Amygdalin
Cellobiose
Lactose
Maltose
Mannose
Salicin
Sucrose
Trehalose
subsp. bulgaricus
-
d
+
-
-
-
-
-
subsp. delbrueckii
-
-
-
d
+
-
+
d
subsp. indicus
-
-
+
-
+
-
d
-
subsp. lactis
+
d
+
+
+
+
+
+
subsp. sunkii
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis
Taxonomy
Morphology
Cultural characteristics
Biochemical characters
Ecology
Pathogenicity
References
Phylum Firmicutes, Class Bacilli, Order Lactobacillales, Family Lactobacillaceae, Genus Lactobacillus [fermentation-type Group A
lactobacilli (obligately homofermentative), Lactobacillus delbrueckii phylogenetic-group],
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis
(Orla-Jensen 1919) Weiss, Schillinger and Kandler 1984.

Historical synonyms:  
Thermobacterium lactis Orla-Jensen 1919, Lactobacillus leichmannii (Henneberg) Bergey, Harrison, Breed,
Hammer and Huntoon 1923,
Lactobacillus lactis (Orla-Jensen 1919) Bergey et al. 1934, Bacillus lactis acidi Leichmann 1896,
Bacterium lactis acidi (Leichmann 1896) Leichmann 1896, Lactobacillus lactis-acidi (Leichmann 1896) Bergey et al.1923,
Lactobacterium caucasicum var. lactis
(Orla-Jensen 1919) Krasilnikov 1949.
Gram-positive rods , under 2 µm wide, often appearing as long forms with a tendency
to grow into threads, often strongly curling, occurring singly or in pairs in young
cultures. Internal granulation may be revealed with methylene blue stain. Nonmotile.
Colonies are normally rough, 1-3 mm in diameter and non-pigmented being white to
light gray. Optimum temperature for growth is 40-44 ºC. Variable growth at 48-52 ºC.
Can grow at 45 ºC. No growth at 15 ºC. Optimum pH for growth 5.5-6.2. Can grow at
pH 5.0. Growth factor requirements: pantothenic acid and niacin generally essential;
riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B
12, and thymidine are essential for particular strains.
Isolated from milk, cheese, compressed yeast, and grain mash.
Have phages belonging to the families Myoviridae and Siphoviridae.
Produce pyroglutamic acid (2-pyrolidone-5 carboxylic acid) with activity against
Bacillus subtilis, Panothoea agglomerans, and
Pseudomonas spp.
Nonpathogenic.
  1. Hammes W.P. and Hertel C., 2009. Genus I. Lactobacillus Beijerinck 1901. In: (Eds.) P.D. Vos, G. Garrity, D. Jones, N.R. Krieg, W.
    Ludwig, F.A. Rainey, K.-H. Schleifer, W.B. Whitman. Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, Volume 3: The Firmicutes,
    Springer, 465-511.
  2. Rogosa M., 1974. Genus I. Lactobacillus Beijerinck 1901. In: (Eds.) Buchanan R.E. and Gibbons N.E., Bergey’s Manual of
    Determinative Bacteriology, Eighth Edition, The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore, 576-593.
  3. Kudo Y, Oki K, Watanabe K. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii subsp. nov., isolated from sunki, a traditional Japanese
    pickle. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2012; 62:2643-2649.
Obligately homofermentative (hexoses are fermented almost exclusively to lactic acid by the Embden-Meyerhof pathway; pentoses or
gluconate are not fermented).

Positive results for fermentation of: amygdalin, fructose, glucose (without gas production), lactose, maltose, mannose, salicin,
sucrose, and trehalose.

Negative results for esculin hydrolysis, indole production, H
2S production, catalase, oxidase, gelatin liquefaction, casein digestion,
nitrate reduction, fermentation of: arabinose, gluconate, mannitol, melezitose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, sorbitol, and
xylose.

Variable results for arginine hydrolysis, fermentation of: cellobiose, esculin (weak) & galactose.
(c) Costin Stoica
Antibiogram
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Differential characters of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies:
Legend: +  positive 90-100%, - negative 90-100%, [+] positive 75-89%, [-] negative 75-89%, d positive 25-74% of strains