Comamonas zonglianii sp. nov., isolated from phenol-contaminated soil

A bacterial strain, designated BF-3T, was isolated from phenol-contaminated soil and investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, non-sporulating, non-motile, short rods. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BF-3T formed a monophyletic branch at the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Comamonas; it showed highest sequence similarities to Comamonas aquatica LMG 2370T (96.8 %), C. nitrativorans DSM 13191T (96.4 %), C. odontotermitis LMG 23579T (96.4 %), C. kerstersii LMG 3475T (96.3 %), C. koreensis KCTC 12005T (96.1 %) and C. terrigena LMG 1253T (96.0 %). The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 1/C18 : 1 ω7c, C17 : 0 cyclo and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH). Based on the phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, whole-cell fatty acid composition and biochemical characteristics, strain BF-3T was clearly distinct from type strains of other recognized species of the genus Comamonas and, as such, represents a novel species of the genus Comamonas, for which the name Comamonas zonglianii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BF-3T (=CCTCC AB 209170T =DSM 22523T).