In Vitro Assessment of Marine Bacillus for Use as Livestock Probiotics

Marine Drugs

Maria Luz Prieto²  Laurie O’Sullivan²  Shiau Pin Tan²  Peter McLoughlin²  Helen Hughes²  Montserrat Gutierrez¹  Jonathan A. Lane³  Rita M. Hickey³  Peadar G. Lawlor⁴ 

[1] Veterinary Public Health Regulatory Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Complex, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland; E-Mail:;Eco-Innovation Research Centre, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland; E-Mails:;Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland; E-Mails:;Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland; E-Mail:

关键词: spores;    antimicrobial;    E. coli;    xCELLigence;    pigs;   

DOI  :  10.3390/md12052422

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Six antimicrobial-producing seaweed-derived Bacillus strains were evaluated in vitro as animal probiotics, in comparison to two Bacillus from an EU-authorized animal probiotic product. Antimicrobial activity was demonstrated on solid media against porcine Salmonella and E. coli. The marine isolates were most active against the latter, had better activity than the commercial probiotics and Bacillus pumilus WIT 588 also reduced E. coli counts in broth. All of the marine Bacillus tolerated physiological concentrations of bile, with some as tolerant as one of the probiotics. Spore counts for all isolates remained almost constant during incubation in simulated gastric and ileum juices. All of the marine Bacillus grew anaerobically and the spores of all except one isolate germinated under anaerobic conditions. All were sensitive to a panel of antibiotics and none harbored Bacillus enterotoxin genes but all, except B. pumilus WIT 588, showed some degree of β-hemolysis. However, trypan blue dye exclusion and xCELLigence assays demonstrated a lack of toxicity in comparison to two pathogens; in fact, the commercial probiotics appeared more cytotoxic than the majority of the marine Bacillus. Overall, some of the marine-derived Bacillus, in particular B. pumilus WIT 588, demonstrate potential for use as livestock probiotics.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.