Complete Sequencing and Pan-Genomic Analysis of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Reveal Its Genetic Basis for Industrial Yogurt Production

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (Lb. bulgaricus) is an important species of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) used for cheese and yogurt fermentation. The genome of Lb. bulgaricus 2038, an industrial strain mainly used for yogurt production, was completely sequenced and compared against the other two ATCC collection strains of the same subspecies. Specific physiological properties of strain 2038, such as lysine biosynthesis, formate production, aspartate-related carbon-skeleton intermediate metabolism, unique EPS synthesis and efficient DNA restriction/modification systems, are all different from those of the collection strains that might benefit the industrial production of yogurt. Other common features shared by Lb. bulgaricus strains, such as efficient protocooperation with Streptococcus thermophilus and lactate production as well as well-equipped stress tolerance mechanisms may account for it being selected originally for yogurt fermentation industry. Multiple lines of evidence suggested that Lb. bulgaricus 2038 was genetically closer to the common ancestor of the subspecies than the other two sequenced collection strains, probably due to a strict industrial maintenance process for strain 2038 that might have halted its genome decay and sustained a gene network suitable for large scale yogurt production

Exopolysaccharide-producing Streptococcus thermophilus strains as functional starter cultures in the production of fermented milks

Relationships between exopolysaccharide (EPS) production (amount, molecular mass and sugar composition of the EPS) by different Streptococcus thermophilus strains as a functional starter culture, and textural characteristics (viscosity) of fermented milk and yoghurt have been studied. Five interesting heteropolysaccharide-producing strains have been tested. Both S. thermophilus LY03 and S. thermophilus CH101 produced the highest amounts of EPS and also displayed the highest apparent viscosities in fermented milk. S. thermophilus ST 111 and S. thermophilus STD differed considerably in EPS yields, but not in apparent viscosities of fermented milk. In addition, S. thermophilus ST 111 displayed a high variability in EPS amounts when cultivated in milk. In milk medium, S. thermophilus LY03 produced two heteropolysaccharides, a high-molecular-mass (HMM) EPS and a low-molecular-mass (LMM) EPS of the same composition (Gal/Glu/GalNAc=3.4:1.4:1.0). S. thermophilus ST 111 produced only a HMM-EPS (Gal/Rha=2.5:1.0), while S. thermophilus CH 101 (Gal/Glu=1.0:1.0), S. thermophilus ST 113 (Gal/Glu/Rha/GalNAc=1.7:3.9:1.5:1.0) and S. thermophilus STD (Gal/Glu/Rha/GalNAc=3.5:6.2:1.2:1.0) produced only LMM-EPS. Both HMM-EPS and LMM-EPS solutions (S. thermophilus LY03) demonstrated a pseudoplastic character; HMM-EPS solutions of 0.2% (m/v) displayed a high consistency as well. Although its production of high EPS amounts, S. thermophilus LY03 resulted in relatively thin yoghurts, so that texture values did not directly correlate with EPS production capacity. Once structure/function relationships are known, one can determine the molecular properties of the isolated and purified EPS (molecular size, structural characteristics) from candidate strains to predict their potential in texture formation. For a final selection of interesting EPS-producing starter strains one should test the EPS production under yoghurt manufacturing conditions

Exopolysaccharide-producing strains of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria cluster into groups according to their EPS structure

Aims: To compare galactose-negative strains of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus isolated from fermented milk products and known to produce exopolysaccharides (EPSs). Methods and Results: The structures of the EPSs were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and their genetic relationships determined using restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Similar groupings were apparent by REA and RAPD, and each group produced an EPS with a particular subunit structure. Conclusions: Although none of the strains assimilated galactose, all inserted a high proportion of galactose into their EPS when grown in skimmed milk, and fell into three distinct groups. Significance and Impact of the Study: This information should help in an understanding of genetic exchanges in lactic acid bacteria