The present invention relates to mutants of lactic acid bacteria which are resistant to the antibiotic ampicillin and which were found to give an increased texture when grown in milk while maintaining the other growth properties of the parent strain. The present invention, furthermore, relates to compositions comprising such mutants, and to dairy products fermented with the lactic acid bacteria resistant to ampicillin.

A variant polypeptide having chymosin activity, wherein the variant has an amino acid sequence which, when aligned with the chymosin comprising the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, comprises at least one substitution of an amino acid residue corresponding to any of amino acids 2, 22, 40, 48, 50, 51, 53, 61, 62, 76, 88, 98, 99, 109, 112, 117, 125, 126, 135, 144, 160, 161, 163, 187, 189, 194, 200, 201, 202, 203, 221, 223, 240, 242, 244, 254, 267, 271, 273, 278, 280, 284, 289, 292, 294 or 295 said positions being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO: 2 and wherein the variant has one or more altered properties as compared with a reference polypeptide having chymosin activity. Such a variant polypeptide may be used in the preparation of a cheese.

A host cell capable of expressing a polypeptide having -galactosidase and/or transgalactosylating activity and which host cell is modified to be cellulase, mannanase and pectinase deficient.

The invention relates to a polypeptide having chymosin activity which: a. is capable of hydrolyzing bovine alpha s1-casein at position F23F24 so as to form s1-I CN (f24-199) more rapidly than camel chymosin; and b. has a C/P ratio higher than the C/P ratio of bovine chymosin.

The present invention provides methods and compositions related to modulating the resistance of a cell against a target nucleic acid or a transcription product thereof. In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides compositions and methods for the use of one or more cas genes or proteins for modulating the resistance of a cell against a target nucleic acid or a transcription product thereof. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods and compositions that find use in the development and use of strain combinations and starter culture rotations. In additional embodiments, the present invention provides methods for labelling and/or identifying bacteria. In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides methods for the use of CRISPR loci to determine the potential virulence of a phage against a cell and the use of CRISPR-cas to modulate the genetic sequence of a phage for increased virulence level. In still further embodiments, the present invention provides means and compositions for the development and use of phages as biocontrol agents.

A variant polypeptide having chymosin activity, wherein the variant has an amino acid sequence which, when aligned with the chymosin comprising the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, comprises at least one substitution of an amino acid residue corresponding to any of amino acids 2, 22, 40, 48, 50, 51, 53, 61, 62, 76, 88, 98, 99, 109, 112, 117, 125, 126, 135, 144, 160, 161, 163, 187, 189, 194, 200, 201, 202, 203, 221, 223, 240, 242, 244, 254, 267, 271, 273, 278, 280, 284, 289, 292, 294 or 295 said positions being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO: 2 and wherein the variant has one or more altered properties as compared with a reference polypeptide having chymosin activity. Such a variant polypeptide may be used in the preparation of a cheese.

Provided herein are compositions and methods for producing fermented dairy products that can be stored at ambient temperature. The compositions and methods provided herein include lactose-deficient bacteria capable of maintaining viability and/or pH when added to fermented dairy products having low levels of galactose and stored at ambient temperature. Also provided are fermented dairy products, e.g., yogurts, fermented dairy beverages, containing said lactose-deficient bacteria for storage at ambient temperature.

The present invention relates to a bacterial cell with texturizing property, starter cultures comprising the cell, and dairy products fermented with the starter culture.

The present invention describes a process for in situ generation of stable GOS in different dairy products by the use of a transgalactosylating -galactosidase.

The invention provides Streptococcus thermophilus mutants, such as DSM22933, which have improved texturizing properties. The strains have: (i) a mutation in the branched chain amino acid transport ATP-binding protein LivG (TC 3.A.1.4.1) gene; (ii) a mutation in the ABC transporter permease protein gene; and/or (iii) a mutation in the peptide deformylase protein gene. The invention, furthermore, relates to compositions, such as a starter culture, comprising one or more of these mutants, to fermented products made using these mutants and to the use of the mutants and compositions of the invention.