Identification of acetic acid bacteria isolated from Indonesian sources, especially of isolates classified in the genus Gluconobacter

Sixty-four strains of acetic acid bacteria were isolated from Indonesian so urces such as fruits, flowers, and fermented foods by the enrichment cultur e at pH 3.5, Forty-five strains were routinely identified as Acetobacter st rains because of their oxidation of acetate and lactate to carbon dioxide a nd water and their Q-9 isoprenolog, corresponding to 70% of all the 64 acet ic acid bacteria isolated. Eight isolates were identified as Gluconacetobac ter strains because of their oxidation of acetate and lactate and their Q-1 0 isoprenolog, occupying 13% of all the isolates, The remaining 11 isolates , accommodated in the genus Gluconobacter because of no oxidation of acetat e and lactate and because of their Q-10 isoprenolog, accounted for 17% of a ll the isolates, They were divided into two groups based on DNA base compos itions, One comprised the seven isolates, which had high G+C contents of DN A ranging from 60.3 to 63.5 mol% and of which DNAs hybridized with that of the type strain of Gluconobacter oxydans at values of 64-94% of DNA related ness. The other comprised the remaining four isolates, which had low G+C co ntents of DNA ranging from 57.5 to 57.7 mol% and of which DNAs hybridized w ith that of the type strain of Gluconobacter frateurii at values of 63-77% of DNA relatedness, The high values of DNA relatedness, 84 to 96%, were obt ained between the type strains of Gluconobacter cerinus and Gluconobacter a saii.