Performance of spontaneous phage-resistant derivatives of Lactobacillus plantarum in fermented milk manufacture

BRIGGILER MARCÓ, M.; MERCANTI, D.; REINHEIMER, J.; QUIBERONI, A.

INTERNATIONAL DAIRY JOURNAL

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2011 vol. 21 p. 857 - 862

0958-6946

A total of 81 spontaneous phage-resistant mutants were isolated from two sensitive Lactobacillus plantarum strains (ATCC 8014 and PLN) by using two lytic bacteriophages (ATCC 8014-B1 and ATCC 8014-B2) either separately or mixed in a phage cocktail. Phenotypic characteristics related to their phage-resistance abilities as well as the technological prospective were determined. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR) was used to determine genetic diversity among the selected isolates and their respective parent strains. Most of the mutants isolated were completely or partially unable to adsorb phage particles. Stability, high level of resistance and adequate technological properties were exhibited by the isolates of L. plantarum ATCC 8014. A selected variant, MC4, was able to resist the mixture of both lytic phages during a fermented milk manufacture and the subsequent refrigerated storage. This phage-resistant derivative might be used in culture rotation programs when commercial strains become sensitive to phages present in industrial environments.