Lactobacillus fornicalis sp nov., isolated from the posterior fornix of the human vagina

Twelve strains isolated from the posterior fornix fluid of the human vagina were identified as Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lac tobacillus gallinarum and Lactobacillus crispatus based on numerical analys es of total soluble cell protein profiles and randomly amplified polymorphi c DNA (RAPD)-PCR banding patterns. Five strains grouped with the type strai ns of Lactobacillus gasseri (DSM 20077(T)) and Lactobacillus jensenii (DSM 20557(T)) at r greater than or equal to 0.83 in one protein profile cluster , well separated from the other species included in this study. however, nu merical analysis of the RAPD-PCR banding patterns of representative strains selected from the L. gasseri-L. jensenii protein cluster clearly indicated that they belong to two different species. Four strains (TW 1010, TG 1013, TV 1018(T) and TV 1045) grouped into another well separated protein profil e cluster at r greater than or equal to 0.87. Strains selected from this cl uster displayed very similar RAPD-PCR banding patterns and clustered at R-2 greater than or equal to 0.78, separate from the other strains examined. S equencing of the 16S rRNA of two representative strains, TV 1018(T) and TG 1013, of this group indicated that it represents a new member of rRNA group I Lactobacillus, which includes Lactobacillus delbrueckii, the type of the genus, and close relatives Lactobacillus acetotolerans, Lactobacillus kefi ranofaciens, Lactobacillus iners, L. jensenii, L. crispatus, L. acidophilus , Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus amylovorus, Lactobacillus hamster i, L. johnsonii, L. gasseri and Lactobacillus amylolyticus. The name Lactob acillus fornicalis sp. nov. is proposed for strains TV 1010 (DSM 13172), TG 1013, TV 1018(T) and TV 1045, with strain TV 1018(T) (= DSM 13171(T) = ATC C 700934(T)) as the type.