Abstract
The genus Weissella belongs to the lactic acid bacteria group. It occurs naturally in foods and is a component of the human microbiome. A few Weissella species are candidate probiotics due to their potential for survival under the harsh conditions present in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. Various species have also shown potential for treating and preventing periodontal disease, skin pathologies, and atopic dermatitis; some are used as starters for the fermentation of foods due to their production of exopolysaccharides; and others are used as protective cultures due to their production of weissellicin, a bacteriocin. However, a few Weissella species are opportunistic pathogens, such as W. ceti, which is the etiological agent of weissellosis, a disease in rainbow trout. Additionally, most Weissella species are intrinsically vancomycin-resistant. Thus, the Weissella genus is important from both medical and industrial points of view, and the Janus faces of this genus should be considered in any expected biotechnological applications. In this review, we present an overview of the probiotic potential and pathogenic cases of the Weissella genus reported in the literature.
Key points
• Weissella is a strong probiotic candidate in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
• A few well-characterized Weissella species are used as starter cultures.
• A few Weissella species are considered opportunistic pathogens in humans.
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This work was carried out with the support of “Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ01662001)” Rural Development Administration. Republic of Korea.
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EK wrote the manuscript. S-MY surveyed the literature. EK and H-YK designed the figures and schemes. H-YK performed the revision and editing of the original draft. All authors have read and approved the manuscript.
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Kim, E., Yang, SM. & Kim, HY. Weissella and the two Janus faces of the genus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 107, 1119–1127 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12387-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12387-6