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Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 is a potential competitive exclusion agent to control Clostridium perfringens and other pathogens in poultry [4].
However, the mode of action related to this protective effect is as yet
undefined. The adherence capacity of probiotic bacteria to the GI tract
is a contributing factor for pathogen exclusion [5] and the cell surface characteristics of probiotic bacteria have been related to these adhesion properties [6-9]. Several members of the genus Lactobacillus
are capable of producing exopolysaccharides (EPS) which can play an
essential role in determining the cell surface characteristics [7]. EPS are also involved in the formation of biofilms [10,11], which may improve colonisation and aid survival [12-14].
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