Distribution and characterization of prophages in Lactobacillus plantarum derived from kimchi. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Park, Do-Won; Kim, Song-Hee; Park, Jong-Hyun
• Is Part Of: Food microbiology. Volume 102(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Kimchi -- Lactobacillus plantarum -- Prophage -- Environmental stress -- Fermentation; Food Microbiology -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Microbiologie -- Périodiques; Food -- Microbiology; Periodicals; Food -- Microbiology -- Periodicals; Food contamination -- Periodicals; 664.001579
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2021.103913
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0740-0020

Abstract

Abstract: Prophage distribution and phage characteristics based on the genome of Lactobacillus plantarum derived from kimchi were investigated. Prophage genomes retrieved from a database were analyzed in silico with prophage inducibility. Twenty-one kimchi-derived L. plantarum had at least one intact prophage, including a putative cryptic state on the chromosome. They were all confirmed to belong to the Siphoviridae family. Intact prophages can be classified into three different groups: PM411-like, Sha1-like, and unclassified phage groups. Some prophage regions were encoded with superinfection exclusion proteins and orphan methylases, suggesting that the phages co-evolved with their hosts. Interestingly, prophage inducibility showed that only DNA damage could induce prophages and that pH stresses by organic acids could not. Therefore, the prophage of L. plantarum did not affect the host unless DNA was damaged, and it would hardly affect the viability of the host through phage induction during kimchi fermentation. Our results might provide insights into the distribution and non-inducibility of prophages, existence of phage-immunity genes, and role of plant-derived L. plantarum prophages in host survival during late acidic kimchi fermentation. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: In silico and in vitro prophage analyses of Lactobacillus plantarum in the late stage fermentation of kimchi were performed. Twenty-one kimchi-derived L. plantarum had at least one intact prophage on the chromosome. The prophages were induced only by DNA damage with mitomycin C and H2 O2 . The prophages encoded superinfection exclusion proteins and orphan methylases and might be related to the host survival.