Means and methods to modulate probiotic potency of the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12215310-B2
Application number	US-201816646936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

Described herein are probiotics, more particularly [to] the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii . Even more particularly described herein are enhanced probiotic potency S. boulardii . Also described here are mutant alleles useful to develop yeast strains with enhanced production of acetic acid. In addition, described here is the use of such yeast strains for the production of dietary supplements or pharmaceutical compositions to improve gastrointestinal comfort.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A Saccharomyces boulardii strain comprising a homozygous or hemizygous mutant WHI2 allele,
wherein the mutant allele completely abolishes Whi2 function,
wherein the wild type allele of Whi2 is SEQ ID NO: 3,
wherein the mutant allele
has been disrupted or deleted by homologous recombination or disrupted with a nuclease, and

wherein the strain produces, at 37° C., a cell-free supernatant with a pH lower than 5.

2. The Saccharomyces boulardii strain of claim 1 , wherein the acidification of the supernatant results from the production of acetic acid by the Saccharomyces boulardii strain.

3. The Saccharomyces boulardii strain of claim 1 , wherein the strain is growth deficient on acetic acid.

4. A dietary supplement or pharmaceutical composition comprising the Saccharomyces boulardii strain of claim 1 .

5. A method of treating of gastrointestinal disorders in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a dietary supplement or pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the Saccharomyces boulardii strain of claim 1 .

6. The Saccharomyces boulardii strain of claim 1 , wherein the WHI2 allele comprises SEQ ID NO:1.

7. A Saccharomyces boulardii strain comprising a heterologous WHI2 allele, wherein the allele completely abolishes Whi2 function.

Assignees

• Vib Vzw
• Univ Leuven Kath
• Univ Leuven Kath

Inventors

• Thevelein Johan
• Offei Benjamin
• Foulquié Moreno Maria Remedios
• Vandecruys Paul

Classifications

• C12P7/54

  Acetic acid (vinegar C12J) · CPC title

• C07K14/395 Primary

  from Saccharomyces · CPC title

• A61K36/064

  Saccharomycetales, e.g. baker's yeast · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23L33/14

  Yeasts or derivatives thereof · CPC title