title: Molecular analysis of artisanal Italian cheeses reveals Enterococcus italicus sp. nov.
abstract: The taxonomic positions of seven atypical Enterococcus strains, isolated from artisanal Italian cheeses, were investigated in a polyphasic study. By using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, DNA-DNA hybridization and intergenic transcribed spacer analysis, as well as by examining the phenotypic properties, the novel isolates were shown to constitute a novel enterococcal species. Their closest relatives are Enterococcus sulfureus and Enterococcus saccharolyticus, having a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.7 %. This group of strains can be easily differentiated from the other Enterococcus species by DNA-DNA hybridization and by their phenotypic characteristics: the strains do not grow in 6.5 % NaCl, and they do not produce acid from L-arabinose, melezitose, melibiose, raffinose or ribose. The name Enterococcus italicus sp. nov. is proposed for this species, with strain DSM 15952T (= LMG 22039T) as the type strain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Microbiology - Industrial Microbiology Section, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fortina
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Microbiology - Industrial Microbiology Section, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Microbiology - Industrial Microbiology Section, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Microbiology - Industrial Microbiology Section, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Manachini
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000032:analysis; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D007558:Italy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic