PrtH2, not prtH, is the ubiquitous cell wall proteinase gene in Lactobacillus helveticus.

ABSTRACT: Lactobacillus helveticus strains possess an efficient proteolytic system that releases peptides which are essential for lactobacillus growth in various fermented dairy products and also affect textural properties or biological activities. Cell envelope proteinases (CEPs) are bacterial enzymes that hydrolyze milk proteins. In the case of L. helveticus, two CEPs with low percentages of amino acid identity have been described, i.e., PrtH and PrtH2. However, the distribution of the genes that encode CEPs still remains unclear, rendering it difficult to further control the formation of particular peptides. This study evaluated the diversity of genes that encode CEPs in a collection of strains of L. helveticus isolated from various biotopes, both in terms of the presence or absence of these gene

SUBMITTER: Genay M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2681653 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature