Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions

Castro-Seriche, Susana; Alvarez-Norambuena, Joaquin; Lincoñir-Campos, Paulina; Gutiérrez-Zamorano, Cristian; Ruiz-Garrido, Alvaro; Jerez-Angulo, Bruno; García-Cancino, Apolinaria; Jerez-Morales, Alonso

doi:10.3390/foods14193345

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Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions

by

Susana Castro-Seriche

¹,

Joaquin Alvarez-Norambuena

²

,

Paulina Lincoñir-Campos

¹,

Cristian Gutiérrez-Zamorano

³,

Alvaro Ruiz-Garrido

⁴

,

Bruno Jerez-Angulo

⁵,

Apolinaria García-Cancino

^6,*

and

Alonso Jerez-Morales

^1,*

¹

Research and Development Department, Haiken Vetscience SpA Paicavi 483, Concepción 4070031, Chile

²

Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA

³

Centro Interactivo de Ciencias, Artes y Tecnologías (CICAT), Universidad de Concepción, Avenida Cordillera 3582, Coronel 4190044, Chile

⁴

Pathology and Preventive Medicine Department, School of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Avenida Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3812120, Chile

⁵

School of Chemical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Brazil Avenue 2180, Valparaíso 2362854, Chile

⁶

Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenicity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Chacabuco Avenue 1363, Concepción 4070386, Chile

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Foods 2025, 14(19), 3345; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193345

Submission received: 12 August 2025 / Revised: 15 September 2025 / Accepted: 19 September 2025 / Published: 26 September 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)

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Abstract

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a bioactive amino acid with anti-inflammatory and neurotransmitter properties, yet limited information exists regarding its production by Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum. We evaluated factors that influence GABA synthesis by L. paraplantarum HK-1 and assessed its production in vitro and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. GABA production was analyzed using HPLC with pre-column derivatization, gene expression was assessed through RT-qPCR, and probiotic characteristics were evaluated using standard microbiological methods. L. paraplantarum HK-1 demonstrated dose-dependent GABA production with monosodium glutamate (MSG) supplementation, achieving maximum levels at 500 mM MSG (161.1 µg/mL), which was significantly higher than those in other treatments (p < 0.01). A strong positive correlation was observed between MSG concentration and GABA production (r = 0.908, p = 0.002). Gene expression analysis revealed a 61.6-fold higher gadB expression at 500 mM MSG compared to 250 mM, though statistical significance with GABA production was not achieved (r = 0.741, p = 0.259). The strain exhibited appropriate probiotic characteristics including γ-hemolytic activity, bile salt tolerance, and acid resistance. Under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, maximum GABA production occurred in the distal colon (148.3 ± 19.0 µg/mL with probiotic vs. 7.2 ± 6.2 µg/mL control), with overall production significantly higher in probiotic-treated groups (p < 0.001). Overall, L. paraplantarum HK-1 produced GABA throughout gastrointestinal phases and showed traits consistent with probiotic use. These results position HK-1 as a promising GABA-producing candidate for functional food applications, pending in vivo validation.

Keywords: gamma-aminobutyric acid; Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum; probiotic; glutamate decarboxylase; functional food; gastrointestinal simulation; gene expression; gut–brain axis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Castro-Seriche, S.; Alvarez-Norambuena, J.; Lincoñir-Campos, P.; Gutiérrez-Zamorano, C.; Ruiz-Garrido, A.; Jerez-Angulo, B.; García-Cancino, A.; Jerez-Morales, A. Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions. Foods 2025, 14, 3345. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193345

AMA Style

Castro-Seriche S, Alvarez-Norambuena J, Lincoñir-Campos P, Gutiérrez-Zamorano C, Ruiz-Garrido A, Jerez-Angulo B, García-Cancino A, Jerez-Morales A. Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions. Foods. 2025; 14(19):3345. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193345

Chicago/Turabian Style

Castro-Seriche, Susana, Joaquin Alvarez-Norambuena, Paulina Lincoñir-Campos, Cristian Gutiérrez-Zamorano, Alvaro Ruiz-Garrido, Bruno Jerez-Angulo, Apolinaria García-Cancino, and Alonso Jerez-Morales. 2025. "Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions" Foods 14, no. 19: 3345. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193345

APA Style

Castro-Seriche, S., Alvarez-Norambuena, J., Lincoñir-Campos, P., Gutiérrez-Zamorano, C., Ruiz-Garrido, A., Jerez-Angulo, B., García-Cancino, A., & Jerez-Morales, A. (2025). Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions. Foods, 14(19), 3345. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193345

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Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum HK-1 and GABA Synthesis Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions

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