ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Food Microbiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1634475
Genomic and Functional Insights into Lactiplantibacillus plantarum UTNGt3 from Ecuadorian Amazon Chrysophyllum oliviforme: A Safe and Promising Probiotic
Provisionally accepted
- 1Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ibarra, Ecuador
- 2Universitatea din Bucuresti, Bucharest, Romania
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Introduction. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a versatile lactic acid bacterium (LAB) recognized for its probiotic potential, with key traits such as adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells and tolerance to bile salts and gastric acid being essential for its efficacy. In this study, we isolated and characterized L. plantarum strain UTNGt3 from Chrysophyllum oliviforme (Caimitillo) fruits collected in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Methods. Whole-genome sequencing, gene annotation, and in silico analyses were performed to explore genomic architecture, identify probiotic gene markers (PGMs), and assess safety features, including bacteriocin gene clusters (BGCs). In vitro assays evaluating bile salt and acid tolerance, cell surface hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, and adhesion to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells were conducted to characterize probiotic traits. Additionally, the biocompatibility of UTNGt3 external metabolites was assessed using the MTT (3-(4,5dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) release assay on intestinal cells. Results. UTNGt3 genome spans 3,569,352 bp with 43.95% GC content. EggNOG analysis showed enrichment in genes related to general function prediction (11.89%), carbohydrate metabolism (8.97%), and transcription (8.45%), with 25.92% annotated as hypothetical proteins. No acquired antibiotic resistance or virulence genes were detected. Genome mining revealed three BGCs, plantaricin_N, enterolysin_A, and plantaricin_W-beta, associated with antimicrobial functions. Diverse PGMs involved in stress tolerance, adhesion, and vitamin biosynthesis were also identified. Phenotypic assays confirmed strong acid and bile tolerance, high autoaggregation, surface hydrophobicity, and superior adhesion to Caco-2 cells compared to E. coli. Biocompatibility assays confirmed over 85% cell viability and minimal membrane damage, supporting their safety. Conclusion. These findings establish UTNGt3 as a safe, multifunctional probiotic candidate with potential for functional food applications and future gut health studies.
Keywords: Cell Adhesion, Probiotic marker genes, lactiplantibacillus plantarum, bacteriocin gene clusters, Caco-2 cell adhesion
Received: 28 May 2025; Accepted: 27 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Tenea, Hidalgo, Gradisteanu Pircalabioru and Cifuentes. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Gabriela N. Tenea, Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ibarra, Ecuador
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