Three novel structural phenomena in the cellular ontogeny of Oenococcus oeni from northern China

Stress resistance and growth are important aspects to consider when engineering Oenococcus oeni strains for winemaking. We identified 3 previously unreported structural phenomena in the cell ontogeny of O. oeni sampled in northern China. We show that budding and binary fission (BBF) occur simultaneously in the growth process; that a novel ‘pomegranate-shaped structure’ (PSS) occurs mainly in the stationary and death phases; and that symbiosis and cyclical phenomena (SCP) occur throughout the various cell growth phases. These observations add to the current knowledge of the cell growth process of O. oeni. BBF, PSS, and SCP sufficiently describe the characteristics of the cellular ontogeny of O. oeni. We highlight a newly identified structure that explains the complex cell growth process. These findings will help understand the growth and development of O. oeni, supplementing the knowledge base of the established phases and providing new perspectives into its complex growth patterns.