Isolation and Characterization of Flavobacterium johnsoniae from Farmed Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Flavobacterium johnsoniae was isolated from farmed rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in Korea, and its biochemical and molecular characterization was determined. Yellow-pigmented bacterial colonies were isolated from 18 of 64 fish samples (28.1%) on trypticase soy agar plates, and their biochemical profiles were characterized by API 20E and API 20NE test kits. F. johnsoniae was identified by biochemical phenotyping of factors including rapid gliding motility, Gram-negative condition, oxidase- and catalase-positive status, Congo red absorption, nitrate reduction, ${\beta}$-galactosidase production, acid production from glucose, and gelatin and casein hydrolysis. PCR and subsequent sequencing of 16S rRNA confirmed that the yellow-pigmented colonies were most similar to F. johnsoniae. The alignment analysis of 16S rRNA sequences also showed that all 18 rainbow trout isolates had highly similar homologies (97-99% identity). One isolate was selected and named FjRt09. This isolate showed 98% homology with previously reported F. johnsoniae isolates, and in phylogenetic analysis was more closely grouped with F. johnsoniae than with F. psychrophilum, F. columnare, or F. branchiophilum. This is the first report on the occurrence and biochemical characterization of F. johnsoniae isolated from rainbow trout in Korea.