Chitinophaga rupis sp. nov., isolated from soil

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacterial Taxonomy
• Environmental Microbiology

Background:

• The genus Chitinophaga comprises Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria known for their chitinolytic activity.
• Exploring microbial diversity in unique environments like coastal cliffs can reveal novel bacterial species with distinct characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a novel bacterium from a soil sample collected on Mara Island, Republic of Korea.
• To determine the taxonomic position of the isolated strain within the genus Chitinophaga using polyphasic characterization.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of strain CS5-B1(T) from a soil sample.
• 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for phylogenetic placement.
• Chemotaxonomic analyses including menaquinone, polar lipid, and fatty acid profiling.
• DNA-G+C content determination and DNA-DNA hybridization.

Main Results:

• Strain CS5-B1(T) is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, deep yellow-pigmented bacterium.
• Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed highest similarity (97.2%) to Chitinophaga japonensis.
• DNA-DNA relatedness between strain CS5-B1(T) and Chitinophaga japonensis DSM 13484(T) was low (5.8-7.9%).
• Chemotaxonomic data (menaquinone MK-7, specific polar lipids, major fatty acids, and G+C content of 48.7 mol%) further supported its distinctiveness.

Conclusions:

• Strain CS5-B1(T) represents a novel species within the genus Chitinophaga.
• The proposed name for this new species is Chitinophaga rupis sp. nov.
• The type strain is CS5-B1(T) (=KCTC 22170(T)=DSM 21039(T)).