Anderson initially discovered the species in 1921 and the it was categorized based on the ability to metabolize certain carbon compounds such as the sugars.

This early study showed that this can produce acetic acid, carbon dioxide and large amounts of mannitol.

Conjugation permits a sharing of DNA allowing the bacterium to identify various antibiotics through exposure and this information is passed down through replication between bacteria.

Peptidoglycan is also called murein and is made up of a series of sugars and amino acid monomers.

However, the S-layer is normally lost when processing the bacteria under laboratory conditions, which can affect measuring adhesion.

L. brevis contains approximately two promoters within this area, meaning that there is significant transcription of the S-layer by high levels of transcribing of the sIpA gene.

[10] SipA is a gene that has been found to aid in the coding for the production of murin (peptidoglycan) within the bacteria.

[11] Ingestion of probiotics has been shown to improve human immune function, and L. brevis has been patented several times.

Dietary probiotic supplementation enhances natural killer cell activity in the elderly (an investigation of age-related immunological changes).

L. brevis is considered appropriate for probiotic use because there is significant growth at pH 4–5, particularly pH=5 is normally the appropriate range for milk and yogurts.

Women of childbearing ages have a significant amount of L. brevis and this is normally found in a healthy vagina.

The efficiency in which a bacterium can defend the body is:[15] During normal childbirth, it appears that newborns after a period of days receive transmission of L. brevis from the mother.

L. brevis along with Lactobacillus jensenii has been shown to produce high levels of hydrogen peroxide which may be able remediate the bacterial vaginosis pathogenesis.[17]L.