Deciphering lactobacillus functionality

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Lactobacillus are bacteria whose usage in food fermentation dates back at least to Biblical times. They are present in a variety of foods and drinks and are generally regarded as safe microbes for human and animal use. The administration of lactobacilli to the intestine and vagina, referred to as probiotics, has been long used as a method to help restore and maintain health. However, relatively little has been known about how these organisms survive and flourish within foods and at the interface with the host. We aim to investigate the genetic code of some select strains of lactobacilli, and in doing so develop novel tools that will have wider use for bacterial geneomic sequencing. Secondly, we need to better understand the composition of microbial communities not only to see how various treatments change them, but also to help develop new ways to maintain them in a non-toxic equilibrium. We have unique access to vaginal samples from HIV patients before and after treatment with antibiotics and probiotics. We intend developing a novel way of deciphering the types of bacteria that are present, and how they change over time. Once we have done this, the technique could be used for water, soil, and other samples where diverse microbial communities exist. In summary, lactobacilli provide a good model for us to make significant breakthroughs in microbial genomics and bioinformatics. Through this project, we will strengthen our position in the areas of microbiota and probiotics.