Abstract:

Biogenic amines are small nitrogenous molecules frequently found in fermented foods. Excessive intakes of
biogenic amines have undesirable physiological effect on human bodies. The main biogenic amines in wine are formed through
decarboxylation of free amino acids by specific amine acid decarboxylases. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique can be used
to detect the presence of amine acid decarboxylase gene, and excellent strains without the potential to produce biogenic amines
can be screened. We detected the genes responsible for encoding amino acid decarboxylases, including histidine decarboxylase,
tyrosine decarboxylase and ornithine decarboxylase, through single and multiplex PCR assays in 40 strains of Oenococcus oeni.
The results showed that 33 strains possessed histidine decarboxylase gene, 22 strains possessed tyrosine decarboxylase gene and
16 strains possessed ornithine decarboxylase gene among the 40 tested strains. The PCR method described in this study is a simple
and rapid way to detect bacteria with amine acid decarboxylase genes.

Key words: polymerase chain reaction (PCR), lactic acid bacteria, amine acid decarboxylase gene, biogenic amines, multiplex PCR