title: Lactic acid microflora of the gut of snailCornu aspersum.
abstract: The intestinal lactic acid microflora of the edible snailCornu aspersumwas studied by culture-based methods and was phenotypically and molecularly characterized. The antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates was investigated. Snails in different stages of development were collected from farms located in several regions of Bulgaria. One hundred twenty-two isolates, belonging to the group of LAB, were characterized morphologically and were divided into four groups. Representative isolates from each morphological type were subjected to phenotypic characterization and molecular identification. The snail gut lactic acid microflora was composed byEnterococcus(17 isolates),Lactococcus(12 isolates),Leuconostoc(7 isolates),Lactobacillus(18 isolates) andWeissella(1 isolate). The species affiliation ofLactococcus lactis(12),Leuconostoc mesenteroides(4) andLactobacillus plantarum(2) was confirmed by species-specific primers. TheLactobacillusisolates were identified by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA asLactobacillus brevis(12),L. plantarum(2),Lactobacillus graminis(1) andLactobacillus curvatus(3). The speciesL. brevis,L. graminisandL. curvatuswere found in snails in a phase of hibernation, whereasL. plantarumwas identified both in active and hibernation phases. Antibacterial activity (bacteriocine-like) was shown only by one strain ofL. mesentereoidesP4/8 againstPropionibacterium acnes. The present study showed that the LAB are a component of the microbial communities in the snail digestive system. This is the first report onLactobacillusstrains detected in the gut ofC. aspersum.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Zdravka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Koleva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Ivaylo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dedov
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kizheva
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lipovanska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Penka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moncheva
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Petya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hristova
keywords: 16S-23S rDNA PCR; Lactobacillus; gut; lactic acid bacteria; sequencing of 16S rDNA; snail