Diversity of Streptococcus thermophilus Phages in a Large-Production Cheese Factory in Argentina

Phage infections still represent a serious risk to the dairy industry, in which Streptococcus thermophilus is used in starter cultures for the manufacture of yogurt and cheese. The goal of the present study was to analyze the biodiversity of the virulent S. thermophilus phage population in one Argen...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Quiberoni, Andrea del Lujan, Tremblay, D., Ackermann, H.-W., Moineau, S., Reinheimer, Jorge Alberto
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2006
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/113451
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/113451
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:STREPTOCOCCUS
PHAGES
CHEESE
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2.11
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2
Descripción
Sumario:Phage infections still represent a serious risk to the dairy industry, in which Streptococcus thermophilus is used in starter cultures for the manufacture of yogurt and cheese. The goal of the present study was to analyze the biodiversity of the virulent S. thermophilus phage population in one Argentinean cheese plant. Ten distinct S. thermophilus phages were isolated from cheese whey samples collected in a 2-mo survey. They were then characterized by their morphology, host range, and restriction patterns. These phages were also classi- fied within the 2 main groups of S. thermophilus phages (cos- and pac-type) using a newly adapted multiplex PCR method. Six phages were classified as cos-type phages, whereas the 4 others belonged to the pac-type group. This study illustrates the phage diversity that can be found in one factory that rotates several cultures of S. thermophilus. Limiting the number of starter cultures is likely to reduce phage biodiversity within a fermentation facility.