Correspondence

The applicability of a multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA)-based identification system for lactobacilli was evaluated. Two housekeeping genes that code for the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase a-subunit (pheS) and RNA polymerase a-subunit (rpoA) were sequenced and analysed for members of the Lactobacillus salivarius species group. The type strains of Lactobacillus acidipiscis and Lactobacillus cypricasei were investigated further using a third gene that encodes the a-subunit of ATP synthase (atpA). TheMLSAdata revealed close relatedness between L. acidipiscis and L. cypricasei, with 99?8–100 % pheS, rpoA and atpA gene sequence similarities. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the type strains of the two species confirmed the close relatedness (99?8 % gene sequence similarity) between the two taxa. Similar phenotypes and high DNA–DNA binding values in the range of 84 to 97?5 % confirmed that L. acidipiscis and L. cypricasei are synonymous species. On the basis of the present study, it is proposed that Lactobacillus cypricasei is a later heterotypic synonym of Lactobacillus acidipiscis. Lactobacillus acidipiscis was described by Tanasupawat et al. (2000) based on 11 strains isolated from fermented fish (pla-ra and pla-chom) in Thailand. L. acidipiscis utilizes D