title: Leuconostoc pseudoficulneum sp. nov., isolated from a ripe fig.
abstract: Six strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from a ripe fig. These strains constituted a highly homogeneous, but distinct, cluster that was separate from other LAB species in a polyphasic approach including dot-blot DNA-DNA hybridization, SDS-PAGE whole-cell protein profiling, carbohydrate fermentation ability, growth characteristics, enzymic profiling, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis macrorestriction analysis and RFLPs. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing positioned a representative strain, LC51(T), in a distinct line of descent within the recently described clade comprising Leuconostoc ficulneum, Leuconostoc fructosum and Leuconostoc durionis; L. ficulneum was its closest neighbour (98 % sequence similarity). DNA-DNA hybridization values and chemotaxonomic and biochemical characteristics, including enzymic profiles detected with API ZYM microtubes, confirmed that this group of strains is distinct from L. ficulneum and represents a novel species within the genus Leuconostoc. Taking into account the common origin and phylogenetic proximity, the name Leuconostoc pseudoficulneum sp. nov. is proposed. Strain LC51(T) (=DSM 15468(T) = CECT 5759(T)) is the type strain; the DNA G + C content of this strain is 44.5 mol%.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular and Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia, Edificio ICAT, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lélia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chambel
authors.affiliation: Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular and Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia, Edificio ICAT, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ivo M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Chelo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular and Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia, Edificio ICAT, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Líbia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zé-Zé
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal and Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Bloco C2, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luis G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular and Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia, Edificio ICAT, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mário A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular and Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia, Edificio ICAT, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rogério
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tenreiro
mesh_terms: D001482:Base Composition; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology*; D007934:Leuconostoc / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial