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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2007, p. 7575-7581, Vol. 73, No. 23
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01219-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Detection of Bacteriophage-Infected Cells of Lactococcus lactis by Using Flow Cytometry{triangledown}

Ole Michelsen,1 Álvaro Cuesta-Dominguez,2 Bjarne Albrechtsen,1 and Peter Ruhdal Jensen1*

BioCentrum-DTU, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark,1 Unidad de Biologia Molecular, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain2

Received 1 June 2007/ Accepted 26 September 2007

Bacteriophage infection in dairy fermentation constitutes a serious problem worldwide. We have studied bacteriophage infection in Lactococcus lactis by using the flow cytometer. The first effect of the infection of the bacterium is a change from cells in chains toward single cells. We interpret this change as a consequence of a cease in cell growth, while the ongoing cell divisions leave the cells as single cells. Late in the infection cycle, cells with low-density cell walls appear, and these cells can be detected on cytograms of light scatter versus, for instance, fluorescence of stained DNA. We describe a new method for detection of phage infection in Lactococcus lactis dairy cultures. The method is based on flow cytometric detection of cells with low-density cell walls. The method allows fast and early detection of phage-infected bacteria, independently of which phage has infected the culture. The method can be performed in real time and therefore increases the chance of successful intervention in the fermentation process.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center for Systems Microbiology, BioCentrum-DTU, Technical University of Denmark, Building 301, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. Phone: 45 45252510. Fax: 45 45932809. E-mail: prj{at}biocentrum.dtu.dk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 5 October 2007.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2007, p. 7575-7581, Vol. 73, No. 23
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01219-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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