Exopolysaccharide from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 and its functional characterization as a yogurt additive

Effect of Substrate Composition on Yield and Antioxidative Activity of Exopolysaccharides From Lactobacillus fermentum B62

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) can not only give food a unique texture but also has antioxidant capacities. To select the medium composition that influences the yield and antioxidative activity of EPS, Plackett–Burman (PB) design was employed to appraise the effects of carbon sources, nitrogen sources, and inorganic salts on yield and DPPH free radical scavenging (DPPH-FRS) rate of EPS in MRS medium fermented by Lactobacillus fermentum B62. The result indicated that sucrose (p<0.01), peptone (p<0.01), and KH2PO4 (p<0.001) had the most distinguishing comprehensive effects on yield and DPPH-FRS rate of EPS, and fructose also had a noticeable effect on the two factors (p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, glucose (p<0.05), soy protein (p<0.001), yeast extract (p<0.01), KH2PO4 (p<0.001) and Ca(H2PO4)2 (p<0.001) significantly positive affect the yield of EPS. And inulin (p<0.05), tryptone (p<0.001), beef extract powder(p<0.001), NaH2PO4 (p<0.01) and C2H3NaO2 (p<0.05) significantly positive affect the DPPH-FRS rate of EPS. Within the test ranges, sucrose, fructose, peptone and KH2PO4 all showed significant positive relativity to the yield and anti-oxidative activity of EPS.

The modulation and mechanism of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules on the immune response in allergic diseases

Allergic diseases, derived from the dysregulation of immune tolerance mechanisms, have been rising in the last two decades. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules exhibit a protective effect against allergic diseases, involving regulation of Th1/Th2 balance, induction of differentiation of T regulatory cells and activation of dendritic cells (DCs). DCs have a central role in controlling the immune response through their interaction with gut microbiota via their pattern recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors and C-type-lectin receptors. This review discusses the effects and critical mechanism of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules in regulating the immune system to alleviate allergic diseases. We first describe the development of immune response in allergic diseases and recent relevant findings. Particular emphasis is placed on the effects of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules on allergic immune response. Then, we discuss the underlying mechanism of the impact of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules on DCs-mediated immune tolerance induction.

Effects of Exopolysaccharides from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum JLAU103 on Intestinal Immune Response, Oxidative Stress, and Microbial Communities in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppressed Mice

This study investigated the effects of the exopolysaccharide from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum JLAU103 (EPS103) on the intestinal immune response, oxidative stress, intestinal mucosal barrier, and microbial community in cyclophosphamide-induced immune-suppressed mice. The results showed that EPS103 promoted the secretion of cytokines and the generation of secretory immunoglobulin A and mucin-2 in the small intestine of mice, which might be related to the activation of the MAPK pathway. Additionally, EPS103 protected against oxidative stress by activating antioxidation enzymes and Nrf2/Keap1 pathways. It also improved the intestinal physical barrier functions via regulating the ratio of villous height to crypt depth and upregulating the expression of tight-junction proteins. Meanwhile, EPS103 promoted the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and modulated the constituents of gut microbiota. These results suggested that EPS103 may modulate the intestinal immunoresponse relying on the regulation of SCFA production and gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice, resulting in the activation of systemic immunity.

Characterization, the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Exopolysaccharide Isolated from Poultry Origin Lactobacilli

The natural antioxidant agent is urgently needed to prevent the negative effects of newly generated free radicals and chronic disorders. Recently, the microbial exopolysaccharide (EPS) is currently used as a potential biopolymer due to its unique biological characteristics. In this study, the biological potential was carried out on the EPSs produced by Lactobacillus reuteri SHA101 (EPS-lr) and Lactobacillus vaginalis SHA110 (EPS-lvg) isolated from gut cecum samples of healthy poultry birds (hen). As results, the EPS-lr and EPS-lvg showed the emulsifying activity of 37.8 ± 1.6% and 27.8 ± 0.5% after the 360 h, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy analysis of EPS-lr and EPS-lvg demonstrated a smooth surface with a compact structure. The both EPSs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium in vitro. In additions, at 4 mg/mL concentration, the EPS-lr and EPS-lvg samples showed potent antioxidant activity regarding hydroxyl radical DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical, superoxide anion radical and reducing power at OD_700 nm. Furthermore, the EPS-lr and EPS-lvg (600 μg/mL) possessed antitumor activity against colon cancer (Caco-2) cell after 72 h. The results suggested that these EPSs would have great potential in the application of antitumor and antioxidant foods, biomedicine, and pharmaceutics.

Immunomodulatory Roles of Polysaccharide Capsules in the Intestine

The interplay between the immune system and the microbiota in the human intestine dictates states of health vs. disease. Polysaccharide capsules are critical elements of bacteria that protect bacteria against environmental and host factors, including the host immune system. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which polysaccharide capsules from commensal and pathogenic bacteria in the gut microbiota modulate the innate and adaptive immune systems in the intestine. A deeper understanding of the roles of polysaccharide capsules in microbiota-immune interactions will provide a basis to harness their therapeutic potential to advance human health.

