Assessing the probiotic potential and safety of newly isolated Bacillus coagulans VHBAX‐04: in vitro and in silico evaluations

Summary The human gastrointestinal tract hosts a diverse and intricate microbial community, a pivotal contributor to human well‐being. An effective strategy for exploring the diversity and potential probiotic attributes of Bacillus species is to isolate them from faecal samples. In this investigation, we scrutinised the in vitro probiotic characteristics of Bacillus coagulans VHBAX‐04, an isolate derived from human faeces. These attributes encompassed acid and gastric juice tolerance, resistance to bile salts and intestinal juice, adhesion capabilities, safety profile, antibiotic resistance pattern, the absence of toxin genes, and antimicrobial efficacy. Furthermore, we conducted in silico analyses to evaluate its probiotic potential. The notable absence of genes associated with mucin degradation, red blood cell lysis, gelatin hydrolysis, or toxin production in B. coagulans VHBAX‐04 certifies its safety as a probiotic. Additionally, the distinct antibiotic resistance pattern of strain VHBAX‐04 suggests its potential for co‐administration with antibiotics. In conclusion, this study underscores the suitability of B. coagulans VHBAX‐04 as a viable probiotic option. Isolation and Evaluation of Bacillus coagulans WBX04: A Probiotic Strain from Human Feces Studied through 16S rRNA Sequencing and In Vitro Tests.