Background The reclassification of Lactobacillus into five phylogenetically and functionally distinct genera Levilactobacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Ligilactobacillus has advanced the ecological and functional interpretation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) across food systems. Despite this, functional traits are often still assessed without reference to the new taxonomy, limiting the precision of microbial applications in food biotechnology. Scope and approach This review integrates genomic, bibliometric, and ecological data to present a taxonomy-consistent synthesis of LAB functionality in food systems. A screening of 1000 peer-reviewed articles (2020–2024) mapped genus-level representation across food matrices, followed by a detailed analysis of 68 studies on fermentation traits, stress adaptation, and metabolic pathways. We also focused on key gene clusters involved in GABA synthesis (gad operon), antimicrobial production (pdu operon), lactose metabolism (lacS/lacZ), and Exopolysaccharides (EPS) synthesis. Key findings and conclusions Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was the most represented species across dairy (30.4 %), fruit (20.8 %), and vegetable (6.0 %) matrices, followed by Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (15.2 %) and Levilactobacillus brevis (8.9 %). Operon mapping confirmed distinct functional roles, including gad in L. brevis (GABA biosynthesis), lacS/lacZ in L. paracasei (lactose metabolism), and pdu in L. reuteri (reuterin production). Correlation analysis (r > 0.90) highlighted strong co-occurrence between L. plantarum and L. paracasei, particularly in dairy systems, supporting potential synergy in co-culture applications. Our findings offer an integrated perspective linking taxonomy, genomic potential, and ecological roles across food matrices, supporting targeted strain selection and microbial consortia design for precision fermentation and sustainable food innovation.
Five years after the lactobacillus reclassification: genomic and functional insights into Levilactobacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Ligilactobacillus in fermented foods
Campanaro S.;
2025
Abstract
Background The reclassification of Lactobacillus into five phylogenetically and functionally distinct genera Levilactobacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Ligilactobacillus has advanced the ecological and functional interpretation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) across food systems. Despite this, functional traits are often still assessed without reference to the new taxonomy, limiting the precision of microbial applications in food biotechnology. Scope and approach This review integrates genomic, bibliometric, and ecological data to present a taxonomy-consistent synthesis of LAB functionality in food systems. A screening of 1000 peer-reviewed articles (2020–2024) mapped genus-level representation across food matrices, followed by a detailed analysis of 68 studies on fermentation traits, stress adaptation, and metabolic pathways. We also focused on key gene clusters involved in GABA synthesis (gad operon), antimicrobial production (pdu operon), lactose metabolism (lacS/lacZ), and Exopolysaccharides (EPS) synthesis. Key findings and conclusions Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was the most represented species across dairy (30.4 %), fruit (20.8 %), and vegetable (6.0 %) matrices, followed by Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (15.2 %) and Levilactobacillus brevis (8.9 %). Operon mapping confirmed distinct functional roles, including gad in L. brevis (GABA biosynthesis), lacS/lacZ in L. paracasei (lactose metabolism), and pdu in L. reuteri (reuterin production). Correlation analysis (r > 0.90) highlighted strong co-occurrence between L. plantarum and L. paracasei, particularly in dairy systems, supporting potential synergy in co-culture applications. Our findings offer an integrated perspective linking taxonomy, genomic potential, and ecological roles across food matrices, supporting targeted strain selection and microbial consortia design for precision fermentation and sustainable food innovation.
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
