A high-molecular-mass surface protein (Lsp) and methionine sulfoxide reductase B (MsrB) contribute to the ecological performance of Lactobacillus reuteri in the murine gut

The identification and characterization of a gene encoding a large surface protein (Lsp) and the testing of insertional mutants of the lsp gene and of the three in vivo-induced genes for ecological performance in the reconstituted Lactobacillius-free (RLF) mouse gut is discussed. It is found that homologues of lsp and msrB are present in the genomes of several strains of Lactobacillus and may play an important role in the maintenance of these bacteria in gut ecosystems.