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Comparative study of nine Lactobacillus fermentum bacteriophages
Author(s) -
Foschino R.,
Picozzi C.,
Galli A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2672.2001.01392.x
Subject(s) - siphoviridae , biology , lactobacillus fermentum , microbiology and biotechnology , prophage , virulence , genetics , dna , temperateness , bacteriophage , bacteria , gene , escherichia coli , lactobacillus plantarum , lactic acid
Aims: To investigate the basic properties of six temperate and three virulent phages, active on Lactobacillus fermentum , on the basis of morphology, host ranges, protein composition and genome characterization. Methods and Results: All phages belonged to the Siphoviridae family; two of them showed prolate heads. The host ranges of seven phages contained a common group of strains. SDS‐PAGE protein profiles, restriction analysis of DNA and Southern blot hybridization revealed a high degree of homology between four temperate phages; partial homologies were also detected among virulent and temperate phages. Clustering derived from host range analysis was not related to the results of the DNA hybridizations. Conclusions: The phages investigated have common characteristics with other known phages active on the genus Lactobacillus . Sensitivity to viral infection is apparently enhanced by the presence of a resident prophage. Significance and Impact of the Study: These relationships contribute to the explanation for the origin of phage infection in food processes where Lact. fermentum is involved, such as sourdough fermentation.