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Other than rind development, how does GC influence a cheese?  (particularly SBRs)
Does it have any flavor influence?

annie

Creates rind, thickens and strengthen existing rinds, effect the breakdown of proteins in the cheese (proteolysis) which gives it its texture. It also is acting as a surface de-acidifier. It raises pH levels so that PC, B.Linen and their friends can grow on the rind.  I find it to be the strongest surviving and easiest to grow bacteria in cheese.  I am now suffering from an apparent geo infestation in my cave actually. So much of it is out there that I don't even need to put it in my cheese and it will still grow. Annoying! Time to sanitize the living daylights out of this cave! In fact, geo is one of the most common of the naturally occurring bacterium in food and it exists in your body and diet.

arkc, likely more about GC than you'll ever want to know.  Lookup Sr. Marcellino, aka "The Cheese Nun"'s work on the critter.  Here's her dissertation cite.  Interesting, related .pdf, on microbial succession.  (see also her cites to other articles,

5. Choisy, C., M. Gueguen, J. Lenoir, J. L. Schmidt, and C.
Tourneur. 1987. The ripening of cheese: microbiological aspects,
p. 259-292. In A. Eck (ed.), Cheesemaking science and
technology. Lavoisier, New York.

7. Devoyod, J.-J. 1990. Yeasts in cheese-making, p. 228-237. In
J. F. T. Spencer and D. M. Spencer (ed.), Yeast technology.
Springer-Verlag, New York.

9. Gueguen, M., and J. Lenoir. 1975. Aptitude de l'espece Geotrichum
candidum a la production d'enzymes proteolytiques.
Lait 55:145-162.

Just an FYI.

I guess I wasn't clear.  I know that it helps develops rinds and readies them for PC and B.Lin growth.
What I would like to know is if it has any effect on flavor by itself?

Thanks,

annie

Yes it does. It's proteolytic and consumes lactate. Paul linked to some very key studies in this area.