Mucilaginibacter ginsenosidivorax sp nov., with ginsenoside converting activity isolated from sediment

A Gram-reaction-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, and rod-shaped bacterial strain designated KHI28(T) was isolated from sediment in Gapcheon (river) and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain KHI28(T) grew at 10-42A degrees C and at pH 5.5-8.5 on R2A and nutrient agar without additional NaCl as a supplement. Strain KHI28(T) possessed beta-glucosidase activity, which was responsible for its ability to transform ginsenosides Rb-1 and Re (ones of the dominant active components of ginseng) to C-K and Rg(2), respectively. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain KHI28(T) was shown to belong to the family Sphingobacteriaceae and to be related to Mucilaginibacter dorajii DR-f4(T) (97.9% sequence similarity), M. polysacchareus DRP28(T) (97.3%), and M. lappiensis ANJLI2(T) (97.2%). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 45.8%. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (comprising C-16:1 omega 6c and/or C-16:1 omega 7c), iso-C-15:0 and C-16:0. DNA and chemotaxonomic data supported the affiliation of strain KHI28(T) to the genus Mucilaginibacter. Strain KHI28(T) could be differentiated genotypically and phenotypically from the recognized species of the genus Mucilaginibacter. The isolate therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Mucilaginibacter ginsenosidivorax sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain KHI28(T) (=KACC 14955(T) =LMG 25804(T)).