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Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms...
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Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 26710

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alex Galanis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
Interests: probiotics; microbiota; microbiome; beneficial microbes; multi-omics; lactic acid bacteria
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms with health promoting properties. Their beneficial activities may include anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibiofilm actions, that can be exerted in a strain-specific manner. Viable probiotic cells or their metabolites can induce these effects and influence gut homeostasis by manipulating the structure and function of the intestinal microbiota. Secreted bioactive compounds can also reach remote sites, such as the central nervous system (gut-brain axis) and affect their physiology. In vitro and in vivo experimental models, in addition to clinical studies, assess the efficacy of probiotics and elucidate their mechanisms of action. Additionally, the incorporation of omics platforms and bioinformatic pipelines streamlines the systematic study of these interactions with the gut microbiota and the host in multiple layers (e.g., transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, metagenomic levels). These tools also facilitate the detailed study of the biology, phylogeny, and metabolic properties of the strains, aiming to provide mechanistic insights into their properties. This knowledge is crucial for novel applications of probiotics in the food and pharmaceutical industries, refining the concept of disease-, person- and strain-specific supplementation.

As Guest Editor of this Special Issue, Ι would like to invite you to submit original research articles, review articles, and short communications dealing with different aspects of probiotic activity, novel methodologies to study probiotic-host interactions, probiotic-related health benefits, as well as innovative applications of probiotics in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Dr. Alex Galanis
Guest Editor

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. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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
  • microbiota
  • microbiome
  • transcriptomics
  • proteomics
  • metabolomics
  • genomics
  • in vitro studies
  • animal models
  • clinical trials
  • mechanisms of action
  • health benefits
  • functional foods

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 155 KiB  
Editorial
Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action
by Alex Galanis
Microorganisms 2024, 12(1), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12010073 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 670
Abstract
Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when consumed in appropriate amounts, can promote host homeostasis, and induce health-promoting effects [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)

