Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Vinegar Flies Based on Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics

Thirty lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the intestinal tract of Drosophila simulans Stuvervant collected from a winery in the Stellenbosch region, South Africa. The isolates were grouped according to morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics. Strains selected from each group were identified to species level by PCR with species-specific primers, PCR-based DGGE, and 16S rDNA sequencing. The majority of isolates belonged to the species Lactobacillus plantarum, but Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Enterococcus faecalis and Pediococcus pentosaceus were also identified. The genotypic relatedness between strains of L. plantarum was determined by RAPD-PCR.