AUTHOR=Vazquez-Munoz Roberto , Thompson Angela , Russell Jordan T. , Sobue Takanori , Zhou Yanjiao , Dongari-Bagtzoglou Anna 

TITLE=Insights From the Lactobacillus johnsonii Genome Suggest the Production of Metabolites With Antibiofilm Activity Against the Pathobiont Candida albicans

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.853762

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.853762

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Lactobacillus johnsonii</italic> is a probiotic bacterial species with broad antimicrobial properties; however, its antimicrobial activities against the pathobiont <italic>Candida albicans</italic> are underexplored. The aim of this study was to study the interactions of <italic>L. johnsonii</italic> with <italic>C. albicans</italic> and explore mechanisms of bacterial anti-fungal activities based on bacterial genomic characterization coupled with experimental data. We isolated an <italic>L. johnsonii</italic> strain (MT4) from the oral cavity of mice and characterized its effect on <italic>C. albicans</italic> growth in the planktonic and biofilm states. We also identified key genetic and phenotypic traits that may be associated with a growth inhibitory activity exhibited against <italic>C. albicans</italic>. We found that <italic>L. johnsonii</italic> MT4 displays pH-dependent and pH-independent antagonistic interactions against <italic>C. albicans</italic>, resulting in inhibition of <italic>C. albicans</italic> planktonic growth and biofilm formation. This antagonism is influenced by nutrient availability and the production of soluble metabolites with anticandidal activity.</p>