Unveiling the Brazilian Kefir Microbiome: Discovery of a novel Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens (LkefirU) genome and in silico prospection of bioactive peptides with potential anti-Alzheimer properties

Background - Kefir is a complex microbial community that plays a critical role in the fermentation and production of bioactive peptides, and has health-improving properties. In this study, we employed shotgun metagenomics and peptidomics approaches to further characterize Brazilian kefir. Results - We successfully assembled the novel genome of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens (LkefirU) and conducted a comprehensive pangenome analysis to compare it with other strains. Furthermore, we performed a peptidome analysis, revealing the presence of bioactive peptides encrypted by L. kefiranofaciens in the Brazilian kefir sample, and utilized in silico prospecting and molecular docking techniques to identify potential anti-Alzheimer peptides, targeting β-amyloid (fibril and plaque), BACE, and acetylcholinesterase. Through this analysis, we identified two peptides that show promise as compounds with anti-Alzheimer properties. Conclusions - These findings not only provide insights into the genome of L. kefiranofaciens but also serve as a promising prototype for the development of novel anti-Alzheimer compounds derived from Brazilian kefir.