Abstract
Six strains capable of transforming daidzein to S-equol were isolated from the fermented brines of stinky tofu purchased in Taiwan. Daidzein was completely converted into S-equol within 24h of incubation in five strains. All the strains were gram-positive, rod-shaped, obligately anaerobic, non-motile, and non-spore-forming. In a phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, the strains distributed into three groups in the family Coriobacteriaceae. SNR40-432 (Group I) showed 98.6% 16S rRNA gene similarity and 48–49% DNA-DNA relatedness with Paraeggerthella hongkongensis HKU10T, suggesting the possibility that SNR40-432 represents a new species in the genus Paraeggerthella. SNR48-44 (Group II) and SNR44-10, SNR45-571, SNR46-41, SNR48-350 (Group III) showed a maximum of 92.2 and 92.1% 16S rRNA gene similarities with Eggerthella sinensis HKU14T and Eggerthella lenta JCM9979T, respectively, which denotes that each group may represent a novel genus and species in the family Coriobacteriaceae. This is the first report isolating equol-producing bacteria from food.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Professor Yoshiaki Kawamura, Department of Microbiology, Aichi Gakuin University, School of Pharmacy, for his suggestions regarding characterization and classification of the strains.