Genome-wide transcriptomic responses of a human isolate of Lactobacillus plantarum exposed to p-coumaric acid stress.
METHODS
To advance knowledge of the stress tolerance mechanisms of a probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strain to dietary hydroxycinnamic acids and the role of gut commensal microorganisms in the bioactivation of polyphenols.


RESULTS
To understand how gut commensal microorganisms tolerate toxicity of hydroxycinnamic acids and bioactivate these compounds, we used whole genome transcriptional profiling to characterize the response of a L. plantarum human isolate during challenge with p-coumaric acid (p-CA). The transcriptional profile reveals a massive induction of genes involved in stress resistance and detoxification-related functions and a global shutdown of growth-associated processes. A specific oxidative stress response, including a large reshape of nitrogen metabolism toward methionine production, was induced, probably to counteract a p-CA-induced oxidative protein stress. The transcriptional datasets revealed overlapping behaviors with the response of L. plantarum to the gut environment.


CONCLUSIONS
Contact with p-CA triggers responses that would be potentially beneficial for the intestinal function such as detoxification of dietary hydroxycinnamic acids and induction of a marked antioxidant response. Elicited responses indicated that contact with p-CA could provide preparedness to L. plantarum for adaptation to the gut environment. This knowledge facilitates the way to design methods to improve probiotic cell survival in this habitat.
Laboratorio de Biotecnología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
Inés
I
Reverón
Blanca
B
de Las Rivas
Rosario
R
Muñoz
Félix
F
López de Felipe
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019936:Probiotics; D011422:Propionates; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D059467:Transcriptome
D003373:Coumaric Acids; D011422:Propionates; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; C495469:p-coumaric acid; D009584:Nitrogen