Abstract

Two bacterial isolates from soil samples taken in Korea, strains YM2-7T and WD2-19T, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. The cells were strictly aerobic, Gram-positive, motile with peritrichous flagella, and rod-shaped. Both strains formed ellipsoidal bulging positioned subterminal spores. Phylogenetic analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed a clear affiliation with the Firmicutes. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between YM2-7T and WD2-19T was 96.5%. Strains YM2-7T and WD2-19T showed 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 93.0-96.5% to type strains of recognized Cohnella species. The G+C contents of the DNA of strains YM2-7T and WD2-19T were 52.2 and 55.6 mol%, respectively. The major fatty acids of strains YM2-7T and WD2-19T were anteiso-C15:0 (44.4%), C16:0 (19.2%), and iso-C16:0 (16.8%) and anteiso-C15:0 (46.5%), iso-C16:0 (21.8%), and C16:0 (11.2%), respectively. Both strains contained menaquinone with seven isoprene units (MK-7) as the predominant quinone. Both strains had diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipids. Comparative analysis of phenotypic and phylogenetic traits indicated that strains YM2-7T and WD2-19T represented two novel species of the genus Cohnella. The names Cohnella soli sp. nov. (type strain YM2-7T =KACC 13346T =NBRC 106486T), and Cohnella suwonensis sp. nov. (type strain WD2-19T =KACC 13347T =NBRC 106485T) are proposed for these organisms.

• Keywords: Cohnella soli; Cohnella suwonensis; 16S rRNA gene sequence; taxonomy