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Microorganisms
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Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications
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Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 15190

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hidetoshi MORITA

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Animal Applied Microbiology, School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
Interests: lactic acid bacteria; genomics; probiotics; bifidobacteria; microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Whole-genome sequencing has revolutionized and accelerated scientific research that aims to study the genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Their genome content reflects its specific metabolism, physiology, biosynthetic capabilities, and adaptability to varying conditions and environments. LAB are widely used for the production of a variety of foods and feed raw materials where they contribute to flavor and texture of the fermented products. LAB are also found among the resident microbiota of the gastrointestinal and/or genitourinary tracts of vertebrates, where they are believed to exert health-promoting effects as probiotics.

The aim of this Special Issue of Microorganisms is to present a collection of articles that provide a current snapshot of research in the LAB field. Manuscripts covering all aspects of research relating to LAB are welcome, including studies on metabolism, genomics, and applications of LAB.

Prof. Dr. Hidetoshi MORITA
Guest Editor

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

  • lactic acid bacteria
  • genomics
  • probiotics
  • fermented products
  • microbiota

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1312 KiB  
Article
Molecular and Physiological Properties of Indigenous Strains of Oenococcus oeni Selected from Nero di Troia Wine (Apulia, Italy)
by Maria Stella Cappello, Vittorio Falco, Rosita Curcio, Giovanni Mita and Giacomo Zapparoli
Microorganisms 2022, 10(4), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10040795 - 9 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
The characterization of Oenococcus oeni strains isolated from Nero di Troia wine (Apulia, Italy) sampled in two distinct production areas was carried out. The two indigenous populations, consisting of 95 and 97 isolates, displayed high genetic diversity when analyzed by amplified fragments length [...] Read more.
The characterization of Oenococcus oeni strains isolated from Nero di Troia wine (Apulia, Italy) sampled in two distinct production areas was carried out. The two indigenous populations, consisting of 95 and 97 isolates, displayed high genetic diversity when analyzed by amplified fragments length polymorphisms (AFLP). Based on the UPGMA dendrogram obtained by AFLP analysis, the two populations displayed similar genotypes that grouped in the same clusters with a high level of similarity (>95%). One genotype was found in only one of the two areas. Representative strains of each cluster were analyzed for their enzymatic activities (esterase, β-glucosidase, and protease), assayed in whole cells, and tested for their metabolic properties (consumption of L-malic acid, citric acid, acetaldehyde, and arginine) and growth parameters. Significant differences among strains, including the reference strain ATCC BAA-1163, were observed for all of these properties. Principal component analysis evidenced phenotypic differences among strains, and well separated some of them belonging to different genotypes. Strains exhibiting the best performances in most of these traits could be further investigated in order to select possible candidates as malolactic starters for Nero di Troia wine. This study provided insights on the population structure of O. oeni of a local winemaking area useful to the understanding of the regional diversity of this bacterium, an issue not yet completely resolved Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications)
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16 pages, 307 KiB  
Article
The Combination of In Vitro Assessment of Stress Tolerance Ability, Autoaggregation, and Vitamin B-Producing Ability for New Probiotic Strain Introduction
by Natalya Yu. Khromova, Julia M. Epishkina, Boris A. Karetkin, Natalia V. Khabibulina, Andrey V. Beloded, Irina V. Shakir and Victor I. Panfilov
Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020470 - 19 Feb 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3435
Abstract
The health benefits of probiotics are beyond doubt. The positive effects of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria on the function of many body systems have been repeatedly proven by various studies. To completely realize the potential of probiotic microorganisms, the strains should be tested by [...] Read more.
The health benefits of probiotics are beyond doubt. The positive effects of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria on the function of many body systems have been repeatedly proven by various studies. To completely realize the potential of probiotic microorganisms, the strains should be tested by the greatest combination of characteristics that contribute to the wellness of the host. In this work, for the first time, a combined assessment of the probiotic properties and vitamin B-producing potential of various species and strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli was carried out. The presence of an additional advantage, such as vitamin-producing ability, can prevent vitamin deficiency both at the level of the consumption of fermented foods, when the enrichment will occur naturally on the spot, and during colonization by these intestinal strains, when synthesis will occur in vivo. To select potential probiotics, the stress tolerance ability of 16 lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria strains to low pH values, bile, and proteolytic enzymes, as well as their ability to autoaggregate, were studied under conditions of modeling the gastrointestinal tract in vitro. The ability of the strains to extracellularly accumulate water-soluble B vitamins was evaluated by capillary electrophoresis. Among the tested strains of bifidobacteria, B. adolescentis VKPM AC-1662 is of interest; it was characterized by the greatest stress tolerance ability and the ability to autoaggregate, in addition to the extracellular synthesis of riboflavin and pyridoxine. Among lactic acid bacteria, L. sakei VKPM B-8936 demonstrated the greatest tolerance to low pH, L. plantarum VKPM B–11007 to duodenal conditions, L. acidophilus VKPM B-2213 to pepsin, and L. salivarius VKPM B–2214 to pancreatin. The highest percentage of autoaggregation was observed in L. salivarius VKPM B-2214, which also accumulated the largest amount of pantothenic acid, but it was sensitive to stress conditions. The obtained results could be used to create new products enriched with probiotics and B vitamins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications)
19 pages, 17499 KiB  
Article
Genomic Features and Construction of Streamlined Genome Chassis of Nisin Z Producer Lactococcus lactis N8
