, probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei) ATCC 55544 cells were immobilized in a dairy matrix comprising of whole milk powder, skim milk powder, or [...] Read more.
The stabilization of probiotics for application in non-refrigerated food products is a challenging task. In the present study, probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei) ATCC 55544 cells were immobilized in a dairy matrix comprising of whole milk powder, skim milk powder, or milk protein isolate using fluidized bed drying technology. The samples were taken out at different drying stages, with an apparent water activity (aw) of aw 0.5, aw 0.4, and aw 0.3, respectively, and vacuum-packed to maintain the aw and stored at three different temperatures of 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C. The study evaluated the impact of matrix constituents, milk fat, protein, and carbohydrate on the viability of encapsulated probiotic L . paracasei ATCC 55544 during storage for 1 month. The whole milk powder matrix provided superior protection to the bacteria. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) was used to investigate the structure of the immobilizing matrix and the location of the probiotic L. paracasei cells embedded within the matrix. The CLSM study revealed that the probiotic bacterial cells are mostly embedded as clusters beneath the top layer. We hypothesize that the biofilm-like structure, together with the protective whole milk powder matrix, helps to retain the superior viability of probiotic cells during storage at non-refrigerated storage conditions of 25 °C and 37 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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12 pages, 507 KiB  
Article
The mutL Gene as a Genome-Wide Taxonomic Marker for High Resolution Discrimination of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Its Closely Related Taxa
by Chien-Hsun Huang, Chih-Chieh Chen, Yu-Chun Lin, Chia-Hsuan Chen, Ai-Yun Lee, Jong-Shian Liou, Chun-Tao Gu and Lina Huang
Microorganisms 2021, 9(8), 1570; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9081570 - 23 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2462
Abstract
The current taxonomy of the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum group comprises of 17 closely related species that are indistinguishable from each other by using commonly used 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In this study, a whole-genome-based analysis was carried out for exploring the highly distinguished target [...] Read more.
The current taxonomy of the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum group comprises of 17 closely related species that are indistinguishable from each other by using commonly used 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In this study, a whole-genome-based analysis was carried out for exploring the highly distinguished target genes whose interspecific sequence identity is significantly less than those of 16S rRNA or conventional housekeeping genes. In silico analyses of 774 core genes by the cano-wgMLST_BacCompare analytics platform indicated that csbB, morA, murI, mutL, ntpJ, rutB, trmK, ydaF, and yhhX genes were the most promising candidates. Subsequently, the mutL gene was selected, and the discrimination power was further evaluated using Sanger sequencing. Among the type strains, mutL exhibited a clearly superior sequence identity (61.6–85.6%; average: 66.6%) to the 16S rRNA gene (96.7–100%; average: 98.4%) and the conventional phylogenetic marker genes (e.g., dnaJ, dnaK, pheS, recA, and rpoA), respectively, which could be used to separat tested strains into various species clusters. Consequently, species-specific primers were developed for fast and accurate identification of L. pentosus, L. argentoratensis, L. plantarum, and L. paraplantarum. During this study, one strain (BCRC 06B0048, L. pentosus) exhibited not only relatively low mutL sequence identities (97.0%) but also a low digital DNA–DNA hybridization value (78.1%) with the type strain DSM 20314T, signifying that it exhibits potential for reclassification as a novel subspecies. Our data demonstrate that mutL can be a genome-wide target for identifying and classifying the L. plantarum group species and for differentiating novel taxa from known species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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19 pages, 2590 KiB  
Article
Keystone Taxa Lactiplantibacillus and Lacticaseibacillus Directly Improve the Ensiling Performance and Microflora Profile in Co-Ensiling Cabbage Byproduct and Rice Straw
by Guilin Du, Guilong Zhang, Jiping Shi, Jingxian Zhang, Zhiguo Ma, Xiangcen Liu, Chenyang Yuan, Xiang Li and Baoguo Zhang
Microorganisms 2021, 9(5), 1099; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9051099 - 20 May 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2720
Abstract
Ensiling has been widely applied to cope with agricultural solid waste to achieve organic waste valorization and relieve environmental pressure and feedstuff shortage. In this study, co-ensiling of cabbage leaf byproduct and rice straw was performed with inoculation of Lactiplantibacillusplantarum (LP) to [...] Read more.
