Phenyl-Lactic Acid Is an Active Ingredient in Bactericidal Supernatants of Lactobacillus crispatus
Omar Abdul-Rahim, Qihao Wu, Travis K. Price, Giuseppe Anthony Pistone, Katherine Diebel, Tim S. Bugni, Alan J. Wolfe
Abstract
Although Lactobacillus crispatus is an established commensal microbe frequently used in probiotics, its protective role in the bladder microbiome has not been clarified. We report here that some urinary isolates of L. crispatus exhibit bactericidal activity, primarily due to its ability to excrete phenyl-lactic acid into its environment. Both cell-free supernatants of L. crispatus isolates and phenyl-lactic acid exhibit bactericidal activity against a wide range of pathogens, including several that are resistant to multiple antibiotics.
Topics & Concepts
Lactobacillus crispatusLactic acidLactobacillusBiologyMicrobiologyProbioticAntimicrobialBacteriaGeneticsProbiotics and Fermented FoodsGut microbiota and healthReproductive tract infections research