Gluconacetobacter persimmonis sp. nov., isolated from Korean traditional persimmon vinegar

Abstract

Screening was performed to isolate cellulose-producing microorganisms from the Korean traditional fermented persimmon vinegar. The resulting strain, KJ 145 T , was then taxonomically investigated by phenotypic characterization, particularly chemotaxonomic, and by phylogenetic inference based on a 16S rDNA sequence analysis including other related taxa. Strain KJ 145 T was found to grow rapidly and form pale white colonies with smooth to rough surfaces on a GYC agar. Strain KJ 145 T also produced acetate from ethanol, and was tolerable to 10% ethanol in SM medium. In a static culture, a thick cellulose pellicle was produced, and in GYC broth, the strain grew at temperatures ranging from 28 to 40°C with an optimum pH of 4.0. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain KJ 145 T was 61.9mol%, and the predominant ubiquinone was Q10 as the major quinone and Q9 as the minor quinone. The major cellular fatty acids were C 16:0 and the sum in feature 7 (C 18:1 w9c, w12t and/or w7c). A 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probe specific for strain KJ 145 T was constructed, and the phylogenetic position of the new species was derived from a 16S rDNA-based tree. When comparing the 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences, strain KJ 145 T was found to be most closely related to G. hansenii LMG 1527 T (99.2%), although KJ 145 T was still distinct from G. hansenii LMG 1527 T and G. xylinus LMG 1515 T in certain phenotypic characteristics. Therefore, on the basis of 16S rDNA sequences and taxonomic characteristics, it is proposed that strain KJ 145 T should be placed in the genus Gluconacetobacter as a new species, Gluconacetobacter persimmonis sp. nov., under the type-strain KJ 145 T (=KCTC =10175BPT=KCCM=10354T).