Chitinophaga soli sp. nov. and Chitinophaga terrae sp. nov., Isolated from Soil of a Ginseng Field in Pocheon Province, Korea

Two novel strains of the Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides(CFB) group, designated Gsoil $219^T$ and Gsoil $238^T$, were isolated from soil of a ginseng field of Pocheon Province in Korea. Both strains were Gram-negative, aerobic, nonmotile, nonspore-forming, and rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that both isolates belong to the genus Chitinophaga but were clearly separated from established species of this genus. The sequence similarities between strain Gsoil $219^T$ and type strains of the established species and between strain Gsoil $238^T$ and type strains of the established species ranged from 91.4 to 94.7% and 91.6 to 94.2%, respectively. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data(major menaquinone, MK-7; major fatty acids, $iso-C_{15:0}\;and\;C_{16:1}\omega5c$; major hydroxy fatty acid, $iso-C_{17:0}3-OH$; major polyamine, homospermidine) supported the affiliation of both strains Gsoil $219^T$ and Gsoil $238^T$ to the genus Chitinophaga. Furthermore, the results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of both strains from the other validated Chitinophaga species. Therefore, the two isolates represent two novel species, for which the name Chitinophaga soli sp. nov.(type strain, Gsoil $219^T=KCTC\;12650^T=DSM\;18093^T$) and Chitinophaga terrae sp. nov.(type strain, Gsoil $238^T=KCTC\;12651^T=DSM\;18078^T$) are proposed.