Prospects for the genetic manipulation of lactobacilli

Efforts are underway in a number of laboratories around the world to develop methods for the improvement of Lactobacillus strains by recombinant DNA techniques. The lack of natural gene exchange systems has prompted research efforts to devise a protoplast transformation system. Initial early successes in gene cloning, vector development, transfection, conjugation, protoplast fusion and, recently, transformation, have laid the groundwork for rapid development of gene exchange systems for the genus.