Microbiology Research, Vol. 13, Pages 963-971: Lactobacillus crispatus M247: Characteristics of a Precision Probiotic Instrument for Gynecological and Urinary Well-Being

Lactobacillus crispatus M247 (IDA: LMG-P-23257) is a strain that was isolated in 1989 from the fecal material of a healthy child. It is greatly studied for its favorable characteristics from the point of view of aggregation, colonization, and the modulation of inflammatory phenomena, initially evaluated in the intestine [13,14,15,16]. Genetic analysis revealed a genome of 2,112,063 bp (2.1 Mbp) with 2187 coding genes, of which 236 are involved in carbohydrate metabolism, 203 in protein metabolism, 107 in DNA, 84 in RNA, 83 in biosynthesis of cell walls and capsules, and 55 in the ribosome [16]. Of particular interest is the identification of a gene previously identified in Lactobacillus crispatus ST1 that encodes Lactobacillus epithelium adesin (LEA), an element at the basis of the colonization capacity of the vaginal epithelium and of determining the competition for the biological niche with Gardnerella vaginalis [17,18] that, together with the genes encoding fibronectin (fibronectin type III domain and N-terminal fibronectin A binding protein FbpA), contributes to vaginal colonization and competition with pathogens such as Gardnerella vaginalis [18]. Widely documented is the ability of Lactobacilli to produce different types of exopolysaccharides (EPS), functional substances that support bacterial adhesion and protection from environmental factors, such as substances with an antibiotic action and drying [18]. For Lactobacillus crispatus M247, they have been characterized as having 18 genes encoding enzymes involved in the production of EPS [16]. This set of characteristics and the data published in the literature indicate that Lactobacillus crispatus M247 has suitable characteristics for the colonization of vaginal tissue following oral or local administration [19,20] if the appropriate environmental conditions occur. Furthermore, in line with what was observed with the gene analysis of other Lactobacilli, suitable characteristics for the production of bacteriocins were also found for the M247 strain, including two elveticins, a penocin, two enterolysins, and a bacteriocin of the LS2 group [21]. Although this characteristic has not yet been demonstrated at the phenotypic level, antagonistic action against certain strains of uropathogenic Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli was documented [16]. In light of the current knowledge, the strain is considered to be safe, it does not demonstrate elements of virulence, and a plasmid presence is unlikely, showing itself to be safe from a phenotypic point of view according to the criteria established by EFSA [20,22]. The combination of these characteristics render Lactobacillus crispatus M247 a candidate strain for microbial control at the intestinal level and, above all, at the urogynecological level.

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