AUTHOR=Gao Yuqi , Niu Mingze , Yu Xiaohui , Bao Tingting , Wu Zhaowei , Zhao Xin 

TITLE=Horizontally Acquired Polysaccharide-Synthetic Gene Cluster From Weissella cibaria Boosts the Probiotic Property of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.692957

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2021.692957

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</italic> are probiotic bacteria, maintaining the integrity of the gastrointestinal epithelial barrier, and preventing the infection of pathogenic bacteria. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are often involved in the probiotic property of <italic>L. plantarum</italic>. Here, we identified a new EPS-synthetic gene cluster, <italic>cpsWc</italic>, carrying 13 genes, laid on a large plasmid in a well-characterized probiotic <italic>L. plantarum</italic> strain LTC-113. The <italic>cpsWc</italic> gene cluster was horizontally acquired from <italic>Weissella cibaria</italic>, enhancing the biofilm formation ability of the host strain and its tolerance to harsh environmental stresses, including heat, acid, and bile. Transfer of <italic>cpsWc</italic> also conferred the probiotic properties to other <italic>L. plantarum</italic> strains. Moreover, <italic>cpsWc</italic> strengthened the adhesion of LTC-113 to intestinal epithelial cells. Both the <italic>cpsWc</italic>-carrying LTC-113 and its EPSs <italic>per se</italic> effectively attenuated the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory effect of intestinal epithelial cells, and inhibited the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria, such as <italic>S. typhimurium</italic> and <italic>E. coli</italic> by exclusion and competition. The newly identified <italic>cpsWc</italic> gene cluster emphasized the contribution of mobile EPS-synthetic element on the probiotic activity of <italic>L. plantarum</italic>, and shed a light on the engineering of probiotic bacteria.</p>