Cohnella terricola sp. nov., isolated from soil

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Genomics

Background:

• The genus *Cohnella* comprises Gram-positive, aerobic bacteria with limited described species.
• Soil environments are rich reservoirs of microbial diversity, often harboring novel bacterial taxa.
• Accurate taxonomic classification is crucial for understanding microbial roles in ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel bacterial isolate from soil.
• To determine the phylogenetic and genomic relatedness of the isolate to existing *Cohnella* species.
• To formally propose a new species within the *Cohnella* genus.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and cultivation of strain G13^T from soil.
• 16S rRNA gene sequencing for phylogenetic analysis.
• Digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) for genotypic relatedness assessment.
• Genome sequencing to determine genome size and G+C content.
• Analysis of cellular fatty acids, quinones, and polar lipids.

Main Results:

• Strain G13^T is a Gram-positive, aerobic, flagellated, endospore-forming rod.
• Phylogenetic analysis showed highest 16S rRNA gene similarity to *Cohnella boryungensis* (97.5%) and *Cohnella phaseoli* (96.9%).
• Digital DNA-DNA hybridization values (21.0-21.4%) and low dDDH values (<70%) confirmed distinct species status.
• The genome size was 5,387,258 bp with 51.3 mol% G+C content.
• Predominant fatty acids, menaquinone-7, and major polar lipids were identified.

Conclusions:

• Strain G13^T represents a novel species within the genus *Cohnella*.
• The proposed name for this new species is *Cohnella terricola* sp. nov.
• This finding contributes to the taxonomic understanding of the *Cohnella* genus and soil microbiology.