Lactobacillus manihotivorans sp. nov., A New Starch-Hydrolysing Lactic Acid Bacterium Isolated during Cassava sour Starch Fermentation

Two Lactobacillus strains were isolated from sour cassava starch fermentation. The cells were Gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, nonmotile rods. They produced only L(+)lactate and were homofermentative. Growth occurred at pH values of 5·0-7·0 and optimum growth occurred at pH 6·0. Growth was positive at 15 and 45 °C. The DNA G+C content was 48·4±0·2 mol%. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that strains OND 32Tand YAM 1 clustered with, but were separate from Lactobacillus casei-related taxa. Protein pattern and sequence analyses of the 16S rRNA gene confirmed that the two new isolates represent a new Lactobacillus species, for which the name Lactobacillus manihotivorans is proposed; strain OND 32Tis the type strain of this species.