[Systematics of acetic acid bacteria]

The method of numerical taxonomy has been used in these studies. Fifty-six strains of acetic acid bacteria are characterized in 136 phenotypical features. The coefficients of similarity of the strains were calculated using computer. The nucleotide composition of DNA from 21 strains of acetic acid bacteria was determined. The results obtained by the method of numerical taxonomy were discussed basing on this genotypical criterion. The genera Acetobacter Beijerinck and Gluconobacter Asai were found to be related. Only one bacterial species, i. e. G. oxydans, was confirmed to exist within the genus Gluconobacter. The studied strains belonging to the genus Acetobacter were subdivided into three groups corresponding to the species A. aceti, A. rancens and A. xylinum.