DIFFERENTIATION OF DEXTRAN-PRODUCING LEUCONOSTOC STRAINS FROM FERMENTED RICE CAKE(PUTO) USING PULSED-FIELD GEL-ELECTROPHORESIS

Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from pure, a fermented rice cake co nsumed as a breakfast and snack food in the Philippines. The microflor a was dominated by dextran-producing leuconostocs, and these were diff erentiated into four groups using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of restriction enzyme digested chromosomal DNA, in conjunction with taxon omic tests. The four groups corresponded to the species Leuconostoc me senteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Leu conostoc citreum and Leuconosroc fallax. Several strains showed an unu sual clumping phenotype, and two of these were capable of inhibiting o ther strains of lactic acid bacteria.