ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LACTOCOCCAL BACTERIOPHAGES FROM CHEESE WHEY

Samples of whey from cheese industries of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were used for isolation and characterization of lactococcal bacteriophages. Ten bacteriophages were observed under electron microscope and their DNA cleaved with several restriction enzymes and analyzed in agarose gel. Seven bacteriophages were specific for Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris and three for L. lactis subsp, lactis. Electron micrographs showed that all of them had a similar morphology, with isometric heads and short non-contractile tails. Based on their DNA restriction patterns and their genome's size they could be classified into four distinct groups. All three bacteriophages specific for L. lactis subsp. lactis, were in the same group.