Cryopreservation of artificial gut microbiota produced with in vitro fermentation technology

Microb Biotechnol. 2018 Jan;11(1):163-175. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.12844. Epub 2017 Oct 4.

Abstract

Interest in faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has increased as therapy for intestinal diseases, but safety issues limit its widespread use. Intestinal fermentation technology (IFT) can produce controlled, diverse and metabolically active 'artificial' colonic microbiota as potential alternative to common FMT. However, suitable processing technology to store this artificial microbiota is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the two cryoprotectives, glycerol (15% v/v) and inulin (5% w/v) alone and in combination, in preserving short-chain fatty acid formation and recovery of major butyrate-producing bacteria in three artificial microbiota during cryopreservation for 3 months at -80°C. After 24 h anaerobic fermentation of the preserved microbiota, butyrate and propionate production were maintained when glycerol was used as cryoprotectant, while acetate and butyrate were formed more rapidly with glycerol in combination with inulin. Glycerol supported cryopreservation of the Roseburia spp./Eubacterium rectale group, while inulin improved the recovery of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Eubacterium hallii growth was affected minimally by cryopreservation. Our data indicate that butyrate producers, which are key organisms for gut health, can be well preserved with glycerol and inulin during frozen storage. This is of high importance if artificially produced colonic microbiota is considered for therapeutic purposes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / metabolism
  • Butyrates / metabolism
  • Cryopreservation / methods*
  • Cryoprotective Agents / pharmacology
  • Fermentation
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Glycerol / pharmacology
  • Inulin / pharmacology
  • Microbiological Techniques / methods*
  • Propionates / metabolism

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Butyrates
  • Cryoprotective Agents
  • Propionates
  • Inulin
  • Glycerol