Abstract
Phenotypic and phylogenetic analysis was performed on four strains of a previously undescribed Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacterium isolated from the rumen and faeces of cattle. This bacterium fermented glucose primarily to lactic acid along with minor amounts of acetic and butyric acids. The four strains produced a temperature-sensitive bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the bacterium was a member of the clostridial XIVa cluster of the low-G+C content Gram-positive bacteria. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be assigned to a new genus, Lachnobacterium, as Lachnobacterium bovis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is YZ 87(T) (=ATCC BAA-151(T)=DSM 14045(T)=LRC 5382(T)). Its G+C content is 33.9 mol%.