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Lactobacilli with probiotic potential in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
Senait Assefa1, Kathleen Ahles1, Simone Bigelow1
1Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, 1111 West 17th Street, Tulsa, OK 74107 USA.
Gut Pathogens
|January 1, 2016
Summary
Researchers identified novel Lactobacillus strains from prairie vole intestines with probiotic potential. These gut bacteria may offer new therapeutic avenues for neurological disorders and social behavior deficits.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Gut-brain communication is increasingly linked to neurological disorders.
- Prairie voles, known for social behavior, serve as a model for environmental factor studies.
- Intestinal microbiota modulation is a potential therapeutic strategy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize intestinal Lactobacillus isolates from prairie voles for probiotic potential.
- To assess the suitability of these isolates for studying gut-brain axis in a social behavior model.
- To evaluate mercury resistance as a factor for potential therapeutic applications.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and identification of 30 bacterial strains using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and RAPD fingerprinting.
- In vitro assessment of probiotic properties: acid/bile tolerance, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility, and cell adherence.
- Evaluation of mercury resistance in candidate strains, linked to social deficits in voles.
Main Results:
- Thirty distinct Lactobacillus strains, closely related to Lactobacillus johnsonii, were isolated.
- Selected strains demonstrated significant probiotic potential through in vitro testing.
- Mercury resistance was observed in several candidate strains, relevant to vole social behavior.
Conclusions:
- Prairie vole intestines harbor Lactobacillus species with significant probiotic potential.
- These identified isolates provide a foundation for investigating probiotic interventions in vole models.
- This research supports the exploration of gut microbiota for neurological and behavioral health.
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