The Probiotic Strain Lactobacillus fermentum 39: Biochemical Properties, Genomic Features, and Antiviral Activity

Lactobacillus fermentum 39 is a well-known probiotic strain, which is widely used for production of pharmacopoeial probiotic preparations, dietary supplements, and foodstuffs enriched with probiotic microorganisms. In the course of analysis by transmission electron microscopy, the cell morphology was studied, biochemical properties of the strain and strain-specific characteristics of sugar metabolism were thoroughly analyzed, its full genome was sequenced, and the cluster of genes responsible for exopolysaccharide synthesis was characterized. The cells of Lactobacillus fermentum 39 were shown to be capable of adsorbing rotavirus particles, which allows us to substantiate a new aspect of application of probiotics, including this strain, in acute gastroenteritis caused by human rotaviruses.