Lactobacillus apinorum belongs to the fructophilic lactic acid bacteria

• Published in: Bioscience of Microbiota, Food and Health Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 147 - 149
• Main Authors: MAENO, Shintaro, DICKS, Leon, NAKAGAWA, Junichi, ENDO, Akihito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan BMFH Press 2017; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Bacteria; Biochemical characteristics; Biochemistry; fructophilic lactic acid bacteria; Fructose; Genetic analysis; genomics; Glucose; honeybees; Lactic acid; Lactic acid bacteria; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillus apinorum; reductive evolution; Species; Species classification; Yogurt; honeybees; genomics; fructophilic lactic acid bacteria; reductive evolution; Lactobacillus apinorum
• ISSN: 2186-6953; 2186-3342; 2186-3342
• DOI: 10.12938/bmfh.17-008

Potential fructophilic characteristics of Lactobacillus apinorum, originally isolated from the guts of honeybees (Apis mellifera), were studied in the present study. The species showed typical fructophilic growth characteristics, i.e., active growth on d -fructose, poor growth on d -glucose, and accelerated growth on d -glucose in the presence of electron acceptors. Biochemical characteristics strongly supported classification of the species into fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB). Furthermore, genetic analyses suggested that the species underwent extensive gene reduction, similar to that recorded for Lactobacillus kunkeei and other FLAB. These data clearly indicated that L. apinorum is the second fructophilic species within the genus Lactobacillus.