Pedobacter rhodius sp. nov. and Pedobacter punctiformis sp. nov., isolated from soil

Two Gram-staining negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, pinkish-colored and rod-shaped strains, designated SJ11(T) and HCMS5-2( T), were isolated from soil in South Korea. The growth of strain SJ11(T) was observed from 15degree celsius to 35degree celsius (optimum, 30degree celsius), from pH 6.0 to 11.0 (optimum, pH 6.0-7.0) and with NaCl 0-1% (w/v) (optimum, 0%) and that of strain HCMS5-2( T) was observed from 4degree celsius to 40degree celsius (optimum, 25degree celsius), from pH 6.0 to pH 8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with NaCl 0-5% (w/v) (optimum, 0-1%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that both strains belonged to the genus Pedobacter. Strain SJ11(T) had the highest 16S rRNA similarities with Pedobacter jejuensis THG-DR3(T) (98.5%) and strain HCMS5-2( T) had the highest similarities with Pedobacter nototheniae 36B243(T) (98.7%). The digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of strain SJ11(T) with Pedobacter jejuensis THG-DR3(T) was 23.6%, with an average nucleotide identity value of 79.6%, and that of strain HCMS5-2( T) with Pedobacter nototheniae 36B243(T) was 26.4%, with an average nucleotide identity value of 83.1%. The predominant cellular fatty acids (> 10%) of SJ11(T) and HCMS5-2( T) were iso-C-15:0, summed feature 3 (comprising C-16:1 omega 7c and/or C-16:1 omega 6c) and iso-C-17:0 3-OH. The genome size of strain SJ11(T) was approximately 4.7 Mb with a G + C content of 37.7% and that of strain HCMS5-2( T) was approximately 4.1 Mb with a G + C content of 36.4%. The major polar lipid and respiratory quinone of SJ11(T) and HCMS5-2( T) were phosphatidylethanolamine and menaquinone NK-7, respectively. Results of this study showed that strains SJ11(T) and HCMS5-2( T) belonged to the genus Pedobacter as novel species, of which the name Pedobacter rhodius sp. nov., with the type strain SJ11(T) (= KACC 22884( T) = TBRC 16597( T)) and Pedobacter punctiformis sp. nov., with the type strain HCMS5-2( T) (= KACC 22863( T) = TBRC 16598( T)) were respectively proposed.