Research

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14 pages, 2520 KiB  
Article
Effect of Probiotic Yogurt Supplementation(Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12) on Gut Microbiota of Female Taekwondo Athletes and Its Relationship with Exercise-Related Psychological Fatigue
by Jiang Zhu, Yuping Zhu and Gang Song
Microorganisms 2023, 11(6), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11061403 - 26 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2152
Abstract
Objective: The gut microbiota plays a critical role in regulating human health and athletic performance. Probiotic supplementation has been shown to modulate gut microbiota composition and improve exercise performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of probiotic yogurt supplementation on gut microbiota [...] Read more.
Objective: The gut microbiota plays a critical role in regulating human health and athletic performance. Probiotic supplementation has been shown to modulate gut microbiota composition and improve exercise performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of probiotic yogurt supplementation on gut microbiota and its relationship with exercise-related psychological fatigue in female taekwondo athletes. Methods: Twenty female taekwondo athletes were randomly assigned to either a dietary intervention group (DK) or a control group (CK). The athletes’ exercise-related psychological fatigue was measured using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) before and after an 8-week intervention. High-throughput sequencing was used to profile the gut microbiota, and functional prediction of the microbial community was performed. The effect of the dietary intervention on the athletes’ exercise-related psychological fatigue clearance rate and its relationship with the gut microbiota were explored. Results: (1) The probiotic supplementation of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 for 8 weeks significantly increased the ABQ scores of the DK group compared to the CK group (p < 0.05). (2) The abundances of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Lachnospiraceae, family _Lactobacillaceae, and genus _Lactobacillus were significantly higher in the DK group than in the CK group after probiotic supplementation, while Escherichia coli was significantly lower in the DK group than in the CK group. (3) The ABQa scores were positively correlated with Proteus; ABQb scores were positively correlated with Streptococcus and Enterococcus; and ABQc scores were positively correlated with Klebsiella, Bacteroides, and Streptomyces. (4) The DK group had significantly higher levels of L-arginine biosynthesis I (via L-ornithine), fatty acid biosynthesis and oxidation, and L-isoleucine biosynthesis III pathways compared to the CK group. Tyrosine degradation I (via 2,3-dihydroxyphenylpropionate) was significantly lower in the DK group than in the CK group. Conclusions: Probiotic yogurt supplementation of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis can promote the clearance of exercise-related psychological fatigue in female taekwondo athletes by upregulating beneficial gut microbiota, inhibiting harmful gut microbiota, and regulating relevant metabolic pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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17 pages, 1222 KiB  
Article
Ligilactobacillus murinus Strains Isolated from Mice Intestinal Tract: Molecular Characterization and Antagonistic Activity against Food-Borne Pathogens
by Ivonne Lizeth Sandoval-Mosqueda, Adriana Llorente-Bousquets, Carlos Soto, Crisóforo Mercado Márquez, Silvina Fadda and Juan Carlos Del Río García
Microorganisms 2023, 11(4), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11040942 - 4 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2021
Abstract
Considering the objectives of “One Health” and the Sustainable development Goals “Good health and well-being” for the development of effective strategies to apply against bacterial resistance, food safety dangers, and zoonosis risks, this project explored the isolation and identification of Lactobacillus strains from [...] Read more.
Considering the objectives of “One Health” and the Sustainable development Goals “Good health and well-being” for the development of effective strategies to apply against bacterial resistance, food safety dangers, and zoonosis risks, this project explored the isolation and identification of Lactobacillus strains from the intestinal tract of recently weaned mice; as well as the assessment of antibacterial activity against clinical and zoonotic pathogens. For molecular identification, 16S rRNA gene-specific primers were used and, via BLAST-NCBI, 16 Ligilactobacillus murinus, one Ligilactobacillus animalis, and one Streptococcus salivarius strains were identified and registered in GenBank after the confirmation of their identity percentage and the phylogenetic analysis of the 16 Ligilactobacillus murinus strains and their association with Ligilactobacillus animalis. The 18 isolated strains showed antibacterial activity during agar diffusion tests against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O103, and Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 49943. Electrophoretic and zymographic techniques confirmed the presence of bacteriolytic bands with a relative molecular mass of 107 kDa and another of 24 kDa in Ligilactobacillus murinus strains. UPLC-MS analysis allowed the identification of a 107 kDa lytic protein as an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-amidase involved in cytolysis and considered a bacteriolytic enzyme with antimicrobial activity. The 24 kDa band displayed similarity with a portion of protein with aminopeptidase function. It is expected that these findings will impact the search for new strains and their metabolites with antibacterial activity as an alternative strategy to inhibit pathogens associated with major health risks that help your solution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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19 pages, 2781 KiB  
Article
The Pleiotropic Effects of Carbohydrate-Mediated Growth Rate Modifications in Bifidobacterium longum NCC 2705
by Stéphane Duboux, Solenn Pruvost, Christopher Joyce, Biljana Bogicevic, Jeroen André Muller, Annick Mercenier and Michiel Kleerebezem
Microorganisms 2023, 11(3), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11030588 - 26 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1854
Abstract
Bifidobacteria are saccharolytic bacteria that are able to metabolize a relatively large range of carbohydrates through their unique central carbon metabolism known as the “bifid-shunt”. Carbohydrates have been shown to modulate the growth rate of bifidobacteria, but unlike for other genera (e.g., E. [...] Read more.
Bifidobacteria are saccharolytic bacteria that are able to metabolize a relatively large range of carbohydrates through their unique central carbon metabolism known as the “bifid-shunt”. Carbohydrates have been shown to modulate the growth rate of bifidobacteria, but unlike for other genera (e.g., E. coli or L. lactis), the impact it may have on the overall physiology of the bacteria has not been studied in detail to date. Using glucose and galactose as model substrates in Bifidobacterium longum NCC 2705, we established that the strain displayed fast and slow growth rates on those carbohydrates, respectively. We show that these differential growth conditions are accompanied by global transcriptional changes and adjustments of central carbon fluxes. In addition, when grown on galactose, NCC 2705 cells were significantly smaller, exhibited an expanded capacity to import and metabolized different sugars and displayed an increased acid-stress resistance, a phenotypic signature associated with generalized fitness. We predict that part of the observed adaptation is regulated by the previously described bifidobacterial global transcriptional regulator AraQ, which we propose to reflect a catabolite-repression-like response in B. longum. With this manuscript, we demonstrate that not only growth rate but also various physiological characteristics of B. longum NCC 2705 are responsive to the carbon source used for growth, which is relevant in the context of its lifestyle in the human infant gut where galactose-containing oligosaccharides are prominent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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14 pages, 4271 KiB  
Article
Impact of Pomegranate on Probiotic Growth, Viability, Transcriptome and Metabolism
by Sarah O’Flaherty, Natalia Cobian and Rodolphe Barrangou
Microorganisms 2023, 11(2), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11020404 - 5 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1461
Abstract
Despite rising interest in understanding intestinal bacterial survival in situ, relatively little attention has been devoted to deciphering the interaction between bacteria and functional food ingredients. Here, we examined the interplay between diverse beneficial Lactobacillaceae species and a pomegranate (POM) extract and determined [...] Read more.
Despite rising interest in understanding intestinal bacterial survival in situ, relatively little attention has been devoted to deciphering the interaction between bacteria and functional food ingredients. Here, we examined the interplay between diverse beneficial Lactobacillaceae species and a pomegranate (POM) extract and determined the impact of this functional ingredient on bacterial growth, cell survival, transcription and target metabolite genesis. Three commercially available probiotic strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp-115) were used in growth assays and flow cytometry analysis, indicating differential responses to the presence of POM extract across the three strains. The inclusion of POM extract in the growth medium had the greatest impact on L. acidophilus cell counts. LIVE/DEAD staining determined significantly fewer dead cells when L. acidophilus was grown with POM extract compared to the control with no POM (1.23% versus 7.23%). Whole-transcriptome analysis following exposure to POM extract showed markedly different global transcriptome responses, with 15.88% of the L. acidophilus transcriptome, 19.32% of the L. rhamnosus transcriptome and only 2.37% of the L. plantarum transcriptome differentially expressed. We also noted strain-dependent metabolite concentrations in the medium with POM extract compared to the control medium for punicalagin, ellagic acid and gallic acid. Overall, the results show that POM extract triggers species-specific responses by probiotic strains and substantiates the rising interest in using POM as a prebiotic compound. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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Review

