Although the genus Leuconostoc, generally found in various fermented foods, has often been suggested to be a novel probiotic for food fermentation and health promotion, the strains in this genus showed low acid tolerance and low osmotic stress resistance activities, which are required for survival during food fermentation events. Recently, a novel species of Weissella, W. jogaejeotgali FOL01T (= KCCM 43128 = JCM 30580), was isolated from Korean fermented clams. To determine the genomic features of this new species, its genome was completely sequenced and analyzed. The genome consists of a circular chromosome of 2,114,163 bp of DNA with a G+C content of 38.8%, and the plasmid pFOL01 consists of 35,382 bp of DNA with a G+C content of 39.1%. The genome analysis showed its potential for use in food fermentation and osmotic stress resistance abilities for processing in food industries. In addition, this strain was predicted to have acid tolerance and adhesion to the mucosal layer for survival and colonization in the gut. Subsequent experiments substantiated these abilities, suggesting that W. jogaejeotgali may have probiotic potential and a high survival rate during food fermentation. Therefore, it may be suitable as a novel probiotic strain for various applications in food industries.
Keywords: Weissella jogaejeotgali; high-salt fermented food; lactic acid bacteria; probiotics.