Genetic probe for cheese bacteria
The Brevibacterium species are a large group of ecologically opportunistic bacteria. Applications in food technology include the maturing of smear-ripened cheeses. These ripen inwards from the surface where the micro-organisms are inoculated and the bacterial action imparts the typical pungent smell of the cheese. However, the bacterium can also live on human skin and is the cause of foot odour. From a clinical point of view, they can also behave as pathogens and have been associated with infections of the body including peritonitis and septicaemia. In order to identify members of this diverse genus, researchers at the University of Gent, in collaboration with representatives from the food industry, developed genus specific primers. Altogether, 165 different sequences, each one for a particular Brevibacterium strain, were isolated. The researchers made sure that these primers were specific only for the identification of strains of Brevibacterium species. Careful comparison against regions of closely related species ensured that the conserved sequences were always different. The probe developed is a considerable advancement on bacterial identification methods previously used for this group of bacteria. These involved the determination of molecular components in the cell walls, such as the presence of peptidoglycan and fatty acids. These tests were often labour-intensive and therefore limited in their scope. This development is a fast, as well as accurate means of screening for a bacterium that plays an important role in medical and biotechnology fields.
