Brevibacterium linens | |
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German Romadur cheese, with Brevibacterium linens causing "red smear" on its surface | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Actinomycetota |
Class: | Actinomycetia |
Order: | Micrococcales |
Family: | Brevibacteriaceae |
Genus: | Brevibacterium |
Species: | B. linens
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Binomial name | |
Brevibacterium linens (Wolff 1910) Breed 1953 (Approved Lists 1980)[1]
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Type strain | |
ATCC 9172[2] CIP 101125 DSM 20425 HAMBI 2038 IFO 12142 JCM 1327 NBRC 12142 NRRL B-4210 VKM Ac-2112 | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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Brevibacterium linens is a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium. It is the type species of the family Brevibacteriaceae.[3]
Brevibacterium linens is ubiquitously present on the human skin, where it causes foot odor. The familiar odor is due to sulfur-containing compounds known as S-methyl thioesters. The same bacterium is employed to ferment several washed-rind and smear-ripened cheeses, such as Munster, Limburger, Tilsit cheese, Port-Salut, Raclette, Livarot, Pont l'Eveque, Époisses, Wisconsin Brick, Năsal and Pálpusztai. It is also used in the production of blue cheese, in addition to the mold Penicillium roqueforti. Its aroma also attracts mosquitoes.[4]
The first comprehensive proteomic reference map of B. linens was published in 2013.[5]