# Genomic and Phenotypic Safety Assessment of Probiotic Bacillus coagulans Strain JBI-YZ6.3

## TL;DR

This study confirms the safety of a new probiotic Bacillus coagulans strain through genomic and phenotypic analysis.

## Contribution

The study introduces and validates a novel B. coagulans strain with safety features for probiotic use.

## Key findings

- Strain JBI-YZ6.3 is a novel B. coagulans with no antibiotic resistance genes.
- The strain's spores are tolerant to acid, bile salts, and stable under various conditions.
- No toxin genes or cytotoxic effects were observed in the strain.

## Abstract

Spore-forming Bacillus coagulans has been widely recognized as an important probiotic, which is commonly used in products for human consumption and animal feeds. B. coagulans exhibits beneficial traits from both Bacillus and lactic acid-producing Lactobacillus. The present study evaluated the safety of the newly isolated B. coagulans strain JBI-YZ6.3, using combined genomic and phenotypic analysis approaches. The taxonomic classification based on genome sequence and biochemical tests identified strain JBI-YZ6.3 as B. coagulans. Comprehensive genome-based analyses established JBI-YZ6.3 as a novel strain of B. coagulans. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that the strain JBI-YZ6.3 was sensitive to a panel of fourteen antibiotics, and no genes related to antibiotic resistance were found in its genome. The spores of strain JBI-YZ6.3 exhibited tolerance to acid and bile salts, as well as stability at ambient and elevated conditions of temperature and relative humidity. There were no homologs of Bacillus toxin genes identified in the genome of JBI-YZ6.3, and the strain exhibited no cytotoxicity towards Vero cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In conclusion, findings from this study support the safety of B. coagulans strain JBI-YZ6.3, which can be developed into new probiotic products for preventive and therapeutic benefits in human and animal hosts.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12602-024-10305-4.