Complex Oligosaccharide Utilization Pathways in Lactobacillus

Abstract

Lactobacillus is the bacterial genus that contains the highest number of characterized probiotics. Lactobacilli in general can utilize a great variety of carbohydrates. This characteristic is an essential trait for their survival in highly competitive environments such as the gastrointestinal tract of animals. In particular, the ability of some strains to utilize complex carbohydrates such as milk oligosaccharides as well as their precursor monosaccharides, confer upon lactobacilli a competitive advantage. For this reason, many of these carbohydrates are considered as prebiotics. Genome sequencing of many lactobacilli strains has revealed a great variety of genes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and some of them have already been characterized. In this review, the current knowledge at biochemical and genetic levels o n t h e c a t a b o l i c p a t h w a y s o f c o m p l e x carbohydrates utilized by lactobacilli will be summarized.

Haemonchus contortus Infection Alters Gastrointestinal Microbial Community Composition, Protein Digestion and Amino Acid Allocations in Lambs

“…So, increased Lactobacillus has a therapeutic role. Furthermore, increased Lactobacillus and Treponema are nonpathogenic, carbohydrate-metabolizing bacteria that can enhance the supply of nutrients needed in response to GIN infection (Flint et al, 2012;Allison et al, 2018;Zúiga et al, 2020). In addition, KEGG pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism were enhanced in infected lambs.…”

Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria Phospho-β-Glucosidases during the Fermentation of Cereal by-Products

“…pseudomesenteroides DSM 20193 harbours only a phospho-β-glucosidases cellobioseassociated PTS system within the same operon suggesting a wider specificity of this transporter. In fact, previous studies demonstrated that generic β-glucoside PTS are essential for L. plantarum growth on fructooligosaccharides suggesting a wider specificity beyond β-glucosides [49,50]. Notably, degradation of β-fructosides caused an upregulation of pbg10 gene [51].…”

An α type gluco-oligosaccharide from brown algae Laminaria japonica stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria encoding specific ABC transport system components

“…In addition, the structure of these maltodextrin-utilization gene clusters in LAB has been reviewed in a recent research. 37 Thus, as a mixture of gluco -oligosaccharides, two permeases probably transported LJGO into cells. Thereafter, the α-(1→4)-linked glucose units were binned to a specific maltose/maltodextrin-binding protein, and later decomposed by a local intracellular α-1,4-glucosidase for further catabolism.…”