by Wanjin Qiao, Fulu Liu, Xing Wan, Yu Qiao, Ran Li, Zhenzhou Wu, Per Erik Joakim Saris, Haijin Xu and Mingqiang Qiao
Microorganisms 2022, 10(1), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10010047 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3620
Abstract
Lactococcus lactis is a commonly used fermenting bacteria in cheese, beverages and meat products. Due to the lack of simplified chassis strains, it has not been widely used in the fields of synthetic biology. Thus, the construction of lactic acid bacteria chassis strains [...] Read more.
Lactococcus lactis is a commonly used fermenting bacteria in cheese, beverages and meat products. Due to the lack of simplified chassis strains, it has not been widely used in the fields of synthetic biology. Thus, the construction of lactic acid bacteria chassis strains becomes more and more important. In this study, we performed whole genome sequencing, annotation and analysis of L. lactis N8. Based on the genome analysis, we found that L. lactis N8 contains two large plasmids, and the function prediction of the plasmids shows that some regions are related to carbohydrate transport/metabolism, multi-stress resistance and amino acid uptake. L. lactis N8 contains a total of seven prophage-related fragments and twelve genomic islands. A gene cluster encoding a hybrid NRPS–PKS system that was found in L. lactis N8 reveals that the strain has the potential to synthesize novel secondary metabolites. Furthermore, we have constructed a simplified genome chassis of L. lactis N8 and achieved the largest amount of deletion of L. lactis so far. Taken together, the present study offers further insights into the function and potential role of L. lactis N8 as a model strain of lactic acid bacteria and lays the foundation for its application in the field of synthetic biology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications)
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17 pages, 3746 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BX62 Alone or in Combination with Chitosan on the Qualitative Characteristics of Fresh-Cut Apples during Cold Storage
by Qian Zhao, Shihua Tang, Xiang Fang, Zhuo Wang, Yu Jiang, Xusheng Guo, Jianning Zhu and Ying Zhang
Microorganisms 2021, 9(11), 2404; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9112404 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2578
Abstract
In order to explore whether beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could prolong the shelf life and improve the quality of fresh-cut apples, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BX62, which was isolated from traditional fermented yak yogurt, and chitosan (CT), were applied to fresh-cut apples, subsequently stored [...] Read more.
In order to explore whether beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could prolong the shelf life and improve the quality of fresh-cut apples, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BX62, which was isolated from traditional fermented yak yogurt, and chitosan (CT), were applied to fresh-cut apples, subsequently stored at 4 °C. On days 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8, apple slices were taken for physicochemical, microbiological analysis, and sensory evaluation. The results showed that apple slices coated with L. plantarum BX62 (8 log CFU/mL) presented lower weight loss and browning rate, higher DPPH scavenging capacity, and achieved more effective inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities compared to the control samples. The application of CT alone or in combination with L. plantarum BX62 resulted in a significant reduction in aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), aerobic psychrophilic bacterial (APB), yeast and molds (YAMs) counts (2.31 log CFU/g for AMB, 2.55 for APB, and 1.58 for YAMs). In addition, L. plantarum BX62 coated apples showed acceptable sensory properties in terms of color, flavor, taste, texture, and overall visual quality during 8 d of storage. On this basis, L. plantarum BX62 could be used as an excellent bio-preservative to extend the shelf life and improve the quality of fresh-cut apples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications)
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21 pages, 2273 KiB  
Article
Differences in Acid Stress Response of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Zhang Cultured from Solid-State Fermentation and Liquid-State Fermentation
by Pengyu Wu, Qiuyan Zhu, Rui Yang, Yuxia Mei, Zhenmin Chen and Yunxiang Liang
Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1951; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9091951 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2816
Abstract
Liquid-state fermentation (LSF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) are two forms of industrial production of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The choice of two fermentations for LAB production has drawn wide concern. In this study, the tolerance of bacteria produced by the two fermentation methods [...] Read more.
Liquid-state fermentation (LSF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) are two forms of industrial production of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The choice of two fermentations for LAB production has drawn wide concern. In this study, the tolerance of bacteria produced by the two fermentation methods to acid stress was compared, and the reasons for the tolerance differences were analyzed at the physiological and transcriptional levels. The survival rate of the bacterial agent obtained from solid-state fermentation was significantly higher than that of bacteria obtained from liquid-state fermentation after spray drying and cold air drying. However, the tolerance of bacterial cells obtained from liquid-state fermentation to acid stress was significantly higher than that from solid-state fermentation. The analysis at physiological level indicated that under acid stress, cells from liquid-state fermentation displayed a more solid and complete membrane structure, higher cell membrane saturated fatty acid, more stable intracellular pH, and more stable activity of ATPase and glutathione reductase, compared with cells from solid-state fermentation, and these physiological differences led to better tolerance to acid stress. In addition, transcriptomic analysis showed that in the cells cultured from liquid-state fermentation, the genes related to glycolysis, inositol phosphate metabolism, and carbohydrate transport were down-regulated, whereas the genes related to fatty acid synthesis and glutamate metabolism were upregulated, compared with those in cells from solid-state fermentation. In addition, some genes related to acid stress response such as cspA, rimP, rbfA, mazF, and nagB were up-regulated. These findings provide a new perspective for the study of acid stress tolerance of L. paracasei Zhang and offer a reference for the selection of fermentation methods of LAB production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Lactic Acid Bacteria: Metabolism, Genomics and Applications)
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