Structural characterisation of two medium molecular mass exopolysaccharides produced by the bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2

Under optimized conditions, the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 secretes up to 2 gL^-1 of a mixture of polysaccharides into the fermentation medium when grown on sucrose. Earlier studies had shown that the mixture is biologically active and work was undertaken to characterise the polysaccharides. Preparative size exclusion chromatography was used to separate a high molecular mass β-glucan (weight average mass of 1.23 × 10⁶ gmol^-1) from two medium molecular mass polysaccharides (weight average mass of 8.8 × 10⁴ gmol^-1). Under optimized growth conditions, the medium molecular mass polysaccharides accounted for more than 75% of the mixture by weight. Monomer, linkage analysis and NMR spectroscopy of the medium molecular mass polysaccharides, and material isolated after their Smith degradation, was used to identify the structure of the component polysaccharides. The mixture contains two novel polysaccharides. The first has a main chain of β-1,6-linked galactofuranoses which is non-stoichiometrically 2-O-glucosylated. The degree of substitution at the 2-position, with α-D-Glcp, depends on the fermentation conditions; under optimized conditions greater than 80% 2-O-α-D-glucosylation was observed. The second polysaccharide is a heteroglycan with four monosaccharides in the repeat unit: residual signals in the NMR suggest that the sample also contains trace amounts (<3%) of cell wall polysaccharides.

Rheological characteristics and supramolecular structure of the exopolysaccharide produced by Lactobacillus fermentum MTCC 25067

Rheological properties and supramolecular structure of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) secreted by Lactobacillus fermentum MTCC 25067 were investigated. The critical concentration representing the lower-limit of the semi-dilute regime was estimated to be 0.71 g/L from the concentration dependence of zero-shear specific viscosity. The storage modulus (G') of a 20 g/L EPS solution was greater than the loss modulus (G″) at 0.1-25 Hz. Approximately linear increases in G' and G″ determined at a frequency of 1 Hz and a strain of 0.01 during cooling from 80 to 25 °C were an indication that the EPS did not undergo thermally-induced cooperative conformational transitions typical of gelling polysaccharides. Atomic force microscopy images revealed that EPS molecules were not completely dissociated into individual molecules in an aqueous solution but remained to form three-dimensional networks. The gel-like dynamic viscoelasticity of the 20 g/L EPS solution was thus attributed to the existence of supramolecular assemblies resulting from significant degrees of intermolecular association of the EPS in the solution.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, an Exopolysaccharide-Producing Strain Isolated from Argentine Cheese

Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, an Argentine cheese isolate, can produce high concentrations of exopolysaccharides (EPS). These EPS were shown to improve the texture and rheology of yogurt, as well as to play a protective role in mice exposed to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, an Argentine cheese isolate, can produce high concentrations of exopolysaccharides (EPS). These EPS were shown to improve the texture and rheology of yogurt, as well as to play a protective role in mice exposed to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Three gene clusters potentially involved in EPS production were identified in different locations of the L. fermentum Lf2 genome.

Applicability of Lactococcus hircilactis and Lactococcus laudensis as dairy cultures

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Lactococcus hircilactis and Lactococcus laudensis can be used as starter cultures. To this end, the two lactococci were characterized for traits of technological and functional interest. Tests in milk included growth at 20, 25, 30, and 37 °C, flavor production, antioxidant (AO) activity, folate and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. At 30 °C, which resulted the best growth temperature for both strains, Lc. hircilactis and Lc. laudensis lowered the pH of the milk to 4.8 and 5.5, respectively, after 24 h of incubation. Sugar and organic acid composition indicated a higher lactose utilization, coupled with a higher lactate accumulation, by Lc. hircilactis, while galactose was completely consumed by both species. Both strains showed a Cit^- phenotype after growth in a selective medium containing citrate as the sole carbon source. Nevertheless, a small amount of citrate was used by both lactococci when grown in milk. The two strains were characterized by a different flavor production, showed high AO activity, and produced small amounts of EPS (~30 mg/L). Lactococcus laudensis showed a weak proteolytic activity while Lc. hircilactis was able to accumulate folate at levels four times higher than uninoculated milk. When the two lactococci were tested as starter cultures in small-scale cheesemaking trials, cheeses resulted of satisfying quality and contained amounts of ethanol, acetic acid, diacetyl and acetoin higher than controls, obtained using a commercial culture. The application of Lc. hircilactis and Lc. laudensis as aromatic cultures in cheesemaking is proposed.

Technological, rheological and sensory characterizations of a yogurt containing an exopolysaccharide extract from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, a new food additive

Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, an autochthonous strain isolated as a non starter culture in Cremoso cheese, produces high EPS levels (~1g/L) in optimized conditions (SDM broth, pH6.0, 30°C, 72h). Technological (texture profile and rheological analysis) and sensory properties of non-fat yogurts with 300 and 600mg EPS/L were studied at 3 and 25days after manufacture. Yogurts with different EPS concentrations showed higher hardness values than the control group at both periods of time, being the only significant difference that remained stable during time. The consistency index was also higher for the treated samples at both times evaluated, being significantly different for samples with 300mg/L of EPS extract, while the flow behavior index was lower for EPS-added yogurts. The thixotropic index was lower (P<0.05) for samples with the highest EPS extract concentration at the end of the storage time. Regarding the sensory analysis, those yogurts with 600mg/L of EPS extract presented the highest values of consistency at 3days of storage. No considerable differences for defects (milk powder, acid, bitter and cooked milk flavors) were perceived between treated and control samples at both times evaluated. Syneresis was also studied and samples with 600mg/L of EPS extract presented the lowest syneresis values at 25days of storage, which considerably decreased with the time of storage. In conclusion, the EPS from L. fermentum Lf2, used as an additive, provided yogurt with creamy consistency and increased hardness, without the presence of unwanted defects and improving the water holding capacity of the product. All the analysis done showed the potential of this extract to be used as a technofunctional natural ingredient, and it should be considered its positive impact on health, according to previous studies.