Abstract
Streptococcus thermophilus is widely used as a starter culture in cheese, yogurt, and other cultured dairy products. Due to its commercial importance, the physiological, ecological, and metabolic properties of S. thermophilus have been well described. In particular, the molecular basis by which carbohydrates are fermented has been defined, including the unique route for lactose transport and metabolism. Exopolysaccharides produced by S. thermophilus are responsible for important functional properties in cultured dairy products and several have been characterized. Protein metabolism and protocooperative growth with dairy lactobacilli also have been studied. The means by which S. thermophilus defends itself against bacteriophage is the subject of much current research, in particular the CRISPR system. Recently, the genomes of several strains of S. thermophilus have been sequenced.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology |
| Subtitle of host publication | Second Edition |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 554-559 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780123847331 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780123847300 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2 2014 |
Keywords
- Bacteriophage
- CRISPR
- Cheese
- Cultured dairy products
- Exopolysaccharides
- Genomics
- Lactic acid bacteria
- Metabolism
- Starter cultures
- Streptococcus
- Streptococcus thermophilus
- Yogurt
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine