Evaluation of the recovery effects of antibiotic-resistant Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ATCC14917 on the antibiotic-disturbed intestinal microbiota using a mice model.

This article focuses on developing a cephalexin-resistant strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ATCC14917 and evaluating its effects on antibiotic-disturbed intestinal microbiota in a mouse model. Using laboratory evolution, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of L. plantarum to cephalexin increased 512-fold, and genomic analysis showed that resistance-associated mutations were not located on mobile genetic elements, suggesting low risk of horizontal gene transfer. Mice treated concurrently with cephalexin and the resistant L. plantarum strain exhibited improved gut microbial diversity, increased beneficial bacteria, reduced Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and decreased abundance of potential pathogens compared to those treated with cephalexin alone or with the original strain. The findings indicate that co-administration of antibiotics with antibiotic-resistant probiotics like L. plantarum may help restore gut microbiota balance and mitigate antibiotic-associated dysbiosis.