2'-Fucosyllactose as a prebiotic modulates the probiotic responses of .

2'-Fucosyllactose (2'-FL), one of the most representative oligosaccharides in human milk, is intimately linked to the enrichment of specific species. However, the efficacy of 2'-FL in modulating the probiotic responses of bifidobacterium has been rarely researched. Thereinto, three key issues have yet to be reported: the effects of 2'-FL hydrolysis on bifidobacterial growth, the protective effects of 2'-FL on bifidobacterium under gastrointestinal stress and the inhibitory activity of 2'-FL metabolites against spp. This work intended to address these concerns. 2'-FL dramatically accelerated the growth and proliferation of YH17 and BBI01. The glucose in lactose core on 2'-FL was preferable for to achieve substantial increases in biomass while the galactose was not readily available. Additionally, 2'-FL showed unique advantages in ameliorating the resistance of to gastrointestinal challenges. 2'-FL considerably improved the adhesive property of , thus facilitating the competitive elimination of ATCC 29544 and ATCC 51329 by B. The growth inhibition of 2'-FL on the strains was mediated by promoting the secretion of antibacterial substances from . The inhibitory activity hinged on the strains. 2'-FL specifically induced BBI01 to produce some antibacterial substances that were proteinaceous, thermostable and relatively stable even at pH 8.0. These antibacterial substances played a key role in the inhibitory activity and had a synergistic effect with acidification. These observations provide a useful guideline for developing synbiotic supplements to intervene the infant gut microbiota.