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The ability of the plasmid‐encoded restriction and modification system Lla BIII to protect Lactococcus lactis against bacteriophages
Author(s) -
Kong J.,
Josephsen J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.2002.01089.x
Subject(s) - plasmid , lactococcus lactis , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteriophage , bacteria , lactococcus , fermentation starter , escherichia coli , genetics , gene , lactic acid
Aims: To investigate the potential of the plasmid‐encoded restriction and modification (R/M) system Lla BIII to protect Lactococcua lactis against bacteriophages during milk fermentations. Methods and Results: The R/M system Lla BIII on plasmid pJW566 was cloned with a chloramphenicol cassette, resulting in plasmid pJK1. When introduced into L. lactis strains, pJK1 conferred increased phage resistance against the three most common lactococcal phage species 936, c2, and P335 and three unclassified industrial phages. The growth of the strains in RSM was not affected by the presence of plasmid pJK1. Conclusions: The plasmid‐encoded R/M system Lla BIII has great ability to protect L. lactis strains against bacteriophages in milk fermentations. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study evaluates the ability of the Lla BIII R/M system to function as a phage defence mechanism which is an essential step prior to considering utilizing it for improving starter cultures.