title: Fructobacillus tropaeoli sp. nov., a fructophilic lactic acid bacterium isolated from a flower.
abstract: A fructophilic lactic acid bacterium, designated strain F214-1(T), was isolated from a flower of Tropaeolum majus in South Africa. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the strain formed a subcluster with Fructobacillus ficulneus and Fructobacillus pseudoficulneus and, based on recA gene sequences, the strain formed a subcluster with F. ficulneus. DNA-DNA hybridization studies showed that strain F214-1(T) was phylogenetically distinct from its closest relatives. Acid was produced from the fermentation of d-glucose, d-fructose and d-mannitol only. d-Fructose was the preferred sole carbon and energy source and was fermented more rapidly than d-glucose. Growth of the strain on d-glucose under anaerobic conditions was very weak but external electron acceptors such as oxygen and pyruvate enhanced growth on d-glucose. Lactic acid and acetic acid were produced from d-glucose in equimolar amounts. Ethanol was produced at very low levels, despite the strain's obligately heterofermentative metabolism. Based on these data, strain F214-1(T) represents a novel species of fructophilic bacteria in the genus Fructobacillus, for which the name Fructobacillus tropaeoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F214-1(T) ( = JCM 16675(T)  = DSM 23246(T)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Biosciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irisawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Futagawa-Endo
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonomoto
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: Kikuji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Biosciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Biosciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Sanae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leon M T
authors.initials: LMT
authors.lastname: Dicks
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005632:Fructose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D056584:Leuconostocaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013019:South Africa; D032388:Tropaeolum / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D005632:Fructose; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008353:Mannitol; D011938:Rec A Recombinases; D005947:Glucose; D019342:Acetic Acid