A new species of hyphomycetes, Aspergillus coreanus sp nov., isolated from traditional Korean Nuruk

Strain NR 15-1(T) isolated from traditional Korean Nuruk is described as a new species and named as Aspergillus coreanus NR 15-1(T) sp. nov. Strain NR 15-1(T) grew rapidly to form yellow-green colonies whose surfaces were velvety on Czapek solution agar. Conidial heads were yellow to light and elliptical, whereas the conidiophore was colorless and typically long. In addition, vesicles were from flask-shaped to globose, and sterigmata are uniseriate. Conidia were spherical and deep yellow-green, and their surfaces were lightly roughened. The G+C content of strain NR 15-1(T) was 51 mol% and strain NR 15-1(T) contained a dihydrogenated ubiquinone with Q9 (94.9%) as a major quinone. The nucleotide sequences of strain NR 15-1(T) in the two Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS 1 and 2) and 5.8S rDNA showed highest similarity when compared with that of A. tubingensis and A. phoenicis NRRL 365 T. However, based on morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, this strain was different from A. tubingensis and A. phoenicis NRRL 365(T). On the basis of the data presented, it is proposed that strain NR 15-1(T) should be placed in the genus Aspergillus as a new species, Aspergillus coreanus sp. nov. Therefore, the type strain of the new species is strain NR 15-1(T) (=KCTC 18075P(T), =KCCM 80006(T)).