Lactic Acid Bacterium Producing Alpha-1,6 Polysaccharide

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for novel lactic acid bacteria with new probiotic properties that can produce unique exopolysaccharides effective in food and pharmaceutical compositions, particularly with antiallergy and anti-alcoholic damage effects.

Innovation Solution

A lactic acid bacterium, specifically Lactobacillus paracasei strain IJH-SONE68, which produces a neutral polysaccharide with an α-1,6 bond structure, exhibiting hyaluronidase inhibitory activity and high resistance to gastric and bile acids, is derived from a fig and used in various compositions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional lactic acid bacteria are used, then they have been widely used as probiotics with beneficial health effects, but they lack novel probiotic properties and unique exopolysaccharide structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenovel probiotic propertiesVSAvoiduniqueness of exopolysaccharide structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent isolates and characterizes a novel lactic acid bacterium (Lactobacillus paracasei strain IJH-SONE68) from fig that produces unique exopolysaccharides with α-1,6-linked N-acetylglucosamine structure, copying the successful approach of using natural sources to discover new probiotic strains while achieving unprecedented structural characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If lactic acid bacteria produce exopolysaccharides with immunomodulatory and anti-gastritis effects, then they contribute to health maintenance, but the specific structure and activity of these exopolysaccharides vary among strains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealth beneficial effectsVSAvoidstructural variability of exopolysaccharides

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent focuses on the specific local structural characteristic of the exopolysaccharide - the α-1,6-linked N-acetylglucosamine backbone - which provides consistent hyaluronidase inhibitory activity and antiallergy effects, while allowing other structural elements to vary among different batches or cultivation conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If new lactic acid bacteria strains are isolated from natural sources like fig, then novel exopolysaccharide structures can be obtained, but the isolation and characterization process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenovelty of bacterium and exopolysaccharideVSAvoidisolation and characterization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the isolation process into distinct stages: (1) sampling from fig, (2) enrichment culture, (3) pure culture isolation, (4) exopolysaccharide extraction, and (5) structural characterization, making the complex overall process more manageable and reproducible

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If lactic acid bacteria are used in food and pharmaceutical compositions, then they exert antiallergy and anti-alcoholic damage effects, but ensuring their survival and activity in the gastrointestinal tract requires high resistance to gastric and bile acids

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantiallergy and protective effectsVSAvoidresistance to gastric and bile acids

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary assessment of the bacterium's resistance to gastric acid and bile acid before recommending its use in food and pharmaceutical compositions, ensuring that the strain can survive the harsh gastrointestinal environment and maintain its probiotic functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The bacterium's exopolysaccharides demonstrate hyaluronidase inhibition, antiallergy effects, and anti-alcoholic damage reduction, with strong proliferation ability even in egg white medium, making it suitable for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.

Implementation Method 1

Lactic acid bacteria are a group of bacteria that ferment carbohydrates such as glucose to acquire energy, produce a large amount of lactic acid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Implementation Method 2

a neutral polysaccharide having a structure wherein N-acetylglucosamines are linked with each other via α-1,6-bond... exhibits an activity of inhibiting hyaluronidase

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzyme inhibition: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS11447740B2Lactic acid bacterium and use thereof

Publication Date: 2022.09.20 ASAHIKOHSAN

AI summary

A new lactic acid bacterium of the present invention produces, as an exopolysaccharide, a neutral polysaccharide having a structure in which N-acetylglucosamines are linked with each other via α-1,6 bond, is obtained from a fig, has a hyaluronidase inhibitory, an anti-alcoholic damage activity effect, and the like, and is therefore useful in a food and drink, a medicine, a feed, a cosmetic and the like exerting an antiallergy effect, an anti-alcoholic damage effect, and the like.