Characterization of the proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from foods by functional genomics and transcriptomics and their potential to reduce the allergenicity of cheese

• Grant number: 18/24061-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco
• Grantee: Antônio Diogo Silva Vieira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07914-8 - FoRC - Food Research Center, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Food allergies (FA) are a public health problem that are increasing around the world. Among the FAs, cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is one of the most common, affecting mainly children under 4 years. Studies suggest that proteolytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) may be a promising alternative for reducing the antigenicity of allergenic proteins present in milk. However, the literature lacks studies on the molecular mechanisms involved in the proteolytic process. This postdoctoral project intends to characterize the genome of proteolytic LAB strains obtained in previous studies in the Laboratory of Food Microbiology of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF) of the University of São Paulo, in order to know the metabolic pathways involved in the degradation of the main milk proteins that cause CMPA. The strains that present CMPA-related genotype and phenotype will be used for cheese production, evaluating the expression of genes related to proteolytic activity during production and maturation, through transcriptomic analysis. Reduction of protein allergenicity will be assessed by appropriate immunochemical testing. The safety of strains for use in foods will also be evaluated by screening for virulence genes related to the strain species. This project is supported by the Food Research Center (FoRC / RIDC / FAPESP) and intends to continue the partnership with researchers from the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA-Nantes, France) in the study of LAB with beneficial properties for health.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BATTISTINI, CAROLINA; HERKENHOFF, MARCOS EDGAR; LEITE, MARCELA DE SOUZA; SILVA VIEIRA, ANTONIO DIOGO; BEDANI, RAQUEL; ISAY SAAD, SUSANA MARTA. Brewer's Spent Grain Enhanced the Recovery of Potential Probiotic Strains in Fermented Milk After Exposure to In Vitro-Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions. PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS, SEP 2021. (13/07914-8, 19/02583-0, 18/24061-2, 18/21584-4)