Biotechnology of lactic acid bacteria with special reference to bacteriophage resistance

Lactic acid bacteria play an important role in many food and feed fermentations. In recent years major advances have been made in unravelling the genetic and molecular basis of significant industrial traits of lactic acid bacteria. Bacteriophages which can infect and destroy lactic acid bacteria pose a particularly serious threat to dairy fermentations that can result in serious economic losses. Consequently, these organisms and the mechanisms by which they interact with their hosts have received much research attention. This paper reviews some of the key discoveries over the years that have led us to our current understanding of bacteriophages themselves and the means by which their disruptive influence may be minimized.