Apilactobacillus pseudapinorum sp. nov., isolated from polyfloral honey

A novel fructophilic lactic acid bacterium, designated strain 1H7-5^T, was isolated from fresh honey in Japan. The strain exhibited poor glucose assimilation under anaerobic conditions and required external electron acceptors for glucose metabolism, indicating a fructophilic lifestyle. Cells were non-motile, rod-shaped, catalase-negative and facultatively anaerobic. Strain 1H7-5^T grew at 20-37 °C and at pH 5.0-7.5. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and phylogeny based on core genome sequences revealed that strain 1H7-5^T is affiliated within the genus <i>Apilactobacillus</i>, showing the highest similarity to <i>Apilactobacillus apinorum</i>. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 1H7-5^T and type strains of <i>Apilactobacillus</i> species were below the thresholds for species demarcation. The major cellular fatty acids were C_16:0, C_18:1 <i> ω</i>9<i>c</i> and C_19:0 cyclo <i>ω</i>8<i>c</i>, and the genomic DNA G+C content was 34.5 mol%. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic evidence, strain 1H7-5^T represents a novel species within the genus <i>Apilactobacillus</i>, for which the name <i>Apilactobacillus pseudapinorum</i> sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1H7-5^T (=JCM 37175^T=DSM 118410^T).