title: Characterisation of lab in typical Salento Pecorino cheese.
abstract: Twenty-nine strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria isolated from the typical Pecorino cheese of the Salento area of Italy, were identified and grouped according to their genetic similarity. A preliminary characterisation of the strains was conducted by means of morphological and biochemical analysis, but molecular approaches were necessary for the clear identification of the species. For the species detection, the amplification and sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene was employed In addition, restriction analysis of amplified rDNA (ARDRA) and PCR and AFLP fingerprinting enabled inter- and intra-specific variation to be estimated UPGMA cluster analysis was used to divide the strains into distinct clusters which corresponded with the species delineation obtained by molecular identification. The data obtained show that the community of lactobacilli responsible for the fermentation and aging of Pecorino cheese is composed of a limited number of species. The main identified strains were Lactobacillus brevis, L. plantarum, L. casei, L. sakei, L. pentosus, L. farciminis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Research for Agriculture and Food Biotechnology, CNR, Via Prov. Le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cappello
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laddomada
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poltronieri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zacheo
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial