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Phylogenetic, Functional and Safety Features of 1950s B. infantis Strains

Stéphane Duboux1, Catherine Ngom-Bru1, Florac De Bruyn2

  • 1Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Nestlé Research, Route du Jorat 57, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.

Microorganisms
|February 25, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) strains are crucial for infant gut development. This study reveals significant genetic and functional diversity among B. infantis strains, emphasizing the need for careful strain selection in early-life supplementation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infant Gut Microbiome Research
  • Probiotic Strain Characterization

Background:

  • Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) are early colonizers of the infant gut, vital for development.
  • Their ability to metabolize human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) is key to their role.
  • Early-life B. infantis supplementation is of significant interest, necessitating strain characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the genetic distance and diversity among B. infantis strains.
  • To evaluate the functional and safety attributes of historical B. infantis strains.
  • To underscore the importance of strain-specific evaluation for B. infantis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized long and short-read sequencing to determine genetic distances between B. infantis isolates.
  • Compared publicly available genomes with historical strains from the 1950s.
  • Assessed functional (HMO preference) and safety (antibiotic resistance) attributes of specific strains.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated strain-level genetic distances within B. infantis, with some public genomes reflecting this.
  • Identified distinct functional and safety profiles in two historical B. infantis strains (ATCC 15697 and LMG 11588).
  • ATCC 15697 showed streptomycin resistance and preference for sialylated HMOs; LMG 11588 was antibiotic-sensitive and preferred fucosylated HMOs.

Conclusions:

  • The genetic and functional diversity of B. infantis is likely underestimated.
  • Strain selection for B. infantis supplementation requires rigorous scientific evaluation.
  • Understanding strain-specific traits is crucial for optimizing infant gut health interventions.

Keywords:
Bifidobacteriumantibiotic resistancephylogeny

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