Detection, characterization, and in vitro and in vivo expression of genes encoding S-proteins in Lactobacillus gallinarum strains isolated from chicken crops

Thirty-eight isolates of Lactobacillus gallinarum cultured from the crops of broiler chickens are screened for the presence of genes encoding S-layer proteins. The results provide a basis for the investigation of gene duplication and sequence variation as mechanisms by which bacterial strains of the same species can share the same habitat.