Levilactobacillus (Le.vi.lac.to.ba.cil'lus. L. v. levare to lift up, release, relieve; N.L. masc. n. Lactobacillus a bacterial genus name; N.L. masc. n. Levilactobacillus a lactobacillus with leavening potential, referring to the occurrence of multiple species in the genus in type I sourdoughs that are used as sole leavening agent).
Gram-positive, rod-shaped, catalase negative, heterofermentative. Most strains grow at 15 °C but not at 45 °C, are acid tolerant, growing generally in the pH range of 4.0–7.0 and produce DL-lactic acid. The genome size ranges from 1.97 Mbp for Levilactobacillus bambusae to 3.38 Mbp for Levilactobacillus cerevisiae, the mol% G+C content ranges from 46.3–55.9 %. Strains in the genus lead a free-living lifestyle and were isolated from sourdough or fermented vegetable products but also occur as spoilage organisms in alcoholic beverages. Strains in the genus generally harbour genes coding for transaldolase/transketolase which mediate metabolism of pentoses to pyruvate. Levilactobacillus brevis is used commercially as starter culture in food and feed applications.
A phylogenetic tree on the basis of 16S rRNA genes of all species in the genus Levilactobacillus is provided in Figure S 6P.
The type species of the genus is Levilactobacillus brevis comb. nov.; Levilactobacillus was previously referred to as L. brevis group.