My previous 2 Blogs discussed how the Genus and Species of a microbe are determined. The stain of a probiotic is very important when choosing the correct probiotic for you. An example of this nomenclature is shown below:

Lactobacillus rhamnosus. This is the genus and species of a particular bacteria as displayed in the previous blogs. However, there are also Strains of the probiotic, which can have a significant determination of how and where the microbe can have an impact. With  this particular probiotic, the strains of L. rhamnosus {shown in bold below)  can have different actions:

    • L. rhamnosus GG (LGG) → Known for gut health benefits.
    • L. rhamnosus GR-1 → Used in probiotic formulations for vaginal health.

Definition of a Strain

A strain is a genetic variant or subtype of a bacterial species. While bacteria of the same species share core characteristics, different strains can have unique genetic mutations, metabolic traits, or pathogenic properties. The genetic difference results in two different functions for the same genus and species of a bacteria.

But how is the Strain of a Bacterium Determined? The methods include

  1. Genetic Methods

Since bacteria within the same species can vary significantly, genetic techniques are the most reliable way to differentiate strains. These techniques include: Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST), Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI).

  2 .  Phenotypic Methods

Some strains can also be distinguished by their biochemical, metabolic, or pathogenic properties which includes: Biochemical Testing, Serotyping,  and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing.

  1. Biochemical testing are laboratory procedures used to identify and differentiate microorganisms based on their metabolic properties
  2. Serotyping identifies bacterial strains by the surface antigens on the probiotic (O, H, K antigens)
  3. Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing is also used to identify strains. This technique uses antibiotic resistance patterns to identify different strains of probiotics.

Since the strain of a bacteria can decide which probiotic to take, it is very impo rtant that the probiotics stain is identified by these methods. To be assured you get the correct probiotic for your particular need.

 

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