Enterococcus faecium AL 41: Its Enterocin M and Their Beneficial Use in Rabbits Husbandry

Abstract

Enterococci are ubiquitous microbiota constituting a large proportion of autochthonous microflora in animals. Some produce bacteriocins mostly enterocins; some of bacteriocin-producing strains also possess probiotic properties. Enterococcus faecium AL 41, Ent M-producing strain was tested for beneficial effect in rabbits. Five-week-old animals (72, Hycole) were divided into experimental groups (E1, E2) and control (C); 24 animals in each. Rabbits in E1 were administered AL 41 (500 μl per animal/day, 10(9) cfu/ml) in water for 21 days; rabbits in E2 were administered Ent M (50 μl/animal/day, activity 12,800 AU/ml) in water for 21 days. Rabbits in C fed a commercial diet. The experiment lasted 42 days. Sampling of faeces and blood was provided on day 0-1 and 21, 42; 3 animals per group were slaughtered. Caecum and appendix were separated. AL 41 colonized rabbits intestines <1.0 (log10) cfu/g, but stimulation of immunity was noted (P < 0.01; P < 0.001). Antimicrobial activity of both was noticed in faeces and/or caecum against pseudomonads. Significant decrease of coliform bacteria in faeces of E1 was noted on day 42 comparing with E2 (P < 0.05). On day 21, S. aureus cells were not detected in E1, E2. On day 42, S. aureus was not found in E2; in E1 their counts were <1.0 cfu/g, while in C it was in the count more than 1.0 cfu/g. In appendix, on day 21, significant decrease of not specified bacteria was found in E1, E2 comparing with C (P < 0.01). Administration of additives has not evoked oxidative stress. Biochemical parameters were not influenced. Higher average daily weight gains were detected by both, AL 41 and Ent M.

Pilot experiment in chickens challenged with Campylobacter jejuni CCM6191 administered enterocin M-producing probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium CCM8558 to check its protective effect

“…Their beneficial effect in food-producing animal husbandries was previously shown e.g. in rabbits (Szaboova et al 2011;Laukova et al 2012) but beneficial effects due to enterocin-producing strains were also reported (Laukova et al 2003a(Laukova et al , 2015Pogany Simonova et al 2013). Enterococcus faecium AL41 is our environmental strain previously more detailedly characterized in our laboratory (Laukova et al 1998(Laukova et al , 2004b; it is known to produce a new type of enterocin named enterocin M, which is very similar to enterocin P (Marekova et al 2007).…”

Beneficial effect of bacteriocin-producing strain Enterococcus durans ED 26E/7 in model experiment using broiler rabbits

“…was found as well (Pogany Simonova et al 2009;Laukova et al 2012aLaukova et al , 2015c, and the similar effect was also noted in poultry (Laukova et al 2015c). The antimicrobial effect could be explained by lactic acid or bacteriocin production; ED 26E/7 strain produces a bacteriocin substance -durancin (Laukova et al 2012b). Not so evident inhibition effect of ED 26E/7 strain as e.g.…”

“…Its identity was confirmed by MALDI-TOF spectrometry. It is a lactic acid and bacteriocin-producing strain possessing probiotic properties (Laukova et al 2012b). …”

Characteristic and susceptibility to enterocins of enterococci in pheasants possessing virulence factor genes

“…E. faecalis strains were sensitive to the tested Ents. Sensitivity to Ents of E. faecalis strains possessing virulence factor genes indicates the possibility of using Ents for elimination of pathogenic agents, particularly since in vivo antimicrobial activity of Ents has been previously reported (Audisio et al 1999, Lauková et al 2004, Lauková et al 2012b, Levkut et al 2009). Moreover, this provides an opportunity to inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which so often occur nowdays.…”

“…Semi-purified substances of Ents represent small, thermo-stable peptides. They were prepared as previously described by Lauková et al (2012b) for EntEM41 (produced by E. faecium EM41 from ostrich-Emu); Strompfová and Lauková (2007) for Ent55 (produced by chicken isolate E. faecium EF55); Lauková et al (1993) for Ent4231 (produced by ruminal E. faecium CCM4231); Mareková et al (2003Mareková et al ( , 2007 for Ents EK13=(A, P) and EntM produced by environmental isolates E. faecium EK13=CCM7419 and AL41; Simonová and Lauková (2007) for Ent2019 produced by rabbit isolate E.faecium 2019-CCM7420. Inhibitory activity was defined as the reciprocal of the highest dilution producing an inhibitory zone against the indicator strain and expressed in Arbitrary Units per ml (AU/mL) against the principal indicator strain E. avium EA5 (from our laboratory).…”