Enterococcus alishanensis sp. nov., a novel lactic acid bacterium isolated from fresh coffee beans

A coccus-shaped organism, designated ALS3^T, was isolated from fresh coffee cherries collected at a farm located in the Ali Mountain region of Taiwan. Sequence analysis of its 16S rRNA gene indicated that strain ALS3^T belongs to the genus Enterococcus and has more than 98.5% sequence similarity to Enterococcus pallens and Enterococcus hermanniensis. When comparing the ALS3^T genome with these two type strains, the average nucleotide identity values and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values were 72.6–73.3 and 19.2%, respectively. The G+C content of the genomic DNA from strain ALS3^T was 35.6 mol%. Results of sequence analysis, together with enzymatic activities and characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism, indicated that strain ALS3^T is distinct and represents a novel species, for which the name Enterococcus alishanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ALS3^T (=NBRC 109593^T=BCRC 80605^T).