Abstract

Strain Mol12T, which presented in the form of Gram-negative, motile, non-spore forming rod-shaped, was isolated from soil in South Korea and characterized to determine its taxonomic position. The strain grew at 20–30°C (optimum 30°C) and pH 7.0–10.0 (optimum pH 8.0) with 1% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain Mol12T was most closely related to Ensifer terangae LMG 7834T (96.78%), Rhizobium daejeonense KCTC 12121T (96.43%), Ensifer adhaerens Casida AT (96.28%). Chemotaxonomic data showed that the predominant fatty acids were Summed Feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c; 53.02%) and C18:1 ω7c 11-methyl (24.01%). Its complex polar lipid contained major amounts of diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone. The DNA G+C content of strain Mol12T was determined to be 60.9 mol%. Based on the phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic, and phenotypic data, strain Mol12T (=KCTC 42816T =JCM 31049T) ought to be classified as a type strain of a novel species, for which the name Ensifer collicola sp. nov. is proposed.

• Keywords: Ensifer; taxonomy; Rhizobiaceae; Ensifer collicola sp. nov.