Genome-Based in silico Evaluation of the Biosafety and Probiotic Traits of Limosilactobacillus fermentum J23 Isolated from Artisanal Mexican Cheese

Comprehensive in silico analysis aimed to identify the genes involved in the biosafety and probiotic features of Limosilactobacillus fermentum J23 was performed. The strain had a single circular chromosome of 2,004,882 base pairs (bp), with a Guanine + Cytosine (G + C) content of 51.74%. The chromosome contained 2,001 genes predicted as protein-coding sequences (CDS), 86 pseudogenes, 56 tRNAs, five rRNAs, and three ncRNAs. The in silico analysis demonstrated the absence of risk-related genes corresponding to transferable/acquirable antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, toxic metabolites, and detrimental metabolic/enzymatic activities. The strain was predicted as nonpathogenic to humans and the presence of a variety of genes potentially related to its probiotic profile were revealed, including those of carbohydrate metabolism and transport, adhesion and aggregation ability, stress/adaptive response, CRISPR/Cas adaptive immunity, and immunomodulation. These findings highlight the probiotic potential of L. fermentum J23 and provide genomic clues of its biosafety to advance its future applications.