Abstract
Bifidobacteria are among the first colonisers of the gastrointestinal tract of breast-fed newborns due to, among other things, their ability to metabolise oligosaccharides naturally occurring in human milk. The presence of bifidobacteria in the infant gut has been shown to promote intestinal health and homeostasis as well as to preserve a functional gut barrier, thus positively influencing host health and well-being. Among human-associated gut commensals, Bifidobacterium bifidum has been described as the only species capable of the extracellular degradation of both mucin-type glycans and HMOs, thereby giving this species a special role as a commensal gut forager of both host and diet-derived glycans. In the present study, we assess the possible beneficial properties and probiotic potential of B. bifidum strain CNCM I-4319. In silico genome analysis and growth experiments confirmed the expected ability of this strain to consume HMOs and mucin. By employing various animal models, we were also able to assess the ability of B. bifidum CNCM I-4319 to preserve gut integrity and functionality from stress-induced and inflammatory damage, thereby enforcing its potential as an effective probiotic strain.