Lactobacillus pingfangensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus daoliensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus nangangensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus daowaiensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus dongliensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus songbeiensis sp. nov. and Lactobacillus kaifaensis sp. nov., isolated from traditional Chinese pickle

Seven novel lactic acid bacterial strains, isolated from traditional Chinese pickle, were characterized using a polyphasic approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, pheS gene sequence analysis, rpoA gene sequence analysis, determination of DNA G+C content, determination of average nucleotide identity (ANI), in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (isDDH), fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis and an analysis of phenotypic features. Strains 382-1T, 116-1AT, 381-7T, 203-3T, 218-3T and 398-2T were phylogenetically related to the type strains of Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum , Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. argentoratensis , Lactobacillus pentosus , Lactobacillus paraplantarum , Lactobacillus fabifermentans , Lactobacillus herbarum , Lactobacillus mudanjiangensis , Lactobacillus xiangfangensis , Lactobacillus plajomi and Lactobacillus modestisalitolerans , having 97.1–99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, less than 89.9 % pheS gene sequence similarities, less than 98.0 % rpoA gene sequence similarities, less than 91.2 % ANI values and less than 43.3 % isDDH values. Strain 778-3T was phylogenetically related to the type strains of Lactobacillus hokkaidonensis , Lactobacillus wasatchensis , Lactobacillus oligofermentans , Lactobacillus nenjiangensis , Lactobacillus vaccinostercus and Lactobacillus suebicus , exhibiting 97.0–99.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, 78.2–82.1 % pheS gene sequence similarities, 80.0–91.5 % rpoA gene sequence similarities, less than 78.6 % ANI values and less than 22.9 % isDDH values. Based upon the data of polyphasic characterization obtained in the present study, seven novel species, Lactobacillus pingfangensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus daoliensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus nangangensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus daowaiensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus dongliensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus songbeiensis sp. nov. and Lactobacillus kaifaensis sp. nov., are proposed and the type strains are 382-1T (=NCIMB 15187T=CCM 8935T=LMG 31176T), 116-1AT (=NCIMB 15181T=CCM 8934T=LMG 31171T), 381-7T (=NCIMB 15186T=CCM 8930T), 203-3T (=NCIMB 15183T=CCM 8933T=LMG 31172T), 218-3T (=NCIMB 15184T=CCM 8932T=LMG 31173T), 398-2T (=NCIMB 15189T=CCM 8931T=LMG 31174T) and 778-3T (=NCIMB 15191T=CCM 8929T=LMG 31177T), respectively.