Identification of Critical Genes for Growth in Olive Brine by Transposon Mutagenesis of Lactobacillus pentosus C11

Olive brine represents a stressful environment due to the high NaCl concentration, presence of phenolic compounds known as antimicrobials, and low availability of nutrients. Thus, only a few strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are adapted to grow in and ferment table olives. To identify the mechanisms by which these few strains are able to grow in olive brine, Lactobacillus pentosus C11, a particularly resistant strain isolated from naturally fermented table olives, was mutagenized by random transposition using the P(junc)-TpaseIS1223 system (H. Licandro-Seraut, S. Brinster, M. van de Guchte, H. Scornec, E. Maguin, P. Sansonetti, J. F. Cavin, and P. Serror, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 78:5417-5423, 2012). A library of 6,000 mutants was generated and screened for adaptation and subsequent growth in a medium, named BSM (brine screening medium), which presents the stressful conditions encountered in olive brine. Five transposition mutants impaired in growth on BSM were identified. Transposition occurred in two open reading frames and in three transcription terminators affecting stability of transcripts. Thus, several essential genes for adaptation and growth of L. pentosus C11 in olive brine were identified.