AUTHOR=Fanelli Francesca , Montemurro Marco , Chieffi Daniele , Cho Gyu-Sung , Franz Charles M. A. P. , Dell'Aquila Anna , Rizzello Carlo Giuseppe , Fusco Vincenzina 

TITLE=Novel Insights Into the Phylogeny and Biotechnological Potential of Weissella Species

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.914036

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.914036

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>In this study, the genomes of the <italic>Weissella</italic> (<italic>W</italic>.) <italic>beninensis, W. diestrammenae, W. fabalis, W. fabaria, W. ghanensis</italic>, and <italic>W. uvarum</italic> type strains were sequenced and analyzed. Moreover, the ability of these strains to metabolize 95 carbohydrates was investigated, and the genetic determinants of such capability were searched within the sequenced genomes. 16S rRNA gene and genome-based-phylogeny of all the <italic>Weissella</italic> species described to date allowed a reassessment of the <italic>Weissella</italic> genus species groups. As a result, six distinct species groups within the genus, namely, <italic>W. beninensis, W. kandleri, W. confusa, W. halotolerans, W. oryzae</italic>, and <italic>W. paramesenteroides</italic> species groups, could be described. Phenotypic analyses provided further knowledge about the ability of the <italic>W. beninensis, W. ghanensis, W. fabaria, W. fabalis, W. uvarum</italic>, and <italic>W. diestrammenae</italic> type strains to metabolize certain carbohydrates and confirmed the interspecific diversity of the analyzed strains. Moreover, in many cases, the carbohydrate metabolism pathway and phylogenomic species group clustering overlapped. The novel insights provided in our study significantly improved the knowledge about the <italic>Weissella</italic> genus and allowed us to identify features that define the role of the analyzed type strains in fermentative processes and their biotechnological potential.</p>