Tetragenococcus koreensis sp. nov., a novel rhamnolipid-producing bacterium

Abstract

A Gram-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming coccus (strain JST) was isolated from kimchi (a traditional Korean food) and investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strain JST and its closest relative, Tetragenococcus halophilus IAM 1676T, was 98·1 %. The level of DNA–DNA relatedness between the two strains was 9·7 %. Strain JST had a DNA G+C content of 38·3 % and a cellular fatty acid profile containing 16 : 0, 18 : 1 and cyclo fatty acids. Phylogenetic data and genomic and phenotypic features demonstrated that strain JST represents a novel species, for which the name Tetragenococcus koreensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JST (=KCTC 3924T=DSM 16501T=LMG 22864T).