Abstract:Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the predominant probiotics with significant health-promoting potential. Xizang pigs, an invaluable indigenous breed in China, harbor a unique and largely unexplored reservoir of intestinal LAB.Objective To screen high-quality LAB isolated from Xizang pigs.Methods LAB were isolated by the streak plate method and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Two Limosilactobacillus reuteri strains with significantly different lactic acid production capacities were selected from Xizang pigs. The two strains, together with one L. reuteri strain previously preserved in our laboratory, which originated from duroc×landrace×yorkshire pigs, were assessed in terms of acid and bile salt tolerance, antioxidant activity, antibacterial properties, and antibiotic resistance.Results A total of 21 LAB strains were isolated and identified from the intestinal microbiota of Xizang pigs, including ten Streptococcus alactolyticus strains, six L. reuteri strains, three Lactobacillus amylovorus strains, one Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain, and one Limosilactobacillus vaginalis strain. Among the three strains screened out, L. reuteri T-B5L2 exhibited the highest lactic acid production. Moreover, this strain demonstrated strong survival under pH 3.0 and 0.1% bile salts. L. reuteri T-B5L2 exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity against enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella Choleraesuis. There were no significant differences in antioxidant activity among the three strains. All the three strains exhibited high sensitivity to penicillins and cephalosporins but displayed resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and glycopeptides.Conclusion In this study, 21 LAB strains were isolated from the feces of Xizang pigs, among which L. reuteri T-B5L2 exhibited the highest acid production capacity. Further in vitro biochemical characterization demonstrated that this strain exhibited good growth performance, acid and bile salt tolerance, antioxidant activity, and the ability to inhibit pathogenic bacteria. These findings suggest that L. reuteri T-B5L2 is a promising probiotic candidate with potential applications in improving intestinal health and mitigating pathogenic infections.