The present study evaluated probiotic potentials of marine bacteriocinogenic lactic acid bacteria (LAB).
Three marine LAB isolates, designated SB71, SB73 and SB93, were characterized as Lactobacillus casei.
They possessed features like high level of gastrointestinal survival, inability to form biogenic amines,
adherence to Caco-2 cells and marked cholesterol assimilation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the
first report about marine probiotic bacteria from the Indian subcontinent. Tolerance of the three isolates
to NaCl, bile and low pH was noteworthy. EPS from SB93 markedly disrupted bacterial adherence and
promoted remediation of cadmium and lead. Broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antiadhesive activities
were exhibited by the SB93 bacteriocin and the active principle survived autoclaving. All three bacteriocins
exhibited antimicrobial activity against Vibrio cholerae as opposed to previous results. Earlier
reports mentioned that the bacteriocinogenic isolates were cultivated for 24 h following which antimicrobial
action of bacteriocins (in cell-free culture supernatants) was noted. However, in the present
study, the test LAB isolates were cultivated for a period of up to 5 days and bacteriocins (in cell-free
supernatants collected daily from the cultures) continued to exhibit antimicrobial activity, thus advocating
for their potential lasting effect in diseased individuals.