Probiotic Spores Research Articles

Probiotic spore-derived multifunctional nanoparticles for enhanced ulcerative colitis treatment by activating metabolic pathways and repairing epithelial barrier

Ulcerative colitis is an agnogenic and refractory intestinal disease. Probiotic therapy has gained prevalence in medical research. Particularly, the probiotic spore coat has shown effectiveness in delivering oral drugs or probiotics for colitis treatment. Nevertheless, challenges persist in understanding the exact mechanism of the spore coat for optimal anti-inflammatory efficacy. Consequently, we develop a type of multifunctional spore coat nanoparticles (CN) derived from probiotic spore coat to comprehensively investigate its mechanisms of action in alleviating inflammation. Surprisingly, our research findings demonstrate that CN exhibits remarkable resistance to the harsh gastric acid environment and possesses the ability to selectively target inflammatory colonic sites characterized by an accumulation of positive charges. Additionally, CN effectively maintains the normal expression levels of zonula-1, occludin, and claudin-1 while simultaneously enhancing the small intestinal mucin 2 to ensure the integrity of intestinal barriers. Furthermore, the metabolomics analysis identifies 88 potential biomarkers that are enriched in three metabolic pathways, including tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and biosynthesis of valine, leucine, and isoleucine. These pathways are associated with Nrf2 signaling pathway activation, NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways regulation, and metabolic disorders regulation. Collectively, our work provides a multifunctional nanomaterial CN and elucidates its anti-inflammatory mechanisms for ulcerative colitis treatment.

Evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Bacillus probiotic spores in children with persistent diarrhea

Persistent diarrhea in children under 24 months old has been a global public health concern, including in Vietnam. Therefore, the authors conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of two Bacillus spore probiotic suspensions, namely LiveSpo CLAUSY containing B. clausii at 2 billion CFU/5 ml ampoule; and LiveSpo DIA30 containing B. subtilis, B. clausii, and B. coagulans at 5 billion CFU/5 ml ampoule, as a supportive treatment for children with persistent diarrhea. Children were randomly allocated into the control (using RO water) and two experimental groups, Clausy (using LiveSpo CLAUSY) and Dia30 (using LiveSpo DIA30), n=30/group. All three groups were treated following the standard protocol at the hospital, supplemented with either placebo or high-dose probiotics up to 4-6 ampoules/day. The results showed that Bacillus spore probiotics helped to shorten the treatment duration by approximately 1-3 days and enhanced treatment effectiveness by 1.3-2.4 folds compared to the control group in reducing the typical diarrhea symptoms, including bowel movements ≥3 times/day, presence of mucus, and diaper stool. Notably, LiveSpo DIA30 exhibited a better efficacy of 10-50% compared to LiveSpo CLAUSY. This is the world’s first clinical study demonstrating the effectiveness of high-dose Bacillus spore probiotics in supporting the treatment of diarrhea symptoms in children with persistent diarrhea.

Oral administration of probiotic spore ghosts for efficient attenuation of radiation-induced intestinal injury

Radiation-induced intestinal injury is the most common side effect during radiotherapy of abdominal or pelvic solid tumors, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life and even resulting in poor prognosis. Until now, oral application of conventional formulations for intestinal radioprotection remains challenging with no preferred method available to mitigate radiation toxicity in small intestine. Our previous study revealed that nanomaterials derived from spore coat of probiotics exhibit superior anti-inflammatory effect and even prevent the progression of cancer. The aim of this work is to determine the radioprotective effect of spore coat (denoted as spore ghosts, SGs) from three clinically approved probiotics (B.coagulans, B.subtilis and B.licheniformis). All the three SGs exhibit outstanding reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging ability and excellent anti-inflammatory effect. Moreover, these SGs can reverse the balance of intestinal flora by inhibiting harmful bacteria and increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus. Consequently, administration of SGs significantly reduce radiation-induced intestinal injury by alleviating diarrhea, preventing X-ray induced apoptosis of small intestinal epithelial cells and promoting restoration of barrier integrity in a prophylactic study. Notably, SGs markedly improve weight gain and survival of mice received total abdominal X-ray radiation. This work may provide promising radioprotectants for efficiently attenuating radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome and promote the development of new intestinal predilection.

