Cellular fatty acid spectra of hiochi bacteria, alcohol-tolerant lactobacilli, and their group separation

Abstract

Thirty-eight strains of hiochi bacteria, ethanol-tolerant Sake-spoilage lacto-bacilli, were analyzed for their cellular fatty acid spectra with special reference to their classification. They were separated, with respect to their fatty acid spectra, into three groups, which corresponded respectively to the homo-fermentor, and mevalonic acid-dependent and -independent hetero-fermentors. Long straight-chain saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids with 20–26 carbon atoms were found, in addition to fatty acids ordinarily known in typical lactobacilli, exclusively in the mevalonic acid-dependent hetero-fermentative group (L. heterohiochii), the most predominant S