Mejía-Caballero Alejandra, Marco Maria L
Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Nat Rev Microbiol. 2025 Jul 23. doi: 10.1038/s41579-025-01205-7.
Lactobacilli encompass more than 300 species, spanning 25 genera, found in the microbiomes of humans, animals and plants with relevance in agriculture, foods and medicine. Lactobacilli comprise all bacteria previously assigned to the Lactobacillus genus and, similar to other lactic acid bacteria, are characterized by their saccharolytic, fermentation-energy metabolism and diverse enzymatic pathways that support redox balance and maintain intracellular pH. Some lactobacilli are pervasive in dairy, meat and plant foods, where they either contribute to spoilage and food waste or are desired and necessary for the production of fermented foods and animal feed. Strains of lactobacilli are the most applied probiotics tested in clinical studies. The study of host-associated intestinal and vaginal microbiomes has demonstrated that lactobacilli drive epithelial and immune cell responses, resulting in mainly beneficial effects on host health. This Review explores both established and emerging concepts related to this group of microorganisms. It highlights central tenants of their genetic diversity, metabolism, stress tolerance and distribution across host-associated microbiomes, as well as their importance in fermented foods and in health modulation as probiotics. With this accumulated knowledge, there remain substantial opportunities for expanded application of lactobacilli across different domains relevant to food production and health.
乳杆菌包括300多个物种，分属于25个属，存在于人类、动物和植物的微生物群中，在农业、食品和医学领域具有重要意义。乳杆菌包括所有以前归属于乳杆菌属的细菌，与其他乳酸菌类似，其特点是具有糖分解、发酵能量代谢以及支持氧化还原平衡和维持细胞内pH值的多种酶促途径。一些乳杆菌在乳制品、肉类和植物性食品中普遍存在，它们要么导致食品变质和浪费，要么是生产发酵食品和动物饲料所需要的。乳杆菌菌株是临床研究中应用最广泛的益生菌。对与宿主相关的肠道和阴道微生物群的研究表明，乳杆菌驱动上皮细胞和免疫细胞反应，对宿主健康主要产生有益影响。本综述探讨了与这组微生物相关的既定概念和新兴概念。它强调了它们的遗传多样性、代谢、应激耐受性以及在与宿主相关的微生物群中的分布的核心要点，以及它们在发酵食品和作为益生菌调节健康方面的重要性。基于这些积累的知识，乳杆菌在与食品生产和健康相关的不同领域的广泛应用仍有很大机会。
