Derived nisin producing microorganisms, method of production and use and products obtained thereby
AssigneeMicrolife Technics, Inc.
InventorsCarlos F. Gonzalez, Alfred J. Gryczka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Derived microorganisms containing foreign DNA encoding for nisin production and a method for producing the derived microorganisms by transferring DNA to a recipient microorganism are described. The recipient microorganisms are preferably bacteria lacking in the ability to produce nisin. Nisin inhibits the growth of spoilage bacteria and is used in various materials for preservation, including foods and particularly at refrigeration temperatures. Nisin is also used in animals for improving the health of the animal. The foreign DNA is obtained from a donor microorganism and encodes for nisin production when transferred to the recipient microorganism.
Claims18
A nisin producing engineered bacterium of the genus Streptococcus which contains foreign DNA which encodes for nisin production, which foreign DNA was obtained from a nisin producing donor bacterium and which foreign DNA was transferred to a recipient bacterium resulting in the nisin producing engineered bacterium, wherein the donor bacterium is a naturally occurring Streptococcus species containing plasmid DNA from a 29 Mdal plasmid encoding for sucrose utilization and nisin production and nisin resistance and wherein the recipient bacterium is a Streptococcus species which is sensitive to nisin and which does not naturally produce nisin.
The method for engineering a nisin producing bacterium of the genus Streptococcus which comprises:
- (a) transferring plasmid DNA which encodes for nisin production in a donor bacterium to a recipient bacterium to produce a nisin producing engineered bacterium, wherein the plasmid DNA is foreign to the recipient bacterium and encodes for nisin production and nisin resistance in the recipient bacterium wherein the donor bacteria is a Streptococcus species containing plasmid DNA derived from a 29 Mdal plasmid encoding for sucrose utilization, nisin production and nisin resistance and wherein the recipient bacterium is a Streptococcus species which is sensitive to nisin and does not naturally produce nisin;
- and
- (b) isolating the nisin producing engineered bacterium.
The bacterial composition which comprises in admixture:
- (a) a nisin producing Streptococcus containing foreign plasmid DNA from a 29 Mdal plasmid encoding for sucrose utilization and nisin production in a Streptococcus which is sensitive to nisin and does not naturally produce nisin;
- and
- (b) a nisin resistant Streptococcus diacetilactis which produces an inhibitory substance for Gram-negative bacteria, wherein the mixture of the bacteria in the composition produces the inhibitory substance and nisin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.