• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1243-1251
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using L. reuteri Pg4, a strain isolated from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of healthy broilers, as a probiotic. In preliminary in vitro studies the Pg4 strain was proven capable of tolerating acid and bile salts, inhibiting pathogenic bacteria and can adhere to intestinal epithelial cells. The probiotic properties were then evaluated on the basis of the broiler's growth performance, intestinal microbial population and cecal volatile fatty acid and lactic acid concentrations under conventional feeding. Dietary supplementation of dried L. reuteri Pg4 decreased significantly feed intake in grower chickens and improved significantly the feed conversion by 5% in a 0-6 weeks feeding period compared with the control group. The Lactobacillus counts in the crop, ileum, and cecum of the probiotic group were higher than in the control group. The L. reuteri Pg4 strain was traceable in the GI tract of probiotic supplemented chicks and showed capability of survival in the intestine for a protracted period. The probiotic group had a higher lactic acid concentration and lower pH value in the cecum than the control chicks. Probiotic supplement also affected the histology of the intestinal mucosa of chicks. The present findings demonstrated that L. reuteri Pg4 possesses probiotic characteristics and it is suggested, therefore, that the organism could be a candidate for a new probiotic strain.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.967-982
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• 2021

Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, provide a health benefit to the host and are considered safe. Most probiotic strains that are beneficial to human health are included in the "Lactic acid bacteria" (LAB) group. The positive effects of probiotic bacteria on the host's health are species-specific and even strain-specific. Therefore, evaluating the probiotic potential of both wild and novel strains is essential. In this study, the probiotic characteristics of Lactobacillus brevis KT38-3 were determined. The strain identification was achieved by 16S rRNA sequencing. API-ZYM test kits were used to determine the enzymatic capacity of the strain. L. brevis KT38-3 was able to survive in conditions with a broad pH range (pH 2-7), range of bile salts (0.3%-1%) and conditions that simulated gastric juice and intestinal juice. The percentage of autoaggregation (59.4%), coaggregation with E. coli O157:H7 (37.4%) and hydrophobicity were determined to be 51.1%, 47.4%, and 52.7%, respectively. L. brevis KT38-3 produced β-galactosidase enzymes and was able ferment lactose. In addition, this strain was capable of producing antimicrobial peptides against the bacteria tested, including methicillin and/or vancomycin-resistant bacteria. The cell-free supernatants of the strain had high antioxidant activities (DPPH: 54.9% and ABTS: 48.7%). Therefore, considering these many essential in vitro probiotic properties, L. brevis KT38-3 has the potential to be used as a probiotic supplement. Supporting these findings with in vivo experiments to evaluate the potential health benefits will be the subject of our future work.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2003

The purpose of the present study was to screen the effective of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as probiotics, which are able to protect aquacultural fish pathogenic bacteria, and investigate their characterization. Twenty strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from fish intestine, fermented fish foods and kimchis. These bacteria were screened for antagonistic activity against fish pathogenic bacteria. Seven tested LAB strains were able to inhibit the fish pathogenic bacteria, including Vibrio anguillarum, Edwardsiella tarda, and Streptococcus sp.. Of the probiotic candidates, BK19 strain isolated from fermented pollack viscera indicated the largest inhibition activity. Moreover, this strain showed a resistance over low pH and antibiotic agents. Therefore this probiotic candidate BK19 was finally selected and identified as a probiotic strain. This particular probiotic bacteria was identified as Lactobacillus sakei BK19 by biochemical characteristics and 165 rRNA PCR amplification.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2009

Three hundred lactic acid bacteria isolated from human feces were studied their probiotic characters to develop potential probiotics. The properties were tested on the basis of guideline for probiotic selection protocol such as tolerance for acid or bile salt, thermal stability, antimicrobial, anticancer cell, and antiviral activity. Strain Miny-148 was selected as a potential probiotic bacterium which showed resistance to low pH, bile salts and thermal stability. On the basis of fatty acid profiles and 16S rDNA sequences analysis, the strain was identified as Lactobacillus pentosus (similarity 99.9%). The strain, L. pentosus Miny-148, showed broad antimicrobial spectrum against E. coli O157:H7, Shigella flexneri, Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Vibrio cholerae, V. vulnificus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Cell-free culture supernatant of the strain also inhibited against the growth of HT-29 colon cancer cell and transmissible gastroenterits virus.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1335-1341
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• 2006

We selected a Lactobacillus spp. from Korean healthy infant feces based upon their antioxidant activity. This strain was identified as Lactobacillus gasseri by 16S rDNA sequencing, and named Lactobacillus gasseri NLRI-312. In the present study, we investigate the protective effect of this strain on the $H_2O_2$ induced damage to cellular membrane lipid and DNA in Jurkat cells. To estimate the extent of cellular lipid peroxidation inhibition, MDA (malondialdehyde) was measured, and DNA damage was tested by the comet assay. We also examined probiotic properties including tolerance to acid and bile, antibiotic resistance. From the results obtained, the supplementation of Jurkat cells with NLRI-312 decreased in DNA damage, while no effect was shown on MDA decrease. In probiotic properties, this strain was resistance to both acid and bile, showed considerably higher survival when incubated in pH 2 or 1% bile salts (w/v). We concluded that the NLRI-312 could be used as potential probiotic bacteria, with the effect of reducing DNA damage induced by $H_2O_2$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1324-1329
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• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of the transformed Lactobacillus reuteri Pg4 (T-Pg4) harboring the ${\beta}$-glucanase gene as a poultry probiotic. The probiotic properties of the T-Pg4 strain were evaluated in vitro by their adherence capability and acid and bile salt tolerance, and were evaluated in vivo by their survival and adhesion in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. The results showed that the T-Pg4 strain exhibited resistance to acidic conditions and contact with bile salt, and adhered efficiently to the crop and intestinal epithelial cells of chickens in vitro. The T-Pg4 strain also could survive and colonize the gastrointestinal epithelium of the experimental SPF chickens in vivo. In addition, radial enzyme diffusion was used to demonstrate that the Lactobacillus spp. randomly isolated from the GIT of the SPF chickens fed T-Pg4 possessed ${\beta}$-glucanase secretion capability. These findings have demonstrated that the transformed L. reuteri Pg4 survives transit through the stomach and intestine, and may secrete ${\beta}$-glucanase in the chicken GIT. Therefore, it is suggested that this organism could be used as a multifunctional poultry probiotic.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1797-1808
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• 2020

