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The Cultivation, Growth, and Viability of Lactic Acid Bacteria: A Quality Control Perspective

The Cultivation, Growth, and Viability of Lactic Acid Bacteria: A Quality Control Perspective

Published on: June 16, 2022

Genomics of lactic acid bacteria.

Joel Schroeter¹, Todd Klaenhammer

¹Department of Food Science, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7624, USA.

FEMS Microbiology Letters

|December 18, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Genomic analysis reveals lactic acid bacteria (LAB) undergo genome reduction as they adapt to specific environments like fermented foods and the gut. This evolutionary process explains their diverse functions and ecological roles.

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Genomics
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inhabit diverse ecological niches, including fermented foods and vertebrate mucosal surfaces.
Their functional and ecological diversity is intrinsically linked to their genomic content.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the genomic content of LAB and its role in their functional and ecological diversity.
To understand the evolutionary processes, particularly genome reduction, shaping LAB adaptation.

Main Methods:

Analysis of genomic content across various LAB species.
Comparative genomics to identify variations in gene content, pseudogenes, and nutrient-related genes.
Investigation of gene acquisition mechanisms, including plasmids and prophages.

Main Results:

LAB genomes show evidence of ongoing reductive evolution, adapting to nutrient-rich environments.
Variations in pseudogenes and nutrient metabolism genes correlate with adaptation to food matrices and the gastrointestinal tract.
Niche-specific genes are sometimes recently acquired via plasmids or prophages, despite overall genome reduction.

Conclusions:

Genome reduction is a key evolutionary strategy for LAB specialization.
Genomic insights explain the diverse phenotypes of LAB, many of which have been utilized by humans for millennia.
Understanding LAB genomics is crucial for exploring their potential in food science and health.