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Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics
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Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 June 2024 | Viewed by 6861

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Julio Villena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Immunobiotechnology, Reference Centre for Lactobacilli (CERELA-CONICET), Chacabuco 145, San Miguel de Tucuman CP400, Argentina
Interests: probiotics; immunobiotics; mucosal immunology; genomics; lactic acid bacteria; microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Haruki Kitazawa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Animal Food Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 981-8555, Japan
Interests: probiotics; immunobiotics; mucosal immunology; lactic acid bacteria; functional foods; animal science

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent, decades, we have witnessed remarkable advances in the study of beneficial microorganisms and their impact on both human and animal health. The field of probiotics has expanded, and thanks to advances in microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, and “omic” tools, the effects and mechanisms of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics are well understood. This Special Issue is supervised by Dr. Julio Villena and Prof. Dr. Haruki Kitazawa, with assistance from our Topical Advisory Panel Member, Dr. Leonardo Albarracín.

This Special Issue is a platform for high-quality publications on recent advances in prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. Studies that address the cellular and molecular interactions between beneficial microorganisms or their effector molecules and the host, as well as the development of new functional foods and feeds, are welcome.

Dr. Julio Villena
Prof. Dr. Haruki Kitazawa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

 

Keywords

  • probiotics
  • prebiotics
  • postbiotics
  • symbiotics
  • immunobiotics
  • functional foods
  • health improvement
  • mucosal immunology
  • microbiota

Published Papers (6 papers)

