Exogenous Penicillium camemberti Lipase Preparation Exerts Prebiotic-like Effects by Increasing Cecal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus Abundance in Rats

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

The aim of this study was to perform 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis to determine the effects of dietary supplemental PCL on the entire profiles of gut microbiota in rats fed a HF diet.

The structure of the reviewed article is well thought out and clear, in line with the editorial requirements of the Journal Fermentation.

The introduction provides a good, generalized background of the topic that quickly gives the reader appreciation of the scientific relevance and timeliness of the research theme. I think the findings of this study are sufficiently described in the context of the published literature.  The conclusions are supported by appropriate evidence. 

I have one minor improvement suggestion for Authors which is as follows:

- In the section “Conclusions”, you can highlight the high application potential of the obtained results.

The article clearly meets the requirements of the scientific text. Overall it is a well-written article with important high application potential. Given the novelty, advance (also in the meaning of used statistical tools), and potential extensive aррlicatiоn of presented research achievements, from my standpoint, this manuscript is appropriate for publication in Journal – Fermentation, in the present form,  given the above aspects.  

Author Response

Reviewer 1

I have one minor improvement suggestion for Authors which is as follows: 

In the section “Conclusions”, you can highlight the high application potential of the obtained results.

Response to the comments by reviewer 1

Thank you very much for valuable comments.

According to the comments, sentences were added in revised manuscript (Line 369 ~ 371).

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper presented by the authors under the title " Exogenous Penicillium camemberti lipase preparation exerts prebiotic-like effects by increasing cecal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus abundance in rats " should be considered as a good scientific work providing valuable information on the effects of dietary supplemental PCL on the entire profiles of gut microbiota in rats fed a HF diet. The methodology used in this study is certainly adequate and the results can be considered of significance from the academic and scientific point of view.  

But I should point out that the authors report in their previous article, which also investigates the effect of lipase from Aspergillus:  <…. In this study, AL used was crude enzyme preparation and contained minor components other than lipase…… Further research is recommended to investigate the impact of highly purified lipase obtained from Aspergillus species on intestinal microbiota. In addition, this study used wild-type rats, but not disease-model rats. Thus, the effects of Aspergillus lipase on disease-model animals remains to be elucidated.>

Therefore, it would be of greater research interest to have investigated this effect in a subsequent article and not to repeat exactly the same experiments using crude lipase preparation from another microorganism, such as Penicillium camemberti,  where they report the same limitations of study.

Author Response

Reviewer 2

In this study, AL used was crude enzyme preparation and contained minor components other than lipase…… Further research is recommended to investigate the impact of highly purified lipase obtained from Aspergillus species on intestinal microbiota. In addition, this study used wild-type rats, but not disease-model rats. Thus, the effects of Aspergillus lipase on disease-model animals remains to be elucidated.>

Response to the comments by reviewer 2

Thank you very much for valuable comments.

According to the comments, sentences were added in revised manuscript (Line 373 ~ 375).