Binding of extracellular matrix molecules by probiotic bacteria

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Probiotics
• Animal Science

Background:

• Extracellular matrix (ECM) binding is crucial for probiotic bacteria to colonize the host intestine.
• Evaluating the ECM binding capabilities of novel bacterial isolates is essential for identifying new probiotic candidates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the extracellular matrix (ECM) and mucin binding of selected bacterial isolates with probiotic features against commercially available probiotic bacteria.
• To assess the potential of novel bacterial strains for use in animal probiotic applications based on their ECM binding abilities.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial strains were tested for their ability to bind immobilized ECM molecules, including porcine mucin, fetuin, bovine fibrinogen, porcine fibronectin, and bovine lactoferrin.
• Binding affinities were quantified using microtitre plates and latex bead assays.

Main Results:

• All tested probiotic strains exhibited binding to porcine mucin, with significant inter-strain variations.
• Binding to fetuin was generally weak across all strains.
• Strong binding to bovine fibrinogen and porcine fibronectin was observed in specific strains, including some commonly used commercial probiotics and novel isolates.
• Bovine lactoferrin showed higher binding affinity compared to transferrins.

Conclusions:

• Certain animal probiotic strains, specifically L. casei L.c. and Lactobacillus sp. 2I3, show comparable extracellular matrix (ECM) binding capabilities to commercially established probiotic strains.
• These findings suggest that these animal strains hold promise for broader application in fermented feed and probiotic formulations for animals, potentially improving intestinal colonization.