Lactic acid bacteria in wine

Amino acid decarboxylases are the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of biogenic amines. These proteins and the genes that encode them have been studied in several lactic acid bacteria in wine and are briefly discussed below. 

Moreno-Arribas and Lonvaud-Funel (1999). Moreno-Arribas et al. (2000) isolated and identified a number of tyramine-producing lactic acid bacteria in wine that had undergone malolactic fermentation all belonging to the lactobacilli. Tyrosine decarboxylase was then purified (Moreno-Arribas and Lonvaud-Funel 2001) and the corresponding gene was purified and sequenced (Lucas and Lonvaud-Funel 2002 Lucas et al. 2003). As far as the literature suggests, no tyramine-producing 0. oeni strain has yet been reported, with the exception of one strain (O. oeni DSM 2025) that was shown to be able to produce tyramine in a laboratory medium (Choudhury etal. 1990). 

Lysozyme is an enzyme that can cause lysis of the cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria in wine (Delfini 2004). Lysozyme maintains its activity in wines with high pH values so it can be used successfully to delay or inhibit the growth of lactic acid bacteria, especially when used together with SO2,... 

Coton, E., RoUan, G., Bertrand, A. Lonvaud-Eunel, A. (1998). Histamine-producing lactic acid bacteria in wines early detection, frequency and distribution. Am. J. Enol. Vitic., 49, 199-204. 

Garcia-Ruiz, A., Bartolome, B. Moreno-Arribas, M.V. (2008b). Understanding the effect of oak wood treatments and enologjcal tannins in biogenic amine production by lactic acid bacteria in wines XXXI World Congress of Vine and Wine, Verone, 2008. 

Tetrahydropyridines (THP) are secondary metabolites produced by D. bruxellensis and lactic acid bacteria in wines and are responsible for a taint described as mousy off-flavour or mousiness. This problem has been known since late nineteenth century (see review of Snowdon et al. 2006) but, in spite of its obnoxious flavours, has been only vaguely studied perhaps due to its low frequency of occurrence. 

Costello, P.J., Morrison, G.J., Lee, T.H., and Fleet, G.H. 1983. Numbers and species of lactic acid bacteria in wines during vinification. Food Technol. Aust. 35, 14—18. 

Fomachon, J.C.M. 1968. Influence of different yeasts on the growth of lactic acid bacteria in wine. 

Sohier, D. and Lonvaud-Funel, A. 1998. Rapid and sensitive in situ hybridization method for detecting and identifying lactic acid bacteria in wine. Food Microbiol. 15, 391-397. 

Neeley, B. T., Phister, T. G., Mills, D. A. (2005). Differential real-time PCR assay for enumeration of lactic acid bacteria in wine. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71, 8954-8957. 

Dicks, L. M. T., Endo, A. (2009). Taxonomic status of lactic acid bacteria in wine and key characteristics to differentiate species. South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 30, 72-90. 

The only substrate always metabolized by the same pathway by all species of wine bacteria is L-malic acid. Cellular activity is modulated by the presence of other compounds acting on the transport level or on the enzyme activity. The growth of lactic acid bacteria in wine is sought after because of this activity indeed, it is the only activity truly desired. It permits the softening of wine provoked by deacidification and by the replacement of malic acid with lactic acid, a compound with a less aggressive flavor. 

Fom parameters very distinctly determine the growth rate of lactic acid bacteria in wine pH, temperature, alcohol content and SO2 concentration. Other factors are also in play but to a lesser degree and can only be determinant in some conditions. 

It is therefore difficnlt to specify the possible oxygen needs of lactic acid bacteria in wine. Current observations indicate that a limited aeration, after running off or racking wine, can strongly favor the initiation of malolactic fermentation. 

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