Anticancer, antimicrobial, and probiotic properties of bacterial strains derived from edible snails Cornu aspersum and Eobania vermiculata gut microbiota

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Shaker R.A.E.; Hashem R.A.; Hassan M.; Ibrahim A.M.; Ragab Y.M.; Khattab R.A.

Journal: Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

Publication Date: 26 March 2026

Volume / Issue: Volume 15 / Issue 1

Article No.: 30

ISSN: 23148535

DOI: 10.1186/s43088-026-00747-w

Scopus: View on Scopus

Document Type: Article

Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access

Authors and Affiliations

Shaker R.A.E., Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Hashem R.A., Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Hassan M., Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, Galala University, New Galala City, Egypt; Ibrahim A.M., Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Imbaba, Giza, Egypt; Ragab Y.M., Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, Sinai University (EL-Arish Branch), Arish, Egypt; Khattab R.A., Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Land snails, a diverse and ecologically important group under the class Gastropoda, possess unique gut microbial communities that are crucial to their physiology, ecology, and environmental interactions. To explore the intestinal microbiota of land snails, Cornu aspersum (C. aspersum) and Eobania vermiculata (E. vermiculata) were obtained from their natural habitat in agricultural environments and investigated in this study. Results: The results demonstrated that the phyla Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, and Actinomycetota dominated land snails’ guts, comprising 82–96%, 13.7–3.5%, and 2–0.5% of the total relative abundance in C. aspersum and E. vermiculata, respectively. Through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, two bacterial strains were isolated from land snails’ gut microbiota and identified as Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) and Enterococcus hirae (E. hirae). The two bacterial strains exhibited probiotic properties such as persistence in acidic pH (2.5) and bile salts (0.7% and 0.3%) and demonstrated antibacterial properties against pathogenic bacteria. In addition, both isolated bacterial strains demonstrated anticancer activity against Caco-2 cells. The production of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from the isolated bacteria was quantified, showing higher quantities produced by E. hirae. Conclusions: This investigation demonstrated the intestinal microbiota biodiversity of terrestrial snails C. aspersum and E. vermiculata and their use as a niche source for beneficial bacteria. © The Author(s) 2026.

Keywords

Anticancer; Enterococcus hirae; Gut microbiota; Probiotics; Staphylococcus xylosus

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 0

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