Effect of bread ingredients and baking techniques on Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 viability during baking and in vitro digestion

This study aimed to investigate the effect of bread ingredients and baking techniques on the viability of Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 spores during baking and in vitro digestion conditions. After baking, the highest B. coagulans viability were observed in the bread formulation with low sugar and high oil content. Among the baking techniques, steam-assisted baking (ST-HA) resulted in the highest B. coagulans count (7.46 log CFU/g) and viability (95.31%). Conversely, microwave-assisted baking (MW-HA) yielded the lowest B. coagulans count (6.91 log CFU/g) and viability (75.50%). The in vitro digestion test results indicated that the highest B. coagulans count was measured with ST-HA in both gastric and intestinal phases with 86.91% and 96.85, respectively. It revealed that B. coagulans probiotic spores are highly resistant to gastric conditions in bread matrix. Furthermore, it was determined that B. coagulans GBI-30 spores incorporated into the bread can germinate under digestion conditions. Different baking techniques also affected the physical quality characteristics of probiotic bread. The highest specific volume was measured in MW-HA, with a value of 3.54 mL/g. However, MW-HA negatively affected the texture properties of bread, as indicated by the highest hardness and chewiness values observed in these bread samples.

A biomimetic spore nanoplatform for boosting chemodynamic therapy and bacteria-mediated antitumor immunity for synergistic cancer treatment

Bacterial-based antitumor immunity has become a promising strategy to activate the immune system for fighting cancer. However, the potential application of bacterial therapy is hindered by the presence of instability and susceptibility to infections within bacterial populations. Furthermore, monotherapy is ineffective in completely eliminating complex cancer with multiple contributing factors. In this study, based on our discovery that spore shell (SS) of Bacillus coagulans exhibits excellent tumor-targeting ability and adjuvant activity, we develop a biomimetic spore nanoplatform to boost bacteria-mediated antitumor therapy, chemodynamic therapy and antitumor immunity for synergistic cancer treatment. In detail, SS is separated from probiotic spores and then attached to the surface of liposome (Lipo) that was loaded with hemoglobin (Hb), glucose oxidase (GOx) and JQ1 to construct SS@Lipo/Hb/GOx/JQ1. In tumor tissue, highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are generated via sequential catalytic reactions: GOx catalyzing glucose into H2O2 and Fe2+ in Hb decomposing H2O2 into •OH. The combination of •OH and SS adjuvant can improve tumor immunogenicity and activate immune system. Meanwhile, JQ1-mediated down-regulation of PD-L1 and Hb-induced hypoxia alleviation synergistically reshape immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and potentiate immune response. In this manner, SS@Lipo/Hb/GOx/JQ1 significantly suppresses tumor growth and metastasis. To summarize, the nanoplatform represents an optimum strategy to potentiate bacteria-based cancer immunotherapy.

Promising clinical and immunological efficacy of Bacillus clausii spore probiotics for supportive treatment of persistent diarrhea in children

Persistent diarrhea is a severe gastroenteric disease with relatively high risk of pediatric mortality in developing countries. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of liquid-form Bacillus clausii spore probiotics (LiveSpo CLAUSY; 2 billion CFU/5 mL ampoule) at high dosages of 4–6 ampoules a day in supporting treatment of children with persistent diarrhea. Our findings showed that B. clausii spores significantly improved treatment outcomes, resulting in a 2-day shorter recovery period (p < 0.05) and a 1.5–1.6 folds greater efficacy in reducing diarrhea symptoms, such as high frequency of bowel movement of ≥ 3 stools a day, presence of fecal mucus, and diapered infant stool scale types 4-5B. LiveSpo CLAUSY supportive treatment achieved 3 days (p < 0.0001) faster recovery from diarrhea disease, with 1.6-fold improved treatment efficacy. At day 5 of treatment, a significant decrease in blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-23 by 3.24% (p = 0.0409), 29.76% (p = 0.0001), and 10.87% (p = 0.0036), respectively, was observed in the Clausy group. Simultaneously, there was a significant 37.97% decrease (p = 0.0326) in the excreted IgA in stool at day 5 in the Clausy group. Overall, the clinical study demonstrates the efficacy of B. clausii spores (LiveSpo CLAUSY) as an effective symptomatic treatment and immunomodulatory agent for persistent diarrhea in children.Trial registration: NCT05812820.

