Lactobacillus sp. as a potential probiotic for the prevention of Paenibacillus larvae infection in honey bees

Abstract

American foulbrood (AFB) is amongst the most dangerous of bee diseases, affecting many honey bee colonies worldwide each year.L. plantarum. The growth dynamic of both strains was similar whereby no significant differences were found (Fig. 1). Decrease of pH was significantly faster in L. plantarum from the 8 th to 24 th hour of growth (p < 0.001) in comparison to L. brevis, in accordance with significantly higher production of lactic acid by L. plantarum. Homofermentative L. plantarum produced high concentration of lactic acid (269.2 ± 14.30 mmol.l -1 ) and lower concentrations of acetic (78.1 ± 4.83 mmol.l -1 ), acetoacetic (23.4 ± 2.08 mmol.l -1 ) andpropionic acid (17.9 ± 7.05 mmol.l -1 ). Heterofermentative L. brevis produced in the highest concentrations of acetic (73.9 ± 5.87 mmol.l -1 ), lactic (42.9 ± 3.29 mmol.l -1 ), and acetoacetic acid (27.2 ± 1.69 mmol.l -1 ).All these properties are good prerequisites for the use of both strains for the prevention of P. larvae infection in honey bees, but further studies are necessary.

Feeding Honeybee Colonies with Honeybee-Specific Lactic Acid Bacteria (Hbs-LAB) Does Not Affect Colony-Level Hbs-LAB Composition or Paenibacillus larvae Spore Levels, Although American Foulbrood Affected Colonies Harbor a More Diverse Hbs-LAB Community

“…Bacteria in the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium produce a range of antimicrobial metabolites, such as organic acids, antimicrobial peptides, and bacteriocins [17,[52][53][54]. It is therefore not surprising that their potential for supporting honeybee health, by limiting the virulence and spread of pathogens, has received much attention.…”

Antimicrobial Activity against Paenibacillus larvae and Functional Properties of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strains: Potential Benefits for Honeybee Health

“…The natural genomic architecture is the basis of its versatility and of its success in industrial applications, not only as starter culture but also as a bio-protective agent [70]. However, while numerous data on the functional and probiotic properties of L. plantarum in the diet of fish and mammals, including humans, were obtained [71][72][73][74][75], to our knowledge, its use as a probiotic in the honeybee diet and its antagonistic action against P. larvae has been little studied [76][77][78]. In this research we investigated the inhibitory properties of L. plantarum strains, isolated, in previous studies [79], from the honeybee (A. mellifera L.) gut and bee bread, against P. larvae ATCC 9545.…”

Improvement of identification methods for honeybee specific Lactic Acid Bacteria; future approaches

“…Bifidobacteria are included in the LAB definition due to their similar origin, their production of organic acids and common use by the food and biotech industries [9]. LAB associated with honeybees such as Lactobacillus johnsonii [4,5], Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus brevis [10], Lactobacillus apis [11] and other hbs-LAB [7,8] have been proposed to have an inhibitory effect on honeybee pathogens such as Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius . In addition, Olofsson and Vásquez [6] observed a decrease in the quantity of hbs-LAB when honeybees became infected with P .…”