Description and Genomic Characteristics of Weissella fermenti sp. nov., Isolated from Kimchi

A Gram-positive, non-motile, and non-spore-forming lactic acid bacterium, designated as BK2^T, was isolated from kimchi, a Korean traditional fermented vegetable food, and the taxonomic characteristics of strain BK2^T, along with strain LMG 11983, were analyzed. Both strains optimally grew at 30°C, pH 7.0, and 1.0% NaCl. Cells of both strains were heterofermentative and facultatively anaerobic rods, demonstrating negative reactions for catalase and oxidase. Major fatty acids (>10%) identified in both strains were C_18:1 ω9c, C_16:0, and summed feature 7 (comprising C_19:1 ω6c and/or C_19:1 ω7c). The genomic DNA G+C contents of both strains were 44.7 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (99.9%), average nucleotide identity (ANI; 99.9%), and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH; 99.7%) value between strains BK2^T and LMG 11983 indicated that they are different strains of the same species. Strain BK2^T was most closely related to Weissella confusa JCM 1093^T and Weissella cibaria LMG 17699^T, with 100% and 99.4% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, respectively. However, based on the ANI and dDDH values (92.3% and 48.1% with W. confusa, and 78.4% and 23.5% with W. cibaria), it was evident that strain BK2^T represents a distinct species separate from W. confusa and W. cibaria. Based on phylogenetic, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic features, strains BK2^T and LMG 11983 represent a novel species of the genus Weissella, for which the name Weissella fermenti sp. nov. is proposed. The type of strain is BK2^T (=KACC 22833^T=JCM 35750^T).