Lactobacillus similis sp. nov., isolated from fermented cane molasses

<jats:p>The taxonomic position of strain JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> isolated from fermented cane molasses in Thailand was reinvestigated. Strain JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> was originally identified as representing <jats:italic>Lactobacillus buchneri</jats:italic> on the basis of biochemical and physiological characteristics. In the present study, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> demonstrated a low level of similarity with the type strain of <jats:italic>L. buchneri</jats:italic> (92.5 %) and high levels with those of <jats:italic>Lactobacillus collinoides</jats:italic> (97.6 %) and <jats:italic>Lactobacillus paracollinoides</jats:italic> (98.0 %). Ribotyping was applied to investigate the relationships between strain JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup>, <jats:italic>L. collinoides</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>L. paracollinoides</jats:italic>. The dendrogram based on ribotyping patterns showed one cluster for six strains of <jats:italic>L. paracollinoides</jats:italic>, and that strain JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> and <jats:italic>L. collinoides</jats:italic> JCM 1123<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> were each independent. Based on additional phenotypic findings and DNA–DNA hybridization results, strain JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> is considered to represent a novel species of the genus <jats:italic>Lactobacillus</jats:italic>, for which the name <jats:italic>Lactobacillus similis</jats:italic> sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JCM 2765<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> (=LMG 23904<jats:sup>T</jats:sup>).</jats:p>