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Probiotic characteristics and in vitro compatibility of a combination of Bifidobacterium breve M-16 V, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M-63 and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BB536

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Abstract

The consumption of probiotic-based products has risen greatly in recent decades. Due to their probiotic characteristics, microorganisms such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are in daily use in the production of food supplements. In the present study, three bifidobacterial strains (Bifidobacterium breve M-16 V, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M-63 and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BB536) were tested for growth compatibility, resistance to antimicrobial agents, antibacterial activity against pathogens, resistance to gastric acidity, bile salt hydrolysis and adhesion to the human intestinal epithelial cell line HT29. All of these strains were resistant to gentamycin, but none showed in vitro growth incompatibility or the presence of known resistance determinants. B. breve M-16 V had the best probiotic characteristics and, indeed, was the only strain possessing antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. All strains were resistant to simulated gastric juice, while only B. longum subsp. longum BB536 and B. breve M-16 V showed a bile salt hydrolytic activity. Interestingly, a strong adhesion to HT29 cells was observed in all Bifidobacterium strains. In conclusion, B. breve M-16 V, B. longum subsp. longum BB536 and B. longum subsp. infantis M-63 showed several promising characteristics as probiotic strains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Via Mangiagalli 31, Milan, Italy

    Marco Toscano & Lorenzo Drago

  2. IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute, Via R. Galeazzi 4, Milan, Italy

    Elena De Vecchi & Lorenzo Drago

  3. San Donato Foundation Group, IRCSS Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute, Via R. Galeazzi 4, Milan, Italy

    Arianna Gabrieli

  4. Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Luigi Sacco Hospital, Via G.B. Sacco 74, Milan, Italy

    Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti

Authors
  1. Marco Toscano
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  2. Elena De Vecchi
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  3. Arianna Gabrieli
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  4. Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti
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  5. Lorenzo Drago
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Correspondence to Lorenzo Drago.

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Toscano, M., De Vecchi, E., Gabrieli, A. et al. Probiotic characteristics and in vitro compatibility of a combination of Bifidobacterium breve M-16 V, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M-63 and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BB536. Ann Microbiol 65, 1079–1086 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-014-0953-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-014-0953-5

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