Nanozyme-Enhanced Probiotic Spores Regulate the Intestinal Microenvironment for Targeted Acute Gastroenteritis Therapy.

Antibiotic therapeutics to combat intestinal pathogen infections often exacerbate microbiota dysbiosis and impair mucosal barrier functions. Probiotics are promising strategies, because they inhibit pathogen colonization and improve intestinal microbiota imbalance. Nevertheless, their limited targeting ability and susceptibility to oxidative stress have hindered their therapeutic potential. To tackle these challenges, Ces3 is synthesized by in situ growth of CeO2 nanozymes with positive charges on probiotic spores, facilitating electrostatic interactions with negatively charged pathogens and possessing a high reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity. Importantly, Ces3 can resist the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract. In mice with S. Typhimurium-infected acute gastroenteritis, Ces3 shows potent anti-S. Typhimurium activity, thereby alleviating the dissemination of S. Typhimurium into other organs. Additionally, owing to its O2 deprivation capacity, Ces3 promotes the proliferation of anaerobic probiotics, reshaping a healthy intestinal microbiota. This work demonstrates the promise of combining antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and O2 content regulation properties for acute gastroenteritis therapy.

Efficient symptomatic treatment and viral load reduction for children with influenza virus infection by nasal-spraying Bacillus spore probiotics

Influenza virus is a main cause of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in children. This is the first double-blind, randomized, and controlled clinical trial examining the efficacy of nasal-spraying probiotic LiveSpo Navax, which contains 5 billion of Bacillus subtilis and B. clausii spores in 5 mL, in supporting treatment of influenza viral infection in pediatric patients. We found that the nasal-spraying Bacillus spores significantly shortened the recovery period and overall treatment by 2 days and increased treatment effectiveness by 58% in resolving all ARTIs’ symptoms. At day 2, the concentrations of influenza virus and co-infected bacteria were reduced by 417 and 1152 folds. Additionally, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-6 in nasopharyngeal samples were reduced by 1.1, 3.7, and 53.9 folds, respectively. Compared to the standard control group, treatment regimen with LiveSpo Navax demonstrated significantly greater effectiveness, resulting in 26-fold reduction in viral load, 65-fold reduction in bacterial concentration, and 1.1–9.5-fold decrease in cytokine levels. Overall, nasal-spraying Bacillus spores can support the symptomatic treatment of influenza virus-induced ARTIs quickly, efficiently and could be used as a cost-effective supportive treatment for respiratory viral infection in general.Clinical trial registration no: NCT05378022 on 17/05/2022.

A multifunctional integrated biomimetic spore nanoplatform for successively overcoming oral biological barriers

The biological barriers have seriously restricted the efficacious responses of oral delivery system in diseases treatment. Utilizing a carrier based on the single construction means is hard to overcome these obstacles simultaneously because the complex gastrointestinal tract environment requires carrier to have different or even contradictory properties. Interestingly, spore capsid (SC) integrates many unique biological characteristics, such as high resistance, good stability etc. This fact offers a boundless source of inspiration for the construction of multi-functional oral nanoplatform based on SC without further modification. Herein, we develop a type of biomimetic spore nanoplatform (SC@DS NPs) to successively overcome oral biological barriers. Firstly, doxorubicin (DOX) and sorafenib (SOR) are self-assembled to form carrier-free nanoparticles (DS NPs). Subsequently, SC is effectively separated from probiotic spores and served as a functional vehicle for delivering DS NPs. As expect, SC@DS NPs can efficaciously pass through the rugged stomach environment after oral administration and further be transported to the intestine. Surprisingly, we find that SC@DS NPs exhibit a significant improvement in the aspects of mucus penetration and transepithelial transport, which is related to the protein species of SC. This study demonstrates that SC@DS NPs can efficiently overcome multiple biological barriers and improve the therapeutic effect.

Preclinical Potential of Probiotic-Loaded Novel Gelatin-Oil Vaginal Suppositories: Efficacy, Stability, and Safety Studies.

