Comparative genomics study of Lactobacillus plantarum strains provides perspectives about proteins involved in the probiogenomics

Probiotic bacteria have received great attention in recent years due to the benefits conferred by this group of microorganisms on human health, such as the improvement of nutrient bioavailability, inhibiting the opportunistic pathogens growth and increasing host immune activity. In this context, the combination of Lactobacillus plantarum potential and the advent of NGS platforms contributed to the increase of genomes belonging to the species in the past decade. The present study aimed to use a series of bioinformatics tools to perform the comparative analysis of 41 completed genomes of the species. Genes involved in probiogenomics of the species were identified in the core genome, such as adhesion, antagonism to pathogens and host microbiota alterations. It was also detected a structural variation at genomic level, due to the identification of gene clusters present in certain strains and absent in others, a fact that may be related to the heterogeneity of habitats that L. plantarum can be isolated. Therefore, this study was able to provide new insights regarding the gene content of this important group of lactic acid bacteria, through the direct comparison of several strains, which opens the way for future studies aiming to understand the mechanisms by which L. plantarum is capable of causing its beneficial effects on human health.