Abstract

Two strains were isolated from the vinegar of Korean traditional fermented rice wine and the vine gar of fermented persimmon, respectively. These strains, designated as KM and BPV, were identified as the genus Acetobacter with respect to morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics. The Isolates oxidized ethanol to acetate and over-oxidized acetate or lactate to CO2 and H2O. They were positive in catalase test, while being negative in oxidase, gelatin liquefaction, VP test, H2O production and indole formation tests. No ${\gamma}$-pyrones ware produced from glucose and fructose. KM was tolerant of 11% ethanol while BPV was relatively sensitive to ethanol at a higher concentration than 5%. The guanine-plus-cytosine contents of the DNA of KM and BPV strains were 53.8 and 56.6 mol%, respectively. The cellular fatty acid compositions contained in these isolates were saturated straightchain C14:0 and C16:0,, and unsaturated straight-chain C18:1. Major ubiquinone system of KM was Q-9, but that of BPV was Q-10. In morphophysiological and biochemical aspects, KM strain was similar to Acetobacter pasteurianus. However, BPV strain was different from other Acetobacter type strains.

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