The current study describes a suppository base composed of aqueous gelatin solution emulsifying oil globules with probiotic cells dispersed within. The favorable mechanical properties of gelatin to provide a solid gelled structure, and the tendency of its proteins to unravel into long strings that interlace when cooled, lead to a three-dimensional structure that can trap a lot of liquid, which was exploited herein to result in a promising suppository form. The latter maintained incorporated probiotic spores of Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2 in a viable but non-germinating form, preventing spoilage during storage and imparting protection against the growth of any other contaminating organism (self-preserved formulation). The gelatin-oil-probiotic suppository showed uniformity in weight and probiotic content (23 ± 2.481 × 108 cfu) with favorable swelling (double) followed by erosion and complete dissolution within 6 h of administration, leading to the release of probiotic (within 45 min) from the matrix into simulated vaginal fluid. Microscopic images indicated presence of probiotics and oil globules enmeshed in the gelatin network. High viability (24.3 ± 0.46 × 108), germination upon application and a self-preserving nature were attributed to the optimum water activity (0.593 aw) of the developed composition. The retention of suppositories, germination of probiotics and their in vivo efficacy and safety in vulvovaginal candidiasis murine model are also reported.

Spore germinator-loaded polysaccharide microspheres ameliorate colonic inflammation and tumorigenesis through remodeling gut microenvironment

The abnormal intestinal features like increased epithelial oxygenation, elevated inflammatory cascades and excess nitrate production can exacerbate colitis progression and even trigger colorectal cancer by promoting gut microbiota dysbiosis. Here, probiotic spores decorated with anti-inflammatory curcumin are encapsulated into cysteine-modified konjac glucomannan microspheres, to intervene colitis and colonic cancerization through remodeling gut microenvironment. Benefiting from the prolonged intestinal retention effect of polysaccharide microspheres, epithelial oxygenation is effectively restored into hypoxia in colon location due to spore germination-induced oxygen consumption, which blunts luminal Enterobacteriaceae overgrowth, and facilitates short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria. By fermenting prebiotics of konjac glucomannan, the produced butyrate by SCFAs-producing bacteria further converts cell energy metabolism from glycolysis to oxygen-consumed β-oxidation by activating epithelial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) signaling, resulting in thorough oxygen outage, nitrate production-related enzymes downregulation and inflammatory response elimination. In view of directed gut microbiota modulation and colonic epithelial cell functions normalization, the potent intervention effect of spore germinator-loaded polysaccharide microspheres is achieved in multiple colitis models and genotoxic colibactin-producing Enterobacteriaceae - induced colon tumorigenesis.

Enhanced encapsulation efficiency and controlled release of co-encapsulated Bacillus coagulans spores and vitamin B9 in gellan/κ-carrageenan/chitosan tri-composite hydrogel

The current study, for the first time, attempts to co-encapsulate Bacillus coagulans spores as probiotics and vitamin B9 in the polysaccharide-based matrix for their targeted delivery. Instead of vegetative cells, probiotic spores were chosen owing to their higher stability. The matrix, tri-composite hydrogel, was synthesized from gellan, κ-carrageenan, and chitosan through self-assembly devoid of chemical cross-linkers. Hence, it was found suitable for application in the co-encapsulation of bioactive compounds. The synthesized hydrogel showed remarkable encapsulation efficiency for folic acid and probiotic spores, both individually and in combination. At acidic pH, loaded hydrogel exhibited 28.42 % and 45.14 % release of spores and folic acid, respectively, which was comparatively lower than the trends observed under neutral and alkaline pH. These results were correlated with the release pattern observed during in vitro digestibility studies. Moreover, spore conversion to vegetative cells and its high colonization were observed in the simulated intestinal phase. Therefore, the matrix maintained viability and stability of co-encapsulated folic acid and bacterial spores in gastric pH while they were slowly released in the intestinal phase. These promising findings pave the way to develop a natural matrix for co-encapsulating various bioactive compounds and probiotics.

The Role of Probiotic Bacillus Spores and Amino Acids with Immunoglobulins on a Rat Enteropathy Model.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are some of the most widely used drugs due to their anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic pharmacological effects. Gastrointestinal side effects are some of the most severe and frequent side effects of NSAIDs. These depend on the balance of the gut microbiome, the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria, and the amount of lipopolysaccharide released. Therefore, restoring or improving gut bacteria balance with probiotic supplements could prove to be an adjuvant therapy against mild NSAID-induced enteropathy. Twenty-five Wistar albino male rats were divided into five groups. The negative control group was administered carboxymethylcellulose and the positive control group diclofenac (DIC), 8 mg/kg for 7 days, which represented the enteropathy model. Treatment groups consisted of a combination of pro-biotic spores (MSB), amino acids and immunoglobulins supplement (MM), which were also administered for 7 days. We analyzed hepatic injury markers (AST, ALT) and creatinine, and inflammatory markers, IL-6, TNF-α, PGE2, iNOS, as well as total antioxidant capacity. The results obtained in the present study suggest that the modulation of the intestinal microbiota by administration of probiotics (Bacillus spores), alone or in combination with immunoglobulins and amino acids, represents an attractive therapy for the prevention of NSAID-induced enteropathy.

