Abstract

Gram-staining-positive, motile, rod-shaped bacteria, designated as H31022T and H31024 was isolated from rumen contents of a Holstein cow. Optimum growth occurred at 25°C and pH 7.0 on R2A agar medium. Oxidase and catalase activities are positive. The 16S rRNA gene sequence (1,452 bp) of the new isolates revealed they belong to the genus Kurthia of the phylum Firmicutes. Highest gene sequence similarities were assessed to be with Kurthia massiliensis JC30T (98.4%), Kurthia senegalensis JC8ET (97.5%), and Kurthia populi 10y- 14T (97.4%). Kurthia sibirica DSM 4747T (97.3%), Kurthia zopfii NBRC 101529T (97.0%), and Kurthia gibsonii NCIMB 9758T (96.7%). DNA G + C content of strains H31022T and H31024 were 34.4% and 39.7%. Strains H31022T and H31024 has the following chemotaxonomic characteristics; the major fatty acids are iso-C15:0, iso-C14:0 and anteiso-C15; polar lipid profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), unknown aminophospholipids (APL), unknown glycolipids (GL), unknown phospholipids (PL), and unknown polar lipids (L); the major quinone is MK-7. Based on polyphasic taxonomic analysis, strains H31022T (= KCTC 33923T = JCM 19640T) and H31024 (= KCTC 33924T = JCM 19641T) identified a novel species in the genus Kurthia for which the name Kurthia ruminicola sp. nov. is proposed.

• Keywords: Kurthia; taxonomy; Holstein cow; rumen