Genipin, one of Gardenia jasminoides’ bioactive components, exhibits superior therapeutic efficacy compared to geniposide, though it is present in much lower concentrations. Conventional hydrolysis methods using acids or organic solvents can enhance genipin yield but often raise environmental and safety concerns. This study aimed to increase genipin production through whole-cell bioconversion of geniposide to genipin using lactic acid bacteria (LABs). A total of 191 LAB strains were isolated from kimchi. Levilactobacillus sp. LN180102 showed the highest bioconversion activity, which was up to 40%. Docking analysis and esculin assay confirmed the beta-glucosidase activity. The anti-inflammatory effects of the fermented extract were enhanced by 28.5% in RAW 264.7 cells in vitro. Additionally, Levilactobacillus sp. LN180102 is probiotic-friendly and exhibits a high tolerance for phenol, bile, and acid. In their entirety, these discoveries have the potential to illuminate the ways in which Gardenia jasminoides can be functionally improved through whole-cell bioconversion, thereby enabling individuals to lead healthier lifestyles.

Freshwater sediments harbor taxonomically diverse and biosynthetically underexplored bacteria. In this study, two orange-pigmented strains, SUN002ᵀ and SUN106ᵀ, isolated from freshwater sediments in South Korea, were characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic, phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genome-based analyses supported their classification as two novel species within the genus Ferruginibacter, for which the names Ferruginibacter aquae sp. nov. and Ferruginibacter aurantiacus sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The highest average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values obtained against established Ferruginibacter species were 87.3% and 33.7%, respectively, both below the accepted species delineation thresholds. Genome mining identified a putative class I lanthipeptide biosynthetic gene cluster in SUN106ᵀ containing lanB, lanC, and lanT, together with eight adjacent candidate LanA-like precursor ORFs. The predicted core regions were rich in Ser, Thr, and Cys residues and were computationally predicted to support multiple thioether crosslinks. Crude extracts of SUN106ᵀ showed inhibitory activity against Bacillus subtilis; however, targeted UPLC–QTOF–MS analysis of the culture-supernatant, cell-bound, and lysate fractions did not detect convincing evidence of the predicted mature or precursor-related products. The observed antibacterial activity cannot currently be attributed to the putative BGC. Together, these findings expand the recognized taxonomic and biosynthetic diversity of the genus Ferruginibacter and provide a genomic foundation for future functional characterization of cryptic class I lanthipeptide biosynthesis in freshwater bacteria.