Cluster 3A contained four strains all of which were atypical members of the Lactobacillus suke/curvatus group. Cluster 3B consisted of the reference strain of
Lactobacillus curvatus (DSM 20019), four typical Lactobacillus curvatus strains, two typical Lactobacillus sake strains and one atypical Lactobacillus sake/curvatus strain. All remaining strains which included Lactobacillus sake (DSM 20017), a
single typical Lactobacillus curvatus strain as well as typical Lactobacillus sake and
atypical Lactobacillus suke/curvatus strains were found in cluster 3C. Based on CFA content the majority of strains showed a high degree of homology with the type strain of Lactobacillus sake (DSM 20017) (cluster C). Since all but 1 of these strains were either typical Lactobacillus sake or atypical Lactobacillus sake/curvatus strains, it is suggested that all strains in this cluster are Lactobacillus sake strains despite phenotypic differences (van Holy et al., 1991) between them. The separate Lactobacilhs curuatus cluster (3B) containing most typical
Lactobucilhs curvatus strains confirmed this.