Proposal of six species of moderately thermophilic, acidophilic, endospore-forming bacteria: Alicyclobacillus contaminans sp. nov., Alicyclobacillus fastidiosus sp. nov., Alicyclobacillus kakegawensis sp. nov., Alicyclobacillus macrosporangiidus sp. nov., Alicyclobacillus sacchari sp. nov. and Alicyclobacillus shizuokensis sp. nov.

Moderately thermophilic, acidophilic, spore-forming bacteria (146 strains) were isolated from various beverages and environments. Based on the results of sequence analysis of the hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene, eight of the strains represent novel species of the genus Alicyclobacillus. These strains were designated 3-A191(T), 4-A336(T), 5-A83J(T), 5-A167N, 5-A239-2O-A(T), E-8, RB718(T) and S-TAB(T). Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and DNA gyrase B subunit (gyrB) nucleotide sequences confirmed that the eight strains belonged to the Alicyclobacillus clade. Cells of the eight strains were Gram-positive or Gram-variable, strictly aerobic and rod-shaped. The strains grew well under acidic and moderately thermal conditions, produced acid from various sugars, contained menaquinone 7 as the major isoprenoid quinone and did not produce guaiacol. omega-Alicyclic fatty acids were the predominant lipid component of strains 4-A336(T), 5-A83J(T), 5-A167N, RB718(T) and S-TAB(T). No omega-alicyclic fatty acids were detected in strains 3-A191(T), 5-A239-2O-A(T) or E-8, but iso- and anteiso-branched fatty acids and small amounts of straight-chain saturated fatty acids were detected instead. According to the DNA-DNA hybridization data and distinct morphological, physiological, chemotaxonomical and genetic traits, the eight strains represent six novel species within the genus Alicyclobacillus, for which the following names are proposed: Alicyclobacillus contaminans sp. nov. (type strain 3-A191(T)=DSM 17975(T)=IAM 15224(T)), Alicyclobacillus fastidiosus sp. nov. (type strain S-TAB(T)=DSM 17978(T)=IAM 15229(T)), Alicyclobacillus kakegawensis sp. nov. (type strain 5-A83J(T)=DSM 17979(T)=IAM 15227(T)), Alicyclobacillus macrosporangiidus sp. nov. (type strain 5-A239-2O-A(T)=DSM 17980(T)=IAM 15370(T)), Alicyclobacillus sacchari sp. nov. (type strain RB718(T)=DSM 17974(T)=IAM 15230(T)) and Alicyclobacillus shizuokensis sp. nov. (type strain 4-A336(T)=DSM 17981(T)=IAM 15226(T)).