Colonization by lactobacilli of piglet small intestinal mucus

Abstract

The colonization potential of lactobacilli was investigated using small intestinal mucus extracts from 35‐d‐old pigs. Mucus‐secreting tissue from the small intestine of piglets was gently rinsed to remove contents and then shaken in buffer to release mucus from the surface. Numbers of lactobacilli in different portions of the small intestine of 35‐d‐old pigs were enumerated. Also, mucus isolated from the small intestine of pigs was investigated for its capacity to support the growth of lactobacilli. Results indicated that Lactobacillus spp. inhabit the mucus layer of the small intestine and can grow and adhere to ileal mucus. From adhesion studies of Lactobacillus fermentum 104R to mucus analysed by Scatchard plot, it is suggested that an associating system showing positive cooperativity is involved. Proteinaceous compound(s) involved in the adhesion to mucus were detected in the spent culture fluid from the growth of strain 104R. Studies are continuing in order to identify and characterize the adhesion‐promoting protein(s). From the data, it is proposed that lactobacilli colonize the mucus layer of the small intestine of pigs.

Potential probioticLactobacillus strains for piglets from an arid coast

“…This strain showed a high expression of genes involved in amino-sugar catabolism and in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Moreover, these results are in accordance with those of Rojas and Conway (1996) who demonstrated that Lactobacillus strains are able to utilise the small intestinal mucus for growth. Ability to develop in high number in intestinal mucus could represent an advantage for potential coloniser bacteria but also for potential probiotic Lactobacillus.…”

“…All strains showed a bacillary morphology, a Gram positive staining and a catalase negative reaction. Lactobacillus strains were found at similar levels to the previously reported (Rojas and Conway, 1996). These results indicate that even pigs that inhabit extreme conditions in arid coasts, maintain the levels of cultivable Lactobacillus strains in faeces and intestinal mucus.…”

“…In healthy pigs, the association of beneficial bacteria as lactobacilli with the epithelial and mucosal surfaces and their presence in faeces has been previously reported (Robinson et al, 1981;Rojas and Conway, 1996). In the present study, bacterial population in faeces ranged between 10 7 to 10 9 CFU g -1 with an average value of 4.46 x 10 8 ± 6.3 CFU g -1 (n = 19).…”

“…To test the ability of the 27 adhesive Lactobacillus strains to grow in mucus, a method previously described was modified (Rojas and Conway, 1996). Mucus extracts (3 ml, concentration of 4 mg/ml of protein) were sterilised in plastic Petri dishes by exposure for 5 min to UV light.…”

2‐DE and MS analysis of interactions between Lactobacillus fermentum I5007 and intestinal epithelial cells

“…We chose a 4 h scale on the basis of the previous studies that demonstrated changes of metabolism and proteins in bacteria in response to a hostbacterium interaction [12,13]. In addition, we decided to place the chosen number of the Lactobacillus cells into the jejunum in light of the composition of microbiota in the pig small intestine [15,16]. Also, Lactobacilli at the mid-logphase were normally used in studies because they were more responsive to a treatment [13,17].…”