For preliminary molecular typing, PCR-based fingerprinting using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is the method of choice. In this study, 14 bacterial strains were isolated from different Korean food sources, identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and characterized through RAPD-PCR. Two PCR primers (239 and KAY3) generated a total of 130 RAPD bands, 14 distinct PCR profiles, 10 polymorphic bands, one monomorphic band, and four unique bands. Dendrogram-based analysis with primer 239 showed that all 14 strains could be divided into seven clades out of which clade VII had the maximum of seven. In contrast, dendrogram analysis with the primer KAY3 divided the 14 L. citreum strains into four clades out of which clade IV consisted of a maximum of 10 strains out of 14. This research identified and characterized bacterial populations associated with different Korean foods. The proposed RAPD-PCR method, based on sequence amplification, could easily identify and discriminate the lactic acid bacteria species at the strain-specific level and could be used as a highly reliable genomic fingerprinting tool.

For preliminary molecular typing, PCR-based fingerprinting using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is the method of choice. In this study, 14 bacterial strains were isolated from different Korean food sources, identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and characterized through RAPD-PCR. Two PCR primers (239 and KAY3) generated a total of 130 RAPD bands, 14 distinct PCR profiles, 10 polymorphic bands, one monomorphic band, and four unique bands. Dendrogram-based analysis with primer 239 showed that all 14 strains could be divided into seven clades out of which clade VII had the maximum of seven. In contrast, dendrogram analysis with the primer KAY3 divided the 14 L. citreum strains into four clades out of which clade IV consisted of a maximum of 10 strains out of 14. This research identified and characterized bacterial populations associated with different Korean foods. The proposed RAPD-PCR method, based on sequence amplification, could easily identify and discriminate the lactic acid bacteria species at the strain-specific level and could be used as a highly reliable genomic fingerprinting tool.

The present study was carried out to investigate the in vivo single-dose acute toxicity of Leuconostoc citreum GR1 (Leuc. citreum GR1), a lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi, in ICR male and female mice. The test article was orally administered once to both sexes of mice. The mortalities, clinical findings, autopsy findings, and body weight changes were monitored daily for two weeks. The male and female mice were gavaged with Leuc. kimchi GR1 of four doses (625, 1,250. 2,500 and 5,000 mg/kg). The oral LD50 of Leuc. citreum GR1 was considered higher than 5,000 mg/kg. No significant changes in the general conditions, body weights, clinical signs and presence of gross lesions were observed in both sexes of mice to whom Leuc. citreum GR1 was administered orally. The results indicated that the 5,000 mg/kg dose of Leuc. citreum GR1 showed no adverse effect.