Genome-Based <i>in silico</i> Evaluation of the Biosafety and Probiotic Traits of <i>Limosilactobacillus fermentum</i> J23 Isolated from Artisanal Mexican Cheese

Comprehensive <i>in silico</i> analysis aimed to identify the genes involved in the biosafety and probiotic features of <i>Limosilactobacillus fermentum</i> J23 was performed. The strain had a single circular chromosome of 2,004,882 base pairs (bp), with a Guanine + Cytosine (G + C) content of 51.74%. The chromosome contained 2,001 genes predicted as protein-coding sequences (CDS), 86 pseudogenes, 56 tRNAs, five rRNAs, and three ncRNAs. The <i>in silico</i> analysis demonstrated the absence of risk-related genes corresponding to transferable/acquirable antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, toxic metabolites, and detrimental metabolic/enzymatic activities. The strain was predicted as nonpathogenic to humans and the presence of a variety of genes potentially related to its probiotic profile were revealed, including those of carbohydrate metabolism and transport, adhesion and aggregation ability, stress/adaptive response, CRISPR/Cas adaptive immunity, and immunomodulation. These findings highlight the probiotic potential of <i>L. fermentum</i> J23 and provide genomic clues of its biosafety to advance its future applications.