Regulatory effects of bifidobacteria on the growth of other colonic bacteria
Abstract
In the human large intestine bifidobacteria are a numerically important group of micro‐organisms which are considered to exert a range of biological activities related to host health. One aspect is the inhibitory effect of these bacteria on other species, possibly excluding long term colonization by invasive pathogens. It has been suggested that the mechanism of inhibition carried out by bifidobacteria is related to the fermentative production of acids such as acetate and lactate. Experiments reported in this paper attemptedto address this theory. Co‐culture experiments whereby Bifidobacterium infantis was incubated with Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, in a varietyof fermentation systems, indicated that the bifidobacterium was able to exert an inhibitory effect not necessarily related to acid production. Further studies showed that eight species of bifidobacteria could variously excrete an anti‐microbial substance with a broadspectrum of activity. Species belonging to the genera Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter and Shigella, as well as Vibrio cholerae, were all affected. These results show that bifidobacteria are able to exert more than one mechanism of inhibition, which may be of some importance with regard to protection against gastroenteritis.
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Probiotics can provide twofold protection against a broad range of pathogens, including certain forms of Clostridium, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Pseudomonas, by competing for nutrients and producing metabolites and soluble factors inhibitory for some pathogenic bacteria.
“As bacteria compete for nutrients and produce substances that directly affect the growth of other bacteria, probiotics can provide a twofold protection against a broad range of pathogens, including certain forms of Clostridium, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Pseudomonas”
From Gut microbiota role in irritable bowel syndrome: New therapeutic strategies (2016) · cites this paper as [200]
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- Authors
- Gibson, G. R., & Wang, X.
- Corresponding author
- Gibson, G.R.
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Bacteriology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1994-10
- Volume
- 77
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 412-420
- ISSN
- 0021-8847 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2167497377
- Cited by
- 682
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 24.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Bacteriology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
- Keywords
- Bifidobacterium, Bifidobacterium infantis, bacterial growth inhibition, colonic bacteria, acid production, acetate, lactate, Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, pathogen exclusion, co-culture
- MeSH terms
- Acetates, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium perfringens, Colon, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Fermentation, Gastroenteritis, Humans, Lactates, Acetic Acid, Lactic Acid
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