Lactococcus lactis
Lactococcus lactis
Lactococcus lactis (pronunciation: lak-toh-kok-us lak-tis) is a Gram-positive, spherical, facultative anaerobic bacterium used in the production of cheese and buttermilk. It is a member of the Lactococcus genus in the family Streptococcaceae.
Etymology
The name Lactococcus lactis is derived from the Latin lactis meaning "milk" and coccus meaning "spherical". This reflects the bacterium's natural habitat in milk and its spherical shape.
Description
Lactococcus lactis is a non-motile bacterium that does not form spores. It is a lactic acid bacterium, meaning it ferments lactose into lactic acid. This process is used in the production of many dairy products, including cheese and buttermilk.
Subspecies
There are two subspecies of Lactococcus lactis:
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
Both subspecies are used in the dairy industry, but they have different properties and are used to produce different types of cheese.
Applications
Lactococcus lactis is used in the dairy industry to produce a variety of products. It is also used in scientific research as a model organism due to its simple genetic structure and well-understood metabolism.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Lactococcus lactis
- Wikipedia's article - Lactococcus lactis
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