Ensiling has been widely applied to cope with agricultural solid waste to achieve organic waste valorization and relieve environmental pressure and feedstuff shortage. In this study, co-ensiling of cabbage leaf byproduct and rice straw was performed with inoculation of Lactiplantibacillusplantarum (LP) to investigate the effects of inoculation on ensiling performance and microflora profiles. Compared to the control, LP inoculation preserved more dry matter (DM) content (283.4 versus 270.9 g·kg−1 fresh matter (FM) on day 30), increased lactic acid (LA) content (52.1 versus 35.8 g·kg−1 dry matter on day 15), decreased pH (3.55 versus 3.79 on day 15), and caused accumulation of acetic acid (AA), butyric acid (BA), and ammonia. The investigation showed that LP inoculation modified microflora composition, especially resisting potential pathogens and enriching more lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (p < 0.05). Moreover, Lactiplantibacillus and Lacticaseibacillus were identified as the keystone taxa that influenced physicochemical properties and interactions in microflora. They were also the main functional species that directly restrained undesirable microorganisms (p < 0.05), rather than indirectly working via metabolite inhibition and substrate competition (p > 0.05). The results of this present study improve the understanding of the underlying effect of LP inoculation on improving silage quality and facilitate the bio-transformation of cabbage byproduct and rice straw as animal feed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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15 pages, 3424 KiB  
Article
Hardening Properties of Cheeses by Latilactobacillus curvatus PD1 Isolated from Hardened Cheese-Ddukbokki Rice Cake
by Jeong-A. Kim, Geun-Su Kim, Se-Mi Choi, Myeong-Seon Kim, Do-Young Kwon, Sang-Gu Kim, Sang-Yun Lee and Kang-Wook Lee
Microorganisms 2021, 9(5), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9051044 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2527
Abstract
Hardening of cheese is one of major issues that degrade the quality of Home Meal Replacement (HMR) foods containing cheese such as Cheese-ddukbokki rice cake (CD, stir-fried rice cakes with shredded cheese). The quality of cheese, such as pH, proteolytic, and flavor [...] Read more.
Hardening of cheese is one of major issues that degrade the quality of Home Meal Replacement (HMR) foods containing cheese such as Cheese-ddukbokki rice cake (CD, stir-fried rice cakes with shredded cheese). The quality of cheese, such as pH, proteolytic, and flavor properties, depends on various lactic acid bacteria (LAB) used in cheese fermentation. The hardening of cheese is also caused by LAB. In this study, various LAB strains were isolated from CD samples that showed rapid hardening. The correlation of LAB with the hardening of cheese was investigated. Seven of the CD samples with different manufacturing dates were collected and tested for hardening properties of cheese. Among them, strong-hardening of cheese was confirmed for two samples and weak-hardening was confirmed for one sample. All LAB in two strong-hardening samples and 40% of LAB in one weak-hardening sample were identified as Latilactobacilluscurvatus. On the other hand, most LAB in normal cheese samples were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus casei. We prepared cheese samples in which L. curvatus (LC-CD) and L. mesenteroides (LM-CD) were most dominant, respectively. Each CD made of the prepared cheese was subjected to quality test for 50 days at 10 °C. Hardening of cheese with LC-CD dominant appeared at 30 days. However, hardening of cheese with LM-CD dominant did not appear until 50 days. The pH of the LC-CD was 5.18 ± 0.04 at 30 days, lower than that of LM-CD. The proteolytic activity of LC-CD sample was 2993.67 ± 246.17 units/g, higher than that of LM-CD sample (1421.67 ± 174.5 units/g). These results indicate that high acid production and high protease activity of L. curvatus might have caused hardening of cheese. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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22 pages, 4188 KiB  
Article
Probiogenomics of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CIDCA 133: In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Approaches
by Luís Cláudio Lima de Jesus, Mariana Martins Drumond, Flávia Figueira Aburjaile, Thiago de Jesus Sousa, Nina Dias Coelho-Rocha, Rodrigo Profeta, Bertram Brenig, Pamela Mancha-Agresti and Vasco Azevedo
Microorganisms 2021, 9(4), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9040829 - 14 Apr 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4202
Abstract
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CIDCA 133 (CIDCA 133) has been reported as a potential probiotic strain, presenting immunomodulatory properties. This study investigated the possible genes and molecular mechanism involved with a probiotic profile of CIDCA 133 through a genomic approach associated with in [...] Read more.
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CIDCA 133 (CIDCA 133) has been reported as a potential probiotic strain, presenting immunomodulatory properties. This study investigated the possible genes and molecular mechanism involved with a probiotic profile of CIDCA 133 through a genomic approach associated with in vitro and in vivo analysis. Genomic analysis corroborates the species identification carried out by the classical microbiological method. Phenotypic assays demonstrated that the CIDCA 133 strain could survive acidic, osmotic, and thermic stresses. In addition, this strain shows antibacterial activity against Salmonella Typhimurium and presents immunostimulatory properties capable of upregulating anti-inflammatory cytokines Il10 and Tgfb1 gene expression through inhibition of Nfkb1 gene expression. These reported effects can be associated with secreted, membrane/exposed to the surface and cytoplasmic proteins, and bacteriocins-encoding genes predicted in silico. Furthermore, our results showed the genes and the possible mechanisms used by CIDCA 133 to produce their beneficial host effects and highlight its use as a probiotic microorganism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactobacillus: Identification, Characterization and Application in Conventional and Functional Foods)
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