title: Lactobacillus plantarum 24, isolated from the marula fruit (Sclerocarya birrea), has probiotic properties and harbors genes encoding the production of three bacteriocins.
abstract: Lactobacillus plantarum 24, isolated from marula fruit grows at pH 4.0 and tolerates acid levels and bile concentrations normally present in the human gastro-intestinal tract. Wistar rats that have been administered L. plantarum 24 showed no signs of discomfort or abnormal behavior. Tissue samples from the liver, spleen and intestine appeared normal. Furthermore, strain 24 harbors the genes encoding plantaricins A, F, and NC8α, a gene encoding immunity to plantaricin, and an ABC transporter similar in sequence to that reported for plantaricin G. At least one antimicrobial peptide within the size range of plantaricins A, F, and NC8α has been detected on a tricine-SDS-PAGE gel. Little is known about the microbial population in marula. This is the first report of a L. plantarum strain from marula fruit with bacteriocin genes and probiotic properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa.
authors.forename: Willem A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: Marlie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botha
authors.forename: Marelize
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botes
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Kwaadsteniet
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Leon M T
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dicks
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D027926:Anacardiaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D001430:Bacteriocins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial