Lactobacillus taiwanensis sp. nov., isolated from silage

Strain FIRDI 006T, isolated from silage cattle feed, was characterized by using phenotypic and molecular taxonomic methods. The strain was a homofermentative lactic acid bacterium; the cells stained Gram-positive and were catalase-negative, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic rods. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the strain belongs phylogenetically to the genus Lactobacillus and can be placed within the Lactobacillus acidophilus-delbrueckii group. Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus johnsonii were the most closely related species, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 99.53 and 99.46% to the respective type strains. Low gyrB gene sequence similarities (<90%) and low DNA-DNA reassociation values (<45%) were obtained between the strain and the phylogenetically closest neighbours. Based on phenotypic and genetic evidence, the strain is considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Lactobacillus taiwanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FIRDI 006T (=BCRC 17755T =DSM 21401T).