GC: n
S: NIH – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6920858/ (last access: 22 December 2024); NCBI – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3811521/ (last access: 22 December 2024).
N: 1. In 1899, a bacterium was isolated by Henri Tissier from the feces of a breastfed infant. He introduced the name Bacillus bifidus (later reclassified as Bifidobacterium bifidum) after the Latin word bifidus, meaning forked, because of its Y-shaped morphology. Bifidobacteria are considered to benefit human health through inhibition of pathogens and regulation of intestinal microbial homeostasi.
2. Bifidobacterium (noun).
- A genus (family Bifidobacteriaceae) of gram-positive, nonmotile, anaerobic bacteria that occur as invariably shaped, often branching rods, that are part of the normal intestinal and vaginal flora of humans, and that produce acetic and lactic acid by the fermentation of carbohydrates.
- bifidobacteria (plural): any bacterium of the genus Bifidobacterium.
- bifidobacterial (adjective).
3. Bifidobacterium was first isolated in 1899 from the feces of breast-fed infants. The mole percentage of G+C bases of the DNA of the genus Bifidobacterium is 58 for the human-type strains, and the rest of the species have a mole percentage of G+C ranging between 55 and 66. The genus includes 32 described species. In the manufacture of fermented milks, Bifidobacterium bifidum is the species most commonly used, followed by Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve. Bifidobacterium infantis is the predominant species in the stools of breast-fed infants. All members of genus Bifidobacterium show a bacillar form. The optimum temperature for growth of Bifidobacterium of human origin is between 36 and 38 °C, whereas for those of animal origin is between 41 and 43 °C. The optimum pH for growth of Bifidobacterium is 6.5–7.0. No growth occurs below a pH of 4.5–5.0 or above 8.0–8.5. The bifidus pathway, also known as fructose-6-phosphate shunt, is a major pathway of carbohydrate metabolism occurring in all Bifidobacterium. Hexoses are metabolized exclusively and specifically by the fructose-6-phosphate pathway. Many workers regard the bifidus pathway as a marker for the genus Bifidobacterium. The key enzyme in the bifidus pathway is fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase (F6PPK).
4. Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) is a type of probiotic (“good” bacteria) that lives in the intestines. It produces lactic and acetic acid in the gut.
“Good” bacteria such as B. bifidum can help break down food, absorb nutrients, and fight off “bad” organisms that might cause diseases. B. bifidum is commonly found in the feces of breastfed infants and is used in probiotic supplements.
People use B. bifidum for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and respiratory infections. It is also used for eczema, constipation, diarrhea, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using B. bifidum for COVID-19.
Don’t confuse B. bifidum with other probiotics, or with fermented food products such as fermented milk, kefir, or yogurt. These are not the same.
S: 1. NCBI – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3811521/ (last access: 22 December 2024). 2. MW – https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/bifidobacterium (last access: 22 December 2024). 3. SDir – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/bifidobacterium-bifidum (last access: 22 December 2024). 4. WebMD – https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1666/bifidobacterium-bifidum (last access: 22 December 2024).
SYN:
S:
CR: bacterium, diarrhea, microbiota, microorganism, probiotic.
