DESCRIPTIONOF LATILACTOBACILLUS GEN. NOV.

Latilactobacillus (La.ti.lac.to.ba.cil'lus. L. masc. adj. latus wide, broad; N.L. masc. n. Lactobacillus a bacterial genus name; N.L. masc. n. Latilactobacillus a widespread lactobacillus).

Speciesof Latilactobacillus are homofermentative, their mol% G+C content isbetween 40 and 42 and the genome size ranges from 1.82 to 2.12 Mbp; they produce both D(−)- and L-(+)- lactic acidwith the exceptionof L. fuchuensis, which produces only the L(+)- isomer. Strains in the species lead a free-living lifestyle and are mesophilic; many strains are psychrotrophic and grow below 8 °C. L. sakei and L. curvatus have commercial importance as meat starter cultures [58, 59].

Aphylogenetic tree on the basis of 16S rRNA genes of all species in the genus Latilactobacillus is provided in Fig. S6G.

The type species is Latilactobacillus sakei comb. nov.; Latilactobacillus was previously referred to as L. sakei group.