Probiotic potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus isolated from West African spontaneously fermented cereal and milk products

Grace Adzo Motey, Pernille Greve Johansen, James Owusu-Kwarteng, Linda Aurelia Ofori, Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Henrik Siegumfeldt, Nadja Larsen*, Lene Jespersen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The yeast speciesSaccharomyces cerevisiaeandKluyveromyces marxianusare associated with fermentation of West African indigenous foods. The aim of this study was to characterize potential probiotic properties ofS. cerevisiaeandK. marxianusisolates from the West African milk products lait caille and nunu and a cereal-based product mawe. The strains (14 in total) were identified by 26S rRNA gene sequencing and characterized for survival at gastrointestinal stress (bile salts and low pH) and adhesion to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Selected yeast isolates were tested for their effect on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), using the intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 and for maintenance of intracellular pH (pH(i)) during perfusion with gastrointestinal pH (3.5 and 6.5). All tested yeasts were able to grow in bile salts in a strain-dependent manner, exhibiting a maximum specific growth rate (mu(max)) of 0.58-1.50 h(-1). At pH 2.5, slow growth was observed for the isolates from mawe (mu(max)of 0.06-0.80 h(-1)), whereas growth of yeasts from other sources was mostly inhibited. Yeast adhesion to Caco-2 cells was strain specific and varied between 8.0% and 36.2%. Selected strains ofS. cerevisiaeandK. marxianuswere able to maintain the pH(i)homeostasis at gastrointestinal pH and to increase TEER across the Caco-2 monolayers, indicating their potential to improve intestinal barrier functions. Based on overall results, strains ofK. marxianusandS. cerevisiaefrom mawe exhibited the highest probiotic potential and might be recommended for further development as starter cultures in West African fermented products.

Original languageEnglish
JournalYeast
Volume37
Issue number9-10
Pages (from-to)403-412
Number of pages10
ISSN0749-503X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • adhesion
  • African fermented food
  • Kluyveromyces marxianus
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  • survival at gastrointestinal stress
  • transepithelial electrical resistance
  • LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA
  • INTRACELLULAR PH
  • SINGLE CELLS
  • YEASTS
  • STRAINS
  • IDENTIFICATION
  • TOLERANCE
  • FOODS
  • FURA

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