Identification of pOENI-1 and related plasmids in Oenococcus oeni strains performing the malolactic fermentation in wine.

Plasmids in lactic acid bacteria occasionally confer adaptive advantages improving the growth and behaviour of their host cells. They are often associated to starter cultures used in the food industry and could be a signature of their superiority. Oenococcus oeni is the main lactic acid bacteria species encountered in wine.

Antitumor activity of gammadelta T cells reactive against cytomegalovirus-infected cells in a mouse xenograft tumor model.

gammadelta T cells recognize stress-induced autoantigens and contribute to immunity against infections and cancer. Our previous study revealed that Vdelta2-negative ((neg)) gammadelta T lymphocytes isolated from transplant recipients infected by cytomegalovirus (CMV) killed both CMV-infected cells and HT29 colon cancer cells in vitro. To investigate the antitumor effects of Vdelta2(neg) clones in vivo, we generated hypodermal HT29 tumors in immunodeficient mice.

Oenococcus oeni genome plasticity is associated with fitness.

Oenococcus oeni strains are well-known for their considerable phenotypic variations in terms of tolerance to harsh wine conditions and malolactic activity. Genomic subtractive hybridization (SH) between two isolates with differing enological potentials was used to elucidate the genetic bases of this intraspecies diversity and identify novel genes involved in adaptation to wine. SH revealed 182 tester-specific fragments corresponding to 126 open reading frames (ORFs).

Multilocus sequence typing of Oenococcus oeni: detection of two subpopulations shaped by intergenic recombination.

Oenococcus oeni is the acidophilic lactic acid bacterial species most frequently associated with malolactic fermentation of wine. Since the description of the species (formerly Leuconostoc oenos), characterization of indigenous strains and industrially produced cultures by diverse typing methods has led to divergent conclusions concerning the genetic diversity of strains. In the present study, a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme based on the analysis of eight housekeeping genes was developed and tested on a collection of 43 strains of diverse origins.