THE CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ACETIC ACID BACTERIUM USEFUL FOR PRODUCING BACTERIAL CELLULOSE IN AGITATION CULTURES: THE PROPOSAL OF ACETOBACTER XYLINUM SUBSP. SUCROFERMENTANS SUBSP. NOV

The isolate BPR 2001, a potent cellulose producer in agitation cultures, was examined to determine its taxonomic characteristics. The isolate BPR 2001 was characterized by the formation of dihydroxyacetone from glycerol and by ubiquinone-10. The DNA homologies of the isolate BPR 2001 were estimated to be low (15.6 and 0.3%, respectively), when hybridized with the DNAs of the type strains of Acetobacter hansenii and Acetobacter pasteurianus. However, the DNA of the isolate BPR 2001 hybridized with that of the type strain of Acetobacter xylinum to some extent (58.2%). These data indicate that the isolate BPR 2001 should not be classified as A. hansenii, but as a subspecies in A. xylinum. The isolate BPR 2001 was distinguished phenotypically from the type strain of A. xylinum by growing on ethanol, glycerol, dulcitol, and sucrose, by acid formation from D-galactose, glycerol, meso-erythritol, sucrose, and trehalose, and by oxidation of glycerol, D-mannitol, and lactose. We here propose a new subspecies, Acetobacter xylinum subsp. sucrofermentans as a potent cellulose producer.