Lactobacillus Plantarum: Characterization of the Species and Application in Food Production

Characterization of a noncytotoxic bacteriocin from probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum DM5 with potential as a food preservative

The aim of this work was to purify and characterize the bacteriocin produced by probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum DM5 in order to evaluate its potential as nutraceuticals. Lb. plantarum DM5 exhibited in vitro probiotic properties such as high resistance to gastric juice and bile salt, adherence to human adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cells, bile salt hydrolase and cholesterol assimilation activity. Moreover, Lb. plantarum DM5 showed bacteriocin activity against several major food borne pathogens. Zymogram analysis of purified bacteriocin (plantaricin DM5) showed a molecular size of ∼15.2 kDa. Plantaricin DM5 was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes but stable in the pH range of 2.0-10.0, and it was heat resistant (121 °C for 15 min) and remained active upon treatment with surfactants and detergents. Cytotoxicity analysis of plantaricin DM5 on human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) and human cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines revealed its nontoxic and biocompatible nature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the isolated strain expressing probiotic properties and broad antimicrobial activity without any cytotoxic effect on mammalian cells from indigenous fermented beverage Marcha from India, and thus contributes to the food industry as a novel bio-preservant.

Isolation and identification of bacteriocinogenic strain of Lactobacillus plantarum with potential beneficial properties from donkey milk

AIMS

The goal of this study was to isolate and characterize a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from donkey milk with potential beneficial properties.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from donkey milk and identified based on physiological, biochemical and molecular methods. The isolate that presented highest bacteriocin potential (Lactobacillus plantarum LP08AD) was evaluated for the production of bacteriocin, including stability in the presence of various enzymes, surfactants, salts, pH and temperatures. Bactericidal effect of bacteriocin LP08AD on Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus curvatus was shown for actively growing and stationary cells. Similar growth and bacteriocin production were observed when strain LP08AD was cultured in MRS broth at 30°C or 37°C. Bacteriocin LP08AD adhered at low levels on the producer cells (200 AU ml(-1) ). The presence of plantaricin W gene on the genomic DNA was recorded based on PCR. Good growth for strain LP08AD was recorded in MRS broth with pH from 5·0 to 9·0 and LP08AD grew well in the absence of oxbile or concentration below 0·8%. Lact. plantarum LP08AD was applied to the small intestinal epithelial polarized monolayers of H4, PSIc1 and CLAB and demonstrated low attachment ability on all cell lines studied, with values with a similar behaviour for cells from human and pig origin.

CONCLUSIONS

Bacteriocin-producing Lact. plantarum LP08AD might be useful in the design of novel functional foods with potential probiotic or biopreservation properties.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on detection and characterization of bacteriocinogenic Lact. plantarum from donkey milk. The strain LP08AD shows to have potential beneficial properties, as demonstrated by the use of noncancerogenic cell lines.

Biochemical, antimicrobial and molecular characterization of a noncytotoxic bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum ST71KS

Lactobacillus (Lb.) plantarum ST71KS was isolated from homemade goat feta cheese and identified using biochemical and molecular biology techniques. As shown by Tricine-SDS-PAGE, this lactic acid bacterium produces a bacteriocin (ST71KS) with an estimated molecular weight of 5.0 kDa. Bacteriocin ST71KS was not affected by the presence of α-amylase, catalase and remained stable in a wide range of pH and after treatment with Triton X-100, Triton X-114, Tween 20, Tween 80, NaCl, SDS, urea and EDTA. This bacteriocin also remained active after being heated at 100 °C for 2 h and even after 20 min at 121 °C; however, it was inactivated by proteolitic enzymes. Production of bacteriocin ST71KS reached 6400 AU/mL during stationary growth phase of Lb. plantarum cultivated in MRS at 30 °C and 37 °C. Bacteriocin ST71KS displayed a bactericidal effect against Listeria monocytogenes strains 603 and 607 and did not adsorb to the producer cells. Lb. plantarum ST71KS harbors two bacteriocin genes with homology to plantaricin S and pediocin PA-1. These characteristics indicate that bacteriocin ST71KS is a class IIa bacteriocin. The peptide presented no toxic effect when tested in vitro with kidney Vero cells, indicating safe technological application to control L. monocytogenes in foods.

Heterologous expression of Oenococcus oeni malolactic enzyme in Lactobacillus plantarum for improved malolactic fermentation

Lactobacillus plantarum is involved in a multitude of food related industrial fermentation processes including the malolactic fermentation (MLF) of wine. This work is the first report on a recombinant L. plantarum strain successfully conducting MLF. The malolactic enzyme (MLE) from Oenococcus oeni was cloned into the lactobacillal expression vector pSIP409 which is based on the sakacin P operon of Lactobacillus sakei and expressed in the host strain L. plantarum WCFS1. Both recombinant and wild-type L. plantarum strains were tested for MLF using a buffered malic acid solution in absence of glucose. Under the conditions with L-malic acid as the only energy source and in presence of Mn²⁺ and NAD⁺, the recombinant L. plantarum and the wild-type strain converted 85% (2.5 g/l) and 51% (1.5 g/l), respectively, of L-malic acid in 3.5 days. Furthermore, the recombinant L. plantarum cells converted in a modified wine 15% (0.4 g/l) of initial L-malic acid concentration in 2 days. In conclusion, recombinant L. plantarum cells expressing MLE accelerate the malolactic fermentation.