Encapsulated probiotic spores as a fortification strategy for development of novel functional beverages

The potential of polysaccharide matrix for encapsulation and delivery of probiotic spores of B. coagulans was evaluated for the first time in this study. Different concentrations of gellan and κ-carrageenan were explored for fabrication of hydrogel beads, which were then used to encapsulate probiotic spores. The study indicated that these beads exhibited minimal leaching under acidic conditions However, a sustainable release pattern was observed at neutral and alkaline pH. It was also found that leaching of spores followed a similar pattern when added to commercially available fruit juice and coconut water. In vitro digestion studies revealed that these beads prevented leaching and maintained the viability of spores under gastric condition, while promoted its release in intestinal phase. It was noteworthy that under ambient conditions leaching of 30% is observed until 24 h, however, ~100% of the encapsulated spores were released in simulated intestinal phase. Moreover, it was inferred from the accelerated spoilage studies that fruit juice and coconut water fortified with spore-loaded hydrogel beads could remain stable for at least three weeks. This comprehensive microbiological study could pave the way for developing novel functional beverages.

Stability and safety study of liquid-suspension bacillus clausii spore probiotics (livespo clausy)

Bacillus clausii has been used as probiotic bacteria in dietary supplements because of its prominent probiotic activities including its multi-antibiotic resistance, digestive enzyme production, vitamin synthesis, and immunomodulatory effects. In this study, heat and acid-stability, acute and sub-acute toxicity were conducted to evaluate the stability and safety of liquid-suspension probiotics (LiveSpo® Clausy, LiveSpo Pharma) containing ≥ 2 billion spores/5 mL of Bacillus clausii ANA39 strain. The result showed that the B. clausii ANA39 spores were heat- and acid pH-stable with the remaining survival rate of 60% and 40% at treatment conditions of 80oC and pH 2.0 for 20 min, respectively. Acute toxicity data in mice indicated LD50 was not detectable, even at extremely high dosage of 2.4 x 1010 CFU/kg, indicating LiveSpo® Clausy was in unclassified category. The sub-acute toxicity results showed that the rabbits administrated with B. clausii ANA39 at the dosages of 0.93 mL/kg rabbit/day (equivalent to 0.37 x 109 CFU ANA39 spores/kg rabbit/day) and 2.80 mL/kg rabbit/day (equivalent to 1.12 x 109 CFU of B. clausii ANA39 spores/kg rabbit/day) were healthy and steadily gained weight without any abnormal physiology and anatomy. Thus, LiveSpo® Clausy is resistant to high temperatures and low pH acids, stable for at least 24 months at room temperature, and safe for use as food supplements.

Использование метаболитов споровых пробиотиков совместно с антимикотическими средствами в отношении штаммов Aspergillus niger и Aspergillus flavus

The article describes a method for determining the activity of antimycotic preparations and their combination with the metabolite Bacillus subtilis for strains Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. The article pays attention to the problem of currently increasing resistance of microscopic fungi to the biocidal drugs used, which is the result of the work of adaptation mechanisms of microscopic fungi leading to the appearance and selection of strains with an unusually high minimum suppressive concentration or resulting from the use of preparations to which the strains were initially sensitive. The presented results reflect the effectiveness of the use of spore probiotics metabolites together with anti-mycotic agents for Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus strains.

