CHARACTERIZATION OF PEDIOCOCCUS-PENTOSACEUS AND PEDIOCOCCUS-ACIDILACTICI STRAINS AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TYPE STRAIN OF P-ACIDILACTICI WITH THE PROPOSED NEOTYPE DSM-20284 - REQUEST FOR AN OPINION

Levels of DNA relatedness were determined for 16 strains of Pediococcu s pentosaceus and Pediococcus acidilactici, and two distinct groups we re recognized. The DNA base compositions of the members of one group r anged from 37.4 to 38.7 mol% guanine plus cytosine and the DNA base co mpositions of the members of the other group ranged from 42.7 to 43.5 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The phenotypic characteristics after growt h at 50-degrees-C and acid production from maltose correlated with the levels of DNA relatedness and DNA base compositions. Strains in the f irst group exhibited high levels of DNA relatedness to the type strain of P. pentosaceus and were identified as P. pentosaceus strains. Stra ins in the second group exhibited high levels of DNA relatedness to au thentic reference strains of P. acidilactici but did not exhibit relat edness to P. acidilactici JCM 5885T (= NCDO 1859T) (T = type strain). The taxonomic standing of the type strain of P. acidilactici was exami ned, and strains in the second group were identified as P. acidilactic i. In addition, we request the replacement of the type strain P. acidi lactici with the proposed neotype DSM 20284 (= JCM 8797 = NRIC 0115).