Corynebacterium mooreparkense, a later heterotypic synonym of Corynebacterium variabile

Gelsomino, Roberto; Vancanneyt, Marc; Snauwaert, Cindy; Vandemeulebroecke, Katrien; Hoste, Bart; Cogan, Timothy M.; Swings, Jean

doi:10.1099/ijs.0.63420-0

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…No microbial succession of bacterial species was observed during ripening. C. mooreparkense has since been shown to be a junior subjective synonym for C. variabile (14). More recently, Feurer et al (11) confirmed that C. casei was the dominant bacterium in a French farmhouse cheese and that B. linens and M. gubbeenense were also important.…”

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confidence: 61%

Surface Microflora of Four Smear-Ripened Cheeses

Mounier

Gelsomino

Goerges

et al. 2005

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The microbial composition of smear-ripened cheeses is not very clear. A total of 194 bacterial isolates and 187 yeast isolates from the surfaces of four Irish farmhouse smear-ripened cheeses were identified at the midpoint of ripening using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), repetitive sequence-based PCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing for identifying and typing the bacteria and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (mtDNA RFLP) analysis for identifying and typing the yeast. The yeast microflora was very uniform, and Debaryomyces hansenii was the dominant species in the four cheeses. Yarrowia lipolytica was also isolated in low numbers from one cheese. The bacteria were highly diverse, and 14 different species, Corynebacterium casei, Corynebacterium variabile, Arthrobacter arilaitensis, Arthrobacter sp., Microbacterium gubbeenense, Agrococcus sp. nov., Brevibacterium linens, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus equorum, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Micrococcus luteus, Halomonas venusta, Vibrio sp., and Bacillus sp., were identified on the four cheeses. Each cheese had a more or less unique microflora with four to nine species on its surface. However, two bacteria, C. casei and A. arilaitensis, were found on each cheese. Diversity at the strain level was also observed, based on the different PFGE patterns and mtDNA RFLP profiles of the dominant bacterial and yeast species. None of the ripening cultures deliberately inoculated onto the surface were reisolated from the cheeses. This study confirms the importance of the adventitious, resident microflora in the ripening of smear cheeses.Surface-ripened cheeses can be divided into mold-ripened cheeses, such as Camembert and Brie, and bacterium-ripened cheeses, such as Reblochon, Tilsit, and brick. The latter cheeses are also called smear or red smear cheeses because of the development of viscous, red-orange smears on their surfaces during ripening. The smear is a microbial mat composed of bacteria and yeast, and these microorganisms are mainly responsible for the development of the flavor characteristics of the cheeses (5, 27). The ripening process starts with the development of yeast cells, which metabolize lactate to CO 2 and H 2 O and form alkaline metabolites, such as ammonia (5,30), that lead to deacidification of the cheese surface, enabling the growth of salt-tolerant but less acid-tolerant gram-positive catalase-positive bacteria, such as Micrococcaceae and coryneform bacteria.The microbiology of these cheeses is poorly understood. In the past, Brevibacterium linens was considered to be the major organism found on the cheese surface. However, more recent investigations show that other bacteria are also important. found that Arthrobacter nicotianae, B. linens, Corynebacterium ammoniagenes, Corynebacterium variabile, and Rhodococcus fascians were the dominant organisms in 21 brick cheeses from six German dairies, while Eliskases-Lechner and Ginzinger (7) found that although B. linens ac...

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confidence: 61%

Surface Microflora of Four Smear-Ripened Cheeses

Mounier

Gelsomino

Goerges

et al. 2005

Appl Environ Microbiol

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152

132

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“…During the last few years, the microflora of several smear cheeses has been extensively investigated and categorically identified using combinations of phenotypic and genotypic techniques (9,15,29,33,42). These studies have resulted in the identification of several new species of bacteria, including Arthrobacter arilaitensis and Arthrobacter bergerei (21), Agrococcus casei (6), Corynebacterium casei (7), Corynebacterium mooreparkense (8) (subsequently shown to be Corynebacterium variabile [18]), Microbacterium gubbeenense (8), Staphylococcus equorum subsp. linens (36), Staphylococcus succinus subsp.…”

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confidence: 99%

Growth Characteristics of Brevibacterium , Corynebacterium , Microbacterium , and Staphylococcus spp. Isolated from Surface-Ripened Cheese

