The results of this study validated the hypothesis that increased intestinal permeability together with differences in microbiota composition are contemporaneously associated with the pre-pathological condition of T1D in a sample of Italian children. Further studies are necessary to confirm the microbial markers identified in this sample of children as well as to clarify the involvement of microbiota modifications in the mechanisms leading to increased permeability and the autoimmune mechanisms that promote diabetes onset. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Probiotics are microorganisms that confer beneficial effects on the host; nevertheless, before being allowed for human consumption, their safety must be verified with accurate protocols. In the genomic era, such procedures should take into account the genomic-based approaches. This study aims at assessing the safety traits of Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 integrating the most updated genomics-based procedures and conventional phenotypic assays. Special attention was paid to putative virulence factors (VF), antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and genes encoding enzymes responsible for harmful metabolites (i.e. biogenic amines, BAs). This probiotic strain was phenotypically resistant to streptomycin and kanamycin, although the genome analysis suggested that the AR-related genes were not easily transferrable to other bacteria, and no other genes with potential safety risks, such as those related to VF or BA production, were retrieved. Furthermore, no unstable elements that could potentially lead to genomic rearrangements were detected. Moreover, a workflow is proposed to allow the proper taxonomic identification of a microbial strain and the accurate evaluation of risk-related gene traits, combining whole genome sequencing analysis with updated bioinformatics tools and standard phenotypic assays. The workflow presented can be generalized as a guideline for the safety investigation of novel probiotic strains to help stakeholders (from scientists to manufacturers and consumers) to meet regulatory requirements and avoid misleading information.

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Background Synbiotic foods, which combine the action of prebiotics and probiotics along the gastrointestinal tract, can affect inflammatory and glucose-related markers. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on inflammatory and glycemia-related markers of a whole-grain pasta containing barley β-glucans and Bacillus coagulans BC30, 6086 in healthy overweight or obese volunteers. Methods A single-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled dietary intervention study was carried out. Forty-one healthy sedentary overweight (body mass index [BMI] 25–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥30) volunteers, aged 30–65 y and low consumers of fruit and vegetables, ate 1 serving/d of whole-grain control (CTR) or innovative (INN) pasta for 12 wk and maintained their habitual diets. Biological samples were collected at baseline and every 4 wk for primary (plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP] and fasting plasma lipid profile) and secondary outcomes (glycemia-related markers, blood pressure, fecal microbiota composition, and body weight). Between (CTR compared with INN) and within (among weeks) group differences were tested for the whole population and for subgroups stratified by baseline values of BMI (≥30) and glycemia (≥100 mg/dL). Results INN or CTR pasta consumption had no effect on primary and secondary outcomes over time, except for a significant increase in plasma γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) after 12 wk of CTR pasta consumption. Comparisons between intervention groups revealed differences only at 12 wk: plasma GGT was higher in the CTR group; plasma hs-CRP, plasma LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, and Bifidobacterium spp. were lower in the INN subgroup of obese volunteers; plasma resistin was lower and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance was higher in the INN subgroup of hyperglycemic volunteers. Conclusions A daily serving of a synbiotic whole-grain pasta had limited effects on primary and secondary outcomes in the entire group of volunteers but affected glycemia- and lipid-related markers and resistin in a subgroup of healthy obese or hyperglycemic volunteers. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02236533.

Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 is a safe strain, already available on the market, and characterized by certified beneficial effects. The draft genome sequence presented here constitutes the first pillar toward the identification of the molecular mechanisms responsible for its positive features and safety.

Diet-related modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolic activity represents an intriguing research context, particularly in the case of disorders related to imbalances in gut microbial communities. We here explored the effects of Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 (BC30), β-glucans, and innovative whole-grain pastas, with or without these functional ingredients, on gut microbiota from three groups of children, presenting different susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, by using the well-controlled TNO in vitro model of the proximal colon (TIM-2). Short- and branched-chain fatty acids production and microbiota composition were assessed by means of gas chromatography and 16S rRNA gene profiling, respectively. In most cases, in vitro dietary interventions caused microbiota-dependent modulations as a result of intergroup variability, but also specific changes in microbial groups were shared between the three microbiotas, highlighting specific diet-microbial taxa connections.