Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus leichmannii and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Subjective Synonyms of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, and Description of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis comb. nov. and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus comb. nov.

The type strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus leichmannii und Lactobacillus bulgaricus were found to exhibit DNA-DNA homologies of 90–100% among each other. The strains are thus considered as belonging to one and the same species which, according to the rules of priority retains the name Lactobacillus delbrueckii. On the basis of different habitats and different ranges of fermented sugars, the two subspecies, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis comb, nov., and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus comb. nov. are described.