Genetic diversity in Oenococcus oeni revealed through multi-strain genome sequencing. Oenococcus oeni AWRIB576

Oenococcus oeni, a member of the lactic acid bacteria, is one of a limited number of bacterial species that can not only survive, but also actively grow in wine. It is also unusual in that it is thought of as being beneficial to the winemaking process, primarily through catalysing malolactic fermentation, but also through imparting other positive effects on wine quality. However, many of these industrially-important secondary attributes have been shown to be strain-dependent and their genetic basis it yet to be determined. Environmental isolate from wine Mt Mary, Victoria, Australia (2008).