초록
<P>The metabolic versatility of <I>Levilactobacillus brevis</I>, a heterofermentative lactic acid bacterium, could benefit environmentally compatible and low salt cucumber fermentation. The biodiversity of <I>Lvb. brevis</I> autochthonous to cucumber fermentation was studied using genotypic and phenotypic analyses to identify unique adjunct cultures. A group of 131 isolates autochthonous to industrial fermentations was screened using rep-PCR-(GTG)<SUB>5</SUB> and a fermentation ability assay under varied combinations of salt (0 or 6%), initial pH (4.0 or 5.2), and temperature (15 or 30°C). No apparent similarities were observed among the seven and nine clusters in the genotypic and phenotypic dendrograms, respectively. A total of 14 isolates representing the observed biodiversity were subjected to comparative genome analysis. The autochthonous <I>Lvb. brevis</I> clustered apart from allochthonous isolates, as their genomes lack templates for citrate lyase, several putative hypothetical proteins, and some plasmid- and phage-associated proteins. Four and two representative autochthonous and allochthonous <I>Lvb. brevis</I>, respectively, were subjected to phenotype microarray analysis using an Omnilog. Growth of all <I>Lvb. brevis</I> strains was supported to various levels by glucose, fructose, gentiobiose, 1,2-propanediol, and propionic acid, whereas the allochthonous isolate ATCC14890 was unique in utilizing citric acid. All the <I>Lvb. brevis</I> genomes encode for 1,2-propanediol utilization microcompartments. This study identified a unique <I>Lvb. brevis</I> strain, autochthonous to cucumber, as a potential functional adjunct culture for commercial fermentation that is distinct in metabolic activities from allochthonous isolates of the same species.</P>