Analysis of PCR products obtained using (GTG)5 primers allowed further characterization of the Weissella strains. Profiles from W. confusa strains were clearly discriminated from Thiazovivin purchase W. cibaria ones (Fig. 1). Different fingerprints were identified within W. cibaria strains that allowed three group differentiations: (1) D39, D38 and K39, (2) C36-1 and H25 and (3) type strain DSM 15878T, with some variations in the band pattern (Fig. 1). The sourdough
strain W. confusa C39-2 displayed a different pattern from the type strain DSM 20196T. These results show that (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting can be used for a rapid species affiliation to W. confusa or W. cibaria. The dextransucrase production level of the different Weissella strains cultivated with sucrose or glucose as the carbon source was determined and compared with those obtained
from the well-characterized dextran-producing strain L. mesenteroides NRRL B-512F (Fig. 2). The values determined for the Weissella strains grown in a sucrose medium ranged from 0.02 to 0.27 U mL−1 (Fig. 2a). Most strains exhibited only soluble detectable activity. Only D39, DSM 20196T and the reference NRRL B-512F strains displayed a cell-associated activity (Fig. 2a). Interestingly, all Weissella strains showed only soluble dextransucrase activity when glucose was used as the carbon source instead of sucrose (Fig. 2b). In these conditions, no activity was detected Selleckchem Palbociclib for the reference NRRL B-512F strain, which is known to synthesize a sucrose-inducible
dextransucrase (Monsan et al., 2001; van Hijum et al., 2006). To our knowledge, dextransucrase activity without sucrose induction has never been reported for Weissella strains. Future studies could reveal whether it is a general feature of dextransucrase from Weissella genus. So far, constitutive wild-type glucansucrases have only been Reverse transcriptase described for Streptococcus sp. and some Lactobacillus strains, notably Lactobacillus reuteri (van Geel-Schutten et al., 1999; Monsan et al., 2001; Kralj et al., 2004; Schwab & Gänzle, 2006; Arsköld et al., 2007). Furthermore, soluble dextransucrase activities obtained with glucose as the carbon source were always higher than those produced with sucrose (Fig. 2b). Indeed, depending on the studied strains, a 1.4–5.5-fold increase of activity level was observed when glucose was used instead of sucrose. Cell growth determined in both culture conditions was quite similar, with a maximum of 1.5-fold increase in the specific growth rate (data not shown), except for W. confusa DSM 20196 that grew poorly in a sucrose medium in view of the carbohydrate fermentation profile. This increase in the dextransucrase activity level can be assigned to an enhanced enzyme production with glucose as carbon source. Such results suggested that a possible repression by fructose could occur when sucrose is used as carbon source.