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The genus ''Lactobacillus'' contains a large number of relatively diverse species, and is the largest genus of the lactic acid bacteria group with over 50 species, many of which have been identified as playing an important role in food fermentation or as probiotic species found in the human gut. The species ''Lactobacillus delbruekii'' consists of three subspecies: subsp. ''delbrueckii'', subsp. ''lactis'' and subsp. ''bulgaricus'', and have been used in yogurt fermentation. ''L. plantarum'' has one of the largest genomes among LAB. ''L. sanfranciscensis'' is the predominant LAB in sourdough cultures. ''Lactobacillus paracasei'' subsp. ''paracasei'', ''L. plantarum'', ''L. curvatus'', ''L. rahmosus'', and ''L. casei'' are often found in cheese maturation. ''L. johnsonii'' and ''L. reuteri'' strains have mostly been found in human and animal feces, suggesting that they are natural intestinal flora and are probiotic. Other species that have been used as probiotics include ''L. fermentum'', ''L. plantarum'', ''L acidophilis'' (the latter is also used in yogurt fermentation). ''Lactobacillus sakei'' subsp. ''sakei'' is used in the fermentation of sake <ref name="Bintsis_2018" />. Recently, whole genome sequencing led to the genetically driven proposal to divide the genus of ''Lactobacillus'' into either 2 subdivisions, or more radically into 10 subdivisions <ref>[https://aem.asm.org/content/84/17/e00993-18 Comparative Genomics of the Genus Lactobacillus Reveals Robust Phylogroups That Provide the Basis for Reclassification. Elisa Salvetti, Hugh M. B. Harris, Giovanna E. Felis, Paul W. O'Toole. 2018. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00993-18.]</ref>.
For more information on the metabolism of ''Lactobacilli''lactobacilli, see [[Lactobacillus#Metabolism|Metabolism]].
==Commercial Lactobacillus Cultures==