Paenibacillus daejeonensis sp. nov., a novel alkaliphilic bacterium from soil

The taxonomy of soil isolates AP-20(T) and AP-37 was examined. These alkaliphilic organisms grew over a wide pH range (pH 7.0-13.0). The growth rate was higher at pH 8.0-12.0 than at pH 7.0. The G+C composition of these strains averaged 53 mol%. These strains contained MK-7 as the main respiratory quinone and meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The major cellular fatty acid of the isolates was 12-methyltetradecanoic acid. Levels of 16S rDNA similarity between strain AP-20(T), AP-37 and other Paenibacillus species were 94.2-90.2%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequence revealed that strains AP-20(T) and AP-37 formed an evolutionary lineage distinct from other Paenibacillus species. Based on the evaluation of morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and on 16S rDNA sequence comparison, the new species Paenibacillus daejeonensis sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is AP-20(T) ( = KCTC 3745(T) = JCM 11236(T)).