Lactobacillus kimchii

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Lactobacillus kimchii
Scientific classification
Class: Bacilli Order: Lactobacillales Family: Lactobacillaceae Genus: Lactobacillus Species: L. kimchii
Binomial name
Lactobacillus kimchii

Description and significance

Lactobacillus kimchii is a newly discovered Gram positive bacterium. Lactobacillus kimchii was found in the Korean dish, kimchi. Kimchi is a main side dish in Korea. It is ranked as one of the top five healthiest food in the world enriched with vitamins and low in calories. It is made from cabbage and other different spices that gets fermented. From the start of the fermentation there are other microorganisms that are present, Lactobacillus plantarum, L. Brevis, Streptococcus faecalis,Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Pediococcus pentosaceus, but L. kimchii takes care of the rest of the fermentation. [1]

Genome structure

Lactobacillus kimchii is also known as strain MT-1077T. Through careful studying and testing using bacterial straining and culture conditions, this strain MT-1077T was found to be very similar to Lactobacilluc alimentarius and Lactobacillus Farciminis coming from the genus Lactobillus. L.kimchii is known to have the G+C content of 35mol %.

Characteristic	Strain MT-1077T	L. alimentarius KCTC 3593T	L. farciminis LMG 9200T
NH3 production from arginine*	-	-	+
Lactic acid isomer	DL	L(D)	L(D)
Fermentation of
L- Arabinose	+	+	-
Ribose	+	+	-
D-Xylose	+	+	-
Galactose	w	+	+
Lactose	-	-	+
Growth in the presence of 10% NaCl	-	-	+
DNA G+C content (mol%)	35	35	36

Cell structure and metabolism

Lactobacillus kimchiiis short, thin, non-motile, non-spore forming and rod-shaped bacteria. L. kimchii is also known as lactic acid bacteria, LAB. L. kimchii breaks down the unwanted gluconate without releasing gas indicating that the organism is heterofermentation. L. kimchii produces L(+) lactic acid and D(-) lactic acid. The growth of L. kimchii is preferred at 30 degrees Celcius, having a pH between 6.0-7.0. L. kimchii's strain is made up of MT-1077 = ATCC BAA-131 = CCUG 45370 = CIP 107019 = DSM 13961 = JCM 10707 = KCTC 8903P. This was found through 16S rDNA sequences.

Ecology

Lactobacillus kimchii is able to grow in both aerobic and anaerobic places,with temperature high as 40 degrees Celsius. L. kimchii is found during the fermentation of the Korean cabbage, baechu, when used to make kimchi.

• 

  Kimchi

Pathology

Lactobacillus kimchii can only be found in the Korean food, kimchi. Kimchi is fermented based on the salt concentration and the temperature. Kimchi is also know to be well-being food and suggested to be eaten regularly. L.kimchii is member of the Lactobacillus and shares the same quality in the production of fermented food.