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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
07:34
Profiling the Bacterial Community of Fermenting Traminette Grapes during Wine Production using Metagenomic Amplicon Sequencing
Published on: December 1, 2023
Lactobacillus oeni sp. nov., from wine.
Rosario Mañes-Lázaro1, Sergi Ferrer, Ramón Rosselló-Mora
1ENOLAB-Laboratorio de Microbiología Enológica, Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia, Dr Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.
Summary
Ten novel Lactobacillus strains from Spanish Bobal wines were identified as a new species, Lactobacillus oeni. These wine lactic acid bacteria were phylogenetically and genotypically distinct from related species.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Food Science
- Winemaking
Background:
- Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a crucial role in winemaking, influencing flavor and stability.
- The diversity of Lactobacillus species in wine environments is not fully understood.
- Grape wines from the Utiel-Requena Origin Denomination in Spain are a potential source of novel microbial strains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To phylogenetically, genotypically, and phenotypically characterize ten Lactobacillus strains isolated from Bobal grape wines.
- To determine if these strains represent a novel species within the Lactobacillus genus.
- To propose a taxonomic classification for the identified wine isolates.
Main Methods:
- Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes for phylogenetic analysis.
- DNA-DNA hybridization to assess genomic relatedness.
- 16S amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) for genotypic differentiation.
- Phenotypic characterization including growth conditions, fermentation capabilities, and enzymatic activity assays.
Main Results:
- Phylogenetic analysis placed the ten strains in a distinct clade, closely related to Lactobacillus satsumensis, 'Lactobacillus uvarum', and Lactobacillus mali.
- DNA-DNA hybridization confirmed their separation from known Lactobacillus species.
- Genotypic methods (16S ARDRA, RAPD) further differentiated the strains from their closest relatives.
- Phenotypic traits, including inability to grow at pH 3.3, ferment sucrose, or hydrolyze aesculin, distinguished them from related species.
- The strains were identified as Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic rods lacking catalase activity.
Conclusions:
- The ten wine isolates possess unique phylogenetic, genotypic, and phenotypic characteristics.
- These distinct features support their classification as a novel species.
- The proposed name for this new species is Lactobacillus oeni sp. nov., with strain 59bT as the type strain.
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