Real-time PCR for characterizing the stress response of Oenococcus oeni in a wine-like medium.

The tolerance of the lactic acid bacterium Oenococcus oeni to hostile wine conditions is essential for the success of malolactic fermentation (MLF). In this study, reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to quantify the transcript level of 13 genes that could play a role in adaptation of O. oeni in wine. To optimize survival and growth in wine, cells were adapted during growth at low pH (3.5) prior to inoculation into wine. The level of gene expression was analyzed after growth at pH 3.5 in a rich medium and during MLF in a wine-like medium. RT-qPCR analyses exhibited different expression ratios of stress genes. The data obtained showed that determination of mRNA levels could constitute a new approach to studying the stress response of O. oeni after adaptation at low pH and during growth in a wine-like medium.