Differentiation of species of the family Acetobacteraceae by AFLP DNA fingerprinting: Gluconacetobacter kombuchae is a later heterotypic synonym of Gluconacetobacter hansenii.

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) DNA fingerprinting was investigated as a tool for fast and accurate identification of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) to the species level. One hundred and thirty five reference strains and 15 additional strains, representing 50 recognized species of the family Acetobacteraceae, were subjected to AFLP analysis using the restriction enzyme combination ApaI/TaqI and the primer combination A03/T03. The reference strains had been previously subjected to either DNA-DNA hybridization or 16S-23S rRNA spacer region gene sequence analysis and were regarded as being accurately classified at the species level.

Diversity of Vibrios associated with reared clams in Galicia (NW Spain).

The aim of the present study was to characterize and identify vibrios isolated from cultured clams in Galicia (NW Spain). A total of 759 isolates were obtained, phenotypically characterized, grouped and assigned to the genus Vibrio. Subsequently, the genomic diversity of 145 representative strains was analyzed by means of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), which revealed a high genetic diversity amongst these isolates.

Isolation and characterization of human intestinal bacteria capable of transforming the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine.

2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) is a carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amine formed in meat products during cooking. Although the formation of hazardous PhIP metabolites by mammalian enzymes has been extensively reported, research on the putative involvement of the human intestinal microbiota in PhIP metabolism remains scarce. In this study, the in vitro conversion of PhIP into its microbial derivate, 7-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-phenyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydropyrido[3',2':4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidin-5-ium chloride (PhIP-M1), by fecal samples from 18 human volunteers was investigated.

Reclassification of Lactobacillus brevis strains LMG 11494 and LMG 11984 as Lactobacillus parabrevis sp. nov.

A polyphasic study revealed taxonomic heterogeneity among reference strains of the species Lactobacillus brevis. Representative strains of L. brevis and related taxa were investigated by partial sequence analysis of the housekeeping gene encoding the alpha-subunit of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase (pheS).

Pediococcus stilesii sp. nov., isolated from maize grains.

A Gram-positive, coccus-shaped, lactic acid bacterium, strain LMG 23082T, was isolated from steeped maize grains. The organism is homofermentative and produces D- and L-lactic acid from glucose. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the organism belongs to the genus Pediococcus, with Pediococcus pentosaceus and Pediococcus acidilactici as nearest neighbours.

Reclassification of Leuconostoc argentinum as a later synonym of Leuconostoc lactis.

Leuconostoc argentinum, Leuconostoc lactis and ten related strains from Romanian dairy products formed a single cluster, clearly separated from other Leuconostoc species, after numerical analysis of repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR patterns, whole-cell protein profiles (SDS-PAGE) and fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) band patterns. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis confirmed a very high similarity between both type strains and representative dairy isolates (>99.6 %).

Reclassification of Lactobacillus ferintoshensis as a later heterotypic synonym of Lactobacillus parabuchneri.

Lactobacillus ferintoshensis has recently been described as a novel species, distinct from its close phylogenetic neighbours Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus kefiri and Lactobacillus hilgardii. Two highly related species with validly published names, Lactobacillus parakefiri and Lactobacillus parabuchneri, were not considered in the study due to the lack of 16S rRNA gene sequence data at that time. Since the publication of the study, the sequences have become available and have revealed that L.