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31 pages, 4761 KiB  
Review
Applications of Probiotic-Based Multi-Components to Human, Animal and Ecosystem Health: Concepts, Methodologies, and Action Mechanisms
by Sonagnon Kouhounde, Kifouli Adéoti, Majid Mounir, Alessandro Giusti, Paulo Refinetti, Akaninyene Otu, Emmanuel Effa, Bassey Ebenso, Victor O. Adetimirin, Josep Mercader Barceló, Ousmane Thiare, Holy N. Rabetafika and Hary L. Razafindralambo
Microorganisms 2022, 10(9), 1700; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10091700 - 24 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4709
Abstract
Probiotics and related preparations, including synbiotics and postbiotics, are living and non-living microbial-based multi-components, which are now among the most popular bioactive agents. Such interests mainly arise from the wide range and numerous beneficial effects of their use for various hosts. The current [...] Read more.
Probiotics and related preparations, including synbiotics and postbiotics, are living and non-living microbial-based multi-components, which are now among the most popular bioactive agents. Such interests mainly arise from the wide range and numerous beneficial effects of their use for various hosts. The current minireview article attempts to provide an overview and discuss in a holistic way the concepts, methodologies, action mechanisms, and applications of probiotic-based multi-components in human, animal, plant, soil, and environment health. Probiotic-based multi-component preparations refer to a mixture of bioactive agents, containing probiotics or postbiotics as main functional ingredients, and prebiotics, protectants, stabilizers, encapsulating agents, and other compounds as additional constituents. Analyzing, characterizing, and monitoring over time the traceability, performance, and stability of such multi-component ingredients require relevant and sensitive analytical tools and methodologies. Two innovative profiling and monitoring methods, the thermophysical fingerprinting thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry technique (TGA-DSC) of the whole multi-component powder preparations, and the Advanced Testing for Genetic Composition (ATGC) strain analysis up to the subspecies level, are presented, illustrated, and discussed in this review to respond to those requirements. Finally, the paper deals with some selected applications of probiotic-based multi-components to human, animal, plant, soil and environment health, while mentioning their possible action mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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43 pages, 2382 KiB  
Review
Probiotics: Protecting Our Health from the Gut
by Gael Urait Varela-Trinidad, Carolina Domínguez-Díaz, Karla Solórzano-Castanedo, Liliana Íñiguez-Gutiérrez, Teresita de Jesús Hernández-Flores and Mary Fafutis-Morris
Microorganisms 2022, 10(7), 1428; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071428 - 14 Jul 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 8117
Abstract
The gut microbiota (GM) comprises billions of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract. This microbial community exerts numerous physiological functions. Prominent among these functions is the effect on host immunity through the uptake of nutrients that strengthen intestinal cells and cells involved in [...] Read more.
The gut microbiota (GM) comprises billions of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract. This microbial community exerts numerous physiological functions. Prominent among these functions is the effect on host immunity through the uptake of nutrients that strengthen intestinal cells and cells involved in the immune response. The physiological functions of the GM are not limited to the gut, but bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiota and various extraintestinal organs have been identified. These interactions have been termed interorganic axes by several authors, among which the gut–brain, gut–skin, gut–lung, gut–heart, and gut–metabolism axes stand out. It has been shown that an organism is healthy or in homeostasis when the GM is in balance. However, altered GM or dysbiosis represents a critical factor in the pathogenesis of many local and systemic diseases. Therefore, probiotics intervene in this context, which, according to various published studies, allows balance to be maintained in the GM, leading to an individual’s good health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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15 pages, 326 KiB  
Review
Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Anemia
by Zuzanna Zakrzewska, Aleksandra Zawartka, Magdalena Schab, Adrian Martyniak, Szymon Skoczeń, Przemysław J. Tomasik and Andrzej Wędrychowicz
Microorganisms 2022, 10(7), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071330 - 30 Jun 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4768
Abstract
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is very common and affects approximately 1/3 of the world’s human population. There are strong research data that some probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum improve iron absorption and influence the course of anemia. Furthermore, prebiotics, including [...] Read more.
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is very common and affects approximately 1/3 of the world’s human population. There are strong research data that some probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum improve iron absorption and influence the course of anemia. Furthermore, prebiotics, including galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), increase iron bioavailability and decrease its destructive effect on the intestinal microbiota. In addition, multiple postbiotics, which are probiotic metabolites, including vitamins, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and tryptophan, are involved in the regulation of intestinal absorption and may influence iron status in humans. This review presents the actual data from research studies on the influence of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics on the prevention and therapy of IDA and the latest findings regarding their mechanisms of action. A comparison of the latest research data and theories regarding the role of pre-, post-, and probiotics and the mechanism of their action in anemias is also presented and discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Novel Methodologies, Applications, and Mechanisms of Action)
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