lactobacillus
Microbial Ecology | SpotlightEcological Importance of Cross-Feeding of the Intermediate Metabolite 1,2-Propanediol between Bacterial Gut SymbiontsThrough experiments in gnotobiotic mice that employed isogenic mutants of bacterial strains that produce (Bifidobacterium breve) and utilize (Lactobacillus reuteri) 1,2-propanediol, this study provides mechanistic insight into the ecological ramifications of a trophic interaction between gut...
Invertebrate Microbiology | SpotlightGenetic Influences of the Microbiota on the Life Span of Drosophila melanogasterAssociated microorganisms (“microbiota”) are intimately connected to the behavior and physiology of their animal hosts, and defining the mechanisms of these interactions is an urgent imperative. This study focuses on how microorganisms influence the life span of a model host, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. First, we performed a screen that suggested a strong...
Food Microbiology | SpotlightCompetitive Exclusion Is a Major Bioprotective Mechanism of Lactobacilli against Fungal Spoilage in Fermented Milk ProductsIn societies that have food choices, conscious consumers demand natural solutions to keep their food healthy and fresh during storage, simultaneously reducing food waste. The use of “good bacteria” to protect food against spoilage organisms has a long, successful history, even though the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we show that the depletion of free manganese is a major bioprotective mechanism of...
Food MicrobiologyGenetic Determinants of Hydroxycinnamic Acid Metabolism in Heterofermentative LactobacilliThe metabolism of secondary plant metabolites, including phenolic compounds, by food-fermenting lactobacilli is a significant contributor to the safety, quality, and nutritional quality of fermented foods. The enzymes mediating hydrolysis, reduction, and decarboxylation of phenolic acid esters and phenolic acids in lactobacilli, however, are not fully characterized. The genomic analyses presented here provide evidence for three novel...
Invertebrate MicrobiologyCadmium and Selenate Exposure Affects the Honey Bee Microbiome and Metabolome, and Bee-Associated Bacteria Show Potential for BioaccumulationBees are important insect pollinators that may encounter environmental pollution when foraging upon plants grown in contaminated areas. Despite the pervasiveness of pollution, little is known about the effects of these toxicants on honey bee metabolism and their symbiotic microbiomes. Here, we investigated the impact of selenate and cadmium exposure on the gut microbiome and metabolome of honey bees. We found that exposure to these...
Food Microbiology | SpotlightInterspecies Inhibition of Porphyromonas gingivalis by Yogurt-Derived Lactobacillus delbrueckii Requires Active Pyruvate OxidaseP. gingivalis is implicated in the onset and progression of periodontal disease and associated with some systemic diseases. Probiotic bacteria represent an attractive preventative therapy for periodontal disease. However, the efficacy of probiotic bacteria can be variable between studies. Our data support the known importance of selecting particular strains of...
Environmental MicrobiologyHoneybee-Specific Lactic Acid Bacterium Supplements Have No Effect on American Foulbrood-Infected Honeybee ColoniesThe previously demonstrated antagonistic effects of honeybee-derived bacterial microbiota on the infectivity and pathogenicity of P. larvae in laboratory bioassays have identified a possible new approach to AFB control. However, honeybee colonies are complex superorganisms where social immune defenses play a major role in resistance against disease at the colony level...
Invertebrate Microbiology | SpotlightMetabolic Basis for Mutualism between Gut Bacteria and Its Impact on the Drosophila melanogaster HostThe digestive tracts of animals are home to a community of microorganisms, the gut microbiota, which affects the growth, development, and health of the host. Interactions among microbes in this inner ecosystem can influence which species colonize the gut and can lead to changes in host physiology. We investigated a mutually beneficial interaction between two bacterial species from the gut microbiota of fruit flies. By coculturing the...
Food Microbiology | SpotlightGenus-Wide Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance in Lactobacillus spp.Lactobacillus species are generally considered to be nonpathogenic and are used in a wide variety of foods and products for humans and animals. However, many of the species examined in this study have antibiotic resistance levels which exceed those recommended by the EFSA, suggesting that these cutoff values should be reexamined in light of the genetic basis for...
MinireviewFructophilic Lactic Acid Bacteria, a Unique Group of Fructose-Fermenting MicrobesFructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) are a recently discovered group, consisting of a few Fructobacillus and Lactobacillus species. Because of their unique characteristics, including poor growth on glucose and preference of oxygen, they are regarded as “unconventional” lactic acid bacteria (LAB...