Isolation and characterisation of bacteriocin and aggregation-promoting factor production in Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis BGBM50 strain

Abstract

Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis BGBM50, a producer of lactococcin G and aggregation-promoting factor, was isolated from selected lactic acid bacteria taken from semi-hard cheese traditionally produced in the village Žanjic, Montenegro. Strain BGBM50 harbours a number of plasmids of different sizes. Plasmid curing experiments showed that genes for bacteriocin production are located on pBM140, a plasmid 140 kb in length. PCR analysis with primers specific for lactococcin Q and G genes gave fragment of the expected size. In addition, aft er plasmid curing of strain BGBM50, different derivatives with altered phenotypes were obtained, among them BGBM50-34 strain, which retained bacteriocin synthesis but had enhanced aggregation ability.