Intestinal microbiota modulation and improved growth in pigs with post-weaning antibiotic and ZnO supplementation but only subtle microbiota effects with Bacillus altitudinis

The objective was to evaluate the effect of dietary Bacillus altitudinis spore supplementation during day (D)0–28 post-weaning (PW) and/or D29–56 PW compared with antibiotic and zinc oxide (AB + ZnO) supplementation on pig growth and gut microbiota. Eighty piglets were selected at weaning and randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments: (1) negative control (Con/Con); (2) probiotic spores from D29–56 PW (Con/Pro); (3) probiotic spores from D0–28 PW (Pro/Con); (4) probiotic spores from D0–56 PW (Pro/Pro) and (5) AB + ZnO from D0–28 PW. Overall, compared with the AB + ZnO group, the Pro/Con group had lower body weight, average daily gain and feed intake and the Pro/Pro group tended to have lower daily gain and feed intake. However, none of these parameters differed between any of the probiotic-treated groups and the Con/Con group. Overall, AB + ZnO-supplemented pigs had higher Bacteroidaceae and Prevotellaceae and lower Lactobacillaceae and Spirochaetaceae abundance compared to the Con/Con group, which may help to explain improvements in growth between D15–28 PW. The butyrate-producing genera Agathobacter, Faecalibacterium and Roseburia were more abundant in the Pro/Con group compared with the Con/Con group on D35 PW. Thus, whilst supplementation with B. altitudinis did not enhance pig growth performance, it did have a subtle, albeit potentially beneficial, impact on the intestinal microbiota.

Probiotic Tofu with Bacillus clausii Spores to Support Gastrointestinal Microflora

Objective: This study was conducted to develop a tofu product enriched with probiotic Bacillus clausii spores that vegan individuals can benefit from without changing their diets for probiotic consumption and without having to use the supplementary probiotic pills.Method: B. clausii was cultured to sporulate in 2xSG medium. The resulting B. clausii spores were added to tofu by two different methods to determine the optimum step in the procedure to ensure that the probiotic was able to retain in tofu at the highest amount; i) addition of probiotic spores before coagulant MgCl2 (P-C tofu), ii) addition of probiotic spores after the coagulant (C-P tofu).Results: The yields of probiotic spores in P-C and C-P tofu were calculated to be 5.45±0.40 and 5.33±0.56 log cfu/g, respectively, which was slightly lower than the targeted level, 6 log cfu/g. No significant difference was observed between the P-C and C-P tofu methods in terms of probiotic concentration (P=0.36; t test). Storage of P-C tofu at -18°C decreased the probiotic load by 0.45 log cfu/g in 1 month (P=0.003). One-day temperature abuse at 20°C of cold chain storage resulted in a significant 0.85 log reduction (P=0.01). Sauté cooking was found to decrease the spore load in tofu significantly by 1.22 log (P=0.004). Sensory evaluation of P-C and probiotic free tofu did not reveal a significant difference in general acceptability features (P&amp;gt;0.05). Conclusion: Probiotic enriched tofu may be a healthy alternative choice for vegans and vegetarians while positively affecting the health of consumers.

A Bioinspired Versatile Spore Coat Nanomaterial for Oral Probiotics Delivery

AbstractA fundamental challenge in probiotic therapy is effective delivery and rapid colonization of probiotics; however, the physiological structure of probiotic spores provides an interesting idea to address this problem. Herein, the spore coat is innovatively prepared into a type of versatile spore coat nanomaterial (CN) which is subsequently anchored to the surface of probiotics to form CN‐coated probiotics. The CN retains the characteristics of high resistance and natural affinity of spore coats, which serve as the “armor” for the enhancement of the probiotics delivery. Moreover, CN is beneficial for the explosive proliferation and competitive colonization of probiotics. Notably, it is found that not only CN used solely has good anti‐inflammatory effect, but also it can significantly improve the functions of probiotics such as microbiome regulation, gut barrier integrity and tumor prevention. This work provides a simple and universal strategy that may guide the development of nanomaterial and material‐based microecological agents.

Improving probiotic spore yield using rice straw hydrolysate.

Spore-forming Bacillus sp. has been extensively studied for their probiotic properties. In this study, an acid-treated rice straw hydrolysate was used as carbon source to produce the spores of Bacillus coagulans. The results showed that this hydrolysate significantly improved the spore yield compared with other carbon sources such as glucose. Three significant medium components including rice straw hydrolysate, MnSO4 and yeast extract were screened by Plackett-Burman design. These significant variables were further optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal values of the medium components were rice straw hydolysate of 27% (v/v), MnSO4 of 0·78gl-1 and yeast extract of 1·2gl-1 . The optimized medium and RSM model for spore production were validated in a 5l bioreactor. Overall, this sporulation medium containing acid-treated rice straw hydrolysate has a potential to be used in the production of B. coagulans spores.