Metabolomic Analysis of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. gasseri, L. crispatus, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Strains in the Presence of Pomegranate Extract

Abstract

Lactobacillus species are prominent inhabitants of the human gastrointestinal tract that contribute to maintaining a balanced microbial environment that positively influences host health. These bacterial populations can be altered through use of probiotic supplements or via dietary changes which in turn affect the host health. Utilizing polyphenolic compounds to selectively stimulate the growth of commensal bacteria can have a positive effect on the host through the production of numerous metabolites that are biologically active. Four Lactobacillus strains were grown in the presence of pomegranate (POM) extract. Two strains, namely, L. acidophilus NCFM and L. rhamnosus GG, are commonly used probiotics, while the other two strains, namely, L. crispatus NCK1351 and L. gasseri NCK1342, exhibit probiotic potential. To compare and contrast the impact of POM on the strains' metabolic capacity, we investigated the growth of the strains with and without the presence of POM and identified their carbohydrate utilization and enzyme activity profiles. To further investigate the differences between strains, an untargeted metabolomic approach was utilized to quantitatively and qualitatively define the metabolite profiles of these strains. Several metabolites were produced significantly and/or exclusively in some of the strains, including mevalonate, glutamine, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide, phenyllactate, and fumarate. The production of numerous discrete compounds illustrates the unique characteristics of and diversity between strains. Unraveling these differences is essential to understand the probiotic function and help inform strain selection for commercial product formulation.

Antimicrobial Properties of Bacillus Probiotics as Animal Growth Promoters

“…This follows previous findings, showing that probiotic supplementation changes the metabolite profiles in the gut using GC-MS and 1 H NMR [71]. Lactobacillus probiotic supplementation was able to increase the amount of health enhancing compounds such as amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids [67,72]. This includes glutamine and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamid, produced by L. acidophilus, which increases enterocyte proliferation, regulation of tight junctions and suppression of inflammatory signalling pathways [72,73].…”

Metabolites Potentially Determine the High Antioxidant Properties of Limosilactobacillus fermentum U-21

“…While analyzing the untargeted metabolomic profile, a total of 1144 metabolites in the L. fermentum U-21′s cultural fluid were identified: 681 metabolites of them in the aqueous phase, 98 in the lipid-containing phase, and 365 in the extracellular vesicles, as amounts was expected from previous work [ 24 ]. While comparing the metabolites of the studied L. fermentum U-21 strain with the L. fermentum 279, which does not exhibit high AO properties, 257 metabolites in the aqueous phase, 60 in the lipid-containing phase, and 82 in extracellular vesicles appeared to be unique for L. fermentum U-21.…”

Integrative Analysis of Probiotic-Mediated Remodeling in Canine Gut Microbiota and Metabolites Using a Fermenter for an Intestinal Microbiota Model

“…Finally, L. acidophilus primarily produces lactic acid as part of its metabolic processes, supporting the creation of an acidic gut environment that impedes the growth of detrimental bacteria and pathogens. While L. acidophilus SLAM AK001 may not be as widely recognized for its SCFA production as certain other bacterial strains, it does contribute to the production of SCFAs, particularly acetate and propionate (Chamberlain et al, 2022;Hossain et al, 2021). These findings underscore the significance of the metabolites generated within the FIMM cultivation system, demonstrating that the in vitro cultivation system provides the conditions necessary for proper metabolite production by different bacterial species.…”