Metagenomic analysis of the host fecal microbiome altered by W. coagulans using Illumina sequencing

Weizmannia coagulans (formerly Bacillus coagulans) is a gram-positive bacterium forming spores and producing lactic acid, employing spore formation as a survival strategy within the host's intestinal and functioning as a probiotic. Therefore, we evaluated the probiotic functionalities of W. coagulans SRCM121381 and SRCM214335, isolated from human breast milk. Both strains demonstrated a remarkable tolerance capacity to acid and bile, and heat resistance. Moreover, we performed on Fermenter for Intestine Microbiome Model (FIMM) to evaluate the effects of these strains on the in vitro gut microbial fermentation based on a metagenomic approach. The FIMM analysis demonstrated that the addition of two W. coagulans strains significantly increased the population of beneficial bacteria, including Bifidobacterium and Blautia.