Sphingobacterium composti sp nov., a novel DNase-producing bacterium isolated from compost

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, nonmotile, and nonspore-forming bacterial strain, designated T5-12(T), was isolated from compost and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomical approach. The isolate was positive for catalase and oxidase tests. It could degrade DNA, but was negative for degradation of macromolecules such as casein, collagen, starch, chitin, cellulose, and xylan. The DNA G+C content was 36.0 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major fatty acids were iso-C-15:0 (45.6%), iso-C-17:0 3OH (17.2%), and summed feature 4 (C-16:1 omega 7c and/or iso-C-15:0 2OH, 14.9%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain T5-12(T) fell within the radiation of the cluster comprising members of the genus Sphingobacterium. Strain T5-12(T) exhibited lower than 94% of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to the type strains of recognized Sphingobacterium species. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain T5-12(T) (=KCTC 12578(T)=LMG 23401(T)=CCUG 52467(T)) should be classified in the genus Sphingobacterium as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium composti sp. nov. is proposed.