ABSTRACT
Contents 6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 94 6.2 Genus Pediococcus ............................................................................................................. 94
6.2.1 General Characteristics ......................................................................................... 94 6.2.2 Phylogeny and Taxonomy ..................................................................................... 95 6.2.3 Habitats ................................................................................................................ 96 6.2.4 Identification, Typing, and Detection ................................................................... 96
6.3 Genus Tetragenococcus ...................................................................................................... 98 6.3.1 General Characteristics ......................................................................................... 98 6.3.2 Phylogeny and Taxonomy ..................................................................................... 98 6.3.3 Habitats ................................................................................................................ 98 6.3.4 Identification, Typing, and Detection ................................................................... 98
6.4 Genus Leuconostoc ............................................................................................................ 99 6.4.1 General Characteristics ......................................................................................... 99 6.4.2 Phylogeny and Taxonomy ................................................................................... 100 6.4.3 Habitats ...............................................................................................................101 6.4.4 Identification, Typing, and Detection ..................................................................101
6.5 Genus Weissella ...............................................................................................................102 6.5.1 General Characteristics ........................................................................................102 6.5.2 Phylogeny and Taxonomy ....................................................................................103
6.1 Introduction Although Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Bifidobacterium are among the best studied genera, together they only partially reflect the extremely broad taxonomic and functional diversity of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) known to date. is chapter deals with a number of LAB genera that are less well known because of one or several reasons: (i) they have only recently been described, (ii) they comprise only a few species, (iii) they have been taxonomically confused with other LAB genera, and/or (iv) they reside in very specific or underexplored habitats, which may have important implications for their isolation. A selection of seven of these “lesser gods” with relevance to the food and health area are described here in an order that aims to reflect their historical affiliation throughout the ever-changing LAB taxonomy. e description of the first genus, Pediococcus, is followed by that of the genus Tetragenococcus, which was originally proposed to accommodate atypical salt-tolerant pediococci but is now assigned to the Enterococcaceae. Subsequent to the genus Leuconostoc are the descriptions of three other members of the Leuconostocaceae family, that is, Weissella, Oenococcus, and Fructobacillus. e chapter is closed by the description of Carnobacterium, the type genus of the Carnobacteriaceae.
