Metabolic rewiring of the probiotic bacterium Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG contributes to cell wall remodeling and antimicrobials production

Abstract

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is a Gram-positive beneficial bacterium that resides in the human intestinal tract and belongs to the family of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This bacterium is a widely used probiotic and was suggested to provide numerous benefits for human health. However, as in most LAB strains, the molecular mechanisms that mediate the competitiveness of probiotics under different diets remain unknown. Fermentation is a fundamental process in LAB, allowing the oxidation of simple carbohydrates (e.g., glucose, mannose) for energy production under conditions of oxygen limitation, as in the human gut. Our results indicate that fermentation reshapes the metabolome, volatilome, and proteome architecture in LGG. Furthermore, fermentation alters cell envelope remodeling and peptidoglycan biosynthesis, which leads to altered cell wall thickness, aggregation properties, and cell wall composition. In addition, fermentable sugars induced secretion of known and novel metabolites and proteins targeting the enteric pathogens Enterococcus faecalis and Salmonella Enterica serovar Typhimurium. Overall, our results link the common metabolic regulation of cell wall remodeling, aggregation to host tissues, biofilm formation in probiotic strains, and connect the production of antimicrobial effectors with metabolome reprogramming. These findings provide novel insights into the role of nutrition in the establishment of LGG in the gastrointestinal tract.