Objective: This study assessed the effects of probiotics on cecal microbiota, gene expression of intestinal tight junction proteins, and immune response in the cecal tonsil of broiler chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Methods: One-day-old broiler chickens (n = 240) were randomly allocated to four treatments: negative control (Cont), multi-strain probiotic-treated group (Pro), Salmonella-infected group (Sal), and multi-strain probiotic-treated and Salmonella-infected group (ProSal). All chickens except those in the Cont and Pro groups were gavaged with 1×10⁸ cfu/mL of S. enterica subsp. enterica 4 days after hatching. Results: Our results indicated that body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio of birds were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by Salmonella challenge. Chickens challenged with Salmonella decreased cecal microbial diversity. Chickens in the Sal group exhibited abundant Proteobacteria than those in the Cont, Pro, and ProSal groups. Salmonella infection downregulated gene expression of Occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO1), and Mucin 2 in the jejunum and Occludin and Claudin in the ileum. Moreover, the Sal group increased gene expression of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha factor (LITAF) and reduced levels of transforming growth factor-β4 and IL-10 compared with the other groups (p<0.05). However, chickens receiving probiotic diets increased Lactobacillaceae abundance and reduced Enterobacteriaceae abundance in the ceca. Moreover, supplementation with probiotics increased the mRNA expression of Occludin, ZO1, and Mucin 2 in the ileum (p<0.05). In addition, probiotic supplementation downregulated the mRNA levels of IFN-γ (p<0.05) and LITAF (p = 0.075) and upregulated IL-10 (p = 0.084) expression in the cecal tonsil. Conclusion: The administration of multi-strain probiotics modulated intestinal microbiota, gene expression of tight junction proteins, and immunomodulatory activity in broiler chickens.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.996-1008
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• 2022

Lactic acid bacteria are representative probiotics that have beneficial effects on humans. Nineteen strains among the 167 single strains from kimchi was selected and their physiological features were investigated. The selection of a strain was based on strong enzyme (lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase) inhibitory activities and anti-obesity effects in the adipocytes. For the final selection, the strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KC3 was tested for its potential as a starter. To assess its functionality, a freeze-dried culture of L. plantarum KC3 was administered to a diet-induced obese mouse model receiving a high-fat diet. The animal group administered with L. plantarum KC3 showed significant body weight loss during the 12-week feeding period compared to the high-fat control group. This study investigated the physiological characteristics of selected strain and evaluated its potential as an anti-obesity probiotic in mice.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.804-810
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• 2010

This study was performed to select protease-producing Bacillus sp. as a potential probiotic starter for fermented meat products. In order to isolate protease-producing bacterium from meju, measured the diameter of the clear zone on agar plate (TSA, 1% (w/v) skim milk) and analyzed for intracellular protease activity, then 10 Bacillus-like strains were isolated. Three Bacillus-like strains (P19, P27, and P33) among 10 strains were able to tolerate in acidic condition (TSB, pH 2.5, 2 h incubation). These 3 strains were showed antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogenic bacteria. These vegetative cells of 3 strains were showed a survival rate of 0.04% to 0.08% under the artificial gastric acidic condition (TSB, pH 2.5 with 1% (w/v) pepsin), but spore-forming cells were 56.29% to 84.77%. Vegetative cells of 3 strains were the least bile-resistant, while spore-forming cells of 3 strains showed higher survival rate more than 76% under artificial bile condition (TSB, 0.1% (w/v) oxgall bile). In these strains, P27 strain was finally selected as a good probiotic strain. P27 strain was tentatively identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by API CHB kit and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The results of this study suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens P27 can be used as a potential probiotic starter for fermented meat product.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.909-915
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• 2017

Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 (BGN4) has many proven beneficial effects, including antiallergy and anticancer properties. It has been commercialized and used in several probiotic products, and thus strain-specific identification of this strain is very valuable for further strain-dependent physiological study. For this purpose, we developed novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets for strain-specific detection of BGN4 in commercial products and fecal samples of animal models. The primer set was tested on seven strains of B. bifidum and 75 strains of the other Bifidobacterium species. The BGN4-specific regions were derived using megaBLAST against genome sequences of various B. bifidum databases and four sets of primers were designed. As a result, only BGN4 produced four PCR products simultaneously whereas the other strains did not. The PCR detection limit using BGN4-specific primer sets was $2.8{\times}10^1CFU/ml$ of BGN4. Those primer sets also detected and identified BGN4 in the probiotic products containing BNG4 and fecal samples from a BGN4-fed animal model with high specificity. Our results indicate that the PCR assay from this study is an efficient tool for the simple, rapid, and reliable identification of BGN4, for which probiotic strains are known.