Comamonas odontotermitis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the termite Odontotermes formosanus

Abstract

A bacterial strain, designated Dant 3-8T, isolated from the gut of the termite Odontotermes formosanus, was investigated by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells were rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-pigmented, non-spore-forming and non-fermentative. Phylogenetic analyses using the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain formed a monophyletic branch towards the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Comamonas, its closest neighbours being Comamonas testosteroni DSM 50244T (96.4 % sequence similarity), Comamonas koreensis KCTC 12005T (96.0 %) and Comamonas terrigena DSM 7099T (96.2 %). Strain Dant 3-8T was clearly distinguished from all of these strains by using phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, whole-cell protein profiles, fatty acid composition data and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that Dant 3-8T represents a novel species in the genus Comamonas, for which the name Comamonas odontotermitis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Dant 3-8T (=BCRC 17576T=LMG 23579T).