Application of enzymes as feed additives is common in the livestock industry, especially
in poultry, to eliminate the antinutritional factors present in the diets of chickens.
However, the efficiency of enzymes seldom achieves their desired effects because of
destruction during feed processing and unsuitable conditions in the gastrointestinal tract.
Thus, in the present study, investigations were carried out to evaluate the potential of 12
Lactobacillus strains as delivery vehicles for a heterologous β-glucanase enzyme in
poultry. The 12 Lactobacillus strains used were L. crispatus I12, L. acidophilus I16 and
I26, L. fermentum I24, I25, C16 and C17, and L. brevis I23, I211, I218, C1 and C10.
The strains were found to exhibit resistance to chloromphenicol, erythromycin and
tetracycline in varying degrees. The erythromycin resistance of L. acidophilus I16 and
I26, and L. fermentum I24 and C17 could be cured by using novobiocin, and L. brevis
C10 cured by using acriflavin. The chloromphenicol and tetracycline resistances of all
the resistant strains were not eliminated even after prolonged curing in sublethal
concentrations of individual or mixtures of curing agents such as novobiocin, ethidium
bromide, acriflavin or SDS. Electrotransformation efficiency of the Lactobacillus strains
was affected by growth phase, growth and recovery medium, cell density, electroporation
buffer, buffer strength, plasmid concentration and electrical pulse. At optimized
conditions, the strains were transformed at 103-104 transformants/μg plasmid DNA. The
erythromycin susceptible wild-type strains (L. crispatus I12, L. brevis I23, I211 and I218,
and L. fermentum I25) and cured derivatives (L. acidophilus I16C and I26C, L. brevis
v
C10C, and L. fermentum I24C and C17C) were then transformed at optimized conditions
with plasmid pSA3b6, which carried a β-glucanase gene from Bacillus
amyloliquefaciens. Five wild-type Lactobacillus strains, namely, L. crispatus I12, L.
fermentum I25, L. brevis I23, I211 and I218 and a cured derivative, L. brevis C10C,
which could retain the plasmid at a comparatively higher rate, were used for subsequent
studies. The Lactobacillus transformants were found to secrete 32-52 U/ml of β-
glucanase. Optimum activity of the enzyme was at 39 oC and pH 5-6. A loss of 0.4-1.6
U/generation of β-glucanase was observed when the strains were grown under nonselective
pressure.
PCR analyses of gastrointestinal samples of chickens fed transformed Lactobacillus
strains revealed that the strains could not persist for more than 24 h in the gut. The β-
glucanase activity detected in the jejunum and ileum of chickens fed transformed
Lactobacillus strains was found to be 2-9.4 folds higher than those obtained from other
intestinal sites. In the feeding trial, supplementation of transformed Lactobacillus strains
to chickens significantly (P<0.05) improved the body weight by 2.5 %, and the feed
conversion ratio by 1.0-2.6 %. In addition, the apparent metabolizable energy,
digestibilities of crude protein and dry matter of feed were improved by 3.4 %, 5.9 % and
3.5 %, respectively. The intestinal fluid viscosity was reduced by 21-46 %. The relative
weights of organs and intestinal segments (pancrease, liver, duodenum, jejunum, ileum,
cecum and colon) were also reduced by 6-27 %, and the relative length of intestinal
segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum and cecum) was reduced by 8-15 %. Histological
examination of the intestinal tissues showed that the jejunal villus height of chickens fed
diet supplemented with transformed Lactobacillus strains was significantly (P<0.05)
higher than those of chickens fed other dietary treatments. The transformed
Lactobacillus strains were also found to reduce the time of feed passage rate by 2.2 h.
vi
The results of the present study showed that the Lactobacillus strains have the potential to
be used as delivery vehicles for a heterologous β-glucanase enzyme in poultry