Host interactions of Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus support their adaptation to the human gut microbiota.
- 2025-12-23
- Applied and environmental microbiology 91(12)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Chiara Argentini
- Chiara Tarracchini
- Giulia Longhi
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- Massimiliano G Bianchi
- Giuseppe Taurino
- Alberto Amaretti
- Francesco Candeliere
- Ovidio Bussolati
- Christian Milani
- Francesca Turroni
- Marco Ventura
- PubMed: 41186403
- DOI: 10.1128/aem.01547-25
Study Design
- Type
- Observational
- Population
- the human gut microbiota of 10,000 healthy adults
- Methods
- investigation of the human gut microbiota of 10,000 healthy adults; further in silico analyses; in vitro experiments
- Rigorous Journal
Within the human gut microbiota, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a crucial role in host health by producing lactic acid, which has been shown to shape microbial interactions and support intestinal homeostasis. However, despite their importance, there are limited insights regarding how LAB species interact with the host and other gut commensals. In this study, the investigation of the human gut microbiota of 10,000 healthy adults allowed the identification of Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus as commonly detected food bacteria. Further in silico analyses led to the identification of reference strains of the L. lactis and S. thermophilus species within the human gut, represented by PRL2024 and PRL2025 strains, respectively, which can represent nomadic bacteria. In vitro experiments revealed that both strains are ecologically adapted to survive and interact within the human gastrointestinal tract, while also highlighting their metabolic capacity to utilize a broad range of carbon sources. Specifically, the lactose metabolism was investigated, revealing that S. thermophilus PRL2025, despite high lactic acid output, incompletely metabolizes galactose, whereas L. lactis PRL2024 ensures full galactose utilization with lower acid production.