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O. kitaharae is a lactic acid bacterium (LAB) that was isolated from composting distilled shochu residue produced in Japan. This species represents only the second member of the genus Oenococcus to be identified. O. kitaharae has the ability to ferment maltose, citrate and malate and the ability to synthesize specific amino acids such as L-arginine and L-histidine unlike some O. Oeni. In addition to these metabolic differences, the O. kitaharae genome also encodes many proteins involved in defense against both bacteriophage (restriction-modification and CRISPR) and other microorganisms (bacteriocins), and has had its genome populated by at least two conjugative transposons, which is in contrast to currently available genome sequences of O. oeni which lack the vast majority of these defense proteins. It therefore appears that the genome of O. kitaharae has been shaped by its need to survive in a competitive growth environment that is vastly different from that encountered by O. oeni, where environmental stresses provide the greatest challenge to growth and reproduction. <ref name="Identification of the species">[http://www.microbiologyresearch.org/docserver/fulltext/ijsem/56/10/2345.pdf?expires=1500421799&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=4FF9F1182BE36F4DF3395E34D812B03C ". Identifcation".]</ref>