Detection of Pathogenicity and Production of Toxic Metabolites

The numerous biological functions of probiotic products have attracted more and more attention. However, the safety issues of their products have gradually been exposed. Creative Enzymes provides comprehensive bioassay analysis for clients' probiotic safety assessment by analyzing potential virulence and toxic metabolites of probiotics based on international standards of phenotypic (toxic metabolite production) and genotypic analysis (pathogenicity genes).

Pathogenicity and Production of Toxic Metabolites of Probiotics

Probiotics are well known and classified as safe. However, the frequent isolation of lactobacilli from clinical infections in recent years has sparked a debate about the safety of probiotics. For probiotic strains without a long history of use and newly developed probiotic products, more attention needs to be paid to the potential for strains containing pathogenic genes and the production of toxic metabolites. The possible toxic metabolites of probiotics include but are not limited to the following.

Pathogenic genes are the potential risk that probiotics may cause pathogenicity and infectivity. For example, some species in the Enterococcus genus usually contain pathogenic genes. Among them, Enterococcus faecium, which is used as a probiotic in food, does not contain pathogenic factors, while Enterococcus faecalis is a typical carrier of multiple pathogenic genes.

Probiotic Pathogenicity and Toxic Metabolite Production Assays at Creative Enzymes

As a class of bacteria widely used in food or medicine, the genotype of probiotics determines the safety and functionality of the strain. Starting from the genetic level, we can provide more comprehensive phenotypic information on the metabolism, physiology, biosynthetic capacity and adaptability to the environment of probiotics. In the Creative Enzymes laboratory, we have developed a thorough process to analyze and test probiotics for potential pathogenic genes. Our testing services include：

• The whole genome of the target probiotics was sequenced using high-throughput sequencing technology.
• The whole genome sequence of the strain was compared with the existing database of pathogenicity and virulence genes to screen for the presence of genes associated with pathogenicity in the strain and to predict its potential to develop infection. Based on the screening of the causative genes, the virulence of the probiotics can be confirmed based on the in vivo tests we provide subsequently.
• Through our powerful bioinformatics platform, the whole genome sequences of the strains were aligned to screen for genes encoding the production of ammonia, amines, indoles, phenols, oncogenic bile acids and mucosal degradation-related enzymes.
• Gene expression was detected by Real-Time PCR.
• Toxic metabolites were assayed in combination with traditional toxicity assays.
• The ability of the strain to produce harmful metabolites was confirmed in combination with the testing of the fermentation broth of the strain.

Advantages of Creative Enzymes

• We provide one-stop comprehensive testing solutions according to our clients' demands.
• Provide reliable test results and make constructive recommendations to clients.
• Deliver results in a short period of time and offer competitive prices.

Creative Enzymes is a professional and experienced probiotic supplier and service provider. Creative Enzyme provides high quality test results with our strength and professionalism to help our clients provide the industry with probiotic products that meet the requirements of market safety regulation. To get more information, please contact us and we will be happy to serve your research demands.