Abstract

Enterococcus thailandicus is characterized as the species of the genus Enterococcus, Family Enterococcacae, Order Lactobacillales, Class Bacilli, Phylum Firmicutes. This species novum is catalase-negative, chain forming coccus, and first detected from the fermented sausage (mum) in Thailand. Up to now, occurrence of enterococcal species from many animal sources was detected. Herbivor Castor fiber (beaver) is an animal whose microbiota information is limited. This study was focused on the properties ofEnterococcus thailandicus strains detected from the lower parts of intestines of 12 free-living beavers: 7 males, 5 females (age 4 to 5 years). The samples were supplied by Polish colleagues (after major flooding in 2010, beavers were culling in Poland). Of the 17 enterococcal isolates (from 30 jejunal, colon, caecal samples), 6 were allotted to the species E. thailandicus by Maldi –Tof BioTyper system, following phenotypization. These lactic acid producing strains (1.13 to 1.25 mmol/l) were sensitive to antibiotics. No genes for enterocin production was detected. However, the inhibition of the growth of at least 5 from 30 indicator strains was noted. Detection of E. thailandicus in the beavers intestinal tract and their bacteriocin-like activity are completely new results; it has never been tested in this species yet. Ent genes were not detected in our E. thailandicus strains, but the strains were bacteriocin-like active; it could be speculated that they can propably produce new type of bacteriocin. Of course, it requires further studies. However, these results bring new impact on E. thailandicus as the species novum.

Key words: Enterococcus thailandicus, properties, intestine, beaver.