Lactate degradation by polysaccharide-producing Neisseria isolated from human dental plaque

Saccharolytic and polysaccharide-producing Neisseria, isolated from human dental plaque, degrade lactate mainly to acetate and CO₂. The citric acid cycle is involved with lactate degradation via pyruvate to a variable extent. Lactate degradation in these strains is very similar to that of Neisseria sp. (strain Ne-15), the lactate degradation pathway of which we have reported previously.