Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Leuconostoc menseteroides is a species of lactic acid bacteria with established safety, frequently isolated from fermented foods such as kimchi, and is Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS). This species is used as a starter culture for kimchi fermentation in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the probiotic potential of Leconostoc menseteroides B22051, isolated from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Ginseng), through genome analysis by assessing probiotic traits including antibiotic resistance, bacteriocin, and redox genes relevant to both human and livestock applications. DATA DESCRIPTION: We isolated a candidate probiotic strain from Panax ginseng Meyer and decoded the complete genome of L. menseteroides B22051. The complete genome was found to be 1,994,797 bp in size with a guanine + cytosine (G + C) content of 37.7%, and is composed of one chromosome (1,943,350 bp) and two plasmids (37,364 bp and 14,083 bp). Genome annotation revealed 71 transfer RNAs, 24 ribosomal RNAs, and 1,987 coding sequences (CDSs). Furthermore, 98.09% and 64.92% of these 1,987 CDSs were assigned to the COG and Gene Ontology classification systems, respectively. Two partial sequences of vanT (32.61% identity) and vanY (34.36% identity) were detected by CARD v3.2.0 analysis, and although in vitro assays confirmed vancomycin resistance, the low sequence identity and absence of a complete van operon indicate that the resistance is intrinsic rather than acquired. An entero_X_chain_beta gene, associated with Enterocin within Bacteriocin Class IIC (chromosomally encoded), along with 28 reductase genes and one oxidase gene identified through Gene Ontology analysis, is present in L. mesenteroides B22051. These genomic findings confirm the probiotic properties of L. menseteroides B22051.