Table 1. Differential characteristics of the genera Acetobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Gluconobacter and Komagataeibacter.
| Characteristic | Acetobacter | Gluconobacter | Gluconacetobacter | Komagataeibacter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motility and flagellation | peritrichous or non-motile | polar or non-motile | peritrichous or non-motile |
no |
| Oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid | + | + | + | + |
| Oxidation of acetic acid to CO2 and H2O | + | – | + | + |
| Oxidation of lactate to CO2 and H2O | + | – | + | + |
| Growth on 0.35% acetic-acid-containing medium | + | + | + | + |
| Growth in the presence of 30% ᴅ-glucose | – | + or - | + or – | n.d. |
| Production of cellulose | – | – | + or – | + or – |
| Ketogenesis (dihydroxyacetone) from glycerol | + or – | + | + or – | + or – |
| Acid production from: | ||||
| Glycerol | + or – | + | + | n.d. |
| d-Mannitol | + or – | + | + or – | – |
| Raffinose | – | – | – | n.d. |
| Production of water-soluble brown pigment | – | variable | variable | – |
| Production from d-glucose of: | ||||
| 2-keto-d-gluconic acid | + or – | + | + or – | + or – |
| 5-keto-d-gluconic acid | + or – | + or – | + or – | + or – |
| 2,5-keto-d-gluconic acid | + or – | + or – | + or – | – |
| Ubiquinone type | Q9 | Q10 | Q10 | Q10 |