Description of Bacillus laevolacticus (ex Nakayama and Yanoshi 1967) sp. nov., nom. rev.

The name “Bacillus laevolacticus” Nakayama and Yanoshi 1967 was not included on the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names and therefore has no standing in bacteriological nomenclature. In this study 22 catalase-positive, acid-tolerant, facultatively anaerobic, lactic acid-producing Bacillus strains were examined taxonomically and compared with a number of strains belonging to phenetically similar Bacillus species (Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus smithii, “Bacillus vesiculiferous”) and with Sporolactobacillus. The G+C contents (43 to 45 mol%), DNA-DNA homology values (72 to 98%), and results of phenetic similarity analyses revealed that the members of the “B. laevolacticus” group were very homogeneous in their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and clearly distinguishable from other Bacillus and Sporolactobacillus species. On the basis of these findings, revival of the name Bacillus laevolacticus is proposed.