Limosilactobacillus

Limosilactobacillus is a thermophilic and heterofermentative genus of lactic acid bacteria created in 2020 by splitting from Lactobacillus. The name is derived from the Latin limosus "slimy", referring to the property of most strains in the genus to produce exopolysaccharides from sucrose. The genus currently includes 31 species or subspecies, most of these were isolated from the intestinal tract of humans or animals. Limosilactobacillus reuteri has been used as a model organism to evaluate the host-adaptation of lactobacilli to the human and animal intestine and for the recruitment of intestinal lactobacilli for food fermentations. Limosilactobacillus fermentum is an exception as this species is not considered host adapted but nomadic Lm. reuteri, Limosilactobacillus pontis and other limosilactobacilli occur frequently in back-slopped cereal fermentations while Lm. fermentum reliably occurs in spontaneous cereal fermentations. Lm. reuteri and Lm. fermentum also have been successfully applied as probiotics

Limosilactobacilli are heterofermentative and produce lactate, CO₂, and acetate or ethanol from glucose; several limosilactobacilli, particularly strains of Lm. reuteri convert glycerol or 1,2-propanediol to 1,3 propanediol or propanol, respectively. Most strains do not grow in presence of oxygen, or in de Man, Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) medium, the standard medium for cultivation of lactobacilli. Addition of maltose, cysteine and fructose to MRS is usually sufficient for cultivation of limosilactobacilli although some species, e.g. Limosilactobacillus secaliphilus, require special cultivation media.