Lactococcus
Genus of bacteria
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Taxonomy
The type species of the genus is Lactococcus lactis. The List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN) recognizes 16 species with validly published and correct names in Lactococcus:
- Lactococcus allomyrinae
- Lactococcus cremoris
- Lactococcus formosensis
- Lactococcus fujiensis
- Lactococcus garvieae
- Lactococcus hircilactis
- Lactococcus ileimucosae
- Lactococcus kimchii
- Lactococcus lactis
- Lactococcus muris
- Lactococcus nasutitermitis
- Lactococcus petauri
- Lactococcus protaetiae
- Lactococcus reticulitermitis
- Lactococcus taiwanensis
- Lactococcus termiticola
Lactococcus intestinalis is treated as a later heterotypic synonym of L. muris.
A genome-based revision divided the genus into two phylogenetic groups and introduced the genus Pseudolactococcus for one of them. Although Pseudolactococcus was validly published, LPSN currently treats it as a heterotypic synonym of Lactococcus.
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Uses
These organisms are commonly used in the dairy industry in the manufacture of fermented dairy products such as cheeses. They can be used in single-strain starter cultures, or in mixed-strain cultures with other lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Streptococcus. Special interest is placed on the study of L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris, as they are the strains used as starter cultures in industrial dairy fermentations. Their main purpose in dairy production is the rapid acidification of milk; this causes a drop in the pH of the fermented product, which prevents the growth of spoilage bacteria. The bacteria also play a role in the flavor of the final product. Lactococci are currently being used in the biotechnology industry. They are easily grown at industrial scale on whey-based media. As food-grade bacteria, they are used in the production of foreign proteins that are applied to the food industry.
Diseases
Lactococcosis refers to a group of disorders caused by the bacterium L. garvieae. Most "Lacto" species dwell on the bodies of humans and animals, and while they do not cause serious problems in higher animals, they do cause chronic illnesses in lower animals, particularly fish.