The Enterococcaceae are a family of

Gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bacte ...

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

placed in the order

Lactobacillales Lactobacillales are an order of gram-positive, GC-content, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally nonsporulating, Aerotolerant anaerobe, nonrespiring, either rod-shaped (bacillus (shape), bacilli) or spherical (cocci) bacteria that share common metabo ...

. Representative genera include ''

Enterococcus ''Enterococcus'' is a large genus of lactic acid bacteria of the phylum Bacillota. Enterococci are gram-positive cocci that often occur in pairs (diplococci) or short chains, and are difficult to distinguish from streptococci on physical char ...

'', '' Melissococcus'', '' Pilibacter'', ''

Tetragenococcus ''Tetragenococcus'' is a gram-positive, facultatively aerobic, moderately halophilic and nonmotile bacterial genus from the family of Enterococcaceae The Enterococcaceae are a family of Gram-positive bacteria placed in the order Lactobacilla ...

'', and ''

Vagococcus ''Vagococcus'' is a genus of gram-positive bacteria. They are motile or nonmotile cocci which do not form spores. The name Vagococcus comes from Latin adjective ''vagus'' meaning wandering; and the Greek noun ''coccus'' a grain or berry, ''Vagoco ...

''. In this family are some important

lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillales are an order of gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally nonsporulating, nonrespiring, either rod-shaped (bacilli) or spherical (cocci) bacteria that share common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bacte ...

which produce

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as natu ...

as the major metabolic end product.

References

External links

Enterococcaceae
J.P. Euzéby: List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature Lactobacillales {{lactobacilli-stub