Weissella kimchii sp. nov., a novel lactic acid bacterium from kimchi

A Gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-sporulating, facultatively anaerobic, short rod-shaped bacterium, with cells measuring 0.3-0.5 × 1-2 μm and designated strain CHJ3^T, was isolated from partially fermented kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable food. The strain produced CO₂ gas, D-lactate from glucose and dextran from sucrose and hydrolysed aesculin and arginine. It also fermented N-acetylglucosamine, amygdalin, arbutin, cellobiose, D-fructose, galactose, β-gentiobiose, gluconate, D-glucose, maltose, D-mannose, salicin, sucrose and D-xylose. The G+C content of the DNA was 48.2 mol %. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA showed that strain CHJ3^T is a member of the genus Weissella. The nearest phylogenetic relative of strain CHJ3^T was Weissella confusa, with 16S rRNA similarity of 98.3%. However, strain CHJ3^T could be differentiated from W. confusa on the basis of some phenotypic characteristics, analysis of whole-cell protein patterns and DNA-DNA hybridization data. These data suggest that strain CHJ3^T be classified in the genus Weissella as a novel species, Weissella kimchii sp. nov. The type strain is CHJ3^T (= KCCM 41287^T = DSM 14295^T = KCTC 3746^T).