Probiotics are increasingly being explored as alternatives for preventing intestinal infections in livestock, and Weissella species have attracted attention for their health-promoting properties.This study evaluated the probiotic functional traits, safety attributes, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production potential of Weissella cibaria MSCH1, isolated from a Chiku sample.Phenotypic assays demonstrated that MSCH1 tolerated simulated gastric juice (pepsin, pH 3) with 64% survival after 2 h and maintained significant viability under simulated intestinal-like conditions (trypsin, pH 8) after 6 h.The strain exhibited strong auto-aggregation and notable antimicrobial activity against representative pathogens, supporting its potential for colonisation and competitive exclusion in the gastrointestinal tract.Whole-genome sequencing revealed a 2.489 Mb genome with 44.75% GC content, harbouring genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism, EPS biosynthesis, and stress responses, indicating adaptation to the gastrointestinal environment.Functional analysis highlighted a high abundance of glycosyltransferases and glycoside hydrolases, reflecting metabolic flexibility and strong EPS-producing capacity.Safety assessment confirmed the absence of transferable antibiotic resistance and virulence-associated genes, consistent with its non-hemolytic and antibiotic-susceptible phenotype.Comparative genomic analysis identified unique genes that may enhance ecological adaptability and functional diversity.Collectively, the integrated phenotypic and genomic data suggest that W. cibaria MSCH1 is a safe, metabolically versatile, and promising probiotic candidate with potential applications in animal health and functional food development.
Patadiya et al. (Thu,) studied this question.