Lactobacillus jixianensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus baoqingensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus jiayinensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus zhaoyuanensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus lindianensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus huananensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus tangyuanensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus fuyuanensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus tongjiangensis sp. nov., Lactobacillus fujinensis sp. nov. and Lactobacillus mulengensis sp. nov., isolated from Chinese traditional pickle.

Thirty Gram-stain-positive bacterial strains were isolated from Chinese traditional pickle. The strains were characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, pheS gene sequence analysis, rpoA gene sequence analysis, fatty acid methyl ester analysis, determination of DNA G+C content, determination of average nucleotide identity (ANI), in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH), determination of average amino acid identity (AAI) and an analysis of phenotypic features. The data demonstrated that the 30 strains represented 11 novel species belonging to the genus Lactobacillus, strains 159-4, 47-3, 257-1, 187-3, 220-4, 151-2B, 137-3, 244-4, 218-10, 218-6 and 112-3 were designated as the type strains. Strains 159-4 and 47-3 were related to the type strains of Lactobacillus porcinae, Lactobacillus manihotivorans, Lactobacillus nasuensis, Lactobacillus camelliae, Lactobacillus pantheris, Lactobacillus thailandensis, Lactobacillus sharpeae and Lactobacillus songhuajiangensis, having 92.0-98.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, 58.1-84.7 % pheS gene sequence similarities and 61.4-90.3 % rpoA gene sequence similarities. Strains 257-1 and 187-3 were related to the type strains of Lactobacillus coryniformis, Lactobacillus iwatensis, Lactobacillus backii, Lactobacillus rennini and Lactobacillus bifermentans, having 93.5-99.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, 67.7-81.8 % pheS gene sequence similarities and 77.0-96.2 % rpoA gene sequence similarities. Strains 220-4, 151-2B, 137-3, 244-4, 218-10, 218-6 and 112-3 were closely related to the type strains of Lactobacillus paucivorans, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus hammesii, Lactobacillus senmaizukei, Lactobacillus parabrevis, Lactobacillus yonginensis, Lactobacillus koreensis and Lactobacillus cerevisiae, having 95.6-99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, less than 93.9 % pheS gene sequence similarities and 87.0-99.7 % rpoA gene sequence similarities. ANI, isDDH and AAI values between strains 159-4, 47-3, 257-1, 187-3, 220-4, 151-2B, 137-3, 244-4, 218-10, 218-6, 112-3 and type strains of phylogenetically related species were less than 92.7, 48.4 and 96.6 %, respectively, confirming that they represent 11 novel species within the genus Lactobacillus. Based upon the data of polyphasic characterization obtained in the present study, eleven novel species, Lactobacillusjixianensis sp. nov., Lactobacillusbaoqingensis sp. nov., Lactobacillusjiayinensis sp. nov., Lactobacilluszhaoyuanensis sp. nov., Lactobacilluslindianensis sp. nov., Lactobacillushuananensis sp. nov., Lactobacillustangyuanensis sp. nov., Lactobacillusfuyuanensis sp. nov., Lactobacillustongjiangensis sp. nov., Lactobacillusfujinensis sp. nov. and Lactobacillusmulengensis sp. nov., are proposed and the type strains are 159-4 (=NCIMB 15175=CCM 8911), 47-3 (=NCIMB 15165=CCM 8903=LMG 31064), 257-1 (=NCIMB 15166=CCM 8904=LMG 31065), 187-3 (=NCIMB 15172 =CCM 8910), 220-4 (=NCIMB 15163 =CCM 8902=KCTC 21136), 151-2B (=NCIMB 15164=CCM 8913=KCTC 21129=LMG 31063), 137-3 (=NCIMB 15170=CCM 8907=KCTC 21125=LMG 31053), 244-4 (=NCIMB 15168=CCM 8906=KCTC 21137=LMG 31052), 218-10 (=NCIMB 15167=CCM 8905=KCTC 21135 =LMG 31055), 218-6 (=NCIMB 15171=CCM 8908=KCTC 21134 =LMG 31067) and 112-3 (=NCIMB 15174=CCM 8909=KCTC 21123=LMG 31049), respectively.