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17 pages, 4473 KiB  
Article
Protective Effect of Probiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells
by Irene Paterniti, Sarah Adriana Scuderi, Lucia Cambria, Antonia Nostro, Emanuela Esposito and Andreana Marino
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031770 - 01 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1112
Abstract
Probiotic therapy needs consideration as an alternative strategy to prevent and possibly treat corneal infection. This study aimed to assess the preventive effect of Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis on reducing the infection of human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells caused by [...] Read more.
Probiotic therapy needs consideration as an alternative strategy to prevent and possibly treat corneal infection. This study aimed to assess the preventive effect of Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis on reducing the infection of human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The probiotics’ preventive effect against infection was evaluated in cell monolayers pretreated with each probiotic 1 h and 24 h prior to P. aeruginosa challenge followed by 1 h and 24 h of growth in combination. Cell adhesion, cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, and antinitrosative activities were evaluated. L. reuteri and B. longum adhered to HCE cells, preserved occludin tight junctions’ integrity, and increased mucin production on a SkinEthicTM HCE model. Pretreatment with L. reuteri or B. longum significantly protected HCE cells from infection at 24 h, increasing cell viability at 110% (110.51 ± 5.15; p ≤ 0.05) and 137% (137.55 ± 11.97; p ≤ 0.05), respectively. Each probiotic showed anti-inflammatory and antinitrosative activities, reducing TNF-α level (p ≤ 0.001) and NOx amount (p ≤ 0.001) and reestablishing IL-10 level (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that L. reuteri and B. longum exert protective effects in the context of corneal infection caused by P. aeruginosa by restoring cell viability and modulating inflammatory cytokine release. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics)
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25 pages, 3399 KiB  
Article
Microbiota-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as a Postbiotic Strategy to Alleviate Diarrhea and Enhance Immunity in Rotavirus-Infected Neonatal Rats
by Sergio Martínez-Ruiz, Yenifer Olivo-Martínez, Cecilia Cordero, María J. Rodríguez-Lagunas, Francisco J. Pérez-Cano, Josefa Badia and Laura Baldoma
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021184 - 18 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1068
Abstract
Rotavirus (RV) infection is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old, resulting in elevated mortality rates in low-income countries. The efficacy of anti-RV vaccines is limited in underdeveloped countries, emphasizing the need for novel strategies to boost immunity [...] Read more.
Rotavirus (RV) infection is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old, resulting in elevated mortality rates in low-income countries. The efficacy of anti-RV vaccines is limited in underdeveloped countries, emphasizing the need for novel strategies to boost immunity and alleviate RV-induced diarrhea. This study explores the effectiveness of interventions involving extracellular vesicles (EVs) from probiotic and commensal E. coli in mitigating diarrhea and enhancing immunity in a preclinical model of RV infection in suckling rats. On days 8 and 16 of life, variables related to humoral and cellular immunity and intestinal function/architecture were assessed. Both interventions enhanced humoral (serum immunoglobulins) and cellular (splenic natural killer (NK), cytotoxic T (Tc) and positive T-cell receptor γδ (TCRγδ) cells) immunity against viral infections and downregulated the intestinal serotonin receptor-3 (HTR3). However, certain effects were strain-specific. EcoR12 EVs activated intestinal CD68, TLR2 and IL-12 expression, whereas EcN EVs improved intestinal maturation, barrier properties (goblet cell numbers/mucin 2 expression) and absorptive function (villus length). In conclusion, interventions involving probiotic/microbiota EVs may serve as a safe postbiotic strategy to improve clinical symptoms and immune responses during RV infection in the neonatal period. Furthermore, they could be used as adjuvants to enhance the immunogenicity and efficacy of anti-RV vaccines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics)
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28 pages, 4636 KiB  
Article
In Silico Safety Assessment of Bacillus Isolated from Polish Bee Pollen and Bee Bread as Novel Probiotic Candidates
by Ahmer Bin Hafeez, Karolina Pełka, Randy Worobo and Piotr Szweda
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(1), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010666 - 04 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1146
Abstract
Bacillus species isolated from Polish bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB) were characterized for in silico probiotic and safety attributes. A probiogenomics approach was used, and in-depth genomic analysis was performed using a wide array of bioinformatics tools to investigate the presence [...] Read more.
Bacillus species isolated from Polish bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB) were characterized for in silico probiotic and safety attributes. A probiogenomics approach was used, and in-depth genomic analysis was performed using a wide array of bioinformatics tools to investigate the presence of virulence and antibiotic resistance properties, mobile genetic elements, and secondary metabolites. Functional annotation and Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes (CAZYme) profiling revealed the presence of genes and a repertoire of probiotics properties promoting enzymes. The isolates BB10.1, BP20.15 (isolated from bee bread), and PY2.3 (isolated from bee pollen) genome mining revealed the presence of several genes encoding acid, heat, cold, and other stress tolerance mechanisms, adhesion proteins required to survive and colonize harsh gastrointestinal environments, enzymes involved in the metabolism of dietary molecules, antioxidant activity, and genes associated with the synthesis of vitamins. In addition, genes responsible for the production of biogenic amines (BAs) and D-/L-lactate, hemolytic activity, and other toxic compounds were also analyzed. Pan-genome analyses were performed with 180 Bacillus subtilis and 204 Bacillus velezensis genomes to mine for any novel genes present in the genomes of our isolates. Moreover, all three isolates also consisted of gene clusters encoding secondary metabolites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics)
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16 pages, 8772 KiB  
Article
Substances Secreted by Lactobacillus spp. from the Urinary Tract Microbiota Play a Protective Role against Proteus mirabilis Infections and Their Complications
