Bacterium

Abstract

The present invention relates in one aspect to a fast acidifying lactic acid bacterium that generates a viscosity in fermented milk greater than about 62 Pa·s after 14 days of storage at 6° C.

1 . A fast acidifying lactic acid bacterium that generates a viscosity in fermented milk greater than about 62 Pa·s after 14 days of storage at 6° C. 
     
     
         2 . The lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 , wherein said bacterium is phage resistant. 
     
     
         3 . The lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 , wherein said bacterium is selected from the group consisting of  Streptococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus  and  Bifidobacterium.    
     
     
         4 . The lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 , wherein said bacterium is  Streptococcus thermophilus.    
     
     
         5 . The lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 4 , or a mutant thereof and/or a variant thereof, wherein said  Streptococcus thermophilus  belongs to the genetic cluster CLO189. 
     
     
         6 . The lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 , or a mutant thereof and/or a variant thereof, wherein said bacterium comprises the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 20. 
     
     
         7 . A lactic acid bacterium or a mutant thereof and/or a variant thereof, comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 19 or a homologue thereof with at least 75% identity thereto. 
     
     
         8 . An isolated  Streptococcus thermophilus  strain deposited at DSMZ (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Mascheroder Weg 1 b, D-38124 Braunschweig) under deposit number 18344 on 14 Jun. 2006 or a mutant thereof and/or a variant thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A cell culture comprising the lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The cell culture according to  claim 9 , wherein said cell culture is a starter culture, a probiotic culture or a dietary supplement. 
     
     
         11 . The cell culture according to  claim 9 , wherein said culture comprises one or more further lactic acid bacteria selected from the genera consisting of  Streptococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus  and  Bifidobacterium.    
     
     
         12 . The cell culture according to  claim 9 , wherein said culture comprises one or more further lactic acid bacteria selected from the species consisting of  Lactobacillus delbrueckii  subsp.  bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei  and/or  Bifidobacterium.    
     
     
         13 . A food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement comprising the lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement according to  claim 13 , wherein the food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement is a dairy, meat or cereal food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement 
     
     
         15 . A dairy food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement according to  claim 14 , wherein the dairy food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement is a fermented milk, yoghurt, cream, matured cream, cheese, fromage frais, a milk beverage, a processed cheese, a cream dessert, a cottage cheese or infant milk. 
     
     
         16 . A food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement according to  claim 15 , wherein the milk comprises milk of animal and/or plant origin. 
     
     
         17 . A method for preparing a food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement comprising the step of adding the lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement comprises or consists of a fermented food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement comprises or consists of a dairy food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement. 
     
     
         20 . A food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement obtained or obtainable by the method of  claim 17 . 
     
     
         21 . Use of the lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1  for preparing a food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement. 
     
     
         22 . A method for modulating or modifying the viscosity of a food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement, comprising adding the lactic acid bacterium according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . A food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement obtained or obtainable by the method of  claim 22 . 
     
     
         24 . Use of the strain according to  claim 8  for modifying the viscosity of a food, food additive, feed, nutritional supplement, or probiotic supplement. 
     
     
         25 . A method for identifying a bacterium belonging to the genus  Streptococcus  comprising the step of screening the bacterium for the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 19 or a homologue thereof with at least 75% identity thereto. 
     
     
         26 . A method for identifying a bacterium belonging to the genus  Streptococcus  comprising the step of amplifying the CRISPR locus of a bacterium using at least one forward and at least one reverse oligonucleotide primer, wherein each of the primers flank opposite sides of one or more CRISPR spacers that are absent in  Streptococcus thermophilius  DSMZ-18344. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the forward oligonucleotide primer hybridises to SEQ ID No. 1 and the reverse oligonucleotide primer hybridises to any of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 7, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 16 and/or SEQ ID No. 17. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the forward oligonucleotide primer hybridises to any of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 7 and/or SEQ ID No. 8 and a reverse oligonucleotide primer hybridises to any of SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 16 and/or SEQ ID No. 17. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the forward oligonucleotide primer hybridises to any of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 7 and/or SEQ ID No. 8 and the reverse oligonucleotide primer hybridises to SEQ ID No. 18. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the forward oligonucleotide primer hybridises to any of SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 16 and/or SEQ ID No. 17 and the reverse oligonucleotide primer hybridises to SEQ ID No. 18. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the bacterium belonging to the genus  Streptococcus  is  Streptococcus thermophilus.    
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the  Streptococcus thermophilus  strain belongs to the genetic cluster CLO189. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the  Streptococcus thermophilus  strain has substantially the same characteristics as the  Streptococcus thermophilus  strain deposited at DSMZ (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Mascheroder Weg 1 b, D-38124 Braunschweig) under deposit number 18344 on 14 Jun. 2006. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the  Streptococcus thermophilus  strain is the same as the  Streptococcus thermophilus  strain deposited at DSMZ (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Mascheroder Weg 1 b, D-38124 Braunschweig) under deposit number 18344 on 14 Jun. 2006. 
     
     
         35 . A bacterium belonging to the genus  Streptococcus  that is identified or identifiable by the method according to  claim 25 . 
     
     
         36 . A nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 19 or a homologue thereof with at least 75% identity thereto. 
     
     
         37 . A nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of  claim 36 . 
     
     
         38 . A construct or a vector comprising the nucleotide sequence according to  claim 36 . 
     
     
         39 . A host cell comprising the construct or the vector according to  claim 38 . 
     
     
         40 . An oligonucleotide primer that is capable of hybridising to the nucleotide sequence of  claim 36 . 
     
     
         41 . Use of an oligonucleotide primer according to  claim 40  for identifying a bacterium belonging to the genus  Streptococcus.    
     
     
         42 . (canceled)