Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2006.1242.1249CherigueneA. ChougraniF. BensoltaneA. 7200697One hundred twenty strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from raw goat`s milk in Western Algeria. They were identified and technologically characterized. Of the isolates, 25.33% were classified as Lactococcus, 34.66% as Enterococcus, 37.33% as lactobacilli and 2.66% as Streptococcus thermophilus. The dominant lactococci species was Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (18.66%). Twenty five of the Enterococci isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium,while the remaining 07.33% were identified as Enterococcus durans. Other species identified included Lactobacillus rhamnosus (10.66%), Lb. pentosus (09.33%), Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei (08%), Lb. plantarum (05.33%), Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (04%). Strains were screened for their acidifying, proteolytic and antibacterial activities. The strains of L. lactis subsp. lactis exhibited the highest acidifying and proteolytic activity. The highest acidifying activity was found in L. lactis subsp. lactis LC2, while E. faecium EC3 exhibited the highest proteolytic activity. Antimicrobial activity was detected in eight strains of Enterococcus,seven Lactococcus and six Lactobacillus. Some strains were able to maintain a high activity of two or three technological characteristics together.]]>Albenzino, M., M.R. Corbo, S.U. Rehman, P.F. Fox and M. de Angelis et al.,2001673548Allonso-Calleja, C., J. Carballo, R. Capita, A. Bernardo and M.L. Garcia-Lopez,2002Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains isolated from goat's milk and Valdeteja cheese.]]>34134138Anonymous,20002000Balows, A., H. Truper, M. Dvorkin, W. Harder and K. Schleifer,1991pp: 1468-1485pp: 1468-1485Beukes, E.M., B.H. Bester and J.F. Mostert,200163189197Bissonnette, F., S. Labrie, H. Deveau, M. Lamoureux and S. Moineau,200083620627Bockelmann, W.,19955977994Cogan, T.M., M. Barbosa, E. Beuvier, B. Bianchi-Salvadori and P.S. Cocconcelli et al.,199764409421Collins, M.D., U. Rodriquez, C. Ash, M. Aguirre and J.A.E. Farrow et al.,1991Lactobacillus and related lactic acid bacteria as determined by reverse transcriptase sequencing of 16 S rRNA.]]>77512Crow, V.C., T. Coolbear, R. Holland, G.G. Pritchard and F.G. Martley,19933423460Daeschel, M.A., 198943164167De Man, J.C., M. Rogosa and M.E. Sharpe,1960Lactobacilli.]]>23130135De Roissart, H.B.,1986pp: 343-408pp: 343-408Delves-Broughton, J., P. Blackburn, R.J. Evans and J. Hugenholtz,199669193202Devriese, L.A., B. Pot and M.D. Collins,1993Enterococcus and differentiation of phylogenetically dinstinct enterococcal species and species groups.]]>75399408De Vuyst, L. and B. Degeest,199923153177Durlu-Ozkaya, F., V. Xanthopoulos, N. Tunail and E. Litopoulou-Tzanetaki,200191861870Estepar, J., M.M. del Sanchez, L. Alonso and B. Mayo,19999737746Fitzsimons, N.A., T.M. Cogan, S. Condon and T. Beresford,19996534183426Fortina, M.G., G. Nicastro, D. Garminati, E. Neviani and P.L. Manachini,1998Lactobacillus helveticus heterogeneity in natural cheese starters: The diversity in phenotypic characteristics.]]>847280Gatti, M., E. Fornasari, D. Garni, G. Giraffa and E. Neviani,1994301127Geis, A., J. Singh and M. Teuber,1983Streptococci to produce bacteriocin.]]>45205211Harrigan, W.F. and M.E. McCance,1976Herrero, M., B. Mayo, B. Gonzalez and J.E. Suarez,199682565570Holler, B.J and J.L. Steele,1995Lactococcus lactis for possible use as starter cultures.]]>5275289IDF.,19951st Edn.,Jack, R.W., J.R. Tagg and B. Ray,199559171200Kempler, G.M. and L.L. McKay,1980Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis.]]>39926927Lewus, C.B., A. Kaiser and T.J. Montville,19915716831688Milliere, J.B., A.G. Mathot, P. Schimitt and C. Divies,1989Leuconostoc species.]]>67529542Moreno, I. and S.F.B. Busani,1990204450Padmanabha-Reddy, V., M.M. Habibulla-Khad and V. Purushothaman,1994292530Piard, J.C. and M. Desmazeaud,199272113142Requena, T., C. Pel!aez and M.J. Desmazeaud,199158137145Ross, P., M. Galvin, O. McAuliffe, S. Morgan and M. Ryan et al.,199976337346Sahlu, T., A.L. Goetsch, J. Luo, I.V. Nsahlai and J.E. Moore et al.,20045191219Samelis, J., F. Maurogenakis and J. Metaxopoulos,199423179196Schillinger, U. and F.K. Lucke,19874199208Schleifer, K.H. and R. Kilpper-Balz,1984Streptococcus faecalis and Streptococcus faecium to the genus Enterococcus nom. rev. as Enterococcus faecalis comb. nov. and Enterococcus faecium comb. nov.]]>343134Schleifer, K.H., J. Kraus, C. Dvorac, R. Kilpper-Balz, M.D. Collins and W. Fisher,1985Streptococcus lactis and related Streptococci to the genus Lactococcus gen. nov.]]>6183195Sharpe, M.E.,19791979pp: 233-259pp: 233-259Terzaghi, B.E. and W.E. Sandine,1975Streptococci and their bacteriophages.]]>29807813Weerkamp, A.H., N. Klijn, R. Neeter and G. Smit,199650319322Wood, B.J.B. and W.H. Holzapfel,1995Vol. 2,