by Dominika Szczerbiec, Mirosława Słaba and Agnieszka Torzewska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010103 (registering DOI) - 20 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 783
Abstract
Proteus mirabilis urinary tract infections can lead to serious complications such as development of urinary stones. Lactobacillus spp., belonging to the natural microbiota of the urinary tract, exhibit a number of antagonistic mechanisms against uropathogens, including the secretion of organic acids. In this [...] Read more.
Proteus mirabilis urinary tract infections can lead to serious complications such as development of urinary stones. Lactobacillus spp., belonging to the natural microbiota of the urinary tract, exhibit a number of antagonistic mechanisms against uropathogens, including the secretion of organic acids. In this study, we determined the anti-adhesion, anti-cytotoxicity and anti-crystallization properties of the substances secreted by Lactobacillus. For this purpose, membrane inserts with a pore diameter 0.4 μm were used, which prevent mixing of cultured cells, simultaneously enabling the diffusion of metabolic products. The intensity of crystallization was assessed by measuring the levels of Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH3 and by observing crystals using microscopic methods. The cytotoxicity of the HCV-29 cell line was determined using the LDH and MTT assays, and the impact of lactobacilli on P. mirabilis adhesion to the bladder epithelium was assessed by establishing CFU/mL after cell lysis. It was shown that in the presence of L. gasseri the adhesion of P. mirabilis and the cytotoxicity of the cells decreased. The degree of crystallization was also inhibited in all experimental models. Moreover, it was demonstrated that L. gasseri is characterized by the secretion of a high concentration of L-lactic acid. These results indicate that L-lactic acid secreted by L. gasseri has a significant impact on the crystallization process and pathogenicity of P. mirabilis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics)
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11 pages, 11363 KiB  
Article
The sprT Gene of Bacillus velezensis FZB42 Is Involved in Biofilm Formation and Bacilysin Production
by Yihan Yang, Ruofu Chen, Mati Ur Rahman, Chunyue Wei and Ben Fan
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 16815; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242316815 - 27 Nov 2023
Viewed by 956
Abstract
Bacillus velezensis FZB42, a representative strain of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), can form robust biofilm and produce multiple antibiotics against a wild range of phytopathogens. In this study, we observed different biofilm morphology of the mutant Y4, derived from a TnYLB-1 transposon insertion library [...] Read more.
Bacillus velezensis FZB42, a representative strain of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), can form robust biofilm and produce multiple antibiotics against a wild range of phytopathogens. In this study, we observed different biofilm morphology of the mutant Y4, derived from a TnYLB-1 transposon insertion library of B. velezensis FZB42. We identified that the transposon was inserted into the sprT gene in Y4. Our bioinformatics analysis revealed that the SprT protein is an unstable hydrophilic protein located in the cytoplasm. It is highly conserved in Bacillus species and predicted to function as a metalloprotease by binding zinc ions. We also demonstrated that ΔsprT significantly reduced the swarming ability of FZB42 by ~5-fold and sporulation capacity by ~25-fold. In addition, the antagonistic experiments showed that, compared to the wild type, the ΔsprT strain exhibited significantly reduced inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-9144 and Phytophthora sojae, indicating that the inactivation of sprT led to decreased production of the antibiotic bacilysin. The HPLC-MS analysis confirmed that bacilysin was indeed decreased in the ΔsprT strain, and qPCR analysis revealed that ΔsprT down-regulated the expression of the genes for bacilysin biosynthesis. Our results suggest that the sprT gene plays a regulatory role in multiple characteristics of B. velezensis FZB42, including biofilm formation, swarming, sporulation, and antibiotic production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics)
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16 pages, 1999 KiB  
Article
Immunobiotic Ligilactobacillus salivarius FFIG58 Confers Long-Term Protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae
by Mariano Elean, Fernanda Raya Tonetti, Kohtaro Fukuyama, Luciano Arellano-Arriagada, Fu Namai, Yoshihito Suda, Nadia Gobbato, Keita Nishiyama, Julio Villena and Haruki Kitazawa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15773; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115773 - 30 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1073
Abstract
Previously, we isolated potentially probiotic Ligilactobacillus salivarius strains from the intestines of wakame-fed pigs. The strains were characterized based on their ability to modulate the innate immune responses triggered by the activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3 or TLR4 signaling pathways in intestinal mucosa. [...] Read more.
Previously, we isolated potentially probiotic Ligilactobacillus salivarius strains from the intestines of wakame-fed pigs. The strains were characterized based on their ability to modulate the innate immune responses triggered by the activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3 or TLR4 signaling pathways in intestinal mucosa. In this work, we aimed to evaluate whether nasally administered L. salivarius strains are capable of modulating the innate immune response in the respiratory tract and conferring long-term protection against the respiratory pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infant mice (3-weeks-old) were nasally primed with L. salivarius strains and then stimulated with the TLR3 agonist poly(I:C). Five or thirty days after the last poly(I:C) administration mice were infected with pneumococci. Among the strains evaluated, L. salivarius FFIG58 had a remarkable ability to enhance the protection against the secondary pneumococcal infection by modulating the respiratory immune response. L. salivarius FFIG58 improved the ability of alveolar macrophages to produce interleukin (IL)-6, interferon (IFN)-γ, IFN-β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-27, chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2), chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 2 (CXCL2), and CXCL10 in response to pneumococcal challenge. Furthermore, results showed that the nasal priming of infant mice with the FFIG58 strain protected the animals against secondary infection until 30 days after stimulation with poly(I:C), raising the possibility of using nasally administered immunobiotics to stimulate trained immunity in the respiratory tract. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics)
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