[38]. FDA approved Drug Library ic50 Genomic DNA from Lb. paraplantarum LTH5200, Lb. pentosus DSM20314T and Lb. plantarum DSM20174T were used as positive control and genomic DNA from Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides L8 and Lb. ghanensis L499 were used as negative control. Differentiation of Weissella confusa and W. cibaria strains The closely related species W. confusa and W. cibaria were differentiated from each other by a W. confusa species-specific PCR method as described by Fusco et al. [39]. Genomic DNA from W. confusa LMG 11983T was used as positive control. Genomic DNA from the following species was used as negative control; W. cibaria 17699T, Pediococcus acidilactici

DSM20284T, Ped. pentosaceus DSM20336T, Lb. fermentum DSM20052T, Lb. pentosus DSM20314T, Lb. paraplantarum LTH5200, Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis DSM20073, and Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus DSM20080. Safety characterizations Antibiotics MIC testing by the broth microdilution method Nine antibiotics were included in the assay: ampicillin and vancomycin as inhibitors of cell wall synthesis, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin and tetracycline as inhibitors of protein synthesis. All antibiotics

were obtained from Sigma (St. Louis, Mo., USA) in powdered form and 2 g/L stock solutions prepared. BMS345541 Chloramphenicol and erythromycin stock solutions were prepared in 95% ethanol and the remaining antibiotics stock solutions prepared in SU5402 cost sterile MilliQ water and filter sterilized (MILLEX GP Syringe Driven Filter Unit, 0.22 μm, Millipore, Ireland). Aliquots (1 ml) of the stock solutions were stored at −20°C. The minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotics (MICs, mg/L) for all bacteria (except Lb. ghanensis L489 and Lb. delbrueckii ZN9a-7) was determined by a modification of the broth micro-dilution method reported by Mayrhofer et al. [40] and Domig et al. [41] with different antibiotics concentration ranges depending on the particular antibiotic. In summary of the method, antibiotics stock

solution (2.0 g/L) was added to MRS broth (pH 6.2) and then followed by log2 serial dilutions to obtain the appropriate antibiotics concentrations. The media (198 μl) with the appropriate antibiotic concentration was then dispensed into wells of sterile commercial flat-bottom microtitre Astemizole plates with lids (Fisher Scientific, Biotech Line A/S, Denmark) and stored at −20°C for overnight. Prior to inoculation, the plates were allowed to attain room temperature. Inocula were prepared by suspending single isolated colonies of bacteria (MRS-agar, 37°C, 48 hrs) in 3 ml sterile 0.9% NaCl. Turbidity of the cells suspension was adjusted to 1 McFarland standard equivalent (approx. 3x108cfu/ml). The plates were inoculated with 2 μl of the cell suspension to obtain approximately 3×106 cfu/ml in each well. Plates were incubated under anaerobic conditions at 37°C for 24 hrs (COY Laboratory Products INC, USA).