Abstract
This study aimed at identifying Lactobacillus plantarum from fermented maize, sorghum, soyabeans and cassava, using both phenotypic method and 16S RNA sequencing, as well as determining similarity or otherwise among recovered isolates. Biochemical characterization of isolates recovered from these fermented foods revealed that L. plantarum occurred in all fermented food examined, with slight variation in their abilities to ferment some sugars (arabinose, dulbitol and mannitol). These phenotypically identified isolates were also confirmed to be L. plantarum by 16S rRNA sequencing, having close relatedness (> 95%) with other isolates available in the gene bank. However, intragenomic heterogeneity of the 16S rRNA gene was observed among these L. plantarum isolates. The result obtained in this finding pinpoints the need to evaluate the beneficial effects each strain of L. plantarum may possess as promising probiotics, rather than generalising common effects for all strains of this bacterial species.
Highlights
Recent advances in gut - microbe interactions have highlighted the importance of gut microbiota in the growth and wellbeing of cultured fish (Nayak, 2010)
The results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum occurred in all the four fermented foods examined
Similar pattern of sugar fermentations, in which isolated bacteria fermented some sugars but are inconsistent in the fermentation of others, were observed in other lactobacilli identified as L. brevis, L. fermentum and L. amylophillus
Summary
Recent advances in gut - microbe interactions have highlighted the importance of gut microbiota in the growth and wellbeing of cultured fish (Nayak, 2010) This understanding has aided the current practice of artificial modulation of fish gut microbiota toward beneficial communities through administration of probiotics in feeds or water. Lactobacillus plantarum, being an important member of LAB, is a rodshaped, gram-positive, non-pathogenic bacterium This bacterium is highly versatile and found in many different ecological niches such as fermented foods from vegetables, meat, fish, and dairy as well as in the gastro-intestinal tract of humans, terrestrial and aquatic animals (Siezen and van Hylckama Vlieg, 2011) Several strains of this bacterial species have been claimed to posses valuable health promoting (probiotic) features (da Silva et al, 2014; Guidone et al, 2014), including immune-modulation of the host, competitive exclusion of pathogens, production of antimicrobial substances, organic acids, bacteriocins (Molin, 2001). Characterization and identification of lactobacilli have been undertaken mostly by phenotypic methods, such as carbohydrate fermentation, cellular morphology and
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