Diversity analysis of lactic acid bacteria in Korean rice wines by culture-independent method using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

A polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) method was used to determine the presence and diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in takju, a traditional Korean rice wine. Bacterial DNAs were extracted from 15 commercial rice wines and amplicons of partial 16S rRNA genes were separated by DGGE and intense bands were sequenced. Lactobacillus (Lb.) paracasei, Lb. plantarum, and Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides were detected in all samples and Lb. harbinensis and Lb. parabuchneri were found with above 80% frequency of occurrence. Unknown species of Lactobacillus were also widely detected. This result revealed that, regardless of products and raw materials, the distribution profiles of LAB in takju products have a common pattern comprising of above predominant species and, furthermore, takju can be regarded as a LAB-rich fermented food providing various probiotics.