Mounier

Rea

O’Connor³

et al. 2007

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The growth characteristics of five bacteria, Brevibacterium aurantiacum 1-16-58, Corynebacterium casei DPC 5298 T , Corynebacterium variabile DPC 5310, Microbacterium gubbeenense DPC 5286 T , and Staphylococcus saprophyticus 4E61, all of which were isolated from the surface of smear cheese, were studied in complex and chemically defined media. All of the coryneforms, except M. gubbeenense, grew in 12% salt, while B. aurantiacum and S. saprophyticus grew in 15% salt. All five bacteria assimilated lactate in a semisynthetic medium, and none of the coryneform bacteria assimilated lactose. Glucose assimilation was poor, except by S. saprophyticus and C. casei. Five to seven amino acids were assimilated by the coryneforms and 12 by S. saprophyticus. Glutamate, phenylalanine, and proline were utilized by all five bacteria, whereas utilization of serine, threonine, aspartate, histidine, alanine, arginine, leucine, isoleucine, and glycine depended on the organism. Growth of C. casei restarted after addition of glutamate, proline, serine, and lactate at the end of the exponential phase, indicating that these amino acids and lactate can be used as energy sources. Pantothenic acid was essential for the growth of C. casei and M. gubbeenense. Omission of biotin reduced the growth of B. aurantiacum, C. casei, and M. gubbeenense. All of the bacteria contained lactate dehydrogenase activity (with both pyruvate and lactate as substrates) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase activity but not urease activity.Bacterial surface-ripened cheeses are characterized by the development of a viscous, red-orange smear on the surface composed of yeasts, mainly Debaryomyces hansenii and Geotrichum candidum, and gram-positive bacteria such as coryneforms and staphylococci (10). Because of its tolerance to high salt concentrations and low pH, D. hansenii develops first on the cheese, metabolizing lactate to CO 2 and H 2 O and forming alkaline metabolites, such as ammonia, that lead to deacidification of the cheese surface, enabling the growth of the salttolerant but less-acid-tolerant bacteria.Until recently, Brevibacterium linens was considered to be the major component of the surface microflora, and most of the research on smear cheese bacteria has focused on physiological and growth characteristics either in liquid cultures (13,14,31,32), on experimental cheeses in mixed cultures with D. hansenii (25-27), or on cheese agar (30). During the last few years, the microflora of several smear cheeses has been extensively investigated and categorically identified using combinations of phenotypic and genotypic techniques (9,15,29,33,42 (22,33). Recently, S. saprophyticus has been shown to dominate the surface of Gubbeen cheese early in ripening but is then replaced by corynebacteria, particularly C. casei (38).Strains of B. linens and D. hansenii from commercial laboratories are generally inoculated onto the cheese surface early in ripening, but their subsequent recovery during ripening is very low (39) or absent (34), indicating that an adventitious...

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“…Therefore, a significant improvement in the industrial production of smear-ripened cheeses is nowadays achieved by using defined surface starter cultures. C. variabile was shown previously to be an important bacterial component on the surface of the smear-ripened cheeses Brick and Gubbeen [4,10,17,20]. Likewise, C. casei is also a dominant component on the surface of Gubbeen, but is moreover found to be dominant on the surface of other smear-ripened cheeses, such as Ardrahan, Durrus, and Milleens [11].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was initially described as the type strain of a separate species named C. mooreparkense because the organism was isolated at the Dairy Products Research Centre in Moorepark, Ireland [4]. However, additional molecular taxonomic studies demonstrated considerable similarities of all C. mooreparkense isolates with the species C. variabile at the levels of 16S rDNA gene sequence and DNA-DNA relatedness [20]. It was therefore concluded that the name C. mooreparkense is a later heterotypic synonym of C. variabile [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, additional molecular taxonomic studies demonstrated considerable similarities of all C. mooreparkense isolates with the species C. variabile at the levels of 16S rDNA gene sequence and DNA-DNA relatedness [20]. It was therefore concluded that the name C. mooreparkense is a later heterotypic synonym of C. variabile [20]. In the present study, the annotation of the complete genome sequence and the deduced genetic repertoire of C. variabile DSM 44702 provide detailed insights into the lifestyle and metabolic features of this species, which is strongly adapted to the cheese surface habitat, where it contributes to flavor and texture of the final product.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complete genome sequence of Corynebacterium variabile DSM 44702 isolated from the surface of smear-ripened cheeses and insights into cheese ripening and flavor generation

et al. 2011

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BackgroundCorynebacterium variabile is part of the complex microflora on the surface of smear-ripened cheeses and contributes to the development of flavor and textural properties during cheese ripening. Still little is known about the metabolic processes and microbial interactions during the production of smear-ripened cheeses. Therefore, the gene repertoire contributing to the lifestyle of the cheese isolate C. variabile DSM 44702 was deduced from the complete genome sequence to get a better understanding of this industrial process.ResultsThe chromosome of C. variabile DSM 44702 is composed of 3, 433, 007 bp and contains 3, 071 protein-coding regions. A comparative analysis of this gene repertoire with that of other corynebacteria detected 1, 534 predicted genes to be specific for the cheese isolate. These genes might contribute to distinct metabolic capabilities of C. variabile, as several of them are associated with metabolic functions in cheese habitats by playing roles in the utilization of alternative carbon and sulphur sources, in amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid degradation. Relevant C. variabile genes confer the capability to catabolize gluconate, lactate, propionate, taurine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid and to utilize external caseins. In addition, C. variabile is equipped with several siderophore biosynthesis gene clusters for iron acquisition and an exceptional repertoire of AraC-regulated iron uptake systems. Moreover, C. variabile can produce acetoin, butanediol, and methanethiol, which are important flavor compounds in smear-ripened cheeses.ConclusionsThe genome sequence of C. variabile provides detailed insights into the distinct metabolic features of this bacterium, implying a strong adaption to the iron-depleted cheese surface habitat. By combining in silico data obtained from the genome annotation with previous experimental knowledge, occasional observations on genes that are involved in the complex metabolic capacity of C. variabile were integrated into a global view on the lifestyle of this species.

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Corynebacterium mooreparkense, a later heterotypic synonym of Corynebacterium variabile

Cited by 21 publications

References 9 publications

Surface Microflora of Four Smear-Ripened Cheeses

Surface Microflora of Four Smear-Ripened Cheeses

Growth Characteristics of Brevibacterium , Corynebacterium , Microbacterium , and Staphylococcus spp. Isolated from Surface-Ripened Cheese

Complete genome sequence of Corynebacterium variabile DSM 44702 isolated from the surface of smear-ripened cheeses and insights into cheese ripening and flavor generation

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