title: Identification of lactic acid bacteria in salted Chinese cabbage by SDS-PAGE and PCR-DGGE.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in salted Chinese cabbage, the main ingredient of kimchi, were analyzed by culture-dependent sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), followed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and by culture-independent polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), followed by sequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The results were compared to those of LAB that had previously been found in kimchi.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two identification methods produced distinct overall LAB profiles. The PCR-DGGE method detected a more diverse microflora, including non-LAB strains. The culture-dependent method uniquely detected Weissella sp. and was able to provide the quantitative distribution of LAB in samples. However, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus curvatus and Leuconostoc carnosum, which had also been reported as the dominant LAB in kimchi in previous studies, were identified by both methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two identification methods gave different bacterial profiles, while both methods were sufficient to identify the most prevalent LAB in salted Chinese cabbage samples. The quantitative feature of the culture-dependent identification method would make it preferable for studying and monitoring LAB viability in kimchi at each fermentation stage. The availability of the culture-independent identification method to identify a broader bacterial profile, including non-LAB, would make it a more effective tool for controlling contamination of undesirable bacteria during kimchi fermentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, and Institute of Life Sciences and Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Hee-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jingmei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Seon-Kyeong
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hae-Choon
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hae-Yeong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001937:Brassica / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D004032:Diet; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods*; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D056546:Lactobacillales / Q000235:genetics*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000235:genetics; D007934:Leuconostoc / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D058836:Weissella / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: PCR-DGGE; SDS-PAGE; kimchi; lactic acid bacteria; salted cabbage