IDENTIFICATION OF MICROBIAL FUNCTIONS INTERFERING WITH HOST-CELL PHYSIOLOGY: A QUICK VIEW INTO STREPTOCOCCUS THERMOPHILUS METABOLIC POTENTIAL
type: CreativeWork
description: Streptococcus thermophilus, long typecast as a dairy workhorse, is ready for a role upgrade. Despite decades of safe use in fermentation in large volume consumer products, this species has been largely sidelined in probiotic research, overshadowed by genera like bifidobacteria and strains belonging to the group formerly classified within lactobacilli, such as Lactiplantibacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, and Limosilactobacillus. This thesis redefines S. thermophilus as a metabolically dynamic, functionally relevant, and therapeutically promising candidate in the probiotic field. In the first part of this work, we present a safe metabolic activation strategy that enhances lactose catabolism in S. thermophilus, starting from the biomass production phase, without compromising cell viability. Within just 30 minutes, activated cells exhibited up to a 30% increase in lactose conversion, compared to not-activated cells. Interestingly, in the presence of both urea and a carbon source, lactic acid release was significantly enhanced, alongside a marked improvement in glycolytic activity, without altering the optimized lactose uptake. This distinctive metabolic behavior of activated cells appears to modulate glycolysis and enhance acidification, positioning S. thermophilus as a promising tool not only for more efficiently supporting lactose digestion but also for additional applications requiring optimized biomass performance, rapid lactose consumption, and controlled glycolytic and lactate output. Importantly, these activated cells are currently being evaluated in a forthcoming in vivo study, where their enhanced metabolic profile is expected to translate into measurable reduced symptoms and improved subject well-being in individuals with lactose intolerance. This therapeutic potential, directed toward specific targets (e.g., lactose maldigestion), reinforces the concept of precision probiotics: microbial products designed not just for general health promotion, but for targeted in…
abstract: Streptococcus thermophilus, long typecast as a dairy workhorse, is ready for a role upgrade. Despite decades of safe use in fermentation in large volume consumer products, this species has been largely sidelined in probiotic research, overshadowed by genera like bifidobacteria and strains belonging to the group formerly classified within lactobacilli, such as Lactiplantibacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, and Limosilactobacillus. This thesis redefines S. thermophilus as a metabolically dynamic, functionally relevant, and therapeutically promising candidate in the probiotic field. In the first part of this work, we present a safe metabolic activation strategy that enhances lactose catabolism in S. thermophilus, starting from the biomass production phase, without compromising cell viability. Within just 30 minutes, activated cells exhibited up to a 30% increase in lactose conversion, compared to not-activated cells. Interestingly, in the presence of both urea and a carbon source, lactic acid release was significantly enhanced, alongside a marked improvement in glycolytic activity, without altering the optimized lactose uptake. This distinctive metabolic behavior of activated cells appears to modulate glycolysis and enhance acidification, positioning S. thermophilus as a promising tool not only for more efficiently supporting lactose digestion but also for additional applications requiring optimized biomass performance, rapid lactose consumption, and controlled glycolytic and lactate output. Importantly, these activated cells are currently being evaluated in a forthcoming in vivo study, where their enhanced metabolic profile is expected to translate into measurable reduced symptoms and improved subject well-being in individuals with lactose intolerance. This therapeutic potential, directed toward specific targets (e.g., lactose maldigestion), reinforces the concept of precision probiotics: microbial products designed not just for general health promotion, but for targeted in…
author: ZANCHETTA, YLENIA
language: eng
keywords: Streptococcus thermophilu, probiotic, metabolic activation, urease, lactose digestion, lactic acid, gut microbiome, precision probiotic, prophage delivery, Settore AGRI-08/A - Microbiologia agraria, alimentare e ambientale
date published: 2026-02-09
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:19:05Z
provider: Università degli Studi di Milano
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Università degli Studi di Milano

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property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1225837