Genotyping by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism and malate metabolism performances of indigenous Oenococcus oeni strains isolated from Primitivo wine

Int J Food Microbiol. 2008 Oct 31;127(3):241-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2008.07.009. Epub 2008 Jul 13.

Abstract

The Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) technique was applied for the first time to investigate the genotyping of Oenococcus oeni, the most important species involved in malolactic fermentation (MLF) in wine. A total of 87 out of 220 lactic acid bacteria, isolates from "Primitivo" wine (Apulia, Italy) undergoing MLF, identified as O. oeni by species-specific PCR and 16S rRNA sequence analysis, were studied by AFLP analysis. Four main clusters were distinguished and three of them showed intraspecific homology higher than 60%. A total of 28 strains, representative of AFLP clusters, were tested for malate metabolism in order to gain information on their malolactic performances. Significant differences were observed among strains for malic acid consumed, biomass produced and specific malic acid consumption rate. These findings indicated that AFLP technique is reliable for typing O. oeni strains and that, together with metabolism studies it may be used to individuate possible candidates as industrial malolactic starters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Fermentation
  • Food Microbiology
  • Gene Amplification
  • Genotype
  • Leuconostoc* / classification
  • Leuconostoc* / genetics
  • Leuconostoc* / growth & development
  • Leuconostoc* / metabolism
  • Malates / metabolism*
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Species Specificity
  • Wine / microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Malates
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • malic acid